5 potential opponents for WWE star Bobby Lashley at WrestleMania 40

As WrestleMania XL draws near, there has been no announcement of former WWE Champion Bobby Lashley’s appearance at The Show of Shows. In the previous year, Lashley did not compete at WrestleMania 39, but he did emerge victorious in the 2023 Andre The Giant Memorial Battle Royal on the final episode of SmackDown before the big event. As WrestleMania approaches Philadelphia in 2024, what can we expect from Lashley and the rest of The Pride?

Despite months of ongoing conflict between Lashley and The Street Profits, their rivalry with The Final Testament continues. On the latest episode of the blue brand, Karrion Kross and Scarlett’s interference resulted in The Street Profits losing their place in the six-pack ladder match at WWE WrestleMania XL. As a result, members from both groups are currently without a match at this year’s Showcase of the Immortals.

According to WrestleVotes, a total of 12 matches have been confirmed for WrestleMania’s 40th installment. However, WWE’s current plan is to have seven matches on each night, bringing the total to 14 bouts over the two nights. If this information is accurate, there are still two spots available for matches that have not been announced yet.

Will the Almighty be participating in The Show of Shows in 2024? Let’s not waste any time and consider five potential challengers for Bobby Lashley at WWE WrestleMania 40.

#5. WWE NXT Champion Karrion Kross

It has been emphasized by Karrion Kross that if The Final Testament is not heading to WrestleMania, neither will Lashley and The Street Profits. Nevertheless, there remains a possibility that both groups will be scheduled to resolve their feud at the prestigious WrestleMania event in April 2024.

The previous singles match between Kross and Lashley resulted in a ‘no contest’ on the March 8, 2024, episode of WWE SmackDown. However, during a special ‘Tributes to the Troops’ edition of the blue brand in December 2023, The Almighty was able to defeat the two-time former NXT Champion.

According to reports, the return of the old Bobby Lashley is imminent after being attacked by Karrion Kross and The Final Testament. The Almighty is determined to retaliate against the duo and their allies, The AOP, for their ongoing attacks on him and his companions. Lashley has set his sights on Kross and is seeking retribution with a vengeance.

It is possible that Kross and Lashley could have another singles match at The Show of Shows. However, given the current feud between The Authors of Pain and The Street Profits, it appears that a multi-person match involving Kross and Lashley is more probable.

#4. Akam and #3. Rezar: Dominant Duo of The Authors of Pain

The formidable duo known as The Authors of Pain serve as the enforcers for SmackDown’s villainous group, The Final Testament. Since their highly-anticipated return to the spotlight at the SmackDown New Year’s Revolution event in January 2024, Akam and Rezar have been relentlessly seeking retribution against Bobby Lashley and The Street Profits through brutal displays of force.

The Authors of Pain, who were part of the black-and-gold brand nearly a decade ago, held one reign with the NXT Tag Team Championship. In 2016, they also emerged victorious in the Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic. Upon their promotion to the main roster in 2018, the pair captured one reign with the RAW Tag Team Titles. Although they were released from WWE in September 2020, reports surfaced in 2022 that they had been secretly re-signed by the company.

Karrion Kross and The Authors of Pain have not yet had the opportunity to make their official WrestleMania in-ring debut. However, this could all change if they are scheduled to face off against Bobby Lashley and The Street Profits in a six-man match at The Show of Shows. In this potential match in Philadelphia, Angelo Dawkins, Montez Ford, and The Almighty could intensify their ongoing feud with The Final Testament.

According to a report from Dave Meltzer, the founder of Wrestling Observer Newsletter, the current plan is for The Pride and The Final Testament to engage in a six-man Philadelphia Street Fight. Although not yet confirmed, this match is said to include Lashley, Dawkins, and Ford taking on Kross, Akam, and Rezar.

#2. The Red-Hot Bombshell: Scarlett Bordeaux

Despite her shyness, Scarlett is not afraid to actively participate in the ongoing rivalry between her husband’s faction, The Final Testament, and Lashley’s stable, The Pride.

Given the presence of a female member in The Almighty’s group who has a past of violence with Bordeaux, it is likely that wrestling enthusiasts may see an eight-person tag team match between the two groups in the future, potentially at WWE’s 40th installment of WrestleMania.

In February 2024, B-Fab became an official member of The Pride and shocked the audience by executing a bicycle kick on Scarlett, sending her to the ground. Despite neither woman having competed at WrestleMania, this could potentially change if they are both booked to participate in an eight-person match against each other.

#1. The Mastermind Behind the Legion of Doom: Paul Ellering’s Legendary Career

If The Pride and The Final Testament were to have a scheduled match at WrestleMania 40, it is likely that 70-year-old Paul Ellering would be present as a ringside manager for Kross and his team. Although he would not participate in the match as a wrestler, Ellering could still be seen as a rival to Lashley, as he would be supporting his villainous team in their pursuit of victory.

In 2011, Paul Ellering was honored with an induction into the WWE Hall of Fame alongside The Road Warriors, the legendary tag team that he famously managed. For nearly two years, from June 2016 to April 2018, he served as the manager for The Authors of Pain, guiding Akam and Rezar to swift success and domination on the black-and-gold brand.

Since The Final Testament’s introduction a few months ago, Ellering has been a part of the faction. This weekend during WWE’s WrestleMania XL in Philadelphia, wrestling fans may witness the legendary manager making his presence felt.