‘WWE WrestleMania 42: Night One’ PLE Review
Welcome to this review of night one of WWE’s Wrestlemania 42 pay-per-view, which was broadcast live from Las Vegas, Nevada. Let’s see what went down on Saturday’s show…
Match #1: The Usos and LA Knight def. The Vision and IShowSpeed
The following is courtesy of wwe.com:
The Usos and LA Knight proved to be nothing short of a dream team, taking down the World Tag Team Champions The Vision and international streaming star IShowSpeed in the first match of WrestleMania 42 Saturday. Jimmy and Jey Uso wasted zero time, superkicking Austin Theory and Logan Paul out of the ring as soon as the bell rang, leaving Speed all alone to face the wrath of The Megastar. It wasn’t long before Theory and Paul re-entered the fray and flexed their muscles on their opponents, though. But Jey swung momentum back in his trio’s favor with a series of signature Samoan strikes and a huge spear. Speed impressed with a hurricanrana, but Theory began berating him to run the ropes, and he hit Knight with a move. That proved to be a costly decision, though, as Knight countered and hit Theory with a match-ending BFT.
My Score: 2 out of 5
Match #2: Unsanctioned Match – Jacob Fatu def. Drew McIntyre
The following is courtesy of wwe.com:
The Samoan Werewolf didn’t wait for the bell as he dove through the ropes onto his opponent, kicking off one of the most incredible fights WWE has seen in years. Fatu dumped a toolbox into the ring, and the mere sight of it gave McIntyre nightmares of his previous war with CM Punk, which saw him injured with a toolbox. That sparked a fire in McIntyre as he began unleashing a devastating assault on Fatu as he introduced a host of weapons, including steel chairs and tables. The Scottish Warrior’s Claymore went awry as McIntyre missed and went crashing into a precariously placed steel chair wedged into the ropes, but not even Fatu’s Moonsault was enough to keep the former World Heavyweight Champion down. McIntyre powered through the pain and dumped Fatu onto a pair of steel chairs, but The Samoan Werewolf countered and began whipping The Scottish Warrior with his own belt. The raucous Las Vegas faithful began hyping up Fatu, but he took too long to capitalize, allowing McIntyre to nail a Claymore. With both Superstars staggered, McIntyre cracked Fatu with a steel chair and sent him crashing off the top rope through a table. Somehow, Fatu clawed his way back and crunched McIntyre with the toolbox before hitting a massive Moonsault through a table to end the battle once and for all.
My Score: 3 out of 5
Match #3: WWE Women’s Tag Team Championship Fatal 4-Way – Winners: Paige & Brie Bella
The following is courtesy of wwe.com:
Paige shocked the world and returned to WWE to not only team up with Brie Bella, but to also win the WWE Women’s Tag Team Championship alongside her friend. With Nikki Bella unable to go due to injury, Paige stepped in for her first WWE action in more than eight years and didn’t miss a beat. Defending titleholders Nia Jax and Lash Legend looked like the favorites early on as the champions laid waste to their opponents, dropping Alexa Bliss, Charlotte Flair, Bayley, and Lyra Valkyria. With everyone down and out, though, Bella managed to tag in Paige. The inaugural NXT Women’s Championship cleaned house and nearly won the match after hitting a Paige Turner on Valkyria. Flair was hellbent on regaining the championship and set up Bliss on the top rope, but Nikki Bella interfered, attacking The Queen with her crutch and spelling doom for her team. Paige countered Twisted Bliss and hit the Ram-Paige to win the WWE Women’s Tag Title, sending the WWE Universe into a frenzy.
My Score: 2.5 out of 5
Match #4: Women’s Intercontinental Championship – Becky Lynch def. AJ Lee
The following is courtesy of wwe.com:
A furious Becky Lynch was motivated early as she brought the fight directly to the champion, tossing her around the ring and even launching her into the barricade on the outside. The Man took it a step too far, though, when she untied one of the top turnbuckle pads, which forced the official, Lynch’s nemesis Jessica Carr, to put it back on. During the ensuing argument, the champion recovered and shifted the momentum back in her favor. Lynch became increasingly frustrated and confronted Carr, but in a shocking WrestleMania moment, the official shoved Lynch, allowing Lee to hit her own Man-Handle Slam that nearly ended the bout. The champion locked in a Black Widow, but Lynch countered by dragging Carr into the action and hurting the official. That allowed The Man to send Lee into the exposed turnbuckle, which was the beginning of the end, as one more thunderous Man-Handle Slam gave Lynch the historic win.
My Score: 3 out of 5
Match #5: Gunther def. Seth Rollins
The following is courtesy of wwe.com:
Gunther attacked Rollins before the bell could ring, leading to an unbelievable brawl on the outside in which the official struggled to keep order. The slugfest continued as the two Superstars traded devastating blows, including clotheslines, chops and even a buckle bomb from Rollins to Gunther. Gunther got the better of the exchange and planted The Architect with a huge powerbomb, but Rollins refused to relent and stayed in the fight. A giant lariat was countered into a Pedigree and a Stomp from The Visionary, but Gunther somehow powered out and stayed alive in the matchup. The two continued to wage war on the outside as Gunther nailed a powerbomb not only on the apron, but also on the announce table. Gunther went for one final powerbomb on the announce table, however Rollins countered it into a Pedigree and a Stomp to bring the deafening crowd to their feet. In a shocking twist, Bron Breakker ran down the ramp and delivered a monstrous Spear to his former Vision teammate, allowing Gunther to lock in a match-ending sleeper hold.
My Score: 3.5 out of 5
Match #6: Women’s World Championship – Liv Morgan def. Stephanie Vaquer
The following is courtesy of wwe.com:
The challenger shone early on, using her boyfriend “Dirty” Dominik Mysterio’s Three Amigos and even a backstabber after enduring the Devil’s Kiss. Morgan went for her devilish version of Devil’s Kiss, but Vaquer countered with an Oblivion of her own. Out of nowhere, Roxanne Perez arrived at ringside and distracted the official while Raquel Rodriguez tossed Vaquer off the top rope. La Primera weathered the storm and hit a huge springboard dive to the outside onto The Judgment Day, but Morgan snapped into action and caught the champion with Oblivion to win the title and launch her third reign as Women’s World Champion.
My Score: 2.5 out of 5
Match #7: Undisputed WWE Championship – Cody Rhodes def. Randy Orton
The following is courtesy of wwe.com:
Pat McAfee attacked Rhodes before the bell, but the American Nightmare nailed him with a Cross Rhodes before setting up his friend Jelly Roll to smash McAfee through the announce table. With McAfee stretchered out of the arena, the odds were officially even, allowing the champion and challenger to battle in a fair bout. The American Nightmare wasted little time in attacking the surgically repaired back of Orton, striking it and wrenching it, causing him to crumble in pain. The Viper was clearly compromised, but he went for broke by knocking Rhodes from the top rope and hit a Superplex that injured not only him, but Rhodes as well. In vintage Orton fashion, he hit several short lariats before nailing his signature draping DDT and then dropping Rhodes onto the announce table. The champion fired back by sending The Viper headfirst into the ring post, busting him open and even mocking him with his own draping DDT. However, Orton countered the RKO attempt and hit the champion with a Cross Rhodes, but it wasn’t enough to win the Undisputed WWE Title. Rhodes responded with an RKO out of nowhere, but that too failed to end the match. The Viper struck with an RKO, but somehow the champion forged on using his fighting spirit. In a moment of desperation, Rhodes poked Orton in the eye, and in an act of confusion, Orton delivered an RKO to the official. Shockingly, McAfee returned to the ring dressed as a WWE official, but Orton refused his help and RKO’d his now former friend. The champion capitalized and hit one final Cross Rhodes to retain the Undisputed WWE Championship in the main event of WrestleMania 42 Saturday.
My Score: 3.5 out of 5
Final Verdict: 3/5
Night one of WrestleMania 42 is one of those shows that never quite settles into a rhythm. There are flashes of what you want WrestleMania to be – big moments, chaotic energy, and matches that feel like they matter – but it’s wildly inconsistent from bell to bell. The opener leans far too heavily into spectacle over substance, and while the women’s tag title match delivers a genuine surprise with Paige’s return, the match itself doesn’t quite live up to the moment. Becky Lynch vs. AJ Lee brings some much-needed grit, while Gunther vs. Seth Rollins feels like the first bout on the card that truly hits that “Mania-level” intensity… even if the finish undercuts it slightly. The Women’s World Title match never quite clicks despite the talent involved, which is a real shame given the stakes. Thankfully, the main event between Cody Rhodes and Randy Orton delivers a dramatic, chaotic close to the night – overbooked, sure, but undeniably compelling. This is a show carried more by moments than match quality. There’s enough here to keep you entertained, but not enough to make it feel like a truly great WrestleMania night.
