WrestleMania XL Night 2 Preview & Prediction

After what is sure to be a memorable night one, the question is whether a metaphorical roof will be left on the Lincoln Financial Field when night two begins. With so much hype surrounding night two being dependent on the outcome of night one, it is difficult to fully assess all the night’s possibilities.

The most anticipated aspect of night two will undoubtedly come down to who wins the main event between WWE Undisputed Champ Roman Reigns and Cody Rhodes—a match 12 months in the making. Still, there is plenty of expectation outside of the main event as night two has 4 title matches, although the six-match fight card is one fewer than Saturday’s seven.

Roman Reigns (c) vs Cody Rhodes (WWE Undisputed World Championship)

Stipulation: *Bloodline Rules [dependent on Night One]

After Cody Rhodes won the 2024 Royal Rumble — his second consecutive Rumble win– fans immediately began fantasy booking his rematch with ‘The Tribal Chief.’ Rhodes came up short in their WrestleMania 39 main event, but this year, the stakes are much higher, the feud more intense, and the need for victory leaves both champion and challenger desperate for victory.

We do not know who will win, although the betting line opened in favor of Cody by a significant margin. Yet it has trended in the direction of the underdog ever since, doubling Cody’s line by nearly half coming into fight week while cutting Roman’s line almost in half—giving up half the winnings of the initial line betting on Roman today.

Some of the expectations for the match depend on night one’s outcome, but I think these are the ones that you want on your WrestleMania night two bingo card:

• Cody bleeds.
• The Bloodline (The Rock included) interferes.
• Both men hit their finishers several times, which led to countless near-falls.
• One (or more) swerves takes place, likely in the form of a ‘turn.’

Beyond that, it is anyone’s guess how this plays out. After last year’s fan outrage following Cody’s loss, it feels like the momentum is on his side. That said, Roman Reigns is the A-side, the cash cow, and the company’s golden boy for the past era of WWE programming, and while losing doesn’t necessarily mean his time on top is over, it is worth considering what passing the torch would imply as the NetFlix era looms?

FightsATW Prediction: Cody Rhodes wins the match, but Roman also wins by collecting the huge checks coming his way after The Rock costs him the title, and their feud is launched, culminating in a Saudi bag for the both of them.

Seth Rollins (c) vs Drew McIntyre (WWE Heavyweight Championship)

Stipulation: umm… CM Punk on commentary(?).

The likelihood that CM Punk will get involved in this match is high, and that’s kind of a bummer considering how good the Rollins-McIntyre feud has been over the last several Mondays, all by themselves.

McIntyre has been especially good on the mic and in the ring, but specifically his mic work. His character has evolved organically, and the arc helped greatly save a match that was doomed weeks earlier.

Seth attempted to get his match with Cody, and those cringe-infested episodes highlight the chaos WrestleMania XL has experienced. However, the end results left Seth and his title feeling a bit meaningless. With Seth’s focus on The Bloodline and possibly the lights that come with that main event spot next to The Rock, it would be up to Drew to sell this fight.

And sell it he has.

FightsATW Prediction: Drew wins… Then Damion Priest cashes in his MITB briefcase and beats McIntyre for the championship with the likely assist from CM Punk.

Iyo Sky (c) vs Bayley (WWE Women’s Championship-RAW)

Bayley won the 2024 Royal Rumble without any real clear direction in front of her—quite the opposite of Cody’s win. Yet, based on the current storyline, you could argue that this was the plan before the new year commenced (but it wasn’t).

After Bayley was unceremoniously tossed out of Damage CTRL, the faction she started, the feud began to heat up. But with Damage CTRL setting their sights on other divisional targets, the championship match as a feud has grown a bit stale.

FightsATW Prediction: Bayley Wins

Logan Paul (c) vs Randy Orton vs Kevin Owens (United States Championship)

Stipulation: Triple Threat

If you had said in 2015 that Logan Paul would go into WrestleMania XL as the WWE US Champion defending against future HOF Randy Orton and King of the Indies Kevin Owens, you would have been considered Alex Jones of the wrestling circuit. But here we are, two years into the Paul experiment, and he’s heading into his third consecutive Mania set to compete in another marquee match.

It is fair to say that Paul has surpassed all reasonable expectations, but that was as a celebrity wrestler with little consideration from fans and modest prospects, to say the least. Now, he is coming into this Mania with no grace and expectations that he holds his own with the likes of Orton and Owens. Can he show up on the big stage when he is expected to deliver? Further, can Paul raise the lofty bar he set himself as an entertainer and, yes, wrestler?

It is fitting that Kevin Owens is in this match. After all, he opened the Mania door to Paul back in 2022. Owens turned on Paul that year and stunned the YouTuber, the action that may have set this whole timeline in motion. Assume we get a big spot or two from the highflier Paul and the ‘always ready to take a bump’ team player in K.O.

FightsATW Prediction: Paul retains

LA Knight vs AJ Styles

AJ Styles has been the star we knew he was destined to be when he came into the company as an ‘indie darling.’ Now, LA Knight appears to be that promising performer from the indies near the start of a promising run in the WWE. Like Styles, Knight is more seasoned than someone in his position, but that is even more reason to expect him to deliver.

The internet is putting a lot of expectations into this one, donning it with the “show stealer” label. Styles can put up five stars with virtually anyone and in his sleep, but how his style will mesh with Knight’s could be intriguing.

With no title on the line or stipulation, the storyline focused on a more visceral approach involving an assault at AJ’s home, evoking Austin-Pilman vibes. It can be argued that a win would serve Knight far more than AJ, but at this stage in their careers, ‘waiting around’ can be hindering. And you must figure the winner of this is placed into a more significant program.

FightsATW Prediction: LA Knight wins

Street Profits & Bobby Lashley vs The Final Testament

Stipulation: Philadelphia Street Fight

We have seen this match on free TV, but for some reason, the feud dragged on without any real motivation for it to not just continue but have the stakes raised. That said, every single competitor in this match is talented and capable of putting on a fine match.

But, in looking at potential bright spots, The Street Profits are always a sure bet. Sadly, Lashley gets caught up in ceremonial fodder for another Mania as the WWE routinely books a match on the card that honors the venue’s city. This one will be a “Philly Street Fight,” highlighting the city’s gritty nature.

I would not suggest assuming this is the match to take snacks and restroom breaks, but not in that order. I assume that if a match gets scrapped for time, it will be this one.

FightsATW Prediction: Street Profits and Bobby Lashley win

Mario Mungia

Mario Mungia Jr. has a decade worth of experience as a combat sports journalist and correspondent which began with ThaBoxingVoice (TBV) as a podcast co-host, writer and editor-in-chief. Aside from his online resume, Mario spent a fair portion of his early career working for Spanish/English magazine Premier Round and the Mexican website Izquierdo. Mario has also contributed to NYFights while simultaneously working for MIC Sports Network as part of the broadcast crew covering local high school sports. Since then, he has launched his own podcast/live stream (Infighting/Work In Progress) and is covering pro wrestling for FightsATW.

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