WWE WrestleMania 41 PLE Results: 4-20-25
(5) LOGAN PAUL vs. A.J. STYLES
Logan came out first and had nine camera angles on him that were shown in a grid. Styles came out second. Styles had the most straight-forward entrance of WrestleMania weekend. The bell rang 8 minutes into the third hour.
Barrett said Logan feeds off of negative energy. McAfee said he was raised on the Internet, so he’s used to a barrage of negativity. Logan took control a few minutes in and took it to Styles at ringside. Barrett said Styles is grappling with his own career mortality. Logan landed a top rope splash on Styles for a two count back in the ring at 5:00. Logan landed the Overbomb next for a near fall. Logan landed a split-legged legdrop on Styles for a one count. Logan then jabbed away at Logan. Logan stood on the second rope and played to the crowd. Barrett said no one should be surprised by this performance. He said he’s not a newcomer or an outsider. Cole said he continues to improve.
Styles showed some fire at 10:00 and made a comeback including a brainbuster suplex. When Styles went for a Phenomenal Forearm, Logan caught him and landed a rolling senton and then a springboard Lionsault for a two count. Styles set up a Styles Clash, but Logan resisted. Logan landed a slignshot flip lariat for a two count. Logan raised his Titanium loaded right hand and swung at Styles. Styles ducked and delivered a spinning powerbomb for a two count at 15:00.
Styles went for a Phenomenal Forearm, but Logan lifted his knees. He followed with a Styles Clash. Styles rolled through and delivered a Styles Clash himself. Both were down and slow to get up. Logan’s sidekick Jeff crawled around ringside with brass knuckles. Barrett called that Plan B for Logan. Karrion Kross appeared and took the brass knuckles away from him. Kross offered the knux to Styles. He pleaded with “Allen” to put it on and blast Logan with them. Styles held it up, but then tossed it aside.
Styles set up a Phenomenal Forearm, but Logan ducked, swung at Styles, and then landed the Pulverizer for the win.
WINNER: Logan in 18:00.
(This was fine. I don’t know if the Kross-Styles storyline is landing, and Logan is coming across more and more like he’s just screwing around in WWE and not really immersed as a true full-time wrestler. Logan is really good for his experience level, but he’d be a lot better by now if he had more frequent reps in the ring. I get having Logan get the clean win here, especially with the “out” of Styles being distracted by Kross.)
(6) LIV MORGAN & RAQUEL RODRIGUEZ vs. LYRA VALKYRIA & BECKY LYNCH – Women’s Tag Team Title match
Lynch was the replacement for Bayley, who was attacked yesterday and knocked out of the match. The announcers talked about Liv and Raquel being defensive when asked about what happened to Bayley. They showed a woman crying in the crowd at the return of Becky. Cole said the last time they saw Becky was nearly a year ago when Liv beat her in a cage. Liv looked panic-stricken. (It’s too bad word of this spread so much this weekend, as it’d have been a nice surprise to witness in real time.) The bell rang 39 minutes into the third hour.
Liv opened against Becky, but Liv tagged out immediately to Raquel and then laughed. Becky pretended to tag out, but turned and hit Raquel. Becky applied an early sleeper.
The heel duo took over. Barrett said that’s because Becky and Lyra were “a hastily” thrown together tag team.
Becky eventually got the hot-tag and gave an exploder suplex to Liv. She knocked Liv around ringside before throwing her back into the ring where she applied a disarm her at 7:00. Raquel kicked Becky in the face before Liv tapped. Becky ducked a charging Raquel, but Liv then gave Becky an Oblivion. Lyra dove through the ropes. Raquel caught her, but Lyra turned it into a tornado DDT. Meanwhile, in the ring, Becky landed the Manhandle Slam for the win.
WINNERS: Valkyria & Lynch in 8:00 to capture the Women’s Tag Team Titles.
(A fine tag match. It’s good see Becky back. She and Lyra have a chemistry together. It seems, at least for now, that Becky isn’t joining a new Paul Heyman faction with Seth Rollins at this point. There’s always tomorrow.)
(7) CODY RHODES vs. JOHN CENA – WWE Championship match
Cena made his entrance first. Nothing special. Black screens in the background, black t-shirt, and a black towel held over his head. Cole noted Cena’s last singles win was 7 years ago. His last WrestleMania win was ten years ago. He said the odds aren’t good. Barrett said he is a shadow of his former self. Cody’s entrance took place next, with motor cycles crossing each other on stage and then meeting on stage as Cody walked out in a mask. Cody’s official entrance theme then played and his mask opened up to reveal his eyes. The graphic noted it was his 9th title defense and 10th career WrestleMania. Cody held his daughter in his arms at ringside and greeted his wife Brandi and his sister. A drone flew over the crowd as Cole talked about the stakes. Cena was booed during formal ring introductions. Cody was booed even more. The bell rang 13 minutes into the fourth hour as a loud “Let’s Go Cena / Cena sucks!” chant rang out.
Barrett said Cody is the “hood ornament” of WWE and Cena is “a massive underdog.” Cena rolled to the floor seconds into the match after a shoulder check. Barrett said the high-pitched voices used to cheer Cena and the low-pitched voices booed him, but now they’re unified in saying “screw you, Cena.” Cole noted Cena is 0-4 against Cena. Barrett and Cole agreed that was so long ago, it doesn’t matter.
Cena took Cody down with a side headlock. Cole said Cena needs the pace to be slow. Cody escaped and dropkicked Cena, who rolled to ringside. Cody dove through the ropes and tackled Cena at ringside. Cody played to the crowd; boos rang out. Cena punched Cody and then stomped away at him. Cena clotheslined Cena twice, taking him down. He then applied a chinlock (needlessly loosely at first, as usual, so vintage Cena.) Cena landed a leaping axe handle. Cole said Cody seemed out of sorts.
Cody made a comeback with punches at 9:00. Cody poked Cody in the eyes and then pounded on his chest. Cena landed a tornado DDT for a two count. Cena landed a shoulder tackle and then stared down at Cody before landing a shoulder tackle. Cena waved his hand over Cody, but Cody poked him in the eye from underneath and landed a powerslam. Loud boos as he rallied and hit a Disaster Kick. Cody pounded the mat and more boos rang out. Cole acknowledged the boos and said many fans wanted to see the Greatest Hits from Cena. Cody landed a Cody Cutter for a two count.
Cody set up a bionic elbow, but Cena took Cody down with a drop toe hold. He then hit the Attitude Adjustment for a two count. Cena sat up and smiled and then laughed. Cena then signaled You Can’t See Me. Cole said Cena has turned the clock back a decade. Cena landed the Five Knuckle Shuffle. He set up another AA, but Cody countered into a roll-up for a two count. Cody did the Flair flip into the turnbuckles. When he climbed to the top rope, Cena knocked him off balance and Cody crotched the top turnbuckle. A “Let’s Go Cena! / Cena sucks!” dueling chant broke out.
Cena lifted Cody onto his shoulders and stood on the second rope and leaped off with an AA for a near fall at 15:00. Barrett said he saw panic in the eyes of Cena. Cody caught Cena leaping off the top rope and powerbombed him and then stack covered him for a two count. Cody landed a leaping springboard Cody Cutter for a two count. Cody played to the crowd. More boos. Cody then set up a CrossRhodes, but Cena escaped and landed another AA. He then applied an STFU. Cody crawled to the bottom rope. Cena dragged him back to the middle and applied it again (as loosely as ever). Cody crawled over to the bottom rope again. Cena dragged him to the middle. Cody kicked Cena off of him, and Cena crashed into the ref. Cody gave Cena a CrossRhodes. Cody made the cover and got a visual cover.
Cena removed the top turnbuckle as Cody checked on the downed ref. Cena and Cody exchanged strikes mid-ring. Cena threw Cody into the exposed turnbuckle twice and then hit the AA. Cody kicked out before three. The crowd popped. “What is it gonna take?!” asked McAfee. The Rock’s music then played. Cena laughed. Travis Scott walked out with the Hardcore Title belt. He strolled down the ramp. Cena reached down and helped him up onto the ring apron. Cena gave him instructions, then held up Cody. Cody elbowed out of Cena’s grip and gave Cena a CrossRhodes. Scott yanked the ref out of the ring during his count. Cole said the ref appeared knocked out from hitting the floor.
Cody invited Scott into the ring. Scott entered and got in Cody’s face. He took a swing. Cody blocked him and gave him a CrossRhodes. Cody rolled Scott out of the ring. Cena charged at Cody with the belt. Cody blocked it and took the belt. Cena backed off. Cody looked conflicted. Cena kicked him in the crotch. Cole said Cody chose to be the good guy. Cena then hit Cody in the head with the belt. Cena looked for the ref at ringside and called him into the ring. Cena made the cover for the win.
Cena celebrated and pyro blasted. Cole conceded that Cena tonight “has become the GOAT.”
WINNER: Cena in 25:00 to capture the WWE Title for the 17th time.
(They managed to get through the match competently enough. Travis Scott being the tipping point for Cena to win when nobody cares about him in the WWE context is lame. No surprise Cena won as that did seem like the next logical chapter in the Cena retirement story. Cody was booed, but not in a way that it seemed to just become the predominant story of the match.)
