16-04-2025
WrestleMania 41: 5 Things That Are Missing From WWE's Biggest PLE
SEATTLE, WASHINGTON - APRIL 11: Chelsea Green makes her entrance during SmackDown at Climate Pledge ... More Arena on April 11, 2025 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Mike Owens/WWE via Getty Images)
The WrestleMania 41 card appears to have 13 matches spread across two nights. There's a ton of things to like about the card, and I've loved the long-form storytelling Triple H and his team have done over the past two years.
That said, there are some noticeable omissions from the lineup of scheduled matches.
MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN - NOVEMBER 15: The newly created WWE Women's United States Championship Belt is ... More seen on display ring-side during WWE SmackDown at Fiserv Forum on November 15, 2024 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. (Photo)
Chelsea Green has done everything anyone could have expected with her US title run and more. She's been a phenomenal inaugural champion and the perfect heel.
Still, she has somehow been left off the WrestleMania 41 card. I'd predicted she'd find herself in an impromptu matchup with someone like Becky Lynch and drop the title.
That could still happen, but instead, it seems like she might be headed for something perhaps a little bigger following WrestleMania. At least, that's what I hope happens.
SAN JOSE, CALIFORNIA - JANUARY 13: Lyra Valkyria wins the WWE Women's Intercontinental Championship ... More Belt against Dakota Kai during Monday Night Raw at SAP Center on January 13, 2025 in San Jose, California. (Photo)
Lyra Valkyria is going after the Women's Tag Titles with Bayley at WrestleMania, but she isn't defending her IC title? That doesn't make a lot of sense to me. If WWE is trying to put their secondary women's titles over, how is neither of the titles being showcased at the Showcase of Immortals?
CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA - FEBRUARY 17: Sami Zayn speaks during Monday Night RAW at Spectrum Center ... More on February 17, 2025 in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Photo by WWE/WWE via Getty Images)
Zayn hasn't been seen since Kevin Owens nearly killed him at Elimination Chamber.
Zayn was seemingly headed for some well-earned time off. That said, not appearing at WrestleMania 41 on any level is a little strange for a star of his ilk. During the Bloodline story, Zayn ascended to another level.
I wonder if there are plans for him to make a return of some kind in Las Vegas.
ROSEMONT, ILLINOIS - APRIL 4: Randy Orton looks on during SmackDown at Allstate Arena on April 4, ... More 2025 in Rosemont, Illinois. (Photo by Eric Johnson/WWE via Getty Images)
The Viper was supposed to face Owens at WrestleMania 41 after he came out to attack him at Elimination Chamber. However, Owens' neck injury has pushed him out of WrestleMania and onto the shelf while he explores options to heal.
Orton is seemingly set to kick off something substantial. He's on the cover of the WWE Backlash poster, with the PLE set for May in his hometown of St. Louis.
I'm betting Orton gets some kind of shine at WrestleMania. Here's a bold prediction: Orton helps Cena defeat Cody Rhodes in the Day 2 main event. Remember where you heard it.
TORONTO, CANADA - MARCH 1: Travis Scott makes his entrance during WWE Elimination Chamber at Rogers ... More Centre on March 1, 2025 in Toronto, Canada. (Photo by Georgiana Dallas/WWE via Getty Images)
Logan Paul's match with AJ Styles doesn't count. Paul is now a full-time WWE Superstar—sort of. When I'm talking about a celebrity match, I'm referring to something like Travis Scott (which is a possibility), Snoop Dogg, Johnny Knoxville, and those kinds of concepts.
Perhaps Scott will fill this void with some sort of interaction with Rhodes. We'll find out sooner or later, or maybe we'll see new matches added on Friday during SmackDown.
Stay tuned. In the meantime, here is a look at the complete card.
