Folks, let me tell you, WrestleMania 40 is shaping up to be as fresh as a spring morning in the Delaware countryside. For the first time since, well, before I started losing my hair, Vince McMahon won’t be in the driver’s seat, and let me tell ya, the air backstage is buzzing with a vibe as vibrant as a flea market on a sunny day.
Now, Vince, he’s been the captain of this ship since the first WrestleMania back in ’85, but this year, he’s sitting this dance out. And according to the good people over at Fightful Select, who’ve been chatting up a storm with the talent, there’s an “aura of excitement” backstage that’s as palpable as the anticipation at a high school prom.
Last year, Vince couldn’t help but tinker with the show like a kid fiddling with a Rubik’s cube, changing match outcomes at the eleventh hour and generally causing the kind of chaos you’d expect at a family reunion when someone brings up politics. But this year, with Vince focusing on, let’s say, legal entanglements of a rather serious nature, the creative team is freer than a bird, and they’re looking to spread their wings without worrying about a last-minute McMahon makeover.
The roster’s not just excited for WrestleMania itself but also for the “WWE Raw” that follows. They say it feels like “an event” again, which, from what I gather, hasn’t been the case in a hot minute. Last year, Vince apparently swooped in and stirred the pot so much, the end product was as muddled as my grandma’s gravy. This time around, the word on the street is we might actually get to see what the creative team had up their sleeves before the usual last-minute scrambles.
As for Vince, well, he’s expected to be as absent as my Uncle Frank on moving day. But, as they say in the biz, the card is always subject to change. So here’s to WrestleMania 40, a celebration that’s looking to be as lively and unpredictable as a barn dance after a couple of rounds of moonshine.