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With 2023 nearing its end, the build to WrestleMania 40 is just about to begin. We're only weeks away from the Royal Rumble, with WWE Superstars already declaring their entry into the match – and, as everybody knows, that's the official starting point on the Road to WrestleMania. Before you know it, there will be lots of challenges to be made and signs to be pointed at.
Until the Rumble has come and gone, it's hard to say definitively what matches will happen at the 40th annual Show of Shows. But that's never stopped us before, now has it?
With a look over the current landscape of RAW and SmackDown, we've come up with five marquee matches we feel WWE just has to book for WrestleMania.
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#5. Intercontinental Championship Match: Gunther (c) vs. Ilja Dragunov (in his WrestleMania debut)
Current WWE Intercontinental Champion Gunther has pretty much been unstoppable since moving to the main roster. He's already broken The Honky Tonk Man's all-time record and shows no sign of letting it go anytime soon. He's defeated the likes of Sheamus, Drew McIntyre, and Braun Strowman along the way – and in case you haven't noticed, those are some big dudes.
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If The Ring General has a Kryptonite, however, it's in the form of current NXT Champion Ilja Dragunov.
Much like his current title reign, Gunther (formerly known as WALTER) has the distinction of being the longest-reigning NXT UK Champion ever (and always will be, technically). After 870 days of holding the title, he was eventually relieved of the belt at NXT TakeOver 36 by - you guessed it - Ilja Dragunov.
That was in 2021. Could history repeat itself three years later?
WrestleMania 40 is about four months away - plenty of time for things to happen to set this match in motion. We see Gunther holding onto the belt until then and quickly running out of challengers. At some point before the event, a battle royal should be held to determine his WrestleMania opponent. This is usually a SmackDown go-home show kind of thing, but this should ideally be done at least a few weeks ahead of time.
Dragunov makes his main roster debut in this match, with the announcers hyping up both Ilja's credentials as well as his history with the Intercontinental Champion. A victory punches the Russian-born star's ticket to WrestleMania, and we'll get to see if he can slay the giant once again.
#4. WWE Women's Championship Match: Iyo Sky (c) vs Bayley
Things have been leading up to this showdown ever since Sky won the Money in the Bank contract back in May.
Since then, Damage CTRL has added two new members - Kari Sane and Auska. While Bayley has been nothing but supportive of Sky - and the group in general - cracks are starting to show. Now, it seems inevitable that The Role Model will find herself kicked out of the very group she founded.
That, in turn, should lead to a clash with Sky for the championship on the Grandest Stage of Them All, as Bayley will most likely be seeking revenge as much as she'll be gunning for that championship.
#3. Women's World Championship match: Rhea Ripley (c) vs. Becky Lynch
At this year's WrestleMania, Rhea Ripley won the championship she still holds today in an epic match against Charlotte Flair. It will probably go down as one of the best 'Mania matches of all time. The question is: how do you top that?
Simple - by having Ripley defend her title against another legend. Enter Becky Lynch.
The Man hasn't really been in the title hunt since she dropped the then-Raw Women's Championship to Bianca Belair at last year's SummerSlam. With Ripley in need of a really strong challenger to make her WrestleMania match special, who better than Becky herself?
WWE could have Becky Lynch win the Women's Rumble, not only getting her a bout for the title but also making her the first-ever two-time match winner.
#2. Undisputed WWE Universal Championship match: Roman Reigns (c) vs. Cody Rhodes - Part II
If there's any way for Cody Rhodes to finish his story (and possibly get the title off Roman and give him some extended time off), it's to do it in a WrestleMania rematch.
Rhodes and Reigns had a hell of a main event at last year's show, even if it didn't go The American Nightmare's way. However, what better way to close out the show (on either night, though Night Two just feels like the best option) than to come full circle?
If WWE goes this route, however, it has to have Cody win this time around. Otherwise, what's the point?
#1. World Heavyweight Championship match: Seth "Freakin'" Rollins (c) vs. CM Punk
WWE has been setting this match up so perfectly that it would honestly be shocking if it didn't happen.
Playing off what is clearly real-life animosity, anytime Seth Rollins and CM Punk are in the same ring - hell, the same arena - together, you can cut the tension with a knife. The fact that they're even in the same ring together shows that both men are able to put that aside (while, at the same time, playing it up) and do business.
Punk doesn't even really need to win, either. In fact, it probably would work better if he didn't. Putting Rollins over in the main event legitimizes both the new World Championship as well as the champion. And Punk gets his WrestleMania main event.
There's no doubt that these two can put on an amazing match - one worthy of closing out either night of WrestleMania. Let's see if WWE makes it happen.
So, are we on the mark or off base? Which matches do you want to see at WrestleMania 40? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
