The road to WrestleMania hits a key stop this week as Raw takes over New York’s Madison Square Garden. With less than three weeks remaining, “The World’s Most Famous Arena” could determine the fate of several superstars still without a spot at “The Showcase of the Immortals” in Las Vegas.
On The Bubble
Gunther hasn’t been on TV since defeating Dragon Lee on the March 2 episode of Raw. He was rumored to face Rey Mysterio at Mania in Vegas, but Mysterio is reportedly injured. “The Ring General” is still expected
to have a major role, yet with the world title scene and top names like Brock Lesnar already tied up, his path remains unclear as time to build a program dwindles.
One potential opponent for the Austrian is Intercontinental Champion Penta, who has issued an I.C. Open Challenge for Raw at MSG. As WWE’s social media preview notes, “Penta’s road to WrestleMania is on!” A match between the current champ and the title’s longest-reigning holder could set the stage for something big for both men on “The Grandest Stage of Them All.”
Seth Rollins made a dramatic return at Elimination Chamber and has targeted his former stable, The Vision, ever since. WWE appears to be awaiting word on Bron Breakker, who was set for a medical evaluation last week. If cleared, The Vision’s frontman could collide with its former leader in Vegas. If a major angle is coming, The Garden is the place to set it up.
A domino effect could be in play, as LA Knight could shape not only his fate but that of four other superstars. Like Rollins, Knight has been targeting The Vision, who sidelined him last winter. He’s also had tense run-ins with The Usos. This week, Jimmy and Jey defend the tag titles against Logan Paul and Austin Theory in a Street Fight. Despite being banged up, Knight played a role in the two teams’ match last Monday and could get involved again, setting up several paths to a marquee match in Sin City.
The Card
Three matches were added to WrestleMania 42 last week, including two title bouts: a Women’s Intercontinental Title match and a United States Championship showdown featuring Sami Zayn, who won the title last Friday on SmackDown. The card now stands at eight matches.
- World Heavyweight Championship: CM Punk (c) vs. Roman Reigns
- Undisputed WWE Championship: Cody Rhodes (c) vs. Randy Orton
- Women’s World Championship: Stephanie Vaquer (c) vs. Liv Morgan
- WWE Women’s Championship: Jade Cargill (c) vs. Rhea Ripley
- Open Challenge: Brock Lesnar vs. Oba Femi
- Women’s Intercontinental Championship: AJ Lee (c) vs. Becky Lynch
- United States Championship: Sami Zayn (c) vs. Trick Williams
- Unsanctioned Match: Jacob Fatu vs. Drew McIntyre
WWE has yet to announce the official Mania lineups for Night One and Night Two. However, promotional graphics for each match could hint at who will appear where in Las Vegas.
When and Where to Watch
Allegiant Stadium, home of the Las Vegas Raiders, hosts WrestleMania on April 18–19. The first hour of Saturday’s show airs on ESPN2 and Sunday’s on ESPN, with full streaming on ESPN Unlimited. Select movie theaters will host live screenings of the two-night event, with tickets on sale now via Fandango. Internationally, WrestleMania streams on Netflix.
