The report also found that 81% of attendees traveled from outside Las Vegas, with 96% of Saturday attendees and 97% of Sunday attendees saying WrestleMania was their primary reason for visiting the city. Despite the decline, Brandon Thurston of PostWrestling.com noted that WrestleMania 42 “was still among the biggest gates in WWE’s history.”

WWE received a $6 million site fee from the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority to bring WrestleMania 42 back to Las Vegas for a second consecutive year, up from the $5 million paid for WrestleMania 41. Nevada also provided WWE with an estimated $4.3 million in film tax credits for WrestleMania 42, making the financial incentives attractive enough for WWE to reverse its previous plans to hold the event in New Orleans. The attendance decline also comes amid a broader slowdown in Las Vegas tourism, with April 2026 hotel room tax revenue falling to $5.31 million, compared to $5.62 million in April 2025.

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In Piper’s book, he explained that if Hulk Hogan defeated him during their WWE run together, it was OVER for his career in the WWE. Once Hogan scored the pin over Piper, then Hogan would move on and Piper was out of the main event picture. This happened to several wrestlers such as Paul Orndorff, Iron Sheik, King Kong Bundy, etc., with the exception being Andre the Giant because they drew a ridiculous amount of money together. Piper gave an example of how WWE was pushing Hogan too strong to the moon, as he and Mr. T swept away in a limo after Wrestlemania 1 while Piper and Paul Orndorff had to find their way back to the hotel rooms themselves.

Right now, everyone is wondering what is wrong with CM Punk or where has he been since Wrestlemania 42. We’ve had the following “news” or “rumors” floated out there by many claiming on social media to have “sources” and also journalists speaking to their regular “sources”, such as:

– CM Punk is now using steroids.

– CM Punk played politics before and during the event of Wrestlemania 42

– CM Punk was requested to take a paycut

– TKO officials have soured on CM Punk

– ESPN officials are upset about subscription numbers of WWE fans and low viewership numbers for Wrestlemania 42, somehow blaming CM Punk for that entire event

– WWE and TKO officials blame CM Punk for Wrestlemania 42 not drawing well in Las Vegas versus 2025.

– CM Punk is upset at how WWE has treated and used AJ Lee

– CM Punk is being punished for yelling at and knocking down the phone of a person harassing AJ Lee and Bayley after Wrestlemania 42

– WWE creative has nothing for CM Punk after Wrestlemania 42, hence why Jacob Fatu feuded with Roman instead of any rematches.

– RAW has too may stars, so CM Punk will be moved to Smackdown to create a “balance”

And it goes on and on and on…

True story, some of my biggest drawing columns have involved CM Punk. That time when I claimed “CM Punk was buried by Triple H” following their Night of Champions 2011 PPV drew an insane amount of page views. Aaron Rift, owner and webmaster of NoDQ.com, has repeatedly said that anytime CM Punk does something significant, viewership always pops. Punk is an incredibly polarizing figure to which you are either all-in or want nothing to do with Punk, with usually on in-between. Further with Punk, he leans left-wing and isn’t afraid to show it… Thus, he strikes a nerve as a wrestler and with his political views.

Hence, why RUMORS kept circulating on CM Punk. Everyone is either a big fan or Punk just pissed them off.

Let’s chew into each rumor, one-by one…

CM Punk on steroids or performance enhancing drugs.
Nope, he’s straight-edge. Folks, I speak from experience as I subscribe to the same straight-edge lifestyle. No alcohol, no drugs, and I even refuse medications from doctors particularly on the pain side. It’s like a religion to us and that dedication to refusing to put anything in our bodies to get us high, numb the pain, or to enhance performance is who we are. Probably why we’re so easily agitated because we’re living live without any prescribed or chemical filters… There’s NO WAY he’s taking PEDs.

Looking at the photos circulating of him working out, it’s not like he’s in body builder mode. You can get that way by working hard and carefully eating, even at his older age. AJ Styles looked jacked at his age and there were no indications he took PEDs, either.

Remember, WWE still has the Wellness Policy in place even with TKO inheriting it.

Look at those photos again. If Punk were gassing, the muscles in his shoulders would get overly jacked and veins appearing there are usually the signs of someone juicing. He just has larger biceps because he’s actually lifting weights versus the lighter workouts he has historically performed.

Maybe he knows that he’s going on a heel run and wants to look jacked so that you THINK he’s a hypocrite?

CM Punk played politics during Wrestlemania 42.
I think this happened… Re-read what I said about Roddy Piper. Punk knew that once Roman Reigns dispatched him, it was over. As proof of that, WWE immediately moved onto Jacob Fatu for a 2 PLE show feud while “creative had nothing” for Punk.

So yeah, heading into the event as World Champion, CM Punk probably knew this was the last time he was ever going to main event Wrestlemania if he lost at WM 42.

BUT – Punk lost the match like professional and didn’t need someone like the Undertaker to tape his fists and wait at the door in case he didn’t do the job. You know, like Undertaker really had to do at Wrestlemania 14 to ensure Shawn Michaels did business.

CM Punk refused to take a paycut.
Punk is a massive merchandise seller with a loyal fanbase. I guarantee that WWE and TKO’s analytics are “off the charts” with Punk and probably argues that they are UNDER paying Punk for his services.

Now, that doesn’t stop TKO from being total d*cks, but I think they’ll slow walk Punk into a paycut for 2027 after he doesn’t draw as well on Smackdown versus RAW because Smackdown is now the secondary show that requires his fans to give up their Fridays to see him.

TKO officials have soured on CM Punk.
Bingo. I think this is a massive issue and is based on Pipebomb 2.0 or Pipebomb 2026 as the streets call it.

Question for my readers who work in a corporate setting. Have you ever been in a meeting with senior management when there’s a lower-level staffer basically cuts a shoot promo on them or the company? Maybe they complain about transparency, about benefits, not knowing the path to grow as an employee, etc., or maybe they openly disagree with management on a particular practice or procedure? Now, this staffer could be 100% correct BUT these senior managers have massive egos and worked hard to obtain their positions. The LAST thing that they want is for a lower-level staffer to make them look bad in ANY setting whatsoever. Then, in behind-closed-door meetings, that staffer is ridiculed by said senior managers and then that staffer’s direct report supervisor is called in for a meeting about that staffer. “Why do you have such a know-it-all in your department?” or “we didn’t like their tone” is what they’ll likely hear.

That CM Punk Pipebomb cut just before Wrestlemania 42 called out TKO executives for price gouging WWE fans and protecting Roman Reigns. You don’t think that the TKO Board, plus its Silver Lake and Endeavor overlords, heard that? Oh, their thin skin was ripped apart and their egomaniac Hulk versions came out with pure anger.

And I guarantee they called Triple H immediately afterward and I’m betting that Triple H showed them a document of talking points that DID NOT include going that hard on TKO executives or the golden goose Roman Reigns. That covers HHH’s arse and the good boy secures a new extension as Chief Content Officer for kissing that corporate arse.

Speaking of Roman Reigns, who is he represented by again? William Morris Endeavor or “WME”. Notice that “E”? Yeah, Endeavor… Roman uses Endeavor’s corporate overlords, also still working side-hustles as agents and primary managers of WME, to represent him in Hollywood.

So if you attack TKO and then attack Roman Reigns, that is double dipping on the attacks towards TKO executives and their talent agency.

Oh, and who is Roman Reigns “related to” again? And I emphasize “related to” because they are not blood cousins but close family friends… The Rock. Rock is a TKO Board Member and is thus part of the overlords who could get offended by a wrestling promo.

CM Punk better be careful when he joins Smackdown because Cody Rhodes also uses WME for his agent representation. Be very careful what you say about him, Punk…

ESPN officials are upset about subscription numbers of WWE fans and low viewership numbers for Wrestlemania 42, somehow blaming CM Punk for that entire event
I think that ESPN is poorly managed and has been for years. There’s a reason why their viewership for Sportscenter, for example, has declined heavily. Instead of giving us highlights and something fun to watch, they delved into social justice and identity politics too much. Instead of understanding the concept of “time and place”, they just put the pedal to the metal and stopped denying everyone highlights and fun content to watch. ESPN’s downfall is one of the main reasons for cable/satellite subscriptions dissolving, while they are also one of the main causes for cable/satellite bills going up with their premium price paid by those providers.

How can you blame Punk, anyway? Roman was in that main event, too, along with the AWFUL Night #1 show. Fact is that Wrestlemania was more appealing at $5 to $15 to watch versus $30 on ESPN+.

Think about it this way… Why is Wendy’s and McDonalds failing? Because their UTTER CRAP FOOD tasted better when it was less than $10 versus than being over $10.

Same concept with WWE…

Now, I could see ESPN’s bullsh*t executives scrambling and looking for answers after cutting a 5-year, $1.6 billion deal with WWE and maybe blaming someone… But Punk was in that same main event of Night #1 for Wrestlemania 41, so how can you blame him? If anything, it’s just blaming the older looking fella as a scapegoat.

That said, if TKO’s ears are sensitive after Pipebomb 2.0, then maybe they start using ESPN’s complaints to get Punk?

WWE and TKO officials blame CM Punk for Wrestlemania 42 not drawing well in Las Vegas versus 2025.

Again, Punk was in the main event of night #1 for WM 41. TKO’s executives have come out and said that doing Las Vegas twice in a row ruined the appeal.

What nobody is saying is this… Wrestlemania 41 outsold WM 42 because of John Cena. Remember, we were mocking Wrestlemania 41’s ticket sales being stuck around 40,000 to 50,000 and then Cena’s heel turn changed things and boosted sales to over 60,000.

Absurdly high prices during 2026 versus 2025 also killed ticket sales.

If Punk is to blame for WM 42’s ticket sales, it’s again, sensitive TKO officials looking for something.

CM Punk is upset at how WWE has treated and used AJ Lee
I think they used her well, considering she was part-time and hasn’t been in the business for a while. If they gave her a massive work schedule and burned her out, then I could see Punk being pissed. No, WWE actually treated her well and I think Punk has been proud of her reasonably successful return. N/A on this one.

CM Punk is being punished for yelling at and knocking down the phone of a person harassing AJ Lee and Bayley after Wrestlemania 42
Again, this one would be in the “TKO is looking for something on Punk” department. While it initially didn’t look good, I think the context was later understood as this “fan” was harassing Punk’s wife AJ Lee and Bayley. Did it look good? No, but AJ Lee is Punk’s wife and he was defending her against a troll bothering her.

WWE creative has nothing for CM Punk after Wrestlemania 42, hence why Jacob Fatu feuded with Roman instead of any rematches.
I think this is true, as suffering a major loss at Wrestlemania 42 does require a cooldown period. I think this gave Punk some scheduled time off to re-charge.

I believe this was by design and often happens with other wrestlers. I think the whole plan was to move Punk to Smackdown to get those last few drops of heat out of him before he retires. Punk is 47 going on 48, and that’s OLD in WWE years compared to the rest of the roster. Punk will return to Smackdown and feud with Cody, possibly returning to the heel version of CM Punk to finish his WWE run. Then, Punk can become a Hall of Famer. Personally, I’d Punk to the Creative Team but I don’t think TKO officials would like that.

RAW has too may stars, so CM Punk will be moved to Smackdown to create a “balance”
Meh, Punk feuding with Cody has been the plan all along after Wrestlemania 42. I really don’t see it as more than that.

So, what do I think about it?

Mr. Tito’s THEORY on CM Punk

CM Punk is 47 years old, going on 48. This big Wrestlemania 42 push was it for him, and now we’re on the backside of his career. The plan has always been for Punk to put over Roman at Wrestlemania 42 and then go to Smackdown to feud with Cody Rhodes. After that, WWE would have a 48 year-old superstar that they’d have to consider using in other capacities after both Roman and Cody have dispatched him.

Now, could there be pushback by CM Punk about these plans? Maybe? It’s difficult to get old, especially in athletics or entertainment when the producers or coaches tell you that you’re “too old”. While Punk cuts great promos, he’s not as effective inside the ring thanks to age. To a younger audience that WWE really wants to appeal towards, that shows. Punk’s core fanbase is aged 40 years or older who will watch WWE anyway whether Punk is on the shows or not.

I really think that Pipebomb 2.0 pissed of TKO executives and there could be some truth to Punk being held temporarily off of television. I’m willing to bet that Triple H has advised said thin-skinned TKO p*ssy executives that CM Punk being on Smackdown will help Cody Rhodes (WME repped performer). That said, I doubt we’ll ever see Pipebomb 3.0 and Punk will be totally scripted for anything involving Cody.

That’s it… Some friction, but I think that Triple H and CM Punk are on good professional terms and Triple H is man enough to handle the TKO executives anytime their panties are in bunches.

If CM Punk wants to headline Wrestlemania once again he either needs to (a) have a very effective heel turn on Smackdown or (b) join the WME agency. Seriously, this is my advice to ANY WWE wrestler or potential wrestler right now. Sign with WME as your representation. Sure, it’s probably more expensive than other agencies, but it guarantees you a WWE job and incentivizes TKO executives to put pressure on Triple H to use or push you. Remember, they wanted to make Pat McAfee the “next Sylvester Stallone” which is possibly the most hilarious quote ever.

I think many on Social Media are trying to become the next Dave Meltzer or Sean Ross Sapp, so they claim that they have “sources” by either making stuff up or having the loosest of sources talking to them. For example, I know a few independent wrestlers that I could contact and inquire if they’ve spoken to any of their WWE or AEW buddies lately. I’ve heard some things here and there, but nothing that I can get a valid second source on to report. Oddly enough, wrestlers blab and gossip here in the 21st century versus trying to keep a tight lid on the kayfabe jar (but they were blabbing in the 1980s and 1990s, let’s get real!).

In summary, CM Punk did a great job putting Roman Reigns over at Wrestlemania 42. Maybe he did too good of a job on his Pipebomb 2.0 speech that could limit future opportunities, but he has an entire run on Smackdown to prove himself as a corporate buddy if he makes Cody look like a million bucks during their feud. Punk isn’t on steroids, there’s no heat about AJ Lee, and he’s not the reason why ESPN views are down or why Wrestlemania 42 didn’t draw better than WM 41 at the same location.

In fact, CM Punk has been the answer since his late 2023 return. With Roman Reigns taking excessive time off, WWE needed another big name to step up and Punk was there. Since CM Punk’s late 2023 return, he’s wrestled in 59 total matches and that includes recuperation time during 2024 when he tore his triceps muscle. Meanwhile, Roman Reigns has only wrestled 17 times since that timeframe. Funny how an older wrestler has been more of a workhorse than the guy he put over at Wrestlemania 42.

But hey, Roman is represented by WME agency and has a big role in the Street Fighter movie to sell, while CM Punk is represented by someone else and isn’t getting those movie roles to promote.

CM Punk is too valuable, still, to release… Let’s see what happens after he puts over Cody Rhodes and see if any possible friction between him and TKO still exists.

Remember, folks, executive or senior management have egos… Don’t shatter their fragile egos in front of everybody, as that’s career suicide for you because they’ll badmouth you everywhere they can and actively discredit anything that you do. Nobody likes a “know-it-all”, at least according to them.

Mr. Tito Column Archive @ NoDQ

The post MR. TITO: Why Has CM Punk Disappeared from WWE after Wrestlemania 42? Is WWE or TKO Angry at Him? appeared first on NoDQ.com: WWE and AEW Coverage.

“Some of the challenges we had there is usually we move WrestleMania year after year to a new spot, and that allows us to obviously grow and see the kind of economic impact we would expect.

The post TKO President Mark Shapiro says he has “no regrets” about WrestleMania 42 taking place in Las Vegas appeared first on NoDQ.com: WWE and AEW Coverage.

The report added that celebrity involvement in WWE is not expected to slow down anytime soon. While appearances are likely to be scaled back somewhat following WrestleMania, WWE reportedly has plans for additional celebrity involvement throughout future programming, including this summer.

Fightful also noted that Tom Brady was approached about a potential role with the company, although it remains unclear why those discussions ultimately did not lead to anything.

The post WWE said to have been “extremely happy” with the celebrity performances at WrestleMania 42 appeared first on NoDQ.com: WWE and AEW Coverage.

April 22, 2026 – WWE, part of TKO Group Holdings (NYSE: TKO), today announced that WrestleMania 42 became one of the highest-grossing events in company history, with record or near-record performances across gate, sponsorship, merchandise, WWE World, On Location VIP experiences and digital.

The post WrestleMania 42 said to be one of the highest-grossing events in WWE history appeared first on NoDQ.com: WWE and AEW Coverage.

This episode includes a breakdown of key developments coming out of WrestleMania weekend and a recap of RAW, featuring multiple major segments and matches.

Topics include:

• WrestleMania 42 fallout
• RAW After Mania recap
• Two main events
• CM Punk and Cody Rhodes segment
• Jacob Fatu and Roman Reigns segment
• Brock Lesnar’s apparent retirement

The post NoDQ Review 384: The fallout from WWE WrestleMania 42 appeared first on NoDQ.com: WWE and AEW Coverage.

We’re so consumed with trying to know every little thing that’s going on behind the scenes that we forgot what made us fans in the first place, which is the product we’re being given inside the ring. Yes, writing about all the negative stuff going on behind the scenes will get you more clicks because that’s how the world works, but I’ve decided to stop basing my opinions on all that and just enjoy the product for what it is. That doesn’t mean I won’t be critical about what I see, but I’m done writing about all the backstage stuff because, quite frankly, I don’t care how WWE, AEW, or TNA are run. All I need is for them to give me a product I enjoy so I can continue to talk about it. I also feel fans and some columnists should take this approach, as it would make this fandom a lot less toxic, as Kit Wilson would say.

Now, on to my thoughts on Mania 42.

Another Mania is in the books, and I’ve got to say that overall it was a middle-of-the-road show for me. Personally, I really liked both nights, but Night 1 had the slight edge because it felt a little bit more like Mania than Night 2.

So let’s start with the positives.

1. Both free hours were really well booked

For the first time in Mania history, WWE decided to give away the first hour of both nights for free as a way to get more people to subscribe to the ESPN app and watch the show, and I feel like they delivered. Night 1 had the six-man tag, which gave them a viral moment with IShowSpeed putting Logan Paul through a table, and a great fight between McIntyre and Fatu. Night 2 gave us the destruction of Lesnar by Femi in what seemed like Lesnar’s retirement match, as well as a really strong ladder match. On that aspect, WWE did a great job hyping the event, and I’m very curious to see if it affected subscriber numbers for the app.

2. Paige’s return

Yes, her return was spoiled by the dirt sheets, but at the same time, it was still a great way to bring her back, and the pop she got was huge. Giving her the tag title on her return was a great throwback to her debut when she won the Divas Championship, and they booked her return perfectly by milking the hot tag as much as possible, which made the crowd erupt when she finally got it. Yes, she had a little bit of ring rust, but that was to be expected since it’s been a while since her last AEW match. She still looked good overall, and I hope she’s able to end her career the way she wants without a career-ending injury.

3. Reigns vs. Punk was a masterpiece

This, for me, is what a Mania main event should be. It should have you on the edge of your seat the entire time and keep you wondering what it’s going to take for someone to win. Punk and Reigns proved again why they are two of the best wrestlers today and why they are true main-event talents and major draws. They had an awesome match without relying on over-the-top spots or excessive moves. Everything they did had a purpose and advanced the story they were telling in the ring, which got everyone in the arena invested. In the end, Reigns survived and became the new world champion, which means we’re going back to the part-time champion era—but I don’t really mind. When Reigns does defend the title, it’s going to feel special, and his limited schedule could help make the midcard titles feel more important.

4. Rollins vs. Gunther was an awesome match, and Bron’s return was very well executed

This match did two things really well: it gave us a great match that protected Gunther’s character, and it made Bron’s return feel impactful. I really can’t say much more beyond the fact that it elevated both guys and set up the next chapter in the Seth/Bron feud, which makes me very interested in what’s going to happen next.

Now let’s talk about what I thought was okay.

1. Danhausen segment was decent

I’m a big fan of Danhausen, but I’ve seen better from these three. Just go on YouTube and watch the video they posted when Miz tried to renew his vows to Maryse—that was fantastic. The saving grace here was Cena’s reaction, which felt genuine, like he wasn’t fully clued in on what was about to happen.

2. Midcard matches felt like TV matches, especially on Night 2

Nothing against the talent involved, but outside of the elaborate entrances and gear, nothing on Night 2 really felt like a Mania match. Zayn vs. Trick was decent but short, as was Jade vs. Rhea, and Mysterio vs. The Demon should have been much better than it was. At least on Night 1, the matches felt more like true Mania-level bouts.

Now let’s get into some of the negatives.

1. Way too many ads during the show

I don’t know what fans got in terms of ads on the ESPN app since I watched on Netflix, but for those watching there, we were hit with a lot of ads for the Hogan documentary and other WWE projects. It was better than the usual filler montages during breaks, but it still felt excessive for WWE’s biggest show of the year.

2. Cody vs. Orton was a mess but still got me interested in what’s next

This story has been messy for a few weeks, and that carried over into Mania. Orton clearly had back issues, which slowed things down and made it feel like the match was reworked on the fly. They listened to fans by taking McAfee out early, which created a viral moment, but bringing him back later to play a major role in the finish didn’t help. Orton losing felt like a way to write off McAfee, but it also meant Rhodes retained, denying fans the ending many wanted—Orton winning his 15th world title.

What happened after the match saved this from being a total disaster, though, and it got me interested in what’s next in the Rhodes/Orton feud, especially with Rhodes reportedly dealing with an injury from the Punt Kick.

Conclusion

This wasn’t a WrestleMania that will be ranked among the best. It delivered what it needed to—big moments, great entrances, and a few standout matches—but that’s about it. If it wasn’t for Brock’s apparent retirement, Paige’s big return, and the Night 2 main event, this would have felt like just another PLE, which isn’t the feeling you want when watching WrestleMania.

The post My thoughts on WrestleMania 42: Reigns vs. Punk was a masterpiece, Way too many ads during the show appeared first on NoDQ.com: WWE and AEW Coverage.

Seeing lots of feedback on Wrestlemania 42 with it mostly being “weak night 1, stronger night 2” and many are even questioning the idea of a 2-night Wrestlemania. I don’t know, those 6-7 hour 1-night Wrestlemania shows were brutal. THAT SAID, these PLEs on ESPN are shoving in so many advertisements, as you’re probably watching like 30% advertisements now.

Here are my takeaways from Wrestlemania 42 and I’ll put them in a is of 10 to keep it convenient.

#1 – Pat McAfee heel turn meant NOTHING for Wrestlemania 42
Told you so that it was BAD BOOKING to randomly turn Pat heel and have him join Randy Orton, whom he had zero connection with previously and ditto for Cody Rhodes. All news reports show that it was Pat’s agent, Ari Emanuel (also the President/CEO of TKO) forcing the issue following Pat signing him to become his agent during February. Pat was so out of place and acting as if a wrestling mark was out there to be a heel manager. He attacked Cody to start the match but then got his arse handed to him to put on a stretcher job. He later returned in a referee shirt (WTF??) to interfere further, but then Randy Orton turns on him?!? Wait, what was the point of Pat McAfee turning heel? Orton would then lose the match anyway.

After the match, Randy Orton punted Cody Rhodes and legitimately injured Cody. That’s BS and hopefully TKO tightens the bolts to ensure something like that doesn’t happen again. Cody’s eye may be permanently damaged by that or could have been.

#2 – Happy for Paige, though confused about the Women’s Tag Title situation
Paige is one of the best women’s talents and it’s a shame that her relationship with Alberto Del Rio shook up things for her personally and professionally. That said, she’s still young and she looked fantastic in that ring on Saturday. The crowd gave her flowers, too, and it was a nice moment to see her winning. However, that Wrestlemania 42 match was supposed to be the coronation of the Bellas winning the tag titles and not just Brie & Paige. This possible snap judgment decision to give them the belts kind of rubs the shine off of the Bellas winning the tag titles if Brie already won the tag titles.

#3 – Retirement for Alexa Bliss? Is AJ Lee gone?
Alexa Bliss posted a big THANK YOU on his social media accounts and I think her big tribute to Bray Wyatt at Wrestlemania was also a “goodbye” to the business. I think this is it for her, as she might be stepping back to be a mother full-time or possibly have more children. In my opinion, the WWE used her incorrectly since that MASSIVE Royal Rumble 2025 return in which her pop blew the roof off of Lucas Oil Field’s stadium (I was there, it was LOUD). HOWEVER, I do appreciate that her teaming up with Charlotte Flair helped repair Charlotte internally and allowed Charlotte to find the joy in pro wrestling again.

After her match with Becky Lynch, AJ Lee announced that she’d be stepping away from the ring too… She’s been in and out of the ring since her return, so taking long breaks is common… But I think she accomplished all she wanted to with a comeback and just wants to chill with a normal life. I wouldn’t be surprised that CM Punk, too, steps back and maybe considers starting a family with AJ Lee. Why not?

#4 – CM Punk was amazing.
That’s a 47-year old dude out there in the Main Event of Wrestlemania 42 and I’m so proud of him, as he finally headlined the big show and CRUSHED IT with a 5-Star Match with Roman Reigns. Best part was CM Punk selling the effects of the match, as he should because he took multiple Superman punches + a shot with the steel steps as he was hanging upside down from the top rope on the outside. That moment when he collapsed during the GTS meant everything. CM Punk just delivered Roman his BEST Wrestlemania main event match and remember, Roman has many of them in his holster. Punk delivered huge and cemented himself as an all-time great.

Honestly with CM Punk, where does he go now? He came back, proved that he could be a professional in a reasonable setting, and headlined Wrestlemania which was his goal during the 2010s when he walked out of the WWE. I would not be surprised if he retired, knowing that he righted the wrongs of his prior WWE career and also proved AEW wrong with this amazing second WWE run.

#5 – Brock Lesnar vs. Oba Femi
Very happy that Oba Femi won and if I were WWE, I’d place a rocketship onto his arse and light that thing on fire to push him to the top. THAT SAID, I really didn’t like how the match went, specifically the complete no-sell of the F5 by Oba. Sorry, but that move ended the Undertaker’s streak and defeated many people in the WWE. It barely hurt Oba, who went on to Chokeslam and then Powerbomb Lesnar with barely any effects of that move. Other than that gripe, I’m glad that Brock Lesnar did business here and put the younger guy over.

And then, Brock Lesnar retired… Those fans in that Las Vegas stadium really felt that and in return, Lesnar got emotional as he was unlacing his boots and hugging Paul Heyman. Since 2012, Lesnar has dominated our lives as pro wrestling fans and in my opinion, Lesnar was the “saving grace” from the 2010s being even worse than what they really were with Vince McMahon’s creative micro-managing.

I still think he’ll wrestle Gunther at SummerSlam and possibly defeat him there, but I’d be perfectly content with Lesnar retiring here. Him hanging it up after losing to Oba makes Oba’s win even more impressive. “I made Lesnar retire”. That’s much different from Gunther defeating Goldberg or Cena because you knew their retirements were coming up. This was more of a random decision, as Lesnar just retiring sells the fact that he knows his time is now up and cannot defeat a monster like Oba Femi.

#6 – Jade Gargill experiment is over.
Look, I won’t deny that Jade looks like a million bucks. She’s beautiful and sculpted like a god. I’ll never deny that… But damn, was she built with 2 left feet? For as hard as both AEW and WWE worked, they tried and tried to make her a professional wrestler but it just did not stick. This goes to show you how natural talent makes a great wrestler and not fully the promotion with its smoke & mirrors. Rhea Ripley bounced all over that ring to sell whatever Jade sent to her, but to anyone watching for a long time, we know what’s going on and know which wrestlers understand how to work.

#7 – No surprises at all.
Many were expecting surprises, including myself, for both Cody/Orton or Punk/Roman and we got nothing… The Rock still hasn’t shown up yet and wasn’t behind Pat McAfee. Once again, this “TKO Era” likes to present surprise appearances throughout the year but craps the bed when it comes to its top show Wrestlemania.

#8 – Concerns over wrestler safety.
I’m surprised that TKO doesn’t show more concern for wrestler safety… There were crazy moments in that Ladder Match and then the “punt” by Randy on Cody could have caused permanent damage to Cody’s sight. There are ways to make things look convincing without, ya know, actually harming another wrestler. Night #1 was a bummer with a bad main event between Cody and Orton, thanks to stupid interference from Pat McAfee, and then to have Cody get legitimate injured was the crap icing on the cake.

#9 – 50,000+ fans still isn’t bad.
I thought that the Las Vegas football stadium looked full and the crowd seemed loud. Getting 50,000 at those high ticket prices is still an accomplishment. AEW’s top show, All In, has less than 20,000 tickets sold in Wembley this year and that’s with cheaper ticket prices. All In last year only did around 22,000 last year and again, with cheaper tickets. History will show that the WWE raised ticket prices too high for Wrestlemania 42 and probably should have gone to another city rather than burning out Las Vegas for a second year. However, all things considered, they still sold over 50,000 tickets and that crowd was still hot.

But damn, quit price gouging loyal WWE fans, TKO. You have all of that TV revenue money, Saudi money, getting Las Vegas to pony up for another year, having Fanatics ripping off fans for merchandise… Bunch of greedy bastards. Think about this, folks… All of this WWE and UFC revenue pouring in and these idiot executives at TKO still have $4 billion in debt. Now, I realize that every company utilizes Commercial Loans to finance things rather than burning through cash but Endeavor itself had over $7 billion in debt before a private equity firm, Silver Lake, bought them to restructure that very debt. That tells me there is more greed within Endeavor and TKO than even we know.

#10 – Roman is champ again, don’t blow it.
Since Wrestlemania 40, Roman Reigns has only wrestled TWELVE TIMES… For both 2024 and 2025, Roman disappeared for 3 months following Wrestlemanias and then would often be barely available during some of the fall months. Yes, I totally agree with the concept of “less is more”, but at least appear and do something. Brock Lesnar made more frequent appearances with his part-time contract than Roman has for the past 2 years.

Even during 2023, Roman would disappear for months as World Champion which is why RAW created its own World Heavyweight Championship to counter that extended absence.

I’m NOT saying to wrestle every single RAW or Smackdown, or perform on every single PLE. Cody Rhodes did that and over-exposed himself since Wrestlemania 40. What I’m saying is show up for the actual paying WWE fans in attendance and tuning in on television.

What is hurting the NBA right now? Players taking nights off, even when they are fully available to play. This “load management” stuff has devalued seeing the NBA live and in-person, along with destroying viewership numbers for regular season games (good lord, what did NBC and Amazon just over pay for?).

Roman is champion again and instead of taking blocks of months off, just fly him in for an appearance… How hard is it to fly him on a private jet just to cut a promo?

Again, I’m not asking for him to WRESTLE at every RAW/Smackdown or perform at ever single PLE… Make appearances and make your presence felt.

WWE, in my opinion, has suffered since Wrestlemania 40 because BOTH Roman Reigns and the Rock disappeared after teasing they’d finally wrestle. The friction from their egos being on the same Bloodline team and then Roman losing at Wrestlemania 40 should have set things in motion. But noooooo, Roman takes 3 months off and Rock only appeared 1 more time during 2024. Then, the opening show of RAW on Netflix was a total joke and Roman honestly hasn’t recovered since.

Now is the time to re-establish Roman as the #1 wrestler for the WWE and we need to see him just a little more… Not saying wrestle every night, but good lord, is it asking much to perform on at least half of the PLEs and maybe show up to 1 or 2 shows per month? That fits well into the “less is more” concept.

Overall, Wrestlemania was “meh” for Night 1, and pretty good for Night 2. Overall, good show despite the struggling hype and TKO meddling to get there.

Wrestlemania 42 reminded me of how much TKO sucks with the sponsors everywhere, 3-4 minute advertisement breaks, and the over-produced show.

*********************

THE LAST WORD

60 minutes for a Hall of Fame speech for Stephanie McMahon.

Tell us how much of a mark of yourself that you are without telling us that you’re a mark for yourself.

Look, Stephanie McMahon was a good on-screen character for her time… I thought her 1999 work as the victim of the Undertaker’s scheme was good and then I liked her teaming up with Triple H through 2000. After that, it was total hit or miss with her often being a dominant heel that never “got hers”. She kept away from any babyfaces retaliating against her, aside from Ronda Rousey beating her up at Wrestlemania in that mixed tag match.

She had a long tenure as EVP of Creative from late 2000 through late 2013. Lots of issues with that time, too… Yes, she did hear John Cena rapping on the back of the touring bus and then incorporated that onto WWE television… But her creative almost got him fired throughout 2002 before that! So many issues with the 2000s WWE, from letting Triple H run RAW into the ground from 2002-2003 to being agitating to Paul Heyman when he was running a successful Smackdown show. The way that women were treated was terrible under Stephanie, as we endured 3 Minute Warning and Divas Search under her creative watch. Ironically, it was her husband Triple H who took better care of female wrestlers creatively.

She didn’t deserve 60 minutes and it’s a CRIME that WWE made fans sit through her speech early in that show.

The FACT is that Stephanie McMahon would NEVER be a character, let alone an executive, if her name wasn’t “McMahon”. This Communications major would probably be working in a marketing department somewhere or maybe a news reporter for a TV channel. Instead, she was pushed to the very top because of her name. Don’t get me wrong, she has some talent… She grew up around the WWE and understood how to cut a promo or generate heat as a character. However, her ego often got in the way and she never let anyone one-up her as the opposition (besides Rousey).

Meanwhile, Sid Eudy is a “legacy” inductee to the Hall of Fame and he received less than 2 minutes of a video on that show. What a joke. Sid was a two-time WWE champion and became said champion because WWE’s pushed Shawn Michaels FAILED to draw as World Champion. Sid won at Survivor Series 1996 because HBK was tanking and then regained the title when HBK “lost his smile”. Sid helped the WWE safe face back then when they needed a credible champion. Yeah, I know, “scissors Sid” or “softball Sid”, but at least Sid didn’t compare his family to the victims of 9/11 like Stephanie McMahon did.

Triple H is too nice of a husband… He restored her confidence by putting her back on WWE shows and now this 60-minute Hall of Fame speech. But come on, quit self-glazing yourselves. WWE’s Attitude Era was built on the Rock and Steve Austin’s characters and whatever they did. FACT is that WWE houseshow attendance began to slide after Austin left to have neck surgery during November 1999 and then RAW’s viewership began sliding after Wrestlemania 16 before it joined TNN. Then from 2000 through 2004, RAW’s viewership kept sliding with Triple H dominating that show as the champion of that brand.

If you want to make a good argument about “getting rid of Triple H”, the past 2 Hall of Fames would be your argument. They are kind of rewriting history from their 2000s and 2010s transgressions, which is a shame because Triple H legitimately saved the WWE from itself during June 2022 when he took over during a very complicated time with Vince McMahon’s bad office behavior towards women being fully exposed.

Mr. Tito Column Archive @ NoDQ

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Reigns’ entrance began with a live singer, piano player, and drummer, while photos of his Bloodline were displayed on the screen. Reigns then made his way to the ring to his heel “Tribal Chief” theme song.

ACKNOWLEDGE YOUR OTC!! @WWERomanReigns

Stream #WrestleMania LIVE RIGHT NOW on the @espn app!

https://t.co/jKAIj8nxxt pic.twitter.com/X3cPkajnOq

— WWE (@WWE) April 20, 2026

A music video played to “Miseria Cantare: The Beginning” by AFI. There was silence as Punk made his way out to the stage, and then “Cult of Personality” played as he walked to the ring.

A full circle moment for @CMPunk

Stream #WrestleMania LIVE RIGHT NOW on the @espn app!

https://t.co/jKAIj8nxxt pic.twitter.com/iWzOltpzfV

— WWE (@WWE) April 20, 2026

The two had an intense staredown before finally locking up. After a brief feeling-out process, they shoved each other, quickly raising the intensity. Punk slapped Reigns, but Reigns answered with a Samoan drop.

The AURA is off the CHARTS!!

Stream #WrestleMania LIVE RIGHT NOW on the @espn app!

https://t.co/jKAIj8nxxt pic.twitter.com/N2hy3m53Pv

— WWE (@WWE) April 20, 2026

The fight spilled to the outside, where they brawled for a while. Punk posed on the barricade, but it backfired when Reigns slammed him onto the floor before tossing him back into the ring. Reigns started trash talking at this point.

An exchange of words between @WWERomanReigns and @CMPunk

Stream #WrestleMania LIVE RIGHT NOW on the @espn app!

https://t.co/jKAIj8nxxt pic.twitter.com/5QObhHLBpJ

— WWE (@WWE) April 20, 2026

After some back-and-forth action, Reigns countered the GTS and landed a Superman Punch. He then set up for the spear, but Punk capitalized with a running knee.

Roman Reigns is BRUTALIZING CM Punk right now! #WrestleMania pic.twitter.com/73KuR0TvLh

— WWE (@WWE) April 20, 2026

The fight spilled to the apron, where Punk ended up trapped in the tree of woe position. Reigns followed up with three consecutive Superman Punches. Reigns then used the steel steps as a weapon on Punk, but he wasn’t disqualified. By this point, Punk was busted open. Reigns then powerbombed Punk through the announce desk before bringing him back into the ring. Reigns went for a spear, but Punk countered with a GTS; however, Reigns kicked out.

Reigns finally hit a spear, but Punk kicked out. Reigns repeatedly drove Punk’s bloodied face into the mat in frustration.

Reigns went for a GTS, but Punk blocked it. Punk then landed a Superman Punch, but Reigns still managed to kick out. Punk retrieved an Ula Fala from ringside and attempted a spear, but Reigns countered into a Guillotine submission.

This Main Event has been the ultimate BATTLE between @CMPunk and @WWERomanReigns

Stream #WrestleMania LIVE RIGHT NOW on the @espn app!

https://t.co/jKAIj8nxxt pic.twitter.com/Sb6ehztZ93

— WWE (@WWE) April 20, 2026

Punk escaped and locked in the Anaconda Vice, only for Reigns to reverse it back into another Guillotine. Punk broke free again, and Reigns immediately reapplied the hold. Punk countered into a pinning combination, but Reigns kicked out. Both men then leveled each other with simultaneous clotheslines.

After the two traded shots, Punk distracted the referee with his tape before hitting a low blow on Reigns. He followed up with another GTS, but Reigns still kicked out.

This match has turned into A SLUGFEST!! #WrestleMania pic.twitter.com/JwD1DYXOH3

— WWE (@WWE) April 20, 2026

Punk laid Reigns out on the announce desk and sent him crashing through it with an elbow drop from the top rope. He rolled Reigns back into the ring and hit another GTS.

Punk went for one more, but collapsed from exhaustion. Reigns took Punk down with another spear, but he was too exhausted to make the cover. Reigns then delivered a final spear and secured the victory.

THE ORIGINAL TRIBAL CHIEF ROMAN REIGNS IS THE NEW WORLD HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPION!!! #WrestleMania@WWERomanReigns pic.twitter.com/bV2cwqBICZ

— WWE (@WWE) April 20, 2026

The post Results of CM Punk vs. Roman Reigns at WWE WrestleMania 42 Sunday appeared first on NoDQ.com: WWE and AEW Coverage.

Jade outpowered Rhea in the early moments. Jade sent Rhea into the barricade and posed. Back in the ring, Jade continued her offense, which included a crossface. Rhea was able to escape and finally built up momentum.

Rhea went for Riptide, but Jade was able to counter it. Jade delivered a spinebuster and went for Jaded, but Rhea reversed it into a pin attempt. Rhea went for a powerbomb, but Michin got on the apron and B-Fab saved Jade. After Rhea was sent into the post, Jade hit the Sand Storm, but Rhea kicked out.

OH COME ON!

A 3 on 1 attack on @RheaRipley_WWE!

Stream #WrestleMania LIVE RIGHT NOW on the @espn app!

https://t.co/jKAIj8nxxt pic.twitter.com/gwCqQKFDPt

— WWE (@WWE) April 20, 2026

Michin and B-Fab tried to interfere again, but Iyo Sky ran down to make the save. Iyo delivered a moonsault to both, which distracted Jade. Jade hit a pump kick to Rhea, but Rhea countered Jaded with Riptide to win the title.

HERE COMES IYO SKY!!!

Stream #WrestleMania LIVE RIGHT NOW on the @espn app!

https://t.co/jKAIj8nxxt pic.twitter.com/bwOCAXcrIa

— WWE (@WWE) April 20, 2026

The post Results of Jade Cargill vs. Rhea Ripley at WWE WrestleMania 42 Sunday appeared first on NoDQ.com: WWE and AEW Coverage.