LAS VEGAS — The first night WWE’s grand spectacle ended in stunning fashion.
WrestleMania 41 kicked off Saturday night as WWE brought the two-day event to Las Vegas. With plenty of drama and tension among the biggest stars in wrestling, it’s set up to be a weekend perfect for Sin City.
Night one of WrestleMania featured seven matches, highlighted by the main event match between Roman Reigns, CM Punk and Seth Rollins — a battle between bitter rivals — and it ended with a finish you have to see to believe. Four titles also were on the line, including the World Heavyweight Championship and WWE Women’s Championship, and championships changed hands.
Roman Reigns vs. CM Punk vs. Seth Rollins
The electricity could be felt through Allegiant Stadium before anyone did anything. Reigns eyed Heyman as his ‘Wiseman’ was no longer in his corner. Rollins laughed seeing it, and Punk decided to taunt Reigns further by getting out and talking to Heyman. The punches started with Reigns and Rollins, and from there it only got crazier.
Punk and Rollins went into the crowd and Rollins used a steel trash can to attack Punk, allowed since it’s no-disqualification. Punk responded with a suplex on the hard floor, and as they made their way back toward the ring, Reigns launched himself over the barricade to take out the other two.
Once everyone got in the ring, all of the stars tried their finishing moves in hopes of getting the early knockout. They were all countered and each star had a chance to control the moment. Punk landed a perfect flying elbow drop and clothesline on Rollins.
Reigns and Punk each tried finishers on each other and were battling it out until Rollins leap off the top rope broke up the momentum. All of the stars laid on the mat and Rollins was the first one to get up, and finally had his chance to shine. There was the wild sequence of Rollins turning Reigns’ spear attempt into a Pedigree and then landing the curb stomp. He went for the pin and Reigns somehow kicked out.
Then the finisher frenzy ensued. Reigns hit Rollins with a spear and Punk went in for the GTS on Reigns. Punk’s pin attempt was unsuccessful. Punk then signaled it was time to go to sleep, but Rollins wouldn’t allow it. He hit a pedigree on Punk and the pin didn’t get a win.
Rollins yelled at Reigns to help him finish Punk as he was down before clearing the announcer’s table. Reigns came over and helped, but instead delivered an uppercut to Rollins. Reigns then threw Punk on the announcer’s table, and did the same to Rollins. Reigns brought Rollins back in the ring and hit a spear for good measure, yet it still wasn’t enough to win.
Reigns and Punk each tried to make each other tap out, to no avail, and Rollins tried the same with a Sharpshooter on Punk. Reigns broke it up to try to make Rollins tap out, and Punk recovered to sneak in a pin attempt. Then came a quick succession of each star using a finisher and they all laid out in the ring.
Suddenly, Paul Heyman grabbed a chair and Punk asked for it. But so did Reigns. Heyman looked unsure what to do, and he gave it to Punk. Heyman got in the ring to help Punk, but betrayed him. He delivered a low blow as Reigns laughed, and Heyman delivered the chair to Reigns. The “OTC” unleashed a flurry of shots to Punk and told him to get Rollins next.
Then an even bigger surprise happened. Heyman did a low blow to Reigns, betraying his Tribal Chief. Not looking, Rollins put his hand out and Heyman gave him the chair.
Just like the end of The Shield, Rollins hit Reigns in the back with the chair. He went for one last stomp on him then got the pin in a stunning end. Rollins stood victorious as Heyman held his hand up.
Analysis: Wow.
It’s hard to describe what just unfolded, and that’s what made Saturday’s main event incredible. There were so many layers as to what happened, from so many callbacks to previous time of feuds. Heyman was a focal point of the match between Reigns. and Punk, but people forgot about Rollins’ involvement in the match. There was a master plan involved in the match, and the people that thought Heyman was backing them up ended up both getting screwed.
Rollins stole the show yet again, and it’s coming at the perfect time. He has been trying to rid those people he feels are bringing down WWE, and Heyman sees the vision. It was enough to turn on Reigns and Punk, people that will forever be associated with him. It’s now Rollins time to shine, and what makes it even more dangerous?
He’s now a Paul Heyman guy.
Living Colour performs ‘Cult of Personality’ for CM Punk
CM Punk is finally getting his WrestleMania moment. After a video package that showed Punk’s career through WWE as his old entrance song ‘This Fire’ played. The crowd sang all of the words as it played in the stadium.
Afterward, Living Color played Punk’s current song ‘Cult of Personality’ live. Punk and Heyman emerged as the ‘Second City Saint’ sang along.
Watch: Roman Reigns makes his entrance
Seth Rollins uses flamethrower for entrance
He really is trying to burn it down. Rollins emerged for his match with fire coming from the stage and he used a flamethrower as he made his way down the ring. He then had a wardrobe change to an all-white outfit.
WWE Women’s Championship match: Tiffany Stratton (c) vs. Charlotte Flair
It didn’t take long for this match to get in a flow with the heavy hits coming right out of the bell. The veteran Flair showed off why she’s a decorated star as she had Stratton a little flustered. Flair did the signature ‘Woo’ chops that seemed to be the only way she’d get a positive reaction from the crowd.
Flair was throwing insults at Stratton during her attacks, just toying with her opponent on any opportunity she could. It resulted in some spark from Stratton, but she’d quickly go back to being thrown around or literally stepped on.
A turn in the tide nearly happened when Flair was setting up for a moonsault and Stratton caught her. Flair landed hard on her reconstructed knee and it bothered her, but Flair made sure her opponent felt the same thing by targeting her left knee against the stanchion. Flair tried the Figure Four to end the night but Stratton got out of it.
Despite Flair’s domination, Stratton continue to kick out of pin attempts. She waited for her chance to strike, and it happened when Flair missed out on a spear attempt. Flair hit the turnbuckle hard and Stratton started to deliver some key shots. She set Flair up in the middle of the ring and landed the Prettiest Moonsault Ever to get the pin and victory.
Analysis: It remains Tiffy Time in the women’s division. The match being mostly in Flair’s favor brought down the intensity as it felt like Stratton was just trying to consistently survive. Both stars are capable of putting up highlight spots, but none happened to make the match the top one of the night. It felt very tight.
The finish proved Stratton battled through a tough onslaught from Flair and wore down the challenger, showing the youngster could outsmart the veteran. While the path to victory wasn’t pretty, fans are surely pleased with the result.
A Flair win would have certainly been an unpopular move, and it seemed like it would happen given how often it’s been done before. But Stratton gets a signature win in her WrestleMania debut, not something many stars can say. Stratton has the potential to be on the same level as Flair someday, and the win should help give her some legitimacy. It’s tough to prove worth as a Money in the Bank winner and Stratton gets the chance to still prove she’s a champion performer.
Tiffany Stratton brings Barbie to life
BarbieLand runs on Tiffy Time. The WWE Women’s Champion entrance resembled the Barbie box set as she stood inside one and digital versions on her were displayed on the other boxes.
WrestleMania 41 attendance
Shawn Michaels announces the night one attendance is 61,467.
Rey Fenix vs. El Grande Americano
Fenix was thrusted into the role to replace the injured Rey Mysterio, and he almost pulled off a quick win with a roll-up. El Grande Americano was able to get out and get on offense with moves resembling Chad Gable. El Grande Americano tried to rip of Fenix’s mask a few times.
El Grande Americano got Fenix’s leg caught in the ropes and as the referee went to go check on him, he put the extra weight in his mask to load it up as a weapon. With it in place, he went for a headbutt that got reversed. After his ankle lock attempt wasn’t successful, El Grande Americano was in prime position to get taken out by Fenix. But the leg bothered Fenix and he couldn’t go.
El Grande Americano was able to use the loaded mask to take Fenix out. He then climbed up the top rope and did a flying headbutt for extra measure, knocking Fenix completely out as he got the pin and victory.
Analysis: For being a match that had to be changed on the fly, it was a very entertaining one. Fenix did great in his WrestleMania debut and was able to have some decent spots.
El Grande Americano continues to be the gift that keeps on giving. Even in an era where it’s hard to pull off a comedic role, he has delivered and keeps the entertainment value going. It’s unknown whether the result would have been the same if Mysterio was healthy − or if his mask would have stayed on − but the win should give El Grande Americano some steam to keep the bit going. Now it’s just a matter of how long it can last until it feels worn out.
El Grande Americano makes entrance with mariachis
It’s an entrance fit for a luchador. Making his WrestleMania ‘debut,’ El Grande Americano came out to a chorus of mariachis playing and wearing his mask.
United States Championship match: LA Knight (c) vs. Jacob Fatu
It’s no easy task trying to take down Fatu, and LA Knight learned early he’d have his hands full Saturday night. Even as he got some nice shots in to start the match, Fatu didn’t bat an eye as he quickly got up and maintained the intensity he always brings. He finally decided it was time stop messing around and Fatu went on his punishing offensive work.
The champion wasn’t going to Fatu push him around all night, and Knight used the turnbuckle to his advantage to throw Fatu off his rhythm. Fatu took a slight fall on the top of the turnbuckle as LA Knight met him up there to pull of a big-time German suplex.
LA Knight tried to Segway into a BFT, only for Fatu to counter it. He did multiple running corner bumps to LA Knight before he launched himself off the top rope. The pin attempt was nearly successful.Fatu tried to do it once more but LA Knight caught him in the middle of the air to execute the BFT. He went for the pin and Fatu got his hand on the rope just before the referee got to three.
LA Knight tried to go off the top rope for the finisher, but Fstu tripped him up. Fatu met up high and did a high-flying Samoan drop. With LA Knight down, he did two straight signature leaps off the top rope and got the pin to win the United States Champion.
Analysis: The ‘Samoan Werewolf’ continues his warpath through WWE. He was a heavily anticipated signing and he’s delivered ever since his first appearance last year. His skillset is unmatched and it was only a matter of time before he broke off from being a sub-character in The Bloodline to being a full-fledged star in his own right.
Fatu showed up big time in his WrestleMania debut and still brought out some magic we hadn’t seen yet. He’ll be a menace as a champion and it’ll be real fun to see who tries to challenge him. It could also see him completely breakaway from his alignment with Solo Sikoa, and a rivalry with him could be on the horizon.
Jade Cargill vs. Naomi
There was no love lost between Cargill and Naomi, and they quickly tried to land some big blows against each other. Cargill had the first major hit, but Naomi got Cargill out of the ring and started to hit her stride. She said some words to Cargill as she went on a fury that lasted a good amount of time before Cargill got back in rhythm. After dropping Naomi on the mat, Cargill took a bow to a round of applause.
Cargill tried to take Naomi up on the turnbuckle but it was countered with a clean diving DDT. Naomi then went back off the top rope to land right on Cargill for a pin. It was unsuccessful, and as Naomi tried to keep the pressure on, Cargill was lifting Naomi on any chance she could. She finally drilled her down on the mat and picked her back up to execute Jaded. It landed to send Naomi face down in the ring and Cargill did he signature pin maneuver for the victory.
Analysis: Cargill finally gets her revenge. The complete beatdown at Elimination Chamber wasn’t enough for Cargill as she made sure to get as punishing as she could with the one that back-stabbed her. The match was solid, and it’s great it wasn’t a squash match given it very easily could have been. Naomi had a good showing but it was tough envisioning her winning against a big name like Cargill.
Now it will be interesting to see where each star goes from here. Both stars still have business to deal with when it comes to Bianca Belair, and with no tag team currently going, Cargill can finally start trying to seek gold, primarily the top women’s titles. Naomi may still be presented as a heel, and she could try to keep the heat going in the mid-card area.
Jim Cantore introduces Jade Cargill
A storm so big is hitting Las Vegas, famous meteorologist Jim Cantore showed up. As part of Cargill’s entrance, Cantore appeared to talk about the great weather in Las Vegas until heavy rain and hail was starting to hit the area on a green screen.
World Tag Team Championship match: The War Raiders (Erik and Ivar) (c) vs. The New Day (Kofi Kingston and Xavier Woods)
The match started with all four stars in the ring trying to get a major first blow in, and The War Raiders were the ones on offense early as Ivar launched himself into onto The New Day on the side of the ring. Despite the early advantage, The New Day gained control with a combination attack on Erik. As now one of the teams with the most heat in the WWE, they did plenty of taunting during the process.
Erik was able to get Ivar in the match to turn the tide, showing off his versatile skillset of landing big blows and getting up in the air. The New Day were trying to make sure the rhythm didn’t last, and it was going pretty well for The War Raiders. They were about to go for the winning shot but Kingston tripped up Ivar as he was about to launch himself off the ropes. Ivar hit the mat hard and in the blink of an eye, The New Day struck again with Woods taking a big jump off the turnbuckle. Woods got a quick pin to win the championship.
The ending was instant and The New Day ran away with the titles as they celebrated the victory.
Analysis: Some things never change as The New Day is back on top of the tag team division. The match itself wasn’t all too flashy and didn’t generate any big moments, and the ending was so quick no one anticipated the winning pin happening. Despite the flaws of the match, it’s the right call to get Kingston and Woods on the winning side with their first WrestleMania victory.
They’ve been on an incredible heel run and it only made sense to put gold around their waist, and they do so for a now 13th time. The New Day could help bring some juice back into the tag team division that desperately needs it.
World Heavyweight Championship match: Gunther (c) vs. Jey Uso
It was a different Jey Uso out of the jump as he dropped the champion quickly and often, forcing him to regroup out of the ring. Uso had early momentum until Gunther snuck in a chop, forcing him out of the ring. From there, Gunther started to get more strikes in and control, and he landed a power bomb with relative ease to try and get an early victory.
Gunther went for a second power bomb, but Uso countered it and bounced off the ropes to hit a spear. He headed for the top rope and landed an Uso Splash, only for the pin attempt to be unsuccessful. Gunther then grabbed the title rom the mantle as he tried to leave, and when Uso tried to charge him, Gunther hit him with the championship as the referee didn’t see it. Gunther climbed up from a splash and the pin didn’t work.
With Uso on the ropes, Gunther put Uso in a sleeper hold and tried to get him away from the ropes. Uso was able get his foot on the ropes to break the hold. Gunther stood over his opponent and any time Uso tried to get up, he was met with a chop. Gunther tried a sleeper hold once more and it was quickly broken up. Uso landed his own power bomb, did two super kicks and went for another Uso Splash. It landed, and Uso went for two more before putting Gunther in a sleeper hold. Gunther tapped out and Uso claimed the World Heavyweight Championship.
As Uso celebrated, his brother Jimmy Uso came out to the ring to congratulate him and celebrate together.
Analysis: One match into WrestleMania and we have a stunner. Uso finally beats Gunther after several unsuccessful attempts, and the ‘main event’ is indeed a main event champion now. Uso has become one of the most popular wrestlers in the company and gets rewarded for all the work it took for him to get there.
The match wasn’t anything spectacular, as there was lots of dead time and stare downs dragging it out. There weren’t any big time moves or any surprises, but the crowd was fully invested to see if Uso could pull off the upset. It was pure pandemonium as Gunther tapped out. Now with the biggest win of his career, Uso will have to try to up his game as he becomes a champion many will seek out to face. And it’s likely Gunther will be coming back soon to try and reclaim the title.
Jey Uso makes epic entrance into WrestleMania 41
The night is starting off with a bang as Jey Uso was the first star introduced Saturday. Dancers came out and people waved flags that said ‘Yeet’ down the ramp. The Las Vegas Raiderettes lined up the in the crowd to welcome Uso as he made his way through the aisle. Most of the stadium did the ‘Yeet’ move.
Watch: Paul ‘Triple H’ Levesque opens WrestleMania 41
The show begins with a message from WWE chief content officer Paul ‘Triple H’ Levesque.
Who sang ‘God Bless America’?
Jelly Roll performed ‘God Bless America’ ahead of WrestleMania 41.
WrestleMania 41 start time, night one
Night one of WrestleMania 41 kicks off at 7 p.m. ET.
WrestleMania 41 run time
WrestleMania doesn’t have a set end time, but the show typically lasts about four hours.
How to watch WrestleMania 41, night one
The entire event will be streamed on Peacock, but you must have the premium or premium-plus subscription to watch. Internationally, WrestleMania 41 will be available on Netflix in most markets.
Where is WrestleMania 41?
WrestleMania 41 is taking place at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas. The stadium is the home of the NFL’s Las Vegas Raiders.
WrestleMania 41: Night one match card
Matches not in order
- Rey Fenix vs. El Grande Americano
- Jade Cargill vs. Naomi
- World Tag Team Championship match: The War Raiders (Erik and Ivar) (c) vs. The New Day (Kofi Kingston and Xavier Woods)
- United States Championship match: LA Knight (c) vs. Jacob Fatu
- World Heavyweight Championship match: Gunther (c) vs. Jey Uso
- WWE Women’s Championship match: Tiffany Stratton (c) vs. Charlotte Flair
- Roman Reigns vs. CM Punk vs. Seth Rollins
When is WrestleMania 41 preshow?
The WrestleMania 41 preshow begins at 4 p.m. ET.
How to watch WrestleMania 41 preshow
The preshow will be available to stream for free on YouTube and WWE’s social media channels. It will also be available to stream on Peacock.
WrestleMania 41 night one predictions
Here are the predictions for night one. See the full WrestleMania 41 predictions here.
- Rey Mysterio vs. El Grande Americano Winner: Rey Mysterio.
- Jade Cargill vs. Naomi Winner: Jade Cargill.
- World Tag Team Championship match: The War Raiders (Erik and Ivar) (c) vs. The New Day (Kofi Kingston and Xavier Woods) Winner: The New Day.
- United States Championship match: LA Knight (c) vs. Jacob Fatu Winner: Jacob Fatu.
- World Heavyweight Championship match: Gunther (c) vs. Jey Uso Winner: Gunther.
- WWE Women’s Championship match: Tiffany Stratton (c) vs. Charlotte Flair Winner: Charlotte Flair.
- Roman Reigns vs. CM Punk vs. Seth Rollins Winner: Roman Reigns.
WrestleMania 41 stage
Nothing gets WWE fans more ready for WrestleMania than seeing the stage finally be revealed. This year’s set is already a favorite among fans as it pays homage to Las Vegas hotels and the city’s iconic strip.
– Read more about the WrestleMania 41 stage here.
WrestleMania 41 announcers
Veteran WWE play-by-play announcer Michael Cole will be on the mic for the broadcast. He is joined by Wade Barrett and Pat McAfee.
Why is WrestleMania two nights?
The first 35 WrestleManias all happened on one night, but that changed in 2020.
When COVID-19 resulted in WrestleMania 36 being held behind closed doors, WWE took advantage by booking as many matches as possible and stretching it over two nights. It was a success, and when fans returned for WrestleMania 37 in 2021, WWE opted to keep the two-day format and it’s stuck since.
Having WrestleMania across two nights was also a relief for fans. When it was just one night, WrestleMania would last around eight hours, and it became hard for fans to maintain the hype in the stadium, while also creating logistical challenges in the host city. With more and more matches being worthy of being on the event card, it made sense to keep it a two-day event.
The format has been such a success WWE will be doing it more, starting with SummerSlam 2025 on August 2-3.
Rey Mysterio injury update
A WWE Hall of Famer will miss WrestleMania 41.
Rey Mysterio announced he is not cleared to compete at WrestleMania 41 night one on Saturday against El Grande Americano after he appeared to suffer a legitimate injury on SmackDown. He was unable to finish the six-man tag team match against American Made on Friday night and had to be helped to the locker room by medical personnel.
The injury came less than 24 hours before Mysterio’s 15th WrestleMania match, but there is a replacement for Mysterio. Read the latest on Mysterio here.
Bayley attacked ahead of tag team title match
The Women’s Tag Team Championship will be defended on WrestleMania 41 night two, but one of the challengers may be out. During the preshow, Bayley appeared to be attacked backstage and was holding her shoulder.
The current champions Liv Morgan and Raquel Rodriguez laughed and claimed they had nothing to do with it, but they’d be fine with a forfeit. Lyra Valkyria said she has no problem taking on the champions on her own, but Raw general manager Adam Pearce said a match will still take place.
An injury replacement could be happening, and a name to look out for? Becky Lynch.
WWE purchases AAA
WWE made a major announcement ahead of night one as it has purchased the Mexican lucha libre promotion AAA. The news comes as WWE revealed it will have a Worlds Collide event that will see WWE, NXT and AAA hold a joint show at the Kia Forum in Inglewood, California on June 7.
Jade Cargill vs. Naomi preview
The feud has built up over several months, dating back to November when Cargill was found in the backstage area on an episode of SmackDown where she appeared to be attacked and left bloody on top of a car.
Naomi claimed her innocence for months while Cargill was out of action. Naomi replaced Cargill as Bianca Belair’s tag team partner and the duo would go on to win the tag team championship.
Read the full match preview for Cargill vs. Naomi here.
The War Raiders vs. The New Day preview
A battle between two storied WWE tag teams will take place this Saturday as the War Raiders, Erik and Ivar, look to retain their championship belt against the New Day’s Kofi Kingston and Xavier Woods at Wrestlemania 41 in Las Vegas.
Where normally this matchup would be expected to be a battle between a lovable babyface pair in the New Day vs. a fearsome heel in War Raiders, things took an unexpected turn when both Kingston and Woods turned on New Day member Big E. However, since that big moment, New Day has not exactly taken over the spotlight like fans had hoped. Sure, they’ve got themselves a title match at WrestleMania, but it feels more forced that usual, which isn’t a good sign for a team that has been so beloved for so many years.
Read the full match preview for The War Raiders vs. The New Day here.
LA Knight vs. Jacob Fatu preview
LA Knight is barely a month removed from winning the United States Championship back from Shinsuke Nakamura, yet he’s already got a massive battle on his plate as he prepares to face the Bloodline’s Jacob Fatu at WrestleMania 41.
Fatu has established himself as one of the most dangerous, unhinged men in WWE and his No. 1 contender match against Braun Strowman only strengthened his fear factor.
Read the full match preview for LA Knight vs. Jacob Fatu here.
Gunther vs. Jey Uso preview
Will Jey Uso ‘yeet’ his way to the World Heavyweight Championship?
The 2025 men’s Royal Rumble winner will try to grab his biggest achievement yet when he challenges Gunther for the World Heavyweight Championship at WrestleMania 41. Gunther got the best Uso in January, but Uso will use his championship opportunity to get another crack at ‘The Ring General.’
A huge fan favorite, Uso has the crowd behind him, but Gunther doesn’t believe his opponent is near the caliber he’s at. He believes Uso is a disgrace to the business and has tried to sneak any attack against him and his brother, Jey. This has forced Uso to prove he’s more than just a hype man, and a more intense version of the star has come out to prove he’s in fact ‘main event’ Jey Uso.
Read the full match preview for Gunther vs. Jey Uso here.
Tiffany Stratton vs. Charlotte Flair preview
A young champion will put her title on the line against a decorated star at WrestleMania 41 when Tiffany Stratton collides with Charlotte Flair at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas.
The two stars couldn’t be any more different heading into their match − Stratton just finished a full year on the main roster, and Flair has been a main event name for more than a decade. Still there is plenty of intrigue in whether the impressive Stratton can handle going against someone that has been in some of the biggest women’s matches.
Things have gotten pretty personal in this feud, and whether it was scripted or not, it should make for a highly intense fight for the top women’s title.
Read the full match preview for Tiffany Stratton vs. Charlotte Flair here.
Roman Reigns vs. CM Punk vs. Seth Rollins preview
No title is on the line in the Saturday night main event of WrestleMania 41, but it will still be a must-watch match between some of WWE’s biggest names.
A triple threat match will take place between Roman Reigns, CM Punk and Seth Rollins in a battle between stars with plenty of history with each other. Reigns and Rollins have a fractured relationship from The Shield. Punk and Rollins have a longstanding rivalry, and Reigns and Punk are both battling for support from Paul Heyman. It’s a big-time bout, and a case could be made for either star to win.
Read the full match preview for Roman Reigns vs. CM Punk vs. Seth Rollins here.
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