WWE WrestleMania 42 Match Card Predictions After Royal Rumble Results
The mixed reaction to the 2026 Royal Rumble hasn't inspired a ton of confidence among WWE fans that the Road to WrestleMania 42 will any less of a mess than last year's.
WWE's weekly product was already struggling to pique the interest of the audience, though a rather strong month of January seemed to indicate that there was hope for what WrestleMania season would have in store. The results of the Rumble, however, were far from encouraging.
Liv Morgan and Roman Reigns were two of the top odds-on favorites heading into their respective Rumble matches. Their wins were not only expected but further established that WWE seems to be stuck in the same spot creatively right now that they've been in for months.
Seeds were planted for WrestleMania 42 during the Royal Rumble, but whether these match card predictions will make for the strongest show possible remains to be seen.
Drew McIntyre vs. Cody Rhodes vs. Jacob Fatu (Undisputed WWE Championship)
1 of 5Sami Zayn's time to win a world title in WWE will come, but the Royal Rumble was not that night, nor does it look like that night will be coming in the near future.
McIntyre successfully retaining his WWE Championship against Sami Zayn was the correct call. Now McIntyre can firmly set his sights on settling his scores with Rhodes and Fatu.
That much was evident when McIntyre laid out both men at Saturday Night's Main Event the week prior, but McIntyre costing Rhodes the Rumble all but made it official. Rhodes and Fatu's interaction during the bout also heavily hinted at a Triple Threat between the three at WrestleMania.
More of McIntyre vs. Rhodes is the last thing WWE fans need at the moment coming off their string of matches in late 2025 and early 2026. Adding Fatu to the mix does make matters more interesting, though, especially if the idea is for Fatu to reign supreme and take the title.
Brock Lesnar vs. Oba Femi
2 of 5
WWE knocked it out of the park with their presentation of Oba Femi on the main roster right out of the gate in the men's Rumble. His stellar showing saw him run elbows with many of the top talent WWE has to offer, including Brock Lesnar.
Their interaction was brief yet explosive and simply served as a small taste of what they'll be capable of when they inevitably go one-on-one. If Femi wasn't going to win the whole thing, then him eliminating Lesnar would have been the next best thing.
WWE proceeded to do the exact opposite by having Lesnar throw out Femi instead.
The only explanation is that the plan is for them to run it back at WrestleMania with Femi going over in the end. Lesnar isn't as exciting of a staple as he once was, but him working with Femi would be fresh and give Femi an instant credibility boost.
Stephanie Vaquer vs. Liv Morgan (Women's World Championship)
3 of 5
In many ways, Morgan has been a main character on Raw since turning heel and joining The Judgment Day almost two years ago. The title scene hasn't been quite as compelling without her in it, so her return to the title scene was long overdue.
Vaquer walking into WrestleMania 42 with the Women's World Championship isn't guaranteed. She'll first defend the gold against Raquel Rodriguez in a Street Fight on Monday's Raw, and Rodriguez pulling out the upset would see the two Judgment Day members face off on the grand stage.
With Morgan being responsible for Rodriguez's Rumble elimination, it is possible WWE goes in that direction, but Morgan vs. Vaquer is much more of an attraction. Vaquer has the fans behind her and would have the better match with Morgan.
It's unknown where that leaves the rest of Raw's women's division, though Becky Lynch vs. AJ Lee for the Women's Intercontinental Championship is considered set in stone despite Lee's absence in the women's Rumble.
Bron Breakker vs. Seth Rollins
4 of 5
Breakker was many fans' Rumble pick this year, but his hopes of headlining WrestleMania 42 were immediately dashed when he was attacked by a masked man at ringside and thrown over the top rope by Oba Femi within moments.
It was a genuinely shocking start to the match and one of the few highlights of an otherwise lackluster event. Fans quickly questioned who was behind the mask and Breakker's former mentor Seth Rollins was the first name accused.
Rollins being out injured since October shouldn't automatically disqualify him from the conversation. It's entirely he was medically cleared sooner than expected and is ready to return imminently.
It may not have necessarily been him under the mask, but it could ultimately be revealed as him within the next month or so. Rollins wanting revenge on Breakker for booting him from The Vision is a simple enough setup for a WrestleMania match and it appears it could be a reality after all.
Roman Reigns vs. CM Punk (World Heavyweight Championship)
5 of 5
Reigns announcing his involvement in the men's Rumble via a vignette and subsequently winning his second Rumble was a weak way to kick off the Road to WrestleMania.
Regardless of who he chooses, it feels like more of the same. He hasn't been out of the top title picture long enough for his Rumble victory to mean as much as it should have.
Unless Cody Rhodes regains the Undisputed WWE Championship inside the Elimination Chamber, all signs point to Reigns choosing CM Punk as his WrestleMania opponent. The two shared the ring at 'Mania a year ago, but Seth Rollins was primarily the focal point of their story.
A one-on-one encounter between Reigns and Punk has the potential to be must-see, even if neither of them drastically change their characters between now and then. Reigns' part-time schedule might make it difficult to properly build toward the bout, but the fan complaining will cease if Punk and Reigns really start cooking with their promos and when the bell rings.
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.
