CM Punk main-evented WrestleMania for the first time in Las Vegas. (Credit: Andrew Timms/WWE via … More
Seth Rollins defeated Roman Reigns and CM Punk in the main event of WWE WrestleMania 41 on Saturday, thanks to an unforgettable betrayal by Paul Heyman.
WWE ruffled some feathers when choosing a non-title triple threat match to headline Night One of WrestleMania 41, but after what transpired inside Allegiant Stadium, it was certainly the right call.
As it turns out, pitting three of the biggest stars in WWE against one another worked out well, and the first night of WrestleMania 41 concluded with a jaw-dropper when Heyman, in the corner of Punk, portrayed both of his closest friends. First, Heyman blasted Punk with a low blow, seemingly choosing to side with Reigns, only to hit Reigns with a low blow as well, revealing that he had joined forces with Rollins in the process.
And that was a swerve that had manifested itself in recent weeks. Punk entered WrestleMania 41 as the favorite to win his first-ever WrestleMania main event, but with Reigns and Punk also entering the show as babyfaces, an epic heel turn felt inevitable.
Lo and behold, it was Rollins, the unlikeliest option, who is now aligned with Heyman after one of the most memorable main events in WrestleMania history.
Over the past several weeks heading into WrestleMania, WWE built up plenty of tension among Punk, Reigns and Rollins, relying both on long-term issues involving the three stars and creating new ones along the way. It isn’t difficult see to why Punk vs. Rollins vs. Reigns headlined the show, given their undeniable star power.
But of course, there was plenty of pushback from fans and critics alike over the fact that WWE’s women’s stars wouldn’t headline either night of WrestleMania 41. There was certainly a case to be made for that with a match like the other high-profile triple threat bout involving Bianca Belair, Rhea Ripley and Iyo Sky, a match even Punk said he thought should headline the show. Yet, when WWE announced that Punk vs. Cena vs. Reigns would close the show, it became clear that something big was brewing.
For much of 2025, WWE has undoubtedly been in a creative rut, with little compelling storytelling outside of a select few major feuds. The three-way rivalry between Punk, Reigns and Rollins was one of them, a feud held together by the glue that is Heyman.
And the glue was, ironically enough, what tore Reigns and Punk apart inside Allegiant Stadium.
Heyman’s lengthy histories with Punk and Reigns, in particular, made for an enthralling narrative hook in recent weeks. It is one that resulted in a very obvious question: would Heyman stay loyal to Reigns or reunite with Punk?
As it turns out, Heyman chose to shaft both of his friends even after gifting Punk the WrestleMania 41 main event. That was quite the moment for Punk, who has long expressed his desire to main event a WrestleMania for the first time, although he’s since backtracked on that a bit.
Given the sheer star power involved in this three-way feud, there should have been little doubt about whether it would headline WrestleMania, even without a title involved. Titles don’t make a main event. Star power and stories do. In a year where WWE has been short on engaging WrestleMania stories, Punk’s first WrestleMania main event essentially became a foregone conclusion.
And what a way it ended, too.
Rollins is now the clear heel in a rivalry that didn’t have one heading into WrestleMania 41. Reigns is back to the drawing board after a year away from the title scene and nearly five years with Heyman. Punk, meanwhile, is still dealing with Rollins, only this time without Heyman and with Rollins as a full-blown heel.
For a WrestleMania 41 main event that didn’t involve a title, WWE sure found a way to make things interesting. Heel Rollins is money, and of course, so is Heyman.
With two red hot babyfaces in Reigns and Punk in hot pursuit, the post-WrestleMania just got infinitely more compelling.