Report: WWE Scrapped Major World Title Plans For WrestleMania 39
Cody Rhodes vs. Roman Reigns is set for WWE WrestleMania 39, BUT...
WWE has scrapped plans to create a new world championship on the back of WrestleMania 39.
Dave Meltzer reports on Wrestling Observer Radio that had WWE booked Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson to face Undisputed Universal Champion Roman Reigns at 'Mania, it would have created a new belt on 39's first night. Cody Rhodes would have likely ended up walking away with it.
Meltzer added that if not Rhodes, one of Drew McIntyre or Seth Rollins would have come away with the new belt, citing WWE's desire to go back to having two world championships.
The Rock was long rumoured to face family member and current WWE kingpin Reigns at WM39. This was dashed at Royal Rumble 2023 last month, where Rhodes triumphed in the titular men's bout, punching his ticket for the WrestleMania main event. That match has now been made official.
WWE has operated with a single, unified world championship since WrestleMania 38. Reigns, already the Universal Champion, scored the WWE Championship that night, felling rival Brock Lesnar. Reigns has since been successful in every single defence, meaning he has been on top of WWE for well over two years.