Roman Reigns secured a second career Men’s Royal Rumble victory last weekend by eliminating Gunther last, earning a world title match at WrestleMania 42. Following this, Reigns chose World Heavyweight Champion CM Punk as his opponent for the event’s main event. However, initial plans for the WrestleMania 42 main events changed significantly after Seth Rollins suffered a shoulder injury, prompting WWE’s creative team to revise the lineup.
Initial Plans vs. Revised Matchups After Injury
Originally, the company intended for Reigns to face Rollins in one headline match and Cody Rhodes to battle CM Punk in the other. According to Dave Meltzer from the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, Rollins’ injury at Crown Jewel: Perth forced WWE to alter these plans. The new idea involved CM Punk becoming World Heavyweight Champion and entering into a program with Bron Breakker. This storyline would have seen Breakker lose his title shot on the first RAW of 2026, win the Royal Rumble, and then defeat Punk at WrestleMania.
Change of Direction Following McIntyre and Rhodes’ Proposal
Despite this, Drew McIntyre and Cody Rhodes suggested a fresh twist, pitching the possibility of the Undisputed WWE Title changing hands during a Three Stages of Hell Match on SmackDown. Meltzer explained that although WWE had plans for a third Cody vs. Roman encounter, Paul Levesque ultimately supported the idea of Drew dethroning Cody to create renewed excitement ahead of WrestleMania. Consequently, the creative team scrapped Breakker’s Royal Rumble win, focusing instead on either Cody or Roman as contenders.
Final Decisions and Possible Additions to Main Events
WWE opted not to have Cody win the Royal Rumble, instead letting Roman capture the victory. The event’s build will focus on the Roman Reigns versus CM Punk match up to the end of the month, with Cody Rhodes earning his WrestleMania title chance after winning the Elimination Chamber Match in Chicago. Additionally, Jacob Fatu could still be included in the Undisputed WWE Title match, adding another layer of unpredictability to the event’s climax.
What These Changes Mean for WrestleMania 42
The alterations in WrestleMania 42’s main events reflect WWE’s ability to adapt creatively under unforeseen circumstances such as injuries. The evolving matchups involving Roman Reigns, CM Punk, Cody Rhodes, and Drew McIntyre create fresh storytelling opportunities and keep fans anticipating unique developments in the wrestling world’s biggest annual event. With Jacob Fatu’s potential inclusion, the card remains open to further surprises as WrestleMania approaches.
