WrestleMania 41 is in the books and I am...underwhelmed. So let's react to what we saw this weekend and try to speculate on what's next! (Photo credits: USA Today, WrestleNews.)
I was going to make this a bonus episode of the podcast, but I don't think I'll have time for that today. So I'll get back to my roots and write about it instead. There was some really good action and some really not-so-good action. So let's take a dive and cover as much as we can.
WrestleMania Saturday: April 19, 2025
World Heavyweight Championship: Jey Uso defeats GUNHER via submission
Let me start by saying one thing: I have zero issue with Jey Uso winning the championship. He is over with the crowd, and this championship isn't the "main" one so it's fine if a so-so wrestler holds it. That said? This match was kind of a dud, and I hated the finish.
When someone wins a World Title for the first time, it should be with the move that got them there. Jey Uso won with a mediocre sleeper hold that GUNTHER tapped out to in mere moments. I cannot recall Jey Uso ever winning by submission, so this was so silly to me. Also: there are certain people who just shouldn't tap out in matches. GUNTHER was one of those guys for me. If he had passed out instead, it would have been fine. But losing - almost immediately - to a poorly applied hold by a guy who doesn't win by submission? I did not like that one bit.
I have to think that GUNTHER is switching shows here, because there isn't much more he can do on RAW. If Cena has really taken the WWE Title and gone home, GUNTHER would be a good pick to be the brand's champion after winning a tournament of some kind.
World Tag Team Championship: The New Day defeat The War Raiders
This match was made maybe a week and a half before the show. I don't have a problem with The New Day winning at all, and I actually like that they cheated a bit. But the Smackdown Tag Team Titles have had much more going on and should have gotten this spot. The crowd did not care about this match at all and I do not blame them. There was no heat here and it showed. A complete dud. This did not need to be on the card.
Jade Cargill defeats Naomi
I said on the show that I was into this story. This version of Naomi is super interesting, and I was hoping some time away would help Jade improve a bit. I won't say this match was awful, but it was not great. It just seemed like these two lost their rhythm early on and never really found it. I think Jade winning was the right call, though. But I do hope that we get more heel Naomi, because she has shown that she can do a lot when given an actual character to play. (Getting Jim Cantore for Jade's entrance was a great touch, though!)
United States Championship: Jacob Fatu defeats LA Knight
What did I say? This is the start of the Jacob Fatu rise to stardom. This match was so good and I think it shows that both of these guys are legit. I don't think LA Knight looked bad in this loss, which bodes well for his future. Put him in my theoretical World Title tournament and have him make the final. And Jacob Fatu? This guy has "it." I hope he gets a really good run as champion to build his stock. I got a text from my buddy, Phil, last night that read: "Bron Steiner vs Jacob Fatu for one of the World Titles at WrestleMania 43 is a license to print money." Book that, H.
El Grande Americano defeats Rey Fenix
I do enjoy this El Grande Americano gimmick quite a bit. It is completely ridiculous and you do need that on your wrestling shows every so often. And if the plan was for him to face Rey Mysterio and be unmasked after losing? Totally fine with this making the show. But I think this could have been bumped or replaced with a run-in since Rey was unavailable. Randy Orton surprising the luchador with an RKO would have been funny, since Randy's initial match got pulled. Give the extra few minutes to LA Knight and Jacob Fatu.
WWE Women's Championship: Tiffany Stratton defeats Charlotte Flair
This story was interesting, but I think the promo battles got a bit messy over the last few weeks. That didn't dull my interest in the match, but Charlotte Flair being involved had already done that. I think Tiffany is a star, for the record, and have thought that since she really impressed at Elimination Chamber a year ago. I have not been interested in a Charlotte Flair match or segment in a decade, and this match solidified why.
It was a clunky mess that seemed to go on forever. People claim that Charlotte is one of the best in-ring workers going, but I have not seen that version of her in a very long time. And that certainly wasn't on display on Saturday. I am legitimately and pleasantly surprised that Tiffany won. My feelings on Charlotte aside, beating her at WrestleMania is a big deal. IT'S TIFFY TIME!
Triple Threat Match: Seth Rollins defeats CM Punk and Roman Reigns
WrestleMania Sunday: April 20, 2025
Women's World Championship: Iyo Sky defeats Bianca Belair and Rhea Ripley
I was worried that this theme of Iyo Sky being the third wheel would continue through the match, but I am happy to say that it did not. This was my favorite match on Sunday, and maybe of the entire weekend. These women opened to a hot crowd and they delivered on the expectations. I love that Iyo retained her title, and that Bianca embraced getting booed. I feel bad that I don't have specific praise for Rhea, but she is a true star and shines each time she's out there. It was more of the same last night. This title scene going in a new direction should be a ton of fun this Spring.
Sin City Street Fight: Drew McIntyre defeats Damian Priest
I knew this would just be a fun brawl that was right up my alley, and I was correct. The story seemed a bit forced (they have not "been feuding since last WrestleMania"), but these guys made the match work. Drew winning was the right call, and I hope this means he gets back to the World Title scene soon. And please, WWE: Do not send Priest back to feud or team with Judgement Day. He deserves better at this point.
Intercontinental Title: Dom Mysterio defeats Bron Breakker, PENTA, and Finn Balor
I can't believe the crowd was so into Dom winning. Shit, I can't believe I was into Dom winning. Matt and I have made fun of his dumb prison gimmick and thrown a big "meh" on him for a while. But he may have won me over last night. This had sneaky potential to be the match of the weekend, and it almost was. Even though the match was relatively short, everyone got a good showing. Bron is a star. PENTA is going to be (in WWE terms - I feel he came in pretty high). Dom and Finn feuding over the title could be fun, even if I'm tired of Judgement Day. Let's hear it for some excitement in the RAW midcard!
Open Challenge: Randy Orton defeats Joe Hendry
I feel so bad for Kevin Owens, who had to miss WrestleMania due to a neck injury. His match with Orton would have been great. Randy still making the card is good, as he's a star and deserves to be here. I read a lot of complaints about Joe Hendry and his TNA Championship looking weak, and this being "bad business" for TNA. I disagree. Would it have been more fun if the match was competitive? Sure. But the TNA World Champion had a match at WrestleMania against one of the top WWE stars ever. If getting your company featured on the biggest pro wrestling stage is bad business, I don't want to know what you think is good business.
Logan Paul defeats AJ Styles
Logan Paul is an incredible athlete. He is also a terrible person and I cannot bring myself to root for him on any level. AJ Styles is one of the best to lace up the boots, in my opinion (he also thinks the Earth is flat so...). This match was...fine? AJ deserved to be on the card, but I don't know that using one of his last matches on Logan Paul was the move - mainly because I don't want to see Logan Paul on my screen. The ending with Karrion Kross getting involved, continuing this weird thing with AJ, did nothing for me. I don't have a ton of interest in Kross and this did not help. I hope AJ can move on from him quickly and get to something enjoyable. I hope Logan Paul disappears for a while.
Tag Team Titles: Lyra Valkyria/Becky Lynch defeat Liv Morgan/Raquel Rodriguez
The Women's Tag Team Titles do not interest me in the slightest. It was nice to see Becky Lynch back on TV, and Liv Morgan certainly deserved to be on the card. But if the rumor of Bayley getting bumped (instead of being actually hurt) are true, that is not great. Bayley works hard and also deserves the spotlight. I don't know much about Lyra and I Raquel is just "there" to me. Next song!
WWE Championship: John Cena defeats Cody Rhodes
Much like the World Heavyweight Championship match, I have no issue with this result. I do, however, have many issues with how it was executed. Cena wrestling a slow-paced match makes sense for his current character. He said on RAW a few weeks ago that he was going to "ruin wrestling" for everyone. Slogging through a 20-minute match is a good way to do that. Some people online are saying Cena has lost a step, but I think he's earned the benefit of the doubt here, so I will give it to him.
But the way this went down was pretty bad. Cody's whole arc for two years has been that he can withstand a ton of punishment. At WrestleMania 39, he dealt with many members of The Bloodline before he was finally defeated. At WrestleMania 40, he again dealt with The Bloodline, but he was able to finish his story and win the title. It was a great moment. So you mean to tell me that a kick to the grundle and a whack with the title can put him down for the count? I know it's wrestling, but that doesn't add up for me. It made Cody look awful.
(Also I don't really know or care who Travis Scott is. His appearance did nothing for me, and him getting a full entrance and slowly making his way to the ring was so stupid.)
And here is my big[ger] complaint: Where was The Rock? This entire story began with him instructing Cena to turn on Cody at Elimination Chamber. He is the head of the board, so it literally was his call to make this happen. So why, in terms of the story, would he not be there? If you're pulling the strings, why wouldn't you show up to make sure your guy won? Not to say a guy like Cena needs the help, but The Rock was the starting point for this. He should have been there to see it through. The result was fine, but the execution here was just terrible. Apparently Triple H defended it afterward saying they needed to have something big for the RAW After Mania, but I don't buy that. People won't want to watch the follow-up if the main part was bad. And this main part was bad.
Overall Thoughts
I thought this was a decent WrestleMania, but it could have been much better. And that is not a feeling I should have after WrestleMania. If I had to grade it, I think I'd go C+, maybe B-. The good was really good, but some of the bad was quite bad. And I should never think "that didn't need to be on the card" at WrestleMania, especially when there are two shows, and I had that thought more than once.
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Oh! Before I go, let's talk briefly about the ads. I understand that the company wants to make money and they will do that in a number of ways. But these ad tie-ins were horrendous. It is bad enough that the mats are now covered with ads for every show, but now every match has a sponsor. Hearing the commentators try to be funny after reading copy was so bad. I hate this part of TV. The uptick in advertisements makes me think that the company isn't making as much money as we think, and it for sure has an effect on the product. If you can tune it out, good for you. But it is so over-the-top anymore that it is much more noticeable and I do not care for it.
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Anywhose, that's that for today! I enjoyed what I enjoyed on the show, but I didn't enjoy everything on the show. Let me know what I missed or where I went wrong here. Did you enjoy what I didn't? Let's talk about it. There will be a new episode of the show this Saturday, so come on back for that.
Until then, don't do anything I wouldn't do!
Crap open a cold one!
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