Retired WWE ref slams non-DQ call during pivotal Roman Reigns-CM Punk WrestleMania moment

There was a pivotal moment during the WrestleMania 42 match between Roman Reigns and CM Punk that puzzled viewers, and former referee Mike Chioda weighed in.

A fan asked Chioda on X, formerly Twitter, about the spot where Reigns hit Punk with the steel steps as he was hung upside on the ringpost. Remember, their match wasn’t no disqualification, and Reigns used a weapon against Punk. Usually, this would get you disqualified. The commentators tried to play it off like the referee was being lenient since it was the WrestleMania main event.

Yes it sure is a DQ. Don’t know why the referee didn’t protect himself while goin over it in rehearsals. https://t.co/VvaZkXiqdv

— Mike Chioda (@MjcChioda) April 21, 2026

“Yes it sure is a DQ,” Chioda declared before continuing, “Don’t know why the referee didn’t protect himself while goin over it in rehearsals. [flushed face emoji]”

The post went viral, garnering nearly one million views since he posted it. Chioda is one of the most iconic referees in WWE history, so he would know what to do better than anyone.

Chioda was one of WWE’s referees for over three decades from 1989 to 2020. After being released by WWE, Chioda joined AEW for a brief stint. He would later call Ric Flair’s last match in 2022, and he then retired afterward.

Roman Reigns and CM Punk’s WWE WrestleMania 42 match

Reigns and Punk closed out WrestleMania 42 weekend on Sunday, Apr. 19. Their near-34-minute match crowned the new World Heavyweight Champion.

Ultimately, the “Tribal Chief” reclaimed his spot atop the mountain by beating Punk. It was a back-and-forth contest, and Punk was in control late.

However, his body eventually gave out. He hit Reigns with a GTS, hitting him so hard that he fell back on his shoulders. As Punk tried to lift him up for a second one, he gassed out, and Reigns took advantage, gaining momentum and hitting a big spear for the win.

This is Reigns’ first reign with the current World Heavyweight Championship. He famously held the Undisputed WWE Championship for 1,316 days.

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