If there was any doubt that this past weekend’s WrestleMania 40 was the biggest of all-time, now the numbers are in to back that up, in a two-night showcase that featured the return of The Rock in his first match in 11 years, and the marquee main event between Cody Rhodes vs. Roman Reigns for the WWE Universal Championship.

The WWE announced via a press release that two night viewership (and streaming on Peacock) was up 41% from WrestleMania 39 and it became the most socially viewed ‘Mania’ of all time with more than 660 million views over both nights on You Tube.

That is, in addition to the WrestleMania 40 gate setting the record by 78%, and the two-night total of attendance of 145,298 which brought people from all 50 states and 64 countries around the world to Philadelphia’s Lincoln Financial Field.

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In addition, WWE merchandise was up 20 percent versus the previous record set at WrestleMania 39.  The WWE World fan event over five days in partnership with Fanatics Events, has now become the highest-grossing and most-attended fan event in company history.

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Night one of WrestleMania 40 saw The Rock and Roman Reigns defeat Cody Rhodes and Seth Rollins to ensure the night-two main event would be contested under “Bloodline” Rules. The Rhodes-Reigns match-up also featured run-in and surprise appearances from WWE legends John Cena and The Undertaker and more.

WWE is already teasing a match between Rhodes and The Rock for perhaps WrestleMania 41. For now, the heel version of The Rock has to go away, as Dwayne Johnson is about to film a movie, but the “Final Boss” will be back to reignite his feud with the new WWE Universal Champion down the line.

So, what do you think of WWE WrestleMania 40 becoming the most successful event in the company’s history? Comment below.

If ever there was the best use of the current trendy term “cinema”, night two of WrestleMania 40 was just that, and certainly none more so than the highly anticipated main event between Cody Rhodes and WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns in a “Bloodline” rules match where everything goes and anyone can interfere… and it’s all legal!

Whether you streamed it on Peacock, or were there live at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, these questioned remained as the night began. Would Cody Rhodes finally “finish the story,” a story he began back at WrestleMania 39 when he lost in the main event to Reigns in 2023? Could Cody do what his iconic and beloved father, Dusty Rhodes, never got the chance to do, and become a WWE World Champion? There were so many questions on the line to be answered.

The match was epic drama at its absolute best from the larger than life spectacle with awe-dropping entrances for Rhodes, who was accompanied by his wife, Brandi Rhodes, and “The Tribal Chief” Roman Reigns who came out to a choir singing his theme. If ever there was a good vs evil set-up with so much history and so much build-up, this was it.

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The in-ring chemistry of Rhodes and Reigns was palpable. Roman will go down as one of the greatest champions of all-time, who’s reactions and facial expressions help heighten the drama and against Rhodes who is the perfect babyface of this era. The match delivered near-falls, specific and crucial story beats, and an abundance of interference that made perfect sense when you map out the storytelling of this battle.

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As the match wore on, things started to unravel as to who would get the upper hand when an series of run-ins featuring legendary WWE Superstars and “Bloodline” members made their way into, and around, the ring to help Reigns or Rhodes. First, Jimmy Uso superkicked Rhodes in the ring, but then his brother, Jey Uso (who he had wrestled earlier in the night) came after him and took him out with a huge bump on the ring ramp. Next, Solo Sikoa jumped in the ring and Samoan Spiked Cody multiple times; while being frustrated that Reigns couldn’t get himself together to pin “The American Nightmare” for his help.

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All of a sudden, John Cena’s music hit and down the ramp came the 16-time WWE champion. Cena getting revenge on Sikoa, who sent him packing from WWE last year, threw him through the announce table. All of a sudden The Rock’s theme music hit, and the crowd went wild. Now the two movie stars and two of the all-time biggest WWE superstars were face to face. However, Rock delivered a Rock Bottom and Cena went down.

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Next, in a stunning moment, “The Shield’s” old theme music hit and Seth Rollins attempted to slide in the ring with a chair but Reigns delivered a superman punch temporarily stopping his momentum. Before The Rock could beat down Cody Rhodes, once again with his belt strap, The Undertaker’s gong sounded and the lights went out. When they came back up, The Rock was turned the wrong way with The Undertaker in the ring behind him. Next, ‘Taker’ delivered a choke slam to The Rock and then was gone before you knew it when the lights went out and the back on.

Now came the poetic justice … the culmination of years of story. With the chair in the ring and Rhodes struggling to get up on one side of the ring, and Rollins struggling to get up on the other side of the ring, The Tribal Chief had a decision to make … who would he hit in the back with the chair? Reigns chose Rollins, allowing Cody to recover delivering three Cross Rhodes to get a three count and become the new WWE Universal Champion by pinning Reigns.

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In the end, it was Rollins’ message to Rhodes weeks earlier that proved to be the deciding factor. “The Visionary” promised Cody that he would be his ‘shield’, referencing the former clique he had with Reigns and Dean Ambrose. In WWE history, back in 2014, it was Rollins who stabbed Reigns and the group  in the back with a chair shot to the back of Reigns. Knowing that revenge is Reigns’ achilles heel, Rollins set himself up as the ultimate distraction for Cody to become the champ.

As Reigns’ run as world champion at 1,317 days came to an end, he will remain fourth among all-time champions who held the belt the longest following Bruno Sammartino, Pedro Morales and Hulk Hogan.  Social media was abuzz when video was captured of an emotional Reigns and his special counsel new WWE Hall-of-Famer, Paul Heyman near the beginning of the entrance ramp hugging it out after the loss.

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WrestleMania 40 night two also featured several other outstanding matches including the opening bout between Seth Rollins vs. Drew McIntrye for Rollins’ WWE Heavyweight Championship.  In what was probably one of the best entrances of WrestleMania 40 weekend, Rollins showed up with Philadelphia’s Mummers Band playing his theme music. As the Mummers paraded down the ramp with Rollins, he was wearing Mummers-inspired gear and costume. 

Going into the match, Rollins was already in a weakened state with his knee from his previous injury and wrestling in night one with Cody Rhodes against The Rock and Roman Reigns. McIntrye and Rollins hit finishing maneuvers at an exceptionally high rate before McIntyre finally picked up the win.  A dejected Seth, in tears outside the ring, told Drew that he deserved it as he was the better man that night. Rollins’ emotional reaction proved once again why he is one of the best in sports entertainment.

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In another “poetic justice” moment, a gloating and emotional McIntrye with belt in hand, goes over to the announce table to confront CM Punk who was helping call the match. After he continued to taunt Punk, “The Voice of the Voiceless” loses his temper and removes his arm brace from his tricep surgery and begins to beat down McIntrye.

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With Drew in a vulnerable state, Damian Priest (the Money in the Bank winner) comes running down the ring ramp and cashes in the briefcase for his opportunity for a championship, and in quick fashion hits the “South of Heaven” choke slam on The Scottish Warrior and ends his very short title reign becoming the new WWE World Champion. CM Punk sat at ringside and applauded Priest’s efforts and there is no love lost between Punk and McIntrye as their feud continues to build.

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When it was time for the WWE Women’s Championship between the champion Iyo Sky and former head of Damage CTRL, Bayley, it was clear how much love and respect there is for Bayley. That extended to the press box and through Lincoln Financial Stadium,  Would Bayley get retribution for Damage CTRL stabbing her in the back? First, Bayley came out an all-new entrance theme know coining the phrase “Role Model”.

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As the match wore on, it was high-flying maneuvers from Sky that dominated, however, Bayley survived all that Iyo managed to throw at her and hit a an elbow drop and then a Rose Plant for the three count to become the new champ.  Beloved in the locker room, and coming back to the WWE after sustaining knee injuries requiring surgeries, Bayley was back on top and the crowd couldn’t have been happier.

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It was a new era of the WWE firmly under Triple H’s creative control, the merger of the WWE with UFC forming TKO, and the company set to deliver the biggest WrestleMania of all-time.

If night one on Saturday April 6th was the appetizer for what was to come on night two on Sunday, wrestling fans in attendance and watching on Peacock at home, were clearly in for a memorable two-night affair.

Night one featured the return of The Rock to in-ring action, something the biggest star in the world has not done in 11 years. Coming into Saturday’s main event tag match with Roman Reigns as his partner against babyfaces Cody Rhodes and Seth Rollins, this version of The Rock is a mega-heel now known as “The Final Boss.” So much was on the line. If Cody and Seth lose, it would be “Bloodline” rules where everything goes for Sunday night’s main event between “The American Nightmare” Cody Rhodes and “The Tribal Chief” Roman Reigns for the WWE Universal Heavyweight Championship.

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After riveting ring entrances and introductions done with the highest live-entertainment production value, all four men stared each other down trying to determine who would start the match. Ultimately, it was former “Shield” members Rollins and Reigns who went into battle first.

However, The Rock used his power as member of the board of TKO to influence the referee, going so far as telling the ref he will be fired, if he continues to do a count not in favor of The Rock and Reigns. Ultimately, “The Final Boss” pulled the referee out of the ring so he was unable to count when Reigns was about to be pinned following a stomp by Seth and Cross Rhodes by Cody.

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Next, Reigns rendered a spear on Rhodes but he kicked out, leaving The Rock to use the Mama Rhodes belt while taunting Rhodes’ mother at ringside. After Cody was down, The Rock went for the People’s Elbow, but Rhodes cut him off with a Cody Cutter.

In a pivotal moment, Roman Reigns accidentally speared The Rock. Setting up what could be an inter-family feud down the road.  Then, in an OMG moment, Rhodes Rock-Bottomed The Rock through a table (even at 51-years-old, Dwayne Johnson was taking major bumps) while Reigns speared Rollins through a barricade.

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The match came to its conclusion when The Rock hit a Rock Bottom on Rhodes, and followed it with People’s Elbow for the win. That means that Sunday’s WWE Universal Championship match between Cody and Roman will be “Bloodline” rules.

In a poetic callback, Cody Rhodes sat dejected in the ring, while Reigns and The Rock walked back up the ring ramp. It was exactly one-year ago that “The American Nightmare” found himself in the same position with the same reaction after losing to Reigns at WrestleMania 39 in Los Angeles. This was as they say, “cinema.” This was the essence of professional wrestling at its highest level; giving the WWE universe as compelling a product as they ever have with stories that connect, while laying the groundwork for major payoffs along with wild athleticism.

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If that match wasn’t enough, being in the city of brotherly love, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, you had to have your Rocky story, right? WrestleMania 40 delivered that too with a fantastic match between Gunther defending his WWE Intercontinental Championship against fan favorite Sami Zayn.

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It has been 666 days that “The Ring General” held the belt, becoming the longest reigning IC champ in history. Could the underdog Zayn defeat one of the great technical wrestlers and heels of our time? The answer was YES! With Zayn’s wife at ringside, and Gunther taunting her, it gave Sami more impetus to takedown the champ. Eventually, Sami gave a Helluva kick and a brainbuster that stunned Gunther, and with two more Helluva Kicks, Zayn pinned him to win the title.

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The opening match of the night gave a showcase to two of the greatest women wrestlers of the world, WWE Women’s Champion Rhea Ripley and “The Man” Becky Lynch.  It was revealed during the livestream on Peacock, that Becky had strep throat and a fever and was working the match anyway. With the scrappy Lynch trying to unseat Ripley from her title throne, it wasn’t to be, when Rhea delivered two Riptides to knock “The Man” out.  The match proved it’s Rhea Ripley’s world and we all live in it.

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In the six-man ladder match, the eventual winners and new tag champs became a split decision with A-Town Down Under – Austin Theory and Grayson Waller – nabbing the SmackDown titles, while R-Truth and The Miz took down the RAW tag titles.

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Leave it to Philly and the WWE to bring in some hometown heroes for a match. Former Philadelphia Eagles player Jason Kelce, and Lane Johnson came to the aid of Rey Mysterio and Andrade donning wrestling masks with the Eagles logo on them at ringside. They helped the LWO members defeat Santos Escobar and Dominik Mysterio as the crowd went crazy.

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One of the coolest entrances of WrestleMania 40 weekend belonged to Jade Cargill, Bianca Belair and Naomi, when they appeared almost statue-like harkening to a Beyonce concert! The mighty trio defeated Damage CTRL.

The only match that left us cold was the brother vs. brother match of Jey vs. Jimmy Uso. With an opening video package that set-up the match beautifully, the actual action left a lot to desired. There were a multitude of superkicks throughout, and a lot of yelling going on, but it ended with Jey pinning Jimmy. However, it left us with nothing of substance to remember it by.

So, what did you think of seeing The Rock back in action in the tag match with his cousin Roman Reigns vs. Cody Rhodes and Seth Rollins? What did you think of Sami besting Gunther for the IC belt? Let us know your favorite moments from night one of ‘Mania’40 in the comment section. But first, check out some of the highlights from night one below.