Latest news with #WrestleMania41Night1
Newsweek
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Newsweek
WWE Legend Highly Critical of Jey Uso Booking
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. After over 15 years in the company, Jey Uso has established himself as one of the most popular Superstars in WWE. This has led to the charismatic wrestler defeating Gunther for the World Heavyweight Championship at WrestleMania 41 Night 1. However, not everyone is happy with how Main Event Jey Uso has been booked since his triumphant victory, including someone close to the Superstar. LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - APRIL 19: Jey Uso poses in the ring before his World Heavyweight Championship match against Gunther during WrestleMania 41 at Allegiant Stadium on April 20, 2025 in Las Vegas, Nevada. LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - APRIL 19: Jey Uso poses in the ring before his World Heavyweight Championship match against Gunther during WrestleMania 41 at Allegiant Stadium on April 20, 2025 in Las Vegas, a recent episode of his 'Off The Top Rope' podcast, WWE Hall of Famer Rikishi shared his disappointment with Uso's booking as champion. "Bro why? Why?" Rikishi asked, per Skylar Russell of Fightful. "I mean, Jey is a world heavyweight champion by himself. Okay. Oh, they really need to fire creative service over there now. Just book me so I can book my son's matches out there, man. You know what I mean?" Rikishi then got into more specific details, specifically looking at Uso's tag team match against Paul and Undisputed WWE Champion John Cena at Money in the Bank. "Okay, you had me, but when they brought in Paul," Rikishi continued. "Like I said on a past podcast, I like Logan. I thought uce, he's got skills. He's very entertaining. He knows how to get heat. But damn, I wouldn't have beat him the first time they locked up together. "Could've just waited till a cage match or some type of gimmick match or something. Paul, he's got heat, right? He's got heat and this will probably be his biggest spotlight in WWE. They're both young, Jey is young, Paul is young. Now you beat Paul, now where do you go. Into a tag team bout? Like, okay. Alright." More Pro Wrestling: Additionally, Rikishi explained that he isn't a fan of having the former World Heavyweight Champion Gunther having to wait for a rematch, especially since he has been booked so dominantly. "We're just gonna hunker Gunther out. Just hang around, Gunther," Rikishi concluded. "If I was Gunther, I want Jey right now damnit. Give me Jey right now. It could have went either Jey and Logan or I mean, it has to be some type of gimmick match for him and Gunther. "It's got to be one of those big double cages or something. Just some make believe gimmick type of match to bring some type of excitement to it. Two things can happen, either they give it to Jey again off the gimmick match, which excels him to the next level. "It's bad for Gunther, just alright, where do you go from there? But, it took Jey three times before he beat Gunther, so I think it's only fair to be able to give Gunther three chances and maybe beat him three times. Or not, depends. But still man, it's like, goes back to whoever is writing it. But what do I know." More Pro Wrestling: For more WWE and professional wrestling news, head on over to Newsweeks Sports.
Time of India
24-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Paul Heyman acknowledges his new superstar Seth "Freakin" Rollins in a trendy Ghibli art form
Image via WWE Paul Heyman paid tribute to his new alliance with Seth Rollins in the art form that has recently taken social media by storm. The world of professional wrestling witnessed a major shocker at the end of WrestleMania 41 Night 1. As Michael Cole said, Paul Heyman proved himself to be a cockroach and influenced the outcome of the main event, which left the fans stunned. He betrayed both Roman Reigns and CM Punk to cement an alliance with Seth Rollins. Following WrestleMania, Heyman sent out a message using the new trend prevailing on social media right now. Paul Heyman cemented his alliance with Seth Rollins with a trendy art work The Wiseman took to his X to drop a photo of himself and Seth Rollins sitting in the ring, made in the trending Ghibli artwork, with a message for Roman Reigns and CM Punk as well. Heyman tweeted, " We Punk'd out a Rebel and Dethroned a Tribal Chief ... all in one historic Ball Bustin' WrestleMania Moment!" Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Taylor Swift Is Photographed Without Makeup, This Is How She Really Looks. Telehealth Dave Undo Paul Heyman walked into the main event match between Seth Rollins, Roman Reigns, and CM Punk with his best friend, i.e, the Best in the World. Towards the final moments, he handed a steel chair to Punk to take down Reigns. But in that moment, Heyman lowblowed Punk and the world that the Wiseman was joining back on the side of his Tribal Chief. However, Heyman shocked the world by then delivering a low blow to Roman Reigns and handing the steel chair to Seth Rollins. He struck Reigns in the back with it in a classic Shield breakup moment and hit the Stomp to win the match. Rollins and Heyman left together and cemented their alliance, which left the fans buzzing. Paul Heyman has a new Guy with him, along with Seth Rollins On the RAW after WrestleMania 41, Paul Heyman and Seth Rollins declared their alliance to the world. They were met by CM Punk and Roman Reigns, who wanted revenge on the duo. But the surprise appearance of Bron Breakker changed the entire situation. The Wolf Dog and the Visionary viciously beat down Punk and Reigns. The show ended with two new Paul Heyman Guys joining forces with The Wiseman, marking the start of a new threat emerging in WWE. Also read: 'That's how a bad guy works'- John Cena gives major endorsement to WWE's new megastar
Yahoo
20-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
WWE WrestleMania 41 Night 1 results, grades, analysis: Seth Rollins stuns CM Punk, Roman Reigns with Paul Heyman betrayals
WrestleMania 41 Night 1 is in the books! The first night of WWE's annual extravaganza set the bar remarkably high, with three championships changing hands and a main event that delivered fireworks from both an in-ring and storytelling standpoint. The action at Allegiant Stadium kicked off in a big way, with 2025 Royal Rumble winner Jey Uso taking on World Heavyweight Champion Gunther to begin the show. In what was an instant WrestleMania moment, Uso overcame the odds and walked out of Las Vegas a winner. Gunther, who had only been pinned twice since joining the main roster, submitted to Uso, giving him immediate credibility as the top champion on "WWE Raw." Advertisement Two other titles changed hands as The New Day had their biggest moment since turning heel, cheating to defeat the War Raiders and claim their 12th tag team championship. Two matches later, Jacob Fatu and LA Knight ignited the crowd with a fast-paced, violent United States Championship match. Fatu, in his first WrestleMania, left a victor and a singles champion for the first time ever. Speaking of WrestleMania debuts, Tiffany Stratton had arguably the toughest task of the night, defending her WWE Women's Championship against Charlotte Flair — the 2025 women's Royal Rumble winner. While the match may not have met lofty expectations, the right decision was made in keeping Stratton as champion moving forward. In the main event, Seth Rollins, CM Punk and Roman Reigns put on an instant classic that should find its way onto many Match of the Year ballots when we get to the end of 2025. Despite not having a championship at stake, Paul Heyman's betrayal of both Punk and Reigns and his new alliance with Rollins is likely to be the focal point of at least one of WWE's brands, either "SmackDown" or "Raw." In the two other matches on the card, Jade Cargill got her revenge on Naomi in a star-making singles debut at WrestleMania and El Grande Americano used underhanded tactics to defeat late-replacement Rey Fenix. Seth Rollins, Roman Reigns and CM Punk collided in the main event of WrestleMania 41 Night 1. (Photos: WWE/Getty Images. Design: Taylor Wilhelm, Yahoo Sports) Here are the full results, grades and analysis from WrestleMania 41 Night 1: Seth Rollins defeats Roman Reigns and CM Punk in 32:38. Grade: A+ Best spot: Rollins' Pedigree counter to Reigns spear Analysis: Even if Paul Heyman didn't turn (twice), this match would have still gotten an A+ and been in heavy consideration for Match of the Year. Rollins, Reigns and Punk combined for a masterpiece and showed why they are all worthy of a WrestleMania main-event slot, even without a championship up for grabs. As great as the in-ring action was, the storytelling was even better, with Heyman betraying his former allies in Punk and Reigns and aligning himself with Rollins — who should immediately challenge for one of WWE's top championships. The betrayals protect both Reigns and Punk in defeat and beyond obvious grudges with Heyman/Rollins, they could find themselves mired in a feud against one another dating back to the shaky War Games alliance that planted the seeds for Heyman to be a major player here. Advertisement Tiffany Stratton defeats Charlotte Flair in 19:10 to retain the WWE Women's Championship. Grade: B Best spot: Flair's Stephanie Vaquer impersonation Analysis: Expectations were incredibly high for this match based on the talent of both Flair and Stratton, and the spotlight couldn't have been brighter after their explosive "WWE SmackDown" promo from a few weeks ago. There were moments that everything clicked and you saw the potential of how good this match could have been, but otherwise things didn't feel as fluid as they should have, especially for a WrestleMania match. Despite Stratton's moonsault always being a highlight, I picked Flair's adopting of Vaquer's signature move as the best spot in this match because it hammers home the work Flair does to get better at her craft. It was the right call for Stratton to retain and is a reset button for both her title reign and Flair moving forward. El Grande Americano defeats Rey Fenix in 7:56. Grade: B Best spot: El Grande Americano's reverse 540 splash Analysis: Phenomenal in-ring action. Both El Grande Americano and Fenix are stunning performers, so hopefully we see this again sometime soon and it gets a little bit more time than it did on Saturday night. The grade here is simply a reflection of the fact that it was short and the finish relatively uninventive. Jacob Fatu defeats LA Knight in 10:38 to win the United States Championship. Grade: A Best spot: Knight's BFT counter to Fatu's moonsault Analysis: A match like this was exactly what the United States Championship needed to be elevated as WWE moves into its next 'season.' The chemistry between these two was on full display, particularly on Knight's BFT on Fatu in midair, which could wind up being this decade's WrestleMania 31 RKO — it was that good. Knight needed to drop the United States title in order to credibly free himself up for a Money in the Bank win or a chase for the Undisputed WWE Championship later this year. Fatu winning his first singles gold should also further drive a wedge with Solo Sikoa and the New Bloodline. Jade Cargill defeats Naomi in 9:18. Grade: B+ Best spot: Cargill catching Naomi into suplex Analysis: As I mentioned above, this was a major moment for Cargill, who not only looks the part, but also backs it up with in-ring ability that is unparalleled in the women's division. Even though there were bigger matches on the card in terms of championships on the line, I do believe Cargill's performance is something we'll be talking about over the next few days. Naomi got a brand-new presentation, which works really well for her new heel persona. If I had to offer one critique, it would be that there was a moment when Cargill was supposed to sell a kayfabe leg injury but it never took form. The New Day defeats The War Raiders in 9:12 to win the World Tag Team Championships. Grade: B- Best spot: Ivar's moonsault Analysis: The New Day needed this win to put some weight behind a heel turn that had grown stagnant over the past few months. No disrespect to The War Raiders, but Kingston and Woods can elevate the tag-team division as a much-needed breath of fresh air (even if this is their 12th reign). The match was fine, but really felt more like a "WWE Raw" main event than one that needed to be on the WrestleMania 41 card. Jey Uso defeats Gunther by submission in 16:23 to win the World Heavyweight Championship. Grade: A Best spot: Uso utilizing Gunther's moves against him Analysis: Not only did Uso win this match, he made Gunther tap out, which gives him a bullet point on his WWE résumé that no one else can match. A year after Uso faced his brother Jimmy in a mostly forgettable WrestleMania XL match, he opened the show as one of the biggest babyfaces in the entire industry and put on a very entertaining match where he showcased offense and storytelling we hadn't seen from him in the past. There should be no doubts moving forward about Uso's ability to be a top guy after the biggest performance of his career. As far as where we go from here, Seth Rollins feels like the next natural challenge for Uso, and Gunther's submission opens the door for a potential hiatus before a rematch later in 2025. Relive all of the action from WrestleMania Night 1 with Uncrowned's live blog below:
Fox News
20-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Fox News
Paul Heyman turns on CM Punk and Roman Reigns to deliver Seth Rollins win in epic WrestleMania 41 match
LAS VEGAS – WrestleMania can prove a once-in-a-lifetime type of moment for fans of all kinds. At the beginning of WrestleMania 41 Night1's main event, that's what fans who packed Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas got to see. CM Punk entered the ring as a WrestleMania main-eventer for the first time in his career with Paul Heyman by his side. He came out to an ovation unlike anyone heard the entire night. Adding to the moment, Living Colour playing "Cult of Personality" live. The moment immediately became immensely bigger and betrayal was certainly in the air. Punk, Seth Rollins and Roman Reigns lined the ring in what instantly turned into a slobber knocker among aged-old rivals that don't particularly like each other. The action quickly spilled to the outside and weapons were in use. It's what the moment called for. Punk suplexed Rollins onto a trash can after hitting "The Visionary" with a couple of chair shots. Punk took control of the match while Reigns bided his time. As the two competitors came back toward the ring, Reigns jumped over the barricaded and clobbered both men. The battle continued in the ring with each wrestler trying to get a leg up on the other. A power slam here, elbow drop there and the pace slowed down tremendously. Punk had the advantage. Rollins got caught trying to go for a superplex and Punk and Reigns worked together to pay homage to the Legion of Doom. "This is awesome," chants rang out through the building. Just when it seemed like Rollins was out of it, he regained composure and hit Punk and Reigns with a frog splash and attempted a pin. The momentum shifted quickly back toward Rollins. He hit both Punk and Reigns with buckle bombs and received a giant cheer from the crowd. It could have been anyone's game with three of the best superstars the WWE has to offer taking part in one of the biggest matches of the year. Rollins caught Reigns on the spear and hit a pedigree, following up with a stomp. The fans counted one, two, but Reigns kicked out before the three count. Reigns got his chance hitting Rollins with a spear but got caught up in Punk's GTS. Punk went for the cover and, again, Reigns kicked out. Rollins seemingly had a plan – team with Reigns to take out Punk – just like the old days. Reigns appeared hesitant at first but then got locked in. Instead, he uppercut Rollins and powerbombed Punk through the thick announce table. He turned to Rollins and did it to him too Reigns threw Rollins back into the ring for the pin – one, two, nope! Rollins kicked out. Reigns tried to get Punk to tap out but to no avail. Heyman looked on as if he were getting tortured. Rollins stepped in and put Punk into a sharpshooter. Reigns came back and put Rollins in a guillotine. Rollins tried to reverse into a pin but Reigns countered back. Punk got some energy back and hit Rollins with a GTS. Still, no pin. In a last gasp, each man hit their finishing maneuvers and then laid out to catch their breaths. An epic war was coming to an end. Heyman was seen picking up a chair — who would he give it to? What was going through his mind? He looked at Reigns and gave it to Punk. But as Punk stumbled over, Heyman hit Punk with a low blow. He presented the chair to Reigns who took out his emotions on Punk. Heyman pointed to Rollins. But Heyman low-blowed Reigns turning on both of his friends. It was always Rollins. Heyman watched as Rollins stared down Reigns — another chair shot to the back. And then a stomp. Rollins pinned Reigns and was declared the winner. Reigns and Punk looked on in disbelief. What happened? Why? Only Rollins and Heyman know. Follow Fox News Digital's sports coverage on X and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.
Yahoo
20-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
WrestleMania 41 Night 1 takeaways: Stunner — Seth Rollins is officially a Paul Heyman guy
WWE WrestleMania 41, Night 1 from Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas is officially in the books, with plenty of surprising twists and turns having come along the way. The landscape of the WWE looks plenty different from how the night began, with three titles changing hands and the first night of WWE's biggest show of the year providing plenty to digest. Here are our five biggest takeaways from WrestleMania 41, Night 1. 1. Seth Rollins is officially a Paul Heyman guy The story heading into Saturday night's triple-threat main event between Roman Reigns, CM Punk and Seth Rollins was who would earn the support of Paul Heyman. No title was on the line, but Heyman's support felt nearly as valuable. Heyman discussed the temptation to be disloyal with Uncrowned approaching the big match — then he followed that up by feeding into the urge, first dropping Punk with a low blow before doing the same to Reigns. Paul Heyman raises Seth Rollins' hand after his WrestleMania 41 Night 1 victory over CM Punk and Roman Reigns. () (Ethan Miller via Getty Images) Where WWE goes here is incredibly intriguing: Is this story kept in a silo with the new Rollins-Heyman duo? That path forward is seamless, keeping things moving quite naturally with Punk and Reigns. But a second night of WrestleMania 41 still awaits, and the possibility of another turn in the story between Cody Rhodes and John Cena exists. 2. Jey Uso is the genuine main event now Can you be a true main-eventer if you're consistently falling short? That was a legitimate concern heading into WrestleMania 41 for Jey Uso, who broke out from being simply a tag-team guy and began to make a name for himself as a singles competitor in 2020. Outside of a brief midcard title run, he hadn't shown he could win the big one until Saturday night. Advertisement The decision to have Uso fall short against Gunther just a week prior to winning the 2025 Royal Rumble felt like two decisions made in respective vacuums. He needed the WrestleMania moment more than almost anyone on the roster — a loss could have removed any credibility of him as a serious challenger in the future. He called his shot that he was going to shock the world against Gunther, and he did just that, submitting the monster in the opening bout. Now the 'Main Event' part of his name is very much warranted. 3. Naomi is exactly what the women's division needs When Jade Cargill joined WWE from AEW, it was a natural progression to align her with veterans like Bianca Belair and Naomi as she honed her in-ring and mic skills. She never lacked athleticism, and her raw talent is why her ceiling as a future WWE champion — and potentially an all-time great — remain so high. Advertisement What she lacked was a story to really make fans care and an in-ring partner who could make her look every bit of the no-doubt star that she can be. Naomi filled that role in the build to her WrestleMania 41 match with Cargill — and she executed it flawlessly. Jade Cargill in action against Naomi during WrestleMania 41 Night 1 at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Rich Freeda/WWE via Getty Images) (WWE via Getty Images) Naomi played the innocent, unsuspecting heel really well until it was time to turn the dial up and show her ruthless side. In the ring, she helped piece things together, serving as a masterful dance partner. Cargill's strengths were illuminated throughout the evening and ultimately she came out of the match with highlight-reel moments. Naomi deserves her flowers for the role she played, showing the chops to be in a title program as the character fans can despise. 4. The rise of Jacob Fatu comes with tradeoffs Jacob Fatu is an absolute mega-star in the making. He has everything you're looking for in a future world champion — athleticism, strength and charisma. Moving Fatu up the roster and handing him his first taste of WWE gold was a no-brainer. The fact that it came at the expense of LA Knight, though, is less than ideal for his continued growth. Advertisement Knight is just as popular as ever, but it feels to an extent that he's plateaued. His second stint as United States champion didn't feel particularly memorable, lasting just over 40 days before passing the belt to Fatu. Fatu came out of WrestleMania 41 looking dominant. And while at one time it appeared to be only a matter of time before Knight held a world title, it feels like Fatu now holds that designation — with no clear path for the former champion. Tiffany Stratton retained her title after a heated build with Charlotte Flair. (WWE via Getty Images) (WWE via Getty Images) 5. Real-life emotion still works in wrestling In the moment, the manner in which Charlotte Flair and Tiffany Stratton built their WrestleMania 41 match felt messy, clunky and like a boundary had been crossed. Real-life tension was creeping its way into weekly promos and there was an uncomfortable element to the personal, less character-driven barbs that made their way onto television. Advertisement The final weeks leading up to their match allowed that personal tension to build into physical confrontations. Words were no longer needed — it made all the sense in the world that these women hated each other and would come to blows at each encounter. When the bell rang on Saturday night, they maintained the level of intensity that was present in the final weeks before the show and allowed that to take center stage. The match was hard-hitting and far from perfect, but the real elements of their rivalry drew fans into a clear position of who they'd support. Stratton's offensive movements and her pinfall victory drew a massive ovation. In the end, no pleasantries were exchanged, just an acceptance of who was the better woman this night.
