Date: April 18, 2026
Location: Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, NV
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Show Recap —
NIGHT ONE – COUNTDOWN SHOW
The pre-show is three hours on both nights. Stay tuned for updates, but due to the length, I’ll keep it to the most noteworthy stuff.
Joe Tessitore welcomed us to Las Vegas. Wrestlers were shown arriving, and the very first talent mentioned by Tessitore, appropriately, was “One of the biggest social media influencers, IShowSpeed.”
There was a big WrestleMania video package where talent spoke about their favourite moments.
I think Tessitore casually mentioned that Bret Hart would be interviewed. I’ll update if that happens. (Update: he likely meant Shawn Michaels, who joined the panel later.)
AJ Lee told Jackie Redmond that tonight meant everything. Beating Becky Lynch (again) was her Mount Everest, and she planned on walking out as champion again.
There was a video of all the promotional media on ESPN and other networks over the past few weeks.
Sol Ruca spoke to Vic Joseph about Tuesday’s NXT and her goal to be on WrestleMania as early as next year.
Stephanie Vaquer told Redmond that she worked her whole life to get to WrestleMania as world champion, but sadly for Liv Morgan, it was all about the fame. Vaquer planned on beating her tonight.
There was a video package all about past WrestleMania stages, which included a line about it involving “artistic genius,” which is funny given how plain this year’s set is. Redmond and Peter Rosenberg made sure to remind us that they only had five days to build the stage, thanks to a Bruno Mars concert.
There was a long video package outlining the history of Hulk Hogan and WrestleMania, written and narrated by Michael Cole, who noted this would be the first Mania without Hogan. (They showed this when fans had yet to fill the arena.)
Drew McIntyre cut a promo on Jacob Fatu. McIntyre said he was in university studying criminology while Fatu was in jail. He learned that criminals eventually reoffend. Fatu stole his title and his Mania main event. McIntyre would take out Fatu for the benefit of the roster, the fans, and Fatu’s wife and children, because he would eventually reoffend and end up back in the joint. McIntyre wasn’t the hero people wanted, he was the hero they needed.
There was a video package for the Bret Hart-Shawn Michaels Ironman match before Michaels joined the panel. (Hart was among those interviewed for the feature.) Michaels was proud of the risk they took with the match, and he wouldn’t have wanted to be in the ring with anyone other than Hart that night.
Michaels also talked about how proud he was of the new NXT stars we’re seeing compete at Mania this weekend, including Trick Williams, Je’Von Evans, and Oba Femi, but gave a special shout-out to Lash Legend.
There was a top ten countdown of celebrity moments at WrestleMania.
Cathy Kelley interviewed IShowSpeed. He seemed genuinely excited and nervous to be competing at WrestleMania.
Miz cut a promo backstage but was cut off by Danhausen, who was seemingly flying above the stadium in the Goodyear blimp. He cursed the Miz, who had no idea any of this was happening.
Less than two hours into the three-hour pre-show, they replayed a Mania video package and a video of wrestlers arriving that they had already shown earlier.
AJ Styles joined the panel. He looked forward to scouting the independent scene for diamonds. He didn’t know what to make of Pat McAfee’s involvement with Randy Orton. He figured Orton could just be using McAfee and would give him an RKO when he was done with him.
There were separate sit-down interviews with Roman Reigns and Cody Rhodes.
Sit-down interview with Paul Levesque
Tessitore sat down with Triple H for an interview. Tessitore started with a ridiculous claim that many pro athletes couldn’t make the transition to a management job the way Levesque had. (I know some athletes don’t do well in those roles, but sports front offices are filled with former players.)
That was followed by Levesque talking about Vince McMahon getting him involved on the production side of things early on, and they even showed clips of McMahon and Levesque together.
(He also talked about Mania and what fans should expect.)
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I think Redmond said the ramp to the ring is 75 yards long.
Tessitore really wants people to know that IShowSpeed will be wrestling on ESPN 2.
The Las Vegas Mass Choir sang God Bless America.
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WRESTLEMANIA 42 NIGHT ONE RESULTS
Lin-Manuel Miranda narrated the WrestleMania 42 intro video.
John Cena kicks off WrestleMania 42
Cena entered wearing a three-piece suit and told the cameraperson that he was not going to run to the ring like he used to. He walked down the long ramp, but did wind up jogging down the final few steps, probably because he realized how long it was taking.
Cena entered the ring to a nice ovation, and he thanked the crowd. He said the road to WrestleMania has been chaotic and unpredictable, and people from all sides have been vocal. It’s been polarizing, which probably explains why he got the hosting gig (because of his historically polarizing crowd reactions).
But the show was on, and it was time for people to step up and deliver. Welcome to WrestleMania. Fireworks went off, and the Usos’ music hit.
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Wade Barrett congratulated Michael Cole on calling his 25th WrestleMania. Cole was quick to say he was only able to do so thanks to the performers in the ring.
Six-man tag team match: LA Knight, Jimmy Uso & Jey Uso vs. IShowSpeed & World Tag Team Champions Logan Paul & Austin Theory
The Usos immediately dropped Logan Paul and Austin Theory with superkicks as the bell rang, leaving IShowSpeed alone to start against LA Knight.
Speed applied a side headlock, but Knight easily hoisted him up high off his feet. Speed tried coming off the top rope moments later, but Knight dropped him with a clothesline. Speed managed to give Knight a body slam and celebrated upon doing so, but Knight immediately got up. Speed bailed from the ring while tagging in Paul.
The babyfaces worked over Paul until Theory made a blind tag (even though he let go of the tag rope) and dropped an unsuspecting Jimmy Uso with a dropkick.
The heels worked over Jimmy briefly until he made a hot tag to Jey Uso, who speared Theory for a two count after Paul broke up the cover. The teams traded moves until Speed used a head scissors takedown to knock Jimmy out of the ring.
Speed blocked a Knight BFT and shoved him into Paul, knocking Paul off the apron. Theory was pissed and demanded that Speed help him with the next spot, but Knight shoved Theory into Speed. Knight gave Theory a BFT for the pinfall win.
— Paul got in Speed’s face for costing him a Mania moment. Paul clocked Speed with a right hand. Paul put Speed on the announce table and went to the top, but the Usos brought him down and gave him a 1D.
The babyfaces encouraged Speed to do the spot instead, so Speed reluctantly got to the top rope and gave Paul an impressive-looking splash off the top through the announce table. Speed Yeeted with the babyfaces.
Match result: LA Knight & The Usos defeated Austin Theory, Logan Paul & IShowSpeed (7:06)
A very ordinary match. It barely felt like a pre-show match. The match quality doesn’t matter, though—it was all about the IShowSpeed splash for ESPN.
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George Kittle, Jahmyr Gibbs, Tyrese Haliburton, and Stephen A. Smith were shown in the crowd. Kittle downed his beer, grabbed Haliburton’s beer, and downed that, too. The crowd enjoyed that because they did not like Haliburton (who did the mock-choking gesture). Stephen A. Smith was loudly booed.
The opening match was shorter than the time that elapsed between the end of that segment and the start of this one.
Unsanctioned match: Jacob Fatu vs. Drew McIntyre
Fatu gave McIntyre a suicide dive as he entered, and the bell rang to start the match. Fatu was going to use a toolbox as a weapon (like CM Punk did to McIntyre in their feud), but McIntyre begged off, and Fatu stopped for some reason. McIntyre used the hesitation to kick his leg out of his leg.
McIntyre drove the back of Fatu’s head against the side of the ring. McIntyre’s brother was filming from the front row on his phone, so McIntyre grabbed it to film up close as he attacked Fatu, and even used the phone as a weapon. (The crowd laughed, thinking the phone belonged to a random fan.)
Fatu responded in the ring with a running hip attack and a pop-up Samoan drop. McIntyre tossed him out of the ring and hit a big Undertaker flip dive. Fatu avoided a Claymore and drove McIntyre’s head into a chair that was wedged in the corner.
Fatu followed with a Mighty Moonsault for a nearfall, and the announcers wondered if that was the first time someone had kicked out of Fatu’s moonsault.
McIntyre used a wrench as a weapon and drove the sharp edge into his forehead. McIntyre slammed Fatu onto two upright chairs for two. Fatu came back with a superkick before whipping McIntyre repeatedly with a belt. The crowd chanted for Fatu.
Fatu grabbed the toolbox but took too much time to use it, so McIntyre nailed a Claymore Kick for a nearfall.
Fatu placed McIntyre on a table and went to the top, but took too long again, so McIntyre chucked a chair at his head. McIntyre then shoved Fatu off the top, and Fatu crashed through a table that was set up outside the ring.
However, mere moments later, Fatu came right back with consecutive superkicks in the ring, and he landed the Mighty Moonsault for the pinfall win.
Match result: Jacob Fatu defeated Drew McIntyre in an unsanctioned match (14:09)
A pretty good match. Nothing too memorable, but Fatu gets a big win. A match like this should probably get more time so his win would feel bigger, but they needed to get this done in time to transition to the ESPN app for the second hour (but not before a long commercial break).
That being said, this match got about the same amount of time as Edge’s win over Mick Foley, but that match had one of the most memorable spots in show history.
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During the first two ad breaks so far (on the international Netflix feed), they showed commercials for the Hulk Hogan Netflix special. The second ad included an interview with Vince McMahon. (He wasn’t shown, at least not in this clip; it was just his voice.)
This was such a long break that it would be easy to forget that you’re watching WrestleMania.
WWE Women’s Tag Team Championship Fatal 4-Way Match: Nia Jax & Lash Legend (c) vs. Charlotte Flair & Alexa Bliss vs. Bayley & Lyra Valkyria vs. Brie Bella & Paige (w/ Nikki Bella)
The Bellas entered last instead of the champs. Nikki entered with a crutch and a walking boot. She said she tried hard to get cleared, but couldn’t do it. She didn’t want Brie to lose her Mania moment, so she called an old friend to take her place.
Paige entered. Her music hit, and she got a pretty big pop.
The crowd chanted “Yes” as Brie used Yes Kicks on Flair and Valkyria early in the match, but she was stopped from tagging in Paige. Lash brought down Bliss and Valkyria off the middle ropes with a double powerbomb before Brie hit Lash with a missile dropkick.
They were basically trading spots until that moment to set up Paige finally getting a tag. She handed out clotheslines before giving Bayley a fisherman’s suplex. Paige hit knee strikes on Lash and tried a flying crossbody on Valkyria, but Valkyria caught her and rolled through to her feet. Paige avoided a Nightwing and hit a Paige Turner, but the pin was broken up.
Everyone traded moves until the ring cleared, leaving Paige and Flair alone. They traded strikes until Flair went for a Figure Eight, but Paige countered into a small package for two. Flair responded with a Natural Selection.
Bliss went to the top, but was distracted as Nikki yanked Flair out of the ring and attacked her with the crutch.
Bliss went for Twisted Bliss, but Paige got her knees up and hit RamPaige for the pinfall win. Brie Bella and Paige are the tag team champions.
Paige was emotional and celebrated with both Bellas. Nikki held up Pagie’s arm as fireworks went off.
Match result: Paige & Brie Bella defeated Charlotte Flair & Alexa Bliss vs. Bayley & Lyra Valkyria, and Nia Jax & Lash Legend to win the Women’s Tag Team Championships (8:34)
This match was ok, and Paige looked fine. She looked a step slow in AEW, but in a match like this, that can easily be hidden.
Winning the title was a nice moment for Paige, and it plays into the story of her also winning the Divas title on her Raw debut. Helping the Bellas was a little odd, given that Paige, as a wrestler and character, felt like a precursor to the newer generation of women who came in to replace the Bellas. Cole did explain that they were friends in real-life, at least. I do hope they can find a good role for her beyond what will likely be a short title reign.
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There was another long break, including another Hogan commercial. (They’re showing enough of this thing during breaks that you can probably skip the actual documentary.)
Tony Hinchcliffe and Jeff Ross were in the crowd.
Women’s Intercontinental Championship match: AJ Lee (c) vs. Becky Lynch
The band The Wonder Years performed Becky Lynch’s theme live on the stage. AJ Lee’s entrance included about 20 little girls dressed as Lee skipping down to the ring with her (they left for the match, of course).
Early in the match, Lynch gave Lee a fallaway slam into the barricade and hit a middle rope leg drop for two, followed by an exploder for two. Lee made a quick comeback after Lynch got into a brief encounter with referee Jessika Carr, and Lee hit a missile dropkick for two.
A few more moves and counters led to Lynch countering a Black Widow by swinging Lee into the middle turnbuckle. Lynch followed with a Man-Handle Slam for two.
Lynch stomped Lee in the corner until Carr backed her off. Lynch got in Carr’s face and started poking her until she stood up for herself. Lynch shoved Carr, so Carr shoved her back. Lynch charged at Carr, but Carr stepped aside, and Lee gave Lynch a Man-handle Slam for two.
Lee tried the Black Widow, but Lynch countered it by getting to the rope and also by grabbing Lee’s hair. Barrett tried to claim it happened behind Carr’s back, but she could clearly see Lynch with a handful of hair.
Lee tried a corner charge, but Lynch pulled Carr between them to block it, and Lee stopped. The distraction allowed Lynch to drive Lee face-first into an exposed turnbuckle. Lynch followed with Man-handle Slam for the pinfall win. Lynch is the new champ.
Match result: Becky Lynch defeated AJ Lee to win the Women’s Intercontinental Championship (8:16)
Another average match that went about eight minutes. The crowd was into it, though, and they popped for the title change. Lynch worked well with Lee, but she’s long overdue to face someone closer to her level after months of matches against only Lee and Maxxine Dupri.
Lynch has not had a singles match against anyone other than Lee or Dupri since August 2025—seven months ago, when she had separate matches against Nikki Bella and Natalya.
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Chuck Zito (along with George Kittle, who chugged another beer), Terrence Crawford (who was scrolling on his phone but looked up for the camera), Funny Marco, and Conor Benn were in the crowd.
Gunther vs. Seth Rollins
Rollins wore full contacts that turned his eyes completely black for his entrance, but removed them for the match.
Before the match began, Gunther dropkicked Rollins as he entered the ring and immediately followed with a back suplex and powerbomb. Rollins fought back outside the ring by gauging Gunther in the eyes and tossing him over the announce table and into the barricade.
Cole said that if we were expecting a five-star wrestling match, we weren’t going to get it, because this would be a fight.
When the dust settled, they both entered the ring, and the match began. Rollins aggressively stomped Gunther, but Gunther fired back with a clothesline to take over. Rollins came back with a buckle bomb, but Gunther hit a German suplex. Rollins hit a German of his own, and they traded clotheslines.
Rollins tried to fire up with chops, but Gunther planted him with a powerbomb for two. Gunther countered a Pedigree by Rollins, but Rollins came back with a knee strike. Rollins followed with the Pedigree and a curb stomp for a nearfall. The crowd popped big for that.
They traded counters until Gunther applied a sleeper. Rollins fought out of it and hit consecutive discus forearms. He went for a third, but Gunther clobbered him with a clothesline.
Gunther went to the top, but Rollins met him there and hit a superplex and a falcon arrow for a nearfall. Rollins immediately applied a sleeper, and the crowd chanted for Gunther to tap, but he got a rope break.
Rollins hit consecutive suicide dives, but Gunther blocked a third and powerbombed him onto the edge of the ring. Gunther also powerbombed him onto the announce table.
They climbed on the table, and Gunther set up for another powerbomb, but Rollins hit a Pedigree. Rollins followed that with a stomp on the table.
As the referee checked on Gunther, Bron Breakker sprinted to ringside and speared Rollins right into the barricade. (I thought this would be a DQ, but the referee was really distracted, I guess.)
Gunther applied a sleeper, and Rollins passed out.
— After the match, Breakker sprinted down the 75-yard ramp and speared Rollins. (This spear could have looked better, but Breakker held up after running down with all that momentum.)
Breakker hugged Paul Heyman at the stage.
Match result: Gunther defeated Seth Rollins (15:49)
A really good match elevated by the crowd, which was really into it, and I didn’t mind the interference finish. It wasn’t a WrestleMania classic or anything, though. This is certainly something they can go back to later once Rollins is done with the Vision.
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They honoured the most recent Hall of Fame inductees. On the stage were Nick Hogan, Robin Roussimoff, and Jimmy Hart (for Hulk Hogan and Andre the Giant), Demolition, Dennis Rodman, as well as the families of Bad News Brown and Sid Vicious. AJ Styles and Stephanie McMahon received separate entrances. Stephanie came out last.
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There was yet another long clip from the Hogan documentary during a break.
Liv Morgan and Steve Austin will be playable characters in Fortnite.
Women’s World Championship match: Stephanie Vaquer (c) vs. Liv Morgan
Morgan’s entrance incorporated her new Trouble music video. She’s still sporting a knot on her forehead and two black eyes.
Vaquer was aggressive early on, but Morgan powerbombed her out of the corner for an early two count. Morgan followed with three amigos and did Eddie Guerrero’s shimmy.
She went for a frog splash, but Vaquer got her knees up and hit a back suplex. Vaquer hit Devil’s Kiss, and the fans grunted along, although it wasn’t that loud. (I was wondering why Vaquer hit this move only two minutes into the match, but we’re about to find out.)
Vaquer followed with a facebuster (to Morgan’s already messed-up face) for two. Morgan came back with a backstabber and smacked Vaquer’s head repeatedly. Morgan set up for Devil’s Kiss, but Vaquer rolled into a cradle for two, followed by a backbreaker for two. Morgan hit a Codebreaker, but Vaquer hit Oblivion for a two count.
Roxanne Perez ran down to distract the referee while Raquel Rodriguez dropped Vaquer off the top rope, and Morgan hit Oblivion for a nearfall.
Vaquer kicked Perez and Rodriguez off the apron as Cole pleaded with the referee to actually do something. Morgan tried to wipe out Vaquer, but Vaquer moved, and Morgan dove into Rodriguez. Vaquer followed with a slingshot dive to take out Perez and Rodriguez.
However, that allowed Morgan to shove Vaquer from behind into the steel steps. Morgan followed with a Codebreaker and Oblivion for the pinfall win. Morgan is the new champ.
— Dominik Mysterio slid into the ring to celebrate with Morgan. Judgment Day was celebrated together as fireworks went off.
Match result: Liv Morgan defeated Stephanie Vaquer to win the Women’s World Championship (6:52)
Six minutes and fifty-two seconds.
The action was fine, but this did not at all come across like a big world title match, and all the interference completely dragged it down. I was about to say this belonged on Raw, but that would suck, too.
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Attendance announcement and Bianca Belair announcement
John Cena announced the fake attendance number of 50,816.
This normally gets a pop, but the fans barely reacted. I mean barely. A few fans applauded before fireworks went off.
The crowd popped instead for the return of Bianca Belair.
Belair entered wearing a big, blue feathery coat. She said she missed the fans and appreciated all the love and support she’s received from them.
She had a big WrestleMania announcement. She removed her coat to reveal that she was pregnant. The crowd cheered, and Cena hugged her. Upon hearing that Belair was carrying WWE’s youngest fan, he updated the attendance to 50,817.
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Another Hogan ad. (This was a repeat.)
There was also a vodka ad with Cody Rhodes. A guy in the commercial held up a Rhodes poster that was clearly made with AI.
They plugged WrestleMania 43 in Saudi Arabia.
Undisputed WWE Championship match: Cody Rhodes (c) vs. Randy Orton (w/ Pat McAfee)
The combined entrances of Orton and McAfee lasted longer than the women’s world title match. Rhodes’ entrance alone was just 20 seconds shorter than the match.
Rhodes’ entrance included four pods on the stage that had Rhodes mannequins dressed in his old outfits (like something you’d find in a sad Batcave). He entered draped in gold attire and a gold skull mask. He greeted Brandi Rhodes and his daughter at ringside.
McAfee did Orton’s in-ring introduction instead of Alicia Taylor. She did do Rhodes’ introduction, and he was mostly booed.
Before the match could start, McAfee hit Rhodes over the head with a microphone. Orton put the boots to Rhodes, but Rhodes fought back and laid out McAfee with a Cross Rhodes.
Rhodes placed McAfee on the announce table. Jelly Roll appeared at ringside, climbed another table, and elbow-dropped McAfee through the table.
Attention remained on McAfee as they brought out a stretcher to wheel him out. The crowd was glad to see him taken out. This took a long time. McAfee raised his middle finger to the crowd as he was wheeled away.
Orton joined Rhodes in the ring, and the match finally began. Orton was briefly in control until Rhodes did the Goldust uppercut and powerslam, but Orton came back with a backbreaker.
Cole mentioned the rumours that Orton might be injured, and he sold his own back after that spot. Rhodes went after him, but Orton poked him in the eye. Rhodes managed to hit a back suplex, and Orton sold it like his back was hurt—and Rhodes noticed.
Rhodes drove Orton back-first into the corner before applying a single leg crab. Rhodes let go of the hold but kept targeting the back. Things moved along very slowly until Orton tripped Rhodes on the top rope.
Orton met him on the top turnbuckle and hit a superplex—hurting his own back in the process. Orton hit clotheslines, a powerslam, and a draping DDT. Orton continued to sell his back. Instead of dramatically dropping to the mat to set up the RKO, he went down deliberately. (I mean, he doesn’t need to drop down at all to do the move.)
Rhodes blocked the RKO setup, but Orton blocked Rhodes’ suicide dive. Orton gave Rhodes a back suplex on the other announce table as the crowd watched on silently. Rhodes drove Orton into the ring post, and there was a very light smattering of boos.
The crowd gasped upon seeing Orton’s forehead busted open. (Barrett said the ring post is made of steel, but it isn’t—it’s a video board.) Rhodes saw the blood and hammered away on Orton. Rhodes did the Garvin stomp and hit a Disaster Kick for two.
Rhodes wiped blood over the ‘Dream’ tattoo on his chest before dramatically setting up a draping DDT. Rhodes hit the move and banged the mat to set up for an RKO. Orton blocked the attempt and hit a Cross Rhodes for two.
Orton fired up as he set up for an RKO, but Rhodes turned it into a backslide for two. Rhodes popped up and hit an RKO for a nearfall. Rhodes shoved Orton into the announce table, and Cole erroneously claimed this was a new side of Rhodes we haven’t seen.
Rhodes set up Orton for a Cody Cutter, but Orton suddenly hit an RKO for a nearfall.
They traded strikes until Rhodes poked Orton in the eye (which Orton did earlier). Orton was momentarily blinded, and he accidentally gave referee Charles Robinson an RKO.
Orton went for a low blow, but Rhodes gave him one instead, and the fans booed. Rhodes went for a Cody Cutter, but Orton nailed him with an RKO.
The referee was still down, so McAfee ran down in a referee shirt (and soft neck brace) to count the fall, but Rhodes kicked out at two.
Orton gave McAfee an RKO for his efforts, but the distraction allowed Rhodes to hit Orton with Cross Rhodes for the pinfall win. Rhodes retains.
— As Rhodes posed after the match, Orton yanked his title belt away and hit him over the head with it. Orton backed up and punted Rhodes in the head.
Match result: Cody Rhodes defeated Randy Orton to retain the WWE Championship (22:40)
This thing was all over the place. They went into this match with Rhodes as the babyface and Orton as the heel. They figured Orton would be the crowd favourite regardless, so they had Rhodes take out McAfee to get him cheered. But Orton then sold his back as if he was really hurt, making him sympathetic. The finish saw Rhodes hit a low blow, maybe a heel tactic—except it was justified, so not a heel move. Orton took out McAfee like a babyface, but turned heel anyway after the match.
They completely overthought all of this, and McAfee was the wrench whose involvement was completely pointless. You could justify it all if the crowd was into it, but they weren’t. And the feud will continue.
