WWE breakout star Danhausen has signed with Adventure Media for management in all areas of his career, according to Deadline.
Danhausen — real name Donovan Andrew Danhausen — made his WWE debut in February at the Elimination Chamber PLE and has since established himself as one of the company’s most compelling breakout acts. He made his WrestleMania debut on April 19 in a segment alongside legends John Cena and The Miz, drawing widespread praise from fans and media alike.
Since arriving in WWE, Danhausen has become a top merchandise seller for the company. His unconventional character — blending horror aesthetics, absurdist humor, heavy social media engagement, and a signature habit of “cursing” his opponents — has carved out a unique niche that few wrestlers have managed to replicate.
His crossover appeal has been on full display in recent weeks. Danhausen made a viral appearance on ESPN’s SportsCenter, storming the set and hijacking the “Top Plays” segment. This week, he appeared on NBA Today to curse the Cleveland Cavaliers — and it seemingly worked, as Cleveland blew a 22-point fourth-quarter lead and fell to the New York Knicks in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals. He has also made the rounds on comedy and pop culture podcasts.
Adventure Media will work to expand Danhausen’s IP across film, television, digital, publishing, and other business ventures. The agency is well known for its literary roster of award-winning filmmakers, showrunners, and creators, and has been growing its sports media footprint by signing athletes, wrestling personalities, and broadcast talent.
The office of the Mayor of London recently confirmed that no specific negotiations are currently underway to bring WrestleMania to the city in 2028, despite nearly three years of speculation since John Cena first pitched the idea to a London crowd in 2023.
Tom Degun of the Economic Desk with the Mayor of London’s Press Office told POST Wrestling that while general discussions with WWE continue, there are no concrete talks about hosting the 2028 event.
“There are general discussions with WWE, but at present no specific discussions around bringing the 2028 WrestleMania to London,” Degun wrote in an email to the outlet.
Mayor Sadiq Khan remains interested in bringing major WWE events to London. Degun noted that Khan is “determined to bring even more sports from around the world to London, including the biggest WWE events, and continues to discuss future opportunities.”
The push for London to host WrestleMania began at Money in the Bank 2023, when Cena called for the city to host the event. In 2024, Mayor Khan met with Nick Khan and Paul Levesque to discuss the possibility of bringing WrestleMania to London.
Ireland has also entered the conversation recently, with Kilkenny councilor Maurice Shortall discussing the possibility with the Irish Mirror last week, though his efforts were described as a “suggestion” to local government at that stage.
Could the Emerald Isle be the next landmark destination for WWE’s biggest event of the year?
A local Irish government official has gone on record stating that Ireland is “well placed” to mount a credible bid for a future WrestleMania — and he’s prepared to take the pitch all the way to the Irish government.
Kilkenny Councillor Maurice Shortall spoke with the Irish Mirror this week, making a passionate case for why Ireland should throw its hat in the ring to host sports entertainment’s grandest stage.
“Ireland is well placed to present a credible and competitive bid for WrestleMania, given our strong international tourism brand, proven track record in hosting major events, and global reputation as a welcoming destination,” Shortall said.
WWE Already Looking Abroad
The timing of Shortall’s comments is no coincidence. WWE recently confirmed that WrestleMania will go international for the first time in 2027, with Riyadh, Saudi Arabia becoming the first non-North American city to host the event. That announcement has opened the floodgates of interest from countries and cities around the world eager to land what is widely considered one of the most lucrative live events on the global calendar.
Ireland isn’t alone in the hunt. Nashville, Tennessee has also been reported as a city expressing serious interest in hosting a future WrestleMania, meaning competition for the coveted slot will be stiff.
Why Ireland Could Make Sense
Shortall’s pitch leans heavily on Ireland’s established credentials as a world-class event host. The country has successfully organized major international sporting events and boasts a globally recognized tourism brand — factors that WWE and its parent company TKO Group have increasingly emphasized when evaluating potential WrestleMania destinations.
The economic upside would be significant. WrestleMania weekend routinely generates hundreds of millions of dollars in tourism revenue for host cities, with multiple days of events, fan festivals, and television tapings bringing wrestling fans from across the globe.
Ireland also carries a passionate wrestling fanbase — WWE’s tours of the UK and Ireland consistently sell out arenas, with Irish crowds among the most vocal on the European circuit.
What Comes Next
Shortall’s next step is bringing the proposal formally to the Irish government, though no official bid process has been announced by WWE at this stage. WrestleMania 43 and beyond remain unconfirmed in terms of location, leaving the door open for international contenders to make their case.
Whether Ireland can translate enthusiasm into a formal, government-backed bid — and whether WWE is ready to bring the Showcase of the Immortals to European soil — remains to be seen. But as WWE continues to expand its global footprint, the idea of WrestleMania in Ireland no longer sounds like a pipe dream.
Nashville has officially entered the race to host WWE WrestleMania 44 in 2028, submitting a bid that signals serious intent from a city that has never hosted the event in its history.
According to Bryan Alvarez, Nashville’s offer totals $3.5 million plus tax breaks, making it one of the more substantial bids in the competition for the 2028 show.
WWE has not yet announced the location of WrestleMania 44. The company’s current schedule has WrestleMania 43 set for Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, in 2027, making 2028 the next available slot for a domestic host city. WrestleMania 41 and 42 both took place at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas.
Cities competing for WrestleMania typically package financial commitments with venue access and additional incentives, given the event’s economic impact on host locations. Nashville’s bid joins a growing list of interested parties as WWE works toward a decision on where the show lands in 2028.
Ohio Senator Bernie Moreno recently used a congressional hearing on the Muhammad Ali Boxing Revival Act to pitch WWE president Nick Khan on bringing WrestleMania to Cleveland.
The Republican senator highlighted Ohio’s soon-to-be-built domed stadium in Cleveland, located directly across from a major airport.
During the hearing, Moreno asked Khan:
“2029 or 2023…what’s better for you to bring WrestleMania to Cleveland?”
The senator noted that Ohio successfully hosted SummerSlam in 2024.
Khan, who appeared surprised by the pitch during the legislative hearing, played along with the request. He joked that Logan Paul pressures him weekly to bring WrestleMania to Ohio, and now he faces additional pressure from Senator Moreno.
Senator Bernie Moreno asking Nick Khan what it will take to bring WrestleMania to Cleveland. pic.twitter.com/D1yVboXeQ1
Both WWE and AEW have received Ohio tax credits in recent years for bringing events to the state. The financial incentives have made Ohio an attractive destination for major wrestling promotions.
Khan attended the hearing as the only TKO representative. The hearing focused on the controversial Muhammad Ali Boxing Revival Act, which would create a new “unified Boxing Organization.”
Boxing Community Opposition
Boxing legend and current promoter Oscar de La Hoya also testified at the hearing, speaking against the proposed revision to the Ali Act. Critics argue the bill’s structure too closely resembles the UFC model and could harm fighters’ interests.
The bill has already passed the U.S. House of Representatives. Senator Ted Cruz of Texas stated he would bring the legislation to the Senate and remains open to bi-partisan modifications.
Speculation went into overdrive after Randy Orton turned heel on Cody Rhodes on SmackDown then, on the subsequent episode of Raw proved dismissive of Michael Cole’s interview attempt in favor of a phone call with an unknown conversation partner. One of the names social media theorized The Viper might have had on the line was The Rock.
Besides each man having WrestleMania Saturday history now with Rhodes and each showing up on the shortlist for consideration among the greatest third-generation pro wrestlers of all time, Rock and Orton may come to share an inauspicious record effective next month.
The Rock made his WrestleMania main event debut at WrestleMania 15 and that impressively became the first of three consecutive years when he closed out the show at ‘Mania. Unfortunately, he lost in each of those outings—twice to Stone Cold Steve Austin and once as a first runner-up to Triple H successfully defending the WWE Championship in a Fatal Fourway that also involved Mick Foley and The Big Show.
The People’s Champion became the first man to lose three WrestleMania main events without a single victory, though he would get the job done a decade later at WrestleMania 28 (and win again to close WrestleMania 40, Night One). If Randy Orton doesn’t beat Cody Rhodes, he’ll join Rock as just the second man to lose his first three WrestleMania main events and will stand alone as the only man to work three or more WrestleMania main events and to have never won.
Randy Orton’s WrestleMania Main Event History
Randy Orton and Cody Rhodes. Photo: WWE.com
However else one may critique Randy Orton’s history as a WrestleMania main eventer, it’s a testament to his star power and longevity that, effective this year, he’ll have headlined the biggest show in the WWE calendar in shows spanning a seventeen-year period.
In 2009, Orton had already been an established main event guy for over five years when he closed out The Showcase of the Immortals for the first time, challenging Triple H for the World Heavyweight Championship. The two had a feud that offered a rare combination of a long history and white-hot momentum going into WrestleMania 25, though unfortunately most fans found the bout itself underwhelming, hamstrung by an ill-conceived stipulation that The Game would lose his title if he were disqualified.
Orton main evented again in 2014, when he walked into WrestleMania 30 to defend the WWE Championship against a returning Batista and surging Daniel Bryan. This match was an instant classic with a happy ending as Bryan celebrated with confetti raining from the rafters.
Now, Orton finds himself in another WrestleMania world title scenario—his fifth overall after working non-main event world title matches at WrestleManias 22, 24, and 33—and set to close Saturday night. He certainly has a chance at winning with the benefit of his momentum from a recent heel turn and no world title reigns since the ThunderDome era. On the flip side, though, Cody Rhodes only just won back his WWE Championship and is generally considered a nudge higher in star power than The Viper these days. As such, Orton’s chances of winning in his third ‘Mania main event have to be considered a toss up.
Main Eventing WrestleMania Itself Is More Important Than Wins And Losses
Photo Credit: WWE
The Rock lost back-to-back-to-back WrestleMania main events from 1999 to 2001. Even those fans who believe in the theory that there can be multiple main events in the same night might claim that his wins over Hollywood Hogan or Stone Cold Steve Austin in 2002 or 2003 salvaged his record still couldn’t argue that The Great One won a WrestleMania main event before his fourth try.
Despite the setbacks, The Rock emerged as one of a very small handful of performers who could make any kind of credible claim to have been the biggest star in pro wrestling history—all of which set him up to walk right back into a WrestleMania main event spot when he returned to singles action for WrestleMania 28 nearly a decade past his in-ring prime.
Randy Orton may become the second man to lose three WrestleMania main event matches without a WrestleMania main event victory on his resume, and, at this stage of his career, it’s quite possible this will be the last time he ever closes out a ‘Mania. Still, just as The Rock demonstrated before him, it’s less wins and losses in this scenario than making it to “the big dance.”
Cody Rhodes discussed on his podcast recently how small a proportion of wrestlers can claim to have truly drawn a house. These are the wrestlers who were not just among the attractions, on a show, but the kind of main eventers whom people put their money down to see.
It’s very telling about Orton’s star power, talent, and legacy that when ticket sales for WrestleMania 42 struggled, he’s the one who got transitioned into a world title picture, got the big heel turn push, and was entrusted to make business happen for WWE. Entering the rarefied air among just 13 men who’ve headlined WrestleMania three times or more only reaffirms that Orton is a fundamentally important wrestler to WWE history.
Randy Orton And The Rock Have Their Own WrestleMania History
Wrestling fans often talk about passing the torch moments and WWE has contrived more than its share, between Cody Rhodes’s victories over Roman Reigns and John Cena in recent years, or the way Mick Foley once put over a young Randy Orton as an ascending top guy.
A fun footnote in the Foley-Orton angle is that not only The Hardcore Legend but The Rock himself put over a rising Legend Killer. Twenty-two years back, at WrestleMania 20, The Rock teamed with Foley to face an Evolution trio of Orton, Batista, and Ric Flair.
The match was star-studded, especially in hindsight. Even more noteworthy, it served as both a swan song for The Brahma Bull who wouldn’t work another WrestleMania match for eight years, and an inflection point for Orton who, at the following SummerSlam, would be crowned the youngest world champion in WWE history.
Orton and Rock’s interactions were limited bell-to-bell, but it remains a fun historical footnote that they actually did have a WrestleMania match against each other.
WrestleMania main event spots are sacred. Only so many performers get that opportunity and fewer among them are those wrestlers who get a second, let alone a third chance. Cody Rhodes will work his fourth at WrestleMania 42 and welcome Randy Orton into that club. What follows for The Viper, only time will tell.
A lot of fans have been feeling frustrated with the former US Champion being left off the WrestleMania card, especially after he spent the last few months elevating the belt to new heights with his feud with Ilja Dragunov.
The former NXT star was asked about his feelings on missing the Show of Shows for the second year in a row during his recent interview with Nightcap. Carmelo Hayes first said that he knows he is talented enough and explained that in WWE, the name of the game is staying ready for your opportunity to come:
“I feel like it’s staying ready, and just knowing that I’m talented enough to, if they give me the ball, it’s guaranteed. I think that’s really what my mentality has always been.”
While Carmelo Hayes is sitting on the sidelines, Trick Williams is getting ready for his first WrestleMania moment only a few months after officially joining the main roster. He will challenge Sami Zayn for the US title on Night 2 of the event at Allegiant Stadium.
Without directly naming the fellow NXT alumnus, Carmelo Hayes suggested that getting picked by the top brass is the way to success in WWE. He mentioned how you can’t prove yourself on the big stage until the company decides to give you the opportunity:
“You ever heard that phrase ‘Success is not earned, it’s given’? I feel like that’s a lot with WWE is, anybody really, it’s like until they give you the ball, how will they know if you can score?
Until they put you on the field, how will they know if you can make a play? I think that’s really what it comes down to with what we do is just waiting for the ball, or waiting for them to put you in.”
Wrestling fans are one year out from John Cena’s final WrestleMania match in which a heel version of the legend bested Cody Rhodes for the WWE Championship. We’re twenty years, out, though, from what may well have been the most important night in Cena’s career.
Cena’s list of accomplishments is among the most impressive in pro wrestling history. He’s the only recognized seventeen-time world champion, a Grand Slam Champion, a six-time WrestleMania main eventer, and one of the longest standing faces of WWE ever.
By WrestleMania 22, Cena was a main eventer and that show marked what was, in fact, his first ‘Mania main event. Had things turned out differently that evening, though, his legacy might look quite different.
WrestleMania 22 Marked John Cena’s First WrestleMania Main Event Victory
Credit: WWE
At WrestleMania 20, John Cena pinned The Big Show to win the United States Championship, a young Doctor of Thuganomics’ first gold on the WWE main roster. At WrestleMania 21, he won his first world title, besting JBL for the WWE Championship.
In hindsight, the writing was on the wall in 2004 that Cena was going to be one of the top guys in WWE for years to come. In 2005, he made good on that potential, but it’s also telling that WWE ran with Batista’s World Heavyweight Championship coronation over Cena’s moment in the main event spot. While a variety factors may have been in play, including concerns about match quality and the story the company was paying off, one take away is that WWE saw at least as much and maybe more potential in Batista as the new face of the company.
Fast forward a year, and Batista was injured. Rey Mysterio had a huge feel-good story going as he won the Royal RUmble en route to his first world title win over Kurt Angle and Randy Orton. It was Cena, however, who closed out the show with Triple H. He also won—a main event triumph at the biggest show of the year, but also joining the ranks of Hulk Hogan, Stone Cold Steve Austin, and Triple H as the only performers up to that point to walk out of consecutive WrestleManias as world champion.
As a side note, the next year he’d join Hogan as the only two men to do it three straight years (Roman Reigns would eventually join them), and the year after that Cena would become the first person to walk out of the biggest show of the year a world champ four years in a row; that rarely acknowledged, still unmatched streak ultimately ran to six years when he beat Batista at WrestleMania 26. Cena never would have unlocked any of these milestones were it not for an unlikely victory over The Game.
Though The Fans Turned On John Cena, WWE Stayed The Course
Chris Masters and John Cena. Photo: WWE.com
Though John Cena was incredibly popular for the first half of 2005, by summer, the tide had started to turn. While he continued to appeal to kids, a vocal portion of the audience started booing him out of the arena with increasing intensity in the build up to WrestleMania 22.
Going into WrestleMania 22, a number of fan theories made the rounds. A lot of fans foresaw Triple H beating John Cena as WWE hit the reset button on the younger star. Just as The Game had powered down Randy Orton’s first world title reign and WWE had rebuilt a young Viper until he was legitimately over as a main eventer, it seemed likely Cena would undergo a similar process.
Other, wild theories saw the Money in the Bank winner cashing in by the end of the night, with Ric Flair a dark horse favorite to claim one last world title reign of his own.
In perhaps the least likely scenario of all, though, Cena won. And he won cleanly. And he won by submission over arguably the most credible character WWE had shy of The Undertaker. Though Mr. Money in the Bank Rob Van Dam would successfully cash in on him in the months to follow, Cena emerged from ‘Mania unscathed.
While Cena going over was polarizing in the moment, it was a watershed moment in WWE history. Keeping the belt on Cena cemented him as the face of WWE, setting him up for the better part of a decade on top. While he’d face losses to come, staying so well protected at this stage of his career went a long way toward making him bullet proof as the company’s franchise player.
Edge Shored Up His Spot As John Cena’s Arch-Rival
One of the biggest challenges John Cena was up against in his prime as a full-fledged main eventer was the large segment of the crowd that rejected him, favoring more technically skilled performers who’d come up through the indies and veteran talents. Opposite heels like Kurt Angle, Triple H, and even Randy Orton, Cena got booed. The reactions were even stronger when babyfaces like Rob Van Dam, CM Punk, Daniel Bryan, and, of course, The Rock, went up against him.
One of the few performers who struck the right cord against Cena was Edge. While the two had good chemistry in the ring and on the mic, the real magic to their rivalry was The Rated R Superstar’s ability to play such a through-and-through heel and opposite to Cena that really allowed Cena the stretches he needed to get over as a white meat babyface world champion.
Yes, Edge had already cashed in on Money in the Bank on Cena prior to WrestleMania 22, then dropped the title back to him. It’s in The Rated R Superstar feuding with Mick Foley, though, and getting the best of a simply wild Hardcore Match against The Hardcore Legend that Edge underwent a more or less literal baptism by fire, cementing his place as a credible main eventer in his own right and positioning himself to become quite arguably Cena’s best and most important rival.
WrestleMania 41 saw John Cena win his seventeenth world title and WrestleMania 42 will see him play host. It was the ‘Mania two decades earlier that saw all the pieces fall into place, though, for him to become the defining star of a generation.
The creative favorites heading into WrestleMania 42 weekend have been revealed, with Roman Reigns, Trick Williams, and Penta identified as the most likely winners according to a new report.
A source with knowledge of the situation told WrestleVotes Radio on Fightful Select that these three outcomes are currently considered the most probable heading into the weekend, though decisions are said to remain fluid until showtime.
A Reigns victory would see him capture the World Heavyweight Championship from CM Punk in the Night Two main event on April 19, marking his return to the top of the company following his record-setting 1,316-day title reign that ended at WrestleMania 40.
Williams winning the United States Championship from Sami Zayn on Night Two has been widely anticipated given the crowd reactions he has been generating in recent weeks.
Penta retaining the Intercontinental Championship in the Ladder Match on Night Two would keep the title with the first-ever Intercontinental Champion from Mexico.
WrestleMania 42 takes place Saturday, April 18 and Sunday, April 19 at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, streaming live on the ESPN app in the United States and on Netflix internationally.
Night One on April 18 features Cody Rhodes defending the Undisputed WWE Championship against Randy Orton, Stephanie Vaquer defending the Women’s World Championship against Liv Morgan, Seth Rollins vs. GUNTHER, AJ Lee defending the Women’s Intercontinental Championship against Becky Lynch, the Women’s Tag Team Championship Fatal Four-Way between champions Nia Jax and Lash Legend, Charlotte Flair and Alexa Bliss, Bayley and Lyra Valkyria, and Nikki and Brie Bella, and the Unsanctioned Match between Jacob Fatu and Drew McIntyre.
Night Two on April 19 features CM Punk defending the World Heavyweight Championship against Roman Reigns, Jade Cargill defending the WWE Women’s Championship against Rhea Ripley, Sami Zayn defending the United States Championship against Trick Williams, the Intercontinental Championship Ladder Match with Penta defending against Je’Von Evans, Dragon Lee, JD McDonagh, Rusev, and Rey Mysterio, Finn Balor vs. Dominik Mysterio, and Oba Femi vs. Brock Lesnar.
The choice to stage WrestleMania 32 at AT&T Stadium marked an ambitious moment for WWE. Though the company wasn’t exactly on fire, the company brand and the brand of their flagship PLE was significant enough that drawing a live crowd of 100,000-plus didn’t seem entirely unrealistic.
With such a large stage, top stars like Roman Reigns and Seth Rollins coming into their own as singles stars and icons like The Rock, Brock Lesnar, and Triple H in the mix, there was the potential for something magical to happen.
While WWE did draw arguably their largest single night attendance number (there’s some debate, but the consensus is WrestleMania 32 packed over 80,000 fans in the stadium), the show itself did not go down as one of the more successful iterations of the Showcase of the Immortals for a variety of reasons.
Roman Reigns Hadn’t Yet Clicked As The Top Guy
Credit: WWE
Roman Reigns challenging Triple H for the WWE Championship closed out WrestleMania 32. On paper, this match checks a lot of boxes with one of the biggest legends in the company squaring off against the top rising star with the world title on the line and months of storytelling behind them.
In practice, the Reigns vs. Helmsley angle never heated up. Reigns kayfabe injuring Triple H in late 2015 was strange creative that had the babyface acting pretty heelishly. From there, Triple H’s “surprise” return to win the 2016 Royal Rumble and, in so doing take the title off Reigns, was incredibly predictable. To his credit, The Game got in incredible shape and put on excellent matches with Dean Ambrose and Dolph Ziggler on the Road to WrestleMania. Unfortunately, those stellar outings only underscored how blah his showdown with Reigns wound up being.
In the end, Reigns simply wouldn’t get over at a high level with a wide swathe of the WWE audience until his heel turn in 2020. WrestleMania 32 highlighted all his limitations from his promos leading up to the event, to his ring work during it, to his lukewarm connection with the fans.
Seth Rollins Was Injured
Seth Rollins. Photo: WWE
Seth Rollins was second only to Roman Reigns as the most heavily pushed rising stars in WWE in 2016. The prevailing wisdom was that he’d square off with Triple H at WrestleMania 32 if he’d been healthy—delivering a version of their WrestleMania 33 angle a year early. Some others have theorized Rollins vs. Reigns or a Shield Triple Threat may have been in the offing.
Regardless of how things would’ve played out with a healthy Rollins in the mix, there’s little question in-ring ability alone, combined with fans more readily buying into him than Reigns had the potential to singlehandedly elevate a WrestleMania that suffered from a lack of standout matches.
Brock Lesnar Didn’t Gel With Dean Ambrose
Credit: WWE
Brock Lesnar is a one of a kind professional wrestler whose combination of real-life credibility, in-ring style, and steady protection in being booked as a monster made him a draw and someone who all but guaranteed a memorable match in his every WrestleMania appearance.
The Beast and Dean Ambrose did not gel, though. From Ambrose’s own account, he had ambitious ideas, but Lesnar wasn’t interested in venturing out of his more traditional format for a match. So, whether Ambrose got too nutty with his ideas for a Street Fight or Lesnar was unmotivated, the one undeniable truth is that these two performers did not gel and the resulting match underwhelmed at every turn.
Shane McMahon’s Comeback Signaled What Was To Come
Credit: WWE
One of the most buzzworthy stories going into WrestleMania 32 was the return of Shane McMahon after going missing from the WWE landscape for nearly a decade. The choice to immediately plug him into a Hell in a Cell Match with The Undertaker certainly made for an attraction as well.
Unfortunately, the performances of both Shane-O-Mac and The Dead Man proved emblematic of where they were in their careers and where they were headed. For McMahon’s part, he’d not only lost a step but unveiled a style that came across as less the dare devil he’d been in his youth than desperate to deliver a contrived spot.
The idea of The Undertaker throwing the boss’s son off the top of Hell in a Cell was very much on the mind of fans given each man’s history. In practice, the tedious match peaked at Shane-O-Mac foolishly climbing to the top of the Cell to go for a nonsensical elbow drop, only to predictably miss. In kayfabe, McMahon came across as an idiot for the attempt; in reality, it seemed clear he was starving for attention with an eye-catching spot, even if it made no sense in the context of the match. Meanwhile, the cracks also showed for The Undertaker, who no longer had what it took to singlehandedly carry a match like this.
The Rock’s Involvement Was Underwhelming
Credit: WWE
WrestleManias 27 through 29 marked a trilogy of sorts with The Rock’s return to WWE and impact on the main event, followed by consecutive years of him main eventing the show himself against John Cena. From there, WrestleMania 30 saw him cut a sweetly nostalgic opening promo with fellow icons Hulk Hogan and Steve Austin, before he delivered an electric moment at WrestleMania 31, teaming up with Ronda Rousey to clear the ring of Triple H and Stephanie McMahon.
So, even though The Rock didn’t have anything official on the docket for WrestleMania 32, there was reason for optimism he might do something cool if he showed up at AT&T Stadium. The People’s Champion did arrive, complete with an over-the-top flame thrower entrance that underwhelmed fans, followed by a generic promo.
Business looked like it would pick up when The Wyatt Family showed up to confront The Great One, but things quickly devolved into an impromptu, seconds-long squash match with The Rock pinning Erick Rowan, followed by a brawl. While the segment wasn’t the worst part of WrestleMania 32, it did signal babyface, part-time Rock had run his course.
Other Potential Big Draws Underwhelmed
Credit: WWE
There are other reasons why WrestleMania 32 had a lot of potential on paper but failed to deliver. John Cena made a surprise appearance which was perfectly fine—helping The Rock against The Wyatts—but paled in comparison to his previous WrestleMania roles. Shaquille O’Neal was a surprise entrant in the Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal and had a confrontation with The Big Show, but between the booking and execution, what might have been a huge celebrity appearance fell flat and became utterly forgettable.
Zack Ryder’s last-minute addition and victory in the Intercontinental Championship Ladder Match arguably stole the show, but also left fans scratching their heads because Ryder had not been in the title mix up to that point (not to mention that he promptly dropped the belt without fanfare). A League of Nations versus New Day showdown ultimately felt as though it was just there to set up a paint-by-numbers legends segment with Steve Austin, Shawn Michaels, and Mick Foley beating up the current talents. All of this added up to a WrestleMania that felt thrown together, carelessly booked, and far short of its potential.
In the end, the biggest silver lining to a severely disappointing WrestleMania may well be that it offered the emergent women’s division an opportunity to shine. Charlotte Flair vs. Becky Lynch vs. Sasha Banks emerged as a pretty clear cut match of the night—the first time the women of WWE could make such a claim in WrestleMania history. This match paved the road for women to work featured matches every year to follow, including garnering their first main event spot at WrestleMania 35.
WrestleMania 42 is tracking nearly 20 percent behind last year’s ticket sales pace with nine days remaining until the two-night event at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas.
According to the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, Night One on April 18 has sold 39,345 tickets while Night Two on April 19 sits at 41,317. Combined, the event is running 19.1 percent behind where it was at the same point last year.
Dave Meltzer noted that with Allegiant Stadium currently configured for roughly 60,000 seats per night, there is no chance of a true sellout for either night, though WWE could paper the crowd to fill the remaining seats ahead of the show.
The secondary market tells an interesting story about how fans are valuing each night. Entry-level resale tickets for Night One are listed at around $199, up 31.8 percent from last year despite the slower overall demand. Night Two, which features CM Punk vs. Roman Reigns in the main event and is widely considered the stronger of the two cards, is going for approximately $189 on the resale market, down 19.2 percent from last year.
The slower sales pace has been a topic of discussion for months. WWE quietly reduced the floor price on tickets for both nights earlier this year after demand fell short of expectations, and the company has also faced criticism over premium fan experience packages ranging from a $9,950 Cody Rhodes bus tour to Elite packages priced as high as $37,500.
WWE has not announced any changes to the card or promotional strategy in response to the current sales trajectory. WrestleMania 42 takes place April 18-19 at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas.
The match order for WrestleMania 42 is starting to come together, with the opening bouts for both nights now taking shape according to a new report.
Per WrestleVotes Radio, current plans call for the six-man tag team match pitting Logan Paul, Austin Theory, and IShowSpeed against The Usos and LA Knight to open Night One on Saturday, April 18. On Night Two, Oba Femi vs. Brock Lesnar is planned as the opener on Sunday, April 19. Both designations remain subject to change.
WrestleVotes also reports that ESPN pushed for Lesnar to be included in the package of matches featured on traditional ESPN platforms, a request WWE was happy to accommodate. The first hour of each night airs on linear ESPN, making the opener for both nights a significant piece of the broadcast strategy.
WrestleMania 42 marks the second time in the event’s 42-year history that it has been held at the same venue in consecutive years, following WrestleMania 41 at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas last April. John Cena is serving as host for both nights, and the WWE Hall of Fame ceremony takes place on Friday, April 17.
Night One on Saturday, April 18 features Cody Rhodes defending the Undisputed WWE Championship against Randy Orton with Pat McAfee in his corner, Jade Cargill defending the WWE Women’s Championship against Rhea Ripley, Seth Rollins vs. GUNTHER, the Women’s Tag Team Championship Fatal Four-Way between champions Nia Jax and Lash Legend, Charlotte Flair and Alexa Bliss, Bayley and Lyra Valkyria, and the Bella Twins, Jacob Fatu vs. Drew McIntyre, and the six-man tag team match.
Night Two on Sunday, April 19 features CM Punk defending the World Heavyweight Championship against Roman Reigns, Stephanie Vaquer defending the Women’s World Championship against Liv Morgan, AJ Lee defending the Women’s Intercontinental Championship against Becky Lynch, Sami Zayn defending the United States Championship against Trick Williams, Oba Femi vs. Brock Lesnar, and the Intercontinental Championship Ladder Match featuring Penta defending against Je’Von Evans, Dragon Lee, JD McDonagh, Rusev, and Rey Mysterio.
WrestleMania 42 takes place April 18-19 at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas.
Pat McAfee made a shocking return to WWE on Friday’s SmackDown from the Enterprise Center in St. Louis, revealing himself as the mystery person who has been on the phone with Randy Orton for weeks.
McAfee came out wearing an RKO t-shirt and attacked Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes, inserting himself into the WrestleMania 42 main event picture in stunning fashion.
McAfee wasted no time running down the St. Louis crowd before launching into his reasoning. He referenced an interview from about a month ago where he said the business had “passed him by” and that the product had become unwatchable. That interview took place during an Instagram Q&A on March 8, when McAfee announced he was stepping away from WWE indefinitely.
According to McAfee, it was Orton who called him and told him the business hadn’t passed him by. Instead, Orton told McAfee that WWE had gone in a direction that neither of them liked.
McAfee Takes Aim at Today’s WWE Product
McAfee declared that he represents the Attitude Era fans who grew up loving Steve Austin and The Rock. He said that lately, he has had to watch “5-foot-5 guys doing lucha moves” while someone like Randy Orton is still around.
He called the current WWE roster “scrubs” who are not in Orton’s league, then confirmed that he is the person Orton has been talking to on the phone for weeks. McAfee said Cody Rhodes’ version of WWE is bad, and that Orton is going to “save the business.”
What This Means for WrestleMania 42
The reveal adds a major new layer to the Rhodes vs. Orton Undisputed WWE Championship feud heading into WrestleMania 42. McAfee’s alignment with Orton gives The Viper a vocal mouthpiece at ringside, while also closing the door on speculation that The Rock, Vince McMahon, or Kevin Owens was the mystery caller.
WrestleMania 42 takes place on April 18-19 from Las Vegas, with Rhodes defending the Undisputed WWE Championship against Orton in the Night 1 main event.
There’s little question WrestleMania is the most important annual event to WWE history. It’s their annual showcase that has become a regular stadium filler. That’s before more modest years when ‘Mania still marked the culmination of major storylines, coronation of new franchise-level stars, and a stage to elevate the company’s business time and again.
The original WrestleMania was a game changer. While narratives vary about just how essential this event was to WWE’s financial prospects, it undeniably marked a major milestone in WWE’s establishment as the number one brand in professional wrestling. Hulk Hogan got a showcase moment as the top star in the business alongside an unequivocally successful celebrity outing as Mr. T tagged up with him. Other big matches like Andre the Giant’s triumph over Big John Studd and other celebrity appearances from the likes of names ranging from Cyndi Lauper to Muhammad Ali made some real magic.
WrestleMania 2 has a very different legacy, however. While WrestleMania 3 would become an iconic stadium event and WrestleManias 4 and 5 would bookend a tremendous year-long story, the second edition was defined by WWE taking some huge swings and striking out at the plate.
WrestleMania 2 Emanated From Three Arenas
Credit: WWE
A year before WWE aimed to (and succeeded at) drawing a legitimate stadium crowd, the company set its sights on filling three separate arenas in New York, Illinois, and California. It was an ambitious concept and allowed WWE to, with reasonable credibility, claim a combined attendance of over 40,000.
The idea was imperfect. It made some logical sense to have three shows, each with one hour of live wrestling in the arena, two hours aired on big screens. The live viewing experience suffered, though, for having such a short snippet of live action and suboptimal conditions to watch the show on screens.
It also made some sense for WWE to be able to tout a triple main event for each venue getting its own high-profile closer. However, it’s hard to argue a worked boxing match that ended in a DQ (more on that to follow) or a battle royal were as legitimate main events as a world championship steel cage match featuring the top star in the business.
It’s unlikely WWE will ever return to a multi-city WrestleMania again, even though the two-night format launched in 2020 solves some of the problems this proposition poses. It’s technologically impressive WWE pulled it off at all in 1986, but the company seemed to learn its lesson that this idea just didn’t work.
Mr. T Vs. Roddy Piper Was A Disaster
Credit: WWE
On paper, Mr. T vs. Roddy Piper made some sense as a WrestleMania main event. That’s given the degree of T’s celebrity star power, Piper’s status as arguably the top heel in the business, and the success of the main event tag team match the two were a part of at the original ‘Mania. In practice, though, this match had no business happening, let alone at a WrestleMania, let alone in closing the east coast portion of the event.
While three professional wrestlers working around Mr. T when he had to tag in and tag out of the match worked at WrestleMania 1, a year later, he was exposed in singles action. By all accounts, Hot Rod wasn’t eager to collaborate or make the actor look good either. The boxing match stipulation sort of covered T’s limitations in the ring, but also confronted WWE with time-tested truth: worked boxing matches are not good.
The result was an utterly lackluster affair. It may not have been the worst WrestleMania match of all time (thanks Jerry Lawler vs. Michael Cole!) but it has to be considered the worst match WWE attached a WrestleMania main event label to and in the bottom ten matches at the show all time—the worst match on quite arguably the worst WrestleMania card ever.
The NFL Vs. WWE Battle Royal Should Have Been A Bigger Deal
Credit: WWE
Like the idea of hosting a single event from three venues was ambitious, the idea of integrating NFL personalities into a star-studded battle royal was a big idea. Though the experiment wasn’t a complete failure, it also wasn’t exactly iconic.
In the mid-1990s, WCW featured NFL players Kevin Greene and Steve McMichael as main event level attractions. That’s not to mention WWE itself putting its complete faith in the drawing power and work ethic of Lawrence Taylor to headline WrestleMania XI (not to mention faith in Bam Bam Bigelow selling for him and Pat Patterson directing traffic as referee).
The takeaway: NFL players in a wrestling ring were a draw. They uniquely combined celebrity, big bodies, and real-world athletic credentials to immediately translate to a pro wrestling audience.
There are a number of reasons why the WrestleMania 2 battle royal featuring six NFL players or alumni didn’t work at a high level. The NFL wasn’t quite the juggernaut it would become as its popularity grew year over year to the point that this volume of stars from the league entering a WWE ring would become unthinkable. What was more under WWE’s control, though, was the booking.
Despite working around the limitations of non-wrestlers working a high-profile match, it still feels as though WWE should’ve been able to get more out of the football stars. Only William “The Refrigerator” Perry gave a memorable performance and even he didn’t make it to the final five. Andre the Giant military pressing Bret Hart out of the ring onto Jim Neidhart became the most memorable spot from the match, and that had nothing to do with NFL participation.
Hulk Hogan’s Match With Andre The Giant Erased The Legacy Of His Bout With King Kong Bundy
Credit: WWE
Hulk Hogan vs. King Kong Bundy has a case for being called the best match of WrestleMania 2, but that’s not saying a lot when the closest contenders were a good battle royal and good tag title match during the Midwest portion of the show. Hogan and Bundy at least had some heat, world title implications, and the spectacle of a cage.
That said, the biggest story of Hogan vs. Bundy was that of the superhero Hulkster vanquishing a super heavyweight heel. It was a formula that worked throughout the 1980s, but there’s little denying that this run-of-the-mill match on that formula was completely overshadowed by what happened one year later.
Andre the Giant turning heel made him the biggest, most famous, and most credible monster heel of his age. It was the premise of this ultimate behemoth clashing with Hogan that filled the Pontiac Silverdome. Though the match itself was no technical classic—arguably, in a vacuum, not even better than Hogan vs. Bundy—it has stood the test of time as perhaps the greatest attraction in pro wrestling history. In the process, that clash of the titans effectively erased what effect the Bundy match had had on wrestling history and culture, rendering it only memorable for the historical footnote of having headlined a WrestleMania.
WWE is planning to add more matches to the WrestleMania 42 card beyond those already announced for the April 2026 premium live event. According to Wrestlevotes Radio on Fightful Select, the promotion’s working plan currently includes multiple matches across both nights, with several additions still to be formally announced.
The report indicates that WWE has additional matches in the works that have not yet been revealed to the public. The promotion typically builds its WrestleMania card gradually in the weeks leading up to the event, with matches being added as storylines develop on weekly programming.
WrestleMania 42 Planning
WrestleMania 42 is scheduled to take place in April 2026, continuing WWE’s tradition of hosting its flagship premium live event in the spring. The two-night format has become standard for WrestleMania in recent years, allowing the promotion to feature more matches and talent across the showcase weekend.
WWE has not officially confirmed the total number of matches planned for the event. Here is the WrestleMania card:
Seth Rollins Vs. Gunther
Unsanctioned Match: Jacob Fatu Vs. Drew McInyre
Lesnar’s Open challenge: Brock Lesnar vs. Oba Femi
Finn Balor vs. Dominik Mysterio
Fatal Five-Way Ladder Match For The Intercontinental Championship: Penta (C) vs. Rusev vs. Je’Von Evans vs. Dragon Lee vs. JD McDonagh
United States Championship: Sami Zayn (C) vs. Trick Williams
Women’s Intercontinental Championship: AJ Lee (C) vs. Becky Lynch
Women’s Championship: Jade Cargill (C) vs. Rhea Ripley
Women’s World Championship: Stephanie Vaquer (C) vs. Liv Morgan
Women’s Tag Team Championship: The Irresistible Forces (Nia Jax & Lash Legend) (C) vs. Bayley & Lyra Valkyria vs. Charlotte Flair & Alexa Bliss vs. Bella Twins (Brie Bella & Nikki Bella)
Undisputed WWE Championship: Cody Rhodes (C) vs. Randy Orton
World Heavyweight Championship: CM Punk (C) vs. Roman Reigns
WrestleMania unequivocally marks the biggest event in wrestling each year and, as such, winning a world championship at the show is one of the greatest feats a pro wrestler can aspire to.
It\’s a strange thing to think about someone who is going to achieve that feat losing his last match before the big win, let alone losing that match at the very same WrestleMania. Believe it or not, that phenomenon has occurred five times.
Hulk Hogan
The first man to lose a match at a WrestleMania, then come back in the same event to win a world title was Hulk Hogan, in what was probably the worst received instance of this happening.
WrestleMania 9 saw The Hulkster work his first WWE match in a year teaming with Brutus Beefcake to challenge Money Inc. for the tag titles. The Mega Maniacs went down on a technicality, dropping the bout by disqualification.
The end of the night would live on in infamy as Hogan returned to the ring for an impromptu (and nonsensical) title shot against the newly crowned WWE Champion Yokozuna. Seconds later, Hogan would score the pin to launch arguably his least popular title reign ever.
Bret Hart
Photo: WWE
Fans wouldn\’t have to wait long to see someone lose a match then win a world title in their second outing at the same WrestleMania as it happened again the very next year. Bret Hart, whom many felt WWE had done dirty when he dropped the belt only for Hulk Hogan to pick it up and run in 1993, became just the second man to pull off this specific series of events in 1994.
In a shocker, The Hitman dropped a pin to his younger brother Owen in a sensational opening match at WrestleMania 10. A beaten down Hart would rally for his main event, Royal Rumble-earned title match with Yokozuna at the end of the night—a masterstroke of booking to elevate Owen to become a credible number one contender to Bret\’s new reign in short order.
Seth Rollins
Though it only took one year for the second man to lose one WrestleMania match only to win the world title in his second the same night, it would be over twenty years before it happened again.
WrestleMania 31 saw Seth Rollins put on a show-stealing performance in defeat against Randy Orton early in the event. Little did anyone guess that The Architect would come back to do something even more memorable at the end of the night, using his Money in the Bank briefcase to crash the main event and steal the WWE Championship from Brock Lesnar and Roman Reigns, already deep into their title showdown.
Damian Priest
Image credit: WWE
Nine years later, Damian Priest walked into WrestleMania 40 as a tag team champion, but his reign wouldn\’t survive a six-team Ladder Match on WrestleMania Saturday.
It was a shocker when Señor Money in the Bank came back in the immediate aftermath of the WrestleMania Sunday opener to cash in on a compromised new World Heavyweight Champion, Drew McIntyre, to take the belt off him.
The most shocking factoid of all about Priest going from defeat to triumph at WrestleMania 40? He wasn\’t the only man to do so that year as another star traveled a deceptively similar road.
Cody Rhodes
Damian Priest lost in a high stakes tag team scenario on Night One of WrestleMania 40, only to win a world title the next evening.
So did Cody Rhodes.
WrestleMania 40 saw an unusual situation as Rhodes teamed with Seth Rollins to battle Roman Reigns and The Rock, with match stipulations for the next night\’s main event on the line. The Bloodline brethren prevailed Saturday, only for The American Nightmare to get the last laugh on Sunday.
The journey Rhodes underwent in 2024 had lots of parallels to Priest\’s, but, all considered, it is perhaps even more similar to that of Bret Hart 30 years earlier. Both told the tale of the most popular wrestler in the company enduring real hardship only to come back for perhaps the greatest victory of his career at the end of the night, pinning an Anoa\’i family heel world champion, and parading around the ring on the shoulders of fellow babyfaces to close out the night.
The sixtieth edition of the Super Bowl is now in the books and, as is often the case, the game\’s halftime show has similar buzz to the game itself. While Bad Bunny\’s performance was received differently by different viewers, there\’s little question it was a newsworthy spectacle and the conversation was compounded by a prominent rival halftime broadcast.
Wrestling fans have long perceived WrestleMania as WWE\’s closest equivalent to the Super Bowl and that leads to the question of whether WWE ought to consider its own halftime show as part of the annual extravaganza. If so, what might such a show look like?
A Halftime Show Could Offer Organic Celebrity Involvement
WWE has a long history of courting celebrity involvement, and that\’s especially so throughout WrestleMania history where big names like Mr. T, Cyndi Lauper, Mike Tyson, Floyd Mayweather, Maria Menounos, Bad Bunny, and Donald Trump have played prominent roles, up to and including getting into the squared circle for matches.
Celebrities like Aretha Franklin, John Legend, and Joan Jett have appeared to sing \”America the Beautiful\” or play a WWE star down to the ring. A halftime show would offer an even more natural way for a major musical act to perform a full set in front of the stadium crowd.
Moreover, this kind of halftime exhibition need not be limited to musical acts alone but might, for example, integrate a promo segment akin to the Piper\’s Pits that occurred at WrestleMania 5 and 21, or perhaps a guest appearance by a standup comedian.
Halftime Could Break Up Long Shows
A signature element of WWE\’s presentation under Triple H has been scaling back the length of major shows which were growing unwieldy in the latter days of Vince McMahon\’s leadership, with WrestleMania 35 as a classic example of a show that got away from the company, stretching past midnight into the next day.
Even with greater restraint—often limiting PLEs to four or five matches—WrestleMania has tended to be the exception, with main card run times that still consistently clear three hours and that\’s not counting pre-show broadcasts.
Halftime offers a chance for fans to catch their breath and rally, visit concession stands and use the restroom. All in all, it\’s a chance for the audience to regroup, overcome wrestling fatigue that might otherwise set in, and ensure those live in the stadium and watching from home alike can bring the energy to the back half of the event.
Halftime Performances Might Attract Different Viewers
Not everyone is a football fan, but part of the tradition of Super Bowl halftime shows is their ability to hook casual or non-fans with a totally different form of entertainment.
WrestleMania has crossed a threshold such that there are casual fans who don\’t watch Raw week in and week out who will nonetheless seek out the biggest show of the year. A halftime show can offer them something else to consume besides providing WWE with opportunities for a totally different kind of social media engagement.
What Would Be The Right Halftime Attractions For WWE WrestleMania?
If one were to accept the premise of a WWE WrestleMania halftime show, the question quickly becomes which acts would fit this opportunity. Bad Bunny is a natural choice given his unique pairing of Super Bowl halftime credentials and having actually wrestled more than once for WWE and taken it quite seriously, giving performances that were well-received by the fans. Things get a little murkier after that.
While Bad Bunny himself drew polarized responses, particularly from an audience skewing toward the politically conservative who were unenthused about what he brought to the table, there are far more controversial choices out there. Despite lasting ties to WWE, acts like Kid Rock and Limp Bizkit have only aged well to a segment of the audience and bring their own baggage.
Other WWE loyalists like Snoop Dogg or Jelly Roll might strike a better balance. There\’s also the matter of drawing in major acts without meaningful ties to wrestling. While it may not be realistic at this point, if WWE could, for example, secure an act the caliber of Sabrina Carpenter or The Weeknd, they really might break down some walls in drawing an audience that wouldn\’t traditionally tune in for wrestling. (All that\’s not to mention that a celebrity with a real love for wrestling as a fan could make such an arrangement more attainable.)
For now, the idea of WrestleMania halftime shows is probably just a pipe dream. Nonetheless, when one considers how big this event has grown, pro wrestling\’s love of bringing in celebrities, and the potential to attract untapped viewer demographics there\’s a lot working in favor of the idea.
WrestleMania 42 ticket sales continue to trail last year\’s pace, prompting WWE to take action internally with 65 days until the two-night event at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas.
Per the latest WrestleTix update, WWE has distributed 37,799 tickets for WrestleMania Saturday (April 18) and 37,654 for WrestleMania Sunday (April 19). Saturday added 835 tickets in the past seven days, while Sunday added 917. The cheapest standard admission ticket sits at $266.80, with combo tickets starting at $738.75.
The current stadium setup seats 43,416 per night, though the full Allegiant Stadium map allows for up to 68,179 seats if WWE expands the configuration, as it did for WrestleMania 41.
How WrestleMania 42 Compares to Last Year
At this same point last year, WWE had moved approximately 10,000 more tickets per night, per Fightful. WrestleMania 41 ultimately finished with WrestleTix estimates of 60,151 distributed for Saturday and 61,389 for Sunday. The Las Vegas Stadium Authority confirmed actual attendance of 58,538 and 60,103 for the respective nights.
WWE Holds Meeting to Address Ticket Sales
Per WrestleVotes, WWE held a multi-department meeting on February 11 to address the lower-than-expected numbers. All departments have been tasked with developing new promotional strategies to roll out in late February. The company reportedly does not plan to lower ticket prices at this time.
Fightful also reported that WWE has been prohibiting WrestleMania watch parties at venues within 50 miles of Allegiant Stadium, a decision that has frustrated local businesses given that Las Vegas paid a site fee to host the event.
Injuries and Card Uncertainty Cloud the Build
Only one match has been officially confirmed: Royal Rumble winner Roman Reigns challenging CM Punk for the World Heavyweight Championship. Liv Morgan is expected to challenge Women\’s World Champion Stephanie Vaquer, while the Elimination Chamber on February 28 will determine additional WrestleMania title challengers.
Key injuries are also complicating the build. Seth Rollins, who has been out since October with a torn rotator cuff, was reportedly penciled in against Bron Breakker per the Wrestling Observer Newsletter. However, Breakkerunderwent hernia surgery this past week and has no return timetable, with Dave Meltzer estimating recovery at 12 weeks to six months.
With WrestleMania week programming already announced and WWE\’s planned promotional push set to launch later this month, the next several weeks will determine whether WrestleMania 42 can match the pace of its record-setting predecessor.
Becky Lynch will defend the Women\’s Intercontinental Championship against AJ Lee at WWE Elimination Chamber on February 28 in Chicago. This will be their first singles match, and Dave Meltzer reports the feud is still expected to continue through WrestleMania 42.
The Chamber match was announced on Monday Night Raw this week. According to Meltzer on Wrestling Observer Radio, WWE always planned for this storyline to extend beyond Elimination Chamber.
\”I was expecting this match at Mania. But I was told, you know, there\’s a reason it\’s here and the story goes until Mania,\” Meltzer explained. \”I was just basically told, I go like, \’I thought this was going to be at Mania?\’ I was told, \’Don\’t worry, it all plays out to get there.\’\”
AJ Lee returned to WWE in September 2025 after a decade-long retirement and has been feuding with Becky Lynch since. The two have teamed together and opposed each other in mixed tag matches and WarGames, but have never faced off one-on-one until now.
Elimination Chamber at the United Center will serve as a homecoming for both AJ Lee and her husband CM Punk. Punk is scheduled to defend the World Heavyweight Championship against Finn Balor on the same card.
WWE Elimination Chamber takes place February 28, 2026 at the United Center in Chicago, Illinois.
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