WrestleMania 40 ended on a high note and with a lot of promise for the future of WWE. The Stamford-based promotion has recently reached unimaginable heights of popularity and hype recognized by dedicated fans and mainstream media, and this year's Grandest Stage of Them All solidified why the company has entered a new era.
WrestleMania 40 was a two-night affair held at the Lincoln Financial Field in Pennsylvania, Philadelphia on April 6 and 7 2024. Both shows delivered stellar matches and each conclusion left fans wanting more but satisfied. The success of The Show of Shows reinforced the fact that we are truly in the "Triple H Era."
For this list, we will look at five things why WrestleMania 40 is arguably one of the best editions of The Showcase of the Immortals:
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#5. WrestleMania 40 was for the dedicated fans
A refreshing aspect of this new era is that the top brass in the Stamford-based promotion are not afraid to pivot. The majority of the events and outcomes of this year's 'Mania all occurred because it was fans who decided them.
The main example of this is the changes in the main event. It was known that The Rock vs. Roman Reigns was initially the planned match as the headlining act of WrestleMania XL, but fans wanted Cody Rhodes to finish his story after coming short last year. Following a massive backlash, WWE Creative reverted to its original plans.
Similarly, fans wanted to see Drew McIntyre win the World Heavyweight Championship, and Damian Priest cash in on his Money in the Bank contract. Both events happened on The Grandest Stage of Them All, leaving the WWE Universe gobsmacked. Another is Bayley winning the WWE Women's Championship from friend-turned-foe IYO SKY and finally getting her moment in a singles match at The Show of Shows.
#4. Each WWE storyline ended with a satisfying conclusion
WrestleMania 40 was billed as the biggest in the company's history even before the event was staged. Not only did WWE put effort into building the matches, but also each storyline by incorporating different elements into their feud.
Most matches had context attached to them irrespective of whether a title was on the line or not. And the moments that led to the eventual outcome made sense in most cases. For example, the Intercontinental Championship match saw Sami Zayn pull off a massive upset victory over Gunther. The Ring General built a legendary IC Title reign on the back of his aggressive, no-nonsense approach to the ring.
However, Gunther uncharacteristically lost his focus during his match against Zayn as he started to take potshots at the latter's wife, which eventually led to his undoing. From a storyline point of view, it makes perfect sense for The Ring General to drop the title at WrestleMania XL as he looks well on course for the main-event picture.
Similarly, Drew McIntyre paid for his deeds despite claiming the World Heavyweight Title from Seth Rollins.
All this while, The Scottish Warrior had been obsessed with winning the world championship in front of a live crowd. But as it turned out, his obsession with CM Punk outweighed his love for the world title as he chose to have a confrontation with The Second-City Saint, which backfired eventually. McIntyre robbed Punk of a spot at WrestleMania XL in January and repeatedly mocked the latter on social media. On Sunday, life came full circle for the former Royal Rumble winner.
And, the main event was arguably the most perfect display of storytelling, which catered to both casuals (entries from John Cena, The Rock, and The Undertaker) and hardcore wrestling fans by incorporating finer details into the storyline.
#3. Professional wrestling and sports entertainment in one
Another change many noticed in the so-called Triple H era was that they were now moving away from sports entertainment, but that doesn't mean they will completely forget their roots.
Many matches in the event were "professional wrestling" personified like Gunther and Sami Zayn, Bayley vs. IYO SKY, and more. However, there were matches like The Pride vs. The Final Testament in the Philadelphia Street Fight and Bloodline Rules between Roman and Cody. Fans and those new to the product were introduced to the variety the company could offer.
#2. Nothing was set in stone for The Grandest Stage of Them All
An important aspect of a successful match and event is ensuring its unpredictability to keep fans excited. Although WWE did listen to fans about which winners to consider, they still ensured they would still be unpredictable finishes due to how each storyline was presented.
Many fans had expectations and predictions for WrestleMania 40, but they also realized now that anything was possible in the new era. Due to this, many headed into the event feeling that anything could happen even with some expectations already set.
#1. Adapted to sudden changes for the WrestleMania and events leading up to it
The Road to WrestleMania 40 was filled with roadblocks for WWE Creative as several plans were postponed or canceled due to unavoidable issues. Initially, former IC Champion Gunther was reportedly supposed to face Brock Lesnar while CM Punk was supposed to headline The Show of Shows with Seth Rollins. However, a lawsuit against Vince McMahon and Punk's injury at the Royal Rumble Premium Live Event put paid to those plans.
Of course, The Rock vs. Roman Reigns was also the original plan, which had to be postponed due to backlash from fans.
The changes to the expected lineup would have caused some panic, but WWE decided to go with the flow and push on. As a result, fans were greeted with unexpected blockbuster matches and engaging storylines that entertained everybody weekly.