Cody Rhodes, The Rock, LA Knight, Or John Cena: Who Will Wrestle Roman Reigns at WrestleMania?
The main event for WrestleMania 40 needs to be a moment that carries the company forward.
There are four men who are possible candidates to headline the show against Roman Reigns, and those are The Rock, John Cena, Cody Rhodes, and LA Knight. Only one, however, makes the most sense to dethrone Reigns after his historic reign.
Courtesy WWE
Considering this will be Endeavor’s first-time overseeing WWE’s signature event, there is every reason to believe this year’s will be bigger than ever. Short-term, there is nothing that can compare to a return from Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson. But after speaking with multiple sources close to WWE, the decision about WrestleMania will not be The Rock’s to make, nor is the main event even a topic of substance. There are currently no plans for this to happen.
Even if it were offered, it would not be a certainty that Johnson would even accept. He has multiple obligations, and if he is part of a movie that is filming, he simply would not be able to take the risk of wrestling.
There is also the possibility that Johnson is self-aware enough to know that his best days in the ring have already occurred. He suffered multiple injuries a decade ago at WrestleMania 29 in his match against John Cena, ones that put filming in danger. More than a decade later, it would be a significant risk to re-enter the ring, especially since his bulky frame may not offer much resistance to wrestling’s grueling pace.
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Speaking last month with Sports Illustrated, Hulk Hogan championed the idea of The Rock returning for one more WrestleMania. Using Hogan’s style as a template would be wise for The Rock, but Hogan was also wrestling far more consistently in his late 40s and early 50s than Johnson, whose last full-fledged match was against Cena in 2013. Ultimately, the allure of a return from The Rock may be more valuable as fantasy than reality.
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A case can be made for Cena, though he will also march back to Hollywood as soon as he is able. The ongoing strike appears to be reaching its conclusion, making Cena’s return only temporary. If he stayed, a run at his seventeenth WWE world title would make for fascinating television. With WWE running with LA Knight as Reigns’ opponent at next month’s Crown Jewel show, it keeps a window open for Cena-Reigns. But that story has already been told, and Cena’s greatest current contribution is putting a spotlight on Knight, who continues to grow in popularity.
Knight is another possibility to headline WrestleMania. That would be stunning after he was left off the card entirely at this past year’s Mania, but he has connected with the crowd in a manner that only one person–Shaun Ricker, the man who portrays Knight–could have possibly believed would happen. Though title changes are part of the Saudi Arabia shows (who could forget Bill Goldberg defeating The Fiend?), it would be absolutely shocking if Knight dethroned Reigns at Crown Jewel.
Right now, Knight is a building block to get Reigns to April. He needs a Becky Lynch/Daniel Bryan-type of groundswell of support between now and the Royal Rumble in order to increase his odds of seeing Reigns at WrestleMania. It would also be foolish to discount Kevin Owens and Jey Uso, but both have a serious distance to climb if they intend on wrestling in the main event at WrestleMania 40.
The favorite to headline WrestleMania against Reigns is Cody Rhodes. Their staredown from this past week’s SmackDown displayed a rare type of intensity. Reigns is aware that Rhodes has poured his entire being into becoming undisputed WWE champion, and there is a mutual respect between the two, even if they are not the closest of friends.
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To Rhodes’ credit, he lost in the main event of last year’s WrestleMania, yet he is still extremely popular with the fan base. This is entirely different from Lex Luger’s failed push to become WWE champion, where he failed in his attempt to win the title at WrestleMania X, then found himself opening the card in a throwaway tag match a year later at WrestleMania XI. Six months after losing to Reigns, Rhodes has become an even more valuable commodity for WWE.
Rhodes carries WWE’s live tours. He is a merchandise-moving machine, handles endless publicity with remarkable ease, and his charitable contributions have become a fixture for WWE. His story with Reigns is in perfect place; The Bloodline is desperately holding on to what they built, but the end is near. This has been an exceptional example of contemporary storytelling, as Reigns, Paul Heyman, Jimmy Uso, and Solo Sikoa are all playing their parts of the crumbling empire to perfection. Connecting Rhodes with Jey Uso adds another compelling, nuanced layer to the story.
Unless the situation changes dramatically, Rhodes will be headlining WrestleMania. The Rock would be sensational, but that would be a one-day payoff (and it may work even better as an attraction later on without the title involved). While no one should count out Knight, a 20-year wrestling veteran who is beyond hungry for his long-awaited, overdue opportunity atop the industry leader, the story is in place for Rhodes.
Courtesy WWE
Similar to WrestleMania XV, which was held in Philadelphia, the same site of next year’s event, WWE went with their top stars in The Rock and Steve Austin to carry the event. The same should happen this year. Reigns and Rhodes are the top two stars in the company. After losing last year, the crowd would explode if Rhodes can finally overcome Reigns.
Watching Rhodes arrive at WrestleMania against Reigns will be a sight to behold. It should only be outdone by the finish of their match. That is the long-term move needed to carry WWE storytelling throughout 2024, led by Rhodes, the man who has earned his spot as the industry’s top babyface.
