5 things to look forward to at WrestleMania 39

Wrestling fans' second Christmas has arrived.

WrestleMania 39 takes place April 1-2 at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles, as Hollywood hosts the flagship event for the fourth time in history. Months of riveting storytelling have led to a stacked card, making this two-day event one of the most anticipated WrestleManias in years.

With so much to cover, here are five things to look forward to at WrestleMania 39.

Rey vs. Dominik

Rey Mysterio's decorated career has spanned over 30 years, and he'll be inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame the night before wrestling his son in what could be his last hurrah.

In the past year, Dominik Mysterio has stepped out of his father's shadow to establish his own character. His transition to a villainous role has allowed Dominik to show a different side of himself, and his antagonistic charisma is a perfect counter to his father's heroic persona.

In recent months, Rey has gone back and forth about whether he should fight his son. But tension between the two boiled over a week before WrestleMania when Dominik insulted his mother, leading Rey to snap and finally accept his challenge.

This will be only the second time that WWE features a father-versus-son match at WrestleMania, with the other being Vince versus Shane McMahon at WrestleMania 17. And unlike the McMahons, whose wrestling abilities were limited, the Mysterios have a chance to stand out this weekend. If Rey's Hall of Fame induction signals the end of the road, this will be his chance to hand the keys (or mask) to his son.

Theory vs. Cena for U.S. title

WrestleMania 39 begins with a match featuring its past and, potentially, future.

John Cena is set to compete in his 16th WrestleMania against up-and-coming U.S. champion Austin Theory. It'll be a full circle moment for Cena, who opened WrestleMania 20 in a match for the U.S. title versus Big Show in 2004. A 16-time world champion, it's safe to say he's done well since then. But those days are seemingly behind him, and the 45-year-old Cena has been used more to help showcase newer talent in recent years.

Insert Theory.

Theory had his biggest year yet with WWE in 2022. With a Money in the Bank win, the U.S Championship, and a moment with Stone Cold Steve Austin at last year's WrestleMania, it seems WWE is high on Theory's future. What better way for the company to put his name on the map than pair him with one of WWE's legends at WrestleMania?

In his first big WrestleMania match (sorry, Pat McAfee), Theory looks to prove that he can hang with the big names and handle the pressure of the spotlight. Cena may have already done it all in WWE, but that doesn't mean he'll go easy on the young guns.

Edge vs. Balor inside Hell in a Cell

For only the fourth time in WrestleMania history, WWE brings out the vicious Hell in a Cell. Unlike most Hell in a Cell matches in recent years, this one truly feels fitting as Edge and Finn Balor reach the apex of their year-long back-and-forth rivalry.

Since being kicked out of the Judgement Day faction he created, Edge has been looking to make Balor's life miserable. For Edge, this may be his way of saying goodbye to the event that helped him achieve Hall of Fame status; he hinted at retirement following a Monday Night Raw in Toronto last August. After a nine-year absence due to a neck injury, Edge triumphantly returned at the 2020 Royal Rumble and seems to be reaching the end of his second run.

If this is it for the Rated R Superstar at WrestleMania, participating in one of WWE's most grueling matches would be the perfect way to bid farewell to the grand stage. From jumping off a ladder to destroy Jeff Hardy, to spearing Mick Foley through a flaming table, to headlining with the Undertaker, Edge's career is full of WrestleMania moments.

Hell in a Cell matches may have become oversaturated. However, considering it's the first Hell in a Cell match at WrestleMania in seven years, this one feels special.

Zayn, Owens vs. the Usos for tag titles

For the better part of two years, the Bloodline storyline has taken fans by storm. It's a long-winding tale that's featured character development, betrayal, and drama; you can basically call it a dramatic short film.

Roman Reigns and the Usos - who are real-life relatives - have been running WWE since they joined forces. But things haven't been the same since Sami Zayn popped into the picture last April. An unexpected addition to the group, the quirky Zayn ascended to stardom inside the intense confines of the Bloodline. And once Zayn turned his back on the Bloodline to come to the aid of longtime friend Kevin Owens, fans wanted to see gold around his waist.

After failing to beat Reigns for the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship in his hometown of Montreal at Elimination Chamber, Zayn turned his attention to the Usos and the tag titles. Now, with the help of Owens, Zayn looks to have his big WrestleMania moment by dethroning the longest-reigning tag team champs in WWE history.

Owens and Zayn have all the momentum and are expected to receive one of the loudest ovations of the weekend. Regardless of whether they get the job done, this match has the potential to steal the show.

Rhodes vs. Reigns for world title

It's the Cinderella story the Rhodes family has waited years to tell. After decades in the business, a Rhodes will finally main event WrestleMania when Cody takes on Reigns one year after returning to WWE.

It's been a long road for Cody, who had a lackluster tenure with WWE in the early 2010s before leaving the company in 2016. The 37-year-old spent the ensuing years touring the independent wrestling scene and helping create AEW, the second-largest wrestling promotion in North America, before returning to WWE at WrestleMania 38 in spine-tingling fashion.

Now, the "American Nightmare" is a three count away from winning the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship, something neither his father - the legendary "American Dream" Dusty Rhodes - nor his brother, Goldust, ever did.

After a nasty pectoral injury last June, Cody clawed his way back to in-ring competition and secured a title shot by winning the men's Royal Rumble match in January.

On the other side of the ring, you have Reigns with his nearly 1,000-day title run. It'll go down as one of WWE's greatest reigns - no pun intended. Reigns, who's become the biggest star in the business today, couldn't be a better representation of a mountain that a climber needs to overcome.