CM Punk Vs Rollins: Predicting Both Nights Of WrestleMania 40

WWE’s recent Survivor Series event on November 26th inside Chicago’s All-State Arena was a marquee occasion for many reasons. One was witnessing hell freeze over live and in living colour – excuse the pun – with CM Punk returning “home” almost a decade away and a gallon of bad blood spilt. The second was that it marked WWE’s final Premium Live Event of 2023.

The next PLE on the calendar is the Royal Rumble, which takes place on January 27th at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Florida. The showdown marks the start of the Road to WrestleMania 40, which emanates from Philadelphia’s Lincoln Financial Field on the weekend of April 7th and 8th. Between the Rumble and the Granddaddy of Them All, you can expect to see a whole host of superstars pointing at signs while storylines develop.

But which stories will form the biggest matchups at the Showcase of the Immortals? Here are the matches that we think will headline WrestleMania XL.

Seth Rollins vs CM Punk

We imagine that the recently returned CM Punk must feel frustrated about not being part of another WrestleMania main event and Wrestlemania 40. He missed out on the main event for three consecutive years between 2010 and 2012. Firstly, WWE opted for a program between John Cena and The Miz, before taking a back seat to the Leader of the Cenation’s ill-fated Twice in a Lifetime face-off with The Rock.

Apologies Mr. Brooks, however, there is no way that Roman Reigns won’t close the show and there’s no way that he won’t defend his title against Cody Rhodes. And it’s something that will sting even more considering the fact that the very real beef between himself and Seth Rollins is arguably the hottest story in the company at present. But on this occasion, CM Punk will have to settle for headlining night one of ‘Mania, which is an achievement in itself.

The feud between current World Heavyweight Champion Rollins and former UFC star CM Punk is very real. While the latter was losing to the likes of Mickey Gall after being made a heavy +400 underdog by Bovada sportsbook inside the Octagon, the former Architect of the Shield was racking up achievement after achievement. The Visionary has racked up five world title reigns as well as becoming a Grand Slam champion. He has twice defeated Brock Lesnar and became the first – and currently only – man in history to cash in his Money in the Bank title opportunity in the main event of WrestleMania.

He has put CM Punk on blast numerous times throughout the last few years. When the Second City Saint ‘returned’ to WWE in 2019 as part of the WWE on Fox broadcast team, Rollins stated that he would like to legitimately fight CM Punk. He stated in a recent interview that he hates his potential foe and he would reiterate those words – to CM Punk’s face – on the 11th December episode of Monday Night Raw.

Whether CM Punk wins the Royal Rumble for the first time in his career to set up the marquee bout against Rollins remains to be seen. He is currently the favourite for victory, with Rhodes a close second. However, he will certainly face off against his nemesis for the World Heavyweight Championship, and he will do so on the Grandest Stage of Them All.

Roman Reigns vs Cody Rhodes II

At last year’s WrestleMania inside Los Angeles’ state-of-the-art SoFi Stadium, fans were left with their jaws agape as Roman Reigns shockingly retained his Undisputed WWE Universal Championship with a victory over 2023 Royal Rumble match winner Cody Rhodes. The American Nightmare had only returned to the company barely a year prior, but many felt that the stars had aligned perfectly for the Atlanta-born sensation to finish his family’s story and win the one title his father had never won, and he would do it on the grandest stage of them all.

Ultimately, it wasn’t to be, with the Tribal Chief stunningly going over and powering towards 1,000 days as champion. At the time of writing, the Head of the Table remains exactly that, both on TV and in real life. He has reigned as king for over 1,200 days and is currently in the midst of the fourth-longest reign in company history. But Cody has remained steadfast in his mission to finish the story, and he may do exactly that at WrestleMania XL.

Reigns and Rhodes came face to face for the first time since Monday Night Raw after ‘Mania on a recent edition of SmackDown, indicating to many that their story remained unfinished. However, it remains to be seen how we will get to the matchup itself. Will Rhodes become the first man Since Stone Cold Steve Austin over two decades ago to win back-to-back Royal Rumble matches? Or will the Bloodline somehow screw him out of the 30-man extravaganza and force him to take a more tumultuous road to the Showcase of the Immortals?

How we got there remains to be seen. But Roman Reigns vs Cody Rhodes II will main event WrestleMania once again, of that there is no doubt.

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