Tag: WrestleMania 40

How Roman Reigns forged WWE’s current success — and what’s still left for him to accomplish

Cody Rhodes is the face of WWE’s new era, but Roman Reigns built the foundation for it.

WWE has recently gone out of its way to let the world know that WrestleMania weekend was the dawn of a new age for the company.

By virtue of his win in the main event of WrestleMania, Cody Rhodes will lead the charge.

But even in defeat, Roman Reigns was not completely overlooked, as fans flooded social media not only to congratulate Rhodes, but to thank Reigns for his historic run as champion.

For 1,316 days, Reigns held a championship in WWE, and while he didn’t appear on every episode of Smackdown nor did defend his title at every premium live event, he made every last one of them count.

During his time as champion, Reigns led WWE to unprecedented success, rivaling only the revered “Attitude Era” in terms of its impact. 

And it all started with Reigns, who sat at home during the COVID-19 pandemic and re-evaluated his career to that point. Upon some reflection, Reigns realized he wasn’t happy with where his career had been and where it appeared to be going. Let’s not forget that Reigns was slotted as the Royal Rumble runner-up in 2017, 2018 and 2020.

“I was ready to retire,” Reigns said during his episode of  A&E’s “Biography: WWE Legends.” 

“And once I fully removed myself by choice, not due to circumstances, that’s when I was able to be truthful with myself. That’s when I could really take an authentic, genuine eye and look at what I had been doing, look at what I had done. And that’s when I knew I wasn’t happy with it.”

“I still felt like I didn’t achieve what I had set out to do,” he added. “That I didn’t reach my potential. I was still under that ceiling … and it was time to break it.”

Given all of WWE’s recent success, the ceiling has been broken.

Just look at WrestleMania weekend in Philadelphia, where WWE announced it sold more than 200,000 tickets to its five wrestling shows and broke attendance and gate records for Raw, Smackdown and NXT. I personally saw some lengthy lines at WWE World, especially at the WrestleMania Superstore.

WWE came into WrestleMania 40 in Philadelphia on a hot streak and shows no signs of slowing down anytime soon. This new era of success for WWE would not exist if it wasn’t for Reigns’ dominant run as champion.

Reigns’ dominance is only one aspect of his run that is fascinating, but it is the most obvious. He is the fourth-longest reigning champion in WWE history, behind only Bruno Sammartino, Bob Backlund and Hulk Hogan. Yet unlike those legendary figures, Reigns spent his entire run as a heel.

WWE has traditionally been what some of our elder members of the wrestling community would call a “babyface territory.” Going back to the days when the company was known as the World Wide Wrestling Federation, WWE has traditionally built itself around one heroic babyface. Sammartino, Hogan, Steve Austin and John Cena are a few examples.

Although other promotions found success promoting a heel as the face of the company  (Jim Crockett Promotions with Ric Flair and World Championship Wrestling Hulk Hogan are two examples), WWE has largely followed the formula of having a babyface as the centerpiece of the storytelling.

What has made Reigns so compelling is his authenticity. You can tell that he is living within the Tribal Chief character. You can tell that there are pieces of Joe Anoa’i sprinkled throughout the character that simply weren’t there when he was portraying the “Big Dog.”

“Roman Reigns is the most cinematic portrayal of what a champion is in the history of sports entertainment,” said Paul Heyman during “Biography.” 

I couldn’t agree more.

But for me, the most fascinating aspect of Reigns’ time as champion is how he helped create new stars while only being pinned a total of two times in almost four years. 

According to Reigns, that was intentional.

“If it was just about me, I could have been done a good bit ago. For this to be what it’s supposed to be, to max out the potential of it, I can’t be the only one that benefits from this.

“That’s all I want. That’s all I’ve ever wanted.”

From Jimmy and Jey Uso developing their own identities, to Sami Zayn becoming one of the most sympathetic babyfaces ever, to Rhodes finishing his story in grand fashion, all of it happened because Reigns was doing his part.

However, there is still one more babyface to create, in my opinion. And that is the Tribal Chief himself, Roman Reigns. Every time Reigns makes an entrance, thousands of people hold their index fingers in the air in solidarity and acknowledgement of their Tribal Chief.

That happens despite Reigns being firmly entrenched as the villain in every story. Imagine what could happen if Reigns became … the hero? 

Whatever name you want to slap on this current era of WWE, with Reigns as its centerpiece, it has the potential to be a lot of fun.

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The WrestleMania 40 main event delivered in every possible way

Pro wrestling at its finest in every aspect? We experienced it when Cody Rhodes and Roman Reigns met at WrestleMania 40.

Professional wrestling is so many things. But at its core, it is beautiful.

Its beauty lies in its action, its drama, its emotions.

Professional wrestling’s beauty lies on the faces of thousands of fans cheering on their heroes and booing their villains.

And there was no better showcase for how beautiful wrestling can be than Sunday night at Lincoln Financial Field. That’s because more than 70,000 people gathered in South Philadelphia to see one thing: the climax of Cody Rhodes’ story.

But the beautiful thing about professional wrestling was that it wasn’t just about Rhodes’ story. There were others, and they all culminated in the most climactic main event in WrestleMania history.

WWE didn’t have to promote Sunday’s match as the “biggest in WrestleMania history” like Vince McMahon did two years ago. The fans’ desire to watch Rhodes defeat Roman Reigns was the only indication anyone needed.

Once the bell rang, WWE delivered.

The main event of WrestleMania 40 was everything it should have been and more. There were cameos from recurring characters throughout the story, call backs to key moments from the past, and there was even a surprise or two.

When Rhodes pinned Reigns to become the new Undisputed WWE Universal Champion, there was a release of emotions from everyone inside Lincoln Financial Field and from wrestling fans across the world. 

That is because on Sunday, April 7, 2024, everything the wrestling world had ever hoped for had been fulfilled. They had received or been a part of one of the most storybook endings in WrestleMania history. 

If it were an action movie from the 1980s, it may have ended with a freeze frame. While that may sound grossly cliche, it is the type of ending wrestling fans yearn for on an annual basis. They got their wish Sunday night.

The main event of WrestleMania 40 was professional wrestling executed at its highest level. It’s was what professional wrestling is all about.

What is professional wrestling about?

Professional wrestling is about the journey. It is about telling the story of two men who wrapped themselves in their respective family’s wrestling traditions, but for two very different reasons.

On one side was the prodigal son, who returned to the place where he had a prophecy to fulfill: win the title his father never could.

He came within seconds of accomplishing his goal last year, only to have it snatched away from him.

But like any hero, he dusted himself off and fought his way back.

He overcame obstacle after obstacle in order to find his way back to the same spot he was in one year ago: the main event of WrestleMania.

On the other side was the tyrannical villain, whose motives are rooted in providing for his family — or in this case, his tribe. For 1,316 days, he ruled WWE with an iron fist, running through anyone who threatened his position at the summit of the industry, including his own family if necessary.

However, he always made sure that the family had his back, including the ones with even more influence within the company than him.

It’s just that his villainous ways may have cost him in the end.

Professional wrestling is about setting that hero and that villain on a collision course that culminates at the biggest event of the year — twice. It is about living vicariously through all of the characters involved and hoping each of them receive what they have coming to them.

Professional wrestling at its best was on full display Sunday night.

Professional wrestling is beautiful.

Professional wrestling is back in WWE.

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Cody Rhodes def. Roman Reigns at WrestleMania 40: Best photos

Check out these photos from Cody Rhodes’ WrestleMania 40 victory over Roman Reigns, which featured John Cena, The Rock, and more.

Check out these photos from [autotag]Cody Rhodes[/autotag]’ Universal Heavyweight Championship victory over [autotag]Roman Reigns[/autotag] at WrestleMania 40 Night 2, and saw interference from [autotag]John Cena[/autotag], [autotag]The Rock[/autotag], [autotag]The Undertaker[/autotag], [autotag]Seth Rollins[/autotag], [autotag]Jimmy Uso[/autotag], [autotag]Jey Uso[/autotag], and [autotag]Solo Sikoa[/autotag]. (Photos by Joe Camporeale/USA TODAY Sports, Tim Nwachukwu/Getty Images)

Logan Paul def. Randy Orton and Kevin Owens at WrestleMania 40: Best photos

Check out these photos from Logan Paul’s WrestleMania 40 victory over Randy Orton and Kevin Owens in Philadelphia.

Check out these photos from [autotag]Logan Paul[/autotag]’s victory over [autotag]Kevin Owens[/autotag] and [autotag]Randy Orton[/autotag] to retain the United States Title at WrestleMania 40, which took place April 7 at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia. (Photos by Joe Camporeale/USA TODAY Sports, Tim Nwachukwu/Getty Images)

Damian Priest cashes in MITB after Drew McIntyre def. Seth Rollins at WrestleMania 40: Best photos

Check out these photos from Drew McIntyre vs. Seth Rollins, which saw Damian Priest cash in his Money In the Bank briefcase.

Check out these photos from [autotag]Damian Priest[/autotag]’s successful Money In The Bank cash-in after [autotag]Drew McIntyre[/autotag] def. [autotag]Seth Rollins[/autotag] for the World Heavyweight Title at WrestleMania 40 at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia. (Photos by Joe Camporeale/USA TODAY Sports, Tim Nwachukwu/Getty Images)

The Rock and Roman Reigns def. Cody Rhodes and Seth Rollins at WrestleMania 40: Best photos

Check out these photos from The Rock and Roman Reigns’ victory over Cody Rhodes and Seth Rollins at WrestleMania 40 in Philadelphia.

Check out these photos from [autotag]The Rock[/autotag] and [autotag]Roman Reigns[/autotag]’ victory over [autotag]Cody Rhodes[/autotag] and [autotag]Seth Rollins[/autotag] at WrestleMania 40 Night 1, which took place April 6 at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, setting up the “Bloodline Rules” stipulation for the main event of Night 2. (Photos by Joe Camporeale/USA TODAY Sports, Tim Nwachukwu/Getty Images)

WATCH: Lane Johnson gets in a workout with WWE star Seth Rollins ahead of Wrestlemania 40

Philadelphia Eagles All-Pro right tackle Lane Johnson gets in a work out with WWE World Heavyweight champion Seth Rollins ahead of Wrestlemania 40

Lane Johnson is one of the most charismatic players in the NFL, and the Eagles right tackle will indeed have options once his football career ends.

Johnson is a former Oklahoma Sooner and has a tight relationship with WWE Hall of Fame announcer Jim Ross.

During a previous sitdown with Trey Wingo on his “Half-Forgotten History” podcast, Johnson discussed the potential of a post-NFL wrestling career based on the projections of Jim Ross, who promised the Eagles a star shot if he ever wanted it.

“Jim Ross, J.R., was an announcer for the WWE. He was always at our games and he would just whisper in my ear every now and then, ‘hey, if football don’t work out, I got you a spot,’ ” Johnson explained. “So I feel like in my heart I want to be a wrestler, but we’ll see what happens when this football’s done. But, yeah, I would love to. It’s something you never have to grow up in, just seems like a lot of fun.”

The 6-foot-6, 317-pound Johnson would be an imposing character. He could build a solid niche by leveraging his Texas roots and relationship with Stone Cold Steve Austin.

Johnson and the Eagles are playing host to Wrestlemania 40, as the sport’s biggest event kicked out activities in Philadelphia and will commence with two days of action at Lincoln Financial Field.

WWE World Heavyweight Champion Seth Rollins will face Drew McIntyre on night two and decided to hit the weights with Johnson ahead of Wrestlemania 40.

WrestleMania 40: Give WWE women the steering wheel

WrestleMania 40 must have missed the memo: The women of WWE are more than capable of taking the helm.

WrestleMania 40 must have missed the memo: The women of WWE are more than capable of taking the helm.

Despite two strong title matches and a six-woman tag team with historic implications, WWE women will not main event either night of this year’s WrestleMania.

Instead, headlining both nights is an unfinished story and a 1,307-day title reign. The epics need an ending. For nearly four years, some version of The Bloodline has dominated the title scene, and it’s left little for those not involved in the drama. Then, an overly-calculated wrench was thrown into the works, and, to the disdain of many, The Rock returned.

(Act normal everyone, the boss is here.)

Play the tape forward. The Rock declared himself Roman Reigns’ WrestleMania opponent when Cody Rhodes backed down — a move that made zero sense story-wise, infuriated fans and ultimately led to a story redirection.

Keep fast-forwarding that tape. The Rock berated Rhodes for bailing on the match. The Rock joined The Bloodline. The Rock nicknamed himself “The Final Boss” (see: Meiko Satomura). The Rock issued a convoluted challenge to Rhodes and Seth Rollins. The result? Night 1: Rhodes and Rollins vs. Reigns and the Rock. Night 2: Rhodes vs. Reigns, shenanigans to be determined by the winner of night 1.

The WrestleMania 40 main events are by-product of a messy effort to fit every top guy into the puzzle.

That is a lot of exposition on the WrestleMania 40 main event scene for an article clearly intended to explore women’s wrestling struggles. It may seem excessive, spelling it all out, but that’s exactly the point: This is overkill. The whole mess comes off as melodramatic, hastily changed and not purposeful enough to encourage anticipation. It does capitalize on one thing, though: nostalgia.

Something else missing from this saga? Women’s wrestling.

We’ll preface by saying there have been plenty of overcomplicated stories from the women’s division that hindered their relationship with fans; they’re not immune to similar hang-ups. Remember when James Ellsworth won the Money in the Bank briefcase for Carmella? What about the Lana-Rusev-Dolph Ziggler-Summer Rae love fiasco? We can’t forget how Lacey Evans started a relationship with Ric Flair just to get under Charlotte’s skin. And let’s agree to never talk about Dawn Marie and Al Wilson.

The women and men both have had horrid stories, with obvious differences.

The mucky men’s story, though, gets the main event. The women, regardless if the feud is riveting or not, don’t get that chance nearly as much. The potential has always been there for a remarkable women’s main event; Bianca Belair and Sasha Banks delivered it at WrestleMania 37.

WWE seemingly understands the worth of its women superstars, yet still can not exceed the industry standard of booking women to fall short of their male counterparts. This leads us to where we seem to always land: WWE women deserve better.

At the time of this writing, there are 13 matches announced for WrestleMania 40, only three of them women’s bouts.

Bianca Belair, Jade Cargill and Naomi will face Damage CTRL (Asuka, Dakota Kai and Kairi Sane). The significance of this match can not be overstated in an industry that does not honor and respect Black women like it should. The representation has real, positive effects on the fans. Women and girls see themselves in this match and it has impact.

That’s just one side of the fight, too. Asuka, Sane and Kai are acknowledged as undeniable talent. There’s no uncertainty at the level of greatness Damage CTRL is about to hand us, easily a banner match for either night of the big show.

Continuing on, IYO SKY will defend her WWE Women’s Championship against Bayley. We all saw this coming, right? Sane returned to WWE and Bayley was left on the outside looking in at her former stable. Turning Bayley face in the process, Damage CTRL kicked Bayley out of the group, and suddenly the 2024 Royal Rumble winner knew her destiny for WrestleMania 40.

In the second of the women’s title matches, Rhea Ripley will defend her Women’s World Championship against Becky Lynch. Lynch won her shot after winning the 2024 Elimination Chamber women’s match. The story here is that both women are really good, and both want to prove it to the other.

Do the women’s matches stack up against the current main events, story-wise? Of course not. None of the women have taken center stage for nearly four years. There simply hasn’t been that type of commitment to the women’s division.

Could one of the women’s title matches carry a main event with the story they do have? Yes, if WWE had given the stories time and creative investment. The stories were built enough to give the women’s division power, but not enough that would give them undisputable access to a main event.

Do the main events necessarily need a larger-than-life story? Honestly? Yes. WrestleMania is the biggest show of the year for the biggest wrestling promotion in the world. Fans need a finale. WWE is story-focused, and putting a technical masterclass as a main event will just not sell to its current fanbase.

Does any story need to take up the main event of both nights, one of which will be a match with certain interference overload? No. It’s too much. The Cody-Roman saga has taken enough airtime already.

IYO SKY and Bayley would be an easy main event for night 1, especially if you’re putting the six-woman tag match on before. The narrative is there.

Bayley has an incredible talent for pulling fans to her corner of the ring, whether she’s face or heel. She is a wrestling standard, a pillar of WWE. So is SKY. They could end their tale in a way that doesn’t sacrifice entertainment for predictability.

Ripley vs. Lynch doesn’t have a big story to lean on. They may not need one. Both women are admired for their talent in the ring. Some feuds are just fine as, “I run this show, and I’m going to prove it to you.”

Really driving the point home, Lynch and Bayley have recently gone on record with their thoughts on women taking the lead at WrestleMania.

Bayley told Alex McCarthy of Daily Mail that with the caliber of talent in the women’s division, there’s no reason they shouldn’t have the main event.

“I would never say that two women shouldn’t be main-eventing a WrestleMania; especially at the caliber of Rhea and Becky.”

Continuing, Bayley told McCarthy it was her spot to take.

“With all due respect, I would like to take that [main event]. Rhea, you’re very young.”

Lynch, too, spoke out on getting the recognition she is owed, telling Under the Ring’s Phil Strum women’s wrestling shouldn’t exist separately from wrestling as a whole.

“When it becomes too much like ‘look at this historical women’s whatever, insert x,’ it kind of starts to feel a little condescending,” Lynch told Strum. “And I didn’t want that, I don’t want that in general. I just want to get opportunity based on the good work that I’ve done.”

Lynch makes a strong point: Women shouldn’t get opportunities just because they’re women. The goal of equality is for those lines to disappear, not bolden.

So, while this article argues for WWE women to get their chance at running the show, it’s not because they are women. Systematically, there has been an imbalance in treatment of the divisions, despite the amount of talent in the women’s ranks. Women in sports just want to be known as athletes and as advocates. That’s our endgame.

Predictably, almost methodically, the women’s division is looking at less than one-fourth of the WrestleMania 40 card. That’s not taking into account the potential ratio of match time, either.

It shouldn’t take hashtag movements or written essays to convince wrestling to treat women like athletes who deserve their spot. Frustratingly, it takes the motivation and determination of promoters to move that needle. Movements have no power if those in power don’t make the moves. How long do fans and women wrestlers have to shout before those moves are made?

The women of WWE have proven themselves capable of taking the wheel. The trust is there. The desire is noticeable. The clamor exists. The WrestleMania 40 card might already be set in stone, but the work for next year begins now.

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