The landscape of WrestleMania 42 could have looked drastically different had it not been for a legitimate injury and a backstage pitch that altered the course of history. According to a new report from Dave Meltzer in the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, WWE originally had massive plans for Bron Breakker that included a Royal Rumble victory and a main event coronation in Las Vegas.
The domino effect began with Seth Rollins suffering a torn rotator cuff at Crown Jewel late last year. Before this injury, the “original” plan for WrestleMania featured the company’s four biggest stars in marquee matchups: Seth Rollins defending the World Title against Roman Reigns, and Cody Rhodes defending the WWE Championship against CM Punk. However, with Rollins sidelined, the creative team pivoted to a bold new direction designed to strap a rocket to the back of Bron Breakker.
The Scrapped Plan: Bron Breakker’s Rise To The Top
Following Rollins’ injury, the new working plan was to elevate Breakker into the top tier immediately. The strategy involved a “three-step program” that would have seen Breakker challenge CM Punk for the title on the historic Raw Netflix anniversary show on January 5. The plan called for Breakker to lose that initial bout, only to bounce back by winning the Royal Rumble match. The story would have culminated at WrestleMania 42 with Breakker defeating Punk for the World Heavyweight Championship, establishing him as the new face of the company.
“The injury to Rollins caused changes, as they went with Punk as champion with the idea of a three step program with Bron Breakker getting a title match on the Raw Netflix anniversary show and losing, coming back and winning the Rumble and then facing and beating Punk for the title at Mania,” Meltzer wrote. “To basically anoint Breakker as the top full-time star and eventually build to another match that has been avoided, a Breakker vs. Reigns singles match.”
How Drew McIntyre And Cody Rhodes Changed The Direction
Just as the Breakker plans were taking shape, another pivot occurred involving the WWE Championship picture. Drew McIntyre advocated for a different outcome in his “Three Stages of Hell” rivalry with Cody Rhodes. McIntyre argued that taking another loss to Rhodes would be detrimental, suggesting instead that he win the title. Rhodes reportedly agreed with the logic, and Paul “Triple H” Levesque signed off on the change.
This decision had a ripple effect. With McIntyre as champion and Rhodes now chasing, the creative team felt that a third WrestleMania main event between Rhodes and Roman Reigns was too predictable. Consequently, the decision was made to have Reigns win the Royal Rumble to challenge CM Punk, leaving Breakker the odd man out.
“Enter McIntyre, who pushed the idea that since he had lost multiple times to Rhodes, that it would be better for him to win the title in the already announced Three Stages of Hell match,” Meltzer explained. “When the decision was made, they had to scrap Breakker winning the Rumble and the choices were either Rhodes or Reigns.”
Ultimately, Breakker’s night at the Royal Rumble ended in disaster rather than triumph. As seen on Saturday, Breakker was attacked by a mysterious masked man during his entrance—a storyline twist that reports now suggest was orchestrated to set up the return of Seth Rollins. While Breakker missed out on his WrestleMania main event spot this year, the angle has thrust him into a high-profile mystery storyline that will likely dominate Raw programming leading into Elimination Chamber.
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