Plans for Roman Reigns, CM Punk & Cody Rhodes for WrestleMania 42 after WWE Royal Rumble 2026 - Report
(Courtesy : WWE)
The 42nd edition of WrestleMania will emanate from Las Vegas.
The Road to WrestleMania officially began last Saturday at the Royal Rumble PLE, which saw Liv Morgan and Roman Reigns punch their ticket to the ‘Grandest Stage,’ winning the women’s and men’s Rumble matches, respectively.
Following the win, there has been a lot of speculating regarding the Mania PLE, especially since Cody Rhodes isn’t the Undisputed Champion and is himself engaged in a feud with Drew McIntyre.
During the Daily Update on F4WOnline, Dave Meltzer provided an update regarding the plans for the ‘Grandest Stage’ following last week’s Rumble.
Roman Reigns will battle the World Heavyweight Champion
Per Dave Meltzer, the plans for Mania 42 right now are a clash between Roman Reigns and the World Heavyweight Champion, CM Punk.
The two stars clashed in a triple-threat match last year at Mania, also involving Seth Rollins. Coming out of Survivor Series WarGames 2025, Reigns clearly hinted at taking on the then Undisputed Champion Cody Rhodes.
However, it seems like those plans have changed, especially since Rhodes dropped the title to Drew McIntyre last month during the Europe tour.
Drew McIntyre & Cody Rhodes will battle in a rematch
Speaking of Cody and Drew, Meltzer also reported that WWE’s plans for Rhodes is to battle Drew McIntyre. Meltzer also noted that ‘The Samoan Werewolf’ Jacob Fatu could be added to that match, making it a triple-threat contest.
During the men’s Rumble match, McIntyre attacked Rhodes, eliminating him from the match in the process. Additionally, Cody and Fatu have been going at each other’s throats on sight, and WWE might use these angles to set up the triple threat for April.
The 42nd edition of WrestleMania is set to emanate live from the Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Nevada. The show will take place over two nights, April 18 (Saturday) and April 19 (Sunday), 2026.
On the Road to WrestleMania 42, WWE will also deliver the Elimination Chamber, which will take place on February 28 at the United Center in Chicago, Illinois.
When and where will WrestleMania 42 take place?
The 42nd edition of WrestleMania is set to emanate live from the Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Nevada. The show will take place over two nights, April 18 (Saturday) and April 19 (Sunday), 2026.
Who won the men’s Royal Rumble match 2026?
‘The OTC’ Roman Reigns eliminated Gunther last to win the men’s Royal Rumble 2026 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
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Abhijit Singh is a budding sports journalist with over three years of experience in the field, and a photographer capturing stories through his lens since 2018. With a background in philosophy and political science, he brings a thoughtful, analytical edge to his reporting where every word is guided by curiosity and intent. Whether he's capturing the emotion of a moment or unpacking the deeper narratives within the game, Abhijit’s work is rooted in insight and passion. When he’s not covering sports, he’s often exploring new ideas through reading, traveling or just procrastinating.