Wrestlemania XL is over, the Hunter era begins

To say Wrestlemania XL was explosive is an understatement. Despite having a lukewarm first night, night two raised the bar considerably to give us one of the best Wrestlemanias of all time, from Drew McIntyre winning the WWE Heavyweight title and then losing it immediately after Damien Priest cashed in his Money in the Bank briefcase to Bayley and Iyo Sky giving us one of the best matches of their careers, there was a sense that the company was moving towards a clean conclusion to years of story and controversy.

Turns out it wasn’t just Cody Rhodes out there trying to finish his story. It was the WWE as well. And as the second night’s main event showed, a new era has begun. With a new Undisputed champion also comes a new chapter to the story, one with Cody as the face of the company and a definitive transition of power with Triple H at the helm.

In an attempt to acknowledge all this, here’s a list of things to come, things that are, and things to wish for in the post-Wrestlemania XL universe.

1. Rhea Ripley will continue to be the face of the women’s division.

In her post-Beck Lynch match press conference, Rhea told reporters that the four Horsewomen of the women’s division will live on forever, but that “they will have to move over, because we are taking over at the same time.” It was a firm statement on the future of women’s wrestling in the WWE, in which we have to seriously consider naming four new Horsewomen. At the top of that list is Rhea, no question. Her dominance, charisma, online presence, and consistently great fights are box office in every regard.

Who’ll join her at the top is where things get interesting. Bianca Belair has earned her spot, but the other two positions have legitimate candidates that can lay claim to them. Iyo Sky was a great champion, and her reign was marked by a deep story and matches that lived up to it. She went from star to superstar in less than a year after becoming champion. She’ll continue to rise. So, who else? Can Liv Morgan be considered a Horsewoman of the kind that can become the face of the division? Can Zelina Vega do so if she grows as an independent wrestler? Asuka is certainly a main draw and has a reliable fanbase. Zoey Stark? Of course, all eyes are on the second entry on this list.

2. How big will Jade Cargill be in Rhea’s and Bianca’s division?

There’s no denying Cargill’s star power. She has the audience on her side, she’s chiseled like a Greek goddess, and she just won her first WWE match at Wrestlemania XL. As far as debuts go, she’s had one of the most hyped in recent history and she’s been thrust into the main stage from the get-go to great success thus far. Obviously, there’s confidence in her ability to go over really well.

So, what does she have to prove going forward? In-ring spectacle. The WWE’s women’s division has been on a roll with awesome displays of skill and momentum from athletes that have proven to have the necessary tools to back up their talk. Cargill’s Royal Rumble performance was truly something to behold based on physical prowess alone, but her Wrestlemania match didn’t particularly showcase what she’s capable of. Questions remain as to whether she can sustain a main event match at the level of a Rhea Ripley or an Asuka. Time will tell if she can earn her spot as a Horsewoman or if she’ll follow in the footsteps of past wrestlers such Ultimate Warrior or Goldberg, strong athletes that are remembered more for their muscle mass rather than their wrestling abilities.

3. The Hunter era will mark the end of Vince McMahon’s worst booking tendencies.

The Devil himself, Vince McMahon, was known for building up Babyfaces to then have them fall spectacularly on their faces on PPV events. There was a sinister glee in the practice, denying fans the satisfaction of seeing Heels get their asses handed to them in the squared circle after months of buildup. McMahon was also known for having local favorites lose in their hometowns and for ridiculing wrestlers based on petty disagreements and outdated expressions of toxic masculinity.

The information that’s been filtering out from backstage via podcasts and interviews with current wrestlers all point to Triple H being a more level-headed creative, with his sights firmly set on elevating wrestling via story and good matchups rather than controversy. Evidence of this lies in the narrative pivot from the near disaster that was going to be The Rock v. Roman Reigns as the main event at Wrestlemania XL. Upon fan backlash, things were reshuffled and out came one of the best heel performances in the history of the sport curtesy of The Brahma Bull which culminated in a tag match for the ages.

To put it more plainly, Vince would’ve had Cody lose a second time at Wrestlemania. Now, who’s champion as of the time of this writing?

4. Damien Priest has a chance to become a megastar.

In one of the most beautifully chaotic moments of night two, Damien Priest cashed in his title shot briefcase and took the belt right from under Drew McIntyre minutes after he took it from Seth Rollins. Priest is now the WWE World Heavyweight champion, and he should remain as such for a while.

As the first Puerto Rican heavyweight champion since Pedro Morales beat Ivan Koloff at Madison Square Garden in 1971, Priest has a chance to carve out a space entirely for himself in the company that will allow him to sustain himself should the Judgment Day ever disband. He’s proven to have the mic skills and the ability to carry a match all on his own as seen last year against Bad Bunny. He can be a main draw, but it all hinges on how impressive his title reign ends up being. If Drew recaptures his title in a month’s time, then it’s an opportunity wasted.

5. In the absence of Roman Reigns, the WWE must find the next great heel to throw at Cody.

As exciting and well-earned as Cody’s win was, one can’t avoid thinking what the WWE will be without the towering influence of Reigns and the Bloodline. For Cody to remain relevant he’ll need a great villain. A real threat. The next few months are critical in developing this.

The future of the Bloodline is equally important. Solo Sikoa and Jimmy Uso were dependent on Roman in terms of storytelling. Where do they go from here. Is there still a chance the Bloodline can remain as a faction? If there is, then it should be pursued so long as it doesn’t directly interfere with Cody’s title reign. They had a good run. Let’s see new challengers step up for main events.

6. Keep Drew McIntyire as a heel so he can continue giving us the best tweets in wrestling.

This one’s a no-brainer. Drew built up his rivalry with Rollins with a masterful display of storytelling that included pointed shots at CM Punk and an intense fixation on the World Heavyweight title. On the RAW after Wrestlemania, addressing how he lost his belt, he called Damien Priest a “bondage Undertaker.” The man is a gold mine and he should continue to insult his opponents to his heart’s content.

7. Reserve the Final Boss for special occasions only.

Credit where credit’s due, The Rock turned an already important Wrestlemania into something special. His tag match with Roman against Cody and Rollins delivered on multiple fronts (I will never forget him telling the ref he’d be fired if he kept counting out those outside the ring).

The following RAW, he told Cody that even though his story was finished, theirs had just begun. I hope this is but a seed of something that’ll come way further down the line. But for now, let’s put The Rock back in the box and take him out when it makes sense again in the future.

8. Where does CM Punk fall in all this?

CM Punk came back to the WWE. Then he got injured. With new champions coming up, a new era starting with a bang, and Drew McIntyre as a fan favorite heel…is Punk even a priority right now? Crowds still love him and he is a draw, but it can be a bit difficult seeing how he can make a case for himself in the grand scheme of things. This is perhaps the biggest mystery we’re left with after Wrestlemania XL closed. Let’s enjoy him while we have him, though. It might be that we get a Drew vs. Punk match, and that should be good. Though if you ask me, a three-way match between Punk, Drew, and Damien for the belt (in which Priest retains) is sounds way better.

What did you think of Wrestlemania XL? Where do you think the WWE is heading under Triple H? Sound off in the comments!