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WrestleMania 42’s Biggest Secret Exposed: What Is WWE Hiding From Fans?

By Monika Thapa • Published Nov 11, 2025 08:52 EST
WWE WrestleMania 42 Las Vegas

WrestleMania 42 is set to take place on April 18 and 19, 2026, at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas.

WWE hyped next year’s Mania event with a poker-themed teaser trailer that’s got fans buzzing. The video clip features marquee names like Cody Rhodes, Roman Reigns, CM Punk, and Brock Lesnar sitting around a poker table. Triple H narrates the whole vibe while Paul Heyman watches on with that classic smirk.

What really caught eyeballs, though, was this seat at the table that was empty. When WWE released the teaser trailer online, fans started noticing that the seat beside The Beast Incarnate was empty. Plus, there were extra poker chips on the table. This immediately led the WWE Twitterverse to break out in speculation mode, where the fans have been trying to guess who might fill the empty spot.

Who Will Fill The WrestleMania 42 Empty Seat?

1. Randy Orton

Randy Orton is one of WWE’s biggest legends, and he has been missing from WWE storylines for a while now. He was scheduled to have a singles match with Kevin Owens at WrestleMania 41 this year, but The Prizefighter was pulled from the event following a serious injury.

As a result, Orton took on a surprise opponent, who turned out to be TNA star Joe Hendry. Since WWE could do much with The Viper this year, fans think Triple H might book Orton in a surprise return or a special storyline for WrestleMania 42.

2. Chris Jericho

Jericho is rumored to return to WWE after his contract with AEW ends in 2026. The word on the street is that he’s set to make his grand comeback at Royal Rumble 2026, which might pave his way for a WrestleMania match next year. People in WWE are optimistic that The Demo God will return to his old home next year, and that’s why WWE may have reserved the empty spot for him at WrestleMania 42.

3. Gunther

Gunther has been absent from WWE since he lost to CM Punk at SummerSlam 2025. Despite his absence from TV, the chatter about him hasn’t died down. As John Cena’s retirement approaches, Gunther is one of the top fan favorites that the WWE Universe wants to see wrestle Cena in his last match.

Fans are hopeful that The Ring General will return to WWE soon and resume his dominant run in the company. Gunther is also rumored to have a match against Brock Lesnar at WrestleMania 42 since it couldn’t take place at Mania 40. He might also return to challenge CM Punk for a rematch for the World Heavyweight Championship, which might happen at The Grandest Stage of Them All next year.

These are just a few names I think will fill the WrestleMania 42 empty seat. Many other popular names could represent the empty seat, as WWE could plan a surprise return or a major debut of a new superstar. One seat, endless possibilities: who will fill the mystery seat? Only time will reveal the correct answer to this clever puzzle. Until then, all we can do is speculate…