The WWE will present the two-night WrestleMania 38 on Saturday and Sunday from Arlington, Texas.
Saturday’s card is loaded with plenty of interesting matchups and storylines, including the return of Stone Cold Steve Austin, while Sunday will have the main event of the weekend with Brock Lesnar vs. Roman Reigns in a world title unification.
Here’s what you need to know.
WrestleMania 38 card
Saturday night
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The KO Show: Kevin Owens with special guest Stone Cold Steve Austin
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SmackDown Women’s Championship: Charlotte Flair (champions) vs. Ronda Rousey
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Raw Women’s Championship: Becky Lynch (champions) vs. Bianca Belair
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Edge vs. AJ Styles
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Seth Rollins vs. unnamed opponent (picked by Mr. McMahon)
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Dominik Mysterio & Rey Mysterio vs. The Miz & Logan Paul
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SmackDown Tag Team Championships: The Usos (champions) vs. Shinsuke Nakamura & Rick Boogs
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Drew McIntyre vs. Happy Corbin
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New Day (King Woods and Kofi Kingston) vs. Sheamus and Ridge Holland
Sunday night
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World title unification match: Universal champion Roman Reigns vs. WWE Champion Brock Lesnar
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Raw Tag Team Championships: RK-Bro (Matt Riddle & Randy Orton) (champions) vs. The Street Profits vs. Alpha Academy
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Bobby Lashley vs. Omos
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Sami Zayn vs. Johnny Knoxville
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Austin Theory vs. Pat McAfee
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Women’s Tag Team Championships: Carmella & Queen Zelina (champions) vs. Naomi & Sasha Banks vs. Liv Morgan & Rhea Ripley vs. Natalya & Shayna Baszler
Where is WrestleMania 2022?
It is in AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. The venue also hosted WrestleMania 32 in 2016.
Wait, isn’t SummerSlam coming to Nashville sometime this year?
It is! The second biggest pay-per-view (or premium live event, in new WWE parlance) of the schedule will take place on July 30 at Nissan Stadium. Tickets are not yet available.
3 things to watch on Saturday night
Saturday’s card is…maybe too loaded?
Reigns vs. Lesnar is THE main event of the weekend, but that shouldn’t mean that the majority of the remaining interesting matches and storylines should take place Saturday.
Look at this card. The Kevin Owens-Steve Austin interaction. Seth Rollins facing an individual to be named. Becky Lynch-Bianca Belair and Charlotte-Ronda Rousey. Edge-A.J. Styles.
These cards, as always, are subject to change. As of now, the two nights feel lopsided, at least for wrestling fans.
Two women’s title matches are very different
Charlotte Flair vs. Ronda Rousey seems better on paper, but the two have had some awkward physical interactions leading into this weekend. Rousey surprised with her ring work during her first run, but she hasn’t had an opportunity to show what she can do in a big match since her return in January after three years off.
There’s no doubt about Becky Lynch vs. Bianca Belair inside the ring. Lynch, as the Raw Women’s Champion, has been really good as an arrogant character, while Belair continues to improve. Both will be extra motivated to have a high-quality match.
Who is Seth Rollins facing?
The Monday Night Messiah fought for weeks on Raw trying to earn a spot in a WrestleMania match to no avail. After meeting with Mr. McMahon on Monday, he has a match. But against who?
Multiple reports indicate that Cody Rhodes is soon to return to WWE. Would this be the time? The rumor mill is churning through possible names, but Rhodes would be the most interesting one.
3 things to watch on Sunday night
Reigns-Lesnar is a WrestleMania main event
Who knows if Brock Lesnar continues to be a regular character on television between now and the run-up to SummerSlam this summer. But the last couple months have been Lesnar’s best work. He’s been entertaining as a rogue cowboy who is finally doing his own talking.
Roman Reigns has firmly established himself as the top character in the business. His group, which includes his cousins The Usos and advocate Paul Heyman, has been dominant throughout 2021 and the first quarter of 2022.
The Tribal Chief has been winning these matchups as of late by hook or crook. His 581-day title reign has been entertaining. But what happens when he finally loses his title? And what would he do if Lesnar is the one who unifies the world titles?
No substance, little style before the main event
You’ll see some complaints on social media from wrestling fans about how some of these matches didn’t belong on a WrestleMania. That’s bound to happen with two nights and about eight hours of run time to fill.
But you’d like to see more substance in Sunday’s undercard. Bobby Lashley vs. Omos is an attraction-type match but with little story behind it. Two matches involving wrestlers against non-wrestlers also fill Sunday’s action. WWE will surely want fans watching for the celebrity appearances to stay for the Lesnar-Reigns match, but that doesn’t entirely explain it.
Each match has something or someone fans want to see. (Lashley and Sasha Banks are main eventers that deserve better for WrestleMania.) But few matchups promise to be memorable outside of the main event of the weekend.
Raw tag title match could be fun, though
All three tag teams are doing some of their best work. RK-Bro could be the most popular (and entertaining) tag team since the New Day. Every good tag division needs a pair of annoying bad guys like the Alpha Academy. The Street Profits are really good in and out of the ring.
Any of the three teams could win and it would make sense. This match should get plenty of time.
This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: WWE WrestleMania 38 card: What to know about event, Seth Rollins’ opponent