WWE Internally Second-Guessing Triple H as WrestleMania 42 Plans Spiral Amid Ticket Concerns

WWE’s WrestleMania 42 situation isn’t just about ticket prices or travel costs—it’s turning into an internal confidence issue centered on Triple H.

On the February 9, 2026 edition of Wrestling Observer Radio, Bryan Alvarez and Dave Meltzer revealed that WWE officials are increasingly frustrated with how often creative plans have shifted behind the scenes, with Levesque taking the brunt of that criticism. What’s making it worse is that the panic is happening before fans even know what the full WrestleMania card looks like.

Meltzer explained that WWE actually had a complete WrestleMania lineup mapped out before the Royal Rumble, but hesitation set in once early ticket sales didn’t match internal expectations.

“Before the Rumble, they had a complete card for WrestleMania… but I was told that everything is up in the air.”

According to Meltzer, that uncertainty has led to pointed criticism of Levesque from within the company, with some comparing the situation to the old Vince McMahon era of constant last-minute changes.

“There’s been a lot of internal criticism of Paul Levesque… they have a plan, and then they change the plan. And right now everything is up in the air.”

What makes the reaction so confusing is that WWE is reacting to ticket sales without publicly committing to a card. As of now, only one match is considered locked in: CM Punk vs. Roman Reigns. Everything else—including potential top matches—remains unsettled. Meltzer openly questioned the logic of shaking things up when fans haven’t even been given a reason to buy yet.

“They think that changing a card that nobody knows makes sense. It’s not like they have a bad card out there and people aren’t buying tickets. They don’t have a card out there.”

While WWE officials are said to be disappointed that ticket sales are tracking roughly 18 percent behind last year, Alvarez made it clear the real problem has little to do with creative and everything to do with cost.

“You're trying to sell 50, 60,000 seats for two nights… with crazy prices to get in. It may be too expensive now.”

Between soaring ticket prices, expensive Las Vegas hotels, and international fans choosing to save their travel money for the World Cup, the environment around WrestleMania 42 is far more hostile than WWE may have anticipated. Still, Meltzer stressed that those economic factors aren’t stopping internal pressure from building on Levesque. That pressure is already affecting match planning. Meltzer confirmed that even a rumored marquee bout like Cody Rhodes vs. Drew McIntyre isn’t locked down.

“Even Cody and Drew is not a sure thing right now… the only match that’s a sure thing is CM Punk and Roman Reigns.”

For a company used to WrestleMania feeling untouchable, the combination of early ticket anxiety and internal doubt has created a rare moment of instability. And at the center of it all is whether WWE truly trusts Triple H’s long-term vision—or is already starting to second-guess it.

With WrestleMania season heating up and plans still shifting, do you think WWE is overreacting to early ticket numbers, or is this a sign that confidence in Triple H’s creative direction is quietly slipping? Let us know what you think in the comments.