All articles tagged with #wrestlemania
Pat McAfee returned to SmackDown, blasted CM Punk, and announced a 25% ticket discount for WrestleMania Saturday. Cody Rhodes clashed with him, while Randy Orton and Jelly Roll set the stage for WrestleMania chaos, with McAfee driving off with Cody Rhodes’s WWE Championship.
SmackDown from San Jose builds toward WrestleMania 42 with Pat McAfee promising a MASSIVE SURPRISE to buoy the Orton-Cody Rhodes main event, while Rhodes vows to strike back after last week's chair beatdown. The show is expected to feature the debut of Royce Keys, payback angles for Sami Zayn, and various setup segments as WWE pushes multiple WrestleMania storylines including Drew McIntyre vs. Jacob Fatu and several match-builds for the weekend.
Pat McAfee’s SmackDown promo, critical of Mania ticket sales and ratings, reportedly wasn’t written by WWE’s creative team and was influenced by Ari Emanuel; Meltzer notes McAfee may have authored the lines himself with Christian Sowell listed as the writer of record, while Triple H was reportedly unaware of the specifics. Nick Khan was present, and WWE could pivot from previous Mania plans, though a Randy Orton & Pat McAfee vs. Cody Rhodes & Jelly Roll match is still being discussed for Backlash.
WWE Raw at Madison Square Garden delivered a fast-paced, surprise-filled night: Cody Rhodes opened the show to warn about Randy Orton, Stephanie McMahon popped up with a blunt warning, and Triple H asserted authority while Brock Lesnar was kept apart. Gunther made a dramatic return by attacking Seth Rollins, signaling a serious, built-for-Mania feud, and teasing a potential pairing with Heyman in the future. Roman Reigns was written off briefly after a table spot by CM Punk, giving Punk bragging rights ahead of the go-home Raw, while several WrestleMania bouts were announced, setting the stage for a stacked card. Overall, the episode delivered momentum, surprises, and clear Mania setup without slowing down.
WWE redirected WrestleMania 42 to Seth Rollins vs. Gunther after injuries sidelined Rey Mysterio and Bron Breakker, with post-RAW analysis from Sean Ross Sapp detailing the backstage pivot that turned a backup plan into a marquee feud.
WWE announced a slate of WrestleMania 42 matches on Raw, led by an Intercontinental Championship ladder match with Penta defending against Dragon Lee, JD McDonagh, Je’Von Evans, and Rusev; Finn Balor vs. Dominik Mysterio; a four‑way Women’s Tag Team Championship match (Lash Legend & Nia Jax vs Charlotte Flair & Alexa Bliss vs The Bella Twins vs Lyra Valkyria & Bayley); Gunther vs. Seth Rollins; and other marquee bouts including Punk vs. Reigns for World Heavyweight and Rhodes vs. Orton for Undisputed WWE Championship, as WrestleMania 42 is set for April 18–19 in Las Vegas.
WWE Raw’s Mar. 30 episode built Mania momentum around a heated Oba Femi vs. Brock Lesnar feud, crowned The Vision as new tag-team champions in a chaotic street-fight, and advanced multiple Mania matches and storylines with cameos and sharp promos, while mixing high-energy segments with a few storytelling missteps.
On Raw, Seth Rollins was medically cleared to compete but was blindsided by GUNTHER, who slept him on the announcer’s desk and signaled a WrestleMania 42 showdown at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas.
WWE announced an Intercontinental Championship ladder match for WrestleMania with champion Penta defending against a field named on Main Event, including Je’Von Evans, Dragon Lee, Rusev, and JD McDonagh; however, the lineup’s low visibility and lack of title qualifiers have critics questioning its legitimacy and echoing a controversial, reportedly fabricated origin story for the title.
WWE reportedly tapped John Cena to host WrestleMania 42 in Las Vegas to help drive ticket demand, with extensive cross- promotion across RAW, SmackDown and other programming. The move signals a business-focused strategy, leveraging Cena’s high visibility as he trends toward a behind-the-scenes role after early retirement, though the exact timeline of the decision isn’t clear.
Roxanne Perez, out after surgery to remove a benign mass, is expected to return to WWE RAW this week at Madison Square Garden, potentially rejoining The Judgment Day as WrestleMania draws near.
Sami Zayn defeated Carmelo Hayes on SmackDown to win the WWE United States Championship. Rumors that Hayes would take time off to marry Kelani Jordan are false; engagement photos circulated online, but Hayes' WrestleMania status remains unclear with no official confirmation of him entering the US title match.
WWE SmackDown from Pittsburgh set the WrestleMania pace with Randy Orton looming backstage and threatening more chaos, Cody Rhodes set to return to address him, and a major injury tease for Drew McIntyre. The night also featured Jelly Roll’s surprise win over Kit Wilson, interruptions and new alliances involving Jade Cargill, plus injury updates for Nikki Bella and hints of title drama including a possible United States Title defense, all shaping the Road to WrestleMania.
On SmackDown, Sami Zayn captured the United States Championship from Carmelo Hayes after Trick Williams interfered, despite GM Nick Aldis previously noting no WrestleMania plans for him. Zayn overcame the odds with a kick and will defend the US title against Trick Williams at WrestleMania 42, setting up a high-stakes clash on WWE's big show.
Sami Zayn defeated Carmelo Hayes to win the WWE United States Championship on SmackDown, with Baron Corbin chiming in on social media saying Hayes was screwed and deserving of a Mania match, even proposing a three-way with Ilja and Trick Williams. Zayn is slated to defend the title against Trick Williams at WrestleMania 42, as fan reaction to the finish runs negative.