According to the Wrestling Observer, WWE originally planned the following two matches for WrestleMania 42:
1. World Heavyweight Championship Match: Seth Rollins (c) vs. Roman Reigns
2. Undisputed WWE Championship Match: Cody Rhodes (c) vs. CM Punk
After Rollins got injured, WWE put the World Heavyweight Title on CM Punk and decided to book CM Punk vs. Bron Breakker for the World Title at WrestleMania 42.
The plan was for Breakker to challenge Punk on the RAW Netflix anniversary episode, fall short, and then rebound by winning the Men’s Royal Rumble to set up a title-winning rematch at WrestleMania 42.
If Breakker was facing Punk at WrestleMania, then Roman Reigns was going to face Cody Rhodes for the Undisputed WWE Title in their 3rd WrestleMania main event match.
This massive push for Breakker was derailed by the WWE Championship picture on SmackDown. Before the 3 Stages of Hell match on January 9, Drew McIntyre advocated for a victory over Cody to avoid a cycle of high-profile losses. With Rhodes’ support and Triple H thinking Reigns vs. Rhodes III was not the right thing to book right now, McIntyre walked out of Berlin as the new Undisputed WWE Champion.
With the new plan for the WrestleMania 42 – Night 1 main event being McIntyre and Rhodes fighting over the WWE Title (with a possible addition of Jacob Fatu), the decision was made to book Reigns against Punk for the World Heavyweight Title on RAW.
As for Bron Breakker, he is expected to face Seth Rollins in a singles match, as sources believe Rollins will be ready for WrestleMania 42.
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