Wrestlemania 41 – live: Updates and match card for night one in Las Vegas ahead of Roman Reigns, Seth Rollins and CM Punk fight

The specifics of WWE contracts have lengthy been exhausting to establish.

Nonetheless, WWE star-turned-executive Triple H (actual title Paul Levesque) instructed The Athletic in 2022 that $250,000 is the minimal base wage for wrestlers within the firm.

That determine may need risen since, after all, and it reportedly solely utilized to members of the Smackdown and Uncooked rosters – not wrestlers on NXT, which is WWE’s developmental present.

Nonetheless, wrestlers’ wages are boosted by merchandise gross sales and, it’s believed, by cuts of pay-per-view gross sales as nicely. After all, merchandise gross sales are more likely to be important on a WrestleMania weekend, in addition to pay-per-view gross sales, so 19 and 20 April may very well be probably the most profitable days of the 12 months for many WWE wrestlers.

In 2023, The Mirror reported a number of the highest WWE wages as these: Roman Reigns $5m per 12 months; Randy Orton $5m per 12 months; Seth Rollins $3.5m per 12 months; Cody Rhodes $3m per 12 months; Logan Paul $2m per 12 months. These figures reportedly don’t embody bonuses

No titles on the road within the evening one major occasion; that is merely a grudge match between former companions Reigns and Rollins – and Punk, who has points with each males.

A key a part of the build-up has seen Punk name in a favour from Paul Heyman (his previous pal and Reigns’s supervisor), who shall be in Punk’s nook for this one.

We predict there could also be a swerve that sees Heyman betray Punk and Reigns, becoming a member of Rollins and serving to him get the win.

That stated, WWE has telegraphed that transfer a bit in current weeks, so perhaps it gained’t be a lot of a swerve if it does occur!

The final match to be introduced for ‘Mania. The dastardly New Day might declare the World Tag-Group Titles right here…

However will their betrayed teammate Massive E attempt to thwart them?

Or may we see a swerve the place he HELPS them, in opposition to the percentages?

One other one which appears fairly simple to name… After Naomi betrayed her pal and brutally attacked her final 12 months, the returning Cargill ought to actual revenge – doubtlessly in fast, emphatic style.

On the subject of Mysterios!

We spoke to Dominik Mysterio this week in Vegas, and requested him to blind rank 5 iconic WrestleMania moments…

An all-luchador match right here, as the long-lasting Mysterio takes on current debutant El Grande Americano (who is unquestionably not Chad Gable in disguise…). Absolutely the dastardly Americano picks up the victory? Mysterio can afford to lose, particularly after some possible trickery and comedy on this bout.

Knight is a fan favorite, and those self same followers have been glad to see him regain the US Championship just lately. So, it could really feel unusual for his second reign to finish fairly shortly, however Fatu has been made to look unstoppable.

WWE may use some inventive reserving to permit Knight to flee as champion, whereas defending Fatu’s picture, however we predict they’ll give Fatu the win and the gold.

Sure, sure, “professional wrestling isn’t actual”, besides there is real dangerous blood between these Tiffany Stratton and Charlotte.

Charlotte (daughter of Ric) seeks a record-extending 15th world title as she challenges WWE Champion Stratton, and the pair have each gone off-script in current verbal exchanges – with mentions of real-life divorces and boyfriends.

That is truly a difficult one to name; Charlotte has had greater than sufficient titles in her profession, however after her massive return and win on the Rumble, WWE might observe a well-recognized formulation with regards to the “Queen”: placing the belt on her.

On the subject of Jey vs Gunther…

Tonight’s males’s world-title struggle pits villainous champion Gunther in opposition to fan favorite Jey Uso.

This one feels pretty predictable; Uso has twice didn’t beat Gunther in massive matches, so absolutely he has to win on the third time of asking.

Doing so could be the largest second of his singles profession, after the tag-team specialist gained the Royal Rumble to earn this match in January.

Cue 70,000-odd followers “yeeting” together with their new champion.