The latest issue of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter has provided the clearest picture yet of WWE’s current creative direction for the WrestleMania 42 main event — including what the original plan was, what changed, and how Survivor Series will begin laying the groundwork.
WWE WrestleMania 42 Main Event expected to be teased at Survivor Series
According to Dave Meltzer, WWE is planning a major tease of the top WrestleMania match — or matches — at this weekend’s Survivor Series event in San Diego. With multiple headliners converging inside WarGames, the show is expected to drop several key hints about next year’s direction.
The Original Plan: Roman Reigns vs. Seth Rollins
Meltzer confirms that the original long-term plan for WrestleMania 2026 (Night Two in Las Vegas) was Roman Reigns vs. Seth Rollins. This had been penciled in until Rollins’ recent shoulder injury removed him from WWE programming.
Despite the setback, Rollins stated this week that he is targeting a return in time for WrestleMania season, which could leave the door open for the original match to still take place.
Roman Reigns Teases Multiple Possible Opponents
Reigns’ recent promo on Raw was intentional, as he teased potentially challenging CM Punk, Cody Rhodes, or another champion depending on how the title landscape evolves. Meltzer notes this was done to play into WWE’s current booking discussions.
The Current Planned Direction
As of this week’s report, the internal direction appears to remain one of two blockbuster singles matches:
- Roman Reigns vs. CM Punk
- Roman Reigns vs. Cody Rhodes
Both are being actively discussed, with long-term creative hinging on championship alignment heading into Royal Rumble season.
Survivor Series Is the Launch Point
Meltzer adds that with Reigns, Punk, and Rhodes all teaming inside WarGames, WWE will use Survivor Series as the first major launching pad for the WrestleMania storyline developments.
Long-Term WWE Booking Through 2027
WWE is currently mapping out multi-year arcs for its top stars, including plans for both WrestleMania 2026 and WrestleMania 2027. Major decisions involving Reigns, Rollins, Rhodes, and Punk are tied to these long-term strategies.
What This Means
If Rollins returns in time and is cleared, WWE could still move forward with the originally planned Reigns vs. Rollins main event. However, if not, the company appears to be lining up either a first-time-ever singles match between Reigns and Punk or another massive showdown between Reigns and Rhodes.
Survivor Series should provide the first real clues about which path WWE intends to take.