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WWE's Road to WrestleMania XL gets a whole lot clearer by the day. All four world title matches are set, and the seeds have been planted for a few more potential showdowns at The Show Of Shows. The company is promoting this year's Showcase of the Immortals as the biggest of all time, and it could very well be.
Last year's edition of 'Mania was widely regarded as one of the best of all time, yet this year's looks like it could be even better. The Philadelphia show is on track to outdo its predecessor in Hollywood due to a few telling indications.
Here are four signs WWE WrestleMania XL will improve on the 39th edition of The Showcase of the Immortals.
#4 WWE WrestleMania XL will be the first without any Vince McMahon involvement
The last year and a half has been a tumultuous time for WWE, especially as it relates to Vince McMahon. The company's long-time owner was forced into retirement from creative and executive duties in July 2022 before returning to the latter in early 2023. This was done to facilitate the promotion's sale to Endeavor, creating TKO Group Holdings, in which McMahon was a top executive.
Earlier this year, the former TKO Executive Chairman was hit with disturbing sexual trafficking allegations, leading to his resignation from the company's leadership.
This time, it feels like a final parting between the Stamford-based promotion and arguably the most influential figure in its history. As a result, WrestleMania XL will be the first one in a long time without his shadow looming over it.
This has boosted many fans' morale for the event, and sponsorship revenue could hit record numbers. After all, the first day of ticket sales for the Philadelphia event broke the record set by the So-Fi stadium show.
#3 WWE WrestleMania XL will have more star power than its predecessor
WWE WrestleMania 39 was an incredible show with a lot of star power. John Cena, Brock Lesnar, Roman Reigns, Charlotte Flair, and more graced the event, giving the SoFi Stadium crowd an unforgettable experience. WrestleMania XL, however, may end up topping even that level of stardust (no pun intended, Cody).
The Rock, arguably the biggest movie star of the past decade, will be involved in the top storyline. Furthermore, the likes of Cody Rhodes, Rhea Ripley, and IYO SKY will arrive at Lincoln Financial Field with much more star power than they possessed a year ago.
With Randy Orton competing and CM Punk potentially hosting or commentating at the event, the star power will be through the roof. Finally, the new World Heavyweight Title is debuting at The Show Of Shows. Philadelphia will witness one more world championship match than Hollywood. This could make this year's card bigger than 2023.
#2 WrestleMania XL will likely see more WWE Superstars receive long-overdue moments
WrestleMania 39 delivered some incredibly cathartic moments to the WWE Universe. For one, Rhea Ripley finally arrived as a top star in the women's division by dethroning Charlotte Flair as SmackDown Women's Champion. Then, Sami Zayn and Kevin Owens ended The Usos' record-breaking run as Undisputed Tag Team Champions with an extremely emotional win.
The Mysterios' historic father vs. son match was unforgettable and exceeded expectations at SoFi stadium, but Lincoln Financial Field could have even more.
Drew McIntyre and Bayley could finally get long-overdue 'Mania moments, while Jimmy and Jey might live their childhood dream of facing off on The Grandest Stage of Them All.
Elsewhere, we could see LA Knight and Chad Gable win their first major singles titles in the company with epic victories over Logan Paul and Gunther, respectively. Awesome Truth will potentially get the biggest pop of the weekend if they dethrone Finn Balor and Damian Priest as Undisputed Tag Team Champions. And, of course, the biggest of them all...
#1 Cody Rhodes may finally finish his story at WWE WrestleMania XL
WrestleMania is and has always been about captivating stories, classic matches, and, most of all, iconic moments. As the final and most important match of the show, the main event should embody this more than any other bout on the card. The 39th edition was headlined by Cody Rhodes vs. Roman Reigns, which had all a 'Mania headliner should have except a crowning moment.
Reigns retaining after interference from The Bloodline left a bitter taste in many fans' mouths coming out of SoFi stadium, but this could be set right at Lincoln Financial Field. By all indications, The American Nightmare looks set to finish his story in Philadelphia, a result which would be much better received than last year's. It will create a moment to rival any in 'Mania history.
If Cody Rhodes finishes his story at WrestleMania XL, the event is all but guaranteed to be better received than its immediate predecessor.
