WrestleMania 41 delivered a weekend of jaw-dropping betrayals, surprise returns, and record-breaking moments! The 41st annual WrestleMania took place as a two-night event on Saturday, April 19th and Sunday, April 20th, marking the biggest spectacle of the year for WWE. Held in the city that never sleeps at the state-of-the-art Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, this year’s event was everything fans could hope for.
As the most iconic wrestlers in WWE went head-to-head, whether it was rising stars fighting for their place or the biggest legends to ever grace the ring, the very first WrestleMania to live stream on Netflix is sure to go down in history! The electrifying weekend event not only marked the 41st year of WrestleMania, but it was also the first WrestleMania to feature a shocking return from CM Punk since his final debut at WrestleMania 29 in 2013. WWE pulled out all the stops this time around, also featuring the beloved John Cena’s final WrestleMania match due to his heartbreaking retirement from professional wrestling at the end of the year.
The crowd at Allegiant Stadium was on their feet cheering after every twist and turn, creating electric energy that lasted all weekend long. Keep reading for highlights from this year’s WrestleMania and the moments that fans won’t stop talking about anytime soon!
WrestleMania saw John Cena steal the Undisputed WWE Championship from Cody Rhodes with help from Travis Scott. In the main event, John Cena pulled off a shocking win to become the most decorated champion in WWE history. After surviving multiple ‘Cross Rhodes’ and a top-rope AA, Cena took advantage of a distraction by rapper Travis Scott. When the ref was down, Cena low-blowed Rhodes and smashed him with the title belt to win, becoming a 17-time world champion. Not only did Cena break the record, but he also broke the hearts of Cody Rhodes fans everywhere.
Another shocking surprise of the night was when Becky Lynch returned to join Lyra Valkyria in dethroning Liv Morgan and Raquel Rodriguez. Despite the undeniable chemistry between Morgan and Rodriguez throughout the match, their efforts could not stop Lynch from hitting the Man-handle Slam on Morgan to secure the victory for Women’s Tag Titles and give Valkyria double gold!
Just when we thought the electrifying event couldn’t get any more exciting, we witnessed a match between fan-favourite Logan Paul and AJ Styles. It was an entertaining match from beginning to end, with non-stop reversals and stolen finishers. Some foul play took place with Paul using his drone to mock Styles and Karrion Koss running in to offer Styles brass knuckles, which he respectfully declined. Fans are calling the outcome of the match somewhat controversial, as Paul responded to Styles' classy act with his ‘One Lucky Punch,’ followed by the ‘Paulverizer’ to steal the win.
Another highlight from the weekend of glory is when Dominik Mysterio emerged victorious in a Fatal 4-Way match against Bron Breakker, Finn Bálor, and Penta to claim the Intercontinental Championship. Bron Breakker tried to hold off three challengers but, in the end, he was outnumbered. It was complete and utter chaos with Penta flying and Breakker spearing Carlito off a table. It was when Dominik pinned his own partner, Bálor, to secure his win that fans went wild. Could this be hinting at a possible character shift for Dirty Dom?
One of the most memorable matches was when Drew McIntyre survived Sin City Street Fight Against Damian Priest in a gut-wrenching match for the ages. Fans who witnessed it first-hand are saying this was so much more than just a match. When Drew and Priest battled it out with chairs, tables, and steel steps in their arsenal, it was complete destruction. Priest hit a Razor’s Edge through the announce table, but Drew kept coming back. He finally hit a ‘Claymore’ with a chair wedged behind Priest’s head, ending a brutal battle and walking away with the win.
Arguably, the most breathtaking match of the weekend was the Triple Threat Match with Women’s World Champion IYO SKY versus Rhea Ripley and Bianca Belair. The 3 superstars gave it their all with Bianca hitting a 450 splash, Ripley countering the K.O.D., and IYO SKY taking some insane bumps. In the end, SKY flew with a moonsault out of nowhere and pinned Belair to successfully defend her title. The match is already being praised as one that will go down in WWE history, showcasing the remarkable talent of the women’s division.
The main event many of us were eagerly waiting for was the Triple Threat match with Seth Rollins, CM Punk & Roman Reigns. Roman Reigns entered with his iconic intimidating demeanor on full display, taking shots at Punk and Rollins. After a destructive battle including Spears, Stomps, a Doomsday Device, and many near-falls, the match took a shocking turn when Paul Heyman betrayed Punk and Reigns, only for Punk to betray Haymen and Reigns. In the end, Rollins took advantage of the confusion, hitting Reigns with a chair, and hit a final Stomp to close out the show with a massive win.
The WWE Women’s Championship match between Charlotte Flair and Tiffany Stratton was nothing short of intense. The start of the match was technical on both sides, but when things started to heat up, it turned downright personal. Stratton smartly targeted Charlotte’s surgically repaired knee, and Flair returned the favor. After counters, submissions, and a top-rope Natural Selection from Flair, Tiffany still kicked out, hitting the ‘Prettiest Moonsault Ever’ to retain her title proving that it is in fact still ‘Tiffy Time’!
We can’t forget about the spectacle that was the United States Championship match where Jacob Fatu destroyed LA Knight. Fatu was a force to be reckoned with, launching Knight across the ring and setting the stage for the majority of the match. Knight had a moment of hope after countering a moonsault into a BFT, but Fatu kicked out, performing two perfect moonsaults, pinning Knight and securing his title as the new United States Champion!
Another highlight of the night included fans witnessing chaos during the match between Jade Cargill and Naomi. When Cargill walked into WrestleMania on the weekend promising fans a storm, she certainly brought one. The former friends turned enemies started off strong. Naomi delivered a split-legged moonsault and kicks that had Cargill stumbling. But Cargill caught Naomi mid-air, hit a suplex, and then ended things with a monster powerbomb followed by her ‘Jaded’ finisher proving that she’s not here to play games.
Fans expected nothing less than a brutal war for the match between The New Day versus The War Raiders. The War Raiders started off strong, using their size and strength to dominate Woods. But Kofi and Xavier fought smarter, isolating Erik and working together to hit a nasty Double Stomp combo for the win. Despite all of the odds being stacked against them at reclaiming their World Tag Team Champions title, The New Day proved everyone wrong again with another successful moment in their already legendary career.
Finally, the most unexpected outcome of the weekend-long event was the World Heavyweight Championship match between Jey Uso and Gunther. From the start, Jey didn’t back down, catching the typically dominant Gunther off guard again and again. Something fans never thought would ever happen finally happened at the end. Even after a vicious belt shot and a splash, Jey was relentless in his counter attacks, landing a powerbomb, a spear, 3 Uso Splashes, and finally locked in a sleeper that left Gunther no choice but to tap out. The crowd went wild as Jey celebrated with his brother Jimmy following his emotional victory.
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