The start of every new year leads to the most exciting time of year for wrestling fans: The Road to WrestleMania. With WrestleMania 41 approaching, thoughts are racing about the possibilities of what could happen at the biggest event of the year.
Of course, there are still a few important stops before WrestleMania 41 lands at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas on April 19th and 20th. World title challengers will be determined at the Royal Rumble on February 1st and at the Elimination Chamber on March 1st. This is a series of some of the biggest events on the wrestling calendar.
With that in mind, the wrestling experts at CBS Sports sat down to make five predictions for what we'll see leading up to and at WrestleMania 41. Read on to find out what we expect in the coming months.
1. Who will win the Royal Rumble?
I will say Cena gets the win here. It feels like a given that he's in a world title match at WrestleMania, and of course WWE could choose to play on the “losing streak” storyline and let him fail in February and have a “last chance.” at Elimination Chamber, but I think it makes more sense to let Cena win and hype his title match during the Netflix appearances. Of course, part of this is due to an old-school mentality based on having to build matches to drive live gate numbers and pay-per-view buys, two things the WWE machine can't handle is struggling (or that are not relevant). in the case of PPV). Still, Cena's recent run, where he emerged victorious at the Royal Rumble, feels like a sight they want to capture, and it's also a path that carries less risk of injury than an appearance in the Elimination Chamber. – Brent Brookhouse
My top world title contenders for WrestleMania 41 are Gunther vs. John Cena and Cody Rhodes vs. Randy Orton. If we have to eliminate Cena from the competition, there is only one direction for me. Orton probably won't match Cena's world championship record, but he can tie “Stone Cold” Steve Austin by winning his third Royal Rumble. Rhodes vs. Orton can draw a lot of source material from Orton's mentorship of Rhodes in the Legacy faction. WWE should seize the opportunity before the injury bug strikes Orton again. – Shakiel Mahjouri
2. Who will win the Elimination Chamber?
Based on the assumption that Cena will challenge Cody Rhodes for the WWE Undisputed Championship, we need to put up a challenger for World Heavyweight Champion Gunther, and that challenger should be CM Punk. It's always been a sticking point for Punk that he never got the opportunity to main event a WrestleMania. That could change if Punk wins at Elimination Chamber. Gunther and Punk also fit well together when it comes to in-ring style. Age has slowed punk down a bit and he's at his best in hard-hitting brawls, a style in which Gunther also excels. Seeing an excited punk go after arguably the most dangerous man on the roster before the WrestleMania main event that has long eluded him is an easy story to tell and one that would be a joy to watch. — Brookhouse
Cena claimed on the January 6 episode of WWE Raw that winning a 17th world title was “not in the cards” for him. Cena admitted that he hadn't won a singles match in 2,466 days – or more than six and a half years. Failing to win the Royal Rumble only increases Cena's self-doubt and makes it all the sweeter when, against all odds, he becomes the No. 1 contender in the Elimination Chamber. — Mahjouri
3. How prominently will the new women's mid-card titles be featured leading up to and at WrestleMania 41? Will they be introduced as new titles or will they seem as meaningless and thrown together as women's tag team title programs?
My biggest concern is that WWE isn't putting the right focus on making these titles feel truly meaningful. On the SmackDown side, they have a great performer with the United States Championship in Chelsea Green. Honestly, I don't think WWE will showcase the two new titles at WrestleMania beyond short matches and possibly give Green some sort of comedy segment. — Brookhouse
WrestleMania takes place over two nights and hosts the Intercontinental and United States Women's Championships. But I am not convinced that these fights will be decisive. Booking exciting storylines in the women's divisions doesn't exactly sit well with the current WWE regime. I'm not convinced that the women's midcard titles will do much better than the tag division, despite Chelsea Green's great performances. The only bright spot, with Raw and SmackDown expanding to three hours, means more time can be invested in those titles. However, I suspect that the new women's belts will get lost in the shuffle. — Mahjouri
4. What's a big WrestleMania match that's not currently on the radar but will happen in the coming months?
Maybe that's pushing the idea of a “big match” too far, but I'll give the Pat McAfee vs. Dominik Mysterio idea a try. WWE loves to bring McAfee to their big events and even throw him in the ring here and there, albeit in less intense matches than in his past. McAfee often overwhelms Mysterio during commentary and it's a safe play that doesn't overstay its welcome while wowing the live audience. McAfee can play through Mysterio in five minutes, which will be a beautiful moment for everyone involved. — Brookhouse
Give me Tiffany Stratton vs. Charlotte Flair for the WWE Women's Championship. Flair has been out for 13 months after suffering a torn ACL, torn ACL and torn meniscus in a match. The timeline for recovery from anterior cruciate ligament – arguably the most serious of the three knee injuries – is typically nine months. Stratton's first title reign on the main roster puts her ahead of a lot of challengers like Nia Jax and Bianca Belair, but they don't particularly excite me. SmackDown's women's division could use the boost of energy that 14-time world champion Flair brings. — Mahjouri
5. What will be the top four title matches at WrestleMania 41?
Undisputed WWE Championship – Cody Rhodes (c) vs. John Cena
World Heavyweight Championship – Gunther (c) vs. CM Punk
WWE Women's Championship – Tiffany Stratton (c) vs. Charlotte Flair
Women's World Championship – Rhea Ripley (c) vs. Becky Lynch
— Brookhouse
Undisputed WWE Championship – Cody Rhodes (c) vs. Randy Orton
World Heavyweight Championship – Gunther (c) vs. John Cena
WWE Women's Championship – Tiffany Stratton (c) vs. Charlotte Flair
Women's World Championship – Rhea Ripley (c) vs. Liv Morgan vs. Becky Lynch
— Mahjouri