meta_pixel
Tapesearch Logo
Log in
WhatCulture Wrestling

20 Most Anticipated Wrestling Matches Of 2026 - Cody Rhodes Vs. CM Punk! Kenny Omega Vs. Bryan Danielson! Naomi Vs. Bianca Belair! Oba Femi vs. EVERYBODY?!

WhatCulture Wrestling

WhatCulture Wrestling

Sports, Wrestling, Sports & Recreation

4.41.6K Ratings

🗓️ 7 January 2026

⏱️ 31 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

2026 threatens to deliver some of the biggest matches of recent years. Simon Miller presents the 20 Most Anticipated Wrestling Matches Of 2026...


ENJOY!


Follow us on Twitter:

@SimonMiller316

@WhatCultureWWE


For more awesome content, check out: whatculture.com/wwe


Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Transcript

Click on a timestamp to play from that location

0:00.0

So happy end of 2025, early 2026, depending on when you have decided to watch this. And listen, we are entering a new 12-month period. So I, Simon LeBaud Aholl have decided to look forward and try and predict and get excited about 20 matches we may actually be getting in 2026. I don't know why that was so hard to do. It's because I am an idiot. And again, you can get in those comments and suggest other ones because I'll certainly miss some of them. and please do like and subscribe.

0:24.6

We are. I don't know why that was so hard to do. It's because I am an idiot. And again, you can get in those comments and suggest other ones because I'll certainly miss some of them.

0:23.4

And please do like and subscribe. We are hanging out down there because even though it is 2006, that's something we still have to do.

0:32.0

I appreciate your tuning in. Let's get on with it.

0:34.5

So number 20 is Oberfeni versus anybody.

0:38.1

That's a weird thing to say, but I just think it's time to overfemmy to be caught up to the main roster, because that man is so damn good. He's actually one of these individuals that could have done one match in NXT and then been put on Rawr Smackdown. I'd be like, yep, I totally understand it, because the dude is totally unique. Sometimes you see this criticism where people say, oh yeah, but on the main roster, he won't look as big as he does do against the NXT dudes. He's still massive men. He's still going to look like an intimidating threat. That is one of the weirdest things anybody has ever said. Big is big, not a euphemism. And if it was going to be one person, of course, to get him super duper over and establish him as the next big thing, ironically. You'd probably want to get into WrestleMania and do Oberfemi versus Brock Lesnar. I understand that Brock Lesnar is a controversial character. Please check out my other videos for my thoughts about him. But if he is going to be around, then Oberfemi is going to be called up. I just want to do whatever we have to do. So even those who don't watch NXT, look at Ober and I totally get it. He just crushed Brock Lesnar. I'll be honest. I don't think it would happen at WrestleMania 42, but if it could, I would have Oberfemi beat that guy in like one minute and 38 seconds. Whatever Goldberg did back in 2016. And then I do the rematch and you know what? Oberfemi should win again. Even if you don't do this, Obafemi's going to be completely fine.

1:45.8

And if he hasn't main events in a WrestleMania in the next five years,

1:48.5

or something weird has got down.

1:50.9

That dude has so much potential, it's ridiculous,

1:53.8

and his character just works, man.

1:55.8

I am very excited about what we can do with Oberfemi.

1:58.6

Don't change his name.

1:59.8

That sounds weird, but sometimes that does happen. When people do jump up, he's just ready to go. Now, my 19, Eddie Kingston versus Adam Page. So, Hankman, Adam Page by now surely has to be in the discussion for one of the most beloved baby faces ATW has ever had. Because, of course, he got his first wide title win, and there was, well, some controversy, I suppose, but he was still

2:17.8

able to climb the ladder back to the top, which he did it all in 2025. And I kind of feel like

2:23.2

ever since then, whatever love we did have has times by at least two, and that's good solid

2:28.5

wrestling maths. The reason I would throw Eddie Kingston in there is because Eddie Kingston is the

2:32.5

most wonderful good guy ever, in the sense he can be the bad guy and nobody seems to care. So even the promos between these two in the build, oh my gosh, if you both say, you can say whatever you want, but of course make sure you have agreed on this beforehand, it could be absolutely excellent. It's a poor comparison, all things considered, but it'd be like when CM Punk and Eddie Kingston went at it. Nobody was really a good guy. Nobody was really a bad guy. They just spoke their own version of the truth, and it is some of the most compelling TV. AEW has ever done full stop. Now, of course, many people want to see Eddie Kingston as the AEW world champion at some point, and I doubt he would beat Hangman to do that, unless he is going to go super full heel. But I just love the idea that sometimes AEW will get down to their matchmaking and put two people in the ring that could divide the audience right down the middle. And sometimes that is a secret source when it comes to sports entertainment, because before the pay-per-view, or even if you wanted to do it on a special edition of dynamite, we'll be sat there scratching our ball heads going to go, what the flub is that you going to do here?

3:27.8

It's called Jeopardy, man. Jeopardy is the best. Not a game show, though, that's also a delight. If nothing else as well, they are kind of both AEW-O-Gs. mean hangman more than Eddie Kingston, but Kingston was there pretty damn early on.

3:38.8

And it's also a match that we haven't really seen, if at all.

3:41.8

If the World Championship wasn't the line, well, I just think it would roll. And again, some of the things Eddie would talk about, it would make you feel something, then Hangman will come right back with it. Can I actually see AW doing this in 2006? Maybe towards the end of the year. Listen, even if Adam Page does lose that championship, you could still do this match. It really comes down to the fact that we shouldn't wait on ceremony here, Mr. Wayne. When it comes to wrestling, you never know about injuries and what's round the corner. So while they both are in the same promotion, let's go full on Nike here. Just do it. About 18, Becky Lynch versus Chelsea Green. So there's lots of amazing things that I could say about Chelsea Green, but let's go all the way back to the end of 2024 when she did become the first ever US women's champion in WWE. And listen, the other people that held that belt, it's no fault of their own. But really, it was kind of only when Chelsea Green had it, that it felt like it meant something.

4:49.6

Ever since she lost it too, you could say that she has been treading water when it does come to her storylines, but she's still effortlessly entertaining, especially given everything she had done with her Secret Service, or Secret Hervis, I should say, and really her main job has just been to lose, lose, lose, but again, because she can make you laugh, you don't care about that, and you just want to see her on your television screen next week.

5:20.8

What this all means, though, is that there is a world-class baby face just waiting to get out there. And if Becky Lynch intends to continue on her Hill Run in 2006, which she should do because that character is also brilliant, I think we should sub these two people together. It would be a brand new program that we haven't really seen. Once again, we should say, Becky, you say whatever you want to Chelsea within reason, and Chelsea, you go off of Becky. And if that intercontinental title is also in the picture, well, Chelsea can lean into that too, as could Becky Lynch. I don't know. When we were coming up with this list, I just thought about it. It was like, yeah, it's something I want to see. But if you do look at Raw on Smackdown, I think it's fair to say that Becky is a standout performer on Monday nights and Chelsea's a standout performer on Friday. So eventually you do want to cross the streams. I just think putting these two on a collision course with each other would be excellent, especially if a championship is in the mix. Also, Becky is so damn good at pissing people off that even if a few people did want to cheer her over Chelsea Green, she would just come up with something that Chelsea Green could capitalize on and you would get the exact reactions that you'd be keeping your fingers crossed for. Also, it's Becky Lynch versus Chelsea Green. That would make me laugh out loud at least four times and anything other three times I consider a success. So I think we should do this. If for nothing else, to see what the flub would happen, I actually think it would be one of the better feuds of the year. At least from an entertainment standpoint, they both rule. Number 17, the Uso's versus the Lucha Brothers. So to get here is going to take a lot of shuffling and a lot of shuffling, whatever that means. But it kind of just feel like eventually Jimmy and Jay Uso will go on one last run because they are one of the best tag teams ever. And also, who has been kicking ass outside of the WW for years? Well, it is Penta and Phoenix. And once again, eventually Penta's singles run will not come to an end, but it will stagnate it a little bit. And as soon as you do do that, you can reunite him with his brother. That's going to give a lot of fans a nostalgia kick, and then you can finally start getting on to dream matches, one of which to be the Uso's versus the Lucha Bros. I think in 2006 as well, Jimmy and Jay will be entering their 19th year in WWE, so they have tenure. And even though it doesn't really feel like it, Penta and Phoenix kind of feel new to the WW landscape, so that's why it would have that exciting feel to it. She'd be like, oh my gosh, I can't believe I'm seeing this. And also when we did learn that Lucha Brothers were going to sign with WWE, I think most people were thinking of tag team matches as opposed to singles bounce.

...

Transcript will be available on the free plan in 17 days. Upgrade to see the full transcript now.

Disclaimer: The podcast and artwork embedded on this page are from WhatCulture Wrestling, and are the property of its owner and not affiliated with or endorsed by Tapesearch.

Generated transcripts are the property of WhatCulture Wrestling and are distributed freely under the Fair Use doctrine. Transcripts generated by Tapesearch are not guaranteed to be accurate.

Copyright © Tapesearch 2026.