WWE will bring its flagship shows Raw and SmackDown to Europe this coming March as part of the exciting road to WrestleMania 41. The tour will see the two shows, as well as live events, held in Spain, Germany, Belgium, Italy, Northern Ireland, the UK, Austria, and the Netherlands.
This exciting tour will also mark the first time that any WWE TV taping has taken place in Spain or Belgium. So far, these two countries have only hosted live events, with Cody Rhodes teasing a Belgium PLE during one such live event earlier this year. WWE has become more open to hosting televised events outside of North America in recent years, with PLEs and TV shows happening in Scotland, Australia, and Germany in 2024 alone.
The tour will conclude mere weeks before WrestleMania 41 takes place on April 19, and April 20, from Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Nevada. The show will be WWE’s second WrestleMania in Vegas (after WrestleMania 9) and the first to stream on Netflix in these international markets. WrestleMania season is the most exciting time of the year for the WWE Universe and now fans in Europe will get to experience this much-anticipated period up close and personal next March.
The location for WrestleMania 42 in 2026 has not been locked in just yet.
Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro got people talking when he stated that the biggest wrestling show of the year will be coming back to Philadelphia so soon, after hosting the PPV just this year.
In a Q&A video posted on X, Shapiro was asked if anything ‘cool’ was scheduled in Philadelphia for America’s 250th anniversary in 2026.
In the answer to the question, the Governor counted a number of big sporting events that were scheduled for the area, including the FIFA World Cup, Major League Baseball All-Star Game and WrestleMania.
This inclusion was surprising as WWE usually makes a big deal of any WrestleMania developments and fans would expect a big announcement if the location had indeed been decided.
PWInsider provided an update on the situation after the video went viral saying that WWE sources ‘across the board’ were pretty surprised by this claim as it was not something that had been discussed internally.
The site also claimed that a well-placed source who would be involved in such decision-making had expressed that a location for WrestleMania 42 had not been locked in as of Saturday morning.
Josh Shapiro has since taken down the original video, further suggesting that he might have been talking about some other event or WWE as a whole instead of the specific show.
The Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia hosted WrestleMania 40 with an attendance record of 120,239 across both nights. Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas has been announced to host the 41th edition of the show on April 19 & 20 next year.
Update: Manuel Bonder, Spokesman for Governor Shapiro issued a statement to Fightful Select confirming that the claim made in the video was a mistake:
“This statement was mistaken, and we apologize for the confusion amid all the incredible events Pennsylvania is excited to host in 2026. While WrestleMania won’t be here in ‘26, we look forward to continuing to work with WWE and wrestling fans all across our Commonwealth to bring more great events to PA in the future,”
In addition, WrestleVotes sources note that WWE supposedly decided on the location for WrestleMania 42 months ago but they’re not ready to make the announcement just yet:
Regarding the WrestleMania 42/Philadelphia rumors, I am told through a source that WWE is not ready to make any official announcement yet. Here’s what we can add:
WWE had an excellent experience with the city of Philadelphia for WMXL, regardless of the weather, and would be…
WrestleMania 40 featured appearances from several musical artists and bands, such as Lil Wayne, Coco Jones, The War and Treaty as well as metalcore band Motionless In White as they performed Rhea Ripley’s entrance theme, ‘Demon in Your Dreams'” ahead of her WWE Women’s World Championship match against Becky Lynch.
After seeing his Judgment Day stablemate played out to a live music performance on WWE’s grandest stage, Damian Priest is now envisioning one of his own.
Priest’s Dream WrestleMania Entrance
In a new interview with Metal Hammer, Priest was asked to identify the band he’d like to see introduce him at a future WrestleMania event. In response, Priest pointed toward another band in the metal music genre.
“The mighty Metallica! You know what I mean? Can you imagine Metallica playing me to the ring?” Priest said. “It’d be wild! Hey, maybe I’ve gotta talk to the boss man and be like, ‘Hey? What’s up with Metallica?’ That’d be a whole different dream scenario. I don’t even know if I’m ready for that.”
Growing up, Priest developed a strong affinity for the metal music genre, often listening to the likes of Anthrax, Slayer, In Flames, Soilwork, and the aforementioned Metallica.
Nowadays, Priest has expanded his playlist to include some bands recommended to him by Rhea Ripley, including Motionless In White and Ice Nine Kills.
James Hetfield, lead vocalist of Metallica, and Lars Ulrich, kickoff Metallica’s headline performance at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, AZ (Sept. 1, 2023)
Priest’s Eventful WrestleMania 40
While he may not have received a special musical entrance this year, Priest’s WrestleMania 40 weekend still turned out to be quite eventful.
24 hours after he and Finn Balor lost the Undisputed WWE Tag Team titles in a six-pack ladder match, Priest (with the help of CM Punk) successfully cashed in his Money in the Bank contract to claim the World Heavyweight title. This marked Priest’s first world championship in WWE and solidifies him as one the faces of WWE’s new era.
Looking ahead, Priest will now be tasked with defending the World Heavyweight Championship against Jey Uso at WWE Backlash, which emanates from Lyons, France on May 4.
Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes was left standing tall after WrestleMania 40 went off the air, and now hopes to bring the annual mega-show to the UK.
After the match, Rhodes spoke about keeping his promise to the fans after stating at a previous WWE event that the next time he’s in the UK, he would be a champion. Amid chants of ‘You Deserve It’ from the crowd, Rhodes said that the fans deserve a WrestleMania in the UK.
“If anybody deserves anything, I’m going to echo John Cena saying the United Kingdom deserves a WrestleMania.”
While Rhodes, John Cena, and countless fans hope to bring WrestleMania to the UK, this monumental feat is easier said than done. The time difference between the UK and the United States would be a huge factor as PLEs in the UK air much earlier in the day States-side.
Despite WWE bringing more events overseas in recent years, it appears that WrestleMania won’t be making the move just yet. WWE President Nick Khan recently stated that the company’s big four events (WrestleMania, SummerSlam, Survivor Series, and Royal Rumble) will remain in North America for the foreseeable future.
WrestleMania’s Future
The location of WrestleMania 41 has yet to be publicly confirmed, with Las Vegas and Minneapolis currently the front runners. While the Minnesotan city has been treated as a ‘lock’ for the 2025 event, some believe that WWE will head to Vegas following the chilly conditions of WrestleMania 40.
Ric Flair may be an old rival of Dusty Rhodes, but ‘The Nature Boy’ believes in Cody Rhodes.
‘The American Nightmare’ became the WWE Undisputed Universal Champion by defeating Roman Reigns in the main event of night two of WrestleMania 40, but it was not without its bells and whistles. “The Bloodline Rules” bout between Reigns and Rhodes started off as a single affair until Jimmy Uso got the ball rolling with run-ins that featured the likes of Seth Rollins, Solo Sikoa, John Cena, The Rock and The Undertaker. However, it was Cody who delivered the final blow to ‘The Tribal Chief’ with three Cross Rhodes to become the new champ.
Flair was watching it all unfold somewhere else in Philly and was sure to congratulate ‘The Grandson Of A Plumber’ on a well-deserved win, despite ‘The Dirtiest Player In The Game’ not fully endorsing how he fully finished his story.
“Congrats To Cody Rhodes & Roman Reigns For Providing One Of The Most Athletic And Believable Main Events That I’ve Seen In A Long Time. I Hate The Interference, But It All Played Out In Your Favor And It Made The Show More Enjoyable To Watch. I Respect You Both. Thankful To Know You! Cody, You Finally Lived Your Dad’s Dream! Love You All! WOOOOO! -Naitch”
Congrats @CodyRhodes & @WWERomanReigns For Providing One Of The Most Athletic And Believable Main Events That I’ve Seen In A Long Time. I Hate The Interference, But It All Played Out In Your Favor And It Made The Show More Enjoyable To Watch. I Respect You Both. Thankful To Know… pic.twitter.com/wkYrYQWPfm
While Rhodes had two full nights of WrestleMania, Flair also had a weekend full of signings at WrestleCon this year in downtown Philadelphia. Flair’s daughter Charlotte also made an appearance at the WWE Hall of Fame on Friday night.
Cody Rhodes made his way to the ring on WWE RAW this week, and he had a lot to say, He addressed The Rock’s actions, and what he said to him at the WrestleMania kickoff event.
Rhodes also said that The Rock slapped him, but “you slapped me across the face, and what that means is I’m gonna hit you right back.”
Seth Rollins then entered the situation, where he addressed Cody directly. Rollins said that Cody needs to finish his story for everyone, including Dusty Rhodes. He also had something very important to say to the American Nightmare.
Rollins told Cody that he doesn’t have to fight The Rock alone. He is sick and tired of people like The Rock and Roman Reigns, who he called “pricks” doing whatever they want and getting away with it.
By all appearance, it looks like Roman Reigns and The Rock are going to take on Seth Rollins and Cody Rhodes in a tag team match. That being said, Cody vs Roman is still going to happen.
I kept asking about The Rock’s WrestleMania plans possibly changing because the subject is certainly one of the hottest in pro wrestling right now.
A tenured member of the creative team told me last week before the Las Vegas WrestleMania kickoff event, “We have not been told of any change. That doesn’t mean the plan hasn’t changed. Or won’t change. Or this is all a plan anyway. It just means we’re not being told.”
In the end, it was all up to The Rock, who didn’t really care if he was booed or cheered at WrestleMania. WWE didn’t see those “Rocky Sucks” chants coming on RAW.
Thursday was interesting in Las Vegas. After the event, I was able to confirm that Rock’s original plan was to have a match with Roman. It wasn’t the situation we had then. After all the negative reaction, The Rock then conceded it should be Roman vs Cody.
A tag team match at WrestleMania seemed to be the direction then, with Rock & Roman vs Cody & Seth. Either way, Cody vs Roman then main evented night two of Mania 40.
Follow Up: I was able to confirm that Rock's original plan was to have a match with Roman. It wasn't the situation we have now. After all the negative reaction, Rock conceded it should be Roman vs Cody.
A tag team match at WrestleMania seems to be the direction now, with Rock &… https://t.co/jyEqNKjnSP
The Rock returned to WWE under very interesting circumstances. He wanted a match against Roman Reigns that has been a long time coming, but fans wanted to see Cody Rhodes finish his story. Now, we have a much different picture for the WrestleMania main event than The Rock wanted to.
The Rock Embracing The Dark Side
It was reported that The Rock taking a seat on TKO’s Board of Directors came with a WrestleMania match attached. He got $30 million in company stock as a part of that deal.
Fans spoke out in massive fashion when Rock bumped Cody Rhodes out of his WrestleMania spot against Roman Reigns. Trends started online and the story got picked up by major mainstream outlets.
Wrestle Votes reported on Twitter/X that WWE sources have said that The Rock is prepared to “fully embrace” his heel gimmick. It was also noted that WWE is expected to drop official Cody crybabies merchandise.
Sources suggest that The Rock is expected to fully embrace his heel turn, drawing inspiration from his past ‘Hollywood’ Rock persona. Additionally, I’m told to anticipate the release of Rock branded ‘Cody Crybabies’ merchandise. The story is just beginning…
Sources suggest that The Rock is expected to fully embrace his heel turn, drawing inspiration from his past ‘Hollywood’ Rock persona. Additionally, I’m told to anticipate the release of Rock branded ‘Cody Crybabies’ merchandise. The story is just beginning…
Why WWE Changed The Rock’s WrestleMania 40 Plan (Exclusive)
I’ve been doing my best to stay up on this always-evolving storyline. As I originally reported, The Rock was the one who needed to make the call to change this match. That is what finally happened after a ton of fans speaking out.
I keep asking about #TheRock's #WrestleMania📷 plans possibly changing, because that's all fans want at this point.
Last night, a tenured member of the creative team told me straight up: "We have not been told of any change. That doesn't mean the plan hasn't changed. Or won't…
A tenured source within WWE confirmed that The Rock’s original plan was to have a match with Roman Reigns at WrestleMania 40. The current situation we have with the show of shows was not what The Rock originally wanted to do, so this was not all part of an elaborate plan from the jump.
The Rock called his shot for a match against Roman Reigns on January 1st when he showed up during the Day 1 episode of RAW. Then, the match was agreed to shortly after that, with Cody Rhodes winning the 2024 Royal Rumble match after that, despite Triple H knowing that Rock vs Reigns was agreed to.
After all the negative reaction, I am told that “The Rock conceded it should be Roman vs Cody.” Fan reaction, and mainstream attention on the matter, caused Rock to make a call to pivot. That being said, he will now apparently play up the heel gimmick on WWE television for the Cody crybabies.
Follow Up: I was able to confirm that Rock's original plan was to have a match with Roman. It wasn't the situation we have now. After all the negative reaction, Rock conceded it should be Roman vs Cody.
A tag team match at WrestleMania seems to be the direction now, with Rock &… https://t.co/jyEqNKjnSP
There’s a new rumor floating around that WrestleMania might return to Las Vegas.
As per the Vital Vegas account, which reports on Las Vegas news, there’s ‘early word’ suggesting that the Grandest Stage of Them All might be heading to Sin City.
The announcement of the event coming to the city is expected soon. Typically, the next city announcement is made during the current year’s WrestleMania show. Therefore, we should find out on April 6-7 during this year’s WrestleMania XL.
If it indeed takes place there, it will be the first WrestleMania in Las Vegas since WrestleMania IX, held at Caesars Palace in 1993. The event was headlined by Yokozuna challenging Bret Hart for the WWF Championship, followed by a subsequent defense against Hulk Hogan in an impromptu match.
Early word: WrestleMania is coming back to Las Vegas, announcement anticipated soon. This will be the first WrestleMania in Las Vegas since IX in 1993 at Caesars Palace. They had some sort of news conference in Vegas yesterday for XL, to be held in Philadelphia. pic.twitter.com/smi4mWAPJD
WrestleMania XL Kickoff Special event took place in Las Vegas
A press conference for the WrestleMania XL Kickoff actually took place in Las Vegas at the T-Mobile Arena on February 22.
A press conference for the WrestleMania XL Kickoff occurred in Las Vegas at the T-Mobile Arena on February 22. The event featured The Rock, along with Roman Reigns and Cody Rhodes. Tensions escalated on stage as Rhodes and Reigns engaged in heated exchanges. Rhodes commented that Reigns’ grandfather would be ashamed of him, prompting The Rock to slap Rhodes across the face.
While Cody Rhodes is slated to face Roman Reigns at WrestleMania, it appears that this storyline is far from over, especially with The Rock now involved.
WrestleMania XL will take place for two days on Saturday, April 6, and Sunday, April 7 at the Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia.
The Rock recently grabbed the headlines with his actions at the WrestleMania 40 Kickoff Press event on Thursday evening. Is he allying with his cousin and the Undisputed WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns?
We are less than a couple of months away from WrestleMania 40 which will take place at the Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on April 6th and 7th.
It has been determined that 2024 Men’s Royal Rumble winner Cody Rhodes will have an opportunity to ‘finish the story.’ Rhodes previously made the way for The Rock to challenge Roman Reigns at WrestleMania 40. However, this decision faced a massive fan backlash which might have influenced WWE to alter the decision. Rhodes clarified his choice during the WrestleMania 40 kick-off press conference as he faces Roman Reigns at ‘The Show of Shows.
Roman Reigns and The Rock left the venue together
Following the event, WWE cameras caught Roman Reigns and Paul Heyman leaving the venue alongside The Rock which raised more questions regarding their alliance.
During the Las Vegas presser, Reigns said Cody was as irrelevant as his late father, Dusty Rhodes. Cody took a shot back and said if the grandfathers of The Rock and Roman Reigns were alive, they’d be disgusted with “The Tribal Chief.”
The Rock reminded Cody that when he talks about Reigns’ family, he’s talking about his ancestors. ‘The Great One,’ who seemingly turned heel ahead of the event, slapped Cody and both men had to be separated before a brawl could break out.
The Rock entering the fray makes the storyline more interesting and we will have to wait and see how this pans out heading into WrestleMania 40.
The Rock is in Las Vegas for the WrestleMania kickoff press conference, and fans can’t wait to see what goes down. As #WeWantCody intensifies, it is evident that The Rock’s return to WWE wasn’t a last-minute decision. He also had quite a promo to cut on fans who do not want to see him taking Cody Rhodes’s spot at WrestleMania 40.
Cody won two Royal Rumble matches in a row, and it appeared that he was calling his shot to face Roman Reigns again this year. Then, The Rock returned to re-start a dormant dream match idea, one that he wanted to pull the trigger on this year at WrestleMania. In the meantime, Cody has now said that he landed on a decision for WrestleMania.
The Rock realizes that fans are not happy about this, as he’s noticed his inbox and his mentions on social media. The trends are unavoidable, and WWE fans are blowing up social media with their opinions about this match. It doesn’t seem like The Rock cares, and he’s playing up the heel character.
During an appearance on the Pat McAfee Show, The Rock called upset fans “Cody crybabies.” Then he mocked “grown ass men” complaining that Cody can’t finish his story. He did so while taking on a baby voice.
The Great One then made it clear that there are three types of people in this situation, but those Cody crybabies definitely took up a majority of his focus.
“At the end of the day, you’ve got the Cody crybabies, you’ve got the Cody fans, and you’ve got Cody himself. And there’s a clear distinction between the three. But, The Rock says this those Cody crybabies who ever 10 tweets they’re shoving a chicken McNugget in their mouth, for every 20 tweets they’re shoving two McNuggets up their ass, The Rock says this: all you’ve gotta do is sit back, shut your mouth, and enjoy the ride The Rock is gonn take your candy asses on. So hashtag that.”
When The Rock Called His WrestleMania 40 Shot
After asking around days later, I received an additional note that said, “No chance this changes unless The Rock backs out. This has been The Rock calling the shot since January 1st.” That is when Rock showed up on the Day 1 episode of RAW and made his first head of the table comment.
A tenured member of the creative team later told me, “We have not been told of any change. That doesn’t mean the plan hasn’t changed. Or won’t change. Or this is all a plan anyway. It just means we’re not being told.”
I keep asking about #TheRock's #WrestleMania📷 plans possibly changing, because that's all fans want at this point.
Last night, a tenured member of the creative team told me straight up: "We have not been told of any change. That doesn't mean the plan hasn't changed. Or won't…
Dwayne Johnson is the only man who can change WWE’s WrestleMania booking plan. He promised that the WrestleMania press conference at the T-Mobile Arena will be historic. Only time will tell exactly how it all pans out in the end, but that “Cody crybabies” line isn’t going to win him many fans.
It appears that The Rock doesn’t care about being a heel. The Rock’s character exists in the first place because he let loose and really started to cut promos on fans. That Cody crybabies line is one that might come up on this road to WrestleMania, as The Rock urges fans to #ShutYourMouth.
WWE’s WrestleMania press conference in Las Vegas’s T-Mobile Arena tonight will be quite a show. SE Scoops will have coverage of the event.
WWE fans are not happy about The Rock coming back to take Cody Rhodes’ match against Roman Reigns at WrestleMania 40. It appears that tonight’s press conference in Las Vegas will clear up a lot of things.
The Rock called his shot at WrestleMania 40 when he returned during the Day 1 episode of RAW. This included him calling out the Head of the Table in his own way.
During Wrestling Observer Radio, Dave Meltzer mentioned that there were some in WWE who thought that The Rock wrestling in Saudi Arabia was a better plan. The Rock wanted Mania, and that’s what is happening.
“Dwayne wanted it to be Mania, and that’s true. You know, there are people who thought it might be better on another show. I know people who suggested the idea of Saudi Arabia for Dwayne and Cody for WrestleMania, but Dwayne wanted WrestleMania.”
It was then stated that “whatever they are doing” for WrestleMania will very likely be made clear tomorrow at the press conference in Las Vegas.
“Whether they do two matches, with Roman wrestling twice, or whatever to do to make this thing work, I was told that it will likely be completed by the end of the press conference. I was told that is the plan.”
The Rock’s WrestleMania 40 Booking Possibly Changing
There has been a significant amount of negative fan reaction following The Rock’s return. However, WWE has not communicated any internal guidance or instructions on how to address this fan discontent.
When I asked if any of this fan backlash will change these prospective WrestleMania plans, I was told, “there’s no chance in hell.”
After asking around a few days later, I received another note that said, “No chance this changes unless The Rock backs out. This has been The Rock calling the shot since January 1st.” That is when Rock showed up on the Day 1 episode of RAW and made his first head of the table comment.
I double-checked to ensure everything was in order. I was informed that if there are any changes, they’re being kept tightly under wraps. It seems that Roman Reigns vs The Rock is indeed on track.
It was confirmed once again to me today that Rock vs Roman is still happening as of this morning, it’s not a triple threat, and Rock is not a referee for Cody vs Roman either.
It was confirmed once again to me today that Rock vs Roman is still happening as of this morning, it's not a triple threat, and Rock is not a referee for Cody vs Roman either.
Fans may not be thrilled, but they will be talking. It's still hard to believe we're getting "Rocky…
While what unfolds in Vegas is typically kept in Vegas tomorrow’s event at the T-Mobile Arena will likely play a significant role in shaping WrestleMania 40 in Philadelphia on April 6th and 7th.
SE Scoops will have complete coverage of the entire WrestleMania kickoff press conference in Las Vegas. It may be a very important event, so you might not want to miss it.
WWE is coming to Philadelphia, PA for WrestleMania 40, but the City of Brotherly Love will be hosting plenty of non-WWE events.
With WrestleMania being the biggest show of the wrestling calendar, it’s no surprise that other promotions will flock to Philadelphia where wrestling fans from around the world will be gathered.
Thursday, April 4
Cheap Heat Live will be a huge convention on the Thursday before WrestleMania and will take place at the FringeArts center in Philly. The event will feature special guests and conversations. Tickets have sold out.
DDT Pro Wrestling will be returning to The Collective during WrestleMania week on April 4. The show will take place at 1301 South Christopher Columbus Boulevard. Tickets (of which only a few remain) can be found here.
WaleMania will be coming to Philadelphia for the annual party mixing music and pro wrestling. The show will feature surprise guests and a performance from the platinum-selling rapper Wale. Tickets can be found here.
Meanie Mania will be hosted by the Blue Meanie from the McCusker’s Tavern is on the corners of 17th & Shunk. The venue is just 10 minutes from the famed 2300 Arena (aka the ECW arena). Meanie Mania will feature Dr. Fisher’s Medical Weight Loss & Aesthetic Centers along with The Mind Of The Meanie Podcast.
Friday, April 5
Wrestling REVOLVER and House of Glory Wrestling will team up on the Friday at the Trinity Center for Urban Life. The show will see a title vs. title match pitting HOG’s Champion Santana against REVOLVER’s title Alex Shelley. The show will be aired on TrillerTV+ and tickets can be found here.
Ray Gootz & Josh Alba will present their ‘Big Ass Extreme Comedy Bash‘ at 2350 South Swanson Street, right next door to the historic ECW arena. The show will pay tribute to the spirit of Extreme with a no-holds-barred uncensored comedy show and will start at 11:30 pm. Attendees can “Prepare to be shocked. Prepare to be awed. But more importantly, be prepared to laugh!” The event is BYOB and tickets, starting at $20, can be found here.
The go-home episode of WWE SmackDown before WrestleMania will take place from the Wells Fargo Center. Following this event, the WWE Hall of Fame ceremony will take place. Currently, no names have been confirmed for SmackDown or as inductees into the Hall of Fame. Tickets can be found here.
Saturday, April 6
NXT Stand and Deliver 2024 will see the rising stars of the gold brand face off at the Wells Fargo Center. Due to the event later in the day, the show will take place with a special start time of 11:30 a.m. Eastern Time. Tickets are available here.
The Lapsed Fan will be hosting their Bozos, Biceps, and Bulls**t Brunch at the Punch Line Philly comedy club on Laurel Street. The live podcast will see hilarious comics try and predict matches and grapple with the intricacies of being a wrestling fan. Events will be hosted from 6:30 pm onwards, with $0.25 of each ticket sold benefitting the Comedy Gives Back fund. Tickets and more information can be found here.
WWE WrestleMania 40: Sunday will take place on April 7 and like the previous day, will be at the Lincoln Financial Field. Currently, no matches have been confirmed for this specific date either.
Monday, April 8
WWE Monday Night Raw will happen from the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia. The post-Mania Raw is considered one of the most exciting and unpredictable nights of the year, thanks in part to a raucous international crowd. Tickets can be found here.
Cody Rhodes stepping aside and allowing The Rock to wrestle Roman Reigns in the main event of WrestleMania 40 is the hottest topic in wrestling. Trends were jump started, and many fans are a bit upset about the direction that they are going with things.
Fans Upset By WrestleMania 40 Direction
Some people are urging fans to ‘let it play out,’ but the vocal majority of fans on social media are outraged that the American Nightmare will not ‘Finish The Story’ at WWE’s grandest stage for the second consecutive year.
Everybody has an opinion about the matter, including Pat McAfee, who is now back doing commentary on WWE RAW each and every week alongside Michael Cole. This pairing was made once again due to Wade Barrett getting moved to SmackDown after Kevin Patrick was removed from the blue brand and fired.
Pat McAfee’s Take on The Rock vs. Roman Reigns at WrestleMania 40
The #WeWantCody debacle went down in the final segment of Friday’s SmackDown. On Monday’s Pat McAfee Show on ESPN, McAfee acknowledged that WWE fans are incredibly pissed that Cody surrendered his ‘WrestleMania moment’ to The Rock the way he did.
Pat McAfee went on to note that he was bummed out, and he does know what’s going to happen moving forward. He loves everyone involved in this booking fiasco, but the overall feeling is that they feel bad for the American Nightmare.
“Now, I love Cody Rhodes. I love The Rock and just love Roman Reigns. So, I’m very torn on this entire thing, but the Internet was not happy. I’m bummed out…. we’re all pretty bummed out for Cody, but also very pumped if this is a Rock-Roman situation. I don’t know what’s going to happen”
What’s Next For The Rock and Roman Reigns
This Thursday, WWE will host a special ‘WrestleMania 40 kickoff’ at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, NV at the T-Mobile arena. Several top Superstars will be on hand, including The Rock Roman Reigns, Cody Rhodes, Seth Rollins, Bianca Belair, Rhea Ripley and more.
WWE has yet to confirm The Rock vs. Roman Reigns as the main event of WrestleMania 40, but they’re advertising that Rock and Reigns will have an “iconic face-off” at this free fan and media event.
The Undertaker holds the most famous streak in WrestleMania history, but singer, songwriter and producer The Weeknd is building an impressive ‘WrestleMania streak’ of his own.
The 2024 Royal Rumble is in the history books and we’re now on the road to WrestleMania 40. Over the weekend, WWE began airing promo videos for its biggest weekend of the year and wrestling fans will hear a familiar voice serenading them in the months ahead.
Gasoline by The Weeknd is the official theme song of WrestleMania 40. Gasoline comes from The Weeknd’s Dawn FM album that was released in 2022. Interestingly, the album has produced the last two Mania theme songs, “Sacrifice” and “Less Than Zero,” respectively.
With #WrestleMania season right around the corner, @TheWeeknd becomes the only artist in WWE history to have 5 Official Theme Songs 5 years in a row. “Gasoline” from the album Dawn FM is an Official Theme Song of #WrestleMania XL! pic.twitter.com/pgdulRmvZX
The Weeknd’s WrestleMania contributions began in 2020.
WrestleMania 36: “Blinding Lights”
WrestleMania 37: “Save Your Tears”
WrestleMania 38: “Sacrifice”
WrestleMania 39: “Less Than Zero”
WrestleMania 40: “Gasoline”
He got fans buzzing on social media by posting the following on his Instagram story, a strong indication regarding his whereabouts this past Saturday night.
The Weeknd is the new king of WrestleMania theme songs, but let’s not overlook the contributions of Flo Rida. He had three songs that were the official WrestleMania theme songs: “Wild Ones” featuring Sia (WM 28) and “My House” (WM 32).
(Fun fact: “Wild Ones” won a GRAMMY in 2013.)
His third song was actually a song featuring him. He was on the track “Green Light” by Pitbull. That was the theme song for WrestleMania 33.
According to The Smackdown Hotel, Flo Rida was featured four other shows. “Good Feeling” was the theme song for Survivor Series 2011. In 2012, “Let it Roll” was the theme song for Tribute to the Troops.
WWE chose “How I Feel” for the theme song Survivor Series 2013. “GDFR” was the song choice for SummerSlam 2014.
Flo Rida perfomed at WrestleMania 28 and 33. In 2016, Flo Rida also appeared on RAW where he participated in a battle rap with Bo Rida (Dallas).
The Weeknd has yet to appear on any WWE programming.
WrestleMania 40 will be live from the Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The two night event airs on Saturday, April 6 and Sunday, April 7.
Will The Rock lace up his boots and compete against Roman Reigns at WrestleMania 40 this April? There’s a chance…
The Brahma Bull returned to WWE on the Day 1 episode of Raw and teased coming for Reigns’ spot as the Head of the Table. A match between the pair has been teased for years and was at one point locked in for WrestleMania 39.
There’s A Chance
With The Rock’s tease on Raw, many are expecting the long-awaited showdown between himself and Reigns to take place at WrestleMania 40. During an appearance on Hot Take, The Rock, fresh off his appointment to TKO’s Board of Directors, was asked about the possibility of headlining WWE’s grandest stage against the Undisputed WWE Universal Champion.
“I’m a long-gamer and I like to build. Something like this, what this is [is potentially huge.] If… if myself and Roman Reigns were to main event WrestleMania, and I mean this very respectfully of all the WrestleManias prior, because I grew up in this business and I love it, we could possibly put on, with us as the main event and this incredible group of men and women who are these incredible performers, we could possibly put on the greatest and the biggest WrestleMania of all time.”
When a host sought to confirm if The Rock was saying there was a chance he would wrestle, the Brahma Bull didn’t reject the notion.
“There’s a chance… I love this business, I love pro wrestling, I love WWE. But I also have this deep passion to grow it and to build it. And if we’re going to do something like this, I want the world to watch.”
The Rock has his sights set on Roman Reigns, but the Head of the Table isn’t sweating his cousin…
For the use of quotes, please give an H/T to SE Scoops.
Seth Rollins’ health is the top story in wrestling this weekend. After successfully defending the World Heavyweight Championship against Jinder Mahal in the main event of WWE Raw (January 15), the focus quickly shifted to the champion clutching his knee.
He underwent an MRI anfter Raw. Fightful later reported Rollins tore his MCL and meniscus. Since then, he’s been pulled from live events as fans wonder about how long this latest knee injury will keep him out of action.
Rollins is expected to address the WWE Universe at the start of Raw this coming Monday. We know he was scheduled to be in a featured match at WrestleMania, but is that still the plan?
Seth Rollins’ Current WrestleMania Status
WWE is planning CM Punk vs Seth Rollins for WrestleMania 40. This has been their plan since after Punk was re-inserted into the WWE landscape. The match writes itself, and Triple H wants to put that contest on the grandest stage of them all.
While seeking additional information about Rollins’ status, I inquired about his current WrestleMania situation, and whether they are discussing alternate matches for CM Punk at Mania. I was told by a tenured member of the WWE creative team that as of Friday evening, “Rollins is still on for Mania at this moment.”
That being said, Rollins’ announcement on Monday likely won’t take him out of the road to WrestleMania. The Architect is set to open the January 22nd episode of WWE RAW by addressing his future as WWE World Heavyweight Champion.
Randy Orton will replace Seth Rollins at this weekend’s WWE live events. The WWE World Heavyweight Champion will get some time off, but WrestleMania is still in the cards for him.
Recovery Time From MCL Injury
Seth Rollins suffered a torn MCL and a partially torn meniscus during that match with Jinder Mahal. The recovery time for such an injury certainly gives him room to heal up before the show of shows.
According to The Cleveland Clinic, a grade 1 (mild) MCL tear usually heals within one to three weeks. After that, a grade 2 (moderate) MCL tear generally takes four to six weeks to heal with treatment. Then, a grade 3 (severe) MCL tear can take six weeks or more to heal with treatment.
As of this writing, WrestleMania 40 is set to take place in 11 weeks. It is unclear how bad Rollins tore his MCL, but it appears that he will have plenty of recovery time unless unforeseen circumstances arise.
Kazuchika Okada dreams of competing at WrestleMania, and that’s a dream that those in WWE management are well aware of.
This week, it was confirmed that Okada’s tenure with New Japan Pro Wrestling will finish at the end of this month. While his contract will run out on January 31, Okada will compete at the NJPW New Beginnings events scheduled for February. Okada is a five-time IWGP Heavyweight Champion and two-time IWGP World Heavyweight Champion. He is the only person to hold the latter title more than once.
Multiple sources close to NJPW revealed that he has always wanted to perform at a WrestleMania, a dream Triple H is aware of. The belief is that should a match happen, AJ Styles or Finn Balor would be the right opponents for Okada’s WrestleMania match. Both men have pre-existing relationships with Okada thanks to their respective NJPW runs.
Is Okada All-Elite?
WWE may want Okada, but AEW also has its sights set on the Japanese star. Okada has worked with AEW in the past via the Forbidden Door crossover events with New Japan. He is also close with AEW EVPs Kenny Omega and the Young Bucks. Okada has formed a rivalry and friendship with Bryan Danielson, whom he faced at Forbidden Door II in 2023 and earlier this month at Wrestle Kingdom 18. Okada also competed on an October 2023, edition of Dynamite.
WWE’s grandaddy of them all, WrestleMania 40, is coming up in a matter of months. As the card comes together on the road to WrestleMania, it is evident that some things pay have to change along the way. Seth Rollins’ recent possible injury is further proof of that.
WWE’s Plan For CM Punk and Seth Rollins’ History
CM Punk’s return to WWE is remembered for a lot of things, including how Seth Rollins reacted to seeing him in the Allstate Arena to close out Survivor Series. Rollins was irate, and video of him being held back from rushing at Punk.
Fans did not forget that, just a few months prior, Rollins called Punk “cancer” and told him to stay away” from WWE. This came up with Nick Hausman questioned Rollins whether he wanted to see Punk back during his AEW issues.
WWE’s Plan For WrestleMania
The Wrestling Observer Newsletter noted that “Seth Rollins vs. Punk is the confirmed WrestleMania plan.” That is the plan, but Rollins’ recent injury really puts a huge question mark on things.
It was not noted whether their match would be for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship, but Rollins’ current status as champion makes that a real possibility.
Seth Rollins’ Most Recent Injury Update
Seth Rollins defended the WWE World Heavyweight Title against Jinder Mahal on RAW this week, and the Visionary won with his signature Stomp. Sadly, he didn’t make it through the match without sustaining an injury.
We are uncertain about the current extent of Seth Rollins’ injury, but we do know that he was pulled from this weekend’s WWE live events. No official word has come through about his injury status, but this is not a good sign.
We will provide further updates on Seth Rollins’ knee injury when they are made available. Right now, he is taking it easy and sitting out this weekend’s shows. Hopefully, CM Punk doesn’t lose a possible WrestleMania main event match in this fashion.
Another Sad Update
Seth Rollins was okay, and he didn’t need to miss WrestleMania. Sadly, CM Punk was injured during the Royal Rumble, and he needs triceps surgery. That injury will cost fans that WrestleMania match.
In his place, WWE decided to book Seth Rollins vs Cody Rhodes at the showcase of the immortals, when The Rock returned to take his spot against Roman Reigns.
WWE Superstar Bayley may be a founding member of Damage CTRL, but the Role Model is eager for a singles match at WrestleMania 40.
WrestleMania 40 will take place from Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, PA on April 6, and April 7, 2024. The show will be WWE’s fifth two-night WrestleMania, a tradition that began in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Bayley Wants WrestleMania 40
With WrestleMania 40 still months away, no matches have been confirmed for the show. Plans for WrestleMania 40 will be much clearer after the Royal Rumble PLE set to take place this month. Speaking to Cageside Seats, Bayley shared her excitement about the upcoming Women’s Royal Rumble match and hopes that a win will be the launching point for her first singles match at WWE’s biggest annual event.
“Everybody knows that when you win the Royal Rumble, you get to point at the sign and the fireworks go off. That’s the stuff you dream about. I’m excited to feel that. I wanna feel that and I wanna get that singles match at WrestleMania.”
While Bayley has competed several times at the Showcase of the Immortals, she has yet to have a singles match at WrestleMania. Instead, she has competed in battle royals, six-pack challenges, tag-team matches and won a four-way in 2017 to retain the Raw Women’s Championship.
Bayley Reacts to Triple H
Bayley’s lengthy tenure in WWE (in addition to her exemplary work during the pandemic) has resulted in plenty of praise for the Role Model. During the post-Fastlane press conference, WWE COO Triple H called Bayley the all-star of the Women’s Division, and someone who doesn’t always get the credit she deserves. In the interview, Bayley reflected on the Game’s comment.
“I hope he really meant it. It’s all over Twitter, so he can never take it back (chuckles)… to hear [Triple H] say that makes me feel like we’re like right there, because everything he said [at Fastlane] is everything I’m trying to be and more.”
Bayley has plans to win the Women’s Royal Rumble match, unless…
WWE will also have international events in Saudi Arabia as part of the promotion’s decade-long agreement with the nation. The dates of these events have yet to be announced, but two will take place in the year ahead.
2024 is shaping up to be a big a year for the world’s premiere pro wrestling promotion, but they’ve got their work cut out for them if they want to make it their biggest year ever. WWE executive Paul ‘Triple H’ Levesque recently touted last year’s record-shattering success:
Cody Rhodes has ensured that a club of young wrestling fans will be at WrestleMania 40 when the Showcase of the Immortals comes to Philadelphia this August.
The Wrestling Club is a group organized by Victor Taylor Perry at KIPP AMP Middle School In Brooklyn, New York. The kids gather to watch wrestling from various promotions, discuss the matches they’ve seen and share their collective love for the industry. The Wrestling Club has proven to be quite popular online and has been visited by the likes of Kenny Omega, FTR, Big E, Shelton Benjamin, Titus O’Neil, and AJ Styles.
Earlier today, WWE Superstars made a special surprise visit to The Wrestling Club at Brooklyn’s Kipp Amp Middle School for a Black History Month Panel! 🙌@wallflowerperrypic.twitter.com/n40uP4fLlD
Like any WWE fan, the Wrestling Club dreams of one day attending a WrestleMania. In November, Perry set up a fund that people could donate to that would go towards making this dream a reality. This week, Cody Rhodes decided to make those dreams come true and revealed that he has paid for the tickets and hotels for the club.
I could buy a bunch of popcorn or I could just tell ya’ 🍿
WWE WrestleMania 40 will take place on April 6, and April 7, marking the fifth two-night WrestleMania; a format that debuted during the Covid-19 pandemic. This will be the second WrestleMania to be hosted in the city of Brotherly Love, following on from WrestleMania 15 in 1999.
No matches have been confirmed for the show, and questions remain as to Cody Rhodes’ involvement with the event. While many predicted that Cody would challenge Undisputed WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns once more, that may no longer be the case. On this week’s Raw, The Rock teased coming for Reigns’ spot as Head of the Table.
Bret Hart may have had some iconic matches at WrestleMania, but it is an unlikely bout from the Showcase of the Immortals that scored him his best paycheck.
The Hitman’s name is synonymous with WWE’s biggest event of the year. Notable matches for Hart include his WrestleMania 12 Iron Man match against Shawn Michaels which saw the Showstopper capture his first WWF Championship.
The following year, Hart would win the critically acclaimed I-Quit match with ‘Stone Cold’ Steve Austin that would help propel the Rattlesnake to superstardom. In 2010, Hart would compete at WrestleMania for the final time, defeating Mr. McMahon in a No Holds Barred match in Bret’s first WWE match in over a decade.
Bret’s Best WrestleMania Payday
Bret Hart may have had some all-time classics at WrestleMania, but none of the matches listed above earned him the best pay. Sitting down with Inside the Ropes, Hart revealed that it was his WrestleMania 11 I-Quit match with Bob Backlund that earned him the most bank.
“For all my WrestleMania matches, I think WrestleMania 13 was one of my worst payoffs. They paid me not very well, nothing special. Funny enough the Ironman match where I wrestled Shawn, the hour match was also one of my worst payoffs I ever got in wrestling, compared to my biggest payoff which was Bob Backlund at WrestleMania 11. Go figure that.”
The match saw Bret defeat Backlund who rather than screaming I-Quit, instead screamed into the mic held by guest referee Roddy Piper, which was taken as his quitting. The match was the arguable highlight of WrestleMania 11, which is often heralded as one of the worst WrestleManias of all time.
CM Punk made a subtle Bret Hart reference during his first Raw promo following his return to WWE. Click here to find out more.
Rob Van Dam has been associated with WWE for the past two decades, but his appearances might not be plentiful now. RVD made a surprising debut in AEW during the August 2nd episode of AEW Dynamite this year. That may have tainted his relationship with WWE.
During Marty Jannetty’s “Party with Marty” podcast, RVD hinted that his AEW debut might impact his chances of appearing at WrestleMania 40 in 2024. That is a shame, because the show of shows is going down in Philadelphia next year.
While RVD confirmed his presence at next year’s WrestleCon, he provided a somewhat elusive response regarding his WrestleMania 40 status, implying that there might not be a planned appearance.
“Allegedly I got booked for an appearance, and then allegedly that appearance was canceled when I showed up on an alleged competitor’s TV program, and then allegedly I might be pre-booked — either way, I’m going to be there at WrestleCon!”
WrestleMania 40 is set to take place in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, the former stomping grounds of ECW, sparking fan speculation about The Whole F’N Show being a natural addition to the festivities. If anything, Philly fans would love to chant “R-V-D” once again.
RVD never inked a contract with Tony Khan, and he was on a per appearance deal. He still made some waves in the pro wrestling world with that debut, as another WWE Hall of Famer graced an AEW ring.
We can only hope that RVD is included in WrestleMania 40 in some way, because Philadelphia really would be a great place to see him re-appear under WWE’s bright lights. If that booking is going to happen, RVD isn’t saying anything about it at this point. At least fans know RVD will be at WrestleCon.
One big match for WWE WrestleMania 39 may have been revealed as the company is looking to load up the card for the show.
On the latest episode of The Ringer’s Masked Man Show, former WWE creative writer Kazeem Famuyide said that he has heard about a big show that WWE is planning between the Royal Rumble in late January and WrestleMania 39 in April.
The main event of the show is rumored to be Damian Priest and Dominik Mysterio teaming up against Rey Mysterio and Bad Bunny. This match would lead to Bad Bunny vs. Dominik at WrestleMania 39.
Backstory
Dominik turned on Edge and Rey at Clash at the Castle by joining The Judgment Day. Rey was moved to SmackDown to get away from his son in storyline. On Thanksgiving, WWE shot an angle where Dom and Rhea Ripley attacked Rey at his home during dinner.
Fans praised Bad Bunny for his tag team match at WrestleMania 37 – Night 1 in 2021 when he teamed up with Damian Priest against The Miz and John Morrison. Bunny then worked at this year’s Men’s Royal Rumble Match in January.
During the WWE Clash at the Castle post-show press conference, Triple H was asked about the possibility of Bad Buddy returning to do more with the company. This is where Triple H noted he and Bunny were going to have a conversation soon. Perhaps that discussion was about this idea.
It looks like WWE will be bringing WrestleMania to Nashville, but on one condition.
WWE has already confirmed that WrestleMania 39 in 2023 will take place in Los Angeles at SoFi Stadium, while WrestleMania 40 will take place in Philadelphia, PA, at Lincoln Financial Field.
According to a report by Mike Organ at The Tennessean, WrestleMania happening for the first time in Nashville in the year 2027 is a possibility as long as a proposed closed stadium is built within five years.
Where Things Stand
(via WWE)
Butch Spyridon, CEO of the Nashville Convention & Visitors Corp., spoke with WWE about Nashville hosting an event in the city and talks ramped up when Mayor John Cooper and the Tennessee Titans created a draft for the proposed stadium.
Spyridon said, “WWE had an incredible experience at Nissan Stadium this past summer, and we started talking. WrestleMania is considered the No. 6 top sports event brand in the world, and we are grateful for their confidence and belief in Nashville.”
Spyridon said that WrestleMania is the number 1 most followed sports brand on social media platforms and described WrestleMania as “CMA Fest on steroids: equivalent to two-to-three CMA Fests in one week in terms of impact.”
It should be noted that the Metro Council in Nashville needs to vote to fund the proposed $2.1 billion stadium. In the article, WWE confirmed that they would take WrestleMania to Nashville if the stadium gets built.
