Reason Why WWE Scrapped Cody Rhodes vs. Roman Reigns at WrestleMania 42

The rematch between Cody Rhodes and Roman Reigns is officially off for WrestleMania 42—and now we know why.

During a Self Made Session on January 19, 2026, Self Made Pro confirmed that the long-rumored WrestleMania 42 bout between Rhodes and Reigns won’t be happening. While reports from Dave Meltzer earlier this month hinted at a major creative shake-up, this latest update revealed the internal breakdown that led to WWE pulling the plug.

“What I can say right now is that Cody Rhodes versus Roman Reigns at WrestleMania is off. The match is not happening. They could not come to a creative situation that satisfied every single party involved,” Self Made Pro reported.

The source added that all sides initially believed they were aligned—but that illusion quickly fell apart behind closed doors.

“I can corroborate Dave’s report. The match is off. They thought they had everyone on the same page, and it turned out they didn’t. So yes, the match is off.”

This statement lines up with what Dave Meltzer revealed on Wrestling Observer Radio on January 13, 2026. He noted that WWE quietly shifted WrestleMania plans midweek after deciding to put the title on Drew McIntyre.

“WrestleMania changed on Wednesday of last week, which was when they made the decision to go with the McIntyre title win.”

While Meltzer suggested a potential triple threat between McIntyre, Cody Rhodes, and Jacob Fatu is being floated, he made it clear that Cody vs. Roman is not happening.

“The Cody Rhodes/Roman Reigns thing is probably not happening. They may be doing a three-way with McIntyre, Jacob Fatu, and Cody Rhodes… that’s not even 100 percent, but I was told that’s kind of like—it’s a possibility.”

WrestleMania 42 is set for April 18–19, 2026 at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, but with WWE still finalizing the card, this latest revelation confirms one thing: the most anticipated rematch of the year won’t be headlining the show.

What are your thoughts on WWE scrapping Cody Rhodes vs. Roman Reigns at WrestleMania 42? Did the company miss a huge opportunity—or is it the right call creatively? Sound off below.

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