WrestleMania 41 Preview and How to Order with DISH
Is there a more appropriate place than the bright lights of Sin City for John Cena to attempt to pay-off his deal with the devil? After another earth-shattering trip around the sun, the WWE “season” crescendos from Fabulous Las Vegas at the home of the Silver and Black, Allegiant Stadium. But big match John is not the only wrestling star looking to roll the dice and cash in at the showcase of the immortals. Here’s a look at the card for WrestleMania 41:
World Tag Team Championship - War Raiders vs. The New Day
Jade Cargill vs. Naomi
United States Championship - LA Knight vs. Jacob Fatu
WWE Women’s Championship - Tiffany Stratton vs. Charlotte Flair
Rey Mysterio vs. El Grande Americano
World Heavyweight Championship - Jey Uso vs Gunther
Seth Rollins vs. Roman Reigns vs. CM Punk
Women’s World Championship - Iyo Sky vs. Rhea Ripley vs. Bianca Belair
Intercontinental Championship - Bron Breakker vs. Penta vs. Finn Bálor vs. Dominik Mysterio
Damian Priest vs. Drew McIntyre
Randy Orton vs. TBA
AJ Styles vs. Logan Paul
WWE Women's Tag Team Championship - Liv Morgan and Raquel Rodriguez vs. TBA
WWE Universal Championship - Cody Rhodes vs John Cena
This much hard-hitting action can’t be contained in one night (even in Vegas), so we fans are treated to a two night spectacle on Saturday, April 19 and Sunday, April 20. We probably gave away our most anticipated match with that opening line, but let’s not get it twisted: this card is more stuffed than our stomachs after a run through Caesar’s Bacchanal buffet. So grab the remote, order both nights of Wrestlemania 41 for $59.99 on DISH, and rest assured you made a better decision than splitting aces at the Blackjack table. And don’t worry: if you miss the first night, there will be a full replay Sunday afternoon before the preshow.
Match #1 - WWE Universal Championship - Cody Rhodes vs John Cena
The story - If you don't know the story behind this one, you must be living under a Rock (get it?). That being said, when the Great One started petitioning Cody Rhodes to be his corporate champion (which in itself is a neat throwback to the Rock’s time in the Corporation), few expected John Cena to shock the world by turning on Cody at Elimination Chamber. After 20 years as the face of Hustle Loyalty Respect, the leader of Cenation realized that to get record-breaking title number 17, he would have to go to a place he hadn’t been since 2003: the dark side. Cody isn’t exactly a stranger to putting down heels though. After finally vanquishing Roman Reigns at Wrestlemania XL, the American Nightmare certainly has it in him to ensure that Cena’s dreams don’t come true.
Why we’re excited - Nothing will ever match Hulk Hogan’s heel turn to kick off the NWO, but if there’s any event that comes close, it was John Cena turning heel. There are just so many exciting layers to this story. Cena is willing to do whatever it takes to get that final run with the gold. The Rock being the power broker behind it all, a throwback to his early days as a Heel in the Attitude Era. And the man standing in the way, Cody Rhodes, who famously refused to turn heel during his time in AEW and has since continued that stance, usurping Cena’s role as the number one good guy in the company. This could go either way, but regardless of the outcome, history will remember this one.
Related: Your Guide to Pro Wrestling on DISH
Match #2 - Seth Rollins vs. Roman Reigns vs. CM Punk
The story - Oh man, how do we begin to untangle this one. CM Punk and Seth Rollins have been at odds since Punk’s return (and clearly before that), with Punk eliminating Rollins at both the Royal Rumble and Elimination Chamber to add some recent fuel to this fire. They attempted to settle things in a steel cage, only for Roman Reigns to interfere, pulling Rollins out of the cage to cash some receipts for a previous attack that knocked him out of action (and then there was the whole break-up of the Shield and the Authority…yeah these guys have history). To complete this hate triangle, Punk and Reigns have bad blood after vying for the services of Paul Heyman, who has backed them both in the past and who will ultimately be in Punk’s corner during this contest with Punk cashing in a favor with Heyman. Following all that? If not, that’s ok: every man here has equal opportunity hatred for each other. That’s all you need to know.
Why we’re excited - Wrestling is at its best when the matches build to a long-term pay-off. As you can see by the description above, a match like this has any number of possible pay-offs, leading to an unpredictability that can be somewhat rare in the squared circle. This is truly the optimal use of a triple threat match, with no one appearing to show up just to eat a pin. Get your popcorn ready, sit back, and watch three hall-of-famers take their demons out on people they personally despise.
Match #3 - Tiffany Stratton vs. Charlotte Flair
The story - In hindsight, the Queen making her return at the Royal Rumble shouldn’t have been surprising. What still has us shaken was Charlotte Flair actually winning said Rumble and setting her sights on Tiffany Stratton’s title. This match would be intriguing if it were just a returning legend looking to reclaim glory at the expense of a rising star. Instead, it’s much more personal than that. The jabs these two have been taking at each other on the mic have turned vicious, and some arguably hit below the belt. All the more reason to bring this feud to ‘Mania. But does the Queen have it in her to wind back the clock? Or is Tiffy time just getting wound up?
Why we’re excited - Charlotte Flair has long been one of our favorites – after all, who can sleep on the daughter of a legend who has arguably gone on to equal her father. That being said, the fan reactions to her return have been anything but welcoming, and many seem ready to turn the page. That is when someone like Charlotte is at her best. And she’ll need her best, because in two short years, Tiffany Stratton has established herself as a legitimate top of the card act (being friends with Trish Stratus probably helps). Whether you want to see Charlotte continue to add jewels to her crown, or whether you want Tiffany to drop the guillotine on her, this will be must-see TV.
Match #4 - Jade Cargill vs. Naomi
The story - When someone is found incapacitated in a parking lot during a wrestling show, you know we are in for an exciting ride (we could put a Rikishi reference here, but we will restrain ourselves). That is exactly the predicament we found ourselves in after Jade Cargill was mysteriously attacked and knocked out of action. Naomi graciously volunteered to take Jade’s place as one half of the tag team champions (how nice of her) and she and Bianca Belair began to dig into who could have possibly attacked Jade. After falsely concluding that Liv Morgan and Raquel Rodriguez were the culprits, the tag team champs were in for quite a surprise when Jade returned and attacked Naomi, leading to the reveal that it had been Naomi all along! Several more vicious exchanges ensued before Nick Aldis decided their version of traffic court should be adjourned at Wrestlemania.
Why we’re excited - We’ve been a fan of Jade’s since she first teamed with Shaq on AEW (against Cody, fun times), but her rise to the top of the wrestling mountain has been incredible. It helps that she looks like she was chiseled out of granite, with a look that conveys she is not to be messed with. Naomi clearly didn’t get that memo, or maybe she doesn’t care, and why should she? She is a long-time veteran and a marvel in the ring, so it isn’t shocking for her to feel obligated to put the greener Cargill in her place. Will Jade pay homage to one of the most consistent forces in women’s wrestling, or will Naomi find herself bowing to a woman that looks like a Greek goddess?
Match #5 - United States Championship - LA Knight vs. Jacob Fatu
The story - Since LA Knight regained the US title, he has had no shortage of potential usurpers for it. To get to this match though, Jacob Fatu had to go through the Monster Among Men (Braun Strowman). Not only that, he had to beat Strowman in a Last Man Standing match, showing just how committed the Bloodline brute is to getting his hands on what the leader of the Yeah movement has. While he may not have the primal drive that fuels Fatu, we know the megastar LA Knight isn’t one to go quietly (or do anything quietly, at least when there is a mic around).
Why we’re excited - Call this one a bit of a homer pick for us, as we love ourselves some LA Knight at DISH (click this link for our exclusive interview with LA Knight). He is legitimately one of the most entertaining personalities in wrestling. Pair that with the incredible athleticism of Jacob Fatu (we certainly can’t see his Uncle Rikishi matching his moves, though that would be a site), and we have multiple rooting interests in this match.
