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WrestleMania 41 will be spread across two nights on April 19 and April 20, 2025. It will emanate from Las Vegas, Nev. at Allegiant Stadium.
Night 2
Cody Rhodes (c) vs. John Cena, Undisputed WWE Championship match
Story in a nutshell: John Cena turned heel and for his final WrestleMania, he intends to win the Undisputed WWE Championship from Cody Rhodes who Cena does not respect as champion material.
John Cena announced his retirement and that this would be his final WrestleMania. After failing to win the Royal Rumble, Cena won the Elimination Chamber match for the right to challenge Cody Rhodes for the Undisputed WWE Championship. Meanwhile, Cody was being tempted by the Rock to become “his” champion. Rock expected Cody’s answer at Elimination Chamber. At the end of the show, Rock and Cody had their face to face. Cena came out seemingly to support Cody. When Cody turned down the Rock, Cena attacked Cody.
Cena went on to explain that he was over trying to gain the fans’ affections, essentially calling them marks. When he finally went face to face with Cody, Cena accused Cody of basically being a try-hard, and thus, not championship material. Cena said that the reason he “buried” other talent is because none of them could measure up to him, the last champion capable of carrying the company. Cody fired back basically saying that Cena led a downturn in business leading fans to seek other alternatives to the WWE (hinted at AEW). Cena threatened that when he wins the belt, he’d retire it ending the WWE’s legacy.
Prediction and analysis: I’d like to see Cena win thanks to nefarious reasons, with Cody then having to chase Cena to get the title back. There is also the specter of the Rock to consider, will the Rock be getting involved? As much as I would like to make sense of what Cena’s relationship to the Rock entail, unfortunately the WWE hasn’t given us much on that front. The safe bet is Cody wins but personally, I am hoping for more.
Iyo Sky (c) vs. Bianca Belair vs. Rhea Ripley – Women’s World Championship Triple Threat match
Story in a nutshell: Bianca Belair won the Elimination Chamber match for the right to challenge for the Women’s World Championship, then in Rhea Ripley’s hands until Iyo Sky won it from her setting up Sky versus Belair, but Ripley forced her way into the match.
Then WWE Women’s Champion, Rhea Ripley, ruined Iyo Sky’s qualifier match for the Elimination Chamber when she attacked Sky’s opponent leading to Sky being disqualified. Bianca Belair went on to win the Chamber match, becoming the contender for the belt at WrestleMania. Feeling bad for cost Sky her opportunity to qualify for the Chamber, Ripley granted Sky a title shot. Belair was present for the match to “scout” who she would be challenging at WrestleMania. Ripley became distracted when she accused Belair of routing for her opponent and Sky got the surprise win, becoming the new Women’s World Champion.
Iyo Sky and Bianca Belair were then set to sign the contract when Belair interfered and signed the contract herself. While signing the contract didn’t count, Ripley was granted a rematch with (bafflingly) Belair as guest referee. Needless to say, the match went off the rails and it ended in a double disqualification. Thus, the triple threat was born.
Prediction and analysis: The main drama of this feud is between Belair and Ripley with Iyo as an obvious third wheel as part of the story. Belair and Ripley have been unlikable, so much so that the crowd have turned on Belair. After being “big sistered” by both of her opponents, there is no way Iyo loses right?
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Bron Breaker (c) vs. Penta vs. Finn Balor vs. Dominick Mysterio – WWE Intercontinental Fatal Four-way match
Story in a nutshell: After a series of challenges to Bron Breaker’s WWE Intercontinental Championship were called off because interference from multiple parties, all said parties now get a shot at the title.
Early after Penta joined the WWE, he already had his eyes set on the Bron Breaker’s intercontinental Championship. With his feud with Damian Priest behind him, Judgement Day’s Finn Balor was also interested in gold. Meanwhile, Dominick suggested adding new blood to the Judgment Day and made overtures to Penta which were rebuffed. Balor got upset that Dominick tried to recruit Balor’s rival for the Intercontinental Title. After a series of matches where the various people involved interfered in each other’s matches, Penta and Balor were granted a match against Breaker at WrestleMania. Liv Morgan, tired of Finn Balor’s attitude, convince Dominick to throw his name into the match turning into a fatal four-way.
Prediction and analysis: This is a good opportunity to take the belt off of Breaker without pinning him for it if you are planning on moving him up the card. I say give it to Dom. He’s been great in everything he’s been asked to do, and I’d like to see that change in dynamic between Balor and Dom.
Damian Priest vs. Drew McIntyre – Sin City Street Fight match
Story in a nutshell: Drew McIntyre is upset at the year he’s had and decided to take it out on Damian Priest.
At WrestleMania XL, Drew McIntyre defeated Seth Rollins to win the World Heavyweight Championship. He taunted CM Punk who attacked McIntyre, laying him out. This gave Damian Priest the opening to cash in the Money in the Bank contract that was in his possession. They feuded until Clash at the Castle: Scotland where Priest defeated McIntyre. McIntyre then tried cashing in the Money in the Bank on Priest but failed. Then Priest eliminated McIntyre from the Royal Rumble and again at Elimination Chamber. McIntyre the decided that he needed to end Priest and it been on sight for the two since.
Prediction and analysis: Funnily enough, a lot of Priest’s successes against McIntyre have been due to McIntyre’s obsessive feud with CM Punk. It’d be great for Priest to get on over on McIntyre AGAIN, but I’m expecting (hoping, praying) McIntyre moves on to bigger things.
A.J. Styles vs. Logan Paul
Story in a nutshell: A.J. Styles wants to beat up Logan Paul.
Logan Paul eliminated AJ Styles from the Royal Rumble. The two had several run ins where Logan Paul paid Styles some disrespectful backhanded compliments. Styles challenged Paul to a match, but Paul said he doesn’t fight for free but would grant Styles the “honor” of facing Paul at WrestleMania. During all of this, Karrion Kross was egging Styles on, while trying to get Styles more aggressive for his match against Paul. This led to a match between Kross and Styles where Kross faked a leg injury. Style fell for the ploy but fought back more aggressively. Satisfied that his work was done, Kross opened himself up to the Phenomenal Forearm to take the loss.
Prediction and analysis: I’ll go with Styles on this one, expecting that he did “learn” his lesson from Kross.
Randy Orton vs. Whomever Shows Up
Story in a nutshell: Originally supposed to wrestle Kevin Owens, Owens’s unfortunate need for surgery left Randy Orton without an opponent for WrestleMania so Randy set an open challenge.
That’s about it.
Prediction and analysis: Randy will most likely win unless they use this as an opportunity to introduce someone big. But, since Randy will likely win, I expect it to be someone already active. Some names to throw out, Sami Zayn, who would’ve probably been involved in the original match, Andrade, Austin Theory, Aleister Black, Rusev, Olmos, or someone from NXT. My dream opponent for him would be Joe Hendry.
Liv Morgan & Raquel Rodriguez (c) vs. Bayley & Lyra Valkyria, WWE Women’s Tag Team Championship match
Story in a nutshell: Liv has been a workhorse and deserves a spot on the WrestleMania card, Bayley’s a veteran, and Lyra Valkyria is an up and comer.
Bayley and Lyra Valkyria teamed up and won a gauntlet match for the right to face Liv Morgan and Raquel Rodriguez for their WWE Women’s Tag Team Championship. As a note, before they teamed up, Bayley challenged Lyra for her title and lost. After the match, a visibly frustrated Bayley refused to shake Lyra’s hand, but Bayley thought better of it and returned for a hug.
Prediction and analysis: Liv and Raquel retain.
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