WWE WrestleMania 41 Night 1 Results, Grades & Analysis: Seth Rollins Shocks CM Punk, Paul Heyman Turns on Roman Reigns

20 Apr, 2025

Sure! Here's a polished and streamlined rewrite of your WrestleMania 41 Night 1 recap, keeping the same energy and key points:

WrestleMania 41 Night 1: A Blockbuster Start with Shocking Title Changes and a Main Event Classic

Night 1 of WrestleMania 41 is in the books, and WWE's annual spectacle wasted no time delivering unforgettable moments. Three championships changed hands, and the main event lived up to the hype with storytelling and in-ring drama that will be talked about for months.

Jey Uso stuns Gunther, captures World Heavyweight Title

The action kicked off with a bang as 2025 Royal Rumble winner Jey Uso challenged Gunther for the World Heavyweight Championship. In an electric opener, Uso made the seemingly indestructible champion tap out—just the third pin or submission loss in Gunther’s main roster run. With this win, Uso instantly solidifies himself as the top guy on WWE Raw.

The New Day’s dark turn pays off, Fatu claims first singles gold

Later, The New Day leaned into their heel personas, using underhanded tactics to defeat the War Raiders and claim their 12th Tag Team Championship. A few matches later, Jacob Fatu and LA Knight tore the house down in a brutal, fast-paced United States Championship bout. Fatu, in his WrestleMania debut, walked away with the title—and his first taste of singles gold.

Tiffany Stratton holds strong against Charlotte Flair

Tiffany Stratton had a tall task defending the WWE Women’s Championship against Royal Rumble winner Charlotte Flair. While the match didn’t quite hit the lofty expectations set by their build, Stratton retaining was the right call for the future of the division.

Rollins, Punk, Reigns deliver classic main event—with a Heyman twist

The main event brought chaos, drama, and elite wrestling as Seth Rollins, CM Punk, and Roman Reigns battled in a Match of the Year contender. Paul Heyman’s shocking betrayal of both Reigns and Punk—and alliance with Rollins—stole headlines and sets the stage for brand-shaping storylines on Raw or SmackDown. Despite no title on the line, this bout had all the stakes and impact of a classic Mania closer.

Other Highlights:

Jade Cargill made a massive impact in her singles WrestleMania debut, defeating Naomi in a physical showdown that elevated both women.
El Grande Americano got crafty to beat a surprise opponent in Rey Fenix, using some sneaky tactics to pull out the win.

Full Results, Grades & Match Analysis:

Seth Rollins def. Roman Reigns & CM Punk (32:38) — Grade: A+
Best Spot: Rollins counters Reigns’ spear into a Pedigree.
Analysis: A masterpiece in both storytelling and execution. Even without a title, this had all the gravitas of a main event. Heyman's betrayal was the twist no one saw coming—and it sets Rollins up for a major championship push.

Tiffany Stratton def. Charlotte Flair (19:10) — Grade: B
Best Spot: Flair channels Stephanie Vaquer with a signature move.
Analysis: A solid showing, though not as fluid as hoped. Stratton retaining was the right move; Flair gets a reset.

El Grande Americano def. Rey Fenix (7:56) — Grade: B
Best Spot: Reverse 540 splash
Analysis: High-flying excitement, but a short runtime and abrupt finish kept it from reaching another level.

Jacob Fatu def. LA Knight (10:38) — Grade: A
Best Spot: Knight’s mid-air BFT counter
Analysis: A statement match for the U.S. title. Fatu shined, Knight looks poised for bigger things, and the finish will be replayed for years.

Jade Cargill def. Naomi (9:18) — Grade: B+
Best Spot: Cargill transitions mid-air into a suplex
Analysis: A star-making moment for Cargill. Naomi’s new heel persona also clicked, though some storytelling elements could have been clearer.

The New Day def. War Raiders (9:12) — Grade: B-
Best Spot: Ivar’s moonsault
Analysis: More Raw-style than WrestleMania-worthy, but The New Day's win injects momentum into their heel run.

Jey Uso def. Gunther (16:23) — Grade: A
Best Spot: Uso using Gunther’s own offense against him
Analysis: A monumental win for Uso, who tapped out one of WWE’s most dominant champions. A career-defining moment that positions him for a marquee title reign.

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