WWE Unreal reveals original plans for WrestleMania 41 night one main event
Heading into WrestleMania in April, most people on the WWE creative team wanted CM Punk to win the main event of night one.
The fifth episode of Netflix’s behind-the-scenes documentary focuses on WrestleMania 41 and includes backstage footage from a creative meeting that took place 11 days before the show.
“I’m of the opinion that Punk should go over at WrestleMania,” Triple H says during the meeting. Bruce Prichard is seen nodding in agreement with Triple H after the comment.
Triple H continued, “Punk should go over and not only should Punk go over, but Heyman turns on him, doesn’t work, doesn’t work. Punk overcomes Paul, beats either Roman or Seth, whatever he has to do. Punk survives and not only survives, but thrives.”
WWE SVP of Creative Writing, Ed Koskey, offered a different opinion. He felt Seth Rollins should win after Heyman turns on Roman Reigns.
“Seth going over just feels like a better story to me. Roman and Heyman have had such a run where they’ve become so synonymous that breaking them up in the main event of WrestleMania is something that’s worthy of that. This is finally starting to feel like a rich story that’s worthy of Mania, as opposed to just fighting over the love of Paul Heyman.”
Triple H then expressed concern about Reigns’ character without having Heyman at his side.
“I see your point, I’m not sure I agree with it. I feel like in that scenario, Roman is dead in the water.”
The episode skips ahead to WrestleMania 41 and shows a scene involving Punk and Triple H right before the WrestleMania night one main event.
“You’ve always been a main event guy. Always,” Triple H said to him.
“I don’t get here without you, thank you. Appreciate you. Thank you for the opportunity,” Punk responded.
The episode then switches between highlights from the match and the backstage reactions to it. After the match, Becky Lynch enthusiastically told Michael Hayes how much she loved it.
“That was a goddamn masterpiece, Michael,” Lynch says to Hayes. “That was tremendous. God, that was so good. That’s f—ing wrestling, man. That was spectacular.”
Triple H then addressed Hayes as well.
“That was f—king awesome dude. Every bit of it worked.“
Hayes then told the cameras that this is what God wants him to do with his life, and that God is a big wrestling fan.
“I was blessed cause there is no doubt that this is what God wanted me to do with my life. And he helps me a lot. You wouldn’t believe how many ideas I get from him. He really likes wrestling. He really does. Cause I’m not smart enough to come up with all this s–t. Somebody puts that s–t in my head.”