Buy or Sell These 7 WWE Matches Becoming a Reality in 2026
The year 2025 has seen several marquee matches finally come to fruition in WWE, even if they haven't always lived up to the hype.
John Cena and Cody Rhodes collided in the main event of WrestleMania 41, albeit under different circumstances than anyone could have expected with Cena portraying the heel.
Although their 'Mania match fell flat, their vastly superior SummerSlam rematch was among the best of the year.
Following their heated confrontation at last year's Bad Blood, Goldberg and Gunther engaged in fantasy warfare at Saturday Night's Main Event this past July. The Ring General ultimately reigned supreme in what was the veteran's WWE sendoff.
There were also a handful of matchups that fans thought would transpire but were left disappointed when they were merely teased and not booked, begging the question of whether WWE is intentionally holding off on them until 2026.
The company's ever-changing landscape and long-term approach to storytelling make it difficult to predict exactly which encounters will happen when.
Let's look at whether these seven in particular will become a reality next year.
Buy: Cody Rhodes vs. Randy Orton
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From the moment Cody Rhodes returned to WWE three years ago, fans were quick to lobby for a match between him and Randy Orton given their many years of history in The Legacy.
They've been aligned on and off since then, but it wasn't until Night of Champions in June that they went one-on-one for the first time since 2013.
Orton's hesitation to follow through on his patented punt kick was what led to Rhodes scoring the victory.
That effectively planted the seeds for a future heel turn for The Viper, but he and Rhodes remain friendly...at the moment. There will come a point in the next few months when Orton's frustration boils over and he betrays Rhodes, setting up a clash for the Undisputed WWE Championship.
That's assuming Rhodes is still in possession of the prestigious prize by then, but the bout sells itself regardless of whether gold is up for grabs. It's very much worthy of the WrestleMania billing, and it's entirely possible that will be where it occurs.
Even if not, it's virtually guaranteed to go down at long last in 2026.
Sell: Roman Reigns vs. The Rock
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WWE has been hinting at Roman Reigns vs. The Rock for well over a decade, but by now, it appears it has missed its chance.
The timing was apparently never to Rock's liking until 2024, which was when it made the least sense to do the match due to Cody Rhodes having to "finish his story" against Roman Reigns at WrestleMania 40.
Rock still factored into the storyline and even teased tension with Rhodes during the tag team match on Night 1 of the event, but WWE failed to follow up on it accordingly.
The only interaction they've had since then was on Raw's Netflix premiere at the onset of 2025. Reigns bested Solo Sikoa in Tribal Combat to put their rivalry to rest, and Rock subsequently embraced The OTC in the ring.
Rock refusing to "acknowledge" Reigns before laying him out would have been the simplest setup for a WrestleMania match, but WWE opted to go in a different direction heading into The Show of Shows.
The Final Boss will be nearly 53 by WrestleMania 42 in Las Vegas, and Reigns will likely be involved with The Vision until then. If it isn't at The Show of Shows, then it isn't happening.
Buy: Rhea Ripley vs. Stephanie Vaquer
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Stephanie Vaquer has adapted to the main roster exceptionally well and already can call herself a champion.
She knocked off Iyo Sky in an excellent outing at Wrestlepalooza, and she'll have her hands full with Tiffany Stratton in champion vs. champion action at Crown Jewel.
Beyond that, though, there's been zero indication of who will be first to challenge La Primera for the title.
The Raw women's division being as deep as it is at the moment ensures there will be no shortage of credible contenders waiting in the wings, but the biggest bout WWE could book with Vaquer for WrestleMania 42 is against Rhea Ripley.
Ripley is keeping busy outside of the championship mix at the moment by aiding Sky in her battle with The Kabuki Warriors. Once that runs its course and she has her sights set back on the belt, watching her chase Vaquer should be fun to follow.
These two warriors must cross paths in the new year, and it will be an undeniable attraction when they do.
Sell: Seth Rollins vs. Bron Breakker
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WWE's ultimate endgame with The Vision should be to use Seth Rollins to help elevate Bron Breakker and Bronson Reed to the next level.
Of course, the group will implode eventually, but based on the wave of momentum they've been riding since joining forces earlier this year, that won't be anytime in the near future.
As such, there's no reason to expect Breakker will break away from Rollins in 2026, and certainly not by WrestleMania 42.
Breakker should spend the coming months continuing to rack up wins in high-profile matches while Rollins rides high as world heavyweight champion and settles scores with Cody Rhodes, Roman Reigns and CM Punk.
The Vision has struggled to find its footing as a faction thus far, so it would be premature to have its members go their separate ways or even to just boot Breakker next year. They need more time to establish their dominance, collect championships and give fans more of a reason to want to see the second-generation star stand up to Rollins and give him his comeuppance.
Breakker should face Reigns one-on-one at some point in 2026, but a bout with Rollins is still a ways off.
Buy: Brock Lesnar vs. Gunther
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When Gunther was at the tail end of his historic run as intercontinental champion in early 2024, all signs pointed to him facing Brock Lesnar at WrestleMania 40.
It's unknown whether the title would have been on the line, though it's safe to assume it would have been.
The build would have kicked off in that year's men's Royal Rumble match, but Lesnar abruptly being pulled from programming in light of the developing Vince McMahon scandal forced WWE to change plans.
As a result, the matchup never materialized. That said, Gunther may have dodged a bullet because Sami Zayn was a much stronger choice to dethrone the Austrian, who then moved on to the World Heavyweight Championship picture.
With Lesnar now back, WWE is clear to have the two titans lock up, and that could well be the direction for WrestleMania 42. Gunther is out injured at the moment but could target Lesnar upon his return to make an impact at the expense of the former world champ.
It's more a matter of when and not if Lesnar and Gunther will meet in singles competition next year.
Sell: CM Punk vs. AJ Styles
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AJ Styles intends to retire from the ring sometime in 2026.
Per Fightful Select (h/t SI's The Takedown), his current contract with WWE is set to expire early next year, but that doesn't mean he won't sign another extension to ensure he can wrap up on a major stage such as WrestleMania or SummerSlam.
There's any number of opponents he can close out his career against, whether it's familiar faces or new names he has yet to work with. Some make more sense than others, but CM Punk is all but guaranteed not to be among them.
Their only interactions in WWE came during the 2025 men's Royal Rumble and a Triple Threat Money in the Bank qualifier on Raw in June. They did have the occasional outing in Ring of Honor two decades ago, but both have come so far as performers since then that a match between today would be epic.
While the matchup wouldn't be what it could have been when they were still in their physical prime, it'd still be fun to see them mix it up before Styles hangs up his boots for good.
Unless something changes drastically leading into WrestleMania season, however, this isn't a match WWE has on its radar, despite overwhelming interest from fans.
Understandably, the company might want Styles to share the squared circle with a younger prospect who can actually benefit from beating him in his final match.
Buy: Bianca Belair vs. Jade Cargill
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Bianca Belair vs. Jade Cargill had been considered a dream match for many fans well before the latter made the move from All Elite Wrestling to WWE.
Cargill putting pen to paper with the promotion two years ago meant it was destined to happen eventually, albeit not out of the gate.
WWE wisely paired them off first as partners, and the dynamic duo gave the women's tag team division a welcome boost for a bit in 2024. Cargill's untimely injury that fall put plans for a singles match on the back burner, assuming there was a chance they were going to face off at WrestleMania 41 in the first place.
They confronted each other a time or two during WrestleMania season, but Belair getting injured at the event delayed their anticipated program. The EST of WWE has yet to resurface, but her return is believed to be imminent.
Even if Belair and Cargill instantly settle whatever differences they have, tensions are bound to boil over before long, which would then serve as a catalyst for a bout between them in the first few months of 2026.
SmackDown's depleted women's scene could desperately use a shot in the arm at the moment, and a Belair vs. Cargill feud could be exactly what's been missing.
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.
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