Wrestlemania 42 Predictions A Year In Advance

Well Wrestlemania 41 has came and gone. That was certainly a thing that happened. Whilst the bitter taste of this disappointing Wrestlemania still sits in our unsatisfied mouths, I thought I would continue trying to earn experience as a mystic and try to predict the future.

Trying to fit this stacked WWE roster into 14 matches across 2 nights is an impossible task, I have tried to get in as many people as I can whilst being somewhat realistic as well as being a show I would want to watch. This is part predictions, part fantasy booking. With that being said, let me gaze into the future and tell you how Wrestlemania in New Orleans is going to shape up.

Gunther vs CM Punk

From Wrestlemania 41 until 42, it will be the first full year in Gunther’s WWE career without holding a championship. Without a prize to hold as a symbol of his excellence, Gunther becomes obsessed with capturing gold again and destroying anyone who gets in his way. Gunther and CM Punk cross paths in the 2026 Royal Rumble and Punk eliminates Gunther. The Ring General, pissed at losing his opportunity at getting a title shot at Wrestlemania, destroys Punk by powerbombing him through the announce table.

Ahead of Wrestlemania, CM Punk calls Gunther’s obsession a bit pathetic. Punk claims he does not have to prove anything to himself or anyone because everyone knows he is the best in the world. Gunther retorts that Punk hasn’t been in the conversation for best in the world in over a decade, even then Gunther would not have agreed. Gunther calls himself the best wrestler in the world and promises Punk will find that out first hand.

The Ring General defeats CM Punk in the opening match of Wrestlemania Saturday.

US Championship

I have honestly just picked out 6 names and thrown them into a big match here for a spot on the card. I would honestly give Jacob Fatu a full year as US champion. We haven’t had a long-term US champion in a while and Fatu should remain one of the most dominant members of the roster. Over the course of the year, they can tease the break up between him and Solo and even pull the trigger on it if you like. Here, Fatu is so confident in his dominance that he welcomes anyone to step up and try to dethrone him. He is confronted by Damian Priest, Ilja Dragunov, Bronson Reed, Rusev and Solo Sikoa.

This is a 6 Pack Challenge with 5 big men and also Ilja Dragunov. This should be absolute carnage with lots of big beefy action and impressive feats on strength. Although he is the smallest man in the match, Ilja Dragunov walks out victorious and showcases his impressive power to hang with his bigger and stronger foes.

Women’s Tag Team Championships

This is less about the championships and more about the people involved, but I thought might as well add the gold for extra stakes. During Iyo Sky’s championship reign, we see the return of Asuka and Kairi Sane. It looks like they are reuniting with their Damage CTRL ally but it is a swerve. Asuka and Kairi Sane attack Iyo Sky and Dakota Kai, returning as heels. Kairi & Asuka take credit for the success of Damage CTRL and blame Iyo and Kai for the factions descent into obscurity. Asuka is first to challenge Iyo for the Women’s World Championship but she is unsuccessful. However, Kairi defeats Iyo for the title thanks to interference from Asuka. Her title reign is not very long however, as the Money in the Bank winner (we’ll talk about that later) cashes in after an assault on the champion by Iyo Sky.

Iyo Sky is laser focused on getting revenge on the Kabuki Warriors but Dakota Kai wants to move on and focus on her own championship aspirations. Kai abandons Iyo in a soft heel move, leaving Iyo against the odds. However, Iyo finds a new ally in a recent NXT call up, Giulia. Giulia befriends Iyo Sky and pledges her assistance against Asuka and Kairi Sane.

The Kabuki Warriors end up with the tag championships by Wrestlemania and they are challenged by Iyo Sky and Giulia for the belts. These 4 women in a Joshi Wrestling match at Wrestlemania? Um, yes please! Iyo Sky and Giulia can walk out victorious giving Giulia a big win in her first Wrestlemania.

Women’s US Championship

I think it is clear that sometime during this year, Bianca Belair has to turn heel. It would be crazy not to at this point. Bianca Belair turns heel on her friend Jade Cargill, re-aligning with Naomi and agreeing that Jade was using her for her own benefit. That story can wrap up during 2025. whilst Bianca is doing that, Naomi eventually gets he hands on the women’s US championship.

Naomi and Bianca Belair enter into a feud with Tiffany Stratton who puts herself in-between the women as devil’s advocate. Stratton plays the women off each other. She critocises Bianca for attacking Jade for using her when Naomi has been doing the same. She also reminds Naomi how Bianca ghosted her over attacking Jade but now is happy to be friends with her when it is convenient. This causes a small rift between Naomi and Bianca but not enough to break their alliance. At Wrestlemania it is scheduled to be Naomi vs Tiffany Stratton for the US title but with fear of Bianca running interference, Stratton gets Belair added to the match also.

The Triple Threat match sees Naomi and Bianca’s relationship pushed to the limits and Tiffany Stratton takes advantage. Tiffy gets the win, going 2-0 at Wrestlemania and goes on a run as ‘Miss America’.

Retirement Match

It is no secret that Randy Orton is coming towards the end of his career but he may not be the only man to do so. Cody Rhodes has been vocal about his desire to retire at 40 or there around. Cody Rhodes is 40 this year. It is not impossible that Cody transitions to being part-time and maybe even retired in the next few years. That is why this retirement match can be believable.

You can do this one of two ways. One way is Randy Orton pulls a stunt in honour of one of his mentors Ric Flair and says that the next time he loses a match, he will retire from wrestling. He knows he is getting old and when he cannot get the job done anymore, he will call it a day. After racking up wins, Orton comes up against his former protégé at Wrestlemania. Cody Rhodes is willing to match Orton’s stakes and talks about prioritising his family over business. If Orton is willing to wager his career, then so is he. At Wrestlemania, Cody Rhodes wins and retires Orton. If you want him to turn heel and cheat to retire his friend for ultimate heel heat then that could happen.

The other way is that one last time we get mega heel Randy Orton. The Viper brutally attacks Rhodes for losing the WWE championship to John Cena and failing the WWE. He put the company in jeopardy by being a failure. Orton put his faith in Rhodes and he was let down. He punts Cody and the American Nightmare takes months off on the shelf. Rhodes returns full of piss and vinegar and he wants to destroy Orton. Both men are set on killing each other’s careers so the match is made. The loser must retire. This path, Cody Rhodes still wins but he triumphs over super heel Orton.

WWE WOmen’s Championship

I haven’t really got much of a story going on here. I have wrote down that Alexa Blis wins the 2026 Royal Rumble and challenges champion Rhea Ripley. The story going for this match is that Rhea is the dominant, powerful Mami that towers over Alexa. However, Bliss has an uncanny talent for taking a beating and weathering the storm.

It is a simple David vs Goliath story but it is a reliably effective one if booked correctly. I would give Alexa Bliss the victory, winning her first single’s championship in 8 years.

Undisputed WWE Championship

The main event of Wrestlemania Saturday sees defending champion Bron Breakker take on his challenger, Seth Freakin’ Rollins. I would have Bron Breakker be the winner of the Money in the Bank briefcase and he should cash in on John Cena to win. John Cena retains the title until late 2025 and he gets mauled by the Badass after another cheap title defence. Over the course of 2025, I would have Paul Heyman make attempts to coerce Bron Breakker into becoming a Paul Heyman guy and promising him more success than he can ever imagine.

After winning the WWE championship, Heyman and Rollins once again offer their friendship and to form an alliance but Breakker rejects them. Rollins does not take kindly to this and he stomps Breakker. Rollins and Breakker would have a barn burner of a main event and Bron Breakker successfully retains his championship against The Visionary to close out the show.

Women’s World Championship

I mentioned earlier than the women’s world champion Kairi Sane would be cashed in on by the Money in the Bank winner. That woman is Roxanne Perez. Perez has a major feud with Bayley throughout 2025, always finding cheap ways to retain her title over her. She claims Bayley cannot beat her, no one can. Out comes Becky Lynch who wants to prove otherwise. With Lyra Valkyria in her corner, Becky Lynch seems to have the match won but the main roster debut of Cora Jade allows Perez to retain yet again.

Ahead of Wrestlemania, Bayley, Becky and Lyra all stake a claim to the women’s championship and lucky for them they all get the opportunity. Roxanne Perez is not happy, but she will be when she manages to retain. We see cracks form in the alliance of Lyra Valkyria and Becky Lynch for the first time and we see Bayley have the match won, only for Perez to sneak in and steal her victory from her yet again. Roxanne Perez walks out of Wrestlemania still champion.

The Uso’s vs The Lucha Bros

I honestly haven’t really figured out a way for this to be work but this might be the biggest tag dream match in WWE right now. A battle of two of the best brother tag teams in the world. Maybe it only has to be about that, pride and confidence. You can turn one of these teams heel if you like but I struggle to see how to naturally do that. Sometimes all a dream match needs to be is a dream match. I want to see The Uso’s vs The Lucha Bros and we are running out of time to see it.

In this match, the Lucha Bros should go over. They’re less established in WWE and they would benefit from the rub.

Tommaso Ciampa vs Johnny Gargano

The last time WWE were in New Orleans was for Wrestlemania 34. The night before the event at NXT TakeOver: New Orleans, the main event was Tommaso Ciampa vs Johnny Gargano in an unsanctioned match. I think it is only fitting they run it back on the main roster 8 years later. With DIY losing the tag titles, I would honestly do the feud a similar way. Tommaso Ciampa turns on Gargano with a brutal assault. He blames them for their failures and goes off on his own path. He goes on to win the Intercontinental championship, which becomes his new “Goldie”. Johnny Gargano wants revenge and we get an Unsanctioned match at Wrestlemania 42.

They can do callbacks to their NXT feud but they shouldn’t do everything the same, otherwise what is the point. However, there are people out there who have not seen their stellar NXT feud and it is time they are forced to see what excellence they are capable of. I’d put Tommaso Ciampa over in this match and solidify him as a major heel.

WWE Tag Team Championships

I’m hoping that Nathan Fraser and Axiom are bound for the main roster soon and they can mix it up in WWE’s tag division. I don’t want to see them break up, not yet, we need more teams for now. I think they should end up with the WWE Tag championships and be challenged by Motor City Machine Guns for a match at Wrestlemania.

Who wins? We do. The fans win. Oh the match? Either I guess, I would choose the Guns for a feel good moment after Ciampa murdering Gargano.

Jade Cargill vs Charlotte Flair

It is the big blockbuster match people have talked about since Jade Cargill debuted in WWE. That and a match with Bianca Belair. This match can be built from these 2 paths crossing in the Royal Rumble. They wrestle to a stalemate and both eliminate each other at the same time. Jade Cargill challenges Flair to a match for Wrestlemania, but Flair initially says no. Why? Because she does not want to waste her time with an inferior wrestler. She is not as impressed by Jade as other people are and she does not believe Jade deserves to share the ring with her.

Jade tries to get under Flair’s skin by taking shots at her, so Flair comes to a compromise. She sets up a serious of challenges for Jade to prove herself as a reasonable opponent for her. First, Jade faces Raquel Rodriguez in a powerhouse battle. After her victory, she is attacked by her next opponent, Shayna Baszler. Not only will she face Baszler, but it will be in a submission match. Jade is on the back foot against superior wrestler Shayna, but Jade works hard to fight back and she submits Baszler with Charlotte’s own Figure Eight submission. Her final hurdle is against WWE Hall of Famer Michelle McCool who people have drawn comparisons to Charlotte Flair before. Jade defeats McCool, Flair attacks afterwards and officially sets up their Wrestlemania match.

Jade Cargill defeats Flair in a star-studded match. I think Flair could lead Cargill to her best match yet.

WOrld Heavyweight Championship

Jey Uso can yeet as the heavyweight champion for a solid reign throughout 2025 but I don’t think he needs to have a long reign. The man who should bring his reign to an end is Drew McIntyre. He deserves to actually have a world championship reign, not just a title win. I’d have him win the title after Summerslam and hold it until Wrestlemania. I would have him be challenged by the 2026 Royal Rumble winner, LA Knight. YEAH!

LA Knight has been consistently one of the WWE’s most entertaining and over wrestlers and it is about time they pull the trigger on him as a world champion in WWE. Both Knight and McIntyre have been world champions in TNA/Impact Wrestling which could play well into this story. McIntyre vs Knight should be an enjoyable match and LA Knight can finally be crowned as the heavyweight champion.

The Rock vs Roman Reigns

If it doesn’t happen next year, I don’t think it will ever happen. Roman Reigns’ contract expires after Wrestlemania 42, after which I expect him to focus on doing movies and occasionally return to WWE for a big match here and there. I don’t see Roman and Rock being able to cross paths in the ring when that happens.

There are a few paths to take to set up this one. It could be what they originally planned, two of the biggest stars in wrestling going one on one in a respect match. That is boring though. Option 2 could see Paul Heyman align with The Rock somehow, although I struggle to see how to put Seth Rollins and Rock on the same page without contradicting years of storytelling. Maybe Roman Reigns instead decides to back up former rival Cody Rhodes in his tirade against the mega team of The Rock and John Cena.

I think if WWE can make this match happen next year, they will. Roman Reigns should be the one to defeat The Rock in a singles match.

Wrestlemania 42 Card

Those are my predictions/fantasy booking. Do you agree? Would you watch this show? Let me know what else I should predict or fantasy book in the future.

I recently predicted Stand & Deliver a year in advance also. Check it out!