Ranking WWE's Best Options to Headline WrestleMania 39 Night 1

As more and more matches are added to the WrestleMania 39 card, it's becoming increasingly clear what blockbuster bouts WWE will be prioritizing on its premier pay-per-view.

The most anticipated encounter of either night will be Roman Reigns vs. Cody Rhodes for the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship. Although it has yet to be made official, that is virtually guaranteed to headline Night 2, as WWE has traditionally saved its grandest attraction for that evening.

That leaves the door wide open for the main event of Night 1 on April 1, and there are several marquee matchups that could realistically occupy that position.

In years past, the main event of Night 1 has far outshined that of Night 2. The Boneyard match between The Undertaker and AJ Styles in 2020 was a blast, Sasha Banks and Bianca Belair stole the show in 2021, and "Stone Cold" Steve Austin's return to the ring last year was historic.

Reigns vs. Rhodes will be tough to top, but any of the following five matches could easily end Night 1 in equally exhilarating fashion.

5. Edge vs. Finn Bálor (Hell in a Cell)

Edge and Finn Bálor have been going back and forth for so long that a WrestleMania match between the two is merely a formality at this point.

Wrestling News originally reported in December that they were set to settle their score in a Hell in a Cell match at the Royal Rumble. Even with it being pushed back until 'Mania, the big blow-off still makes sense to transpire inside The Devil's Playground.

A handful of Hell in a Cell matches have been held at The Show of Shows before, most notably when The Undertaker and Triple H had their "end of an era" encounter at WrestleMania 28. Edge also has two terrific HIAC matches on his resume with Undertaker from 2008 and Seth Rollins from 2021.

It's not often WWE closes out WrestleMania with a gimmick match (especially without a championship being up for grabs), but it would certainly send the message that Hell in a Cell is back to being a novelty now that the same-titled PPV is no more.

Additionally, Bálor can finally lay claim to competing in the main event of 'Mania. Beating The Rated-R Superstar in such a spot would give him the credibility boost he needs right now.

4. Seth Rollins vs. Logan Paul

Logan Paul returned from injury at the Royal Rumble and immediately made an enemy out of Seth Rollins by eliminating him from the men's match. He doubled down by costing him the United States Championship at Elimination Chamber as well.

On Monday's Raw, their face-off concluded with the social media star again laying out The Visionary and accepting his challenge to a match at WrestleMania.

Similar to Edge vs. Bálor, no titles will be at stake in this heated encounter, but it has a very real chance of stealing the show, regardless of what night it's booked for. The build so far has been strong and their in-ring chemistry is bound to be excellent.

If it isn't opening the event, then having it headline would be the next best thing. It isn't all that far-fetched of a possibility, either, considering how big of a name Paul is and how Rollins has always wanted top billing on The Grandest Stage of Them All.

They would no doubt deliver and have a match worthy of the WrestleMania main event.

3. Gunther vs. Drew McIntyre vs. Sheamus (Intercontinental Championship)

Gunther's next challenger(s) to the Intercontinental Championship will be determined on Friday's SmackDown by way of a Fatal-5 Way match, and the winners should be Sheamus and Drew McIntyre.

Yes, it's confusing to have two winners in a Fatal 5-Way, but a fluky finish must be booked to ensure that happens. It's the best-case scenario for all three men at WrestleMania, not to mention that it would be a tremendous Triple Threat given the talent involved.

If the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship is closing out Night 2, it would be perfectly suitable for Night 1 to be headlined by an Intercontinental Championship clash, the second-most prestigious prize in the entire company at the moment.

In the near 40 years of 'Mania, the title has never before been defended on its own in the main event. The Ultimate Warrior and Hulk Hogan had a title-for-title match at WrestleMania 6, but that was more focused on the WWE belt than the intercontinental version.

Along with the incredible potential the proposed Triple Threat has, it also has a compelling story. Gunther is looking to extend his reign, while McIntyre and Sheamus are willing to look past their friendship because winning that piece of gold is so important to both of them.

2. Charlotte Flair vs. Rhea Ripley (SmackDown Women's Championship)

The beauty of doing two nights of WrestleMania is having one headlined by the men's Royal Rumble victor and the other headlined by the winner of the women's match. That is, except, unless there's a story stronger that warrants it being in that spot instead.

That's the case this year with everything involving The Bloodline taking precedence over Charlotte Flair vs. Rhea Ripley.

Dave Meltzer of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter reported on Feb. 24 that Flair vs. Ripley is WWE's current pick to go on last for Night 1, but anything can change before then. It's likely that it will seeing how hot the Bloodline saga has gotten lately.

The Queen will be fine regardless, but it would be a bummer for her to have a second successive 'Mania main event taken from her. Furthermore, Ripley missing out on top billing at The Show of Shows does make winning the women's Rumble slightly less important.

The bad blood between these two goes all the way back to their early matches for the NXT Women's Championship in 2020. Ripley was never able to avenge her many losses to Flair, but she should get that chance at WrestleMania when they rekindle their rivalry.

1. The Usos vs. Sami Zayn and Kevin Owens (Undisputed WWE Tag Team Championship)

The consistency of this storyline involving Sami Zayn has been perfected over the last 10 months, and there's no better place for the payoff than The Grandest Stage of Them All.

Flair and Ripley would get the WrestleMania main event off a technicality because the latter won the women's Rumble match, not because the contest is more appealing than the rest of the card.

There are many different ways WWE can go with the Bloodline story, but Zayn has been excommunicated from the group twice officially. He needs backup against them, and Kevin Owens is the ideal partner for him.

WWE has been wise to hold off on the inevitable Owens-Zayn reunion, but when it does happen, it will make for a memorable moment and set up this tag title match swimmingly.

Much like the Intercontinental Championship, a tag title match has never gone on last at WrestleMania and this might be the best chance WWE has of making that happen. On top of everything, Zayn and Owens winning the tag titles will have the happy ending that Ripley becoming champion would not.

Any of the other options would be acceptable, but a match this special is main event material and deserves the proper spotlight at WrestleMania 39.

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Graham Mirmina, aka Graham "GSM" Matthews, has specialized in sports and entertainment writing since 2010. Visit his website, WrestleRant, and subscribe to his YouTube channel for more wrestling-related content.