As Roman Reigns stared down Cody Rhodes at Survivor Series in November, it seemed they were set to collide for a third time at WrestleMania.
In January, Reigns won the Royal Rumble and the right to face the champion of his choice. On Friday’s SmackDown, Rhodes defeated Drew McIntyre to regain the Undisputed WWE Championship.
Now the two will battle at WrestleMania to determine WWE’s top star, just not as fans imagined. Instead, they will compete at the box office.
Who Is The Biggest Star?
As Rhodes brought the fight to McIntyre
on SmackDown, announcer Wade Barrett declared, “In 2026, Cody Rhodes is undeniably the biggest star in this industry.”
That claim will be tested at WrestleMania, where Rhodes and Reigns, pro wrestling’s premier names, headline separate matches.
Two nights after winning the Royal Rumble, Reigns chose to face CM Punk for the World Heavyweight title. Meanwhile, Randy Orton won the men’s Elimination Chamber last week to earn a shot at the Undisputed Champion in Las Vegas.
It remains unclear which match will close each night of WWE’s two-night spectacle. Once set, one metric to watch will be which night draws the bigger crowd.
This year, Reigns returns to Mania in the role of the challenger for the first time since 2018. Despite his success as the Tribal Chief, he looks to prove he can win on his own against Punk, who has already proven there is little he won’t do to hold on to the gold.
Meanwhile, Rhodes defends against Orton in a title match teased for nearly two years. It’s a battle of close friends and teacher vs. student for the promotion’s most storied championship, with a deeper storyline unfolding in the weeks ahead.
While Rhodes and Reigns’ individual popularity will drive ticket sales, the stories told over the next six weeks will help shape fan interest.
Wildcard Factors
According to figures previously shared by WWE, Night 2 of WrestleMania has outdrawn Night 1 every year since 2022, though other estimates suggest WrestleMania 38’s Night 1 drew the larger crowd, headlined by “Stone Cold” Steve Austin’s first match in nearly 20 years against Kevin Owens.
Some fans believe Night 2 is the true main event, with WWE saving its biggest moment for the close, making it the easier sell. Before the Undisputed WWE Championship match was set, ticket tracker WrestleTix had Night 2 slightly ahead of Night 1 in tickets distributed.
Match placement aside, Rhodes and Reigns’ opponents will drive interest. Reigns has the edge, with CM Punk matching their star power and poised to embrace a heel role after a controversial remark about Reigns’ late father last Monday on Raw.
Punk has long wanted to play villain, and this bout could give him a sharper edge, similar to Shawn Michaels versus Hulk Hogan at SummerSlam 2005. If WWE’s story casts Reigns as proving he can win without help, he must face a serious threat.
That could force Randy Orton or Rhodes to adopt a darker edge. For Orton, it might be a tough row to hoe, considering he’s a beloved legend that many fans may not want to boo. Last year, Rhodes faced a heel John Cena at WrestleMania. Despite Cena’s efforts, he still drew cheers, partly because it was his final Mania.
Instead, Rhodes may need to embrace the antagonist role heading into Mania. While he drew a strong response in Portland on Friday’s SmackDown, reactions elsewhere have been mixed, which Rhodes has acknowledged.
Without a clear villain, a clash between these former Legacy stablemates risks feeling like a standard good guy vs. good guy match, which may not generate enough buzz to sell tickets.
WWE could also load a lagging night with extra star power to guarantee a sellout, making it unclear who will reign supreme at the box office between Rhodes and Reigns.
Bragging Rights
Regardless of who draws more, WWE ultimately wins by splitting its top stars across two nights. Still, for Rhodes, Reigns, and their fans, the larger crowd is a lasting bragging right that may shape how history remembers them.
For Reigns, it’s a chance to cement his legacy and prove that the Tribal Chief remains the standard in WWE and pro wrestling. For Rhodes, it’s his moment to back up Wade Barrett’s claim that he is “undeniably the biggest star in this industry.”
In storyline, The OTC and “The American Nightmare” aim to leave Las Vegas with championship gold. In reality, they’re competing for the unofficial title of undisputed box office king, and the chance to become the definitive face of their generation.
