WrestleMania 41: 6 way-too-early predictions for WWE's 2025 Super Bowl — who headlines and what will the cards look like?

Recently on “WWE Raw,” CM Punk pointed to an imaginary sign hanging above the crowd at the Angels of the Winds arena in Everett, Washington. While Punk’s theatricality may be a powerful agent for the uninitiated, we are initiated here at Uncrowned, aren't we?

If you didn’t figure it out already — it’s WrestleMania SZN!

Yes, yes, we know that there are still (*counts fingers*) four-plus months before the Showcase of the Immortals descends upon Las Vegas for the first time since 1993, but that doesn’t mean we can’t start fantasy booking the event right now.

So in a special Uncrowned fatal four-way, let’s take stock of where we are with 2024's PLE schedule completed and give our thoughts on how we think WrestleMania 41 should play out next April.

1. Who are your main events for Night 1 and Night 2?

Kel Dansby: Let’s cut to the chase: CM Punk has to headline one of the two main events.

Being passed over for what he felt was a deserved WrestleMania 29 main event was one of the primary reasons for his departure a decade ago. An injury at 2024's Royal Rumble robbed him of the chance to right that wrong at WrestleMania 40. But in 2025? CM Punk will win the Royal Rumble and make a surprising challenge: Calling out Cody Rhodes for the WWE Undisputed Championship.

It’s the perfect main event for Night 2, giving Punk the chance to return to his ruthless form — both on the mic and in the ring.

So, who headlines Night 1? None other than the "Original Tribal Chief" Roman Reigns vs. the true shot caller of the New Bloodline: The Rock. The Bloodline Saga has always been building toward this moment. Until The Rock doesn’t show up to WrestleMania, I’ll keep predicting this match. The storytelling is too perfect. The Rock pinned Cody on Night 1 this past April, but Roman couldn’t do the same on Night 2. The Rock believes he should have been in the main event — he’s the true Tribal Chief, the real leader of the family. The story writes itself.

Unfortunately, this means Gunther will have to take a backseat in 2025 and miss his main event moment as champion. It’s OK though, because there’s a fantastic consolation prize waiting for the WWE Heavyweight Champion. More on that later.

Anthony Sulla-Heffinger: I think we are going with a Bloodline-dominant affair on both nights.

Assuming we’re getting The Rock involved again, I don’t necessarily think we're going to get him versus Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes, mainly because you burn two major draws in one shot. Instead, I would have Solo Sikoa win the Royal Rumble and challenge Rhodes for his championship to close out Night 1.

For Sunday, I think you end the event with The Rock vs. Roman Reigns for ultimate control of The Bloodline.

This won’t be the end of the Bloodline story, but I do see Rhodes and Reigns standing tall when all is said and done.

Pen Shamrock: For Night 1, I'm guessing we get John Cena vs. Cody Rhodes, but more on that shortly.

Night 2 should deliver the long-awaited Roman Reigns vs. The Rock matchup, because even though it wouldn't have championship gold on the line, it could have the Ula Fala or the title of Tribal Chief — or both — at stake.

Side note: I'm not precious about which happens on which night, but even with a swapped order I think these these are main event worthy concepts.

Drake Riggs: WWE is lining itself up to do the most perfectly hilarious but brilliant thing ever. If CM Punk is healthy and able, he'll get his WrestleMania main event and it will be Night 1 in a triple-threat World Heavyweight Championship match against Seth Rollins and Roman Reigns. I dare say we go Fatal 4-Way and get Drew McIntyre in on the action so it looks less like a Shield replacement knockoff, but it works perfectly nonetheless as the seeds are already deeply planted between Punk and both.

The question then becomes, who holds the title? Reigns doesn't need it, but the gold is Punk's goal and he beautifully flipped that script on Rollins recently to make him look like the stalker. Punk's a manipulator and troll at his core, which works perfectly to ignore Rollins for as long as he can after he claims the title from Gunther on 2025's Road to WrestleMania in an instant classic.

As for Night 2, I will take a page out of Pen's book.

2. How do you use John Cena?

Dansby: I mentioned WWE Heavyweight Champion Gunther earlier. This is where he shines.

In pro wrestling lore, John Cena is currently tied with Ric Flair for the most world titles at 16. Cena winning 2025's Elimination Chamber (he’s featured on all the promotional posters, after all) sets up a marquee WrestleMania clash. He challenges the nearly unbeatable Gunther for his heavyweight title and a chance to break the record with a 17th championship reign.

Spoiler Alert: Cena has to lose. This would cement Gunther as the mega-heel he was always destined to become.

Shamrock: 2025 is the year of Cena's farewell tour, so why not one last WrestleMania main event?

There's no way he doesn't come back and pursue a record-breaking 17-time world title reign. It has to happen and WWE shouldn't even tip toe around it. I don't care if Cena enters the Rumble at No. 17 — telegraph it, make it obvious, do what you gotta do, just be sure that Cena vs. Rhodes is one of our headlines.

Riggs: We're going to remain crazy with my triple threat theme because there's nothing I love more than a good triple threat. Think back on the beauty of WrestleMania 20, 22, 30, 39, and TNA: Turning Point 2009. We're going completely jam-packed with superstardom as John Cena's last hurrah is injected straight into the inevitable meeting of Cody Rhodes and The Rock. Tell me that isn't perfect.

History. Legacy. Story on story.

You could even lead that to something later down the line with Punk still unhappy that he wasn't the culminating main event, playing second fiddle to The Rock and Cena again. I want it oh-so-badly.

Sulla-Heffinger: The last time we saw John Cena wrestle a match at the Showcase of the Immortals was at WrestleMania 39, when he opened Night 1 in a losing effort against Austin Theory.

We already know 2025 is going to be the Cena retirement tour, so let’s give him a major spot at WrestleMania 41 — have him win the Elimination Chamber match in March to earn a World Heavyweight Championship match against Gunther. Cena is a 16-time world champion — tied with Ric Flair for the most ever — so the buzz from him potentially breaking that record combined with the WWE 2K24-ness of this matchup makes it a no-brainer in my opinion.

3. Book any match you want, but it has to have a stipulation/gimmick

Riggs: No one should ever give me this type of control. My brain instantly goes to the impossibly absurd violence of an exploding deathmatch type of situation, but I'll stay relatively realistic and give the world a dream match. One that is inevitable. The recently heel-turned New Day vs. Motor City Machine Guns in a classic TLC tag title match.

For nostalgia, I'd love to insert another team into this, but a great story can be told with these duos as is and the action would be absurd.

This match will happen at some point. An extreme stipulation only adds to the fun.

Dansby: This is an easy one. Sami Zayn should defeat Bron Breakker at Elimination Chamber in Toronto to win the Intercontinental Championship. Sami couldn’t beat Breakker for the title back in August, so this win would bring a fitting close to that story.

As Sami celebrates, he’s attacked by — who else? — fellow Canadian and on-again-off-again BFF Kevin Owens.

This sets the stage for an Intercontinental Championship ladder match to open Night 1 of WrestleMania 41. If you haven’t seen Kevin Steen (Owens) vs. El Generico (Sami Zayn) ladder matches from their ROH days, you’re missing out. Watch one as soon as you’re done reading this.

Sulla-Heffinger: The Intercontinental Championship and ladder matches go hand-in-hand when it comes to WrestleMania. Thirty one years after Shawn Michaels and the late Razor Ramon put on an absolute classic at WrestleMania X, I want to see an epic ladder match for the newly created Women’s Intercontinental Championship at WrestleMania 41.

Give me Natalya (who should win the inaugural tournament for the belt), Bayley, Bianca Belair and Kairi Sane in a fatal four-way ladder match to open the action on Night 1.

Shamrock: It's a little out there but CM Punk vs. Jacob Fatu in a Samoan Strap Match would go hard.

Their small sampling of a clash at Survivor Series left me wanting more and there's always an avenue to bring Punk into Bloodline feuds considering Paul Heyman's involvement. This particular matchup also presents a compelling backstory considering the late, great Umaga's final performance was a Samoan Strap Match against Punk in 2009. Here we are, a decade-and-a-half later, and it's Umaga's nephew clashing with Punk. I, for one, would love it.

4. Who should be the ceremonial WrestleMania host?

Sulla-Heffinger: Close your eyes and imagine this scene: The opening pyro hits, Allegiant Stadium is buzzing, and all of a sudden, a red Chevy convertible rolls out onto the entrance ramp and we’re introduced to our WrestleMania 41 host — Guy Fieri!

I know I’d pop. You know you would too.

We could even bill it as Diners, Piledrivers and Suicide Dives.

Shamrock: The best WrestleMania hosts are the ones we forgot ever hosted. It's a difficult job and throwing a random celebrity in that spot doesn't always draw the best results.

Here are my pitches — The Godfather (because it's in Vegas and that's where he's from/deeply befitting), Samantha Irvin for a one night return, or Alexa Bliss who hosted in 2019.

Riggs: This is always the most pointless role on a WrestleMania. I couldn't care for it one bit. There is a way to make it work though — give it to an active wrestler, but not just any active wrestler.

A wrestler with the Money In the Bank briefcase.

Have them pop up randomly, causing trouble or goofing around. Maybe even make the teases of cash-in obvious before it happens. I love a surprise and last year's was an all-timer with Damian Priest. This type of spot could be so much fun with a character like Tiffany Stratton. It doesn't matter if you know it's coming. Like it was teased at Survivor Series, the surprise can be who she cashes in on; just make it the one we didn't expect.

Dansby: This was a tough choice — until it wasn't. The New Day’s shocking heel turn and ousting of their former member and champion, Big E, makes him the perfect choice to host WrestleMania 41.

Big E has hosted WrestleMania before as part of The New Day and is phenomenal on the mic during premium live event pre- and post-shows. This time, he gets to shine solo.

5. What is your all-in — obligatory Vegas gambling reference — prediction for the event?

Sulla-Heffinger: Sheamus wins the Intercontinental Championship.

Look, it’s going to happen since it’s been hammered home over and over that it’s the one title he needs to win to be a Grand Slam champion. What better WrestleMania moment than to have him accomplish it on WWE’s biggest stage?

Shamrock: I agree with Anthony. A Sheamus Intercontinental title win is coming on the grandest stage of 'em all.

But in the interest of coming up with fresh ideas, my best guess? Bet the house on CM Punk, who's 3-4 at WrestleMania but seemingly in line to get a W considering the run he's on after injury kept him out of 2024's edition.

Dansby: Neither of the current women’s champions will walk into WrestleMania as titleholders.

Tiffy Time is coming sooner than later. I predict Tiffany Stratton cashes in on Nia Jax during the Women’s Royal Rumble — a move never before done in either Rumble match — to become champion. This sets her up for a clash with 2025's Rumble winner, Charlotte Flair, at WrestleMania.

As for Liv Morgan, her reign as champion is also nearing its end. It’s only a matter of time before Rhea Ripley reclaims the gold. I fully expect Ripley to face Dirty Dominik Mysterio in an exciting intergender match at WrestleMania.

Riggs: Rikishi shows up this time!

No, no, just kidding. Man, this is a tough one. I'm not super confident about any specific results aside from that obvious Sheamus one. Even then, I could see that happening before 'Mania.

So let's play into the world I crafted earlier. If my two main events happen, I predict an injury for Punk, Cena or The Rock. Not to get cynical toward the end here, but Father Time is undefeated.

6. Fantasy book one NXT or outside talent to debut on Raw After 'Mania

Sulla-Heffinger: There are a lot of directions we could go here, but I would love to see Matt Cardona back in the fold after his remarkable reinvention on the independent scene.

A return here fits a bit better than something like the Royal Rumble because of the heavy storyline implications that would come with it. Would Cardona be as big of a star upon returning as Rhodes? Hard to say, but the blueprint is there and I think he could be a big-time tweener/heel draw.

Dansby: It’s hard to leave her out of WrestleMania entirely, but I believe Becky Lynch gets a MASSIVE pop if she returns during the Raw after WrestleMania.

She’s been absent since her contract reportedly expired, and the WWE Universe is craving The Man’s return.

Riggs: I need to see Stephanie Vaquer strapped with all the rockets and sent beyond the moon.

She shouldn't necessarily debut at the expense of WWE's queenpin and top star Rhea Ripley, but to further make a star out the gate, get them going at it with Vaquer as "Mami's" kryptonite in the build to a long-term "Vaquer has Ripley's number" story.

Don't let me down, WWE. It would be phenomenal.

Shamrock: Trick Williams. That electric entrance. An enthusiastic audience. The "WHOOP THAT TRICK" chants. It would be spectacular.