WrestleMania 42 will take place at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas in a few weeks. The main event is set: CM Punk will defend the World Heavyweight Championship against Royal Rumble winner Roman Reigns. The match has big names, but the feud has stalled on weekly TV.
Background and history
The match has a strong backstory. Years ago CM Punk said he wanted Chris Hero in The Shield instead of Roman Reigns. That history gives the feud a real personal edge.
They also worked together on teams. At Survivor Series 2024 Punk joined Reigns’ side in a WarGames match. The team won, but the pairing left tension. After Reigns won the Royal Rumble, he cut a promo saying he hated Punk. That set up the WrestleMania clash.
The basic facts: WrestleMania 42 at Allegiant Stadium, Las Vegas; CM Punk is the World Heavyweight Champion defending; Roman Reigns is the Royal Rumble winner and challenger.
Bad promos have hurt the feud
The early promos had promise, but recent segments have hurt the build. One Raw promo had Punk bring up the real-life death of Roman Reigns’ father, Sika. Using a death angle feels tired and cheap to many fans when it becomes a shortcut to get heat.
Punk later attacked Reigns on Raw after the Usos and the Tribal Chief’s group called Punk “old.” That led to repeated back-and-forth about age, including Reigns calling Punk old on The Tonight Show. Relying on “you’re old” lines has not added depth. It makes two veteran stars trade a basic insult instead of building a richer story.
Another problematic moment was an awkward line from Punk on Raw that undercut his usual sharp promo work. A few rough lines here and there have turned parts of the program into moments fans laugh at instead of moments that build drama.
Other WrestleMania stories are pulling ahead
On SmackDown the WWE Championship picture between Cody Rhodes and Randy Orton is showing clearer storytelling. Orton’s recent turn and steady character work have given that feud forward motion week to week. By contrast, the Punk–Reigns program is relying on name value and short, repetitive beats.
The addition of the Usos to the Punk–Reigns storyline helps a little, but Reigns is absent many weeks and the feud has not added new layers. With only a few weeks until WrestleMania, the program needs a stronger direction than repeating the same old lines.
Where it goes from here
Punk and Reigns have everything to make a great main event: history, star power, and real tension. To reach that potential they must stop leaning on tired wrestling tropes and shallow insults. They need moments that make the match feel necessary and must build a clear emotional payoff for the WrestleMania crowd.
| Fighter | Recent Result |
|---|---|
| CM Punk | World Heavyweight Champion (defending) |
| Roman Reigns | Royal Rumble winner (challenger) |
Reporting and analysis by UFCcoverage.
