WWE updates plans for WrestleMania 42 main event
WWE has changed course for its WrestleMania 42 main event.
The plan had been for a third Cody Rhodes vs. Roman Reigns match to headline the show. However, Dave Meltzer wrote in today’s Wrestling Observer Newsletter that Paul “Triple H” Levesque soured on the idea of running a third Rhodes vs. Reigns match in four years.
Meltzer wrote:
“The way it was explained is that Paul Levesque took another look at the Rumble-to-Mania planned direction and decided that doing a Rhodes vs. Reigns match for the third time in four years and spending months building the direction would lead to audience fatigue.”
The change in WrestleMania plans and the decision to have Drew McIntyre win the WWE Championship were made within 48 hours of the title change taking place.
There are now two potential WrestleMania main events under consideration: Rhodes vs. McIntyre, or a three-way with Rhodes vs. McIntyre vs. Jacob Fatu.
Meltzer continued:
“We were told that Reigns will be the odd man out of the WWE title picture. He is scheduled to return at the Rumble and one would expect his direction to be clearer there.”
“The two ideas for Mania at this point are a three-way for the title with Rhodes, Fatu and McIntyre, or just McIntyre vs. Rhodes.”
Meltzer also noted that both McIntyre and Rhodes pushed for McIntyre to win the WWE Championship, with the idea that Rhodes going into WrestleMania chasing the title rather than defending it would be a fresher story.
New WWE Champion Drew McIntyre is set to appear on today’s episode of WWE SmackDown in London, where his angle with Fatu and Rhodes is expected to continue.
The full edition of this week’s Wrestling Observer Newsletter is available here.
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.