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The main events of both nights of WrestleMania 42 are now set in stone, with two monster world championship clashes poised to close out both nights at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas next month. On night one, Cody Rhodes will defend the Undisputed WWE Championship against former mentor Randy Orton, while CM Punk's World Heavyweight Championship defense against 2026 Royal Rumble winner Roman Reigns will close out night two. And boy, have both those two rivalries been ramped up a notch in recent weeks.
The 13th March episode of SmackDown ended with an absolute stunner as Orton turned on former protege Rhodes, leaving the champion bloodied and battered after a vicious assault which confirmed the Viper's turn to the dark side and ended any hopes of a respectful clash of mentor vs apprentice on the grandest stage. On the March 16th episode of Raw, CM Punk and Roman Reigns' war of words turned personal, with the champion landing a right hand on the challenger after having his age called into question.
The road to WrestleMania will have plenty more twists and turns between now and Las Vegas, and online betting sites are already predicting one of them. The latest odds from Ozoon sports betting site are currently pricing up a WrestleMania showcase match between Logan Paul and music supremo Bad Bunny, with the former positioned as a -240 favorite to get the win. But even though the two have not yet crossed paths, a clash between the two at Allegiant Stadium wouldn't be the wildest proposition, especially considering Bad Bunny's stellar efforts when he beat Damien Priest in a San Juan street fight three years ago.
But while we wait and see if that match comes to fruition as the popular Canadian bookmaker is predicting, let's focus on what we do currently have ahead of us: Cody Rhodes vs Randy Orton and CM Punk vs Roman Reigns. Who wins these two matches? Let's take a look.
While Randy Orton's shocking heel turn and vicious assault of Cody Rhodes was certainly valuable in terms of its shock value, it also meant that we are about to plough through yet another WrestleMania season in which there is next to no chance of the American Nightmare turning to the dark side. Ever since Cody's return to WWE four years ago, he has reveled in the role of the hero, a run headlined by his emotional title victory against Roman Reigns at WrestleMania two years ago.
However, throughout the course of 2025, fans began to turn on Rhodes, growing increasingly frustrated at his stale character. Many felt that a heel turn against Orton was the obvious direction for WWE to head in. However, that dream is now in the mud, with the Viper becoming the bad guy.
Orton was seen having a cryptic phone call on the March 16th episode of Raw, thanking the person on the other end of the line for the advice and ending with "Wrestling has more than one royal family," the famous intro to Cody Rhodes' entrance music. That could well suggest that Cowboy Bob Orton - Randy's father - could have a part to play in this WrestleMania build. Perhaps even Ted DiBiase Jr. could also make a return, then the man who made up the famed Legacy faction alongside Orton and Rhodes all those years ago.
Even still, however, with Orton positioned as the bad guy, all the signs point toward a successful Cody Rhodes title defense on the Grandest Stage of Them All. Cody's story, since becoming champion for the first time, has been the beloved hero prevailing against all odds, and it seems as though that story is once again being told. It will end in Sin City, and it will likely do so with yet another American Nightmare victory.
CM Punk vs Roman Reigns is the WrestleMania main event that no one truly thought they would get. Last year, the two squared off alongside Seth Rollins in a triple threat match, but that clash was more because of both men's issues with the Visionary as opposed to issues with each other. This year, it seemed as though Reigns was on a collision course with Cody Rhodes to complete an epic trilogy of WrestleMania main events, but instead, WWE decided to go in the direction of Punk vs Reigns for the very first time, and what a decision it has proven to be.
While fans are acutely aware of the Rhodes vs. Reigns story that has encapsulated WWE for the last three years, the story of Punk vs. Reigns is one that hasn't been told. With over a decade's worth of ammunition, the two superstars have gotten to work on the mic, trading barb for barb and ensuring that every time the two are in the ring together on an episode of Raw, it's must-see TV.
But does anyone truly see this saga ending with anything other than a Roman Reigns victory? While Punk has been a stellar champion and has never been more popular, at the age of 47, how far into the future can he realistically lead WWE? Reigns, seven years younger, could comfortably embark upon a lengthy title reign, just as he did throughout an Undisputed WWE Universal Championship reign that spanned a mighty 1,316 days between 2020 and 2024.
Another angle here could well be Reigns reforming his fabled Bloodline faction. Both Uso brothers, Jimmy and Jey, are seemingly on the same page with their Tribal Chief, with Jimmy recently punching Punk in the face as the reigning world heavyweight champion disrespected the famed Samoan dynasty of which they are a part. Don't be surprised to see them help Reigns and provide the assist as the Head of the Table reclaims championship gold in Las Vegas.
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