The Ripple Effects of CM Punk vs. Roman Reigns on WWE's Entire Roster
CM Punk vs. Roman Reigns at WrestleMania 42 came completely out of left field, yet is one of the biggest bouts WWE can possibly book at the moment.
It wasn't as heavily foreshadowed as Reigns vs. Cody Rhodes was coming out of Survivor Series last November. All signs pointed to that being the direction WWE was heading until plans clearly changed.
Punk vs. Reigns does little to benefit the future of WWE with both guys already all-time greats, but their first face-to-face coming out of Reigns' Royal Rumble win established that it will be a must-see build if they can continue to deliver stellar mic work.
It's the only match official for WrestleMania as of now, but the entire roster is feeling the ripple effects of it being the event's grand attraction this year.
Here's how so many key members of the SmackDown and Raw rosters are affected by their upcoming clash.
Cody Rhodes' Heel Turn Will Be Delayed Even Further
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When it looked like Rhodes vs. Reigns III would be headlining WrestleMania 42, fans were quick to assume The American Nightmare's long-awaited heel turn could factor into their feud somehow.
Reigns was the villain the last time they waged war while Rhodes was the conquering babyface, so reversing the roles for their rubber match made the most sense.
Reigns now having shifted his focus to Punk means Rhodes likely won't be going rogue anytime soon, especially since there's no reason for him to.
His ongoing issues with Jacob Fatu on SmackDown could lead to him turning if it's revealed he was the one who attacked Fatu many months ago, but WWE wouldn't waste such a major moment on what would end up being a midcard match at 'Mania.
A heel turn for Rhodes is inevitable, but WWE was wise to hold off on pulling the trigger for a little longer. Reigns or Punk turning instead, however, could be in the cards and would make their feud even more interesting.
Drew McIntyre Might Main-Event WrestleMania in Front of Fans
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Drew McIntyre has been robbed of a marquee match at WrestleMania for too long, but this should be the year where he finally gets to go on last.
He famously headlined 'Mania with Brock Lesnar in 2020 and walked out as world champ for the first time, but the pandemic prevented an actual audience from being in attendance. He went on to fight for the gold at WrestleMania 37 and WrestleMania 40 and even won on the latter occasion, but both bouts were slotted as the opener.
With Reigns vs. Punk confirmed to be closing out Night 2 of WrestleMania 42, Night 1 is up for grabs and as the undisputed WWE champion, McIntyre has as good of a chance of occupying that spot as anyone.
Regardless of who he faces and whether he wins or not, The Scottish Warrior competing in the Night 1 main event would be a fine full-circle moment for him. He surely wouldn't have had that opportunity if Rhodes vs. Reigns was still slated for the WWE title, as McIntyre would have had to be relegated to some other storyline in the midcard.
Jacob Fatu Could Wind up Winning the Undisputed WWE Championship
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The men's Elimination Chamber match at the eponymous event determining McIntyre's opponent for the Undisputed WWE Championship at WrestleMania feels unpredictable on paper, even though there's no reason for the ultimate matchup to be a Triple Threat involving McIntyre, Cody Rhodes and Jacob Fatu.
Rhodes and McIntyre have been feuding on and off for over six months and are overdue for different directions. Another singles bout between them at 'Mania would be the worst case scenario, but adding Fatu to the mix would freshen things up.
Not only that, but it also wouldn't be a stretch to say Fatu could emerge victorious as the new champ.
Rhodes vs. Reigns happening as originally planned would have kept Fatu in the WrestleMania midcard at best, much like with McIntyre. He's proved he's ready to be elevated to that next level and doesn't look out of place whenever he shares the screen with Rhodes and McIntyre.
If Reigns vs. Punk is all about part-time superiority, SmackDown's main event could cement the future depending on the outcome.
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Bron Breakker's Crowning Moment Will Have to Wait
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Bron Breakker should have won the World Heavyweight Championship in the immediate aftermath of his betrayal of Seth Rollins. That would have allowed him to capitalize on his hot momentum and simultaneously shake up Raw's main event scene.
WWE decided to go with CM Punk as the next champ instead, but putting the belt on Breakker on the sooner side should have been the priority.
Although Breakker lost to Punk on the first Raw of 2026, it appeared he'd bounce back by winning the Royal Rumble and taking the title at WrestleMania.
That didn't happen, either.
Breakker is now out of action indefinitely dealing with a major hernia surgery, but prior to him being written off the show, he was embroiled in a feud with a mystery masked man that's bound to be revealed as Seth Rollins.
That match is off the table for now as well, but even if Breakker was healthy, his World Heavyweight Championship aspirations would have to be put on the back burner as a result of Reigns challenging Punk.
The Seth Rollins Factor
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Seth Rollins' unresolved rivalries with Roman Reigns and CM Punk can be revisited now that Bron Breakker is out of the picture for the foreseeable future.
Rollins was never beaten for the World Heavyweight Championship due to his injury and that can why he reinserts himself into the ongoing conflict between Reigns and Punk en route to WrestleMania.
It would be lazy for WWE to go the Triple Threat route again with the three of them, but Rollins' direct connection to the title scene can't be ignored.
If the Breakker vs. Rollins rivalry can't happen heading into WrestleMania, Rollins is instantly freed up to pursue the prestigious prize coming out of the event and setting his sights on whoever walks out with it.
Per Dave Meltzer of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, Reigns vs. Rollins was at one point penciled in to be the WrestleMania 42 main event with the world heavyweight title up for grabs.
It's unknown who would have won, but it does indicate WWE will want to have them settle their score eventually.
Will the World Heavyweight Championship Be Around After WrestleMania?
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More important than arguably anything else, the status of the World Heavyweight Championship is in significant jeopardy once WrestleMania season is over.
Despite being labeled as a part-timer by some, CM Punk is a regular on Raw. He defended the title three times in January and is scheduled to defend against Finn Bálor again at Elimination Chamber, whereas Roman Reigns' matches and appearances are much more sporadic.
Reigns regaining gold would mean seeing a whole lot less of him and the title following WrestleMania. That's entirely dependent on the outcome, but that wouldn't have been a concern had Punk been challenged by someone on the active roster.
The entire Raw roster is affected by Reigns now choosing to go after Punk because they may soon have nothing to fight for, if only temporarily. Reigns' record-setting run came to an end two years ago and it still hasn't been long enough.
It's high time new names start being transitioned into these top spots to avoid running the risk of fan fatigue.
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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