Backstage Update On WWE’s New Plans For Roman Reigns At WrestleMania 42 In Las Vegas

Roman Reigns is officially WrestleMania-bound once again.

And the road to Las Vegas could be pointing toward one of WWE’s biggest dream matches.

“The OTC” outlasted 29 other competitors to win the 2026 Men’s Royal Rumble Match, last eliminating GUNTHER to punch his ticket to WrestleMania 42. With the victory, Reigns earned the right to challenge a world champion of his choosing on WWE’s grandest stage.

While Reigns has not yet revealed which title, or champion, he intends to pursue, there has been significant internal discussion within WWE surrounding a potential WrestleMania program between Reigns and CM Punk.

The seeds for a Reigns vs. Punk showdown have been planted for years. Their intertwined history dates back to 2024, when Punk aligned himself with Reigns’ team for WarGames against Solo Sikoa’s Bloodline, agreeing to help in exchange for a future favor from Paul Heyman.

That uneasy alliance quickly turned competitive. Punk eliminated Reigns from last year’s Men’s Royal Rumble Match and later forced Heyman to accompany him to WrestleMania 41 for a Triple Threat Match involving Reigns and Seth Rollins. The bout took a dramatic turn when Heyman betrayed both men, ultimately siding with Rollins.

They would once again find themselves on the same side at Survivor Series: WarGames, battling The Vision. However, tensions resurfaced after Punk was pinned by Bron Breakker, leading to a heated confrontation between Reigns and Cody Rhodes that appeared to set the stage for another WrestleMania collision.

Plans shifted.

Rhodes dropped the WWE Championship to Drew McIntyre earlier this month and is now entrenched in an ongoing feud with both McIntyre and Jacob Fatu, making a Reigns vs. Rhodes match unlikely for WrestleMania 42.

That shift has only fueled speculation that Reigns could instead set his sights on Punk, the reigning World Heavyweight Champion. Punk captured the title last November by defeating Reigns’ cousin Jey Uso and has since successfully defended it against Bron Breakker, Finn Bálor, and AJ Styles.

Reigns.

Punk.

WrestleMania in Las Vegas.

(H/T: PWInsider Elite)