There’s no denying that WWE has been on a roll lately, with a massive 2024 helping to reinvigorate interest in the 60+ year-old company. CM Punk returned from injury to make good on the excitement cultivated by his shocking 2023 return, delivering a stellar feud with Drew McIntyre that lasted several months. Cody Rhodes not only ended Roman Reigns’ historic championship run in a stellar WrestleMania bout, but has wrestled the most matches out of anyone in 2024, proving that while his first story is finished, there are still more chapters left for him to write. The Bloodline story continued to evolve as well, with Roman Reigns returning to fight for control of the faction he spent years building.
Still, even with this memorable 2024, WWE fans are in store for another big year, as there are plenty of exciting changes and moments to look forward to in addition to expected elements such as a new WWE 2K game. For starters, like other sports brands – including fellow wrestling promotion AEW – WWE is taking advantage of a massive streaming platform to deliver some of its programming. It’s also making a significant change to its second-biggest show of the year, while its most important event will cap off the biggest rivalries in an exciting locale. Additionally, throughout the year, wrestling fans can expect to see a legend’s final run weaved throughout WWE’s storylines, as one of the company’s biggest stars ever is riding off into the sunset.
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WWE Makes Big Adjustments to Two Major Shows
Monday Night Raw Moves to Streaming Via Netflix
Kicking off the year in a big way, WWE’s flagship television show will be moving from USA Network to Netflix. Much of what fans have come to expect from the show is expected to remain intact, from its three-hour runtime to its commercial breaks. Old-school viewers who preferred the less restrained Attitude and Ruthless Aggression eras are also looking forward to the Raw being less restrained when it comes to blood and cursing, though fans should still expect these elements to be used sparingly so that the company can avoid scaring off advertisers. WWE fans can feel safe purchasing a Netflix subscription, too, as the deal between the companies is set to run for 10 years. While the selection of classic Raws will be quite limited (no episodes from 2002 and beyond are viewable on Netflix) every Monday Night Raw from January 6 on will be viewable live and through replays via the app or website.
WWE is stacking Raw’s January 6 Netflix debut with big matches, as it’s set to feature CM Punk vs. Seth Rollins, Rhea Ripley vs. Liv Morgan for the Women’s World Championship, Drew McIntyre vs. Jey Uso, and Roman Reigns vs. Solo Sikoa. An appearance from John Cena is also planned.
As the company’s biggest show of the year, it did not take long for fans of the WWE universe to accept two-night WrestleManias as the new norm when they began with WrestleMania 36. Two-nighters are fitting for the yearly spectacle that is WrestleMania, and the roster is consistently stacked with enough talent to justify back-to-back shows. With WWE only growing larger and more successful as time goes on, it feels like a natural progression for its second-biggest show to be elevated to a WrestleMania-level experience. And on August 2 and August 3 of 2025, that is exactly what Triple H, Nick Khan, and TKO have planned, as SummerSlam in New Jersey will be two nights long. Fans should expect several big matches, with a WrestleMania-level card likely lined up to make the first two-night SummerSlam as special as it can possibly be.
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WrestleMania Season Kicks Off The Proper End of an Era
Las Vegas Houses The Grandest Stage of Them All
The Showcase of the Immortals has made its way to a number of big cities over the years, with recent events taking place in Arlington, Texas, Inglewood, California, and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Come April 19 and 20, the show will be taking place in Las Vegas, Nevada, so fans can expect a stage themed all around gambling, slot machines, and so on. The show will take place in the recently-built Allegiant Stadium, which was constructed in 2021 and is the world’s second-most expensive stadium. As for the matches that could take place on the two-night show, the company has no shortage of options. The following WrestleMania 41 match-ups have been rumored or theorized about based on the company’s long-term storytelling:
- The Rock vs. Cody Rhodes – The logical conclusion to The Rock and Cody Rhodes’ face-off, it would make perfect sense for this match to take place a year after The Great One pinned the American Nightmare at WrestleMania 40. However, this depends on The Rock’s availability, with SummerSlam also being a contender given its shift to two nights.
- The Rock vs. Roman Reigns – If WWE is looking to put off The Rock’s battle with Cody Rhodes until SummerSlam to make it more special and deserving of its two-night split, then pulling the trigger on the Final Boss’s other big ongoing feud could be a good move. With there now being a story in place and Cody having already gotten his moment, fans would likely be fully on board with this match this time around.
- Cody Rhodes vs. John Cena – A match where WWE’s two biggest babyfaces of the 2000s face off feels like a great conclusion to the second night of WrestleMania, even if wrestling purists may be bothered by a Face vs. Face scenario. Who goes over is anyone’s guess, as Cena could really use some big wins on his final run, but Cody dropping to someone whose in-ring days are numbered could bother his fans.
- John Cena vs. Gunther – If Cody Rhodes ends up battling the Rock at WrestleMania 41, then John Cena will be freed up to face Gunther in his final Mania Moment. This match has plenty of things going for it, with perhaps the most attractive part of the premise being that it’s a never-before-seen match-up, and it could very well steal the show since fans will have no idea what to expect.
- Seth Rollins vs. Cody Rhodes – While their match on Netflix’s first episode of Monday Night Raw will surely be good, it is hard to imagine the feud between these two rivals ending there, as HHH’s fondness for long-term storytelling means this program is likely to follow in the footsteps of the Punk vs. McIntyre feud and last months. Regardless of what happens with the two world title pictures, a big conclusion to the CM Punk and Seth Rollins rivalry seems like a shoo-in for WrestleMania.
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John Cena Hangs Up His Boots
While he may have been a divisive figure during his “Super Cena” days, there is no denying the impact that John Cena had on WWE and its audience. Many of today’s fans spent their youth watching Cena grow from a generic character in the Ruthless Aggression era to the Doctor of Thuganomics to the Face of the WWE, meaning his final run will undoubtedly be sentimental to many viewers. Considering how well WWE paid tribute to Cena’s history in his cinematic Firefly Funhouse match with the late Bray Wyatt, this victory lap will undoubtedly tug on fans’ heartstrings and make them cheer with delight.
While fans do not have an exact date for Cena’s final match, he does plan to step away for good after December 2025. This means that his final WrestleMania match will be at WrestleMania 41, making his opponent particularly important. In terms of potential feuds for this year, fresh pairings like Gunther and Logan Paul would be enticing, as would nostalgic ones with his best opponents like CM Punk and Randy Orton to help make the run iconic. Fortunately, Cena is planning to wrestle between 30 and 40 matches in his last year, so there is plenty of time to cover all the bases. While wrestling fans will still be able to see the man who preaches Hustle, Loyalty, and Respect in films and on television for the foreseeable future, they should watch plenty of WWE programming in 2025 if they’re a fan of his in-ring action. Come 2026, the WWE Universe literally “can’t see” John Cena in the squared circle, bringing an end to an unforgettable career.