As WWE’s biggest show, WrestleMania never fails to move the emotional scale for performers and fans.
For over four decades, ‘Mania’ has served as the pinnacle of shows in the wrestling industry, making household names of Stone Cold Steve Austin, Hulk Hogan and The Rock among countless others.
A match or major moment at WrestleMania is the height of achievement for those performing in the squared circle, many regarding a main event slot at the event as the ultimate career goal.
Fans, too, love WrestleMania – once again this past weekend saw fans from all 50 US states and more than 60 countries worldwide attend the two-night spectacle in Las Vegas.
WWE have trumpeted the huge commercial success of the 2025 instalment – the 41st in its history – claiming it to be ‘the most-successful and highest-grossing event in company history.’
The show made headlines worldwide, too, with John Cena, Cody Rhodes, Seth Rollins and Roman Reigns appearing across Saturday and Sunday.
While fans were gorging on the feast of wrestling action, it seems its stars were caught up in the emotion, too. Not least of those was CM Punk, who wrestled against Rollins and Reigns in Saturday’s main event.
The bout was Punk’s first ever WrestleMania main event and, for him, the culmination of decades of hard work in the industry as he battled to make it to WWE and succeed elsewhere after initially leaving in a cloud before his epic comeback in 2023.
Before his entrance in front of over 60,000, WWE aired a stunning video package to hype Punk; a montage of clips from his wrestling past interspersed with words from his present self, all with an added surprise to boot.
Also included was an airing of CM Punk’s old WWE entrance music – This Fire Burns by Killswitch Engage – which, in its absence since his return, has gained cult status amongst fans who are now clamouring for its return.
Fan footage from WrestleMania showed thousands of fans singing to the music, with Punk left emotional, too.
He told WWE after Sunday’s show: “I was a crying baby. Literally, the whole day. I had to run out of Gorilla when they started playing the video package and I saw 26-year-old me…
“I am nothing without the fans. Again, the equity. The years I put into this, my time away, fighting in the UFC, doing all these other things and then coming back feeling, man.”
Grateful fans added their appreciation, one writing: “I am 29-year-old, grown man. I started crying hearing ‘This Fire Burns’. I was so emotional.”
Another pleaded with the company to make its return permanent, adding: “This fire burns, should be back! Every wrestling fan will agree.”
A third echoed with a plea to the wrestler himself, saying: “One request as a long-time fan, please bring back This Fire Burns as your entrance song, even if it’s temporary. The electricity, the aura of that song just fits so perfect for you.”
Punk, 46, followed up with a further Instagram post thanking fans for their support, writing: “There’s too many people to thank. I didn’t get here alone…. I’ve been humbled. I’m grateful for all the lumps. The good and the bad…”
With a nod to the future, Punk hinted there may not be a wealth of WrestleMania main events left in his career, perhaps a clearer explanation as to the emotion surrounding Saturday’s effort.
He added: “I’m overwhelmed and in search of the perfect words to describe my last few days. Thank you. I love you. If it was the last one, it may very well have been the best one.”
