WrestleMania 41, just like in previous years, was split into two nights. WWE’s biggest names headlined each event with a card that featured fan favorites and storylines that have been developing for months.
But the similarities end there. Night 1’s main event, featuring top stars Roman Reigns, Seth Rollins, and CM Punk, was the best match on Saturday. But that wasn’t enough to save a lackluster series of matches, beginning with a disappointing opening bout featuring Heavyweight champion Gunther and Royal Rumble winner Jey Uso. Night 2 involved a stronger start with the women’s triple threat match, an A+-level contest between the top women wrestlers today, followed by an entertaining street fight and a fatal four-way match. And yet, Night 2 ended with a whimper of a main event that gambled on a Travis Scott twist to close out WrestleMania.
After almost eight hours of wrestling across two nights, we look at the best and the worst that this year’s WrestleMania had to offer.
The Best of WrestleMania 41
There were two triple-threat matches at this year’s WrestleMania. Each one featured the biggest and most compelling names of the men’s and women’s divisions, respectively.
Night 1’s main event had former champions Reigns, Rollins, and Punk competing not for a belt, but for bragging rights to see who is the best to lead the industry forward. Emotions were through the roof for this one as fans were heavily invested after being somewhere between tepid to cold throughout Night 1. The match featured call backs from over a decade ago, with an in-ring story that any casual fan could enjoy. The ending was a bona fide shocker that proves why wrestling is so intriguing, with Rollins winning not just the match but a new wiseman in Paul Heyman who just recently aligned with both Punk and Reigns, respectively. It’s the kind of match that promised and delivered on the hype it was built on.
As great as the men’s triple threat was on Saturday night, the women’s triple threat was arguably better, and maybe one of the best ever. An underestimated champion in Iyo Sky stood tall against rivals Rhea Ripley and Bianca Belair, becoming the first Japanese wrestler to win at WrestleMania in over 25 years. The match had everything you needed from a championship match — from dynamic spots, numerous near-falls, and a satisfying ending. As Sunday’s opening match, it set a high bar that perhaps was too high for any succeeding match to meet.
The Worst Matches and Twists
In the days leading up to WrestleMania 41, WWE’s Chief Content Officer, Paul “Triple H” Levesque seemingly took a jab at critics from out of nowhere. In an interview posted by WWE no less, Levesque said, “This will sound defensive. I wish I could tell people ‘fuck off’ being a critic. Be a fan. Go watch this and be a fan.”
Maybe he knew what was coming and became “defensive” ahead of schedule, but it doesn’t change the fact that both the World Heavyweight Championship match, as well as the Undisputed WWE Championship main event — the two biggest prizes the industry has to offer — didn’t meet fans’ and critics’ expectations. The end of the World Heavyweight Championship between Gunther and Jey Uso felt so abrupt that it left a sour taste for fans throughout the entire night. Gunther is known for great matches and making his opponents shine, but he couldn’t do the same for Uso, who now has two disappointing matches in back-to-back WrestleManias.
John Cena made history with a record-breaking 17th title to close out WrestleMania 41, yet everything about its end felt so anti-climactic. WWE is known for its wild twists, but having the final one be of the “FE!N” rapper appearing to distract champion Cody Rhodes just enough for Cena to win was found wanting.
Post-match, rumors have been spreading online about how The Rock didn’t want to be part of this year’s main event, so WWE had to shift gears at the last minute. Still, this lacked the drama and weight both Rhodes and Cena deserve. Perhaps it’s fitting that the two most disappointing championship matches chose to open and close WrestleMania 41, an event that made fans into its harshest critics yet.
