Pacers Star Tyrese Haliburton Makes Bold WrestleMania Claim

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WrestleMania 42 is headed to Las Vegas in April for a two-night spectacle at Allegiant Stadium.
Since its inception, WrestleMania has been WWE’s flagship pay-per-view event, offering some of the industry’s most compelling, awe-inspiring moments.
WrestleMania 42 will be no different, as it features some of the biggest names in the industry. WWE stars Roman Reigns, Brock Lesnar, Randy Orton, CM Punk, Rhea Ripley, Jade Cargill and Cody Rhodes, among others, are slated to appear.
Ahead of the action, Indiana Pacers star and wrestling savant Tyrese Haliburton shared his predictions for the main event match.
During an appearance on NBA on Prime, Haliburton weighed in on the main event heavyweight championship match between CM Punk and Roman Reigns.
“Imma go with CM Punk. [Roman Reigns] is my tribal chief and I’m rocking with both of them,” Haliburton said. “But, I’m gonna go with CM Punk on this one.”
Tyrese Haliburton Has Close Ties to WWE
Haliburton, a two-time All-Star, has been vocal about his passion for pro wrestling over the years.
The Pacers guard has attended Smackdown, Fast Lane, NXT, and Summerslam 2025, where he famously gifted a walking crutch to John Cena to use as a weapon.
Haliburton has even made an in-ring appearance.
During an episode of SmackDown in 2024, wrestler Logan Paul made a grand entrance alongside the Olympic gold medalist Haliburton at Madison Square Garden.
As Haliburton made his way to the ring with Paul, he spotted a familiar foe in the audience — Knicks guard Jalen Brunson — and stepped to him.
The NBA stars exchanged words and nearly came to blows.
Haliburton retrieved Paul’s brass knuckles as the match progressed before banging them on the steel stairs, triggering Brunson to take action.
The Eastern Conference rivals continued jawing before WWE officials separated them.
Following their viral altercation on Smackdown, Haliburton and Brunson were added as playable fighters in WWE 2k25.
WrestleMania Returns to Las Vegas in 2026
For the second consecutive year, Vegas will host WWE’s biggest pay-per-view event at Allegiant Stadium.
WWE typically changes locations for the annual show, but there’s a reason why they doubled down on Sin City.
Money.
According to a report from Brandon Thurston at Post Wrestling and Wrestlenomics, WrestleMania 41 from inside Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas in 2025 pulled in $66,074,558 in ticket revenue. That makes the event the most lucrative pro wrestling event in the history of the industry.
Before WrestleMania 41, WrestleMania 40 was the highest ever gate in the wrestling business. If inflation is factored in, per the Thurston report, WrestleMania 32 at AT&T Stadium in Texas was the second-highest gate in history.
In April, WWE looks to cash in again with another two-night WrestleMania event.
Following the March 27 episode of SmackDown, the WrestleMania 42 card is nearing completion.
Two new matches were made official: Drew McIntyre will face Jacob Fatu in an Unsanctioned Match, while newly crowned United States Champion Sami Zayn is set to defend his title against Trick Williams.
WrestleMania 42 features main event matches filled with legends for Night 1 and Night 2.
CM Punk is set to go head-to-head against Roman Reigns for the World Heavyweight Championship at WrestleMania.
Reigns outlasted 29 other fighters to win the 2026 Royal Rumble and earn the opportunity to headline WrestleMania against whichever world champion he wished.
Additionally, Cody Rhodes will defend the WWE Undisputed Championship against his former mentor, Randy Orton.
For Rhodes, this marks his second consecutive WrestleMania main event match.
Orton, a fellow second-generation superstar, will seek his 15th World Championship reign.

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