WWE WrestleMania 42 will feature Undisputed WWE Champion "The American Nightmare" Cody Rhodes defending his title against "The Viper" Randy Orton. This match has been confirmed following several creative changes in recent weeks. It is scheduled to take place on Saturday, April 18th, in Las Vegas, Nevada, and is positioned to be the main event of the night.
According to the latest Wrestling Observer Newsletter, Rhodes was originally expected to face Roman Reigns as one of the main events of WrestleMania 42, while World Heavyweight Champion CM Punk was set to defend his title against Bron Breakker in the other main event. However, Breakker’s injury led to a match between Reigns and Punk, leaving Rhodes without an opponent. Orton was initially planned to face Rhodes after WrestleMania, but due to the injuries sustained by Breakker and Bronson Reed, WWE decided to move forward with Rhodes vs. Orton for WrestleMania.
The report also indicates that earlier plans had Drew McIntyre as Rhodes’ opponent. At one point, creative discussions included the possibility of a stipulation match, exploring options like Hell in a Cell. However, those plans shifted as the overall WrestleMania card developed, leaving McIntyre in a singles program with Jacob Fatu.
Orton's current direction follows his strong performance at the Elimination Chamber, which helped position him as a top contender, while Rhodes regained the Undisputed WWE Championship on an episode of WWE SmackDown, setting the stage for this highly anticipated matchup.
