By Jason Powell, ProWrestling.net Editor (@prowrestlingnet)
WrestleMania 41 Night One Countdown Show
April 19, 2025 in Las Vegas, Nevada at Allegiant Stadium
Streamed live on Peacock, Netflix internationally, and social media
-Michael Cole, Pat McAfee, Big E, and Wade Barrett hosted the show on a desk set up on a platform outside the stadium. Cole narrated arrival shots of Seth Rollins and Roman Reigns.
-Cole said his WrestleMania match was voted the worst WrestleMania match of all time. “Who gives a damn, I had a match at WrestleMania,” Cole said. Barrett quipped that it was the biggest payday of Cole’s career.
Powell’s POV: Welcome to the WrestleMania Kickoff, er, pre-show, er Countdown coverage. As usual, I will list only the notable moments from the (needlessly long) three-hour show.
-Cole congratulated Barrett for calling his first WrestleMania event. Barrett will join Cole and McAfee on commentary. The big group of fans standing behind the desk chanted, “You deserve it.” I’m not big on the overplayed “you deserve it” chant, but it applies in this case. It’s wild that Barrett went from being out of the business to replacing Jim Cornette on the NWA Powerrrr broadcast team to calling WrestleMania. Good for him.
-Cole said he would be very biased while calling Jey Uso challenging Gunther for the World Heavyweight Championship. McAfee said he would also be biased and then told Barrett to stay professional. Funny.
-Joe Tessitore and Sam Roberts checked in from a backstage area inside the stadium and discussed the LA Knight vs. Jacob Fatu match for the U.S. Championship.
-Jackie Redmond checked on from a spot in front of the fans outside the building. She mentioned that Cole would be happy that the NHL playoffs start tonight. Cole said he knows the NBA playoffs are underway.
Powell’s POV: God bless, Jackie for her NHL love and knowledge. Let’s go, Wild! I’ll be staying up long after WrestleMania night two ends to watch game one of the series with the Golden Knights on delay. By the way, they have at least one rumbling microphone, presumably because of wind.
-Byron Saxton and Cathey Kelley checked in from backstage and spoke about the World Heavyweight Championship match and the pressure on Jey Uso.
-Redmond and Peter Rosenberg spoke about the Triple Threat main event while standing in front of a bar inside the WWE World fan fest event.
-There was a comical video package on the El Grande Americano vs. Rey Mysterio match. There was no mention of the injury that Mysterio suffered on Smackdown.
-A portion of Peter Rosenberg’s interview with Paul “Triple H” Levesque was shown, right? They left out the parts where Levesque whined about critics and online fans, right? They will be playing more footage on the night two countdown show, right? The full interview is available on YouTube, right?
-Jackie Redmond joined Cole and Big E on the panel, meaning McAfee and Barrett exited. Cole said “we are all here today’ because of what Levesque has done over the last couple of years. He called it the Triple H Era. Cole said Levesque would make a major announcement shortly.
-Wade Barrett’s sit-down interview with Charlotte Flair aired. They spoke about the major knee injury that Flair suffered. She spoke about having surgery. She said her marriage was failing. She said she doesn’t have children. Flair said she was disappointed because she couldn’t keep up while the company was growing. Flair lit up while talking about her return to the ring. She spoke about the issues she had with Tiffany Stratton (this portion was shown on Smackdown).
-A video package aired and listed a “Worlds Collide” event with WWE, NXT, and AAA that will be held on Saturday, June 7, in Los Angeles, California.
-Paul Levesque, Dorian Roldan, and other AAA dignitaries joined Cole, along with Rey Mysterio, Rey Fenix, Joaquin Wilde, Cruz Del Toro, Penta, Dragon Lee, Santos Escobar, Angel, Berto, Andrade, Stephanie Vaquer, and El Hijo del Vikingo. Cole announced that WWE has acquired the AAA promotion. Cole said some of the top wrestlers on the planet will be seen globally. Levesque recapped watching the first Worlds Collide event and said it will take place again thirty years later at the Kia Forum. Levesque introduced each of the wrestlers. Cole recapped highlights of the World Collide event that was held in 1994.
-Rey Mysterio was acquired by Jackie Redmond. Rey announced that he is not medically cleared to compete in his match against El Grande Americano. Rey announced Rey Fenix as his replacement. Fenix shook hands with Mysterio.
Powell’s POV: Hey, covering a needlessly long three-hour pre-show finally paid off with a couple of big news items.
-Peter Rosenberg replaced Michael Cole, leaving Rosenberg with Big E and Jackie Redmond at the desk.
-Jackie Redmond’s sit-down, in-character interview with Jey Uso aired.
-A Jey Uso video diary of his time leading up to WrestleMania aired.
-Joe Tessitore and Sam Roberts checked in from a desk set up in top level of the stadium.
-Footage aired from “earlier today” of Lyra Valkyria running to Bayley, who was lying on the floor selling a shoulder injury. Raw General Manager Adam Pearce and others showed up to check on Bayley. WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions Liv Morgan and Raquel Rodriguez entered the picture and laughed at Bayley. Pearce questioned them and informed them that they will still have to defend their titles. Pearce told Valkyria that it wasn’t looking good for Bayley. Pearce said Valkyria has 24 hours to find a new partner.
-Big E teased the obvious replacement of Becky Lynch without mentioning her by name. Rather, he speculated about a “fellow countryman” being a possibility.
-Tom Rinaldi checked in from the WrestleMania entrance ramp and set up a video feature on a deaf fan named Gio Head, who is celebrating one year of sobriety. Head is attending WrestleMania 41 weekend, and they showed footage of him attending Smackdown and getting a video message from Hulk Hogan. Head, his wife, and his interpreter joined Rinaldi at ringside for a brief interview.
-Stephanie McMahon joined Redmond, Big E, and Rosenberg at their desk inside the stadium. She spoke about Triple H being inducted into the Hall of Fame, her ESPN+ show, and her new podcast.
-The hosts chatted while the broadcast team members made their entrances.
-A Dana White narrated video aired on Las Vegas/Paradise.
-Jelly Roll performed “God Bless America” on the stage.
Join me for my live review of WrestleMania 41 night one in a separate article available via the main page.
Joe Tessitore had breakfast with Jacob Fatu????!!!
Lyra’s new partner will be a different horsewomen I bet.