WrestleMania 41 Breaks 10-Year Streak for Roman Reigns and Brock Lesnar

WrestleMania 41 is shaping up to be one of the most star-studded shows in years—but it’s also breaking a decade-long trend that fans might not have even realized until now. For the first time in over 10 years, neither Roman Reigns nor Brock Lesnar will compete in a world championship match at WrestleMania.

That’s right—this year’s main events will feature Cody Rhodes defending the Undisputed WWE Championship against John Cena, and a triple threat showdown on Night One between CM Punk, Roman Reigns, and Seth Rollins. While Reigns is in that match, he’s not walking in as champ for the first time since 2020.

Here’s a quick history check on just how dominant Lesnar and Reigns have been over the past decade at WrestleMania:

• WrestleMania 30: Daniel Bryan vs. Randy Orton vs. Batista
• WrestleMania 31: Brock Lesnar vs. Roman Reigns vs. Seth Rollins
• WrestleMania 32: Roman Reigns vs. Triple H
• WrestleMania 33: Brock Lesnar vs. Goldberg
• WrestleMania 34: Brock Lesnar vs. Roman Reigns
• WrestleMania 35: Brock Lesnar vs. Seth Rollins
• WrestleMania 36: Brock Lesnar vs. Drew McIntyre
• WrestleMania 37: Roman Reigns vs. Edge vs. Daniel Bryan
• WrestleMania 38: Brock Lesnar vs. Roman Reigns
• WrestleMania 39: Roman Reigns vs. Cody Rhodes
• WrestleMania 40: Roman Reigns vs. Cody Rhodes
• WrestleMania 41: Cody Rhodes vs. John Cena | Jey Uso vs. Gunther

This shift speaks volumes about WWE’s evolving main event scene. While Reigns is still featured prominently, the fact that Cody and Cena are set to close the show on Night Two marks a historic shift in direction. And with Brock completely absent WWE, it’s clear WWE is embracing new headline acts heading into the future.

Triple H’s creative decisions are already being felt—and while some may have expected the usual suspects, this year is all about surprising moves and marquee clashes that attract both hardcore and casual fans.