Colby Covington came away from WrestleMania 41 with a glowing review of WWE’s biggest match of the weekend.
The former UFC title challenger attended the 2025 event at Allegiant Stadium, where Cody Rhodes defended the WWE Championship against John Cena in the main event. The match arrived after Cena’s major heel turn at the Premium Live Event preceding WrestleMania, giving the championship encounter an especially different dynamic from the years in which Cena had been one of WWE’s defining heroic figures.
Speaking on O’Hara and Friends after WrestleMania 41, Covington did not hold back when discussing his reaction to the Rhodes-Cena clash. While the bout prompted debate among fans in the aftermath—particularly over Travis Scott’s involvement in the match—Covington viewed it as an exceptional live spectacle.
“No, that’s probably the greatest match I’ve ever seen. That was an incredible match,” Covington said. “I mean, I don’t know. From my perspective, they put it all on the line. They really put on a show for the fans. So I had a great time.”
For more background on this topic, read Conrad Thompson Says Dave Millican Stopped Him From Buying Misrepresented Ultimate Warrior Title Belts.
Covington Praises WrestleMania’s Stadium Atmosphere
Covington’s comments were not limited to the main event. He also spoke enthusiastically about the overall environment surrounding WrestleMania 41 and the scale of WWE’s audience across the two-night stadium event.
WrestleMania has long been presented as more than a standard wrestling card, with the annual event bringing together fans from across the world for several days of shows, appearances, and celebrations. For Covington, that atmosphere stood out immediately. He described the WWE audience as distinctly energetic and pointed to the packed crowds at Allegiant Stadium as evidence of the company’s continued momentum.
“The WWE universe is unlike any universe I’ve ever seen,” Covington said. “So just an amazing weekend full of great energy. I mean, did you see how electric that stadium was? Sold out both nights. Crazy from Allegiant Stadium. Like, that’s insane. They’re selling out a stadium that not even the Raiders are selling out. So just amazing times for the WWE and I can’t wait to see what the future holds.”
That perspective is notable because Covington comes from the combat-sports world, where major arena and stadium events are also central to the presentation. His takeaway from WrestleMania was focused less on technical comparisons between MMA and professional wrestling and more on WWE’s ability to make the crowd feel part of a major shared occasion.
For WWE, the reaction reflects the value of WrestleMania as a crossover attraction. Celebrities, athletes, and entertainment figures routinely attend the event, but the lasting impression of the show often comes down to whether the live crowd, major entrances, and high-stakes matches combine to create a memorable atmosphere. Covington clearly felt that WrestleMania 41 delivered on that front.
Rhodes vs. Cena Remains a Talking Point
The WrestleMania 41 main event carried significant expectations before either man entered the ring. Rhodes was the reigning WWE Champion, while Cena entered the match after the heel turn that changed the direction of his final WrestleMania program. Cena’s status as one of WWE’s most recognizable stars made the shift particularly striking, and the championship stakes gave Rhodes a defining opponent on the grandest stage.
The match was also discussed extensively after the event because of Travis Scott’s influence on the proceedings. That aspect drew criticism from portions of the wrestling audience, illustrating how one of the year’s highest-profile WWE matches became a subject of sharply divided reactions.
Covington’s response offers a very different view from those who focused on the controversial elements. He emphasized the commitment he saw from Rhodes and Cena and the effectiveness of the match as a performance for the stadium audience. His description of it as potentially the best match he has ever watched is an unusually strong endorsement, especially from someone taking in the event as an attendee rather than offering a detailed match critique from a wrestling-media perspective.
That distinction matters. A WrestleMania main event can be judged in several ways: by in-ring execution, storyline developments, audience response, celebrity participation, and the feeling created inside the building. Covington’s remarks centered on the last of those factors. He saw two major WWE names putting everything into a match that felt important, in front of a crowd he considered electric.
John Cena Named Covington’s Dream WWE Opponent
During the same conversation, Covington was asked about wrestlers he would most want to face. His first choice was Cena, whom he identified as the leading name on the WWE roster and the man carrying the biggest target.
“Yeah, I think my dream opponent right now would probably be John Cena,” Covington said. “He’s the top of the pack. You know, he’s the guy. He has the Universal Championship. So I think he’s got the target on his back that everybody wants.”
Covington’s wording referred to Cena as holding the Universal Championship, while the WrestleMania 41 match in question was for Rhodes’ WWE Championship. Regardless of the title name used in the conversation, the larger point was clear: Covington sees Cena as the premier WWE opponent and a performer whose stature would make any possible clash feel major.
He also acknowledged the limited nature of Cena’s remaining wrestling schedule, referencing WrestleMania 41 as Cena’s final WrestleMania match. That reality makes the idea of a Covington-Cena encounter especially speculative. Covington nevertheless framed Cena as the ideal dream opponent because of the longtime WWE icon’s place at the top of the industry.
“But, you know, I think he’s on his last leg, and like you said, you know, that was his last time wrestling at WrestleMania,” Covington continued.
Cody Rhodes Also Stands Out as a Potential Matchup
If a Cena match is not realistic, Covington suggested that Rhodes could be another compelling choice. He pitched the concept through the lens of an American-versus-American rivalry, with both personalities operating in a villainous role.
“So maybe Cody Rhodes would be a good match,” Covington said. “I think, you know, heel versus heel. I think we find out who the true American is.”
The idea plays into the public identities of both men. Rhodes has been positioned as a central WWE star whose presentation has leaned heavily into his connection with the United States, while Covington has frequently incorporated patriotic imagery and rhetoric into his own combat-sports persona. A confrontation would give them a natural verbal foundation even before considering the physical side of a wrestling program.
There is no indication that a match involving Covington, Cena, or Rhodes is planned. His comments were presented as personal choices rather than confirmation of a WWE appearance or an active creative discussion. Still, he has previously spoken about conversations with Triple H, leaving open the possibility that his interest in WWE could extend beyond being a fan in the crowd at WrestleMania.
For now, Covington’s most concrete connection to WWE is his experience at WrestleMania 41. From the stadium’s two-night turnout to the drama surrounding Rhodes and Cena, he described the weekend as a major success and a reminder of professional wrestling’s ability to draw intense emotional investment from a live audience.
His assessment of the main event may not settle the debate around Rhodes vs. Cena or the role played by Travis Scott, but it does underline how differently the match landed for those inside Allegiant Stadium. To Covington, the overall spectacle outweighed any lingering criticism. He saw a championship main event in which two of WWE’s biggest stars delivered an unforgettable show—and one he ranks above every other match he has seen.
Darryl Polo
Darryl Polo is a passionate wrestling fan covering WWE, AEW, TNA and beyond. He loves great rivalries, breakout stars and the moments that keep fans talking long after the bell. How we work.