WrestleMania 42: Difference between revisions

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At the [[Royal Rumble (2026)|Royal Rumble]] on January 31, SmackDown’s [[Roman Reigns]] won the men’s [[Royal Rumble match]], earning a world championship match of his choice at WrestleMania 42.<ref name=”RR2026″>{{cite web|last=Powell|first=Jason|title=WWE Royal Rumble results: Powell’s live review of the Royal Rumble matches, Drew McIntyre vs. Sami Zayn for the WWE Championship, AJ Styles putting his career on the line against Gunther|url=https://prowrestling.net/site/2026/01/31/wwe-royal-rumble-results-powells-live-review-of-the-royal-rumble-matches-drew-mcintyre-vs-sami-zayn-for-the-wwe-championship-aj-styles-putting-his-career-on-the-line-against-gunther/|work=Pro Wrestling Dot Net|date=January 31, 2026|access-date=January 31, 2026}}</ref> Reigns appeared on the following episode of ”Raw” where he was interrupted by Raw’s [[World Heavyweight Championship (WWE)|World Heavyweight Champion]], [[CM Punk]], who claimed that Reigns could choose the easy path and face SmackDown’s world champion or choose the hard path and face him. Punk reminded Reigns that he was ultimately responsible for Reigns’s current position as he was the one who brought him onto the main roster as part of [[The Shield (professional wrestling)|The Shield]] in 2012. Punk also outlined how he was a fighting champion, in comparison to Reigns, who barely showed up to defend his title during his previous title reign. Reigns recounted his dislike of Punk, stemming from comments that Punk had made about Reigns on a podcast after Punk left WWE in early 2014, which caused fans to turn on him and made his job harder. He also brought up that Punk caused [[Paul Heyman]] to turn on him at WrestleMania 41. He also informed Punk that he was ultimately the one responsible for Punk being able to return to WWE in late 2023, as management consulted his approval. Although Reigns had showed respect to Punk after they teamed up in the [[WarGames match]] at [[Survivor Series: WarGames (2025)|Survivor Series: WarGames]] in November 2025, Reigns decided that out of his overall hatred for Punk, he would challenge him at WrestleMania 42 for the World Heavyweight Championship.<ref name=”Raw02022026″>{{cite web|last=Powell|first=Jason|title=WWE Raw results (2/2): Powell’s live review of Royal Rumble winners Roman Reigns and Liv Morgan, Stephanie Vaquer vs. Raquel Rodriguez in a Philadelphia Street Fight for the Women’s World Championship|url=https://prowrestling.net/site/2026/02/02/wwe-raw-results-2-2-powells-live-review-of-royal-rumble-winners-roman-reigns-and-liv-morgan-stephanie-vaquer-vs-raquel-rodriguez-in-a-philadelphia-street-fight-for-the-womens-world-championsh/|date=February 2, 2026|work=[[Pro Wrestling Dot Net]]|access-date=February 2, 2026}}</ref>

At the [[Royal Rumble (2026)|Royal Rumble]] on January 31, SmackDown’s [[Roman Reigns]] won the men’s [[Royal Rumble match]], earning a world championship match of his choice at WrestleMania 42.<ref name=”RR2026″>{{cite web|last=Powell|first=Jason|title=WWE Royal Rumble results: Powell’s live review of the Royal Rumble matches, Drew McIntyre vs. Sami Zayn for the WWE Championship, AJ Styles putting his career on the line against Gunther|url=https://prowrestling.net/site/2026/01/31/wwe-royal-rumble-results-powells-live-review-of-the-royal-rumble-matches-drew-mcintyre-vs-sami-zayn-for-the-wwe-championship-aj-styles-putting-his-career-on-the-line-against-gunther/|work=Pro Wrestling Dot Net|date=January 31, 2026|access-date=January 31, 2026}}</ref> Reigns appeared on the following episode of ”Raw” where he was interrupted by Raw’s [[World Heavyweight Championship (WWE)|World Heavyweight Champion]], [[CM Punk]], who claimed that Reigns could choose the easy path and face SmackDown’s world champion or choose the hard path and face him. Punk reminded Reigns that he was ultimately responsible for Reigns’s current position as he was the one who brought him onto the main roster as part of [[The Shield (professional wrestling)|The Shield]] in 2012. Punk also outlined how he was a fighting champion, in comparison to Reigns, who barely showed up to defend his title during his previous title reign. Reigns recounted his dislike of Punk, stemming from comments that Punk had made about Reigns on a podcast after Punk left WWE in early 2014, which caused fans to turn on him and made his job harder. He also brought up that Punk caused [[Paul Heyman]] to turn on him at WrestleMania 41. He also informed Punk that he was ultimately the one responsible for Punk return to WWE in late 2023, as management consulted his approval. Although Reigns had showed respect to Punk after they teamed up in the [[WarGames match]] at [[Survivor Series: WarGames (2025)|Survivor Series: WarGames]] in November 2025, Reigns decided that out of his overall hatred for Punk, he would challenge him at WrestleMania 42 for the World Heavyweight Championship.<ref name=”Raw02022026″>{{cite web|last=Powell|first=Jason|title=WWE Raw results (2/2): Powell’s live review of Royal Rumble winners Roman Reigns and Liv Morgan, Stephanie Vaquer vs. Raquel Rodriguez in a Philadelphia Street Fight for the Women’s World Championship|url=https://prowrestling.net/site/2026/02/02/wwe-raw-results-2-2-powells-live-review-of-royal-rumble-winners-roman-reigns-and-liv-morgan-stephanie-vaquer-vs-raquel-rodriguez-in-a-philadelphia-street-fight-for-the-womens-world-championsh/|date=February 2, 2026|work=[[Pro Wrestling Dot Net]]|access-date=February 2, 2026}}</ref>

Also at the Royal Rumble, Raw’s [[Liv Morgan]] won the women’s Royal Rumble match, earning a world championship match of her choice at WrestleMania 42, but she has yet to make her decision.<ref name=”RR2026″/>

Also at the Royal Rumble, Raw’s [[Liv Morgan]] won the women’s Royal Rumble match, earning a world championship match of her choice at WrestleMania 42 has yet to make her decision.<ref name=”RR2026″/>

In speaking with ESPN on January 28, WWE Chief Content Officer [[Paul “Triple H” Levesque]] confirmed that the winners of the men’s and women’s [[Elimination Chamber match]]es at the [[Elimination Chamber (2026)|eponymous event]] would earn a world title match at WrestleMania 42 for the respective championships that the winners of the 2026 Royal Rumble matches did not choose.<ref name=ECmatches>{{cite web|last=Brennan|first=Corey|title=Triple H Confirms Winners Of 2026 Elimination Chamber Matches Will Get World Title Matches At WrestleMania 42|url=https://www.fightful.com/wrestling/triple-h-confirms-winners-of-2026-elimination-chamber-matches-will-get-world-title-matches-at-wrestlemania-42/|date=January 28, 2026|work=Fightful|access-date=January 28, 2026}}</ref> As a result of the men’s Royal Rumble winner choosing Raw’s world championship, this confirmed that the winner of the men’s Elimination Chamber match would challenge for SmackDown’s [[Undisputed WWE Championship]].<ref name=”Raw02022026″/>

In speaking with ESPN on January 28, WWE Chief Content Officer [[Paul “Triple H” Levesque]] confirmed that the winners of the men’s and women’s [[Elimination Chamber match]]es at the [[Elimination Chamber (2026)|eponymous event]] would earn a world title match at WrestleMania 42 for the respective championships that the winners of the 2026 Royal Rumble matches did not choose.<ref name=ECmatches>{{cite web|last=Brennan|first=Corey|title=Triple H Confirms Winners Of 2026 Elimination Chamber Matches Will Get World Title Matches At WrestleMania 42|url=https://www.fightful.com/wrestling/triple-h-confirms-winners-of-2026-elimination-chamber-matches-will-get-world-title-matches-at-wrestlemania-42/|date=January 28, 2026|work=Fightful|access-date=January 28, 2026}}</ref> As a result of the men’s Royal Rumble winner choosing Raw’s world championship, this confirmed that the winner of the men’s Elimination Chamber match would challenge for SmackDown’s [[Undisputed WWE Championship]].<ref name=”Raw02022026″/>

2026 WWE pay-per-view and livestreaming event

WrestleMania 42, also promoted as WrestleMania Vegas, is an upcoming 2026 professional wrestling pay-per-view (PPV) and livestreaming event produced by WWE. It will be the 42nd annual WrestleMania and will take place as a two-night event on Saturday, April 18 and Sunday, April 19, 2026, at Allegiant Stadium in Paradise, Nevada, held for wrestlers from the promotion’s Raw and SmackDown brand divisions.

Initially planned for Caesars Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana, on April 11 and 12, the event was relocated to Las Vegas and pushed back a week. This will be the third WrestleMania in the Las Vegas area and the second consecutive held at the venue, marking only the second time WrestleMania will be held at the same venue in consecutive years. The event will be the first WrestleMania to livestream on the ESPN streaming service in the United States.

WrestleMania is WWE‘s flagship professional wrestling pay-per-view (PPV) and livestreaming event, having first been held in 1985. It was the company’s first PPV produced and was also WWE’s first major event available via livestreaming when the company launched the WWE Network in February 2014. It is the longest-running event in WWE history and is held annually between mid-March to mid-April, featuring wrestlers from WWE’s Raw and SmackDown brand divisions.^[1] Along with Royal Rumble, SummerSlam, Survivor Series, and Money in the Bank, it is one of the company’s five biggest annual events, referred to as the “Big Five”.^[2][3][4] WrestleMania was ranked the sixth-most valuable sports brand in the world by Forbes,^[5] and has been described as the Super Bowl of sports entertainment.^[6]

In February 2025, reports emerged that WrestleMania 42 would take place at the Caesars Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana, the same venue that hosted WrestleMania XXX in 2014 and WrestleMania 34 in 2018.^[7] On the February 21 episode of Friday Night SmackDown, TKO board of directors member and WWE wrestler Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson announced WrestleMania 42 would emanate from the Caesars Superdome on April 11 and 12, 2026.^[8] However, on May 22, 2025, WrestleMania 42 was confirmed to no longer take place in New Orleans. While the specifics of the change were not revealed, this came as part of a larger agreement, with New Orleans instead hosting a future WrestleMania as well as the 2026 Money in the Bank.^[9] Reports also emerged alleging that, with the financial success of WrestleMania 41 being held in Las Vegas, WrestleMania 42 may return to the city, while other reports suggested a possible international location.^[10][11]

During the 2025 Money in the Bank on June 7, WWE confirmed WrestleMania 42 would be held at Allegiant Stadium in Paradise, Nevada on April 18 and 19, 2026, marking the third WrestleMania in the Las Vegas area, including WrestleMania IX in 1993, and the third WWE event held at this venue, including SummerSlam in 2021.^[12] Allegiant Stadium will also become the first venue since the Atlantic City Convention Hall^[a] in Atlantic City, New Jersey to host consecutive WrestleManias, having hosted WrestleMania IV in 1988 and WrestleMania V in 1989.^[13][14] Two-day combo tickets went on sale on September 24, 2025,^[15] with single day tickets on sale from November 28, 2025.^[16] One of the official theme songs for the event is the 2025 remix of “Back in the Saddle” by Aerosmith and Yungblud.^[17]

In addition to airing on traditional pay-per-view worldwide, WrestleMania 42 will be available to livestream on the ESPN streaming service in the United States, Netflix in most international markets, the WWE Network in Austria, Germany, Italy, and Switzerland, SuperSport in Sub-Saharan Africa, and Abema in Japan.^[18] This marks the first WrestleMania to livestream on the ESPN streaming service, as ESPN acquired the streaming rights to WWE’s main roster events in the United States beginning with Wrestlepalooza in September 2025, following the expiration of WWE’s contract with Peacock. ESPN had originally been slated to begin broadcasting main roster PPV and livestreaming events in the United States with WrestleMania 42.^[19] However, as Peacock’s agreement with WWE referred to the airing of a specified number of events, rather than on a fixed end date, the expansion of WWE’s calendar—including all WrestleManias on Peacock being two nights since 2021 and the 2025 SummerSlam expanding to two nights, as well as the all-women’s event Evolution in 2025—caused Peacock to reach the number of WWE events allotted in their agreement ahead of schedule.^[20][21]

The event will include matches that result from scripted storylines. Results are predetermined by WWE on the Raw and SmackDown brands,^[22][23] while storylines are produced on WWE’s weekly television shows, Monday Night Raw and Friday Night SmackDown.^[24]

At the Royal Rumble on January 31, SmackDown’s Roman Reigns won the men’s Royal Rumble match, earning a world championship match of his choice at WrestleMania 42.^[25] Reigns appeared on the following episode of Raw where he was interrupted by Raw’s World Heavyweight Champion, CM Punk, who claimed that Reigns could choose the easy path and face SmackDown’s world champion or choose the hard path and face him. Punk reminded Reigns that he was ultimately responsible for Reigns’s current position as he was the one who brought him onto the main roster as part of The Shield in 2012. Punk also outlined how he was a fighting champion, in comparison to Reigns, who barely showed up to defend his title during his previous title reign. Reigns recounted his dislike of Punk, stemming from comments that Punk had made about Reigns on a podcast after Punk left WWE in early 2014, which caused fans to turn on him and made his job harder. He also brought up that Punk caused Paul Heyman to turn on him at WrestleMania 41. He also informed Punk that he was ultimately the one responsible for Punk’s return to WWE in late 2023, as management consulted his approval. Although Reigns had showed respect to Punk after they teamed up in the WarGames match at Survivor Series: WarGames in November 2025, Reigns decided that out of his overall hatred for Punk, he would challenge him at WrestleMania 42 for the World Heavyweight Championship.^[26]

Also at the Royal Rumble, Raw’s Liv Morgan won the women’s Royal Rumble match, earning a world championship match of her choice at WrestleMania 42. Morgan has yet to make her decision.^[25]

In speaking with ESPN on January 28, WWE Chief Content Officer Paul “Triple H” Levesque confirmed that the winners of the men’s and women’s Elimination Chamber matches at the eponymous event would earn a world title match at WrestleMania 42 for the respective championships that the winners of the 2026 Royal Rumble matches did not choose.^[27] As a result of the men’s Royal Rumble winner choosing Raw’s world championship, this confirmed that the winner of the men’s Elimination Chamber match would challenge for SmackDown’s Undisputed WWE Championship.^[26]