Who Will Be Undisputed WWE Champion Heading Into WrestleMania 43?

WWE

The Undisputed WWE Championship scene is currently one of the most exciting title pictures in WWE, following recent title changes.

This title has now changed hands five times this year, with Drew McIntyre first winning the gold from Cody Rhodes in a Three Stages of Hell match on the January 9 SmackDown episode.

Cody Rhodes won the title back on March 6, and entered WrestleMania 42 season with the gold. He lost the title 113 days later to Sami Zayn, who picked up his first WWE world title victory at Night of Champions.

Zayn’s Undisputed WWE Championship reign lasted just nine days, with CM Punk winning the gold upon his return on the July 6 Raw episode in Chicago.

On Punk’s 67th day as champion, he put the title on the line against Sami Zayn on the September 11 SmackDown episode in Mexico City.

Following interference from Johnny Gargano and Kevin Owens, it was Sami Zayn who ended the show with the Undisputed WWE Championship.

WrestleMania 43 Undisputed WWE Championship picture

All of these title changes took place within just over eight months of each other. With WrestleMania 43 being seven months away, the Undisputed WWE Title picture could be completely different come April.

WWE President Nick Khan recently indicated that the company is “already across” creative plans for WrestleMania 43, fuelling speculation about plans for the WWE Championship match which will take place in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

So who will be champion as we enter WrestleMania 43 season? The main contenders include…

Sami Zayn

With fans criticising WWE for ending Sami Zayn’s first world title run after just nine days, it’s almost a certainty that Zayn will hold the Undisputed WWE Championship for longer this time around.

It would be an interesting choice to have Zayn remain SmackDown’s top champion through April, with nobody having had a seven month reign with the title since Cody Rhodes’ 378 day run from WrestleMania 40 to WrestleMania 41.

Cody Rhodes

Speaking of Cody Rhodes, you cannot count the American Nightmare out when discussing WrestleMania championship matches.

Rhodes has been part of every Undisputed WWE Championship match at WrestleMania since 2023, with the star unsuccessfully challenging Roman Reigns at 39, actually winning the gold from Reigns at 40, dropping the title to John Cena at 41, and defending against Randy Orton at 42.

Randy Orton

Somebody who recently got the better of Cody Rhodes is Randy Orton, who cost the American Nightmare his WWE Championship match against CM Punk at SummerSlam.

With Randy Orton defeating Cody Rhodes at Sunday Night’s Main Event, we could see the Viper challenge for, and perhaps even win, Sami Zayn’s gold in the next few months, perhaps following a rubber match against his former protege.

Kevin Owens

Kevin Owens was a definitive factor in the closing moments of Friday’s Undisputed WWE Championship match. Looking for retribution after Zayn recently cost him his title match, Owens attempted to take Zayn out, but accidentally struck CM Punk with the title belt.

Given Kevin Owens’ history with Sami Zayn, CM Punk and the title, he won’t be someone who will walk away from the main event scene without a fight.

Johnny Gargano

This entry would’ve seemed wild just a few weeks ago, when Gargano was only making SmackDown appearances in the planking division.

Since then, Gargano has been upright, challenging CM Punk for the gold, and interfering in Punk vs Zayn to attempt to take out the champion.

With Sami Zayn becoming a first-time WWE world champion earlier this year, we could soon see Johnny Gargano follow in his footsteps.

CM Punk

And finally, it’s too early to count CM Punk out of the WrestleMania 43 main event. While he is no longer champion, Punk indicated in his first post following his defeat that he will vie to reclaim the Undisputed WWE Title.

With Punk having headline matches at WrestleMania 41 and 42, there is every chance that he returns to the main event at 43.

While a lot surrounding the title picture is uncertain, it looks like the road to WrestleMania 43 will be an exciting one.

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• wwe
• WrestleMania
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