WWE has reportedly made several notable changes to its original plans for key matches heading into WrestleMania 42.
One of the biggest shake-ups involves Seth Rollins, as it was officially announced on WWE Raw last week that he will now face Gunther on “The Grandest Stage of Them All.” The bout replaces what had been building as a potential showdown between Rollins and Bron Breakker, an angle that had been in motion prior to Rollins’ recent injury hiatus.
Interestingly, that wasn’t the only match WWE had planned for Rollins.
At one point, the expectation was for Rollins to go one-on-one with Logan Paul at “The Showcase of The Immortals.” WWE even laid the groundwork for that match at the WWE Elimination Chamber premium live event, where Rollins interfered and cost Paul a key opportunity.
Meanwhile, Gunther was originally slated for a very different opponent.
Early plans called for the dominant star to face WWE Hall of Famer Rey Mysterio at WrestleMania 42. However, those plans were scrapped following Bronson Reed suffering a torn biceps injury, which ultimately led to WWE pivoting and pairing Gunther with Rollins instead.
That change created a ripple effect across the card.
Logan Paul and Austin Theory are expected to team with iShowSpeed in a six-man tag team match against The Usos and LA Knight at WrestleMania 42. The storyline for that match also kicked off during last week’s episode of WWE Raw.
Gunther, who has been relatively quiet following some of the most significant moments of his career, finds himself back in a high-profile position. His recent run included earning the nickname “The Career-Killer” after retiring legends such as AJ Styles, John Cena, and Bill Goldberg in a series of high-stakes matches.
Now, he’s right back in the spotlight.
The program with Rollins is expected to keep Gunther firmly in the main event picture as WWE heads into WrestleMania weekend. There has also been internal speculation that Bron Breakker could make his long-awaited return from injury during the match, potentially interfering in the outcome.
If that scenario plays out, it could protect Gunther’s undefeated streak in 2026 while simultaneously reigniting the teased Breakker vs. Rollins feud coming out of WrestleMania 42.
One way or another, the pieces are clearly still moving.
And that movement will continue on the second-to-last episode of WWE Raw leading up to WrestleMania 42, as the red brand returns live tonight at 8/7c on Netflix from the Toyota Center in Houston, TX.
Advertised to kick off tonight’s show?
Seth Rollins.
Make sure to join us here at WrestlingHeadlines.com tonight for live WWE Raw Results coverage.
(H/T: Dave Meltzer of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter at F4WOnline.com)
