WWE’s Creative Shift: CM Punk’s WrestleMania 41 Win Was Scrapped in Favor of Seth Rollins
The WrestleMania 41 Saturday Main Event delivered a chaotic yet unforgettable triple threat match as Seth Rollins walked out victorious, defeating both Roman Reigns and CM Punk. While fans were stunned by Paul Heyman betraying both Punk and Reigns, new revelations from WWE’s Unreal series reveal that this wasn’t the original plan.
Triple H Wanted Punk to Win WrestleMania
According to behind-the-scenes discussions shown in WWE Unreal, Triple H originally pitched a bold and emotional ending to the main event. His plan was to have CM Punk win the match, overcoming potential betrayal from Heyman, and standing tall over two of WWE’s most dominant forces.
“Punk should win—and not only should he win, but Heyman turning on him shouldn’t work. Punk overcomes Paul, beats Roman or Seth, whatever he’s got to do. Punk survives and thrives,” said Triple H.
The idea was simple: tease the idea of betrayal from Heyman, create doubt in Punk’s corner, and then have Punk defy the odds to win. It would have been a powerful full-circle moment for Punk, who had returned to WWE after nearly a decade.
WWE Pivoted for Shock Value
However, WWE’s creative team was split. Another senior writer countered Triple H’s idea, proposing a twist that would feel more shocking and memorable to the audience.
Instead of Punk winning, they suggested Heyman betray Punk entirely and align with Seth Rollins, revealing that Seth had been the puppet master all along.
“Punk winning is great, but Heyman siding with Seth and it all ending that way—that’s more shocking. Seth going over just feels like a better story,” said the writer.
This plan would break the long-standing Roman-Heyman alliance in the most dramatic way possible—on the grandest stage of them all. That added layer of betrayal, manipulation, and the unexpected victory by Rollins sealed the deal.
Why Seth Rollins Was Chosen
Ultimately, WWE decided to go with the unexpected, having Seth Rollins emerge victorious. The moment left the audience stunned as Heyman’s betrayal shocked both Punk and Reigns.
While some fans were disappointed that Punk didn’t get his big WrestleMania win, many agree that Seth Rollins walking out as the ultimate strategist helped build future storylines and added a fresh twist to WWE’s storytelling.
In the end, this decision kept the audience guessing, which is exactly what WWE hoped for.
