It's WrestleMania week ... finally. "WrestleMania season" has been a longer ride this year as WWE booked a later date than usual in order to avoid the Final Four this year. So, the gap between the Elimination Chamber and WrestleMania has been longer this year, but it is still the biggest week in sports entertainment. WrestleMania 41 will continue the two-day format beginning on Saturday, April 19 and wrapping up on Easter Sunday, April 20.
WrestleMania typically features the culmination of many of the main storylines and feuds that have been fueling Raw and SmackDown for most of the winter and spring. We finally see the Royal Rumble and Elimination Chamber winners get their earned title matches, and the WWE gets to reset for the next year and start its yearly cycle anew.
With it being WrestleMania, anything can happen and you never know who will show up and make a surprise appearance. This is the annual event where everyone goes all out from new ring gear, special entrances and heightened intensity and being in Las Vegas, the spotlight is as bright as it gets.
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With that in mind, we are tracking the latest WrestleMania 41 rumors.
WrestleMania 41 rumors tracker
While the Showcase of the Immortals is upon us, there are no shortage of questions and rumors swirling around the biggest WWE event of the year. Where has The Rock been since Elimination Chamber? Will there be any surprise returns? Will Jake Paul give his brother Logan some help against A.J. Styles?
The Sporting News breaks down all of the burning questions heading into the Super Bowl of sports entertainment.
Who will be Randy Orton's opponent?
Randy Orton was scheduled to face Kevin Owens at WrestleMania 41. Owens has apparently been dealing with a neck injury for four months, but found out heading into WrestleMania that it was actually rather severe, and he needed surgery. He will be sidelined for an indefinite amount of time.
Say it ain't so...@FightOwensFight has to back out of #WrestleMania due to a neck injury.#SmackDown pic.twitter.com/Drtth3KW2B
— WWE (@WWE) April 5, 2025
Now, the lines between fiction and reality are very blurred in the world of WWE, so this could all be a ruse by Owens who shows up triumphantly at WrestleMania, but that really doesn't seem to be the case here. Orton is now left without an opponent in what would be his 20th WrestleMania match. There hasn't been much time to make a build of a story with another opponent. Since the announcement, Orton has dropped SmackDown manager Nick Aldis and had a tag match partnering with L.A. Knight against Solo Sikoa and Tama Tonga.
Many are hoping Aldis comes out and fights Orton, as he had a lengthy career in TNA before becoming SmackDown's general manager. He could return for a one-off match, which then would potentially lead to a story of what impact that has on his GM role.
The easiest answer is to have Orton face Tonga, or more likely, Sikoa, with neither opponent really moving the needle, which is unfortunate for The Viper.
The idea of Orton turning heel and going back to his Legend Killer routes would be awesome if we had a WWE legend in the ring being honored and then Orton takes them down with an RKO out of nowhere. It may not be a match, but that spot would help make up for it.
Lastly, it could be someone not currently on the active main roster? Aleister Black has been heavily rumored to make a return in the very near future. It's also been reported that Rusev is on his way back to WWE. Randy Orton has a history of back injuries, and Rusev's signature maneuver is The Accolade, which targets — you guess it — the back.
While a return of some sort would be the most exciting option, Randy Orton vs. Solo Sikoa might be the best bet, which would be an underwhelming option.
Will Tom Brady be at WrestleMania 41?
WrestleMania 41 will be held in Las Vegas, where Brady is now a minority owner of the Raiders. The former quarterback has never appeared at a WWE event in the past, but there are signs that streak could end this year. He was asked if he was going to make an appearance, and he didn't outright say no. Instead, Brady responded with, "I may be there. But it's amazing what's going on there, and it's amazing what's happening with WWE and all the different things surrounding that."
The other tie for Brady is that former Patriots and Buccaneers teammate Rob Gronkowski will be celebrating in the festivities. He is hosting a huge party in Las Vegas in honor of WrestleMania and has been involved in WWE matches in the past. In fact, he even won the now-defunct 24/7 Championship at WrestleMania 36. His event "Gronk Beach" will be held at the LIV Beach at Fontainebleau Las Vegas. It is scheduled to be held after WrestleMania wraps up on Sunday night, leaving Gronk with plenty of time to be involved on Saturday or Sunday, and he could have Brady in tow whether as a participant or a fan.
Will United States champion Chelsea Green be at WrestleMania?
Chelsea Green has had a great run as the inaugural women's United States champion. Her appearances in NXT have led to iconic moments where a group of fans have stood and pledged their allegiance to her. Green even has her own cabinet with Piper Niven and Alba Fyre, called the Secret Hervice.
Green has become a fan favorite despite being a heel (term used in wrestling to describe a "bad guy") and is finally getting her flowers for a long, underrated career. Unfortunately, even with the two nights for WrestleMania, she currently doesn't have a match. Fightful Select reported that there were talks of having Green host the show, but those haven't come to fruition as of publication.
Not every title has to be defended at WrestleMania, but it is a two-night event and Green is holding a title that was introduced within the last year. It looks bad that she isn't booked on the show. If they use this in a storyline, that's fine, but having her totally omitted from the weekend is baffling.
Where has The Rock been since Elimination Chamber?
Elimination Chamber was expected to be a big deal solely because we had two more wrestlers secure title matches at WrestleMania. Bianca Belair won the women's match, and John Cena won the men's match, but the show ended with The Rock coming out asking if Cody Rhodes would "give his soul" to The Final Boss (the moniker The Rock has given himself during his latest run). Essentially, Rhodes would be enlisting the help of The Rock to ensure Cena doesn't win his record-breaking 17th world tile at WrestleMania.
Rhodes vehemently declined.
Cena, the perennial baby face since the iteration of this character, jumped for joy and embraced Rhodes, only to hit him with a low blow, and turn heel. It ended up being Cena who joined with The Rock, and it looked like we were in for quite the build over the next month and a half.
The only problem is that The Rock has not only not been seen since Elimination Chamber, but he has barely been mentioned. This has been by design as The Rock is reportedly not yet confirmed for a WrestleMania 41 appearance. In case he isn't able to make the show, he hasn't been featured as a focal point in the feud since the initial Cena heel turn.
But don't worry, wrestling fans. Even if The Rock isn't there, Travis Scott is expected to continue his random insertion into this storyline.
Will Stone Cold Steve Austin help Cody Rhodes, renew his rivalry with The Rock?
Rhodes isn't new to being in the main event scene at WrestleMania. He had two iconic battles against Roman Reigns, winning the second. There have been a lot of comparisons between Rhodes and Marvel's Avengers, especially when he received a lot of help to win the world title from Reigns at last year's event. At one point, there was speculation that Stone Cold Steve Austin could get involved as a foil to The Rock, but it ended up being The Undertaker, with his iconic gong and blackout sound that made the appearance.
Stone Cold could become involved this year, but he hasn't indicated that he has much interest in getting back into the squared circle. Stone Cold will be in Las Vegas for WrestleMania 41, because he has been confirmed for Fanatics' WWE World fan experience. Along with Bret "The Hit Man" Hart, their match from WrestleMania 13 is also being inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame Friday night as the first ever Immortal Moment being selected. And if history is any indication, the Hall-of-Fame inductees typically make an appearance on one of the nights.
Rhodes' opponent John Cena is at least prepared and expecting to see Stone Cold this weekend.
Will Jake Paul help his brother Logan vs. A.J. Styles
No matter what you think of Logan Paul outside of the ring, in the ring, he has earned some respect. He plays his heel role perfectly and frequently puts his body on the line for the fans' entertainment. Paul uses his celebrity status to include other prominent social media members into the act. We have seen him get help from his brother Jake, his Impaulsive entourage, KSI and iShowSpeed.
Will a McMahon make an appearance at WrestleMania 41?
Probably. Vince McMahon likely won't be there with the optics it would create from his recent lawsuits and leaving the company. Shane McMahon has been trying to become involved with AEW more than WWE. He pitched an offer to join the company, but it was rejected for now. Linda is President Donald Trump's Secretary of Education, so she likely won't be part of the show.
This leaves Stephanie McMahon. She has a recent podcast/talk show called "What's your Story" where she expands on ESPN+'s "Stephanie's Places" and gives background on stories from around the sports world, with a focus being on WWE and mixed martial arts. She would be the betting favorite to appear at WrestleMania 41 and is almost assuredly going to be involved in this year's Hall of Fame induction as her husband Triple H headlines this year's class.
Can Mariah May make a surprise appearance at WrestleMania 41?
Mariah May has been linked to WWE with her contract in AEW reportedly coming to an end soon. She added to the rumors telling everyone outright on social media that she will see them in Vegas, but at WrestleCon, a convention held annually ahead of WrestleMania in the host city. This is obviously a tease for WWE, but she is not expected to be involved in WrestleMania as she is still going to be under contract with AEW at the time of the two-night event.
According to Fightful Select, the contract is expected to expire sometime in 2025, but not for a number of months. So, no, despite the fact she will physically be in Vegas, she is not expected to appear at WrestleMania.
Potential returns and debuts: Becky Lynch, Aleister Black, Rusev, Jeff Cobb among rumored surprises
WrestleMania and the Raw after WrestleMania are right alongside the Royal Rumble when it comes to expected debuts and returns. It is the biggest stage of the wrestling world, and there's no better way to introduce or re-introduce a wrestler to fans than a big debut or return.
Becky Lynch
Becky Lynch hasn't been seen in the WWE since May 2024. She lost the women's World Title to Liv Morgan and her contract ran out in June 2024. The thought was that Lynch was looking for a break while focusing on being a mom, and doing some television and movies. Fightful Select reported that Lynch had a new contract done with the WWE in January 2025, leading to speculation that she would be involved either at Monday Night Raw's debut episode on Netflix or the Royal Rumble. Neither happened and we are still waiting on The Man's return.
Aleister Black
Black was one of the NXT stars that the WWE fumbled when he got to the main roster. His run fizzled out, and it wasn't shocking that he jumped to AEW when he was permitted after his release. Black had a solid run in AEW with "The House of Black" faction, but he was being used less and less and was released on Feb. 10, 2025. He was instantly linked back to WWE, and after a brief vignette played during SmackDown in March, the assumption is Black will return sooner rather than later. It also doesn't hurt that his real-life wife Zelina Vega, is also still with WWE.
NEW CREEPY VIGNETTE...
— The Movement - Pro Wrestling (@TheMovementXx) March 14, 2025
COULD IT BE... ALEISTER BLACK?!?! 🤯#SmackDown pic.twitter.com/qHCEZSHewZ
Rusev
Rusev was in a similar boat. He was extremely over with "Rusev Day" in WWE, but then they changed his booking and he wasn't used. After his release, he and his wife Lana went to AEW. Unfortunately, he was used sparingly at best and reportedly was refusing to take pins and didn't want to look weak. Rusev was finally granted his release after not appearing on AEW television since AEW Worlds End 2023. He is the latest AEW transplant coming over joining Penta, Rey Fenix, Ricky Starks and Black.
Jeff Cobb
One of these names is not like the others. If you are an avid WWE watcher, you are likely more familiar with Lynch, Black and Rusev than you are with Cobb. He's wrestled most recently in New Japan Pro Wrestling (NJPW), but his contract with the company comes to an end on Saturday night. This would give him plenty of time to get to the United States and be part of WrestleMania Night 2. The Wrestling Observer Newsletter (WON) confirmed that Cobb will not be Orton's mystery opponent for WrestleMania. Despite that, Cobb is still expected to be heading to WWE and will likely debut soon but it remains to be seen if that will be WrestleMania, the Raw after or even later.
Will Big E get involved in New Day's World Tag Team Championship match vs. War Raiders
The New Day needed something different. They had become stale, which happens when you are a tag team for that long. They had been planting seeds that they were going to break up, and go their separate ways. Xavier Woods and Kofi Kingston met in the ring but were met by Big E urging them to stay together. He even said that he will work back to getting medically cleared and will manage them in the meantime. This caused Woods and Kingston to actually bond together in a new hatred of their former tag team partner for not being there as a manager before this.
It started out as a huge heel turn, and the crowd was eating it up, booing so loudly and continuously that New Day could barely get any words out. The points Woods and Kingston made were great and made logical sense. Unfortunately, the last four months haven't been kind to their heel turn. They have a title match against the War Raiders at WrestleMania, but they haven't done much with this run.
Big E could get involved in the match, and many fans had hope that he would stay involved after the turn and try to force his way into showing that he supports them now, but that didn't happen.
He has long been serving as an analyst on premium live event pre- and post-shows. Big E will be there during WrestleMania weekend. If he was ever going to be able to return to the ring, re-join the New Day or exact revenge on his former friends, this would be the time to do it. The story could easily be Woods and Kingston winning the titles and Big E celebrating with them, saying they did it themselves or something of that nature. Or, he could help the War Raiders win, trying to further Woods and Kingston's heel run. That isn't very likely though, as it felt very real when Woods and Kingston revealed that Big E will never be medically cleared to return to the ring.
Live Performance
It has become a semi-tradition at WrestleMania that at some point during the weekend, a wrestler has their entrance song played live. While it isn't confirmed officially, there is a very high chance that Living Colour performs CM Punk's entrance theme "Cult of Personality" live. This wouldn't be the first time the band serenaded the "Best in the World" to the ring. Living Colour performed the song during CM Punk's entrance at WrestleMania 29.
Are WWE and NJPW working together?
We don't officially know. The Rock posted on social media with a Rubiks cube and many were quick to spot that he was wearing a New Japan Pro Wrestling t-shirt. The company, re-posted it on their social medias with the tag "if ya smell what the Lion is cooking." The Lion is in reference to NJPW's logo, but the post was deleted. NJPW has had some collaborations with AEW in the past, so they probably weren't too happy about The Rock being posted.
There used to be a "forbidden door" between wrestling companies and they largely acted like the other didn't exist. With Cobb coming over from NJPW, and Naito leaving the company with WWE connections, there could be a collaboration between the two wrestling programs upcoming.
Will Stephen A. Smith be at WrestleMania 41?
Along with Rhodes saying he has a receipt heading Scott's way, more came out of his appearance on ESPN's 'First Take' leading up to WrestleMania weekend. Smith has always had an interest in the WWE, and Rhodes thinks he has the best solution for him to break into the business. The champ invited Smith to be in his corner at WrestleMania 41.
Cody Rhodes invites Stephen A. Smith to be his manager at WrestleMania...👀 pic.twitter.com/V95fpXDvLa
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) April 17, 2025
Smith did decline due to NBA playoff commitments, but he left an intriguing option for the future. The sports analyst said that he would be interested in being Rhodes' manager at WrestleMania 42 next year when it is in New Orleans.
Is President Donald Trump going to be at WrestleMania 41?
Roman Reigns gave his support of President Donald Trump this week. The President was then gifted the red ceremonial Ula Fala necklace. On his Friday show , Pat McAfee was talking about it and said that it was on the way to Las Vegas. Being an avid fan, could President Trump be at WrestleMania 41?
At this point, it sounds like McAfee was just talking about the Ula Fala being flown to Las Vegas so Reigns can wear it for his match. Trump is not expected at WrestleMania 41.