WrestleMania 41 has come and gone, but the stench of its disjointed booking and crumbling creative foundation still lingers. While fans are quick to point fingers—at The Rock, John Cena, or even the always-polarizing Becky Lynch—the reality is that WWE’s storytelling machine has been running on fumes, with WrestleMania 41 exposing just how dire things have become.Let’s start with Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, who popped up on The Pat McAfee Show attempting damage control after his elimination chamber cameo and subsequent WrestleMania 41 absence. He addressed the chaos surrounding his involvement, or lack thereof, in this year’s WrestleMania build. And sure, he deserves criticism—but not for abandoning a sinking ship. No, The Rock’s real sin might be giving fans false hope in a system that’s proven incapable of sustaining momentum or delivering satisfying payoffs. The poorly received outcome of Night Two’s main event wasn’t the fault of one man—it was the predictable result of a year-long stretch of half-baked storytelling and an over-reliance on nostalgia in lieu of authentic star-building.Case in point: Joe Hendry. TNA’s World Champion made a fleeting, forgettable WrestleMania appearance that’s been spun by the wrestling podcast industrial complex as “good exposure” and “historic.” But let’s be real—this was a glorified cameo with no meaningful impact. Hendry deserved better, and TNA deserved better than to be portrayed as a subservient little brother to NXT, WWE’s supposed “developmental brand.” If this is what the NXT–TNA partnership looks like in practice, then TNA is willingly playing the fool—and it’s time they stop pretending that scraps from the table are a feast.Meanwhile, Becky Lynch reportedly pushed for her own WrestleMania return and heel turn. The execution? A rushed betrayal of Lyra Valkyria—a wrestler who, despite holding the IC title, hasn’t caught fire with the crowd. The segment reeked of desperation, with Becky trying to inject life into a stagnant division by targeting a performer that creative has failed to elevate beyond midcard novelty.And speaking of shoehorned decisions, WrestleMania weekend also marked John Cena’s record-breaking and highly disputed 17th World Title win. He sauntered into RAW to an overly reverent intro, only to immediately spit venom at the crowd in a long-brewing heel turn that probably should have happened ten years ago. Cena’s smug proclamation that he’ll carry the title’s lineage through his 27-stop retirement tour was interrupted by Randy Orton, a man who now feels more like a nostalgic placeholder than a legitimate threat. The whole segment screamed “legacy pop” over substance, another chapter in WWE’s current strategy of feeding old names to an increasingly jaded audience.Elsewhere, tag team hot potato continues: Liv Morgan and Raquel Rodriguez are once again Women’s Tag Team Champions. Their win was immediately overshadowed by Becky’s heel antics, highlighting a glaring issue: WWE’s women’s division lacks direction. Attempts to spice things up with surprise NXT call-ups—Stephanie Vaquer, Roxanne Perez, Giulia—are admirable in theory but chaotic in execution, especially with the added layer of language barriers and zero buildup.Rusev, of all people, randomly popped back in to brawl with Alpha Academy during a New Day segment. Why? Who knows. WWE is playing Mad Libs with midcard talent, hoping something sticks.Jey Uso’s solo arc—what should’ve been a star-making moment—was shockingly flat. His “victory lap” was met with little fanfare, and while Sami Zayn’s return offers a faint glimmer of story potential, the division is a desert devoid of worthy challengers. Gunther, meanwhile, is literally choking out announcers now. When a dominant champion has to resort to these antics, it’s clear creative has run out of steam.Dominik Mysterio remains with Judgment Day, who have inexplicably regained their gold and steam. JD McDonagh has finally found his groove, but let’s not pretend pinning Penta is some major feat. The faction feels like it’s on cruise control—good enough to show up, not great enough to lead.And then there’s Seth Rollins and Bron Breakker, now being framed with “Dangerous Alliance” vibes. Which is cool… except Bron was red hot with the fans and now he's inexplicably turning heel. Another star, another baffling character shift.WrestleMania 41 should’ve been a celebration of WWE’s future. Instead, it’s become a postmortem of a company failing to write its next chapter. Blame The Rock, boo Cena, cheer Becky’s turn all you want—but if the booking remains this lazy, the spectacle will continue to crumble under the weight of its own hype.Contact KOP for professional podcast production, imaging, and web design services at http://www.kingofpodcasts.comSupport KOP by subscribing to his YouTube channel and search for King Of ...
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