The Big Title Fights in New Orleans

Roman Reigns vs. CM Punk

Let’s start with the absolute blockbuster. Roman Reigns is sitting on the World Heavyweight Championship, having reclaimed his throne, but CM Punk is breathing down his neck. This feels like a 1997 Monday Night War main event dropped into 2026.

Reigns has the Bloodline drama backing him up, even with Solo Sikoa running around like a budget enforcer trying to prove he is the real Tribal Chief. Punk, meanwhile, is playing the role of the bitter, battle-tested veteran who wants one last run with the big gold belt before his knees completely give out. Let's be honest: CM Punk is great for ratings, but his body is currently held together by athletic tape, prayers, and sheer willpower.

Punk will throw everything at the champ, including a GTS that will probably get a heart-stopping two-and-a-half count, but Roman is walking out of New Orleans with the gold. Roman Reigns has held the title for only a few months, but Seth Rollins held it for 78 days last year. WWE is not ready to take the title off Roman just yet, especially with the Bloodline story still having legs, so expect Roman to win after a low blow and a spear.

Cody Rhodes vs. Randy Orton

Now let’s talk about the Undisputed WWE Championship. Cody Rhodes has been the undisputed golden boy, but the shadow of the Viper is looming incredibly large. Randy Orton is the absolute master of the slow-burn heel turn, and we are finally getting the payoff.

Orton has been teasing the RKO out of nowhere for months, smiling through his teeth while secretly planning to rip Cody's head off. Cody will try to play the honorable babyface hero, but that boy-scout nonsense does not work against a guy who has been systematically dismantling legends since before Cody even had a neck tattoo. We are predicting a technical masterclass, with Cody targeting Randy’s surgically repaired back and Randy systematically picking apart Cody's limbs like a spider dissecting a fly.

Cody hit three consecutive Cross Rhodes to retain the championship, but the real talking point happens after the bell. Orton is going to snap, delivering a post-match beatdown that will leave Cody coughing up blood in the middle of the ring. A brutal RKO through the announce table will establish Orton as the top heel on SmackDown and set up a massive rematch.

The Briefcase Bloodbaths

Why Bron Breakker takes the Men's ladder match

The Men's Money in the Bank ladder match is always a car crash, but this year it is a one-man demolition derby. Bron Breakker is the only logical choice to walk out with the briefcase. Putting the contract on anyone else would be like drafting a punter in the first round of the NFL draft.

Breakker has been running through the midcard like a freight train with no brakes, and he needs this victory to cement his status as the future of the company. Imagine Bron hitting a spear on LA Knight mid-air off a twelve-foot ladder. That is the kind of viral moment WWE needs to plaster all over social media to get the casuals watching.

Jey Uso will get his usual massive pop, and Seth Rollins will probably wear something that looks like a neon disco ball, but they are just there to take the bumps and make Bron look like a god. If Bron wins this, he will carry that briefcase like a weapon. He will be threatening Cody and Roman every single week, turning the champion's lives into a living hell.

Tiffany Stratton owns the Women's briefcase

Over on the women's side, it is Tiffy Time. Tiffany Stratton has been the most entertaining performer on Friday nights, and it is time for WWE to pull the trigger on her main event run. She is the total package: she has the athletic ability of an Olympic gymnast and the personality of a high school movie villain.

Her competition is stiff, with Bianca Belair and Charlotte Flair always lurking in the title picture. But Bianca does not need the briefcase to be a star, and Charlotte has won every single championship under the sun already. Tiffany Stratton scaling the ladder and grabbing the contract is the exact spark the women's division needs right now.

Imagine the cash-in teases on Rhea Ripley or Liv Morgan. Tiffany will hold that pink briefcase hostage, making every single title defense a nerve-wracking affair. The crowd will eat it up, and she has the in-ring skills to back up the arrogant gimmick.

Midcard Meltdowns and Tag Team Churn

Trick Williams vs. Carmelo Hayes

For the United States Championship, we are getting the main roster version of the best NXT rivalry of the modern era. Trick Williams has been holding the gold, but Carmelo Hayes is determined to prove he is still the A-champion. This match is going to be high-flying, fast-paced, and absolutely chaotic.

Trick has the charisma that connects with the crowd on a different level, but Melo is the superior in-ring technician. They will trade near-falls, counter after counter, including a diving neckbreaker turned into a mid-air cutter. The match ended at the 18-minute mark when Trick hit the Trick Knee to retain.

But here is my negative observation: WWE has a bad habit of running NXT rivalries into the ground without giving them proper main-roster context. The casual fans do not all watch NXT, and the build for this has felt a bit rushed. They need to let these two tell a story in the ring, not just spam their signature moves for a quick pop.

Penta vs. Gunther

Finally, the Intercontinental Championship. Penta has had a decent run with the title, bringing some much-needed lucha flair to the midcard. But his reign is about to run into a brick wall named Gunther.

Let’s be honest: Penta’s booking has been incredibly lazy. He is a fantastic worker, but WWE has treated him like a placeholder champion, feeding him random opponents on Raw with zero storyline progression. Gunther, on the other hand, is the greatest Intercontinental Champion of the modern era, and he wants his toy back.

This match will be a physical shootout. Penta will try to chop Gunther’s chest off, but Gunther will respond by turning Penta’s chest into raw hamburger meat. Gunther wins back the title, restoring the prestige to the championship and ending a reign that has run completely out of steam.

The Street Profits vs. The Wyatt Sicks

The World Tag Team Championship is currently held by The Street Profits, who won it from The Vision on Raw. They are defending against the Wyatt Sicks, and this is going to be a bizarre clash of styles. The Street Profits have been on a roll, bringing high-energy tag team wrestling back to the forefront.

But the Wyatt Sicks are bringing that eerie, supernatural element that is always incredibly hard to book. If you make them lose cleanly, they lose their mystique. If they win the titles, you have to book supernatural champions, which rarely works in the long run.

We predict a disqualification finish. The Wyatt Sicks will destroy Montez Ford and Angelo Dawkins with chairs and Kendo sticks, leaving them lying in the ring. The Profits keep the titles, but the Wyatt Sicks look like terrifying monsters who do not care about gold, only pain.