WWE's 10 Biggest Unanswered Questions Entering 2026
WWE's record-setting profits in 2025 didn't translate to a strong year creatively, with an argument to be made about it being the weakest overall since Triple H took the helm in mid-2022.
That makes it all the more important for the company to bounce back in a major way in 2026, with the success of SmackDown and Raw hinging on several key questions that must be addressed.
WWE can win back some of the goodwill it lost with its audience as a result of questionable booking and financial decisions by righting some of those wrongs in the new year, starting with what should be an eventful January.
Ticket prices continue to surge and yet the cost currently doesn't match the quality of the product. The expansion of premium live events and adding more hours of programming aren't the solution.
For the storylines specifically, the worst thing WWE can do is not follow up on the seeds that have already been planted. With the star-studded roster it has at its disposal, there's no reason why this can't be a fantastic year for the company.
These are WWE's 10 biggest unanswered questions coming into 2026.
Will WWE's Booking Improve?
1 of 10
For some fans, Triple H could do no wrong as a booker after producing a strong run of shows and storylines between 2022 and 2024, but WWE's creatively inconsistent 2025 proved that wasn't the case.
In many ways, WWE having an "off" year was necessary. It established that not everything it does turns to gold or will be unanimously praised, and that changes must be made in 2026 to avoid more backlash.
John Cena's retirement tour in particular was a point of contention, but regardless of what the general consensus, WWE will not have The GOAT to build around this year. It's essentially starting fresh and can go in any number of directions with its top storylines heading into WrestleMania season and beyond.
All Elite Wrestling heating up should be another motivation for WWE to put its best foot forward creatively in 2026 and correct course. Even with all of the injuries, the roster is stacked enough that the company shouldn't struggle to come up with compelling angles and matches in the months ahead.
Triple H has shown in recent years what he's capable of as head of creative. Now it's time to restore some of that magic and give the audience an incentive to be excited again.
Who Attacked Jacob Fatu?
2 of 10
Jacob Fatu was fresh off a failed feud with Solo Sikoa and a month-long hiatus from television when he was inserted into the main event mix on SmackDown in October.
All signs pointed to him working with Drew McIntyre and eventually challenging Cody Rhodes for the Undisputed WWE Championship.
Almost immediately, he was pulled from the blue brand to undergo a dental procedure, but his absence was explained on the show with a backstage attack where it wasn't revealed who was responsible.
McIntyre was the obvious choice until he publicly denied being behind it. If it ends up being him, it would be underwhelming. Randy Orton is another option, but he had little to gain from ambushing Fatu since he also wasn't featured on SmackDown in the remainder of 2025.
There's been zero mention of Fatu in the months since, to the point where he's been all but forgotten about. Ideally, he'll be back soon, but WWE should have someone in mind as the assailant so the angle itself isn't forgotten about as well.
Regardless of who ends up in that role, Fatu's ascent to the world title picture is overdue and inevitable.
How Does WWE Plan to Make 3 Hours of SmackDown Sustainable?
3 of 10
It would be understandable for fans to go into SmackDown's new three-hour era with an open mind not knowing how WWE intended on handling it and whether the expansion would be in the best interest of the show.
However, WWE already tried taking the blue brand to three hours a year ago, and it did more to hurt the show than help it. The ratings weren't affected drastically, but the overall state of SmackDown creatively took a nosedive.
USA Network was wise to have SmackDown revert to its two-hour format for the second half of 2025, but it was eventually announced that it would be returning to three hours at the onset of 2026.
The first episode of the year featured a handful of debuts and returns along with a title change. All of the new blood will go a long way in freshening things up, but more needs to be done to convince the fans that SmackDown is sustainable at three hours long.
The storylines improving and there being a surplus of above-average action can be significant steps in the right direction. WWE simply can't favor Raw on Netflix over SmackDown on USA nearly as much as it did in 2025.
Will Chris Jericho Be Full-Time or Part-Time with WWE?
4 of 10
Chris Jericho returning to WWE sooner rather than later is perhaps the company's worst-kept secret to kick off 2026. The bigger question is exactly where it will happen and what the rest of his run will look like.
The first Raw of the year will be loaded, and it's entirely possible Jericho—assuming he is free and clear of his AEW contract—shows up at some point to a raucous reaction. That said, there's a better chance of him being saved as surprise entrant in the men's Royal Rumble match at the end of the month.
Either way, he should factor into the WrestleMania 42 card in some form or fashion, most likely for a match with LA Knight. They'd have instant chemistry on the mic and could have an entertaining outing in the midcard.
Jericho's "retirement" run with WWE shouldn't last just three months, though. Although the 55-year-old is clearly nearing the end of his in-ring career, there's plenty left for him to do with the all of the new names he has to work with, not to mention the money WWE can make on merchandise for the future Hall of Famer.
A part-time schedule is to expected, but WWE has enough part-timers these days that Jericho wrestling more regularly a la CM Punk would be the better fit.
Will Austin Theory Be Revealed as a Double Agent for Seth Rollins?
5 of 10
Austin Theory being made an official member of The Vision on the final Raw of 2025 was a long time coming, but if recent rumors are to be believed, he may not be with the faction for long.
Bron Breakker, Bronson Reed and Paul Heyman ousted Seth Rollins from the group in October, and it's merely a matter of when and not if The Visionary will be returning for revenge.
Fans are fantasy-booking Theory betraying The Vision and helping destroy it from within before revealing himself as a double agent for Rollins.
It's a fine theory (no pun intended), except that it could make matters confusing as to whether Rollins and Theory are babyfaces, heels or tweeners. So as not to complicate things, Rollins should be flying solo once he resurfaces, and Theory should build momentum as a member of The Vision for the foreseeable future.
It's also worth wondering whether WWE's latest experiment with Theory will pan out in the long run, because if not, it could be his last chance. The 28-year-old has all the tools to be successful and just needs the proper push. This should be his year to shine.
Will AJ Styles' Retirement Be Treated Like a Big Deal?
6 of 10
WWE went all out for John Cena's final year and understandably so. He was their biggest draw for two decades and defined an entire era in the company's history.
AJ Styles hasn't been as important to WWE's business during his decade-long stint, but he is widely regarded as one of the best wrestlers of his generation, if not ever. As such, the red carpet should be rolled out for his final run.
Unlike what WWE did with Cena, Styles deserves to have his last-ever match take place on the grandest stage possible: WrestleMania. There's no one obvious name for him to face in his final farewell, though Gunther would make the most sense following his decisive submission win over Cena in his retirement match last month.
The best-case scenario would see Styles win the men's Royal Rumble 10 years on from when he debuted in the same event and punch his ticket to the main event of WrestleMania 42, where he'd compete for a world championship against a top-tier talent.
WWE is bound to slot him in a midcard 'Mania match instead, but the road to his retirement should be treated like a big deal.
Will Brock Lesnar Actually Retire at SummerSlam?
7 of 10
On the topic of retirements, Brock Lesnar has been brought up quite a bit in those conversations among fans as of late, especially after John Cena hinted in an interview with Chris Van Vliet that The Beast Incarnate was preparing to ride off into the sunset at SummerSlam in his home state of Minnesota.
At this point in Lesnar's lengthy career, there isn't anything left for him to accomplish or strive for. He's faced a vast majority of the active roster and doesn't add much to the current product outside of serving as an occasional attraction at major events.
Having his grand sendoff at SummerSlam would actually allow others to rise in his absence, and someone such as Oba Femi or Bron Breakker could benefit from being the one to put him down.
Despite SummerSlam emanating from his home state, there will be much less fanfare surrounding Lesnar's match on that show, and he's not the type of Superstar who would want all eyes on him for what could be his last match.
Lesnar will come and go as he pleases, and there's nothing to rule out an eventual return to the ring if the money is right. His status for SummerSlam should be set in stone, but whether he wrestles again after that is unknown.
Will LA Knight Ever Be Elevated to the Next Level?
8 of 10
LA Knight had fans buzzing when he was believed to have been buried at the end of an episode of Raw last month at the hands of The Vision. He hasn't been seen since, but with it being a storyline injury, he should be back either before or at the Royal Rumble.
The question then turns to how much will truly change with Knight at that point. He's been stuck in the same spot for over three years, and no matter how over he's gotten with the audience, WWE has been hesitant to feature him in the main event scene for more than a few months at a time.
The two-time United States champion belongs in the upper echelon of the card permanently.
Knight shouldn't be a one-off challenger for either CM Punk or Bron Breakker's World Heavyweight Championship when he returns to television. This has to be the year when he finally cements his place atop the totem pole and captures the prestigious prize to justify fans being behind him for so long.
Keeping him as a midcard mainstay isn't going to cut it anymore, and winning the Royal Rumble, King of the Ring or Money in the Bank would elevate The Megastar to the next level.
Will The Rock Wrestle Again?
9 of 10
Every time fans have expected to see The Rock compete at WrestleMania in the last several years, he hasn't been present, and the only time he did commit to competing was when it was least convenient.
The Great One had his only bout of the last decade-plus at Night 1 of WrestleMania 40 where he and Roman Reigns bested Cody Rhodes and Seth Rollins in tag team action, specifically with Rock pinning Rhodes.
That seemed to hint at a future face-off between Rock and Rhodes for the Undisputed WWE Championship, but nothing ever came of it.
Rhodes and Rock did interact in the buildup to WrestleMania 41 with the latter wanting the former's "soul" and siding with John Cena instead when Rhodes refused, but that also went nowhere.
There's been no indication The Rock will have anything to do at WrestleMania 42, either.
WrestleMania 43 emanating from Saudi Arabia might make that that most likely place for Rock's retirement match, which would have to rule out him wrestling at any point in 2026. While it's not impossible, it is virtually guaranteed he won't be in action at the upcoming installment of The Show of Shows.
Rock could do another short storyline that doesn't culminate in a match, but there wouldn't be much value in that much like last time with Cena.
Which Fresh Face Will Be Biggest Star at the End of the Year?
10 of 10
WWE is in the process of calling up a handful of fresh faces at a time when it's desperately needed on Raw and SmackDown. The main event scenes on both brands could use a serious shot of adrenaline, and it may not be long before fans start to see some of them vying for the top titles.
Joe Hendry won't have any trouble getting over with the audience, but his ceiling is the upper-midcard. Sol Ruca and Jordynne Grace will be instant fan favorites as well and would be welcome additions to either the Women's United States or Women's Intercontinental Championship pictures.
The main three to watch for will be Oba Femi, Trick Williams and Je'Von Evans.
Williams made his debut as an official member of SmackDown last Friday night and made an impact by confronting Sami Zayn. Once he gets past Zayn, a reign as United States champion should be next for him.
Evans has excelled whenever he's appeared on the main roster over the last year and should slowly work his way up the card. Femi, meanwhile, should be skyrocketed to the main event upon arriving on SmackDown and be prominently positioned in programs with the more notable names.
That should eventually include Brock Lesnar, and of all the behemoths WWE has on its roster right now, Femi poses the most legitimate threat. At the close of the year, The Ruler should be the biggest breakout star and ready to enter world championship contention, if he hasn't already done so by then.
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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