WWE teases lead to lackluster reveal for WrestleMania

Well, WWE teased and clearly underdelivered. What started as a series of videos that had the wrestling community talking ended up being a major unnecessary let down. The series of teasers that started on Sunday, October 27 culminated into the opening promotion for WrestleMania 42. What started out hot, landed in a less than spectacular fashion for several reasons.

The big reveal came on during the latest episode of WWE Monday Night Raw. Triple H, Brock Lesnar, Cody Rhodes, Roman Reigns, Paul Heyman, and CM Punk sat around a table as if they were preparing to play a game of poker or some other Las Vegas staple. The reason? To kick off the sale of WrestleMania 42 tickets.

There’s a lot to unpack when looking at this entire campaign. Did it get fans talking? Absolutely. The first video dropped in the early morning hours on Sunday, and each reveal pushed more speculation. Marketing campaigns are meant to generate buzz and excitement around a product, idea, and more. But that reveal has to keep that energy going. That is where this campaign fell short. The set up lent itself to thoughts about something bigger was coming to WWE programming. Instead, fans were given information about tickets, which many of them will not be able to afford.

WrestleMania is already marred in controversy. First, it was the event being moved from the originally planned New Orleans back to Las Vegas, where TKO Group Holdings would reap bigger financial gain. Then, the news about WrestleMania 43 happening in Saudi Arabia in 2027 did not help matters. News about ticket prices for WrestleMania 42 further sullied the event’s perception, and this marketing campaign doesn’t help turn things around.

Many online are also pointing out the individuals in the promo materials. Roman Reigns is the only person of color in the group. Brock Lesnar is named 40+ times in the Janel Grant versus WWE and Vince McMahon lawsuit. Triple H is getting closer and closer to the Trump Administration. Paul Heyman has had several controversial promos and moments in recent months. Cody Rhodes’s second reign as Undisputed WWE Champion is stalling, and some feel like this version of CM Punk is a shell of the man who was a cult hero to many.

This promo doesn’t feature any women like Rhea Ripley, perhaps one of the most important stars in the promotion today. Nor does it feature anyone under the age of 40. This at a time when WWE seems hesitant to let performers like Bron Breakker lose, as Seth Rollins’s injury situation opened the door for him to take the test of being the top guy on WWE Monday Night Raw head on.

This promo doesn’t give fans any hope that the creative direction for the promotion will change and feature fresh faces. For many, it is another reason to believe that the culture of the company will never change.

WWE didn’t have to commit this unforced error. A series of mysterious videos to release the 2-day combo ticket sale date was unnecessary for several reasons. That energy and effort would have gone a long way to generate buzz about the on-screen product that is stagnating in the eyes of many. But this is yet another example of where the priorities in this company now lie.