Major Update on WrestleMania 42 Plans for Gunther Amid Recent Hiatus

Will Gunther have a match at WrestleMania 42 or not?
That's the question on the collective minds of the WWE Universe after The Ring General has been absent from the last three episodes of Monday Night Raw. The annual 'Showcase of the Immortals' is quickly approaching, and one of the company's biggest players appears to have no opponent for the show.
The former World Heavyweight Champion has been dubbed the 'Career Killer' after he defeated Goldberg, John Cena and AJ Styles in their retirement matches dating back to this past July, and while some are concerned over his recent hiatus, WrestleVotes Radio on Fightful Select are reporting that Gunther is expected to have a significant role on the biggest show of the year.
Gunther is expected to be at WrestleMania 42
"Sources within WWE claim that Gunther is still expected for a substantial role at WrestleMania, despite his recent absence," WrestleVotes said. "One source noted that having Gunther miss WrestleMania... wouldn't benefit anyone involved. Gunther was expected by many to face Rey Mysterio at WrestleMania, but Mysterio is battling a rib injury."
Gunther has yet to miss a WrestleMania since he arrived on the main roster, having defended major championships in 2023, 2024 and 2025. WrestleVotes did not provide any additional information on how he'll be involved with the show or who he might wrestle if Mysterio is not cleared to compete in time.
There are currently six matches that have been booked for WrestleMania 42, which will emanate from Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Nevada on Saturday, April 18 and Sunday, April 19. The two main events have not officially been announced, but it's expected that WWE Champion Cody Rhodes and Randy Orton will close night one, while World Heavyweight Champion CM Punk and Roman Reigns headline night two.

Brock Lesnar and Oba Femi will be meeting in a generational battle of monsters, and it's shaping up to be a record-breaking weekend for the women's division.
Already on the card are Jade Cargill and Rhea Ripley for the WWE Women's Championship, Stephanie Vaquer and Liv Morgan for the Women's World Championship and AJ Lee and Becky Lynch for the Women's Intercontinental Championship, and there are reportedly three more matches in the works. Among them are title defenses for both Women's United States Champion Giulia and WWE Women's Tag Team Champions Nia Jax and Lash Legend.
We'll continue to bring you any and all updates on the card for WrestleMania 42, just as soon as more information becomes available.

Rick Ucchino is the Assistant Editor & Content Coordinator for The Takedown on SI. He also works full-time for 700WLW Radio in Cincinnati, Ohio as a local news and sports anchor, in addition to his time covering the Cincinnati Bengals for Sirius XM. Rick has been on the professional wrestling beat since 2019, having provided coverage for a number of outlets, including Fightful, SB Nation’s Cageside Seats and the Bleav Podcast Network. With an educational background in theater, creative writing and journalism, Rick focuses primarily on the storytelling aspect of pro wrestling, but he’s no stranger to the squared circle himself. He had the privilege of training with former WWE & WCW cruiserweight Jimmy Wang Yang for nearly two years and retired early due to back issues with a perfect 1-0 record in singles competition. Rick is a married father of two incredibly adorable children, who are budding pro wrestling fans themselves. Much to the chagrin of their mother. You can reach Rick at rwucchino@gmail.com