10 Way Too Early Card Predictions For WWE WrestleMania 43
2. CM Punk vs. Cody Rhodes
The SmackDown before 'Mania 42 saw Cody Rhodes and CM Punk play their own in-ring game of, 'You hang up...no you hang up' as they tickled the other's ego with compliment after compliment. It sucked, to be perfectly frank, but there was way more tension on the Raw after WrestleMania when the good pals teased a WWE Title clash.
That's one of the biggest matches still left on the table for Triple H's creative team, and they know it. Plans could change (constantly!), but it'd be a real surprise if WWE booked Cody vs. Punk for Backlash on 9 May, or placed it on any of the 'B' level PLEs at all. Realistically, riding this out all the way until 'Mania 43 is possible.
Layering things over 12 months would give Rhodes enough time to bed into a coming heel turn, and it'd have Punk wondering if his body is even able to cut it against the very best. His mind and spirit want to say, 'Of course I'm good enough', but his frame gave out on him against Roman in Vegas.
That's something Cody could use to plant seeds of doubt with a twisted smile on his face. 'What if you can't even match me for 5 minutes, Punk? What if you should just step aside and admit that you don't have what it takes anymore?'.
Previously, this writer would've been horrified by the thought of Punk as WWE Champ in 2027, but he deserves all the flowers for his work at 'Mania 42. That was the main event he'd dreamed about for decades. So, why not serve up another one next year with extra added heel Cody?