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WrestleMania 41: The action-packed showdown and John Cena’s historic moment

By Dave Wilson
Published 22 April 2025
John Cena with a championship belt

WrestleMania 41 was certainly a weekend for the history books.

The event, at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, USA, was particularly special for WWE legand John Cena, who recently made headlines with his shocking - and record-breaking - heel turn.

A wrestling showcase for the ages

WrestleMania 41 was a celebration of everything WWE does best, and while breakout stars like Stratton, Dominik, and Jey Uso claimed their moment in the sun, the show belonged to Cena - the man who defined a generation.

His victory saw him officially declared the greatest world champion in history, with his win earning him the record for most WWE Championship titles (male).

Night One of WrestleMania 41 kick-started WWE's biggest weekend of the year.

Seth Rollins emerged victorious in the main event against CM Punk and Roman Reigns.

The bout took a shocking twist when Paul Heyman betrayed both Punk and Reigns to align with Rollins.

Uso achieved the biggest singles win of his career, defeating Gunther by submission to become World Heavyweight Champion.

Meanwhile, Tiffany Stratton continued her meteoric rise by defeating Charlotte Flair to retain the WWE Women's Championship.

Iyo Sky successfully held on to her Women’s World Championship after taking on Bianca Belair and Rhea Ripley.

Dominik Mysterio won the Intercontinental Championship, beating Bron Breakker, Finn Bálor, and Penta in a four-way fight.

And Cena’s historic 17th world championship victory closed the show.

The triumph surpassed Ric Flair's long-standing record and marked a significant chapter in Cena's career.

John Cena’s 17 World Championship victories in order

  1. WrestleMania 21: JBL
  2. Royal Rumble 2006: Edge
  3. Unforgiven 2006: Edge
  4. Survivor Series 2008: Chris Jericho
  5. WrestleMania 25: Edge
  6. Breaking Point 2009: Randy Orton
  7. Bragging Rights 2009: Randy Orton
  8. Elimination Chamber 2010: Sheamus
  9. WrestleMania 26: Batista
  10. Extreme Rules 2011: The Miz & John Morrison
  11. Raw 25 July 2011: Rey Mysterio
  12. Night of Champions 2011: Alberto Del Rio
  13. WrestleMania 29: The Rock
  14. Hell in a Cell 2013: Alberto Del Rio
  15. Money in the Bank 2014: Multiple Opponents
  16. Royal Rumble 2017: AJ Styles
  17. WrestleMania41: Cody Rhodes

WrestleMania 41: The historic 17th title win

Cena's 17 world championship victories demonstrate the massive impact he's had on professional wrestling.

From his debut title win against JBL at WrestleMania 21 to his record-breaking triumph over Rhodes at WrestleMania 41, Cena's career is a testament to both his skill inside the ring and his charismatic appeal to fans.

Flair’s 16 world championships saw him hold on to the record for decades, and it seemed like no one would ever beat it.

That all changed at WrestleMania 41 when Cena took his 17th world title.

There were many similiarties between him and Flair.

But while Flair's popularity was all about his era-spanning appearances, Cena rose to fame during the PG era, inspiring a new generation of wrestling fans.

Header image: Alamy