WWE WrestleMania 42 Matches Canceled

WWE

With WWE WrestleMania 42 set for this weekend, there have been plenty of changes to the card overall in the lead-up to the event.

From creative plans that needed to be changed due to injury, to others that fell apart without any noted reason, there have been several matches that ended up scrapped on the road to WrestleMania.

Here are nine WWE WrestleMania 42 matches that were set for the event and then ended up being canceled in the end.

9. Giulia vs. Tiffany Stratton vs. Jordynne Grace

With WrestleMania 42 only days away, there is no WWE Women’s United States Championship match on the card leaving both reigning champion Giulia and her tag partner Kiana James off the card.

However, it wasn’t originally intended to be this way, with reports suggesting that Giulia was originally planned to defend her gold against both Tiffany Stratton and Jordynne Grace in a three-way.

Unfortunately however, Jordynne Grace picked up an injury in early March that she only this week returned from and no other plans came together for either Stratton or Giulia, despite the pair feuding on TV in recent weeks.

With all three performers in the end being left off the WrestleMania 42 card entirely, perhaps this showdown is on pause until a future date.

8. Roman Reigns vs. Seth Rollins

One major match that was tentatively planned for WrestleMania 42 was that between Roman Reigns and Seth Rollins over the WWE World Heavyweight Championship.

While this bout could definitely still be on the horizon, it certainly didn’t end up happening for WrestleMania 42 in Las Vegas, with Rollins suffering a torn rotator cuff back in October 2025 that left his status for “The Show of Shows” unclear.

Reigns and Rollins’ storyline has been building for over a decade with Rollins having turned on The Shield back in June 2014, so there is plenty of ground to cover should the pair resume their feud.

Able to easily feature as a marquee match for the upcoming two-night SummerSlam 2026 in Minneapolis, it could be that the inevitable clash between Rollins and Reigns is contested for the World Heavyweight Championship, should “The OTC” walk out of WrestleMania 42 with the big gold belt.

7. Roman Reigns vs. Cody Rhodes

After Seth Rollins’ injury led to his match with Roman Reigns not being an option, WWE reportedly pivoted towards a trilogy match between Reigns and Cody Rhodes instead.

With the duo on the same team for November’s WarGames match, Reigns made it clear in the end that there was no love lost between he and “The American Nightmare.”

Already thrilling audiences in the past, Reigns vs Rhodes main evented both WrestleMania 39 and 40, with the record standing at 1-1.

Perhaps in fear of fatiguing the audience with the same main event in three of the last four WrestleMania events, Triple H elected to change course and keep Reigns and Rhodes apart.

6. IYO SKY vs. Asuka

A storyline that has been building over several years at this point is the on-going feud between Asuka and IYO SKY.

While it has also included Rhea Ripley as SKY’s partner and a continued moral dilemma for Asuka’s partner Kairi Sane, it really feels as though the true showdown is between IYO and Asuka.

With speculation that perhaps a match between these two competitors is set to be deferred from its reportedly planned spot on the WrestleMania 42 card, to another time in the coming weeks, there is hope that the storyline could still reach a conclusion at a big event.

Since WWE Backlash 2026 is being held just three weeks after the major Las Vegas event, perhaps fans will end up seeing IYO SKY and Asuka come to blows on May 9 in Tampa, Florida instead.

5. Original El Grande Americano vs. El Grande Americano Mask vs. Mask

While fans remained hopeful that there could be a major ending to El Grande Americano and The Original El Grande Americano’s feud under the bright lights of Las Vegas for WrestleMania 42, WWE instead had different plans.

As was recently confirmed, the mask vs. mask showdown that is certain to be an intense culmination of their rivalry will be hosted on the upcoming AAA Noche De Los Grandes on May 30th at Arena Monterrey.

With plenty of intrigue regarding who is under each mask (in storyline at least,) there would seem to be a big reveal coming soon.

Possibly delaying a triple-threat match for the future pitting The Original El Grande Americano and the Creed Brothers against the trio of Rayo, Bravo and El Grande Americano, we’ll have to stay tuned to find out if this storyline properly concludes on the main roster or in AAA.

4. LA Knight vs. Brock Lesnar

One match that was rumored to be planned for WrestleMania 42 was Brock Lesnar vs. LA Knight.

Since Lesnar’s big return at SummerSlam 2025 to attack John Cena, “The Beast” has remained a looming threat to the locker room.

Instead of facing “The Megastar” however, Brock Lesnar will face off against Oba Femi in a match that is arguably one of the most anticipated of the weekend. While LA Knight is joining forces with fellow fan favorites The Usos to take on Austin Theory, Logan Paul and internet star, IShowSpeed in a trios bout.

While it is speculated that Lesnar may be wrapping up his in-ring career, potentially as soon as SummerSlam 2026, it remains to be seen if he will eventually tangle with Knight.

3. Jade Cargill vs. Bianca Belair

While Bianca Belair has been out of action since last year’s WrestleMania 41 match against Rhea Ripley and IYO SKY, fans continued to remain hopeful throughout that she was on the verge of return.

However, with continued setbacks regarding her progress after a complex finger and knuckle injury from the Las Vegas match last year,  Belair has yet to return to in-ring competition.

Seemingly still having unfinished business with Jade Cargill, it seems likely that a feud between the former friends turned rivals will be set up when “The EST” makes her big return.

Rather than facing off against Bianca or even another top contender on SmackDown like Charlotte Flair or Tiffany Stratton, Cargill is facing the winner of the Women’s Elimination Chamber Match, Rhea Ripley at WrestleMania 42.

2. Cody Rhodes vs. CM Punk

While Seth Rollins vs Roman Reigns was the planned World Heavyweight Title match for WrestleMania 42, there were plans in place for the Undisputed WWE Title as well.

It has been reported that the original plan was to have seen Cody Rhodes defend the title against CM Punk.

However, when Rollins had to vacate that title due to injury, Punk was chosen to become the new World Heavyweight Champion and he will now defend that title against Roman Reigns.

Cody on the other hand is set to face Randy Orton, a storyline that has a rich depth of history but has been more convoluted than fans would have hoped following the additions of Pat McAfee and Jelly Roll into the equation.

1. CM Punk vs. Bron Breakker

The first planned WrestleMania match for CM Punk after Seth Rollins’ injury led to him becoming World Heavyweight Champion was against Bron Breakker, who was reportedly at one point planned to win the Royal Rumble.

However, with Breakker out of action due to a hernia, instead the winner of the Royal Rumble ended up being Roman Reigns.

Able to choose to target either the Undisputed WWE Champion (at the time, Drew McIntyre) or the WWE World Heavyweight Championship, Reigns took aim at CM Punk on WWE Raw.

Meanwhile, the return of Seth Rollins to in-ring competition has left an intriguing bit of unfinished business, with Rollins targeting The Vision but not yet getting his hands on the absent Bron Breakker.

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• WrestleMania
• WrestleMania 42

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