Major WWE Tradition Set to End at WrestleMania 41
WWE’s six-year streak of Royal Rumble winners headlining WrestleMania will end at WrestleMania 41, with Jey Uso and Charlotte Flair’s title matches not closing either night.
A significant wrestling tradition is about to be broken at this year’s showpiece event. With WWE confirming that the triple threat match between CM Punk, Roman Reigns, and Seth Rollins will headline night one of WrestleMania 41, and John Cena versus Cody Rhodes expected to close night two, the company is set to end a streak that has defined their booking philosophy for the past six years.
For the first time since 2018, neither Royal Rumble winner will feature in the final match of a WrestleMania night. Despite their impressive January victories, Jey Uso and Charlotte Flair will find themselves competing in high-profile championship matches that won’t close either evening of the two-night spectacle in Las Vegas. Uso earned his opportunity against World Heavyweight Champion Gunther, while Flair secured her title shot against Women’s Champion Tiffany Stratton, but neither contest appears positioned to receive the coveted main event spotlight.
This breaks a consistent pattern that began after WrestleMania 34, when neither Asuka nor Shinsuke Nakamura closed the show despite their Royal Rumble triumphs. That year also saw both Rumble winners unsuccessful in their championship pursuits against Charlotte and AJ Styles. The company has since prioritized showcasing Rumble winners in the most prominent position until this year’s apparent shift in strategy.
While not receiving the show-closing spot might seem disappointing, both Uso and Flair still have the opportunity to achieve championship glory at wrestling’s grandest stage. Meanwhile, the main events feature compelling stories of their own – Punk’s first-ever WrestleMania main event, Reigns’ record-setting tenth headlining appearance, and Cena’s quest for a historic 17th world championship against the reigning WWE Champion Cody Rhodes.
