Dylan jackson
Wrestling’s biggest event got off to a great start on Saturday night. WrestleMania 40 in Philadelphia started with a bang, with a new champion crowned and lots of highlights. No match was more important for Sunday, however, than The Rock and Roman Reigns fighting Cody Rhodes and Seth Rollins.
The WWE Universal Champion and self-proclaimed “Ultimate Boss” took care of business in a grueling fight with the World Heavyweight Champion and the “American Nightmare” in Saturday’s main event. In the end, it will be “Bloodline Rules” when Reigns faces Rhodes after the victory of both members of the Anoaʻi family.
That means you can expect a lot of outside interference from members of Bloodline on Sunday, including The Rock, Solo Sikoa and Jimmy Uso. The odds will clearly be stacked against Rhodes as he seeks revenge after failing to main event last year’s WrestleMania.
Rollins, meanwhile, has his own issues to deal with as the world heavyweight champion will put his title on the line against the sizzling Drew McIntyre. Additionally, CM Punk, who returned to the Royal Rumble only to suffer an injury, will be on commentary for the match and will likely play a major role. Additionally, the WWE Women’s Championship is on the line when Iyo Sky takes on Bayley. Sky and her Damage CTRL teammates kicked Bayley out of the group she helped form and now Bayley wants revenge. The final title fight on Sunday will see United States Champion Logan Paul forced to defend his title against two opponents as he takes on Randy Orton and Kevin Owens.
Other matches of note include a “Philadelphia street fight” between Final Testament – featuring Karrion Kross and Authors of Pain – and the team of Bobby Lashley and The Street Profits. Additionally, LA Knight and AJ Styles look to settle the score in their heated rivalry.
CBS Sports experts have come together to provide predictions for each match on the card. Let’s take a look at how they think all the Night 2 action will play out.
WrestleMania 40 Night 2 Predictions
Pride vs. The Final Testament
You can give him months of vignettes, repackages, two managers and a badass duo and I still won’t care about Karrion Kross. Please let Bobby and the Profits end this feud so both groups can move on to something else. Choice: Pride’s victory – Connor Casey (also Brent Brookhouse)
A fight between two average factions that were not aware of their potential. This one could go either way. Lashley and the Street Profits are the safe, uninspired choice. AOP has been shelved for a long time and Kross has been rebooted repeatedly over the past two years. The stable may be a little corny or crowded, but they have great intensity as a brutal faction that opposes any popular babyface. Rhodes will send the crowd home happy, so let’s sour them a little with this match. Choice: The Victory of the Final Testament – Shakiel Mahjouri
L.A. Knight vs.
Knight is a true WWE success story, going from undesirable to undeniable. He’s calmed down since losing to Reigns at Crown Jewel, but so have most of the stars before WrestleMania’s two main events. Knight and Styles did a great job of increasing the intensity of their rivalry. They could benefit from a game stipulation this weekend or in the future. Knight should win this match in most cases. Even if they want to extend the rivalry beyond WrestleMania, Knight, 41, has waited more than 20 years for this moment. Give it to him. Pick: LA Knight wins – Mahjouri (also Brookhouse and Casey)
United States Championship – Logan Paul (c) x Kevin Owens x Randy Orton
Orton is a little too big a name to be United States Champion and Owens doesn’t really need the title. Paul having the title – and keeping it here – is a shame, if only because he’s not a weekly player on television. Still, his name gets a little more attention and taking advantage of Owens and Orton facing off to get another sneaky title defense makes too much sense to not be how it happens. Pick: Logan Paul retains title – Brookhouse (also Casey and Mahjouri)
WWE Women’s Championship – Iyo Sky (c) vs.
I feel bad for Bayley. Here she is, at the end of a years-long story with a faction she helped create and a showdown that will finally give her a definitive performance at WrestleMania. And yet it’s perhaps seventh on the two-night card in terms of fan enthusiasm. She’ll get the win and hopefully they’ll have enough time to do something special, but this feels like an afterthought heading into Philly. Pick: Bayley wins the title – Casey (also Mahjouri and Brookhouse)
World Heavyweight Championship – Seth Rollins (c) vs.
McIntyre deserves his WrestleMania moment almost as much as Rhodes. McIntyre is without a doubt the most improved star of the year. He became a witty, vengeful villain with relatable grievances. He’s on the mic with CM Punk and Rhodes, some of the best speakers today. McIntyre won his first WWE Championship in an empty venue during the pandemic-affected WrestleMania 36. McIntyre is long overdue for a proper celebration in front of his family and 60,000 fans. Pick: Drew McIntyre wins title -Majouri
All credit to McIntyre for the great work he’s been doing lately, but since I believe Rollins will be on the losing team on Night 1, it seems hard to believe he would eat another loss on Night 2. Also, to all of McIntyre’s good work, you know that WWE is eyeing a title feud between Rollins and CM Punk in the future. Depending on Punk’s full timeline for his return, it makes sense for Rollins to keep the belt here. While Punk has issues with both men, he should be more mad at McIntyre for getting hurt lately, and he’ll be on commentary, in the right position to tip the scales one way or the other. Pick: Seth Rollins retains title – Brookhouse (also Casey)
WWE Undisputed Universal Championship – Roman Reigns (c) vs.
While we won’t know until Night 1 ends on Saturday, we believe this match will be played under Bloodline Rules. This would stack the deck against Rhodes in a way that can only be overcome by a true babyface superstar – and that’s what Rhodes is. Add in some support that will likely come in the form of those he is aligned with, those who resent Reigns’ actions in recent years, and perhaps some legendary superstars and suddenly the odds increase. Plus, not pulling the trigger on a Rhodes win here would be a horrible mistake for WWE, which has fumbled its way through several over-the-top babyfaces over the last 18 months. Pick: Cody Rhodes wins the title -Brookhouse
Everything culminates in this moment. Cody was cheated into the main event of WrestleMania a year ago. He was defeated week after week by The Rock and Roman Reigns. The Bloodline just cost him the tag team main event the night before and now he’s facing the longest reigning champion in decades with no rules stopping him. The odds couldn’t be higher – so now you have Cody winning.
But he won’t be alone. Since Reigns has an entire group at his disposal, let Rhodes have an “Avengers Assemble” moment and have a legion of wrestlers rush in to even the odds. There are so many to choose from who have a score to settle with Reigns – Seth Rollins, Jey Uso, Sami Zayn, Kevin Owens, Randy Orton and LA Knight, just to name a few. And if they really want to go crazy, have John Cena and Steve Austin run there too just for the raunchy pop they would both produce.
There’s no point in trying to push for another standard wrestling match between Cody and Roman. We already had this last year. This is the time to give it your all; no idea is too crazy, no place is too forgiving. At the moment it will look like a car accident, but if Rhodes emerges as champion, it will be considered a classic. Pick: Cody Rhodes wins the title -Casey
There was a collective groan when Rhodes lost to Reigns at WrestleMania 39. Paul Levesque urged patience, but it was difficult to see the decision as anything other than a huge mistake. WWE almost ruined everything twice by having The Rock take Rhodes’ place this year. Luckily, they pivoted beautifully in response to fans’ disapproval. WrestleMania 40’s two main events are some of the most anticipated in the event’s four-decade history. Maybe this isn’t the ceiling, but it’s too big a gamble to postpone it even further. Rhodes must become the WWE Undisputed Universal Champion and achieve the one thing his father, “The American Dream” Dusty Rhodes, never achieved. Pick: Cody Rhodes wins the title -Majouri
