World Wrestling Entertainment’s “WrestleMania 41,” the company’s annual two-night extravaganza, concluded this weekend, falling short of its anticipated hype.
The event struggled to recapture the magic of its predecessor, “WrestleMania 40,” which I consider to be one of the best in history, highlighted by Cody Rhodes’ emotional WWE Championship victory honoring his father, Dusty Rhodes.
“Wrestlemania 41” presented a stark contrast, oscillating between moments of brilliance and stretches of mediocrity, ultimately stumbling with a dissatisfying conclusion that left me disappointed.
Night one kicked off with a significant high point with Jey Uso’s triumph over the previously dominant Gunther for the World Heavyweight Championship. This victory, fulfilling my prediction, was a genuinely electrifying moment, witnessing the fan-favorite challenger dethrone the seemingly invincible champion who had held the title since August 2024.
The atmosphere surrounding this match was electric, and this outcome put a smile on my face. I feel if WWE didn’t give Uso this victory, it would’ve made my opinion of this event even worse.
However, the remainder of night one failed to maintain this momentum. The subsequent matches felt like useless additions to the card, lacking the substance and excitement expected of a “WrestleMania” event.
A bout between Rey Fenix and El Grande Americano, while potentially entertaining on a weekly broadcast like “Monday Night Raw,” felt out of place on such a grand stage.
Similarly, the World Tag Team Championship match, which saw The New Day defeat The War Raiders to win the titles, was uninspiring and failed to engage the audience.
The WWE Women’s Championship match between the champion, Tiffany Stratton, and Charlotte Flair was a particularly disappointing one.
Given the established talent and in-ring prowess of both competitors paired with me being a huge fan of both women, I had such high expectations, and they were destroyed in stunning fashion.
Both Stratton and Flair are known for delivering strong performances, yet their match at “WrestleMania 41” lacked cohesion and impact. The pacing felt disjointed, and there was a noticeable absence of chemistry, with both wrestlers appearing hesitant and out of sync.
The execution of moves seemed labored and lacked fluidity, creating an impression of a poorly rehearsed or communicated match. Despite Stratton retaining her title, as I predicted, the quality of the match was a significant letdown.
Fortunately, the main event of night one provided a much-needed surge of energy and excitement. The triple-threat match featuring Seth Rollins, Roman Reigns and CM Punk delivered on its promise, offering compelling drama and high-quality wrestling.
This marked Punk’s first “Wrestlemania” main event in his extensive career, adding a layer of historical significance to the bout. The pre-match video package, set to Machine Head’s “Sail Into the Black,” effectively encapsulated the decade-long rivalry between the competitors, setting a dramatic tone for the match.
The bout itself was a hard-hitting affair, keeping the audience engaged with near falls and intense brawling both inside and outside the ring. Ultimately, Rollins emerged victorious, aided by Paul Heyman, the on-screen manager for Reigns and Punk.
This main event salvaged what would have otherwise been a terrible night in my book.
While night two was superior, in terms of overall match quality, it concluded with a terrible and disappointing main event. As I predicted, John Cena defeated Rhodes for the WWE Championship in a match that Rhodes completely carried.
The manner of victory was awful and rather underwhelming. Cena secured the win by delivering a low blow to Rhodes while the referee was incapacitated, followed by a strike with the championship belt before pinning him for the three-count.
This finish was anticlimactic, and if they were going to make Cena win his 17th world title in that way, making him the winningest champion in WWE history, Rhodes should’ve retained.
Cena’s method of victory undermined the significance of this historical moment, leaving a sour taste, despite the better in-ring action earlier in the night.
Logan Paul and AJ Styles, along with the triple threat match between Iyo Sky, Rhea Rhipley and Bianca Belair were so much better than the main event. Paul got the victory over Styles, and Sky retained, as I previously predicted.
Overall, “Wrestlemania 41” gets a 6.5/10 from me with the best match being the triple threat between Reigns, Punk and Rollins.
Do better next year, WWE.
