4 things that went wrong with WWE WrestleMania 41
WWE WrestleMania 41 was one of the most polarizing editions of the iconic annual PLE in recent history. The Las Vegas show featured 14 total matches, including six title changes, a huge heel turn from Seth Rollins and a massive surprise appearance from TNA World Heavyweight Champion Joe Hendry. Over the two nights, a lot of history was made and many moments created.
For all that went well, a lot did not go according to plan at Allegiant Stadium. From unexplained absences to unavoidable injury, the final product ended up straying somewhat from what was envisioned by fans and no doubt, Triple H himself. As it always does, the show went on with replacements and adjustments, but one wonders what might have been if it all worked out.
With that in mind, let's look at four things that went wrong with WrestleMania 41
#4. Injuries forced WWE into making some massive last-minute changes to WrestleMania 41
Kevin Owens and Rey Mysterio were originally scheduled to compete at WWE WrestleMania 41 against Randy Orton and El Grande Americano respectively. However, due to unfortunate injuries suffered in action, they each had to pull out of their respective matches at The Show Of Shows. Owens pulled out of his bout three weeks before the event, while Mysterio withdrew right before Night 1 itself.
These changes left the creative team scrambling for replacements, with Joe Hendry and Rey Fenix stepping up to Orton and Americano, respectively. The stand-in duo did incredibly well given the circumstances, but fans will always wonder what could have been if the original plans had come to fruition. Hopefully The Prizefighter and Mysterio are healthy enough to compete next year.
#3. WrestleMania 41 suffered from a number of unfortunate botches
WWE WrestleMania 41 brought a great deal of action, with many superstars pulling off some memorable moves. From El Grande Americano's backwards 450 splash to LA Knight's mid-air BFT, a lot of moves came off as intended. However, there were a few that noticeably failed to hit the mark.
Tiffany Stratton was on the receiving end of probably the biggest botch of the weekend, seemingly chipping her tooth and receiving a welt on her forehead during her scrappy bout with Charlotte Flair. There were a few other mishaps here and there, but none serious enough to derail any match on the PLE. If anything, these botches showed superstars' ability to recover from slip-ups and get the job done.
#2. A number of WrestleMania 41 booking decisions did not go down well with the WWE Universe
![Bayley's unceremonious replacement on the Show Of Shows was quite contorversial [Images: WWE.com]](https://statico.sportskeeda.com/editor/2025/04/35c6b-17452325017617-1920.jpg?w=500)
WWE WrestleMania 41 had the pomp and circumstance of the annual spectacle, but not everything on the event was universally well-received. A few booking decisions received backlash, with fans not agreeing with their outcomes or execution.
For example, despite fans being happy to see Becky Lynch back, many were angry with how Bayley was written off the show. Similarly, although Jey Uso's World Heavyweight Championship win received a massive ovation, it also quickly racked up tens of thousands of dislikes on YouTube. However, nothing received as much backlash as the next entry on this list.
#1. The Rock's absence from WWE WrestleMania 41 left many fans with a sour taste
The Rock was an integral part of John Cena's heel turn at Elimination Chamber 2025. The 17-time world champion 'sold his soul' to The Final Boss moments after Cody Rhodes rejected the latter's offer of alliance. The Great One was expected to feature on the Road to WrestleMania 41, but has not been seen since Elimination Chamber.
Fans were hoping that The Brahma Bull would at least be at the Show of Shows to play a role in the Undisputed WWE Title match between Cena and Rhodes. This was not to be, as Travis Scott instead made an appearance to help The Franchise Player win. This left many fans bitter with the third-generation megastar and questioning his commitment to the business as 'No Rock' trended on X.
No matter what you think of the 52-year old, there's no denying that his presence would have made the main event of Night 2 even better.