Becky Lynch says she and Rhea Ripley 'will steal the damn show' at Wrestlemania (2024)

Underdog turned bestselling author Becky Lynch talked to MirrorSport ahead of the year's biggest weekend of wrestling and dropped a big hint about her future in the ring

Arguably the biggest Wrestlemania ever - they call it Wrestlemania XL for a reason - takes place in Philadelphia this weekend. But amid the excitement of The Rock's first match in almost a decade and Cody Rhodes potentially finishing his story with that elusive championship title , another epic fairytale might be coming to an end.

It's a wrestling truism that 'if you can't go on last, go on first' and Becky Lynch and Rhea Ripley are set to start Saturday night's show with what will undoubtedly be a huge and brutal match but, speaking exclusively to The Mirror ahead of the event, Lynch has dropped a big hint that fans should enjoy her appearances in the squared circle while they can.

After ten years at the top of her game and with a best-selling book now added to her already lengthy CV alongside acting roles in TV and film, wrestling may not be in her future for much longer. She told us: “It's not about winning championships anymore. It's about telling stories in whatever medium that I can, stories that I’ve always wanted to hear and that I want to be invested in.

"That's my motivation and what I love to do - storytelling. Whether that's in the ring, or in a theatre show, or in a book, it's stories that really drive me right now.”

If this sounds like the former champion and self-confessed underdog is mellowing with motherhood, don't be fooled. She's still characteristically bullish about what fans can expect when the bell rings to start her match, which will come in the early hours of Sunday morning for UK fans.

"We're going to steal the damn show," she says. "Even after all of the change, even after everything that I have done in this industry, and as a flag bearer and a face of the company, I'm still underestimated. It's fine. I don't need the praise. I don't need the kudos. I've had it. But I like the underestimation, because that's where I thrive. When people doubt me, that is when I do my best work."

As one of the Four Horsewomen who changed the face of women's wrestling in WWE, there's no doubt that even if Lynch takes some time to step away she's leaving the industry forever changed, something she reflects on in her book, although she tells us the work isn't done yet: "There's been a gradual shift and a gradual change. Now we're in a world where anything is possible. When I came in, I was told that women were never going to main event Wrestlemania and that was unrealistic.

"But now we've proven that it can happen, that it should happen, and that the most exciting story wins. It doesn't matter what the gender is, if people care enough about the story, then that should be the main event. So there are no limits in what we can accomplish. We just need to continue to drive that forward and the generation behind us needs to constantly be on their game.

"It doesn't take one person to drive progress, it takes group change. I can't make history on my own. I need a division that is hungry and wanting to be the top stars in the industry. And we have that. We just continue to make progress."

Lynch was talking to Mirror Sport on publication of Becky Lynch The Man: Not Your Average Average Girl which is out now in hardback. Tackling everything from dealing with post-natal depression to headlining Wrestlemania and with some astonishing asides like what made her call Charlotte Flair the C-word following a disastrous segment on Smackdown that Lynch describes as one of the worst in the show’s 25-year history, this is an unmissable read for both fans and casuals who just want an inspiring story about a woman juggling real life with achieving her dreams and might just possibly be the best wrestling autobiography since Mick Foley's iconic Have a Nice Day .

Alternatively you can listen to Rebecca Quin narrate her own story totally free on Audible with a free trial or take advantage of a special 99 cent offer for three months’ free membership to the audiobook and podcast service. The 99 cents deal gets you an audiobook a month for three months, perfect for lining up some other books once you’ve finished listening to ten hours of Lynch in her own words.

Wrestlemania XL Final Card

In the last few years, Wrestlemania has taken place over two nights and 2024 is no different with Philadelphia playing host to star studded action tonight (Saturday, April 6) and tomorrow night (Sunday, April 7) from midnight both nights. The final card has been confirmed as follows, although with a Philly 3:16 t-shirt already available there might be room for another surprise guest or two making an appearance:

Wrestlemania XL Night One card

• Rhea Ripley (c) vs. Becky Lynch for the Women's World Championship
  
• Gunther (c) vs. Sami Zayn - for the WWE Intercontinental Championship
• The Judgment Day (Finn Balor and Damian Priest) (c) vs. DIY (Johnny Gargano and Tommaso Ciampa) vs. The Awesome Truth (The Miz and R-Truth) vs. The New Day (Kofi Kingston and Xavier Woods) vs. A-Town Down Under (Austin Theory and Grayson Waller) vs. New Catch Republic (Pete Dunne and Tyler Bate) - Six-Pack Ladder match for the Undisputed WWE Tag Team Championship
• Jey Uso vs. Jimmy Uso
• Bianca Belair, Jade Cargill, and Naomi vs. Damage CTRL (Dakota Kai, Asuka, and Kairi Sane)
• Latino World Order (Rey Mysterio and Dragon Lee) vs. Santos Escobar and Dominik Mysterio
• The Bloodline (The Rock and Roman Reigns) vs. Cody Rhodes and Seth "Freakin" Rollins

Wrestlemania XL Night Two card

• Seth "Freakin" Rollins (c) vs. Drew McIntyre for the World Heavyweight Championship
• Iyo Sky (c) vs. Bayley for the WWE Women's Championship
• LA Knight vs. AJ Styles
• Logan Paul (c) vs. Randy Orton vs. Kevin Owens for the WWE United States Championship
• The Pride (Bobby Lashley, Angelo Dawkins, and Montez Ford) vs. The Final Testament (Karrion Kross, Akam, and Rezar) - Six-Man Philadelphia Street Fight
• Roman Reigns (c) vs. Cody Rhodes for the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship

How to watch Wrestlemania 40

Wrestlemania 40 will be shown live on TNT Sports Box Office, via pay per view for Sky Subscribers or on the WWE Network.