Written by: Jacob Nevis
Every year around springtime, the biggest wrestling event takes place. Wrestlemania, the marquee premium live event for World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE), will have its 40th event since its conception in 1984. Also known as the showcase of the immortals, Wrestlemania will take place at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia this weekend, with night one on Saturday, followed by night two on Sunday.
Dubbed Wrestlemania XL, this year’s event is being called the “biggest Wrestlemania in history” and will also mark the first Wrestlemania held by the TKO Group Holdings after WWE was sold in September of last year.
This year will also mark the first year where longtime owner and CEO of WWE Vince McMahon isn’t with the company. McMahon sold all of his shares in the company after a major lawsuit against him was filed by former WWE employee Janel Grant, who accused McMahon of sexual abuse.
This year’s Wrestlemania comes on the cusp of what some critics would say is another wrestling boom, based on viewership increases along with record attendance at live events. In January of 2024, Netflix announced the purchase of streaming rights to WWE’s cornerstone weekly show, Monday Night Raw. The deal was announced as a $5 billion deal that will span 10 years.
After many years of Wrestlemania being only one night, the company decided to hold Wrestlemania 37 as a two-night event.
This year’s headliners are nothing short of big stars. On Saturday, night one, fans will see one of the biggest celebrities in the world, WWE Superstar Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, team up with his “cousin” and current WWE Undisputed Universal Champion Roman Reigns to face ‘The American Nightmare’ Cody Rhodes and current World Heavyweight Champion Seth ‘Freakin’ Rollins. On Sunday, night two, fans will then see Rhodes take on Reigns for the WWE Undisputed Universal Championship.
Wrestlemania is one of my personal favorite sporting events, and this year will be nothing short of exciting for all fans. This two-night event will highlight some of the best wrestlers in the world, along with some of the biggest names WWE has to offer.
Wrestlemania XL starts at 7 p.m. EST and is streaming exclusively on Peacock.
(Photo sourced from Flikr)
