WrestleMania 42 takeaways: Cody Rhodes retains title; multiple new champs crowned

Rivalries, revenge and championships: There’s a lot to talk about after the first night of WrestleMania 42 at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas on Saturday. For some, like Becky Lynch and AJ Lee, it was the end of a rivalry. For others, like Cody Rhodes and Randy Orton, there’s even more to come.

After a tumultuous road to WrestleMania, Rhodes and Orton finally faced off with the undisputed WWE title on the line. Rhodes exploited Orton’s playbook to retain his championship, but he wasn’t the one who had the last laugh.

There were some surprise returns, including Paige, who returned to a WWE ring for the first time in over eight years, and Bron Breakker, who made his presence felt when he launched Seth Rollins at full speed after sprinting down the ramp.

Celebrity in-ring appearances from streamer IShowSpeed, ESPN personality Pat McAfee and country music artist Jelly Roll also delivered major moments. Here are the main takeaways from WrestleMania and what could come next.

play

Pat McAfee Stretched After Being Hit by Jelly Roll

Pat McAfee is kicked out of WrestleMania 42 after retaliation from Cody Rhodes and Jelly Roll.

Randy Orton – and Pat McAfee – didn’t take WWE Championship loss to Cody Rhodes well

Rhodes and Orton know each other well, perhaps too well. They know each other’s moves, tactics, and game plans, as well as those that played out during the main event of Night One. After Rhodes quickly took care of McAfee, thanks to the help of his friend Jelly Roll, Rhodes and Orton turned their attention to each other. They both used each other’s moves, with Rhodes hitting Orton with the Draping DDT and Orton hitting the Cross Rhodes. As evidenced by Orton’s attack on Rhodes after the match, former teammates turned enemies have more to consider. Rhodes won the match, but you wouldn’t know it from the final shot of Orton holding the belt and standing over Rhodes to end the show.

Although Orton leaves Allegiant Stadium with the championship belt, which doesn’t actually belong to him, perhaps Rhodes’ progression during the match is a road map for what to expect next. Rhodes began wrestling in his usual style, but as the match progressed he resorted to more violent tactics to brutalize his former mentor, including attacking Orton’s bloodied forehead. Rhodes countered Orton’s low blow attempt with a successful kick, drawing loud boos from the crowd.

Orton has tapped into his old, more violent self, bringing back the dangerous punt kick, and Rhodes will need to access a much darker version of himself to match “The Viper” going forward. Both men will leave Las Vegas scarred from the match, as Rhodes was seen at the post-show with his left eye swollen shut.

McAfee reappeared near the end of the match in a referee outfit to count the pinfall for Orton before Rhodes was kicked out. To make matters worse, Orton immediately attacked McAfee with a surprise RKO. Before the match, McAfee promised WWE fans that he would never hear from him again if Orton didn’t beat Rhodes. Does he keep his word?

play

Liv Morgan becomes new women’s world champion

Liv Morgan defeats Stephanie Vaquer to become the new holder of the Women’s World Championship.

The Morgan vs. Vaquer rivalry is just beginning

Liv Morgan and Stephanie Vaquer had discussions for months leading up to the Women’s World Championship match. After a close match, Morgan gained the upper hand, but this appeared to be the first chapter of what could be a much longer rivalry. Interference from Judgment Day’s Raquel Rodriguez and Roxanne Perez was a game-changer for Morgan, and Vaquer will likely have to deal with it before her next challenge.

Morgan, meanwhile, is on the rise. She is the only champion of a revamped Judgment Day. And she has a new song – “Trouble” – that she performed live for her WrestleMania entrance. She is clearly the top woman on “Raw” but should not hope for peace with a furious Vaquer who is surely seeking revenge.

Morgan and Vaquer have combustible chemistry, and there’s a lot left on the table. I’m expecting – or hoping – for longer matches between them before the summer, and perhaps at SummerSlam in August.

Gunther does TAP with Seth Rollins 😱@Gunther_AUT | #WrestleMania pic.twitter.com/oorFxORpvo

– WWE (@WWE) April 19, 2026

Does Gunther have another wrestling giant in his sights?

Gunther got the job done for manager Paul Heyman, defeating former Vision frontman Seth Rollins in a grueling physical match. Gunther – unknowingly – received help from a returning Bron Breakker, but we’ll get to that later. Perhaps more importantly, what will Gunther want in return for Heyman? Depending on how the Brock Lesnar vs. Oba Femi match goes on night two, Lesnar could be a target for “The Ring General,” who has retired legends such as Goldberg, John Cena and AJ Styles over the past year. There would be no greater challenge for Gunther than Lesnar.

Rollins’ future seems much clearer…and painful. Breakker’s surprise return cost Rollins the match, after Rollins hit Gunther with a Pedigree and stomped the announce table. Breakker forcibly removed Rollins from The Vision – a group Rollins created – in October, and Rollins has been seeking revenge ever since, including tormenting Breakker and Heyman on “Raw” while wearing a black mask. With Breakker back from injury, the long-awaited clash looms on the horizon. Expect fireworks between the two on Monday’s “Raw,” as well as at Backlash in May.

play

Becky Lynch surprises by becoming the new intercontinental champion

Becky Lynch defeats AJ Lee to become three-time Women’s Intercontinental Champion.

Mission accomplished for Becky Lynch

AJ Lee’s entrance with a group of kids dressed in pink shirts and denim shorts walking down the ramp must have been a poignant moment for Lee’s fans, who saw his first stint in WWE end abruptly a decade ago. But when the match started, it became clear that this was Becky Lynch’s night. After months of working with Black Widow, Lynch Finally scored her victory over Lee to win the Women’s Intercontinental Championship. Maybe now “The Man” can move on to his next feud.

More takeaways for Night One

play

iShowSpeed ​​delivers epic frog splashes on Logan Paul

IShowSpeed ​​​​breaks the announcer’s table and delivers a frog splash on Logan Paul to remember.

• The Usos and LA Knight vs. The Vision and IShowSpeed: Streamer IShowSpeed ​​had an impressive outing in the first match of the evening. He could be Logan Paul’s babyface counterpart, especially with the athleticism displayed in this match. However, it was LA Knight who stood out the most. He had some fun interactions with Speed, got the pin, and now has some momentum coming into WrestleMania. It would be interesting to see him involved in the championship picture between now and SummerSlam.

play

Jacob Fatu scores victory over Drew McIntyre

Jacob Fatu ends his match with Drew McIntyre with a glorious moonsault and celebrates with a victory.

• Drew McIntyre vs. Jacob Fatu: Fatou necessary this victory after McIntyre tormented him on “SmackDown” for months. Fatu played a big role on Friday’s show and is expected to head to the main event next. But he may not be done with McIntyre, who won’t let go of his grudges. Where to go after a non-sanctioned match? Maybe a street fight, maybe a cage… or one with a roof?

play

Paige makes major surprise return to WWE

Replacing Nikki Bella, Paige returned to WWE to wrestle in a Fatal 4-Way Tag Team match.

• Women’s Team Championship: Paige won a championship in her first WWE match in almost nine years. She replaced the injured Nikki Bella and won the WWE Women’s Tag Team Championship with Brie Bella. Regardless of how long she held the title, it was an emotional moment for the returning champion.