Wrestlemania 2022: What time does the WWE Kickoff show start in the UK? Who will Seth Rollins' Wrestlemania 38 opponent be?
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Wrestlemania 38: UK fans’ guide to Kickoff show times and celebrity appearances

UK start times for both Wrestlemania 38 Saturday and Sunday shows

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Wrestlemania in 2022 is billed as the ‘most stupendous’ two-night event of all of WWE’s huge shows that have come before it.

But for fans in the UK, getting to watch Wrestlemania 38 live depends on knowing the Kickoff shows start time.

That’s because the pre-shows are the only part of the Wrestlemania cards fans here get to see before midnight.

And whether fans decide to stay up all night after seeing it all kick off on the Kickoff.

Or whether they catch up with how it went down in the ring on the WWE Network after a bit of kip (don’t spoiler yourself).

Devoted WWE followers will need to know what time the Wrestlemania Kickoff shows start in the UK so they can plan their whole weekends… and possibly how they will catch up on sleep for days after!

Wrestlemania 38 will see YouTuber Logan Paul make his debut in the ring
Wrestlemania 38 will see YouTuber Logan Paul make his debut in the ring in a tag match (Credit: WWE)

Wrestlemania 38: The ‘Most Stupendous’?

In terms of celebrities demonstrating whether they know the difference between a wristlock and a wristwatch, Wrestlemania 38 may certainly prove to be the starriest Wrestlemania so far.

YouTube mega-influencer Logan Paul will step between the ropes. He teams with the detestable Miz to take on high-flying legend Rey Mysterio and his son Dominik.

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Jackass star Johnny Knoxville will also turn his hand to sports entertainment for the show.

Following months of back and forth with Sami Zayn – including a skirmish at the Royal Rumble – the pair square off in an Anything Goes match.

Going by stunt performer Johnny’s rep, that could involve ‘anything’ indeed…

Former NFL star turned WWE commentator Pat McAfee is also back in the ring.

He may not be as well known in the mainstream in the UK as Logan and Johnny, but Pat will no doubt deliver against Austin Theory in their Night 2 clash. Pat has shown in his previous NXT escapades he knows how to wrestle.

Additionally, there will be performances from country music Brantley Gilbert and Jessie James Decker, as well as DJ Valentino Khan.

Johnny Knoxville steps up to Sami Zayn on Night 2 of Wrestlemania 38
Johnny Knoxville steps up to Sami Zayn on Night 2 of Wrestlemania 38 (Credit: WWE)

Wrestlemania 38: Kickoff show start time in the UK

Both Night 1 (Saturday, April 2) and Night 2 (Sunday, April 3) of Wrestlemania 38 take place in the AT&T Stadium in Texas.

The time difference between that part of the US and the UK means that the Wrestlemania main shows proper in 2022 begin at 1am.

So that technically means the Saturday Night 1 show starts in the early hours of Sunday morning for UK fans. And viewers watching the Sunday Night 3 show live will be doing so very early on Monday.

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But UK viewers who watch WWE shows live are used to staying up all night to do so. What makes the Wrestlemania 38 start time in the UK slightly different is the timing of the Kickoff shows.

The pre-shows usually begin on YouTube an hour before any main show starts.

However, the Wrestlemania 38 Kickoff shows start TWO hours before the cards proper begin in the UK.

So because the Wrestlemania 38 Kickoff shows are longer, they start earlier.

The start time of Wrestlemania 38 is not put back because of the longer Kickoff shows.

And so, both of the Wrestlemania 38 Kickoff shows start time in the UK is 11pm on the Saturday (for Night 1) and the Sunday (for Night 2). They will air on WWE’s YouTube channel.

Wrestlemania 38 Kickoff show start time in the UK is confirmed (Credit: WWE)

What time is Wrestlemania 2022 in the UK? When is NXT Stand & Deliver 2022 on in the UK, what time?

Night 1 (Saturday, April 2) of  Wrestlemania 38 begins at 1am on the Sunday morning in the UK.

Night 2 (Sunday, April 3) of Wrestlemania 38 starts at 1am on the Monday morning (April 4) in the UK.

In the days running up to both shows, both the WWE Hall of Fame 2022 and an NXT special will air on the WWE Network.

The Hall of Fame bash airs live for the diehards and insomniacs on Saturday April 2 at 3.30am GMT. The Undertaker, the Steiner Brothers and Vader are among those who will be inducted.

WWE Network NXT Stand & Deliver is the perfect amuse-bouche for the smash-mouth action hours later. It airs on Saturday April 2 at 7pm in the UK. Champ Dolph Ziggler defends his title against Bron Breakker in the main event.

Dubin-born Becky Lynch defends against Bianca Belair
Dubin-born Becky Lynch defends against Bianca Belair (Credit: WWE)

Wrestlemania 38 matches – what’s on the Wrestlemania card?

Wrestlemania 38 will be the third two-night event in the show’s near-three decade run.

The first two-night Wrestlemania ended up the first one to be entirely pre-recorded and without any fans present as the pandemic took hold.

Wrestlemania 37 in 2021 saw fans socially distance while attending over two nights.

But Wrestlemania 38 in 2022 should see both nights close to capacity in the monstrous AT&T Stadium.

Crowds of over 100,000 combined for both nights are already being predicted.

The full card for a Wrestlemania can always change but here are the matches announced for Wrestlemania 38.

Wrestlemania 38 Night 1

  • Becky Lynch (c) vs Bianca Belair for the WWE Raw Women’s Championship
  • Rey and Dominik Mysterio vs The Miz and Logan Paul
  • Drew McIntyre vs Happy Corbin
  • The Usos (c) vs Shinsuke Nakamura and Rick Boogs for the WWE SmackDown Tag Team Championship
  • The New Day (Xavier Woods and Kofi Kingston) vs Sheamus and Ridge Holland
  • Seth Rollins vs a mystery opponent chosen by Mr McMahon
  • Charlotte Flair (c) vs Ronda Rousey for the WWE SmackDown Women’s Championship
  • The KO Show featuring Kevin Owens and Steve Austin.
Will Ronda Rousey, right, topple Charlotte Flair?
Will Ronda Rousey, right, topple Charlotte Flair? (Credit: WWE)

Wrestlemania 38 Night 2

  • Queen Zelina and Carmella (c) vs Sasha Banks and Naomi vs Rhea Ripley and Liv Morgan vs Natalya and Shayna Baszler for the WWE Women’s Tag Team Championship
  • Johnny Knoxville vs Sami Zayn in an Anything Goes match
  • Pat McAfee vs Austin Theory
  • RK-Bro (c) vs The Street Profits vs Alpha Academy for the WWE Raw Tag Team Championship
  • Edge vs AJ Styles
  • Bobby Lashley vs Omos
  • Brock Lesnar (c) vs Roman Reigns (c) for the WWE Championship and WWE Universal Championship.
Who will emerge as the tag champs?
Who will emerge as the tag champs? (Credit: WWE)

What matches are on the Wrestlemania 38 Kickoff shows?

Matches for the Kickoff shows have not been confirmed.

Previous Wrestlemania Kickoff shows have seen up to three matches take place.

But with Wrestlemania now split across two nights, each event – still very busy – is less stacked than those previous Kickoff shows.

Nonetheless, don’t be surprised to see either tag team or other multi-person matches shifted to the Kickoff shows to entice punters over from YouTube.

And so the WWE SmackDown Tag Team Championship match, New Day’s bout against Sheamus and Ridge Holland and the the WWE Women’s Tag Team Championship pile up are among the probable contenders to appear on the Kickoff shows.

There might also be skits relating to the 24/7 Championship.

But imagine the outcry on social media if Night 2 doesn’t feature any womens’ matches ‘higher up’ the show.

Steve Austin will appear at Wrestlemania in 2022 - but will he have a match?
Steve Austin will appear at Wrestlemania in 2022 – but will he have a match? (Credit: WWE)

Will Steve Austin wrestle Kevin Owens at Wrestlemania 38?

Nineteen years on since his last match against The Rock in 2003, many fans believe Steve Austin will finally have a proper match again.

His comeback has been teased before – most notably against CM Punk – and ‘Stone Cold’ has also participated in action-packed segments with the likes of Jonathan Coachman and Alex Riley over the years.

Speculation has been rife the former champ could feature alongside Kevin Owens in the headline position on Night 1, with a verbal clash leading to a brawl or even a match that night or setting one up for Night 2.

But are fan expectations running away with themselves?

Wrestlemania 2022 also features Scottish star Drew Galloway - could his match be on the Kickoff show? Start time in the UK on both nights is 11pm
Wrestlemania 2022 also features Scottish star Drew McIntyre – could his match be on the Kickoff show? Start time in the UK on both nights is 11pm (Credit: WWE)

Seth Rollins Wrestlemania 38 opponent predictions

Another mystery surrounds who will face Seth Rollins at Wrestlemania.

The ‘smart fans” money is on Cody Rhodes re-debuting after leaving AEW earlier this year.

And the bookies certainly reckon whoever it is is the favourite to win the match against Seth.

But while WWE likes surprises, they also like defying surprises. As the story goes, Vince McMahon has picked an opponent for Seth himself after the former Shield star fluffed his opportunities to stake a claim in the main event.

Would Cody Rhodes appearing – in whatever guise – prove as shocking as when the Hardy Boyz made their Wrestlemania return in 2017?

Turning up without laying out expectations for fans in a stadium context can rely on much-loved and immediately recognisable theme music causing the audience to explode even before they’ve seen the performer involved. Are Cody’s previous entrance themes in WWE on that level?

Wouldn’t a new one, not known by fans, risk a dampened immediate reaction? All of this could mean the Cody bait is held off for a little longer… maybe even only until Monday night’s episode of Raw.

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So who else could be Mr McMahon’s surprise opponent be? His son, Shane McMahon?

The Rock, surely a contender for the 2023 main event against his cousin Roman Reigns?

Cinema star John Cena?

Hulk Hogan, with more than a dash of smoke and mirrors?

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Could there be a swift return from retirement for The Undertaker?

Or even some kind of something involving WWE Hall of Famer Donald Trump?

Might wrestler-turned-meme Veer Mahaan finally arrive?

Or could Olympic gold medallist Gable Steveson have his debut pro match?

Don’t rule any of them out.

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Robert Leigh
Freelance writer