• Update On WrestleMania 42 After WWE Title Change On SmackDown
The road to WrestleMania 42 in Las Vegas has become significantly clearer, even after a chaotic weekend that saw the Undisputed WWE Championship change hands. Despite Drew McIntyre dethroning Cody Rhodes in a 3 Stages of Hell match on the January 9th episode of SmackDown, a new report from Bodyslam reveals that the top matches of the WrestleMania 42 card were officially “locked in” a couple of months ago.
While McIntyre’s victory threw a wrench into the current landscape, the long-term vision for the Grandest Stage of Them All appears to remain intact.
In November, the Wrestling Observer reported that WWE’s blueprint for WrestleMania 42 featured two massive title showdowns: Cody Rhodes vs. Roman Reigns for the Undisputed WWE Championship and CM Punk vs. Bron Breakker for the World Heavyweight Title.
The sudden title change on SmackDown has sparked intense debate among fans about how the company will bridge the gap to the planned Rhodes vs. Reigns finale. With Jacob Fatu’s recent return helping McIntyre secure the gold, it remains to be seen if McIntyre will head into WrestleMania as a dominant champion or if he serves as a “transitional roadblock” to facilitate Rhodes’ redemption story.
Regardless of the path, the creative “fog” is lifting, and WWE is moving full steam ahead toward a star-studded weekend in Las Vegas in April.
Also Read: Change Coming For Cody Rhodes After WWE Title Loss
• Saudi Arabia Wants 2 of the Greatest WWE Legends Ever for WrestleMania 43
It’s still over a year away, but Saudi Arabia has started preparations to host the most ambitious event in sports entertainment history: WWE WrestleMania 43.
According to a report from Andrew Baydala on The Final Bell podcast, stakeholders in Riyadh are making a monumental push to secure two of the greatest legends of the Attitude Era: The Rock and “Stone Cold” Steve Austin. The vision for the event is to create an unprecedented spectacle that outshines every “Show of Shows” that has come before it.
While the General Entertainment Authority (GEA) has reportedly made Steve Austin and The Rock their top priorities, the logistics remain a significant hurdle. Baydala noted that there is considerable hesitation from The Rock’s camp regarding an in-ring return in Saudi Arabia.
One primary concern is that the Hollywood icon believes he has exactly one match left in him, and there is a internal debate about whether that final bow should take place in Saudi. Furthermore, his jam-packed film schedule, which is reportedly booked through 2026, could make the necessary training camp for an April 2027 match nearly impossible to manage.
The push for Steve Austin is equally aggressive, with Saudi officials always willing to offer record-breaking sums to lure the Texas Rattlesnake out of retirement one more time. Austin, who last competed against Kevin Owens at WrestleMania 38, has previously been cautious about returns that don’t fit his physical capabilities.
Austin recently said he could have one more match, but he’s not going to push for it.
According to Nick LoPiccolo (who works for Paradigm Talent Agency, where a number of WWE stars are signed), WWE will receive $250 million from Saudi Arabia for WrestleMania 43 and $100 million for Royal Rumble 2026 in Riyadh. That would be a combined $350 million for just two events.
Saudi Arabia normally pays $50 million per PLE to WWE, but since these are the “Big 4” PLEs, they obviously will cost more.
Also Read: Surprising Reason For SmackDown Wrestler’s Absence
