The WWE is still plotting out its path to WrestleMania 38, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t looking beyond to next year’s big event. Recent reports indicate that two major matches for WrestleMania 39 are locked down, and both sound big enough that they’d justify a year of planning to make happen. This may not be the best news for wrestling fans who don’t like to see part-time talents main event major shows, but they may be more forgiving should these two matches actually happen in 2023.
The reports come from Wrestling Observer’s Dave Meltzer (via Comicbook.com), who alleges that two major matches are set for WrestleMania 39. It's said that Roman Reigns will square off against Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson (which is something Reigns has wanted for some time), and the expectation is that Becky Lynch and Ronda Rousey will go head-to-head as well.
One of those matches shouldn’t come as a major surprise, as numerous reports alleged the WWE wanted to lock down Dwayne Johnson for a WWE performance. Of course, Johnson is one of the biggest names in Hollywood with a packed production schedule, so the belief was a match needed to be booked well out in advance to help with availability. It’s also worth noting that WrestleMania 39 will happen in Hollywood, which is close to Johnson’s home.
The second alleged match between Becky Lynch and Ronda Rousey is more surprising, but not because no one thought it wouldn’t happen. In fact, it seemed like Rousey returning during the Royal Rumble seemed like a golden opportunity for her to challenge Lynch after losing her title to her back in WrestleMania 35. Instead, Rousey challenged Charlotte Flair to a match at WrestleMania, and it seems Lynch (who responded to the original rumors of Rousey’s return) will be a part of another match instead.
Assuming these reports are confirmed by the time WrestleMania 39 rolls around, the good news is that WWE fans will finally get to see Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson back in a WWE ring, though the downside is a complaint fans already have with the organization as of late. Fans complained after the Royal Rumble that the biggest winners of the night were Brock Lesnar and Ronda Rousey.
Both wrestlers are considered part-time talent and as such, aren’t on television as much as a full-time talent which occasionally makes storytelling a challenge. Of course, the part-timers the WWE does work with are often massive talents with mainstream appeal, so it’s understandable why they get such big opportunities with less work involved.
The main questions I’d like answered are what this all would mean for The Rock and Ronda Rousey ahead of WrestleMania 39, which is over a year away. Perhaps we’ll see more of Rousey following her match at WrestleMania 38 in Dallas? And could The Rock appear at a few pay-per-views before an official arrival at WrestleMania 39? That’s assuming these matches are 100% happening, and it’s definitely fair to note that things change in the wrestling world all the time. For now, though, it seems like next year’s WrestleMania could be the biggest in some time.
WrestleMania 38 is set to take place in Dallas on Saturday, April 2, and Sunday, April 3. Those looking to see all the action need to pick up their own Peacock premium subscription and catch up on the events of the past couple of months by checking out the expansive WWE library.
