Way-Too-Early WWE WrestleMania 41 Predictions

All eyes are on WrestleMania 40 this weekend and the exceptional event it has the potential to be on paper.

The Road to WrestleMania is the best it's been in years thanks to a string of strong editions of Raw and SmackDown and a compelling product in general. Outside of possibly Roman Reigns vs. Cody Rhodes II, however, it would have been almost impossible to predict this loaded lineup a year ago.

Long-term storytelling has become the new norm in WWE, so it wouldn't be strange to see seeds planted for next year's installment as soon as Monday's post-WrestleMania Raw.

A location has yet to be officially announced for the next year's Show of Shows, but it's safe to assume WWE will again go all-out with the card and ensure it's special.

The best way to do that is by giving fans the marquee matches they want to see, and the following five match predictions for WrestleMania 41 would fit the bill.

Of course, it's far too early to start fantasy-booking what WrestleMania will look like one year out, but these bouts could come to fruition on The Grandest Stage of Them All in April 2025.

The Rock vs. Roman Reigns

The Rock vs. Roman Reigns is all but guaranteed for WrestleMania 41, ideally in the Night 2 main event.

It's more a matter of how WWE gets there.

At the start of their storyline with Cody Rhodes earlier this year, many assumed that Rock was secretly working with Rhodes and it would be revealed that they were always in cahoots in an effort to get one over on The Bloodline for a change.

However, The Final Boss' last few vicious beatdowns on Rhodes have put that rumor to rest.

Rock intentionally costing Reigns the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship on Night 2 would be too predictable of a path to take, but Rock vs. Reigns could come about organically if The Great One remains a heel post-WrestleMania.

Regardless of whether is anything is at stake or not (aside from determining the true Head of the Table between them), there can be no doubt that it would be one of the biggest box-office attractions to take place at 'Mania in recent history.

In other words, it's imperative that WWE ensures it's worth the wait.

Bianca Belair vs. Rhea Ripley

In an interesting turn of events, Bianca Belair and Rhea Ripley went face-to-face on last year's post-WrestleMania Raw. Nothing immediately came out of it with the two women ending up on opposite brands in the WWE draft soon after, indicating that the plan was potentially for them to revisit their rivalry for WrestleMania 40.

The two NXT alumni are obviously no strangers to each other. They waged war in the early months of 2020 on the black-and-gold brand and have teased colliding on a few occasions since then.

With the massive stars they've evolved into, a case can be made for them being worthy of one of the main event spots at WrestleMania 41. Their chemistry is so strong that it would be a disservice for them to never face off at The Show of Shows.

Ripley retaining her Women's World Championship at WrestleMania this weekend against Becky Lynch and holding it until next year's event would make this match that much bigger.

The future of the women's division is secure with Ripley and Belair at the helm. The moment they do finally face off will pack a punch with it being so long since their last meaningful interaction.

Logan Paul vs. John Cena

Logan Paul has made it quite clear since signing with WWE that John Cena is his dream opponent.

The company has been wise to hold off on delivering it prior to this point, but WrestleMania 41 would be a suitable stage for them to bring their fantasy warfare to life.

Currently, Paul finds himself busy dealing with Randy Orton and Kevin Owens as United States champion, while Cena isn't slated to appear at WrestleMania 40 at all. A bout between them doesn't need to have gold up for grabs, so waiting until WrestleMania 41 gives Paul time to drop the strap and face other opponents before battling the 16-time world champion.

It can be argued that nothing will be gained from them having a match as neither guy is a full-time performer with the promotion, but as an attraction, it would be a blast, both for the match itself and the promos leading up to it.

If Cena's swan song is imminent, losing to a heel as hated as Paul wouldn't be the worst way for him to go out.

Tiffany Stratton vs. Charlotte Flair

The complexion of the SmackDown women's division has completely changed in Charlotte Flair's absence.

The second-generation star went down with a significant injury in December and isn't expected back for another few months. When she does resurface, starting a storyline with Tiffany Stratton would be the perfect use of them both.

The 24-year-old has long been compared to Flair by fans, but what each of them is capable of inside the squared circle is drastically different. Despite being a natural heel, The Queen can be a convincing babyface foil opposite Stratton, and the match would be nothing short of a spectacle.

As a Minnesota native, it would be surreal for the former NXT women's champion to have her first WrestleMania match against a competitor the caliber of Flair in her home state—assuming that is ultimately where the event will emanate from.

Furthermore, beating Flair on such a stage would go a long way in establishing Stratton as a star on the rise and getting her another step closer to contending for championships on the main roster.

Cody Rhodes vs. CM Punk

WWE originally teased this as a WrestleMania match on Raw days before the Royal Rumble in January.

Cody Rhodes going on to win the men's Rumble match put this bout on the back-burner, but there will come a time when they will meet again.

Once WrestleMania 41 rolls around, it's impossible to tell what both men will be doing by then. Punk may still be entrenched in rivalries with Seth Rollins and Drew McIntyre while Rhodes defends the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship against any number of opponents.

Nonetheless, they had such great chemistry during their one war of words that WWE would be foolish to not rekindle that magic eventually. Whether it be beforehand or at the event itself, Punk turning heel and portraying a hypocritical character would be a terrific twist in the story.

They're merely two ships passing in the night for now, but when they do inevitably cross paths again, sparks will fly.

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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.