Psyko’s WWE WrestleMania 41 weekend review

So WrestleMania weekend is almost over, with only the Raw and NXT after Mania left to watch. So, instead of writing detailed review columns for every event that happened this weekend, I decided to just give my overall thoughts—what I liked and what I didn’t—about each one. Let’s start with Friday.

SmackDown

The go-home edition of SmackDown was really boring for me. I’m glad they kept the tradition of doing the Andre the Giant Battle Royal and that Carmelo won, but I really wish the match had a prize attached to it—like a title shot—instead of just a fake-looking trophy. Andre deserves better as a memorial than this.

The rest of the show felt like filler. The only interesting part was the Cody vs. Cena face-to-face segment.

I loved that segment. It was the ultimate good vs. evil setup: Cody, the white-meat babyface who refuses to cheat because he cares about the fans, versus Cena, who no longer cares and will do anything to win. Both guys killed it on the mic and really helped foreshadow what would happen at Mania.

WWE Hall of Fame

Let’s get the negatives out of the way first. The event was way too long, especially with how late it was airing. You could clearly see how tired the WWE talents in the crowd were—definitely not a good look.

Also, I’m tired of inductees getting drastically different time limits for their speeches. If someone gets five minutes, but the headliner can go over an hour, that’s not fair. Personally, if I were WWE, I’d cap speeches at 20 minutes for everyone. That way, it stays consistent and the show doesn’t drag.

As for the show itself, my favorite moment was Lex Luger’s induction. Seeing him rise from his wheelchair and stand while giving his speech was incredibly inspirational. You could tell how much it meant to him.

Michelle McCool did a solid job with her speech, as did John Tenta’s family and Typhoon.

I also loved how they treated the Legacy inductees this year—it actually felt meaningful instead of just a throwaway mention like in past years.

Bret and Austin should’ve been given more time. That Mania moment was huge, and they deserved more than two minutes each. Honestly, Ken Shamrock should’ve been honored too—he was an integral part of that match and deserved some credit.

Triple H’s speech was way too long, which is exactly why time limits are important. It was so long, it got cut by three ad breaks on YouTube. That’s a problem.

NXT Stand & Deliver

I hate to say it, but the men delivered more than the women on this show. All three women’s matches were at the bottom for me this year.

The pre-show match was decent, and I’m happy Tatum and Gigi got the win, especially with their upcoming match on Tuesday. But it felt like a regular NXT tag match, not something worthy of the biggest NXT show of the year.

The opening match was amazing. Tony Khan really messed up letting both of these guys go. They went all out. Ethan Page is already a fantastic heel and has a bright future on the main roster as an upper mid-carder. Ricky Saints was probably the most over guy on the card—he proved he’s a future star.

The tag title match was my favorite of the show and one of my top matches of the weekend. Hank and Tank blew me away. You could tell they were ready and took full advantage of their opportunity. I was on the edge of my seat the whole time. Best tag match I’ve seen this year—watch it if you haven’t.

The ladder match was decent but underwhelming. Good spots, but the crowd started cooling off here.

The Family vs. Darkstate felt like a TV match. I honestly don’t care what happens next with Darkstate or why Channing turned on Tony.

The four-way should’ve been better. You could tell the chemistry wasn’t quite there, especially early on. The best part? Jada Parker looked like a bigger star in defeat—she hung with three of the best women in the world.

The main event delivered. All three men told a great story, and for a moment I really believed J’Von might win, which is exactly what you want in a triple threat. Oba retaining was the right move, and now I’m hyped to see what’s next for all three.

WWE Buys AAA

After Stand & Deliver, WWE announced they bought AAA. That’s huge news. AAA is the second-biggest lucha company in Mexico and much better at marketing than CMLL. While we’ll see how much control WWE takes, I’m glad this means CMLL will still have competition and it avoids a monopoly in Mexico.

WrestleMania Day 1

This felt like a three-match show—most of the filler landed here, with the big stuff saved for Day 2.

For some reason, there were a lot of rookie production mistakes, which is weird for the biggest show of the year. But hey, they’re human.

Opening Match: The Usos moment! Jey winning the world title over Gunther was the right call. A lot of people hated it, but I loved it. He redeemed himself after last year and proved he belongs as a top guy. I think he’ll have a strong title reign.

Jade vs. Naomi: Yeah, it was sloppy at times, especially that awkward powerslam setup, but it worked for a grudge match. The crowd was behind Jade—she’s a star.

Charlotte vs. Tiffany: A total trainwreck, but in the best way. They clearly hate each other and beat the hell out of one another. I was surprised Tiffany won, but it was the right move. She needed that big win to elevate herself.

Main Event: Reigns vs. Punk vs. Rollins. This match delivered. It had twists, storytelling, and Heyman once again stole the show. His expressions and the way he handled the finish prove he’s surpassed Heenan as the greatest manager ever. I can’t wait to hear why he turned on Punk and Reigns, and why Rollins joined him. That’s the kind of intrigue that keeps people watching.

Sunday – WrestleMania Day 2

Unlike Day 1, the production was much better. The crowd mic’ing was fixed and the show was way more balanced.

Women’s World Title Match: Starting with this was a smart call. All three women delivered, and the finish came out of nowhere in a good way. IYO looked like a star, and Bianca’s post-match expression added a nice layer. Is a heel turn coming?

Drew vs. Priest: Brutal match with an awesome story. They hit each other with everything. The ending—with the Claymore into the chair—was sick and looked dangerous. Priest’s selling made me question if he was actually hurt.

Dominik wins the IC Title: I did not see that coming. The fact that he pinned Finn adds an interesting wrinkle to the Judgment Day story. Curious to see where it goes.

Joe Hendry vs. Orton: Total surprise pick for an opponent. I expected Miro or Black. The crowd loved it. I didn’t love the squash—it made TNA’s champ look weak—but it was still a cool Mania moment for Hendry.

AJ vs. Logan Paul: Skippable. Felt like a TV match. AJ looked like the veteran there to elevate the younger star. Fine, but unnecessary.

Women’s Tag Title Match: Becky’s return made this match more important, even if predictable. It delivered, and now Lyra holds two belts. That’s huge for her. But I feel bad for Liv—she had an amazing 2024 and now feels sidelined again.

Main Event: Great way to close Mania. I wish The Rock had shown up, but the final sequence made up for it. Cody getting revenge on Travis Scott, holding the title, battling with his conscience, and paying the price for being a good guy? That’s storytelling. Cena finally breaking the kayfabe record makes it even more iconic, and now WWE can officially call him the GOAT.

Final Thoughts

Overall, this was a great weekend of wrestling. I’m surprised I survived it all—and we still have Raw and NXT left! While WWE isn’t for everyone, and there will always be people who hate on them as the “evil corporation,” they proved this weekend why they’re still the major leagues. No one else—not even AEW—can attract wrestling and non-wrestling fans like WWE can.

Let’s see if they can keep this momentum going or if we hit the usual summer slowdown.