When it comes to planning for WrestleMania, Vince McMahon has a reputation for having the top 3 or 4 matches set in stone by the time the Royal Rumble PPV airs. As we previously reported, the plans for WM30 going into the 2014 Royal Rumble were Randy Orton defending the WWE World Heavyweight Championship against Batista, Triple H facing CM Punk, Brock Lesnar challenging Undertaker’s undefeated streak, John Cena versus Bray Wyatt and Daniel Bryan versus Sheamus in a WrestleMania 27/28 rematch. However, after CM Punk sensationally walked out on WWE this past Monday an emergency creative meeting was called by Vince McMahon prior to the re-write for this past edition of Monday Night Raw.
After it became apparent that Punk was not going to be a part of the WWE’s WrestleMania 30 card, Vince not only ordered a re-write of that night’s Raw but also the planned card for WrestleMania 30. The original plan for Raw was to have CM Punk lose to Antonio Cesaro in an Elimination Chamber qualification match thanks to interference from Kane, however Punk was written out of the show entirely after his meeting with McMahon. The re-write saw WWE move back toward the HHH vs Daniel Bryan feud that was simmering since the events of SummerSlam.
Several WWE insiders have now confirmed the current working theory for WrestleMania 30 is for Triple H to face Daniel Bryan. There is no word yet on where this leaves Sheamus.
Some have been speculating that Bryan may capture the WWE World Heavyweight Championship inside the Elimination Chamber and then defend against Batista at WrestleMania, but this is not currently in the works. At the time of writing, it is expected that Batista will capture the WWE World Heavyweight Championship from Randy Orton at WrestleMania before Daniel Bryan challenges Batista at Extreme Rules, which is been held in Bryan’s hometown market of Seattle.
Of course plans can change depending on circumstances, we have still not had official confirmation from WWE or CM Punk that he will not be at WrestleMania 30, though Punk has been removed from all advertising. WWE’s Twitter account also unfollowed CM Punk this week.