WWE WrestleMania 42 Sunday

NIGHT TWO – COUNTDOWN SHOW 

As with yesterday, the pre-show is three hours long, but stay tuned for updates until the main show begins at 6 pm ET.

The panellists spoke about last night’s WWE Championship match. Highlights were shown in black-and-white because of the blood. Corey Graves acknowledged Pat McAfee’s not-so-fast count. 

Jackie Redmond announced that Cody Rhodes is not medically cleared. He needed three sutures to the face and four staples to the back of the head. His eye is still shut after getting punted by Randy Orton, and there is no timetable yet for his return.

Joe Tessitore called last night spectacular and wildly entertaining. 

There was a graphic of wrestlers making their WrestleMania debuts this weekend, and Tessitore referred to them as the rookie class. Stephanie Vaquer was among them. 

There was a sit-down interview Booker T did with Trick Williams, Lash Legend, and Je’Von Evans. It wasn’t super enlightening, but it was a nice little feature on the NXT stars making their Mania debuts. Evans said he didn’t want to just do flips in tonight’s ladder match because he can—he wanted to win the IC title. This was followed by a quick live interview with Williams on his match tonight.

Vic Joseph interviewed Joe Hendry outside the stadium. They mentioned his debut against Randy Orton last year, but didn’t say what happened in that match. 

Some news for the show: Dominik Mysterio vs. Demon Finn Bálor is now a street fight.

Rey Mysterio told Cathy Kelley he was excited to face some of the newer faces in the IC title ladder match (aside from Rusev, whom he called one of the older faces). 

Tyrese Haliburton joined the panel for a decent amount of time. His favourite Mania moment was John Cena winning the WWE title at WM21, and he was most looking forward to Oba Femi vs. Brock Lesnar tonight. (Haliburton acknowledged he was only 5 years old when Cena won the title.) 

They counted down the top ten Mania entrances. You’ll never guess who got number one: Triple H.

They aired part two of Tessitore’s sit-down with Triple H. When asked about Cena’s retirement tour, Triple H said he was happy that Cena was happy. He went on to talk about tonight’s show. 

There was a sit-down interview with CM Punk and a feature on Oba Femi. The Femi feature was pretty good, focusing on his time growing up in Nigeria and his time in Alabama as a shotputter. 

Daniel Cormier joined the panel to discuss Lesnar and Femi. Big E said if Femi wins tonight, his next match should be for the world title. 

Peter Rosenberg showed his face and referred to Femi, Williams and Evans as rookies. 

Rey Mysterio told Cathy Kelley he was excited to face some of the newer faces in the IC title ladder match (aside from Rusev, whom he called one of the older faces). 

Tyrese Haliburton joined the panel for a decent amount of time. His favourite Mania moment was John Cena winning the WWE title at WM21, and he was most looking forward to Oba Femi vs. Brock Lesnar tonight. (Haliburton acknowledged he was only 5 years old when Cena won the title.) 

They counted down the top ten Mania entrances. You’ll never guess who got number one: Triple H.

They aired part two of Tessitore’s sit-down with Triple H. When asked about Cena’s retirement tour, Triple H said he was happy that Cena was happy. He went on to talk about tonight’s show. 

There was a sit-down interview with CM Punk and a feature on Oba Femi. The Femi feature was pretty good, focusing on his time growing up in Nigeria and his time in Alabama as a shotputter. 

Daniel Cormier joined the panel to discuss Lesnar and Femi. Big E said if Femi wins tonight, his next match should be for the world title. 

Peter Rosenberg showed his face and referred to Femi, Williams and Evans as rookies. 

Roman Reigns sat down with Michael Cole. This was the interview where Reigns said he would leave if he lost to Punk. 

Joe Jonas sang the American national anthem. 

WRESTLEMANIA 42 NIGHT TWO RESULTS

Trick Williams (with Lil Yachty), Rhea Ripley, Jade Cargill, and CM Punk were shown earlier today. There was a recap video of last night’s show with Lin-Manuel Miranda, followed by a new intro for tonight. 

John Cena kicks off WrestleMania 42 Night Two

Cena said they kicked off WrestleMania with an incredible night one, and the stage was set for a historic night two. For the first time in history, WrestleMania was live on ESPN (this was booed). That meant they had to start with something big. He said, “Welcome to WrestleMania,” the graphics from last night were updated to the blue graphics for tonight, and fireworks went off.

Oba Femi vs. Brock Lesnar (w/ Paul Heyman)

**1/4

Thumbs Up

Femi entered to a huge reaction. They did the big in-ring introductions for this match, despite no titles on the line. Heyman did Lesnar’s, while Alicia Taylor did Femi’s. 

They locked up twice to a stalemate as the match began. Lesnar decided to tackle Femi into the corner, but Femi no-sold it and shoved him down. Lesnar failed to knock down Femi with a clothesline, so Femi knocked him down with one instead. 

Lesnar spilled out of the ring as the crowd chanted for Femi. Lesnar was frustrated and paced around ringside. Femi tried to pull Lesnar into the ring, but Lesnar pulled him out instead and drove him repeatedly into the ring post and into the steel steps. 

Back in the ring, Lesnar hit three consecutive German suplexes as the crowd booed. Femi came back with running uppercuts in the corner, but Lesnar blocked the third attempt and hit an F5. 

Before Lesnar could make a cover, Femi got to his feet and hit a chokeslam. Femi followed with the Fall From Grace sit-out powerbomb for the pinfall win. The crowd loudly chanted for Femi. (Femi had a look on his face like he couldn’t believe what he just did.) 

Match result: Oba Femi defeated Brock Lesnar (4:44)

This was all this needed to be. I thought they might do a few more spots, but Femi was definitely put over strong here. He took Lesnar’s best shots, got up, and won with one finisher. 

Brock Lesnar post-match segment

Femi made his way up the ramp as replays played. He posed, and Lesnar stayed down the entire time. 

Once Femi was gone, Lesnar sat up. Lesnar removed his gloves and placed them on the mat. He began tearing up as he removed his boots. He paused as the crowd chanted, “No!” Lesnar removed his boots, and the crowd chanted, “Thank you, Brock.” 

Heyman entered the ring and hugged Lesnar. He posed for the crowd, waved goodbye, slammed his hands against the mat one final time, and left the ring. The crowd chanted “Thank you, Lesnar” as he went up the ramp with Heyman. Lesnar said “Thank you” before leaving the stage. 

I’m not going to mention it every time tonight, but they’re continuing to run the Hulk Hogan documentary commercials during each ad break again. 

Intercontinental Championship six-way ladder match: Penta (c) vs. Rey Mysterio vs. Je’Von Evans vs. Dragon Lee vs. JD McDonagh vs. Rusev 

**3/4

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Penta wore a Shao Kahn Mortal Kombat mask for his entrance (it was a paid sponsorship tie-in). Rey and Penta both wore full red gear—red mask, red sleeveless shirt, and red tights. 

McDonagh pushed over a ladder with Evans and Rey. Evans flew straight over the top and dove onto someone outside the ring. Evans recovered quickly and used a springboard to leap onto the ladder in the ring to knock off McDonagh. Later on, Rey gave Dragon Lee a 619 into a ladder. 

Evans had another flashy springboard spot before Penta suplexed him onto a ladder. (Rusev suplexed McDonagh onto a ladder earlier in the match, and McDonagh’s back bounced off the edge of the ladder.) Dragon hit Rey with a missile dropkick into a ladder. 

Rusev slammed Evans onto a ladder bridge. Penta assisted Rey into hitting a big springboard seated senton over the top rope to the outside, crashing Rusev through a ladder bridge. (Rey’s face collided with the ladder on the way down, but he was checked on by the referee, and he seemed fine.) 

Rey gave Penta a 619 and tried climbing the ladder, but Dragon got in his way and eventually gave him a Styles Clash. Dragon climbed the ladder, but McDonagh met him there and hit a Spanish Fly off the ladder. 

A battle on the ladder led to Penta hitting McDonagh with a Canadian Destroyer onto a ladder bridge, which looked incredible. 

The ring was clear, so Evans climbed the ladder and grabbed the belt harness, but Rusev yanked the ladder away, and Evans fell down. Rusev chucked him out of the ring. 

Rusev climbed the ladder, but Evans reemerged and brought Rusev down off the middle of the ladder with an impressive-looking OG Cutter. (Rusev had to lean forward to make sure Evans caught him. Rusev sold it as well as he could have.) 

As Evans struggled to his feet, Penta sprang in and nailed a Canadian Destroyer. Penta climbed the ladder and grabbed his belt to retain the title. 

Match result: Penta defeated Je’Von Evans, Rey Mysterio, Dragon Lee, JD McDonagh and Rusev to retain the Intercontinental Championship (15:09)

Heyman entered the ring and hugged Lesnar. He posed for the crowd, waved goodbye, slammed his hands against the mat one final time, and left the ring. The crowd chanted “Thank you, Lesnar” as he went up the ramp with Heyman. Lesnar said “Thank you” before leaving the stage. 

A very fun match, and Evans came across like a burgeoning star. I’m sure many will think he should have won, but as long as they follow up with him, that’s not the worst feeling to leave the fans with. 

They aired a recap of last night’s WWE Championship match in black-and-white thanks to the blood. (This aired between the usual string of ads.) 

JOP, Rick Rubin, Jahmyr Gibbs, Daniel Cormier, and Joe Jonas were shown in the crowd. 

If you missed it on the pre-show, the Dom/Bálor match is now a street fight. 

The ladder match went 15 minutes, and even more time than that elapsed between the end of that match and the start of this one. 

United States Championship match: Sami Zayn vs. Trick Williams (w/ Lil Yachty)

***

Thumbs Up

Zayn entered first and was booed. Williams’ fancy white coat had such a long extension at the end of it that it went the entire length of the 75-yard ramp. (I think there was a mechanism on the stage that was unravelling it as he walked, but he had to pause a few times, likely to let more of it unfurl so he could continue down the ramp.)

Zayn was briefly in control until Williams came back with a back slap and neckbreaker. The crowd booed Zayn’s offence and followed with chants for Trick. Williams hit a version of the Book End for two. Zayn responded with a big boot and Blue Thunder Bomb for two. 

Zayn booted Williams as he tried to regroup in the ropes. Lil Yachty checked on Williams, so Zayn left the ring, decked Yachty and chucked him into the barricade. 

Zayn repeatedly rammed Williams into the ring post before hitting a brainbuster on the apron. As Williams made it back to his feet, Zayn flew in with a Helluva Kick into the barricade. (Cole casually called this a boot.) Williams just barely avoided a countout by getting into the ring at nine. 

Zayn set up for a Helluva Kick in the ring while the ref checked on Williams. With the ref distracted, Yachty wrenched Zayn against the top rope, and Williams hit a Trick Kick for a nearfall. 

Zayn avoided a Trick Shot and hit an exploder into the corner. Zayn went for the Helluva Kick, but Williams shot out of the corner with a Trick Shot for the pinfall win. Williams is the new champ. 

— Williams embraced his mom and dad at ringside before continuing his celebration in the ring. 

Match result: Trick Williams defeated Sami Zayn to win the United States Championship (7:07) 

We know the deal by now. This match was perfectly fine.

Tyrese Haliburton handed George Kittle a beer at ringside, and he downed it (as he did last night). Rob Gronkowski was shown next, drinking his beer more sensibly. When Kittle was shown again with another (half-full) beer, he chugged it again, so Gronk chugged his, too. Tony Hinchcliff was there too, and he was lightly booed by the people who cared enough to emote upon seeing him. 

Street Fight: Dominik Mysterio vs. “Demon” Finn Bálor

***1/4

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Dom is the AAA Mega Champion and refers to himself as the king of the luchadores, so he entered on a throne flanked by about 20 masked men. Bálor entered with his familiar demon entrance. 

Bálor was all over Dom early on until he went for a table, and Dom hit a suicide dive. Dom used a kendo stick, a steel chair, and a slingshot senton. Dom set up two chairs in the seated position, but Bálor dropped him on the chairs instead and hit a slingblade. 

Dom came back with a 619 and a frog splash, but Bálor kicked out at one. Bálor hit consecutive dropkicks but missed a Coup de Grace. Dom drove a steel chair into Bálor’s head, but Bálor kicked out at two. 

Dom set up a corner table, but Bálor avoided it and hit a slingblade. Dom managed to drive him through the table moments later anyway. Dom wrapped a chair around Bálor’s head and hit a 619, followed by another frog splash for a two count. 

Dom wildly attacked Bálor with a chair before setting up another table. Bálor popped to his feet, snarled, clotheslined Dom and attacked him wildly with the chair. 

Bálor wrapped a chair around Dom’s neck/chest and dropkicked him into the corner. Bálor placed Dom on the table and hit a Coup de Grace through it for the pinfall win. 

Match result: Finn Bálor defeated Dominik Mysterio (10:26)

Somebody named Adam Weitsman joined commentary for the next match. 

WWE Women’s Championship match: Jade Cargill (c) vs. Rhea Ripley

***

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Cargill entered first, but was introduced last for the in-ring intros. The crowd loves Ripley.

Ripley was selling big fairly early in the match, after a simple powerslam about two minutes in. Cargill remained in control and hit a Blue Thunder Bomb for two. 

Ripley smiled and invited Cargill to keep it coming. Ripley took a wild swing, but Cargill ducked and applied a crossface. Ripley got out of it and hit an up kick to back off Cargill. They traded right hands until Ripley hit a leaping enziguri and facebuster for two. 

Cargill countered a Rip-tide with a hip toss and followed with a thrust kick and spinebuster for two. Ripley countered a Jaded into a rollup for two. 

Michin distracted the referee while B-Fab saved Cargill from a Razor’s Edge. Ripley missed a corner charge and went shoulder-first into the ring post. Cargill distracted the referee while Michin booted Ripley’s head into the post. 

Cargill followed with a version of the One-Winged Angel for a nearfall. Michin and B-Fab were about to attack Ripley outside the ring, but the referee caught them. He was about to kick them out, but Iyo Sky ran out to beat them up instead. 

Sky wiped out the heels with an Asai moonsault before Ripley headbutted Cargill. Cargill avoided a Rip-tide and hit a big boot, but Ripley slipped out of Jaded and hit Rip-tide for the pinfall win. The crowd popped big for the win. 

Ripley celebrated with Sky after the match. 

Match result: Rhea Ripley defeated Jade Cargill to win the WWE Women’s Championship (10:10)

Cargill looked a bit better than usual in some spots.

John Cena and Danhausen segment 

Cena announced tonight’s attendance as 55,255, with the two-night attendance of 106,072. 

Cena said that was it for them and wanted to leave them with one final message, but he was interrupted by The Miz and Kit Wilson. Miz complained about not getting his WrestleMania moment. Cena offered a handshake to both men, but he didn’t know who Wilson was. 

Cena gave Miz the floor, but he was interrupted by Danhausen. Danhausen entered, along with about ten little people dressed as him. Cole loudly called them ‘midgets’ and didn’t want anyone on social media to get mad at him because he said that’s what they asked to be called (so he knew this was happening, I guess). 

Danhausen said he was a fan of Cena, but Wilson told all the little Danhausens that they were toxic. One of the little Danhausen’s punched Wilson in the dick, and they all swarmed him. Danhausen punched Miz in the dick and did Cena’s five knuckle shuffle. The Danhausens carried Miz away up the ramp, but they eventually just dropped him. 

Danhausen was in the ring with Cena, and a puff of smoke went off. That was Danhausen’s cue to vanish, but he isn’t actually magic, so under the stadium’s bright lights, he scampered under the ring to hide as some people laughed. 

The announcers did their stupid fake laughter for all of this. 

The main event is next (after some ads). 

23 minutes elapsed since the end of the Ripley celebration and the entrances for this match. Bell to bell, about 40 minutes elapsed between the two matches. 

World Heavyweight Championship match: CM Punk (c) vs. Roman Reigns 

***3/4

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There was a live performance for the first portion of Reigns’ entrance. 

Punk walked through the back to the tune of Miseria Cantare. The music cut as Punk entered the stage. Cult of Personality hit, and Punk made his way to the ring. 

Punk wore a white jacket with a patch for Larry and a Puerto Rican flag for AJ Lee. His jacket also had the names of Bo Leuders, Kerwin Silfies, Jim Shank, and Davey Coates, all of whom passed away recently. On the back of his jacket was a crown to pay tribute to Harley Race.

Punk dropped Reigns with a shoulder tackle. Reigns didn’t appreciate him bragging about it, so they got into a shoving match. Reigns dropped him next and returned the brag, so they shoved each other again. Reigns got the better of the next exchange with a Samoan drop. 

Reigns knocked Punk outside the ring, tossed him around ringside and over the barricade. Punk fought back and hit a leaping clothesline off the apron. Punk did the Bloodline pose while standing on the announce table, so Reigns chucked him off it. 

Reigns continued to get the better of Punk, hitting ten clotheslines in the corner, followed by a leaping clothesline for two. Punk ducked a Superman punch, and hit a clothesline, a high cross, a lifting knee strike and a bulldog. 

Reigns slipped out of a GTS, tossed Punk into the ring post, and hit a Superman punch for two. Reigns did his big pose in the corner as he set up for a spear, but Punk sprinted in with a lifting knee strike (which was a great spot). Punk was amused with himself. He hit another knee, followed by consecutive neckbreakers, and a suicide dive. 

With Reigns laid out over the announce table, Punk went to the top rope, but Reigns recovered and went after him. Punk wound up trapped upside down in the corner, so Reigns hammered away at him and hit three consecutive Superman punches. 

Punk was bleeding, and because he was still upside down, blood dropped down to the mat below. Reigns wasn’t done, and he hit Punk in the face with the steel steps. Punk finally managed to free himself from the ropes (no thanks to the referee, who just watched this all transpire). 

Reigns cleared the announce table and powerbombed Punk through it. Reigns went for a spear back in the ring, but Punk hoisted him up and hit a GTS for two. Reigns countered another GTS and hit a spear for a nearfall. 

Reigns was frustrated, so he shoved Punk’s face into the mat and rammed his head into the mat repeatedly. Reigns went for a GTS, but Punk blocked it and kicked him in the head for two. Punk hit a weak-looking Superman punch for two. (I don’t know why they insist on stealing finishers in every main event match.) 

Punk grabbed a Ula Fala away from someone in the front row and put it around his neck. Punk went for a spear, but Reigns caught him in a guillotine. Punk countered that into a schoolboy for two. Punk applied the Anaconda Vice, but Reigns punched his way out of it and reapplied a guillotine choke. Punk countered into a cradle for two, and both men dropped each other with clotheslines. 

They traded strikes, but neither man could get the edge. Punk threw a piece of wrist tape at Reigns, and the referee picked it up to toss it out of the ring, and that brief distraction allowed Punk to hit a low blow. Punk followed with a GTS for a close nearfall. 

Punk placed Reigns on the announce table and hit a flying elbow drop off the top rope. Punk followed with a GTS in the ring. Reigns fell against the ropes and back onto Punk’s shoulders. Punk was about to hit another GTS, but he collapsed after all the previous damage caught up to him. 

Reigns speared Punk, but Punk would not stay down. Punk got to his feet, and Reigns hit another spear for the pinfall win. Reigns is the new champion. 

Match result: Roman Reigns defeated CM Punk to win the World Heavyweight Championship (33:58)

This was a really strong world title match, paced very much like a Roman Reigns main event. I thought Punk did well as world champion and was one of the lone bright spots on Raw during his run, so hopefully they have a good follow-up for him. 

It should be noted that this match was 34 minutes long. There’s nothing wrong with that, but as we know by now, most of the Mania matches this year were quite short for such a big show. 

In fact, if you add up the match times for all four women’s matches across both shows (all of which were title matches), it adds up to a total of 34 minutes.

Overall: Thumbs Up