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WWE WrestleMania 38: The Rock vs. Roman Reigns and Dream Matches We Need to See

Jake Rill

The sight on Sunday night was a familiar one: Roman Reigns standing tall to end WrestleMania. However, this time was a bit different.

Reigns is currently having the best run of his WWE career. After missing last year's WrestleMania (held during the early stages of the coronavirus pandemic) and some time after that, he returned at SummerSlam last August. He then aligned with Paul Heyman and won the Universal Championship at Payback a week later.

Since then, Reigns has dominated and been the main focal point of the SmackDown roster. Also, last October, he aligned with Jey Uso, his real-life cousin, after beating him twice in Universal Championship matches at Clash of Champions and Hell in a Cell.

That led to Sunday night, when Reigns defended the title in a Triple Threat match against Edge, the 2021 Men's Royal Rumble winner, and Daniel Bryan on the second night of WrestleMania 37. And for the third time in his career, Reigns was victorious in the main event of WrestleMania.

What's next for Reigns as he continues the best championship reign of his career, both in the short term and the long term? Is it possible he could still have the title when WrestleMania 38 arrives? And will he be back in the main event next year?

With WrestleMania 37 in the books, here's a look at three dream matches that would be great to see at WrestleMania 38, which is scheduled for April 3, 2022, at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.

Roman Reigns vs. The Rock

Joel C Ryan/Associated Press

This is a main event match that makes too much sense. During Reigns' current run, his storylines have featured him emphasizing that he's "The Tribal Chief" of his family and the "Head of the Table." After he defeated Uso a second time, Uso was forced to call Reigns "The Tribal Chief," with Reigns threatening to exile him from their family.

So who better to bring in for Reigns' next marquee WrestleMania match than a Superstar who he also has real-life ties to: Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson.

Reigns and Johnson aren't related by blood, but they're considered cousins, with their families' histories tied together. A match between the two would surely be a great way to end WrestleMania 38, and it wouldn't even need a championship on the line (should Reigns drop the Universal Title by then) to make it feel special and to be a main event with widespread appeal.

It's been a while since The Rock has stepped into a wrestling ring for a match, and his last bout lasted only six seconds: a win over Erick Rowan at WrestleMania 32 in 2016. His last non-impromptu match was when he lost to John Cena in a WWE Championship bout in the main event of WrestleMania 29 in 2013.

Still, Johnson remains in top physical condition (clearly). And while there may not be many potential opponents who could get The Rock back in the squared circle, a match with Reigns would likely have to be appealing to the megastar.

Reigns vs. Rock is the match that needs to happen in the WrestleMania 38 main event.

Brock Lesnar vs. Bobby Lashley

John Locher/Associated Press

When Lashley won the WWE Championship for the first time in his career on WWE Raw on March 1, this became a match that some on the internet were hoping to see come to fruition for WrestleMania 37. Instead, Lesnar remained on his hiatus from WWE, and Lashley was booked to face former champion Drew McIntyre (a match that Lashley won on Saturday night).

But this is a match that would be a great fit for the WrestleMania 38 card and is one of the most intriguing first-time bouts that Lesnar could have at this point in his career. Both Lesnar and Lashley have mixed martial arts experience, and it would be exciting to finally see them clash in a WWE ring.

Lesnar, of course, is a former UFC Heavyweight Champion who owns a professional MMA record of 5-3-1. Lashley had a stint as a pro MMA fighter from 2008-16, compiling a 15-2 record while fighting for various promotions, including Strikeforce and Bellator.

If Lesnar is ready to return to WWE, perhaps this match could happen sooner than WrestleMania 38. But if it still hasn't happened by the time WrestleMania season rolls around in early 2022, it would be a great one to include on the card, especially if it had a stipulation such as a street fight or no disqualifications.

Ronda Rousey vs. Becky Lynch

Jordan Strauss/Associated Press

Neither of these women have stepped in a WWE ring in quite some time. That doesn't change the fact that this is still a marquee matchup that needs to take place at some point when they both return.

And it does appear like Rousey and Lynch will be back in WWE in the future. During an interview on The Colin Cowherd Podcast last week, WWE President Nick Khan said that both Rousey and Lynch will return at a "certain point in time." What better way to bring them back than a high-profile rivalry between the two?

There's already a ton of history between Rousey and Lynch, but they've never gone one-on-one in the squared circle, as their WrestleMania 35 match became a Triple Threat with Charlotte Flair also included. That was also the last time Rousey showed up in WWE.

Lynch won that match by pinning Rousey, but the finish was botched, as Rousey's shoulders were coming off the mat during Lynch's pin. But that could easily be written into a storyline between the two, with Rousey claiming that Lynch has never actually pinned her cleanly.

Lynch, who hasn't appeared in WWE since announcing she was pregnant on WWE Raw May 11 last year, has accomplished a lot in her career and has won matches against many of the other top women's superstars. But a marquee match between her and Rousey is still one that needs to take place, and if both are in position to be there at WrestleMania 38, that would be a great time to have it.

   

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