More on Hell in a Cell discussions for WWE WrestleMania 42
Dave Meltzer addressed the changing plans for the WWE Championship match at WrestleMania 42 in the latest edition of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter.
Randy Orton is now scheduled to challenge Cody Rhodes for the WWE title at the event. Meltzer wrote that, contrary to recent speculation, the match is currently planned as a singles bout rather than a multi-person match involving others tied to Rhodes’ recent storylines, including Drew McIntyre and Jacob Fatu.
“Barring a late decision change, Rhodes will defend the title against Randy Orton, and it’s pretty much a lock that it will be a singles match rather than a three-way or four-way match,” Meltzer wrote.
Earlier this week, PWInsider reported that WWE had at one point considered Rhodes vs. McIntyre in a Hell in a Cell match at WrestleMania. Meltzer added that WWE had also discussed putting Rhodes vs. Roman Reigns inside Hell in a Cell when that match was originally planned for WrestleMania, before the direction changed following Seth Rollins’ injury and the decision to put the title on McIntyre.
Meltzer continued:
“This ends weeks of speculation and changes when it came to that title, which originally was scheduled for Rhodes vs. Roman Reigns, possibly in a Hell in a Cell match.”
“Those in WWE that we asked said that there was never a serious thought or plan, but Hell in a Cell was heavily discussed for Rhodes vs. Reigns before the decision to change everything after the injury to Seth Rollins and the decision to put the title on McIntyre.”
This week’s full edition of The Wrestling Observer Newsletter is available here for subscribers.
Ian Carey is a writer from Toronto, Ontario, Canada, whose work has been featured in NOW Magazine, The Huffington Post, and more. A lifelong wrestling aficionado born in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, he has covered the industry for a decade and a half. He joined the f4wonline.com team in 2019.