WWE's biggest stars will look to shine bright when WrestleMania 40 is in Philadelphia on April 6 and 7.
The event in Lincoln Financial Field features several world title fights and grudge matches that are sure to entertain fans from all over the world. This year, “The Showcase of the Immortals” will be without Vince McMahon and will have the return of The Rock. It will also feature a rematch from WrestleMania 39.
Can Cody Rhodes “finish the story” and dethrone Roman Reigns after all these years? Reigns has been champion for over 3+ years, holding a firm grip on WWE programming. After failing to capture gold last year, Rhodes hopes to finally beat Reigns, honor the Rhodes family name, and win the Undisputed WWE Universal Title.
Meanwhile, will The Judgement Day prevail in their matches? What will Jade Cargill do to stand out? What shenanigans will Logan Paul get himself into?
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The Sporting News will give analysis and predictions for the entire WrestleMania 40 card. Who will walk out of Philadelphia as a winner?
WWE WrestleMania 40 Predictions
Roman Reigns and The Rock vs. Cody Rhodes and Seth "Freakin'" Rollins
WWE has managed to turn a negative situation surrounding The Rock’s involvement at WrestleMania and struck gold. The Rock has been carrying this feud, almost taking away from the Reigns vs. Rhodes match on night two.
If The Rock and Reigns win, it’s Bloodline Rules on night two, meaning anything goes and interference is allowed. If Rhodes and Rollins win, the match will be just Reigns vs. Rhodes. Pro wrestling logic says The Rock and Reigns will win. It will give Rhodes, the babyface, a mountain to climb and conquer.
However, that doesn’t mean the match won’t have its fair share of moments.
Expect The Bloodline to get involved in this match along with Drew McIntyre, Rollins’ opponent for night two. How much action will The Rock see? If all goes according to plan, he will sell like a madman and make his mark, even in small doses. The heels will prevail here, setting up for the ultimate story the next night.
Sporting News prediction: The Rock and Roman Reigns
Roman Reigns (c) vs. Cody Rhodes 2 for the Undisputed WWE Universal Title
Last year, Roman Reigns stunned the world when he beat Cody Rhodes. Many expected WrestleMania 39 to be Rhodes’ crowning moment. A year later, will Rhodes “finish the story” at WrestleMania 40?
WWE almost lost this match thanks to CM Punk’s injury and The Rock’s involvement, but the #WeWantCody movement forced WWE’s hand. Though the fans demanded Reigns vs. Rhodes 2, that doesn’t mean WWE will still pivot to what they want and have Rhodes win.
Still, to not have Rhodes “finish the story” after having that being the talking point for a year would be a slap in the face, no?
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If The Rock and Reigns win on night one, that could benefit Rhodes. The Bloodline will be involved, but so can other wrestlers. Rumors are swirling that Rock rival “Stone Cold” Steve Austin and Reigns rival John Cena will appear. Reigns is trying to break Hulk Hogan’s WrestleMania main event and title reign record. Perhaps Hogan makes an appearance. There’s always the Nightmare Family to cheer Rhodes on.
And then there is The Rock. WWE has teased a Rock vs. Reigns match for years. Night two could be the perfect time to plan for that match next, not for a title, but for “The Tribal Chief” name. Anything is possible, but Rhodes winning would be what the fans want, and it could lead to him becoming the true face of the company. Cody Rhodes finally winning gold feels right.
Will WWE pull the trigger? Or will we all be swerved once again?
Sporting News prediction: Cody Rhodes
Seth "Freakin" Rollins (c) vs. Drew McIntyre for the World Heavyweight Title
Drew McIntyre replaces CM Punk, who was supposed to fight Seth “Freakin’” Rollins for the World Heavyweight Title before suffering an injury at the Royal Rumble. Taking advantage of this, McIntyre has been one of the hottest acts in WWE.
McIntyre stated his desire is to finally win a world title with fans after doing so without them during the COVID-19 pandemic. He also feels disrespected Rollins is competing in a tag team match on night one, which is valid. His unknown contract situation makes things exciting as the outcome is unpredictable. Given Clash at the Castle is in McIntyre’s home of Scotland, that may mean he will re-sign and win gold.
Rollins has put the company on his (hurt) back for a while. He is entertaining and is a true crowd favorite. However, what shape will Rollins be in on night two after competing on night one? He will be resilient as always, but McIntyre should take full advantage of potential injury woes and beat Rollins. Again, that is if he re-signed with WWE.
Sporting News prediction: Drew McIntyre
Iyo Sky (c) vs. Bayley for the WWE Women's Title
Though losing some momentum of one of the hottest feuds in WWE today, Iyo Sky vs. Bayley is the match to watch.
Royal Rumble winner Bayley formed Damage CTRL but was betrayed and removed from the group following the January event. It is the first time she is the face in a match since 2019, facing one of the best women’s wrestlers in Sky. Bayley has been alone at every turn until Bianca Belair, Naomi, and Jade Cargill recently stepped up to Damage CTRL.
Bayley has gone from missing WrestleMania 38 due to an injury to getting a main event spotlight. Winning a world title following that and carrying WWE with Damage CTRL would be the cherry on top of a nice comeback moment. Heel Bayley is great, but face Bayley winning gold again will get a huge reaction.
Sporting News prediction: Bayley
Rhea Ripley (c) vs. Becky Lynch for the Women's World Title
Rhea Ripley is one of the hottest acts in WWE today. The Aussie holds the Women’s World Title with such swagger. She faces another WWE great in Becky Lynch, with a contract expiring soon.
It is believed Lynch will re-sign with WWE when all is said and done. That is an external factor that could play into the match. Ripley also brought up Lynch’s daughter, making this personal. However, it would be unbelievable to think Ripley’s title reign ends at WrestleMania against Lynch. With her firing on all cylinders, Ripley retaining after a hard-fought match, with both earning the respect of the other, seems to make the most sense.
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Lynch may take time off before potentially signing a new contract. If that is the case, the feud may not be over.
Sporting News prediction: Rhea Ripley
Gunther (c) vs. Sami Zayn for the WWE Intercontinental Title
Between Gunther and Roman Reigns, the former has had one of the best title reigns in modern WWE history. Gunther’s run as the WWE Intercontinental Champion has resulted in fantastic matches and turned Gunther into a household name. He faces the ultimate underdog Sami Zayn in Philadelphia, where underdog Rocky hailed from.
Many wanted Chad Gable to face Gunther, but he’s now mentoring Zayn. That could be a motivating factor, or Gable is turning on Zayn at the event. Either way, Gunther should retain and continue his record-breaking reign as the Intercontinental Champion.
Sporting News prediction: Gunther
Logan Paul (c) vs. Randy Orton vs. Kevin Owens for the WWE United States Title
Logan Paul's feud with Kevin Owens has transferred over to WrestleMania. An addition to the match is Randy Orton, who returned from an injury that took him out of action in 2022. After giving KSI an RKO, Orton's goal is to beat Paul and win gold.
Expect a lot of shenanigans in the match, with KSI potentially getting involved. It’s either Orton beating Owens or Paul the YouTuber coming out on top, which The Sporting News believes the latter will happen.
Sporting News prediction: Logan Paul
The Judgment Day (Finn Balor and Damian Priest) (c) vs. #DIY (Johnny Gargano and Tommaso Ciampa) vs. The Awesome Truth (The Miz and R-Truth) vs. The New Day (Kofi Kingston and Xavier Woods) vs. A-Town Down Under (Austin Theory and Grayson Waller) vs. New Catch Republic (Pete Dunne and Tyler Bate) in a Six-Pack Ladder match for the Undisputed WWE Tag Team Titles
The Undisputed WWE tag Team Titles are on the line in a match that should be chaotic.
Finn Balor and Damian Priest have held the RAW and SmackDown Tag Team Titles for a while. It is time for new champions, but who will be the ones to climb the ladder and retrieve the belts? Something that could affect the result: The match is over when both belts get collected from the top, not when one team wins both. So we could see two new champions crowned.
The teams involved highlight the past and future of WWE, with The Miz and R-Truth being in the former. Still, they may be the most popular act today, all thanks to R-Truth. Coming back from injury, Truth has been a comedic genius against The Judgement Day’s serious tone. Truth will use his comedic innocence to grab both belts, thinking he is helping Balor and Priest. That means, for now, the belts won’t get separated.
Sporting News prediction: The Miz and R-Truth
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Jey Uso vs. Jimmy Uso
It’s brother vs. brother. Uso vs. Uso. Yeet vs. No Yeet. For just the third time in WrestleMania history, a pair of brothers will compete in a grudge fight.
The Usos were a tag team for years, winning multiple world titles. When The Bloodline started, Jimmy suffered an injury, and Jey became a breakout star. “Main Event Jey” feuded with Roman Reigns, then joined The Bloodline, becoming the reluctant lackey while Jimmy was happy to be part of it. Once Sami Zayn got involved, tensions started to surface.
With Jey going his separate way and Jimmy remaining with The Bloodline, it was only a matter of time before the two fought. There is no doubt they will be involved in the main event of night one and (potentially) night two, so their feud won’t end here. They have different styles, which makes for a unique matchup.
Theoretically, Solo Sikoa could interfere here. Jimmy winning would help The Bloodline’s cause in dominating their enemies. However, Jey is the one who broke free from The Bloodline and winning makes all the sense. Expect an emotional match that will take many twists and turns.
Sporting News prediction: Jey Uso
LA Knight vs. AJ Styles
LA Knight and AJ Styles are at unique points in their WWE careers. Styles is the established star with multiple title wins, while Knight has yet to win gold in WWE. Many believed Knight was winning gold against Roman Reigns, but that never materialized.
Since failing to beat Reigns, Knight has been in limbo. The Slim Jim-sponsored Knight needs an edge, and a match against one of the best wrestlers in the world in Styles can help his cause. Knight already created headlines with a “home invasion” angle that got fans on his side.
Knight should win here in an entertaining match, the best of his WWE career so far, giving fans and himself a nice moment. Hopefully, the stock of both Knight and Styles goes up.
Sporting News prediction: LA Knight
Bianca Belair, Jade Cargill, and Naomi vs. Damage CTRL (Dakota Kai, Asuka, and Kairi Sane)
A potential Charlotte Flair-Bianca Belair rivalry halted when Flair got hurt, but what came from that was an opportunity for the women’s division. While Iyo Sky deals with Bayley, the rest of Damage CTRL face Belair, Jade Cargill, and Naomi.
Damage CTRL is one of the top factions in WWE. They have wreaked havoc for years, which means they are due to get their comeuppance. Joining Belair is Jade, the former AEW star who looks like money in her short WWE run. The returning Naomi joined forces with the two, and they looked like absolute stars when posing at the WrestleMania sign.
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Everyone has a part to play in the match, but Cargill is the one to watch. Nobody expects her to lose her first WrestleMania match. Expect plenty of moments in this one, with Cargill getting the win for her team.
Sporting News prediction: Bianca Belair, Jade Cargill, and Naomi
Latino World Order (Rey Mysterio and Dragon Lee) vs. Santos Escobar and Dominik Mysterio
For a second straight WrestleMania, Rey and Dominik Mysterio will fight one another. This time, the feud includes The L.W.O. and Legado Del Fantasma. The fight between the four is an all-Mexican showdown.
Rey beat his son at WrestleMania 39, giving him a literal and figurative spanking. At the time, Dominik was getting massive reactions. While that has died down a little, he is still popular, and Rey is an all-time great.
One would think the good guys go over here, right? Dominik needs a win against Rey, and Carlito may get involved and turn on the latter. Escobar and Lee will do whatever it takes to make this match entertaining, giving themselves opportunities to create WrestleMania moments.
Sporting News prediction: Santos Escobar and Dominik Mysterio
Bobby Lashley, Angelo Dawkins, and Montez Ford vs. The Final Testament (Karrion Kross, Akam, and Rezar) in a Philadelphia Street Fight
Originally heels, Bobby Lashley and The Street Profits have become fan favorites. They face Karrion Kross and the returning Authors of Pain in an ECW rules-type match, fitting for Philadelphia.
The feud between the factions is OK, but adding weapons could give it the attention WWE wants. Kross will look for a WrestleMania moment with the legendary Paul Ellering by his side. However, Lashley, Dawkins, and Ford will come out on top, potentially ending the long feud.
The breakout star from the match will be Ford, as expected.
