The premiere of WWE’s new Netflix docuseries, WWE: Unreal, on July 29, 2025, has sent shockwaves through the wrestling world. WrestleMania 41, held on April 19 and 20, 2025, at Allegiant Stadium, was a two-night spectacle that saw John Cena defeat Cody Rhodes for a record-breaking 17th world championship. The behind-the-scenes series, which offers an unprecedented look at WWE’s creative process. Along with footage from inside the WWE writers’ room, various whiteboards are seen in shot to give fans an idea of what plans were in place at that point in time.
In a new development, WWE Hall of Famer “Stone Cold” Steve Austin and rapper Travis Scott had a different match card for the Las Vegas event, with Austin slated as a special guest referee and Scott penciled in as a ringside manager. The original blueprint for the event, as revealed in WWE: Unreal, envisioned different roles for both Scott and Austin. According to the docuseries, Austin was initially set to serve as the special guest referee for a singles match between Bron Breakker and Drew McIntyre, a bout that promised to showcase two of WWE’s rising stars. Meanwhile, Travis Scott was slated to accompany Rey Mysterio as his manager in a match against Chad Gable, adding a celebrity flair to the card. Reportedly, these plans were abandoned due to a combination of injuries, scheduling conflicts, and creative pivots, leading to a vastly different final lineup.
Steve Austin’s announcement led to heavy footfall in the event on day two
WWE: Unreal confirmed that while Austin was considered for a high-profile officiating role, he did not appear in a match capacity at WrestleMania 41. Instead, he made a memorable cameo announcing the event’s attendance figures 63,226 for Night 2, contributing to a two-day total of 124,693. This appearance was marred by an incident where Austin crashed his ATV into the ringside barricade, causing a fan to collapse, though no injuries were reported. Meanwhile, Travis Scott’s original role as Mysterio’s manager was reportedly a nod to WWE’s tradition of incorporating celebrities to boost mainstream appeal, as seen with stars like Bad Bunny and Logan Paul.
However, Scott’s actual involvement at WrestleMania 41 was considered far more controversial in the reports. He appeared in the Night 2 main event, interfering on behalf of John Cena and The Rock against Cody Rhodes, helping Cena secure the Undisputed WWE Championship. The WWE: Unreal revelations have sparked debates about WWE’s creative direction, with fans on X praising the docuseries for its transparency while criticizing the final WrestleMania 41 product, particularly Scott’s role.
