PWI Weekly for April 27, 2026
Rewinding WrestleMania: The Highlights (And Some Lowlights)
HELLO AND WELCOME TO another edition of the PWI Weekly.
We are currently hard at work on our next issue. But, with the effects of WrestleMania 42 still being acutely felt, we wanted to take the time here to give our quick thoughts on the momentous two-day event. Be sure to pick up our forthcoming “Supercards” edition for full coverage of both nights from Las Vegas, Nevada.
MATCH OF THE WEEK
The World heavyweight championship clash between CM Punk and Roman Reigns—an epic row that main-evented WrestleMania Sunday—almost felt like a love letter to diehard wrestling fans. The bout stood in stark contrast to the chaotic Undisputed WWE title tilt between Cody Rhodes and Randy Orton, which closed Saturday’s show in somewhat confusing fashion. Punk and Reigns told a simple, yet timeless story that combat sports has been telling since the days of the ancient Greeks: two athletes trying to outlast the other and prove one is the best. No run-ins, no ref bumps, no celebrity shenanigans … just wrestling.
In the end, it was a physically exhausted Punk who fell to the younger, larger, and more powerful “Tribal Chief.” By the time the final bell rang, both men had been through a war, and Wrestlemania 42 had a main event worthy of inclusion with the all-time greats.
COMEBACK OF THE WEEK
The return of Paige to WWE may have been the most emotional moment of WrestleMania Weekend. Introduced as a last-minute substitute for Nikki Bella, the Englishwoman received a raucous response from the crowd at Allegiant Stadium. With the two-time Divas champ having been forced into an early retirement in 2018 amidst debilitating neck issues, this heroic homecoming was one that many (including Paige herself) feared might never happen.
Despite returning to in-ring competition in 2022 and embarking on a two-year run in AEW, many fans longed to see Paige back in her old stomping grounds of WWE. At WrestleMania, they got their wish. It was a successful comeback, too, with the Doc Martin-wearing grappler winning tag team gold alongside Brie Bella. It served as a reminder that, in wrestling, the most compelling stories are often the ones where an athlete overcomes adversity. With her latest comeback, Paige has done exactly that.
A QUICK WORD ABOUT …
If you had suggested to us five years ago that, one day, Danhausen would share a ring at WrestleMania with John Cena, we may have asked you whether you’d eaten one of Rob Van Dam’s special protein cookies. Yet, in 2026, this fever dream scenario became reality.
After WrestleMania host Cena was interrupted by Kit Wilson and The Miz, the gleefully ghoulish Danhausen got his WrestleMania moment by running off the irritating interlopers. A genuinely thrilled Cena then raised the hand of Danhausen in what must have been a career highlight for the WWE newcomer. The segment stands as proof that very nice, very evil guys don’t always finish last.
MUSINGS, WITH MATT BROCK
I told myself I wouldn’t do it. I would try and enjoy the nice spring weather without complaining in the PWI Weekly. However, I simply can’t help myself. In the aftermath of WrestleMania Saturday, I tried to pinpoint exactly what bothered me the most. Was it the constant shilling of umpteen different products? Was it the laboriously long entrances? How about the overuse of celebrities? Or, perhaps, I was it maybe the sheer lack of actual wrestling.
Then, in a flash of resignation, I realized the awful truth: It was all of it!
If I never see a YouTube “star,” a singer, or a former NFL kicker involved in a wrestling match again, I’ll die a happy old man. I acknowledge I’m not exactly the target audience for this kind of stuff, or, indeed, for what WWE are trying to sell with their match sponsorships and ceaseless commercials. Hell, I have to get help just to work the ESPN app. But this isn’t just about me—night one of WrestleMania didn’t seem like it was for wrestling fans, period.
Thankfully, night two did much to correct the missteps from 24 hours earlier, and that was mostly a very good wrestling show with minimal B.S. WWE would be wise to give fans more of what they got on Sunday … and much less of Saturday’s offering. If the industry leader can’t do that, then this long-time viewer might just consider tapping out of WrestleMania once and for all.
REMEMBER WHEN …
What a difference a year makes. In April 2025, NXT Stand & Deliver included a triple-threat match between Oba Femi, Trick Williams, and Je’Von Evans. Fast forward 12 months, and all three men made their presence felt on WWE’s main stage at WrestleMania. From Femi’s dominance of Brock Lesnar, to the Intercontinental ladder match wizardry of Evans, and Williams becoming the new United States champion, it was a banner night for the trio. While all still relatively young in their WWE careers, if those WrestleMania outings were anything to go by, even bigger things are quickly on the way.
SPOTLIGHT PHOTO
The Allies of Convenience (Alexa Bliss & Charlotte Flair) sure look like proper friends as they make their way to the ring for the four-way Women’s tag title bout!
Fun fact: This WM 42 outing marked the ninth career ’Mania match for Flair, who notably headlined WrestleMania 35 in a historic women’s triple-threat contest.