WWE’s plans for WrestleMania 43 are beginning to take shape internally, even with the company still months away from announcing a date for its biggest annual event. The show is set to make history as the first WrestleMania staged in Saudi Arabia, and one major championship match has reportedly been earmarked as an early centerpiece: Roman Reigns defending the WWE World Heavyweight Championship against 2026 King of the Ring winner Oba Femi.
The proposed match would bring together one of WWE’s most established marquee names and one of its most physically imposing rising forces. It has also been suggested that Reigns vs. Femi could be positioned as the main event of WrestleMania 43, although that remains a preliminary possibility rather than a finalized announcement.
As with all WrestleMania planning this far in advance, there is substantial room for change. Championships can move, injuries can alter creative direction, and WWE often adjusts its biggest stories as the road to the event develops. Still, the reported Reigns-Femi direction offers a notable indication of how prominently WWE may be preparing to feature Femi on the company’s largest stage.
Roman Reigns and Oba Femi Could Define the Event
Roman Reigns has long been one of the defining figures of the modern WrestleMania era. His presence in a top championship match would be consistent with the role he has occupied across WWE’s major events, particularly when the company is seeking a bout with broad international appeal and unmistakable main-event stature.
For more background on this topic, read WWE Crown Jewel Still Expected To Take Place In Saudi Arabia On November 7 Despite Contingency Planning.
Oba Femi, meanwhile, would represent a very different kind of WrestleMania opponent. The 2026 King of the Ring winner has been presented as a powerhouse with the size, athleticism and confidence to stand opposite WWE’s biggest stars. A championship challenge against Reigns would be a major elevation, putting Femi in a match where the stakes and spotlight would be vastly larger than a standard premium live event encounter.
The King of the Ring tournament has traditionally provided WWE with a clear path toward championship contention, though the specifics of how such opportunities are used can vary. If Femi’s tournament victory is directly connected to a WrestleMania title challenge, it would give the crown an immediate long-term consequence while making his rise central to WWE’s 2027 planning.
There is also an obvious generational element to the potential contest. Reigns has been the standard-bearer for a lengthy period, while Femi would enter the match as a challenger seeking the defining victory of his career. Whether WWE ultimately presents it as a passing-of-the-torch scenario, a test of Femi’s readiness, or another chapter in Reigns’ championship legacy will depend on the direction of both men in the months ahead.
For now, the key detail is that the match is said to be under consideration at a high level. The possibility of it headlining the show underlines the scale of the role WWE could have in mind for Femi.
Cody Rhodes and CM Punk Rematch Is Also Being Discussed
Roman Reigns and Oba Femi are not the only names reportedly expected to have important roles at WrestleMania 43. Cody Rhodes and CM Punk are also anticipated to be significant parts of the card, with the possibility raised that the two former world champions could meet again following their SummerSlam match.
A rematch between Rhodes and Punk would carry immediate significance because both performers occupy rare positions in WWE. Rhodes has remained one of the company’s leading faces and a central figure in its biggest championship stories, while Punk’s return to WWE restored one of the industry’s most recognizable and discussed personalities to the active roster.
The prospect of another Rhodes-Punk match does not confirm its placement, its stipulation, or the outcome of their SummerSlam encounter. It does, however, suggest WWE could be looking to extend or revisit a rivalry involving two wrestlers capable of making a WrestleMania program feel like an attraction on its own.
Should WWE choose that direction, it would give WrestleMania 43 two possible tentpole matches with distinctly different appeals. Reigns vs. Femi would be framed around the World Heavyweight Championship and Femi’s ascent. Rhodes vs. Punk would center on two proven headline acts whose competitive history and contrasting identities could support an extended personal conflict.
There are no confirmed details on whether a Rhodes-Punk rematch would be for a title, where it would sit on the card, or whether it would be a singles bout at all. Those questions are likely to remain unanswered until WWE gets closer to the event and its weekly television storylines establish a more concrete direction.
Rhea Ripley Expected to Be Part of WrestleMania Plans
Rhea Ripley is also expected to factor into WrestleMania 43 planning despite currently being sidelined with an injury. Her anticipated involvement is important because Ripley has become one of WWE’s most prominent women’s division stars, regularly featured in high-profile matches and major storylines.
At this stage, there is no reported opponent, championship scenario or timetable connected to Ripley’s potential WrestleMania role. Any discussion of her match would therefore be premature. Her expected presence simply points to WWE viewing her as a key name for the event once she is able to return.
Ripley’s eventual status will naturally depend on her recovery and WWE’s creative plans after she is cleared. WrestleMania cards can be built around returning stars, but the company will need to determine what landscape awaits her in the women’s division and whether her next major program leads directly toward Saudi Arabia.
Her inclusion in early expectations reinforces the breadth of WWE’s possible WrestleMania 43 lineup. The reported plans do not appear limited to one championship match or one established rivalry; they involve several of the company’s most recognizable current performers across the roster.
The Rock Remains a Desired Name for Saudi Arabia
The Rock remains another major name connected to the event, though his involvement has not been confirmed. Earlier reports indicated that Saudi Arabian organizers would like to have The Rock appear at WrestleMania 43. The Rock last wrestled for WWE at WrestleMania 40 in 2024, making any return to the ring an enormous attraction.
There is a considerable difference, however, between local interest in bringing in a global celebrity and WWE having a settled creative plan for that celebrity. No opponent, match, appearance format or agreement for The Rock has been announced. His name should therefore be viewed as a desired possibility rather than a declared part of the show.
Even so, the interest is understandable. The Rock’s connection to WWE’s biggest events is well established, and his involvement would add another layer of spectacle to the first WrestleMania held in Saudi Arabia. If he does participate, the scale of that role would likely become one of the event’s dominant talking points. Until WWE makes an official announcement, though, his WrestleMania 43 status remains uncertain.
WrestleMania’s Saudi Arabia Debut Comes With Major Significance
WWE is moving forward with plans to hold both WrestleMania 43 and the upcoming Crown Jewel premium live event in Saudi Arabia. Crown Jewel is scheduled for November, while WrestleMania 43 is still several months away and does not yet have an officially announced date.
The decision to take WrestleMania to Saudi Arabia is significant on several levels. WrestleMania is WWE’s premier annual event, traditionally positioned as the culmination of its largest stories and the showcase for its most important matches. Bringing it to Saudi Arabia marks a major expansion of the company’s relationship with the country and gives the event a new international setting.
The plans are continuing despite the ongoing conflict involving the Houthis. WWE has reportedly maintained a firm position on staging both Crown Jewel and WrestleMania in Saudi Arabia. That stance means the company is continuing its event preparations even as broader regional circumstances remain a point of attention.
At present, WWE has not made WrestleMania 43’s date a public priority. That is not unusual for an event still well ahead on the calendar, particularly with major shows and active championship programs still to be addressed before the WrestleMania season arrives.
Early Plans Are Not a Finished Card
The WrestleMania 43 picture currently consists of early reported intentions rather than confirmed matches. Roman Reigns vs. Oba Femi is the clearest proposed direction, with the potential to headline the event. Cody Rhodes and CM Punk are expected to be central players and could meet again. Rhea Ripley is expected to be involved after her injury absence, while The Rock remains a high-profile name desired for the Saudi Arabia show.
That collection of names illustrates WWE’s apparent ambition for its first WrestleMania in the country. Reigns, Rhodes, Punk, Ripley, Femi and potentially The Rock would give the event a blend of established icons, contemporary franchise stars and a rapidly ascending powerhouse.
But the road remains long. WWE has not announced the date, the venue-specific details, or any official WrestleMania 43 matches. Fans should treat the current direction as an early look at possibilities, not as a completed card. The coming months will determine whether Reigns and Femi reach their proposed collision course, whether Rhodes and Punk resume their rivalry, and whether WWE can bring its most ambitious names together for a historic WrestleMania in Saudi Arabia.
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Darryl Polo
Darryl Polo is a passionate wrestling fan covering WWE, AEW, TNA and beyond. He loves great rivalries, breakout stars and the moments that keep fans talking long after the bell. How we work.