Inside ‘WWE: Unreal’ — Wrestling’s New Era of Transparency And Drama

Triple H attends the Fanatics Fest NYC 2025 (Photo by Slaven Vlasic/Getty Images)

Netflix’s five-episode docuseries “WWE: Unreal,": which features John Cena, Cody Rhodes, Rhea Ripley, CM Punk, Jey Uso, Bianca Belair, Charlotte Flair, and multiple other notable WWE superstars, has given professional wrestling fans an unprecedented, behind-the-scenes view of how creative decisions are made and the people who execute them, from writer’s room brainstorming sessions, to madness in gorilla position, heartfelt locker room interactions, and all inner-workings of live event management. 

WWE Chief Content Officer Paul “Triple H” Levesque lifts the curtain for viewers throughout this controversial project — produced by NFL Films, Skydance Sports, Omaha Productions, and WWE — serving as the heart of ongoing dialogue around the current state of wrestling. The series offers a groundbreaking perspective inside some of the most talked-about moments from recent memory, effectively dismantling the longtime protection of kayfabe. 

Tiffany Stratton Breaks Script, Takes Aim at Flair

Often, wrestling can blur the lines between scripted tension and real backstage heat — a dynamic "WWE: Unreal" vividly captures through the feud between Tiffany Stratton and Charlotte Flair. 

WWE Hall of Famer and Vice President of Creative Writing, Michael Hayes, did admit that Flair was first to step on Stratton in a way that didn’t serve the storyline, which was building to a title match at WrestleMania. Nonetheless, Stratton selfishly went into business for herself, broke the fourth wall, and threaded reality into their verbal sparring sessions. 

"When I beat you at WrestleMania, Charlotte, you're gonna be just like you are outside of the ring… alone," Stratton said, attacking Flair’s love life during the infamous promo. "What is that record? Like, what, 0-3? Woo!" 

Charlotte naturally escalated the situation further by referencing Stratton's boyfriend, WWE superstar Ludwig Kaiser, implying he had been in her DMs. The heated exchange visibly rattled both women and raised immediate red flags backstage.

Levesque was shown asking if any of these remarks had gone according to script, which, of course, they hadn’t. None of the “go-home” lines used in the segment had been pre-approved, especially not those calling out Flair’s failed marriages. What was supposed to be your typical back-and-forth swiftly cut to a deep, personal war of words in real time. 

This was the sort of misstep from Stratton that could derail an entire build, or shift its focus in unfortunate and unintended ways, as this exchange hit far too close to home. It had to be addressed, and all parties involved knew it. 

"I need Tiffany to understand that's obviously not how we do this," Levesque responded. "She needs to go to Charlotte and apologize, and they need to get on the same page."

The series followed their captivating clash through to WrestleMania 41, where Stratton defeated Flair by pinfall to defend her WWE Women’s Championship. 

How Jey Uso Hijacked Royal Rumble Plans

When Levesque initially asked his creative team who they saw winning the Royal Rumble, the response was nearly unanimous: CM Punk. The only other name seriously discussed on “WWE: Unreal” was John Cena, who had a strong argument made in his favor. Jey Uso, at the time, barely registered in the equation. By all accounts, he was the odd man out. 

But as the conversation shifted more toward how the WrestleMania 41 title picture might evolve, it was Michael Hayes who began leaning into a curveball: the idea of replacing WWE’s planned Punk v. Gunther match with Uso’s sudden leap into World Heavyweight Championship spotlight.

"In the case of Jey Uso, when somebody catches fire, they just catch fire,” Hayes said. “Sometimes you have to alternate all your plans. Who do we have on our roster that's hot, that hopefully is maybe new and fresh, and all of a sudden, Jey Uso's checking all those boxes. Then, you have to start worrying and wondering, is that individual up to the task?" 

Levesque eventually approached Uso to share that WWE was ready to strap a rocket to his back, though this confidence was soon met with hesitation. As "WWE: Unreal" revealed, Levesque later questioned if this gamble was worth the risk. Pressure on Uso was building rapidly, and it wasn’t just something felt backstage. Fans noticed it, too. 

“The victory at WrestleMania is not guaranteed," Bruce Prichard, Executive Director of WWE, reminded viewers. "It’s up to you to show us. You’ve got to turn it around quickly. I think we all know he can do it. Otherwise, we wouldn’t be here. But again, it’s up to him.”

Even after his surprise Royal Rumble win over Cena, uncertainty continued to linger. Some still weren’t sure Uso could carry the audience with him into WrestleMania. Regardless, the “Main Event” alter-ego finally broke through, regained the room, and delivered on the biggest stage of his career, submitting Gunther to open the show and become the new World Heavyweight Champion. 

From a bloodline where others often dominate attention, Uso clawed his way up the singles ladder with sheer resilience. His thunderous entrance, complete with the crowd’s now-iconic “yeet,” has cemented itself among the most electric in WWE history, and in a business with little real estate at the top, Uso’s babyface rise carved a space in history few can claim.

His championship reign, however, was short-lived. Gunter reclaimed the title less than two months later, fueling debate over whether WWE pulled the trigger on Uso too soon, or simply didn’t go far enough to capitalize on his momentum. 

Punk’s WrestleMania Main Event Dream 

Signaling just how far the relationship between CM Punk and Paul “Triple H” Levesque had come, "WWE: Unreal" documented the two men sharing an embrace moments before Punk stepped through the curtain to main event WrestleMania 41 Night One.

"I know what this means to you,” Levesque told Punk. “But, hey, look at me — you're f—ing CM Punk. You've always been a main event guy. Always."

For Punk, that night transcended an all-time great WrestleMania storyline. It was a childhood dream fulfilled. 

"I know," Punk replied, holding back emotion. "It's just moving to me that you know, too. I don't get here without you. Thank you.”

After years of being overlooked for WWE’s greatest honor, this “Second City Saint” finally took control of the marquee, alongside Roman Reigns and Seth Rollins, in a historic triple threat that also featured Hall of Famer Paul Heyman, who accompanied Punk to ringside.

Originally, Punk was even slated to win the contest. One early version featured Heyman turning on him mid-match, only for Punk to fight through the betrayal and still emerge victorious. Instead, plans changed when a surprise finish was pitched and ultimately approved that saw Heyman betray both Punk and Reigns, aligning with Rollins in a stunning double-cross destined to steal the show. 

Punk didn't seem bitter at Rollins going over, either. "WWE: Unreal" showcased a Punk that wasn’t fixated on a specific outcome, yet only on the gravity and delivery of such a massive milestone in his legacy. 

"It's everything I wanted since I wore Doc Martens in the ring because I couldn't afford wrestling boots,” Punk said after the match. “It's everything I wanted since I was a little kid. That's all I ever wanted to do. I just did it. I f—ing did it.”

So, while Punk didn’t win, "WWE: Unreal" confirms he was central to everything — the Royal Rumble match Jey Uso took was originally his; the Elimination Chamber finish that crowned Cena was one he helped pitch, and the WrestleMania 41 Night One main event, although taken in a different direction, was first shaped around clobberin’ time. 

He made it to the main event at last, but Punk’s final chapter may still be waiting under the lights of night two some day. 

When Hustle, Loyalty, And Respect Take a Dark Turn

One of the most compelling revelations in "WWE: Unreal" was the creative path that led to John Cena’s once-unimaginable heel turn. Confident his legacy could withstand the risk, Cena entered the final stretch of his career welcoming change. 

The idea started to gain more traction as creative minds struggled with the original direction. A straightforward babyface v. babyface power struggle between Cena and Cody Rhodes felt somewhat uninspired, so Brian Gewirtz, a former WWE creative team member and now SVP of Development for The Rock, pitched a more dynamic story: Rhodes would reject a mob-boss style offer from Rock at Elimination Chamber, prompting “The Final Boss” to retaliate by booking a surprise title defense against Kevin Owens, costing Rhodes the championship.

Owens was never exactly projected as the endgame, but a consensus this pitch did solidify was that the Elimination Chamber event needed an earth-shattering jolt, to both increase interest and effectively move the story forward.

What they settled on certainly took shape over time, but it ultimately culminated during a pivotal Zoom call between WWE writer Ed Koskey, Prichard, and Levesque. As they traded “what if” scenarios, Koskey suggested that Rhodes accept Rock’s offer and then blindside him. Prichard then built on the thought with a much bigger swing — what if, just what if, Cena used the moment to turn heel? Nothing could open a clearer path to fresh intrigue on Cena’s farewell tour than tearing away decades of hustle, loyalty, and respect, right? 

Now, they just had to bring the rest of the team along for this dramatic new chapter. From that point forward, communication was mostly limited to six key figures: WWE President Nick Khan, Paul Levesque, The Rock, Cody Rhodes, John Cena, and multi-platinum artist Travis Scott, who had become creatively involved in the road to WrestleMania. Everyone was aligned on this being the right move, and everyone had to keep it quiet. 

The plan was so secretive, even the production crew wasn’t clued in. As seen in "WWE: Unreal,” Levesque had to walk the production truck through the entire live segment following Cena's win at Elimination Chamber.

Levesque and Rock were also shown discussing how to frame Cena’s heel turn, with Rock positioning it as a cold business move rather than a moral shift. 

“I think the whole time, it’s business with me and John,” Rock said. “I don’t think it has to do with souls, his soul. It’s just business. I also think what that does is it puts us in a position where then it all becomes unpredictable.”

The turn itself landed like a lightning strike. Cena, after some foreshadowing of internal conflict, finally snapped and aligned with Rock, disgracing Rhodes in front of an utterly stunned crowd. It was an unexpected payoff decades in the making, executed with precision, and instantly became iconic.

Asked about the moment during the documentary, Cena kept things brief. 

“As far as the heel turn goes, I appreciate the question,” Cena told the Netflix crew. “But anything in the realm of what we do, I don’t like to spoil it.” 

Beyond the shock value of Cena’s heel turn, many fans soured once WrestleMania 41 arrived. The expectation was that Rock, a catalyst to this storyline’s rise, would be part of its resolution. Instead, “The Great One” was absent from the final chapter, leaving Travis Scott to interfere alone during the main event and help Cena secure a tainted, record-breaking 17th world championship reign. While visually jarring, the Rhodes v. Cena finish remains an unavoidable plot hole for the entire WWE universe. 

Levesque later addressed the polarizing reaction, attempting to put Cena's role as a heel and the subsequent backlash into a broader perspective.

“It accomplished everything we wanted to accomplish,” Levesque said. “Was it [Reigns v. Rollins v. Punk]? No, it was never going to be. Was it the match that the women had in the triple threat, [Sky v. Belair v. Ripley]? No, it was never going to be. It was what it needed to be to get you to the other side of this story."

Should You Watch WWE: Unreal?

Why wouldn't you? "WWE: Unreal" reframes the lens on pro wrestling. It peels back the intricate layers of this art, exposing the chaos of gorilla position, the weight of last-minute creative moves, and the emotion driving every storyline.

It also adds an incredible level of depth to its stars. Chelsea Green, among others, is shown not just performing but pushing through peaks and valleys of the system. Rhea Ripley’s journey stands out as well, as the series captures her overcoming anxiety, injuries, and delivering in pivotal moments, including WrestleMania, proving why she’s a generational talent.

By focusing on the people behind the personas, this documentary helps deepen our understanding of wrestling as a complex art form driven by passion and perseverance. "WWE: Unreal" challenges viewers to reconsider what success and authenticity mean in a world built on attention and performance, which should be celebrated much more than criticized.