A big main event title tilt for this year’s two-night WWE premium live event on “The Grandest Stage of Them All” is set.
During this week’s post-Royal Rumble: Riyadh episode of WWE Raw on Netflix from the Xfinity Mobile Arena in Philadelphia, PA., the 2026 Men’s Royal Rumble winner Roman Reigns was advertised to make an appearance.
And appear, he did.
“The OTC” turned up in the final main event segment of the two-hour-plus prime time Monday night program from “The City of Brotherly Love.”
And he made a big announcement.
Roman Reigns made it official during the 2/2 red brand show that he will be challenging “The Best in the World” in “Sin City” this April.
That’s right, it will be Roman Reigns vs. CM Punk for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship at WrestleMania 42.
If you missed this week’s WWE Raw, featured below is a recap of the main event segment where the Roman Reigns announcement was made:
Roman Reigns Makes WrestleMania 42 Announcement
It’s main event (segment) time!
We see a car pull up to the building, and out steps the winner of the Men’s Royal Rumble, “The OTC” himself, Roman Reigns. Reigns makes his way out to the entryway and comes out to the ring. Reigns asks Philly to acknowledge him. Reigns talks about the highs and lows he’s had in Philly.
He talks about how he won his first championship and lost his last championship in Philly. He talks about winning his first Royal Rumble in Philadelphia. Reigns brings up how he won the Royal Rumble on Saturday and the first city they’re at after the Rumble is Philadelphia.
Reigns talks about the decision he has to make and who he will fight at WrestleMania. The crowd chants for CM Punk and Reigns asks if he should go after Drew McIntyre or CM Punk. Punk’s music hits and Reigns takes his jacket off in the ring, getting ready for a fight. Punk appears in the entryway and everyone yells it’s Clobbering Time.
Punk gets in the ring and first calls out Finn Balor. Reigns interrupts and asks Punk why he would interrupt him to talk about Finn Balor. Punk says Reigns is a visitor on his show and he can’t interrupt anyone because he’s the champ and he calls the shots. Punk talks about Reigns’ big decision.
He says Roman Reigns vs. Drew McIntyre can be the main event at WrestleMania or Roman Reigns -vs- The Best in the World. Punk goes back and forth saying his name and McIntyre’s name and says the world has made up their minds but he knows Reigns will pick the easy way out and pick McIntyre.
Reigns says McIntyre isn’t the easy pic to defeat but that Punk is the easy one. He says McIntyre is like four times bigger than Punk and the last time they fought, McIntyre had Punk crying over a plastic bracelet. Punk says McIntyre had to get his head stapled because of him.
Reigns says he beat McIntyre for like three years straight and Punk asks – Reigns and how many of his cousins. Reigns tells Punk to respect his family because they’re the reason Punk had a show to come back to. Punk says Reigns has convinced people that he’s a messiah and built up WWE when all Reigns did was hold it hostage.
Punk talks about Reigns is a part timer and no one is following Reigns’ footsteps and that Reigns followed in Punk’s footsteps. Punk tells Reigns that just because Reigns’ reign as champ was longer, doesn’t mean it was better. Punk says he does 10 countries in three weeks and Reigns does what he wants.
Why? Because he isn’t a full time competitor. Punk says he brought Reigns into the WWE and that Reigns learned from the best and he’s proud of him. He reminds Reigns that he has a decision to make and we will see the kind of man Reigns is, whether he picks the easy way or the hard way.
Reigns tells Punk that Punk took a 10 year vacation and he’s making up for lost time. Reigns laughs at Punk thinking he learned from him, and the only thing Reigns has learned from Punk is what not to do. Reigns says when Punk was going to be signed back they put it through Reigns first.
Reigns talks about how Punk ran is mouth when he left and made his life harder than it should be. Reigns says he’s picking Punk because he hates Punk and he’s always hated Punk and at WrestleMania, Punk will acknowledge Reigns. Reigns drops his mic and leaves Punk in the ring. That’s how the show ends. Thanks for joining us!
WrestleMania 42 is scheduled to take place on April 18 and April 19 from Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, NV.
For those interested, you can check out our complete WWE Raw Results 2/2/26 here at WrestlingHeadlines.com.
Make sure to join us here on 4/18 and 4/19 for live WrestleMania 42 results coverage.
