A Historic Victory at WrestleMania
In a record-breaking 11th WrestleMania main event, Roman Reigns emerged victorious over CM Punk to claim the WWE World Heavyweight Championship. This win marks Reigns’ seventh World Championship title and his first world title reign since he lost the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship to Cody Rhodes at WrestleMania XL Night 2. Reigns earned this opportunity after winning the 2026 Men’s Royal Rumble, which was his second career win (the first in 2015).
This victory also ends a two-match losing streak for Reigns in WrestleMania main events. In a match that involved Punk last year, Seth Rollins won a Triple Threat match with help from Paul Heyman. The previous year, Reigns’ 1,316-day Undisputed WWE Universal Championship reign came to an end when he was defeated by Rhodes.
After one of the most memorable WrestleMania Main Events in recent history, Reigns delivered back-to-back spears on Punk to secure the win. This match was the first one-on-one encounter between Punk and Reigns since the Jan. 6, 2014 episode of Monday Night Raw, where Reigns also came out on top.
The Feud Between Two Legends
Roman Reigns is now a seven-time world champion following his win over CM Punk. The feud between the two future Hall of Famers began on the Feb. 2 episode of Raw, just days after Reigns’ Royal Rumble victory. During this episode, Reigns addressed Punk, saying:
“I could pick you because you’re the biggest star available. I could, yeah. I could pick you because you’re on Netflix and you’re on the best show. I could, but no. I’m picking you because I hate you. I’ve always hated you. And WrestleMania’s going to be the best day of my life because in the main event, you will acknowledge me.”
Over the following weeks, Punk and Reigns exchanged jabs at each other. One particularly heated moment occurred when Punk told Reigns he would bury him next to his deceased father, Sika. This comment caught the attention of Reigns’ cousins, leading to the Usos confronting Punk on the March 9 episode of Raw. Jimmy Uso punched Punk in the mouth during this confrontation. Punk later returned the favor to Reigns, which resulted in Reigns dismantling Punk on March 23.
On Reigns’ second-to-last appearance on Raw before WrestleMania, Punk power bombed Reigns through the announce table at Madison Square Garden. The two icons then met in a final, heartfelt promo on April 13, where both Superstars promised to bring home the World Heavyweight Championship at WrestleMania.
A Legacy in the Making
Roman Reigns now has a record of 10-4 in 14 career WrestleMania matches. He is tied for the 12th most world championship wins in WWE history with seven titles. This latest victory not only solidifies his legacy but also adds another chapter to the storied history of WrestleMania.
Reigns’ journey to the top has been marked by resilience, strategy, and an unwavering determination to prove himself as one of the greatest in the business. With this new title, he continues to build upon his already impressive resume and set the stage for future challenges and triumphs.
