WrestleMania 41 Night 1 Results, Highlights, Recap & Review – Paul Heyman Turns On CM Punk and Roman Reigns

A full recap and review of the action from WrestleMania 41 Night 1.

WrestleMania 41 Night 1 is in the books, and while it didn’t deliver wall-to-wall magic, the show delivered one of the most compelling WWE main events in recent memory.

From Paul Heyman’s shocking betrayal to Jey Uso’s emotional world title win, the first night of WrestleMania Saturday was a mix of highs, head-scratchers, and hits that didn’t quite land.

Here’s our WrestleMania Night 1 recap and review, including Saturday’s highlights and match-by-match breakdown.

WrestleMania Night 1 Recap

Seth Rollins vs Roman Reigns vs CM Punk

The triple threat between Seth Rollins, Roman Reigns, and CM Punk had the biggest build and the most complex storytelling — and it paid off. With Paul Heyman playing his own long game, this was a match filled with character beats, call-backs to The Shield, and the kind of drama only WWE can do at its best.

Heyman’s dual betrayals — first Punk, then Roman — were the kind of soapy chaos that defines modern WWE. Rollins getting the win was somewhat surprising, and the visual of him standing tall while Heyman aligned with his new “Messiah” created a nice capstone to a slow-burn story.

The most “WrestleMania” match on the card. Chaotic, cinematic, and full of heat.

Rating: ****1/2 (4.5/5)

Jey Uso vs Gunther – World Heavyweight Championship

Jey Uso shocked the world by making Gunther tap out — a move that should have hit harder than it did. The finish felt oddly flat and lacked the drama you’d expect from Gunther’s first major loss.

There were flashes of something special: Jey laughing off Gunther’s legendary chops, the multiple top-rope splashes, and the raw emotion of his title win. But the agenting left a lot on the table.

Alternate finish idea: Imagine Jey locked in a Boston crab with Jimmy Uso coming down cheering him on from ringside. Gunther kicks out of everything, and Jey sneaks a win with a clever pin reversal. THAT would’ve landed emotionally.

The right winner, but a forgettable path.

Rating: ***1/2 (3.5/5)

Tiffany Stratton vs Charlotte Flair – Women’s World Championship

A true fight. This was Charlotte Flair dragging Tiffany Stratton into her world: scrappy, physical, ugly — and Stratton held her own. Despite some shaky execution, the visual of Stratton with a chipped tooth and bruised forehead told the story well.

The match had hints of the Ripley vs Flair classic from 2023 but didn’t quite reach that level due to a lacklustre closing stretch. Still, Stratton retaining was the right call.

Nearly great — and a strong statement by Stratton.

Rating: ***1/2 (3.5/5)

The New Day vs The War Raiders – World Tag Team Championship

This match felt more like a Monday Night Raw filler than a WrestleMania title match. No heat, no story, and a finish that just… happened. New Day’s win made sense in theory — their new heel energy needs gold — but nothing about this clicked.

They put the wrong tag title match on the card.

Rating: ** (2/5)

Jade Cargill vs Naomi

Solid match. Good to see Naomi get some spotlight.

Rating: *** (3/5)

El Grande Americano vs Rey Fenix

Fenix stepped in at short notice and put on an impressive showing with Gab… I mean Americano.

Americano getting the win here suggests the luchador story will go on for now.

Rating: ***1/2 (3.5/5)

Jacob Fatu vs LA Knight – United States Championship

Jacob Fatu is undeniable, which is why the near two years of Solo TV main events and PPV main events just felt like a fool’s errand.

Good match –  probably the second best of the night.

Rating: ***1/2 (3.5/5)

WrestleMania Night 1 Review

WrestleMania Night 1 felt like two different events. The main event delivered in spades — Rollins, Reigns, Punk, and Heyman elevated the night and reminded fans what WWE can do when its storytelling clicks.

But the undercard was filled with matches that were not great on paper and didn’t overachieve in practice. Weak builds led to quiet crowds, and outside of a few emotional peaks, the show never hit full WrestleMania gear until the final hour.

You can’t just “trust the process” when the build is weak. WWE’s recent hot streak doesn’t guarantee every Mania moment will land.

WrestleMania Saturday delivered where it mattered most — in the main event — but left fans cold for long stretches of the undercard. Night 2 has big shoes to fill… and plenty of room to improve.

WrestleMania Saturday Highlights

• Seth Rollins defeats Roman Reigns & CM Punk in a classic, chaotic triple threat

• Jey Uso wins the World Heavyweight Championship from Gunther via submission

• Tiffany Stratton retains Women’s title in a gritty fight with Charlotte Flair

• Paul Heyman turns on everyone — and aligns with Seth Rollins

• Jacob Fatu makes a statement in his WrestleMania debut