5 Big money WWE matches that could headline WrestleMania 39
WrestleMania 38 is now in the rear-view mirror, and it's likely that WWE officials have already planned several huge matches for next year's show.
There may be 12 months to go until the company arrives in Los Angeles for the biggest event of the year, but it's clear that some breadcrumbs have already been dropped. Several of the biggest feuds heading into next year's WrestleMania have already been hinted at, while others could become more apparent following SummerSlam.
The following list looks at just five big-money WWE matches that could headline WrestleMania 39.
#5. Cody Rhodes vs Randy Orton
Cody Rhodes had his first match against Randy Orton in 2007. Only fitting they run it back down the line…
#OrtonWeek
(2007) https://t.co/IiIBf0UGrR
Cody Rhodes recently made his return to WWE after more than five years away and has already made quite an impact. His return back at WrestleMania 38 was one of the most talked-about moments of the show, and the company would want to capitalize on this momentum at WrestleMania 39.
Rhodes is now seen as one of the biggest superstars in the company and the face of Monday Night RAW. Since his feud with Seth Rollins will seemingly come to an end at WrestleMania Backlash next month, The American Nightmare will need a new opponent for next year's show.
The most likely candidate would be Randy Orton, the former world champion who was once part of Legacy alongside Rhodes. If Orton finally turned his back on Riddle and became The Apex Predator once more, he would be the perfect heel to challenge Rhodes at WrestleMania 39.
#4. Brock Lesnar vs Gable Steveson
Looks like @GableSteveson just SHOOOOSHED @WWEGable at #WrestleMania! https://t.co/We2FkdirGU
Brock Lesnar hasn't been seen since his main event loss at WrestleMania but is expected to be back in the coming months since The Beast is advertised for Money in the Bank later this year.
Gable Steveson made an appearance at WrestleMania and was able to get in the face of fellow former Olympian Chad Gable. Steveson showed what he was capable of in the ring and could be built up as a monster heading into WrestleMania 39.
WWE has some huge plans for Gable Steveson, so much so that he has skipped NXT and could now make his debut on The Grandest Stage Of Them All against one of the company's most feared stars.
#3. Sasha Banks vs Trish Stratus
sasha vs trish is a must 🤞🏽🤧 @wwe @VinceMcMahon @SashaBanksWWE @trishstratuscom #mytwofavs https://t.co/KoQWOyZujG
This is a match that has been building for several years and could finally take place at some point in 2023. Trish Stratus last wrestled at SummerSlam in 2019 when she came up short in a generational match against Charlotte Flair.
The former seven-time Women's Champion made it clear that this was her last match but could be talked out of it if the option was a WrestleMania match against Sasha Banks.
The two-night event now means that there is more than one main event spot up for grabs, and since Sasha Banks has main evented the show before, she could become the first two-time female main eventer.
This could be billed as Trish Stratus' final match and would allow the former champion to bow out on her own terms and secure the main event match that she deserved much earlier in her career.
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#2. Ronda Rousey vs Becky Lynch
Becky Lynch vs Ronda Rousey!!
#mainevent twitter.com/WWEUK/status/1…
Ronda Rousey and Becky Lynch have been on a collision course for the past three years. Ever since Lynch walked out of WrestleMania 35 with both championships back in 2019, she has been looking over her shoulder for Rousey.
It was believed that the former UFC Champion would challenge Lynch this year following her Royal Rumble win but instead took the Charlotte Flair option. Now that Rousey is over on SmackDown, it will be interesting to see how she's able to make her way over to RAW to challenge Lynch as part of next year's show.
The company has kept the two women apart on separate brands over the past few months, but they have a ready-made storyline prepared for them when they are ready to press the button, and WrestleMania 39 is the perfect setting.
#1. Undisputed WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns vs The Rock
🏼Roman Reigns vs @TheRock
30 Years in the Making 👊🏼
https://t.co/HtMM2L7xvG
This is perhaps the biggest match of this generation, and it's been building ever since Roman Reigns became The Tribal Chief. There is only one man who can dethrone Reigns, and that's his own "cousin," The Rock.
The Rock was once considered to be the biggest star in the history of the company, and now his own family member is looking to erase the legacy that he created. While The Rock has spent the last few decades making moves and sporadic WWE appearances, he still respects the roots that he planted in the wrestling business.
Reigns is expected to hold the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship until WrestleMania 39, when he will face his toughest test to date in the form of his own family.
It's hard to imagine that this will not be the headliner for WrestleMania 39 since this has been the worst kept secret in WWE now for several years.