Backstage Update On Top WWE WrestleMania 38 Matches

[Kemo]

WWE has reportedly had plans for four top title matches at WrestleMania 38.

A new report from the Wrestling Observer Newsletter notes that plans for the top men’s matches have been Brock Lesnar vs. Roman Reigns for the WWE Universal Title, and Seth Rollins defending the WWE Title against either Big E, Bobby Lashley or Kevin Owens.

Regarding Lesnar vs. Reigns, there’s no word on if original plans had Lesnar going into the match with the Universal Title, but logical booking for WWE Day 1 was for Paul Heyman to cost Reigns the title, and go with Lesnar. Reigns ended up pulled from Day 1 due to COVID-19, and Lesnar won the WWE Title after being added to the match to make it a Fatal 5 Way. Heyman reunited with Lesnar a few days after that.

We noted before that at one point Rollins was scheduled to win the WWE Title at Day 1, before plans changed and they went with Lesnar as the new champion. It was noted by The Observer that Rollins’ WrestleMania 38 opponent would’ve likely been the Royal Rumble winner, and Big E was the favorite to win at one point.

Lesnar is scheduled to defend his WWE Title against Lashley at the Royal Rumble on January 29, while that same show will see Reigns defend his WWE Universal Title against Rollins.

Original plans for the top women’s title matches at WrestleMania 38 were Sasha Banks vs. SmackDown Women’s Champion Charlotte Flair, and Bianca Belair vs. RAW Women’s Champion Becky Lynch.

Lynch is scheduled to defend her title against Doudrop at the Royal Rumble, after Doudrop defeated Belair and Liv Morgan in a #1 contender’s match on RAW this week. Lynch interfered and helped Doudrop win, which opens up another potential rematch with Belair in the near future, perhaps at WrestleMania.

Banks is currently out of action with a foot injury suffered on January 2, and is expected to be out of action for 6-8 weeks. She will miss the Women’s Royal Rumble Match, which Flair has already been announced for. Flair noted in a recent promo that she plans to win the Women’s Royal Rumble and then pick her own challenger for WrestleMania 38. This could be how they get to Banks vs. Flair, if that is still the plan.

There’s no word on if WWE still has plans for these top title matches, or how things have changed in recent weeks. It has been reported that Lesnar vs. Reigns is still on for WrestleMania 38, just that the way they will get there has changed. We should have a better idea of the top WrestleMania matches after the Royal Rumble on January 29.

WrestleMania 38 will take place on Saturday, April 2 and Sunday, April 3 from AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.

[Smartmark]

None of the World Title matches at this upcoming WM will be good to be honest. It's the same shit all over again. Both on the men's and the women's roster. It's sad to see that nothing really has happened in the main event picture during a whole year.