Author: Andrew Ravens

John Bradshaw Layfield (JBL) has offered his perspective on the upcoming WrestleMania 41 match between Rey Mysterio and the enigmatic El Grande Americano, widely speculated to be Chad Gable under a mask.

Speaking on the Something to Wrestle podcast, JBL suggested that Mysterio, a veteran competing in his 13th WrestleMania, might need to lose to the newcomer to further the storyline.

\”I think El Grande Americano beats Rey Mysterio. I think Rey Mysterio is the greatest luchador of all time and without a doubt, I think he is and one of the greatest wrestlers of all time. But I think because he is, he can afford to be beat. I think probably that\’s why they\’re going to have to slip on a banana peel, as they say, and El Grande Americano, I tell you what, man, there\’s some legs to this if they want to really go with it. I think this could be a lot of fun, and I think Rey could be a big part of it. I think he probably will, but if you beat El Grande Americano here, it might kill it. So to me, I think you have to put El Grande Americano over.\”

JBL has a personal experience losing to Mysterio at WrestleMania. In his final match, Mysterio defeated Bradshaw for the WWE Intercontinental Championship at WrestleMania 25.

Much has been said about Roman Reigns’ WWE status in the lead-up to his WrestleMania 41 showdown when he meets Seth Rollins and CM Punk on Saturday night.

The two stars have taken aim at Reigns, working part-time while they’re working on house shows and television. The Tribal Chief had enough of it on Tuesday night and posted a video where he fired back on social media.

“It’s funny because a lot of people call me a part-timer, a lot of people got a lot of things to say about my schedule. I’m no part-timer. I’m a full-time cash cow — This business lives off me.”

After beating Brock Lesnar at WrestleMania 38 to unify the WWE Title and Universal Title, Reigns signed a new deal that greatly reduced the number of matches and dates he works each other.

After being eliminated by Damian Priest in the 2025 Men\’s Royal Rumble, Drew McIntyre was reportedly upset and cursing about someone \”having to get their moves in,\” with frustration directed towards LA Knight. 

Knight stated on the February 7th episode of WWE SmackDown that he \”had to get his stuff in.\” This was a reference to the reported issue. 

While speaking on Gorilla Position, Knight addressed the reported heat between the because of the situation. 

\”He had to leave because the show was over. At some point, everybody has to go home. He stormed out? I didn\’t even know. No idea. I got to the back, I got the monitor, I saw the rest of the deal. He was already back there before I was. His ass got tossed already. I didn\’t know anything about it. I didn\’t know anything about it until I was sitting at home Sunday night and somebody sent me an article. I was like, \’Ah, that\’s interesting\”

When asked how such situations are handled, Knight replied, \”I can\’t tell you the inner workings here, but there were some conversations had, I will tell you that.\”

Knight is slated to defend the United States Title against Jacob Fatu at WrestleMania 41.

At WWE WrestleMania 41, the main event of night one will feature a triple threat match between Seth Rollins, CM Punk, and Roman Reigns. In a recent build-up video posted by WWE on YouTube, Reigns asserted his negative feelings towards his opponents. 

The Tribal Chief didn’t hold back on his feelings regarding both stars. He stated, \”They\’re both pieces of shit. There ain\’t no f***ing question this place is better when I\’m in charge.\”

Interestingly, Rollins and CM Punk had a singles match on the January 6, 2014, edition of Raw, which Rollins won. This remains their only official one-on-one encounter in WWE. 

They were originally scheduled to compete for the World Heavyweight Title at WrestleMania XL before Punk sustained an injury at the 2024 Royal Rumble event.

Adding another layer to the narrative, Reigns also took to social media on Monday to reflect on his position within WWE, stating how he should have maintained a tighter grip on the company\’s control around the same time last year.

Karrion Kross and Scarlett made their presence felt on the April 14th episode of WWE Raw by bringing back his ominous \”Fall and Pray\” entrance theme. While Kross\’s entrance wasn\’t aired during the live broadcast, WWE\’s social media platforms shared the visual spectacle online. He battled AJ Styles in a singles match on the show.

This theme holds significance as it was the one Kross used during his initial impactful debut in NXT in 2020 before he transitioned to \”The End Is Near\” as part of the Final Testament faction. 

Commentary from Michael Cole shed light on the change, stating that Kross specifically requested the return of his \”Dead Silent\” theme. This decision was driven by Kross\’s desire to recapture the essence of his earlier and more dominant persona, aiming to \”reestablish himself as the killer he once was.\” 

This singles match on Raw was Kross\’s first since July 2024, signaling a potential shift in his character and direction within WWE, perhaps marking the start of a relaunch. Kross does not have a match lined up for WrestleMania 41, while Styles is scheduled to meet Logan Paul in a singles match.

WWE will present the WrestleMania 41 premium live event on Saturday, April 19, and Sunday, April 20, 2025, at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, NV. Despite a stacked card, one title is not currently scheduled to be on the line at the show.

Fightful Select reports that United States Champion Chelsea Green is not currently planned for WrestleMania. Fans observed on Friday that Green was not among the champions advertised when the cards were announced.

According to the report, sources indicated that she was not scheduled for the show late last week. It was reiterated that as of this past weekend, there were no plans for her involvement. While a last-minute segment or skit remains possible, sources consistently stated otherwise in the preceding two inquiries.

The first night of WrestleMania is set to feature Roman Reigns vs. Seth Rollins vs. CM Punk in the main event. Other prominent matches include WWE World Heavyweight Champion GUNTHER vs. Jey Uso, WWE Women’s Champion Tiffany Stratton vs. Charlotte Flair, and WWE United States Champion LA Knight vs. Jacob Fatu.

Night two\’s main event will showcase Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes vs. John Cena. The other top matches slated for the second night include WWE Women’s World Champion IYO SKY vs. Bianca Belair vs. Rhea Ripley, WWE Intercontinental Champion Bron Breakker vs. Penta vs. Dominik Mysterio vs. Finn Balor in a Fatal Four Way Match, and Drew McIntyre vs. Damian Priest in a Sin City Street Fight.

Roman Reigns is days away from competing in a triple threat match with Seth Rollins and CM Punk at WrestleMania 41. He enters this match knowing that Paul Heyman will not be in his corner for the main event on Saturday night; instead, Heyman will be supporting Punk.

In a message shared on Monday afternoon ahead of tonight’s Raw, Reigns reflected on his past year in WWE.

\”It\’s funny how much a year can change. This time last year I was untouchable. I should have tightened my grip around this company\’s neck. There was a wise man that taught me diplomacy. \’You gotta think politically\’, I tried to help everyone. Most of them don\’t understand what a helping hand really looks like. What that really feels like. What do I get for it? Netflix. TKO. The mainstream. Billion dollar deals and somehow I\’m out on my ass. I lift everybody up and somehow no one\’s got enough respect to just be true to their Tribal Chief. My father didn\’t agree with me. He used to say, son why do you care if they respect you? Why do you care if they acknowledge your talent and your contribution? Lessons learned. We don’t lose. We learn. Don’t trust anyone.\”

At last year’s WrestleMania, Reigns won a tag team match on night 1, teaming with The Rock to defeat Cody Rhodes and Seth Rollins. The following night, Reigns lost the Undisputed WWE Title to Rhodes.

Unlike last week’s controversial segment with Charlotte Flair and Tiffany Stratton on WWE SmackDown, which went off script and was described backstage as a “wreck,” things got back on track this week.

Before the show, fans captured footage of Flair attacking Stratton outside the arena. On the show, Joe Tessitore confirmed that both stars had been warned by WWE. He also said that the disciplinary action relates not only to Flair’s actions but also to their promo last week, which he stated crossed the line.

NXT star Roxanne Perez returned to the main roster to trash-talk Stratton, leading to a singles match. Once Stratton won, Charlotte suddenly showed up for another attack.  

Fightful Select reports that WWE officials were happy with how Tiffany and Charlotte responded and worked together this week, especially after last week’s incident.

Per the report, based on what they heard, everything ended up okay despite the physicality. The producers and backstage personnel said that things went as planned and were received well.

CM Punk has made the most of his WWE career since returning to the company in the fall of 2023, after his controversial AEW exit. He has worked some high-profile matches, including two Royal Rumble matches, and feuded with the likes of Drew McIntyre and Seth Rollins.

In just days, Punk will finally achieve his dream of main-eventing WrestleMania, almost three decades after having his first match. While speaking to Alistair McGeorge of Metro.co.uk, Punk admits he hasn’t given retirement much thought.

“No, because you never know what’s going to happen. If you would ask me when I was 26 if I would be wrestling when I was 46, I would have been like, ‘No way.’

“The business has changed so much, the miles that we put on our bodies for years and years and years, and now we’re here, and we’re wrestling maybe once a month, we’re doing one show a week.”

Arguably, Punk’s biggest rival, John Cena, is in the middle of his WWE retirement tour that wraps up at the end of this year. Punk is slated to work a triple threat match with Seth Rollins and Roman Reigns at WrestleMania 41.

GUNTHER is slated to defend the World Title against Jey Uso at WWE WrestleMania 41 after Uso earned the title shot by winning the Royal Rumble match. While speaking on the Ariel Helwani Show, GUNTHER spoke about not being chosen for the main event of Mania this year.

For the first night, WWE has opted to go with the triple threat match featuring CM Punk, Roman Reigns, and Seth Rollins. The second night will see John Cena challenge Cody Rhodes for the Undisputed WWE Title.

“No, I’m not (disappointed). There’s two main event spots. Some people argue there’s only one, which is night two. At the end of the day, they’re big achievements, but that’s nothing I want to stress about.

Because in the long term, later on when I finish my career and I’m able to be financially set up to take care of my family, I did all of this doing the thing that I always wanted to do. I don’t think if I never main event WrestleMania it’s gonna make a difference to how proud or happy I’ll be about my career.”

At last year’s WrestleMania, GUNTHER lost the Intercontinental Title to Sami Zayn. At this same show, Uso defeated Jimmy Uso in a singles match.

These days, fans consume wrestling in various ways, as it is no longer just watching programs on cable and pay-per-view. Fans can watch on their phones through social media and streaming services on-demand.

With that comes the ability for wrestlers to talk with fans directly and in ways never before dealt with. While many wrestlers will engage in criticisms or praise, WWE CEO Nick Khan believes it\’s important not always to react to what\’s happening on social media in what\’s presented on television.

“We won’t respond to social media. It’s a mistake to respond to that. We have to trust our gut,\” Khan said at NAB Show in Las Vegas (via Adrian Hernandez of Unlikely).

Khan was speaking on social media being a small microcosm of the entire fanbase. Triple H added that they get to see reactions every night at events.

Before his tenure at WWE, Khan served as the Co-Head of Television at CAA, where he represented prominent figures and organizations in the sports media industry, orchestrating media rights deals worth billions of dollars.

Khan joined WWE in 2020 and played a pivotal role in the company achieving record revenue and profitability in the subsequent years of 2021, 2022, and 2023.

GUNTHER\’s success on WWE\’s main roster has coincided with the creative direction led by Triple H, who took over main roster creative after Vince McMahon\’s retirement in June 2022. Under Triple H\’s guidance, GUNTHER became the longest-reigning Intercontinental Champion in WWE history.

He also went on to become the World Champion. GUNTHER recently shared his insights regarding the creative process with Ariel Helwani on The Ariel Helwani Show and offered his perspective on the working relationship with Triple H.

\”I would say, to a degree, and obviously he\’s my boss and I\’m in a very good position in the company right now, but I think to a certain degree that he saved professional wrestling to a big degree. I remember when I started in 2005.

All the Europeans trying to get into WWE was such a mystery about it. Who to talk to and what to do. It seemed so far away and such an unrealistic point to achieve. Hunter was the one who pushed for opening that world to WWE and created so much jobs and opportunities back then for so many of the European guys.

He opened the floodgates for the wrestling world outside of WWE, and I think the change has been very positive. It was a big achievement. The business changed since then and it changed to the better. It\’s the hottest that it is right now. It all started back then when he started NXT and started working more with guys the work the indies and stuff like that. I\’ve always had a really good relationship with Hunter.\”

GUNTHER is set to defend his WWE World Heavyweight Title against Jey Uso at WrestleMania 41 next weekend.

Cody Rhodes has been the top babyface in the WWE since his return at WrestleMania 38 and going right into a feud with Seth Rollins. Since then, he’s had ups and downs, including a WrestleMania XL WWE Title win over Roman Reigns. He has had a loyal and strong connection to the fans throughout it. 

Now, he has another challenge in his way. Rhodes is set to defend his Undisputed WWE Championship against John Cena at WrestleMania 41.

Cena may question Cody\’s authenticity, but Cody says he\’s real and is not playing a character.

“It\’s always easier [to be the bad guy]. Every week, I think they’re gonna boo me and every week we’ve been lucky where it’s been like, no, we like you,\” Cody said during an interview on  Pardon My Take. \”I genuinely find a surprise every night, the way they do my entrance, I’m surrounded by all this pyro and then it does these sparks and then I can really hear the audience and it’s legit the coolest thing ever. 

I don’t know, I don’t know the formula, I think there’s an element of being in the family and the love they had with my dad and the connection we had. I think it’s cause I took them on the full ride from the time I was back at WWE — also, with the suspension of disbelief and what we do, everything about me is [real]. I don’t have a character, I am me and I’m really happy that it has worked out. I’m always expecting like, yup, Barclays or something, or Chicago is notoriously a tough wrestling market and then in those places, they’re like, nah he’s cool. I’m very lucky. At a certain point, who knows, but it’s very blessed.”

Penta has made a big splash since arriving in WWE, picking up wins and earning fans\’ support with the performances puts on in his matches. Unlike his tenure in AEW, where he was a tag team star with Rey Fenix, WWE presents him as a singles wrestler.

While speaking to Sebastian Hackl of WWE Deutschland, Penta discussed his run in WWE thus far. 

“It’s a mix of emotions and feelings. It’s very different. I think, not I think, I’m sure WWE is the best company in the world, brother. WWE, they make you feel like a big superstar. They make you feel very professional. You are a professional wrestler. I love WWE. These three months was changes in my life. Every change is to improve something. This improvement was my career. When I say this is the new Penta Era. When I came to WWE, I started a new era for Penta in my life.”

Penta was also asked about potentially unmasking one day. He said he doesn’t like the idea now, but he would be open to doing something in 10 years. 

“I would like maybe a mask vs mask or mask vs. hair or mask vs. something. Something special. My dream match, mask vs. mask, Penta vs. Fenix. I don’t know when. Maybe only in my mind it happens, but maybe in 10 or 15 years it’s possible.” 

WWE Intercontinental Champion Bron Breakker vs. Penta vs. Dominik Mysterio vs. Finn Balor in Fatal Four Way Match has been booked for WrestleMania 41.

The likes of Hulk Hogan, Rowdy Roddy Piper, Jesse Ventura, The Rock, John Cena, Adam Copeland, and Batista have all taken their talent to Hollywood. WWE Champion Cody Rhodes is hinting that he may be the next wrestler to do so. 

“I’d love to get out there, there’s some fun projects coming up,” Rhodes stated while appearing on Pardon My Take. “I’d love to get out there and tell stories that way for sure and grow. I love pro wrestling, I always will. To get out there, I love what Rock has done, I love what John has done, and Dave Batista as well. All of them have gone different routes when approaching Hollywood and I think I might be next to join the fray in all that.”

The top WWE star has been cast in the upcoming Naked Gun reboot.  Inspired by the comedy classics featuring Leslie Nielsen, the film will feature Liam Neeson as Frank Drebin Jr., the son of Nielsen’s character.

In less than two weeks, Rhodes will defend the WWE Title against John Cena at WrestleMania 41. 

Kevin Owens is facing a significant setback. On Friday\’s SmackDown, he revealed that he\’ll be out of action for several months due to a neck injury requiring surgery. This announcement was heartbreaking for Owens and the fans just weeks before his scheduled WrestleMania 41 match against Randy Orton. 

Owens explained that he had been dealing with the injury for four months, during which time doctors tried to find the issue and whether for him to get surgery. The uncertainty surrounding his return timeline is unclear. The news led to a frustrated reaction from Randy Orton, who, upon learning his WrestleMania match was off, hit an RKO on SmackDown General Manager Nick Aldis.

A report from PWInsider.com confirms the legitimacy of Owens\’s injury, with a source describing it as \”awful.\” Notably, there\’s talk amongst WWE talent that Owens is facing potential fusion surgery. This type of surgery often involves a lengthy recovery period, causing Owens to miss months of action. 

The WWE company\’s reaction has been sympathy and sadness for Owens. Multiple sources expressed concern and support for Owens during this difficult time.

SEScoops wishes Owens all the best in his journey to recovery. 

CM Punk never main evented WWE WrestleMania during his first run in the company. He publicly talked about being a sore spot for him years ago on his infamous appearance on Colt Cabana’s podcast. While he was driven to get the main event spot, Punk never achieved the goal.

He came close last year as he was slated to work Seth Rollins for the World Heavyweight Title at WrestleMania 40 before he got injured. Now, he can do so this year at WrestleMania 41.

Punk will share the spotlight of headlining the first night of WrestleMania 41 when he shares the squared circle with Roman Reigns and Seth Rollins. While WWE was on their Road to WrestleMania tour in Europe, Sebastian Hackl of WWE Deutschland got a chance to speak with Punk, where he opened up on the moment. 

“I’m excited (to main event WrestleMania 41). WrestleMania is two nights now so I think it’s more opportunity for people to experience the rare air of a main event of WrestleMania and Roman Reigns and Seth Rollins are two guys that I helped kind of get here to the main roster many, many moons ago. So, it’s exciting for me to see how long they’ve held it down and how far they’ve come from where they started and it’s gonna be special to show them that, you know, kind of daddy’s back thing. CM Punk’s back so you’re still (right) here, I’m still (up) here.”

The second night of WrestleMania from Las Vegas will see Cody Rhodes defend the Undisputed WWE Title against John Cena.