WrestleMania 38 Sunday Report: Reigns pins Lesnar, Vince McMahon wrestles, Steve Austin appears

April 3, 2022 John Siino NEWS, RECOMMENDED, Show Reports
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WWE WrestleMania 38 Sunday

April 3rd, 2022

By: John Siino

AT&T Stadium in Arlington, TX

Commentary: Jimmy Smith, Corey Graves & Byron Saxton

WrestleMania Kickoff

Tonight’s panel consists of Kayla Braxton, Jerry Lawler, Booker T, Kevin Patrick & Peter Rosenberg

We have a feature on Roman Reigns followed by a clip of The Undertaker talking about tonight’s match between Brock Lesnar and Roman Reigns. They put Taker on the spot for a pick, and he says Reigns will retain.

Megan Morant got a word with Paul Heyman backstage talking about tonight’s main event and mentions how we are looking at the end of the career of Brock Lesnar.

Leonard Floyd of the Los Angeles Rams joined the panel and teased giving Rosenberg a Tombstone Piledriver as Booker T asked Floyd if he had any aspirations of being a wrestler before plugging Reality of Wrestling. Floyd picked Lesnar to win tonight.

We see a video on Pat McAfee talking about being a lifelong fan of WWE and ever since he retired he started training to become a professional wrestler, as we see some footage from 2017 of him in the ring. Maria Menounos was backstage with Austin Theory who says Vince McMahon has full confidence in him and calls his opponent ‘Fat McAfee’ and he will take the greatest selfie ever tonight after he wins.

Micah Parsons and Ezekiel Elliott of the Dallas Cowboys join the panel and talk about getting in the ring one day and talk about some of the matches for tonight and both pick Lesnar to win tonight.

George Kittle of the San Francisco 49ers joined the panel to talk about his favorite moments on WrestleMania Saturday.

WrestleMania 38 Sunday Begins

Jessie James Decker comes out to sing ‘America the Beautiful’. We get another opening video with Mark Wahlberg welcoming us back to WrestleMania.

Triple H is at WrestleMania

Triple H comes out to start the show to a huge reaction doing his classic entrance. He embraces his daughters at ringside, as well as Gable Steveson (who was with his brother, NXT superstar Damon Kemp). The crowd gives him a ‘Thank you Hunter’ chant. Hunter says he just came out here to say thank you and welcomes us to WrestleMania as the pyro goes off. We see he left his boots in the middle of the ring.

Gable Steveson gets announced, as they show him ringside.

WWE Raw Tag Team Championship: RK-Bro (Randy Orton & Riddle) (c) vs. The Street Profits (Montez Ford & Angelo Dawkins) vs. Alpha Academy (Chad Gable & Otis)

Riddle, Ford, and Gable start the match with Gable trying to ‘shoosh’ them and getting a chop and a kick to his head for his troubles. Ford takes Riddle down with a clothesline before getting hit with a German Suplex from Gable for a two count. Orton, Dawkins, and Otis all come in and knock each other to the outside with only Otis standing tall. All six men start brawling in and out of the ring. Ford leaps over the corner and dives onto everybody on the floor, followed by Gable hitting a moonsault on them all. Otis and Gable take Riddle down with a German suplex/clothesline combo before they pose to a sea of boos. Otis stays in control hitting a big splash. Ford and Gable go at it, with Gable hitting him with a monkey flip with Ford landing on his face, for a two count. Ford tags Dawkins who takes out Gable and Riddle with suplexes, but Otis breaks up the pin. Riddle hits the ‘Bro to Sleep’ before making the hot tag to Orton who gets a humongous reaction as he takes out Ford. Ford and Orton start brawling on the outside where Orton back body drops him on the commentary table, before doing the same to Gable. Riddle and Orton hit double draping DDTs to the Street Profits as the crowd goes wild. RK-Bro teases a double RKO, but the Alpha Academy breaks it up. Otis places Ford on his shoulders, as Gable hits him with a bulldog off the top rope for a two count. Otis goes for the Vader Bomb but gets sent to the outside. Dawkins places Gable on his shoulders, as Ford hits a Blockbuster off the top rope for a two count. Orton goes for the RKO on Dawkins, but he blocks it and dives to the outside. As Ford is on the top rope, Riddle springboards off the ropes and hits him with the RKO. Gable jumps off the top rope and Orton hits him with the RKO for the pin and the win.

Winners: RK-Bro (Randy Orton & Riddle) by pinfall at 11:33, to retain

The Street Profits get in the ring after and hand RK-Bro red cups as they go to toast. Before they do though, they invite Gable Steveson into the ring to join them. Before they can drink though, Chad Gable smacks Steveson’s cup out of his hand. Steveson takes his shirt off and grabs Chad’s mic out of his hand. Chad tells Steveson to ‘shoosh’, but Steveson gives him an overhead suplex. Steveson goes outside and has the drink with RK-Bro and the Street Profits.

Omos vs. Bobby Lashley

No MVP out with Lashley, as he comes out to a great reaction. Right away Omos goes after Lashley clubbing him with hard forearms to the back. Lashley ducks and tries a suplex, but gets stopped and hits with an uppercut and puts on a claw that Lashley fights out of. Omos clubs Lashley down with a hard shot, but Lashley gets right back up and smacks him. Omos comes back with a boot and keeps Lashley in the corner. Lashley dodges a running Omos and tries to put on the Hurt Lock, but Omos breaks out of it and knocks Lashley to the outside. Lashley gets on the apron and hits Omos silly, jumping off the top rope but gets caught, picked up by Omos, and slammed down face first. Lashley runs the ropes, but Omos catches him for a bear hug before driving him into the corner. Lashley fights out of another bear hug and hits a suplex on Omos as the crowd gets behind him. Lashley hits Omos with a spear to his back, followed by a traditional spear for the pin.

Winner: Bobby Lashley by pinfall at 6:34

Anything Goes Match: Sami Zayn vs. Johnny Knoxville

Knoxville comes out to a good reaction and is announced as ‘two cheeseburgers away from 175 pounds’, as we see the cast of Jackass Forever sitting ringside. Zayn hits a Helluva Kick right away, sending Knoxville to the outside. Zayn gets in the face of Jasper Dolphin from Jackass and pushes him, with his father Compston ‘Darkshark’ Wilson having to be held back, as Knoxville uses a fire extinguisher on Zayn. They grab a stop sign and a trash can full of weapons from under the ring. Zayn hits Knoxville with a crutch before smashing a trash can into him for a two-count. Zayn goes to grab a table from under the ring but gets his hand caught in a mousetrap. He pulls the table out and sees it’s covered in mouse traps as he sets it up. As Zayn gets back in the ring, Knoxville smashes two trash can lids on Zayn’s head followed by the stop sign. Knoxville sets the table in the corner, but Zayn reverses him and hits him with an exploder suplex through the table for a two count. Zayn goes for another Helluva Kick, but Knoxville stops him by blowing an Air Horn. Yeah, you heard that right. Chris Pontius from Jackass in his Party Boy get-up gets in the ring and starts dancing before stripping down to his underwear and starts dancing on Zayn. Zayn knocks Pontius to the outside, as Knoxville hits a roll-up for a two. Zayn goes to the outside and kicks Pontius under the ring. As Zayn looks under there, Jason Acuna a/k/a Wee Man shows up for a huge reaction.

Acuna gets in the ring and body slams Zayn to a big pop. Knoxville hits Zayn with a tornado DDT and gets a two-count. Knoxville and Acuna bring some contraption into the ring, but Zayn knocks Acuna out with the Helluva Kick to a shower of boos. Zayn heads to the top rope, but Knoxville presses a button and the pyro goes off on the turnbuckle knocking Zayn down. Knoxville grabs a bowling ball and bowls it to the balls of Zayn. Knoxville pushes the contraption button which has a fake leg on it that kicks Zayn down low. Knoxville grabs a taser but Zayn escapes to the outside. Zayn escapes to the outside but ends up running into a giant hand that smacks him down. Back inside, Zayn hits a suplex but hesitates to go to the top rope, but he does anyway. Knoxville uses tongs down low on Zayn and knocks him into the mouse trap-covered table on the outside. The rest of the Jackass crew grab a giant mousetrap from under the ring and toss Zayn back inside. Knoxville hits Zayn with the taser and releases the mousetrap as it crushes Zayn and traps him, with Knoxville getting the cover and the win.

Winner: Johnny Knoxville by pinfall at 14:26

WWE Women’s Tag Team Championship Fatal Four-Way Match: Queen Zelina & Carmella (c) vs. Naomi & Sasha Banks vs. Liv Morgan & Rhea Ripley vs. Natalya & Shayna Bazler

Sasha Banks and Naomi come out with Sasha driving a lime green Lamborghini. Morgan and Ripley come out in leather outfits looking like Batwoman and Catwoman. Carmella puts on her mask as Corey on commentary wishes her good luck. Carmella tags in and starts the match with Ripley but tags right out to Sasha. Sasha takes Ripley, Carmella, and Zelina out on the outside before she and Morgan go at it in the ring with Sasha rolling her up for a two. Natalya blind tags her way in as she and Shayna double team Morgan. Shayna works on her leg and ankle of Morgan as she screams in pain. Carmella tags in and yells at Shayna to get out of the ring before she attacks Morgan and tags Zelina in. Ripley catches Carmella on the top rope, but Carmella hits her with a hurricanrana followed by a moonsault on the outside by Zelina on Ripley. We get a double Tower of Doom spot by both Morgan and Ripley as all eight women are laid out in the ring. Morgan and Ripley hit a Riptide/backbreaker on Naomi, but the pin attempt gets broken up. Shayna and Natalya go for the Hart Attack, but Carmella breaks it up. Zelina and Carmella double team on Naomi but she keeps kicking out. Sasha tags in and hits the frog splash on Carmella, but she kicks out. She puts on the Bank Statement but Zelina pulls Carmella out of the ring. Sasha takes out Zelina with a Meteora off the apron, before they head back inside. Naomi and Sasha hit a double-team Code Breaker as Sasha gets the pin on Carmella.

Winners: Naomi & Sasha Banks by pinfall at 10:49, to become NEW WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions

 

AJ Styles vs. Edge

Edge comes out wearing all black on a throne with fire around him in his entrance, real Ministry of Darkness vibes, before revealing his tights are black and purple. They start the match slowly, circling each other before they go and lock up. Styles takes Edge down to the ropes with a dropkick. The crowd seems divided, cheering for both men. Edge goes for the spear early, but Styles is able to dodge it. Styles knocks Edge off the apron and hits him with a knee to the face. Styles goes for the springboard 450 in the ring, but Edge puts his knees up. Edge stays in control and soaks up all the boos. They go back and forth until Edge is able to hold Styles in the middle of the ring with a stretch. Edge hits a shoulder breaker on Styles, as Edge shows pain in his knee. Styles knocks Edge down with a right punch and commentary states it looks like Styles popped his shoulder back in. Styles runs towards Edge, but Edge moves, and Styles viciously goes crashing into the turnbuckle at a high speed. Edge goes for the suplex, but Styles reverses it and Edge goes crashing into the turnbuckle. Styles mounts Edge and hits him with a flurry of punches. Edge comes back and hits an arm breaker on Styles and continues to work on the shoulder of Styles by pulling his arms back. Styles misses the Pele Kick and goes for the Styles Clash, but Edge reverses into an STF, but Styles gets his foot on the rope. Styles comes back and hits a DDT off of the ropes. Styles gets to the top rope, but Edge stops him. Styles is able to grab Edge and put him in the Torture Rack before slamming him down with a Rack Bomb for a two-count. Styles picks Edge back up, but he gets out and hits a DDT for a two. Styles comes back and hits a suplex as both men are laid out on the mat. They start punching each other while on their knees as the crowd gives a ‘yay/boo’ spot, before taking it to their feet. Styles stops it by hitting a Pele Kick into the Calf Crusher, but Edge counters it into the LeBell Lock, but Styles gets out. Edge hits the Edge-O-Matic, followed by a sit-out powerbomb bouncing Styles off the ropes for a two. They head to the top rope as Styles suplexes Edge onto the ring apron. Back inside, Styles hits the springboard 450 but Edge is able to kick out. Styles goes for the Phenomenal Forearm, but Edge dodges it and goes for the Spear, which Styles dodges and hits the Styles Clash for a two. Great quick sequence. As Styles gets on the apron, Damian Priest shows up and distracts Styles who gets speared in mid-air by Edge for the pin.

Winner: Edge by pinfall at 24:26

Damian Priest joins Edge in the ring after as they both laugh and stand tall together.

Mike Rome announces tonight’s attendance as 78,453.

The New Day (Kofi Kingston & Xavier Woods) vs. Sheamus & Ridge Holland (w/ Butch)

Kingston and Woods come out in Big E-inspired gear. Tremendous. Sheamus and Ridge attack New Day before the bell rings and rip off their jackets. All four men start brawling, as Kofi hits Trouble in Paradise right away to Ridge, but Sheamus pulls him off on the pin attempt. Butch gets involved, but Sheamus keeps holding him back so they don’t get disqualified. Woods hits Ridge with a running flatiner, and knocks Sheamus to the outside where he hits Kofi with a Brogue Kick. As Butch distracts the referee, Sheamus hits Woods with the Brogue Kick as Ridge hits the Northern Grit and gets the pin on Woods.

Winners: Sheamus & Ridge Holland by pinfall at 1:44

Butch goes to attack Woods after but gets held back by Sheamus and Holland.

We get another spot for the WWE Hall of Fame Class of 2022 as this time The Undertaker is the only one who comes out and gets a standing ovation.

We see Jefferson White ringside from the tv show ‘Yellowstone’ that’s on Peacock.

Pat McAfee vs. Austin Theory

We see an outstanding video package before the match, showing McAfee’s journey to be at WrestleMania. Vince McMahon comes out first and introduces Austin Theory as a ‘future WWE Universal Champion’. Theory’s entrance shows all the different selfies he’s taken as he takes another one with Vince in the ring. McAfee comes out to The White Stripes ‘Seven Nation Army’ with the Dallas Cowboys cheerleaders as he punts a football into the crowd. McAfee goes after Theory right away knocking him down with punches, but Theory comes back with a throat punch. McAfee comes back with a back elbow and hits a hurricanrana for a two-count. Theory takes control as he looks over to Vince McMahon ringside who nods in approval. The crowd gets fully behind McAfee as they chant along to ‘Seven Nation Army’. Theory hits a suplex and then starts playing with the crowd and McAfee as the crowd chants ‘you suck’ at him. McAfee reverses and hits a suplex on Theory as Michael Cole gets on his feet to cheer on McAfee, a nice touch. McAfee knocks Theory off the apron and he goes crashing into the announcer’s table. McAfee puts a headset on and starts commentating his own match while attacking Theory against the table. They cut to Vince who doesn’t look happy at all. McAfee gets on the top rope and goes for a Swanton, but Theory moves out of the way. Theory hits a back body drop and gets a two count. Theory goes to the top rope but McAfee stops him and goes for a superplex, but gets stopped as McAfee moonsaults off, jumps right back up and hits the superplex for a two count. McAfee goes for the punt, but Theory dodges it and takes McAfee down by the knees. Theory mounts McAfee with punches and calls him a ‘nothing’, puts him on his shoulders for the A-Town Down, but McAfee reverses and rolls him up for the pin.

Winner: Pat McAfee by pinfall at 9:37

Vince goes to console Theory on the outside, as McAfee starts talking trash to Vince. Vince takes off his jacket and tie, as Cole is yelling at McAfee to leave. McAfee keeps telling Vince to get into the ring, as Vince rips off his shirt and gets in the ring as a referee is in between them. As they are about to go at it, Theory attacks McAfee from behind. Vince tells the referee to ring the bell as we now have a match.

Vince McMahon vs. Pat McAfee

Vince goes right after McAfee takes him down as the crowd chants ‘you still got it’. Vince stays in control as McAfee gets up and the crowd starts chanting his theme song again. Vince starts begging him off, as Theory trips McAfee and drags him by the legs into the ring post. Vince starts gently kicking McAfee while he’s down. Theory gets on the apron and gives Vince a Dallas Cowboys football which Vince teases punting into the crowd before punting it into McAfee’s face for the pin.

Winner: Vince McMahon by pinfall at 3:45

Vince asks for his music to get cut off right away as he tells Theory to celebrate in all four corners. As Theory and Vince start celebrating, ‘Stone Cold’ Steve Austin’s music hits. Austin takes Theory out with the Stone Cold Stunner before getting in Vince’s face. Austin grabs a couple of Broken Skull American Lager and toasts and drinks with Vince, before giving him a Stone Cold Stunner and kicking him out of the ring. Austin invites McAfee back to the ring and shares some beer with him before giving him a Stunner.

WWE Championship / WWE Universal Championship Unification Match: Brock Lesnar (c) vs. Roman Reigns (c) (w/ Paul Heyman)

Heyman introduces Reigns as the Usos are in the ring for it, but Lesnar takes the mic and introduces himself as the ‘Country Ass Kickin’ like his new shirt states. Lesnar goes right after Reigns, and drives him into the corners. Lesnar goes for ‘Suplex City’ but ends up hitting three belly-to-belly suplexes instead before clotheslining him over the top rope. Heyman is trying to talk to Lesnar and tells him that he loves him, but this distracts Lesnar, as Reigns spears him through the barricade. Lesnar barely gets back in the ring at 9, and is met with a spear from Reigns for a two count. Reigns sets up for the Superman Punch and hits it and starts yelling at the crowd to ‘acknowledge him’. Reigns goes and hits a second one. Lesnar gets up while laughing and dodges Reigns third Superman Punch and starts going to Suplex City hitting five suplexes. Lesnar goes for the F5, but Reigns gets out and hits another Superman Punch. Reigns goes for another spear, but Lesnar catches him and hits the F5 for a two count. Lesnar goes for another F5, but Reigns rakes his eyes and spears Lesnar into the referee who got squished in the corner. Reigns hits Lesnar with a low blow and hits Lesnar over the head with the Universal Title as the referee comes to and counts to two. Reigns hits another spear to the back of Lesnar, but Lesnar grabs the bottom rope during the pin. Reigns goes for another spear, but Lesnar catches him and puts him in the Kimura Lock. Heyman helps and pushes the rope towards Reigns who grabs it to break up the submission hold. As Heyman is screaming at Reigns to get up, Reigns is trying to tell him that his shoulder is out. Lesnar goes for the F5, but Reigns gets out and hits a spear for the pin and the win.

Winner: Roman Reigns by pinfall at 12:17, to become the Undisputed WWE Universal Champion

About John Siino 368 Articles
New York native and reporter at POST Wrestling. He is also Associate Producer at POISONRANA, co-host of 'Collision Course' and the host of the 'Shot in the Dark' podcast.
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