Results
- LA Knight, Jey Uso & Jimmy Uso def. Austin Theory, Logan Paul & IShowSpeed (7:06)
- Jacob Fatu def. Drew McIntyre (Unsanctioned Match) (14:09)
- Paige & Brie Bella def. Lash Legend & Nia Jax, Bayley & Lyra Valkyria, Alexa Bliss & Charlotte Flair (WWE Women’s Tag Team Championships) (Four-Way Tag Match) (8:33)
- Becky Lynch def. AJ Lee (WWE Women’s Intercontinental Championship) (8:16)
- Gunther def. Seth Rollins (15:48) (Recommended)
- Liv Morgan def. Stephanie Vaquer (WWE Women’s World Championship) (6:51)
- Cody Rhodes def. Randy Orton (Undisputed WWE Championship) (22:41)
Cody Rhodes is still the Undisputed WWE Champion.
Rhodes took down fellow veteran Randy Orton in the main event of WWE Wrestlemania 42 Night 1, winning a 22-minute showdown for the world title.
Action got going before the bell officially sounded, as Orton ally Pat McAfee tried to get the jump on Rhodes. It was eventually Rhodes who laid out McAfee, allowing for recording artist Jelly Roll to put him through a table with an elbow drop. McAfee was stretchered away from the ring after this spot, and it seemed likely that he wouldn’t return.
The lengthy main event worked at a slow, methodical pace for the majority of the time. Orton fought from behind early in the contest, heavily selling damage to his back. He started to sport cosmetic damage at the 12-minute mark as well, with a cut opening on his head.
Orton clawed back into the fight, securing an RKO at the 18th minute for a near fall.
An eye poke to Orton late in the contest caused him to accidentally catch the referee with an RKO intended for Rhodes. This moment caused McAfee to return, this time in a referee shirt and neck brace, to try and finish the match.
A pin count from Orton officiated by McAfee rendered just a two. This enraged Orton, who gave McAfee an RKO immediately after. Orton, distracted by his interaction with McAfee, got caught by a Cross-Rhodes from the champ just moments later, putting an end to the match.
Rhodes’ celebration was short-lived, as Orton attacked him after the bell and brought back his famous punt to the head. The show went off air as Orton stood over Rhodes while holding the Undisputed WWE Championship.
Orton earned a shot at Rhodes after winning this year’s men’s Elimination Chamber bout. He turned heel in the build to the Mania title match, viciously laying out Rhodes and Matt Cardona on recent episodes of Smackdown. Despite this, he was heavily favored by live crowds on the lead-up episodes to Mania.
The rivalry between Orton and Rhodes became arguably one of the more polarizing parts of Wrestlemania this year after commentator and sports pundit McAfee was introduced to the storyline. It was revealed in recent weeks that McAfee was in Orton’s corner, and was hoping to support “The Viper” as he saved this year’s card.
Saturday was Rhodes’ first time defending his title since ending Drew McIntyre’s reign on a March episode of Smackdown. Orton was hoping to begin his first singles title run in over five years, trying to begin his 15th reign with a world title.
Earlier in the night: Liv Morgan regains world title, Paige & Bron Breakker return
Liv Morgan’s win in the co-main event was the shortest match of the night, dethroning Stephanie Vaquer in just under seven minutes to reclaim the WWE Women’s World Championship. Morgan was heavily aided by Judgment Day allies Roxanne Perez and Raquel Rodriguez, who helped distract Vaquer, causing her over 200-day run with the title to end.
Bron Breakker made his return to cost Seth Rollins his match against Gunther, charging down to ringside and spearing his former Vision teammate late in the bout. The interference allowed Gunther to put Rollins out with his sleeper hold, earning him his first Wrestlemania win since 2023.
Becky Lynch regained the WWE Women’s Intercontinental Championship against AJ Lee, using an exposed turnbuckle to help her score the pinfall victory in eight minutes. The result avenged a loss Lynch took against Lee at Elimination Chamber back in February. The bout was Lee’s first Wrestlemania in 11 years.
In the first major reveal of the weekend, two-time Divas Champion Paige returned to the WWE ring for the first time in nearly a decade, appearing as the surprise tag partner for Brie Bella in a four-way for the WWE Women’s Tag Team Championships.
Nikki Bella announced just before the match that an ankle injury she has been rehabbing in recent weeks forced her off the card, causing her to seek out a replacement. Taking her place was Paige, who hit the ring and prevailed in her first match since late 2024, when she wrapped up her run as an AEW talent.
The result ended the 51-day run for Lash Legend and Nia Jax, who captured the tag belts on a February episode of Smackdown by taking down Rhea Ripley and IYO SKY.
The first hour of Wrestlemania Night 1, which aired on ESPN2, wrapped up with an “Unsanctioned” match that saw Jacob Fatu take down Drew McIntyre. After utilizing chairs, an iPhone, and a toolbox, Fatu finally got the pinfall victory after scoring a top-rope moonsault through a table.
The opening match saw influencer iShowSpeed lose in his in-ring return, falling to LA Knight and The Usos alongside The Vision’s Austin Theory and Logan Paul. IShowSpeed, who was goaded into this match despite not wanting to feud with professional wrestlers, was attacked by Paul during the post-match, who was frustrated that he caused their team to lose. The babyface team of Paul and The Usos saved Speed, then convinced him to put Paul through the commentary table with a top-rope frogsplash to the outside.
The biggest non-wrestling headline came from a surprise appearance from Bianca Belair, who announced her pregnancy. Belair has been off WWE TV for months due to a finger injury she sustained at last year’s Mania card.
