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The advent of each new year traditionally signals the commencement of the most anticipated period for professional wrestling enthusiasts: the Road to WrestleMania. This year’s journey has already unfolded with significant developments within World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE), notably marked by a dramatic championship alteration on SmackDown. Drew McIntyre successfully dethroned Cody Rhodes to claim the Undisputed WWE Championship in a grueling Three Stages of Hell match, a victory facilitated by the unexpected intervention of Jacob Fatu. This outcome has immediately reshaped the championship landscape and intensified the narrative leading into WWE’s flagship annual event.
As the competitive schedule intensifies, several pivotal events are slated to precede The Showcase of the Immortals. The initial major stop is the Royal Rumble, scheduled for January 31 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. This event is historically significant, as it grants both a male and a female competitor a direct championship opportunity at WrestleMania. Following the Royal Rumble, attention will shift to the Elimination Chamber event, set for February 28 in Chicago. Similar to the Rumble, this event will determine two additional contenders—one male and one female—who will secure title matches at WrestleMania 42. This year, WrestleMania is scheduled to span two nights, April 18 and 19, returning to Las Vegas for the second consecutive year.
In anticipation of these critical junctures, a panel of CBS Sports wrestling analysts convened to provide five informed predictions regarding the potential outcomes of these events and their broader implications for WrestleMania 42. Their collective insights offer a speculative roadmap for the coming months in WWE programming.
1. Royal Rumble Winners: Bron Breakker and Bianca Belair Projected
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The consensus among analysts points to Bron Breakker securing the men’s Royal Rumble victory, while Bianca Belair is favored to win the women’s counterpart. Breakker’s accelerated ascent within WWE has garnered considerable attention. Initially a standout performer in NXT, Breakker has recently featured prominently on Monday Night Raw, indicating WWE’s strategic intent to position him as a future main event competitor. The unforeseen injury to then-World Heavyweight Champion Seth Rollins is speculated to have expedited Breakker’s integration into higher-profile storylines. While headlining WrestleMania might be considered premature for a relatively new main roster talent, a Royal Rumble victory is universally recognized as a definitive method for elevating a superstar to top-tier status. Breakker, known for his aggressive in-ring style and lineage as the son of WWE Hall of Famer Rick Steiner, possesses the athletic prowess and intensity often associated with dominant Rumble performances.
For the women’s Royal Rumble, Bianca Belair’s predicted victory hinges on her potential return from injury. Belair has been absent from active competition since WrestleMania 41, where she participated in a critically acclaimed match against Rhea Ripley and IYO SKY. A finger injury has sidelined her for an extended period. Should Belair be medically cleared for an imminent return, a surprise appearance and subsequent victory in the Royal Rumble would provide a significant narrative arc. Such a triumph could set the stage for a high-profile championship encounter against WWE Women’s Champion Jade Cargill, a competitor with whom Belair has a prior history as a tag team partner. This potential matchup would pit two of WWE’s most athletic and dominant female superstars against each other, generating considerable fan interest.
Brent Brookhouse, one of the analysts, acknowledged the element of surprise in last year’s Royal Rumble, where Jey Uso’s unexpected victory resonated with the audience. However, he suggests a more predictable outcome for this year, favoring Breakker’s dominant performance. Brookhouse also reinforced the sentiment regarding Belair, emphasizing that her return after a substantial absence would feel fresh and impactful, leveraging her proven ability to deliver compelling performances on the WrestleMania stage.
2. Elimination Chamber Winners: Roman Reigns and a Contested Women’s Outcome
The expert panel unanimously predicted Roman Reigns to emerge victorious from the men’s Elimination Chamber match. Reigns, a perennial main event fixture, holds the record for the most WrestleMania main event appearances among active competitors. Despite ongoing discussions within the fan base regarding the need to feature more full-time performers in top championship roles, Reigns’ status as a marquee attraction remains undisputed within WWE’s strategic planning for WrestleMania. While Bron Breakker is projected to secure his WrestleMania title shot via the Royal Rumble, the Elimination Chamber provides an alternative, equally prestigious pathway for Reigns to secure his own world title opportunity, thus ensuring his continued presence in a prominent position at the Grandest Stage of Them All. His "Tribal Chief" persona and the ongoing saga of The Bloodline faction continue to be central to WWE programming, reinforcing his claim to a main event slot.
The women’s Elimination Chamber presents a more divided forecast, with analysts split between Rhea Ripley and Liv Morgan as the likely victor. The Women’s World Champion, Stephanie Vaquer, is in need of a formidable and high-profile challenger for WrestleMania. Mahjouri posits that Rhea Ripley, a dominant force within WWE and a former Women’s World Champion herself, would be an ideal opponent. Ripley’s intense persona, physical in-ring style, and established presence on the main roster would create a compelling narrative and a match with substantial critical and commercial appeal against Vaquer.
Conversely, Brookhouse suggested Liv Morgan as a viable contender. Morgan, who has experienced a significant character evolution and has previously held championship gold, is seen as capable of filling a heel role effectively while bringing the necessary credibility for a WrestleMania title match. Her "Liv For Gold" mantra and recent performances indicate a readiness for another high-stakes championship pursuit. Both Ripley and Morgan represent strong, distinct challenges for Vaquer, offering different stylistic matchups for the championship bout.
3. WrestleMania 42’s Under-the-Radar Marquee Match: Gunther vs. Brock Lesnar
A unanimous prediction emerged for a major WrestleMania match currently outside the main narrative focus: Gunther versus Brock Lesnar. This encounter is envisioned as a special attraction, a contemporary dream match pitting two of WWE’s most physically imposing and "stiff" in-ring competitors against each other. The proposed match’s inherent appeal lies in its potential for brutal physicality and a clash of distinct, dominant styles. Analysts believe such a contest would require minimal promotional build-up, selling itself on the reputations of the two athletes. This approach aligns well with Lesnar’s part-time status, allowing WWE to leverage his star power in a high-impact, limited-appearance role.
For Gunther, known as "The Ring General," a match against Lesnar would further solidify his formidable aura. Gunther’s historic reign as Intercontinental Champion showcased his unparalleled dominance and a unique, hard-hitting wrestling style. Expert speculation suggests that a victory over a legendary figure like Lesnar would serve as another milestone in Gunther’s career trajectory, potentially positioning him as a future generational talent capable of "retiring" other legends, a hypothetical scenario alluded to by the panel. This match would be a testament to Gunther’s rising stock and his ability to engage in intensely physical encounters.
4. Top Four Title Matches Projected for WrestleMania 42
The analysts offered slightly differing perspectives on the top four championship matches expected at WrestleMania 42, reflecting the dynamic nature of WWE storylines.
Brookhouse’s projections include:
- Undisputed WWE Championship: Cody Rhodes (c) vs. Roman Reigns. This match would serve as the highly anticipated conclusion to Rhodes’ "finish the story" narrative, assuming he reclaims the title from Drew McIntyre. It would be a direct sequel to their WrestleMania 39 encounter, which saw Reigns retain.
- World Heavyweight Championship: CM Punk (c) vs. Bron Breakker. This would represent a clash of generations, with Punk, a veteran and recent returnee, potentially defending against the ascendant Breakker, who would have earned his shot via the Royal Rumble.
- WWE Women’s Championship: Jade Cargill (c) vs. Bianca Belair. A showdown between two of WWE’s most athletic and powerful female competitors, potentially stemming from Belair’s Royal Rumble victory and a previous tag team connection.
- Women’s World Championship: Stephanie Vaquer (c) vs. Liv Morgan. This would feature Vaquer defending her title against Morgan, a former champion looking to reclaim her spot at the top, potentially as a heel challenger.
Mahjouri’s predictions presented some variations:
- Undisputed WWE Championship: Cody Rhodes or Jacob Fatu vs. Bron Breakker. This scenario suggests a more complex path for the Undisputed title, potentially involving Fatu if he remains in the championship picture, with Breakker challenging as the Royal Rumble winner.
- World Heavyweight Championship: CM Punk (c) vs. Roman Reigns. This forecast places Reigns in the World Heavyweight Championship picture, potentially challenging Punk for the title, indicating a shift in Reigns’ championship pursuit from the Undisputed title.
- WWE Women’s Championship: Jade Cargill (c) vs. Bianca Belair. This aligns with Brookhouse’s prediction, emphasizing the significance of Belair’s projected Royal Rumble win.
- Women’s World Championship: Stephanie Vaquer (c) vs. Rhea Ripley. This would see Ripley, a dominant force, challenge Vaquer for her championship, a highly anticipated matchup given Ripley’s established presence.
The asterisk (*) in the Undisputed WWE Championship predictions signifies the contingency of Cody Rhodes successfully regaining the title from Drew McIntyre, a storyline element that will undoubtedly dictate the path for that particular championship heading into WrestleMania 42. These expert projections underscore the complex interplay of championship pursuits, emerging talent, and established legends that define the Road to WrestleMania each year.
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