Wrestlemania 41 Discussion Thread

[Supremo]

Night Two was miles better than Night One. Until the main event, it was a show full of great wrestlers massively over-delivering on the wank booking that got them there.

Stephanie can fuck off. For someone who left WWE when her Dad resigned in disgrace, we see an awful lot of her recently. Combined with them all revealing their terrible opinions and characters during the recent press. It’s enough to think everyone has suddenly been emboldened by Trump coming into power. I am no longer confident that we won’t see Brock Lesnar or Vince McMahon on WWE television again. Hunter’s probably already sending Brock piss videos to entice him back.

Both the Women’s Triple Threat and the Intercontinental Four Way were fantastic fun. I suspect those in the company will take this as some type of victory, but the matches delivering on the night doesn’t change anything. It was still a rubbish card filled with compromises and lazy match making, with builds ranging from shit, extremely shit, to some of the worst shit of all time.

Bianca proving why she’s so fucking great, playing to the booing. She looks like she might have a great heel act in her. Shame the terrible writing has almost forced it out of her, but it could be worse. Could be Charlotte and just give up mid-promo.

Absolutely buzzing for Dirty Dom carrying on Eddie’s legacy as Intercontinental Champion. He’s been such a brilliant little shit for so long. Amazing watching him get his flowers here. I can’t decide whether him running back to the ring was him improvising in the moment, or him forgetting his mark, but I love him either way. I’ll never get over how well he’s done for himself. All in the genes. Latino Heat.

This is art.

Actually, that reminds me. Even by Wrestlemania standards, where half the entrance outfits look stupid and cheap, I can’t for the life of me understand why Finn came out dressed like Bananas in Pyjamas. Bizarre.

Drew McIntyre delivers again. Great match. Look at this brilliant man. I don’t know how they haven’t realised yet. There’s a huge babyface turn here for the taking.

Becky Lynch remains the smartest worker in the locker room. Completely avoids the entire build up, leaves everyone else to be booked to look like an idiot, then rocks up on the night for the Wrestlemania Pay Day. It’s all about the game and how you play it.

In the moment, I enjoyed Joe Hendry vs. Randy Orton. Similar to The Rumble, I just smiled at how well Joe has done for himself. Good for him. It’s very WWE in April 2025 though. Still clinging on to something that was viral nearly a year ago. The finish was fun, but I hated the extra RKO at the end. That stuff always feels unnecessarily shitty and nasty. Did it really add anything? If anything, it would have been better had Randy just done the spin with Joe, rather than this tired old trope of everyone always needing to get the last word and be even more of a dickhead than you thought. Again, this stunk of mid-2010 WWE. Everyone’s either a complete loser or an absolute prick. That’s the binary choice. Nobody can just be nice.

Does this mean Randy gets a TNA Title shot? Of course it doesn’t. Call me Negative Nigel, but I think these partnerships and buyouts of TNA and AAA might only benefit WWE in the long run and ultimately negatively affect the industry as a whole.

Logan Paul vs. AJ Styles continuing the trend of all AJ Styles Wrestlemania matches just being okay. Very fitting that Karrion Kross got the loudest reaction in the match. A real star.

Stone Cold vs. The Front Row was wild. Wonder if he can get that woman on his podcast. “I crash into you on live pay per view, you take the big dive, great bump, great bump, but then I’m thinking, are you workin’ or shootin’?”

Turns out front row at Mania was something mad like fifty thousand dollars for the two nights. If I’m paying fifty thousand dollars and Stone Cold crashes into me? You best believe I’m hitting the deck! Cha-ching!

I’ve mostly covered Cena vs. Cody, so instead I’ll laugh at them releasing this trailer on the same day they made Cody look like such a loser. Wanking themselves silly about being creative geniuses whilst simultaneously fumbling everything like Kevin dropping the chilli in The Office.

Incredible. He’s such a wanker. “This is a calculated, co-ordinated production…but don’t you dare invest, engage or discuss it on any level beyond being a mindless fan that tells me how great I am.” 

Quite the diverse and inclusive writing team you’ve got there, Hunter. Can’t imagine how that might have a negative effect on your product as a whole.

[Arch Stanton]

The haters said the shows wouldn't be as good as the @Supremo previews. And they were correct. Honestly great call from the haters.

[IronSheik]

The last three Manias have been fantastic and highly praised, but this one just didn't hit the mark (apart from Steve Austin literally hitting a mark). 

[Mr_Danger]

Poor Cody. Imagine having that long story of him trying to become the guy interwoven in to the Bloodline Saga to sink your teeth in to for a couple of years then capping off your year on top with that shite. I don’t care how many instagram followers he has, how many sell out tours he’s done, how many Kardashians he’s boned, Travis Scott is absolutely awful. Terribly unathletic, doesn’t get it and as far as super huge mega stars go he’s lacking anything in star power in a WWE ring. Stick to YouTubers Trips.

There was some good stuff on the card but all but a few matches wouldn’t look out of place as a tv main event. One thing that should have been a certainty was the match side of the Cody vs Cena stuff but they somehow shit the bed. As if that’s Cena’s last go at a Mania, is it fuck.

[The King of Old School]

Does surprise me that folk are saying that Cody/Cena is the worst Mania main event ever (not necessarily on here but other bits I have read online too).

Main events at Mania's 2, 7, 8, 9, 10, 12, 13, 18, 25, 27, 29, 32, 33, 34, 35 & 36 are all way below Cody/Cena for me.

The Travis Scott involvement wasn't needed at all, but apart from that I thought the match was going just fine and the crowd were into it. 

[garynysmon]

1 hour ago, The King of Old School said:

Main events at Mania's 2, 7, 8, 9, 10, 12, 13, 18, 25, 27, 29, 32, 33, 34, 35 & 36 are all way below Cody/Cena for me.

I’m not sure you can really compare expectations for the in-ring product now to anything pre, what, 2015 or so?

Rightly or wrongly even the WWE’s much broader audience has an expectation in regards to workrate that hardly anyone cared about in the 90s or naughties.

Some of them had major drama and I love them to death, often receiving critical acclaim at the time.

But the modern day and certainly younger fan would shit on most of them in terms of technical emphasis/ability.

…….

Wrestlemania 2 was shite though, you’re right.

[Supremo]

The Rock’s explanation for why he couldn’t be arsed turning up is amazing. I’d expect nothing less. Nutter.

"When we got to the Elimination Chamber, we were kicking ideas around, and Triple H said 'what about John turning'. I love it, the next thing is you've got to speak to John and see if he loves it.

"John loved this idea of turning but there's this anchor here that I want to root it in, that's a real thing I've been experiencing the past 25 years.

"I knew then, the best thing for the Final Boss is we've established this thing with Cody's soul, I don't want to be involved in that, let the Final Boss step back into the shadows, let all the spotlight go to John and Cody, not make it about Cody's soul or John's soul, let them do what they do.

"I called John and Cody after the Elimination Chamber, and I said I think the Final Boss' work is done. We just pulled off the greatest angle in wrestling history. I'm always here if you need me, but it's best for the Final Boss to not be involved in that finish."

[d-d-d-dAz]

27 minutes ago, Supremo said:

The Rock’s explanation for why he couldn’t be arsed turning up is amazing. I’d expect nothing less. Nutter.

"When we got to the Elimination Chamber, we were kicking ideas around, and Triple H said 'what about John turning'. I love it, the next thing is you've got to speak to John and see if he loves it.

"John loved this idea of turning but there's this anchor here that I want to root it in, that's a real thing I've been experiencing the past 25 years.

"I knew then, the best thing for the Final Boss is we've established this thing with Cody's soul, I don't want to be involved in that, let the Final Boss step back into the shadows, let all the spotlight go to John and Cody, not make it about Cody's soul or John's soul, let them do what they do.

"I called John and Cody after the Elimination Chamber, and I said I think the Final Boss' work is done. We just pulled off the greatest angle in wrestling history. I'm always here if you need me, but it's best for the Final Boss to not be involved in that finish."

He also said that he was told he had to be at Elimination Chamber because Ari Emanuel was worried there was 'nothing must see' on the card.

It sounds like they're not going to explain how Cena was activated by Rock in that moment. Probably for the best.

[digforvictory]

I'll be honest and say for all his faults I got a lot of enjoyment out of watching The Rock subtly and not so subtly bury Triple H for 30 minutes.

You know the fact that The Rock being higher up the food chain must absolutely infuriate HHH, maybe it's all an elaborate work but it does feel like a sort of power struggle behind the scenes.  Wouldn't shock me if Rock has been wanting  to kick Triple H out from the moment he was named on the board.

[d-d-d-dAz]

12 minutes ago, digforvictory said:

I'll be honest and say for all his faults I got a lot of enjoyment out of watching The Rock subtly and not so subtly bury Triple H for 30 minutes.

You know the fact that The Rock being higher up the food chain must absolutely infuriate HHH, maybe it's all an elaborate work but it does feel like a sort of power struggle behind the scenes.  Wouldn't shock me if Rock has been wanting  to kick Triple H out from the moment he was named on the board.

I don't want to give him credit, but when he said Travis Scott's involvement was a mistake I really laughed.

On Triple H's big week as well. 

Edited April 22, 2025 by d-d-d-dAz

[wandshogun09]

Rock vs Triple H has got to be the longest running rivalry in company history at this point. From the European title change in early 97 to the boardroom 28 years later. Part of me thinks, the Ironman match was 25 years ago, let it go lads. But there’s something piss funny about them still being a thorn in each other’s side all these years later. Just now in an office setting instead of a locker room. 

[Supremo]

Everything does make more sense, now.

If I thought Brian Gerwirtz was stealing my job by the end of the year, I’d probably throw a wobbler during the press tour, too.

[Callum1993]

I thought it was interesting that Hunter didn’t mention Rock during his Hall of Fame speech either despite him being arguably his biggest on screen(and by the sounds of it off screen too). 

[LaGoosh]

1 hour ago, Supremo said:

If I thought Brian Gerwirtz was stealing my job by the end of the year

This would be the funniest thing I can possibly imagine. I would like this to happen very much, please.

[AndyUK]

Least Rock has stopped talking about being a long gamer and all of his appearances being part of a grand plan this time anyway.

It's almost like there's an ever so slight chance that he might have been full of shit?

Edited April 22, 2025 by AndyUK