Way-Too-Early WWE WrestleMania 42 Match Card Predictions Ahead of WrestleMania 41

All eyes are on WWE WrestleMania 41 in Las Vegas on April 19-20 and the exciting potential it has on paper.

The Road to WrestleMania hasn't been without its many ups and downs, largely due to inconsistent creative effort in regards to the build. Some matches could have easily been seen coming a year ago, whereas others would have been impossible to predict at the time thanks to the ever-changing landscape of WWE.

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

WrestleMania 42 has already been officially announced as emanating from New Orleans on April 11 and 12, 2026, and with it being the same site as WrestleMania 30 and 34, 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 seven match predictions for WrestleMania 42 would fit the bill.

Of course, it's far too early to start fantasy-booking what the entire event will look like one year out, but these are the bouts that could conceivably come to fruition on The Grandest Stage of Them All in April 2026.

CM Punk vs. Cody Rhodes

CM Punk has been in hot pursuit of WWE's top titles since returning to the company at Survivor Series 2023, but the enemies he's made along the way have prevented him from reaching the pinnacle.

He will headline WrestleMania this year for the first time in a star-studded Triple Threat with Roman Reigns and Seth Rollins. But nothing is currently slated to be on the line other than bad blood, meaning it's unknown when he'll be back in championship contention.

After falling short in the men's Royal Rumble match for the last two years, it could well be third time's the charm for Punk in 2026. It's also entirely possible he walks into WrestleMania already the WWE or world heavyweight champion instead.

Regardless of how it happens, The Best in the World should be involved in a world title main event at WrestleMania 42, and Cody Rhodes would be the perfect opponent for him.

The two have crossed paths on countless occasions in the last year and have a shared history dating back to their time in All Elite Wrestling in addition to their incredible chemistry on the mic.

Punk portraying the heel would make this match that much bigger and would potentially put Rhodes back in chase mode where he excels.

Penta vs. Rey Mysterio

Penta has quickly established himself as a hot commodity in WWE and built major momentum in singles competition.

His brother, Rey Fenix, recently putting pen to paper with the company could indicate a Lucha Brothers reunion is imminent in the tag team ranks, but both would be better off carving their own paths for the foreseeable future—an opportunity they weren't often afforded in AEW.

All signs point to Penta challenging for the Intercontinental Championship in what will likely end up being a Fatal 4-Way at WrestleMania 41; and whether it be at that event or soon after, he should be holding gold before long.

A one-on-one encounter with Rey Mysterio has arguably been the biggest dream match for fans of Penta since he signed with WWE, and there would be no better stage for such a clash than 'Mania next year.

With the WWE Hall of Famer presumably winding down his full-time wrestling career sooner rather than later, it's imperative this bout is booked before he calls it a career. They previously faced off in Lucha Underground and again to start the 2025 men's Royal Rumble match, instantly clicking in the ring on both occasions.

Beating Mysterio at WrestleMania 42 would catapult Penta even further into superstardom.

Charlotte Flair vs. Bianca Belair

Had Charlotte Flair not gotten sidelined with a litany of injuries in December 2023, there's a strong chance she and Bianca Belair would have finally had their long-awaited WrestleMania match last year.

Belair instead joined forces with the returning Naomi and debuting Jade Cargill to conquer Damage CTRL in six-woman tag team action.

Thankfully, The EST of WWE will be involved in a much more important match this year as she vies for the Women's World Championship while Flair—fresh off winning the women's Royal Rumble—will battle Tiffany Stratton for the WWE women's title.

If they do wage war at WrestleMania 42, it wouldn't be a first-time encounter. Belair initially mixed it up with Flair in NXT on the Road to WrestleMania 36, and again when The Queen was Raw women's champion in October 2021.

The Queen is the only member of The Four Horsewomen Belair has yet to beat, and that alone could be the story for a 'Mania match between the two next year.

The influx of fresh faces to WWE's growing women's division gives Flair a number of new names to work with in the coming years, but this is one outing that must happen before either of them shift their focus to the next generation.

Gunther vs. Bron Breakker

Gunther's first three years on the main roster have practically been perfect, though the biggest question is what WWE will have in store for him once he likely loses the World Heavyweight Championship to Jey Uso at WrestleMania 41.

The entire time he's been in possession of the prestigious prize, he hasn't been positioned as the focal point of Raw. That may not bode well for his chances of remaining a fixture in the main event scene once he's no longer champ, but he's been protected enough to where he's bound to be just fine.

There's a vast amount of elite talent he has yet to feud with from both brands, but one of his most appealing potential matchups is with Bron Breakker.

Breakker handed The Ring General one of his only singles losses in WWE on an April 2022 episode of NXT, which also marked the latter's swan song on the show.

Additionally, they had a heated face-off last September backstage on Raw, but Breakker regained the Intercontinental Championship before they could collide for the world heavyweight title.

The second-generation star is ready to be elevated to the next level, and although that's guaranteed to happen ahead of WrestleMania 42, targeting Gunther at The Show of Shows would surely cement him as the next big thing.

Sami Zayn vs. Drew McIntyre

You'd be hard-pressed to find someone with a worse win-loss record against a certain Superstar on WWE TV than Sami Zayn does with Drew McIntyre.

In the near-dozen times they've gone one-on-one, Zayn has never been able to overcome the Scot. That includes a string of singles matches they had from late 2024 into early 2025, where McIntyre emphasized his rival wasn't good enough to score that elusive win over him.

At this point, WWE should wait when it matters most for it to finally happen, and when it does, a world title should be on the line.

If the previously predicted bout between Cody Rhodes and CM Punk is for the Undisputed WWE Championship, then McIntyre vs. Zayn would be the ideal match for the World Heavyweight Championship.

Despite everything he's accomplished throughout his tenure in WWE, Zayn has never held a top title. As the ultimate underdog, he'd be an excellent pick to win the 2026 men's Royal Rumble to punch his ticket to WrestleMania, where he can unseat The Scottish Warrior for the belt.

Both men belong toward the top of the card at WrestleMania 42 after taking a backseat for this year's Road to WrestleMania, and delivering a satisfying payoff to their story can be how it happens.

Rhea Ripley vs. Jordynne Grace

Rhea Ripley has put together quite the impressive résumé of WrestleMania matches in the last five years and is on track to add another show-stealer with Iyo Sky and Bianca Belair this year in Las Vegas.

Looking ahead to next year, though, there's no telling where her story will take her. A singles main event against Belair would work, but odds are they'll continue feuding beyond 'Mania this year and have their big blow-off sometime in the spring or summer.

A never-before-done match with Jade Cargill or a rematch with Becky Lynch are also on the table, but Jordynne Grace is arguably the most exciting opponent for her that's currently under contract to the company, even if she's waiting in the wings in NXT.

Grace is a multi-time TNA Knockouts world champion and will inevitably capture gold in NXT as well, but her stay in developmental should be a short one.

A third consecutive appearance in the women's Royal Rumble next January should mark her official main roster call-up, just in time for a money match with Ripley for the Women's World Championship on The Grandest Stage of Them All.

If WWE wants to immediately make Grace a star from the get-go, simply squaring off with The Eradicator would put her in prime position to shine.

Roman Reigns vs. The Rock

Roman Reigns vs. The Rock was considered by many to be a guarantee for WrestleMania 40, and even more so for WrestleMania 41. But WWE changed course both times for a variety of reasons and the box-office attraction of a match has yet to materialize.

It's understandable for fans to think the ship has sailed because it's been so long, but as long as Rock remains in the mix, it's not totally beyond the realm of reason.

It was teased when Reigns accidentally hit Rock with a Spear during their tag team match on Night 1 of WrestleMania 40, and it could have been set up on Raw's Netflix premiere when Reigns defeated Solo Sikoa in Tribal Combat.

WWE opted to go in a different direction with both men, and Reigns will instead be busy with CM Punk and Seth Rollins in a Triple Threat at the event this year.

Rock's role at the event hasn't been determined on television, and if he does appear, it would need to be as part of Cody Rhodes vs. John Cena given his involvement in the angle at Elimination Chamber.

With Reigns effectively a babyface and Rock still entrenched in his Final Boss era, the match would make sense to do in New Orleans at WrestleMania 42. It's more a matter of whether Rock's hectic schedule will allow it, but provided it does, they would undoubtedly have the main-event of either night on lock.

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.