Matches at WrestleMania 42 That Could Steal the Show
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The build to WrestleMania 42 has been divisive. But when it comes to WrestleMania 42 matches, there are a few that could steal the show.
WWE’s decision to double down on Las Vegas while alienating New Orleans in the process raised eyebrows. Astronomical ticket prices led to multiple discount campaigns, something virtually unheard of in WrestleMania history.
Reports of blackout rules limiting local watch parties only added to the frustration. The celebrity involvement has felt more excessive than ever, with Pat McAfee now inserted into a main event story built on more than 20 years of history.
For long stretches, this year’s build has felt less like a carefully layered marathon and more like a chaotic sprint. Momentum has shifted quickly, stories have struggled to breathe, and at times, WrestleMania hasn’t felt as monumental as it should.
But here’s the reality: WrestleMania has never been defined by the build alone.
It’s defined by moments.
It’s defined by the performances that reset the narrative overnight. The matches that make fans forget the complaints and start talking about what’s next. Despite the uneven road to get here, WrestleMania 42 still has several opportunities to do exactly that.
Here are three matches that standout as the ones that could change the entire conversation:
Brock Lesnar vs. Oba Femi
WWE has lightning in a bottle with Oba Femi. His size, speed, power, and natural aura make him feel like a can’t-miss attraction.
Since his main roster debut at this year’s Royal Rumble, one matchup has stood above the rest in the minds of fans: Brock Lesnar. The comparison is obvious. Both men carry that rare, immediate credibility where they feel dangerous the moment they step on screen.
Femi’s rise has mirrored Lesnar’s in many ways, something we’ve broken down on The Wrestling Junkies Podcast. With Brock’s career closer to the end than the beginning, the timing feels intentional. This is how you build the next monster.
When Lesnar is invested in a program, he elevates it. He forces his opponent to rise to a different level of intensity and believability. That’s exactly what we’ve seen in the build so far. The pull-apart brawls have dominated social media, not because they’re overproduced, but because they feel real.
There’s no gray area here, Oba Femi has to win this match. Anything less undercuts everything WWE has built around him in such a short time. WrestleMania 42 is the opportunity to establish The Ruler as the next dominant force in WWE.
A Femi win doesn’t just elevate him, it signals a clear shift in who the future of WWE belongs to.
Drew McIntyre vs. Jacob Fatu (Unsanctioned Match)
Jacob Fatu has long felt like a future WrestleMania main event player. This weekend is his introduction to that stage.
The unsanctioned match with Drew McIntyre gives him the kind of platform that can redefine a career, especially with the bout airing live during the first hour on ESPN 2. That placement isn’t accidental. It gives The Samoan Werewolf a chance to make an impression not just on the WWE faithful, but on anyone watching who may not yet understand what he brings to the table.
And what he brings is different.
Fatu has a level of intensity, explosiveness, and unpredictability that immediately separates him from the pack. Putting him in a violent, chaotic environment against someone as physical and credible as McIntyre is a smart move. It plays directly to his strengths.
With McIntyre expected to take time off after WrestleMania to film a movie, the opportunity becomes even bigger. A decisive win for Fatu on this stage, in this kind of match, and in front of a broader audience would be a statement.
WrestleMania is designed to create main-event level stars. Jacob Fatu is way past due to become one.
Seth Rollins vs. Gunther
Few things frustrated fans more this WrestleMania season than seeing Gunther without a match just weeks before the show.
This is a performer who should feel like the Thanos of WWE’s main event scene for years to come. He retired Goldberg, John Cena, and AJ Styles. He should not have felt like an afterthought during this WrestleMania build.
That’s what makes this late addition so interesting.
With Brock Lesnar tied up with Oba Femi, Paul Heyman found himself with a Seth Rollins problem that needed immediate solving. Gunther stepping in as a mercenary for hire adds a layer to this match that makes it feel more deliberate than thrown together. It gives him purpose again.
More importantly, it gives him an opportunity to reclaim his edge.
If Gunther takes out Rollins at WrestleMania, it doesn’t just reset his position. It puts him right back at the top of the food chain. But more importantly, it creates leverage. If Gunther solves Paul Heyman’s Seth Rollins problem, Heyman owes him a favor.
And in WWE, a favor from Paul Heyman is never small.
That favor could be the key to something much bigger, like match with Brock Lesnar on a stage like SummerSlam in Minneapolis. In that scenario, Heyman isn’t just making a marquee match. He’s handing Gunther the dagger to slay The Beast. A victory over Lesnar would cement Gunther as one of the most dangerous forces in WWE, and eventually, that’s the kind of monster a rising star like Oba Femi should have to overcome.
The Bottom Line
WrestleMania 42 may not have delivered the smoothest build, but that doesn’t mean it can’t deliver the moments that matter.
Brock Lesnar vs. Oba Femi has the potential to launch WWE’s next dominant star. Drew McIntyre vs. Jacob Fatu could introduce a new force to a global audience. Seth Rollins vs. Gunther has the chance to reestablish one of WWE’s most important players while setting up a bigger match later this year.
That’s the power of WrestleMania. Even when the road is rocky, all it takes is a defining performance to shift the conversation.
By the end of the weekend, that’s exactly what WWE has the opportunity to do.
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