WrestleMania 42’s Most Exciting Match Isn’t Even a Headliner

FightMania 42 is just around the corner and I have some ideas. WWE’s biggest professional wrestling event returns to Las Vegas for two nights – Saturday and Sunday – and you can stream all the action on ESPN Unlimited. That is, if you want to.

I guess I want to. But this willingness to watch is mainly inspired by a recently cobbled together match: Brock Lesnar vs. Oba Femi. I know I’m not the only one with this opinion; I’ll get into my reasoning in a second.

The road to WrestleMania is the most important time for WWE, and it’s during these few months that the strongest storylines are crafted in an effort to create huge in-ring moments at the big event.

WWE needs stronger stories

And hey, some storylines went well during this time – Stephanie Vaquer vs. Liv Morgan is one example I can think of. Another would be Finn Bálor’s babyface turn against Dominic Mysterio, in which he would resurrect his “Demon” persona after three years.

But aside from all that, as a whole, WrestleMania doesn’t seem very exciting this year. Ever since John Cena turned heel at Elimination Chamber in 2025 and then awkwardly followed that character pivot until the story fizzled out, it’s felt like cracks in the creative foundations of sports entertainment’s greatest company were starting to show.

I understand that ultimately this is live theater and unexpected upsets can be added to the mix to alter planned scenarios. That said, the addition of YouTube streamer iShowSpeed ​​to this year’s event seems like a ploy to exploit its subscribers and nothing more. The match between Cody Rhodes and Randy Orton could be effective, but the beats of this story are essentially a retread of Cody’s drama with Cena last year.

And don’t get me started on Pat McAfee’s return to WWE. McAfee left his ringside commentary role last year due to burnout, which is understandable given his busy schedule. His return, however, as Orton’s in-ring hype man, is so out of character for the popular ESPN host and former NFL player that his involvement in Orton’s heel turn makes the whole thing seem like one big joke.

Not long ago, he was standing on the table, listening to Jey Uso’s theme music, challenging Gunther to a match to defend the honor of his co-host and friend, Michael Cole. With her stupid heel turn, it feels like all that goodwill has been thrown out the window.

There is one thing that has kept him relevant in WrestleMania history, however: his recent promotions over low ticket sales. Rhodes and CM Punk have addressed this issue in their own promos, calling out TKO on the high cost of entry to WWE shows – and that includes WrestleMania.

A quick stroll around the internet revealed all sorts of comments from fans on this issue, including the aforementioned ticket prices. Along with conflicts concocted out of thin air — I’m looking at you, Seth Rollins and Gunther — it’s clear that rumors of behind-the-scenes creative differences may actually ring true.

I would be remiss if I didn’t mention WWE’s decision to put all PLEs on streaming. The glow of watching pay-per-view events like the Royal Rumble and Summer Slam has faded. The playing field has been leveled, and you can now immerse yourself in WrestleMania the same way you watch RAW or Saturday Night’s Main Event – ​​provided you have the necessary subscription.

This brings me back to the Lesnar/Femi match.

WWE’s deal with ESPN has sparked new energy and interest in WWE programming. More eyes are on the product given ESPN’s reach. Both companies know this and for the first time ever, WrestleMania will be broadcast live on cable television during the first hour of each day, on ESPN2 on Saturday and on ESPN on Sunday.

Guess which match was selected to kick off night two.

The sovereign faces the beast

A few days ago, I was listening to an episode of The Smartless podcast where, out of nowhere, the guest, Stephen Colbert, started talking about Brock Lesnar. It reminded me of the WWE Superstar’s notoriety and fame outside of the squared circle. None of the people speaking were wrestling fans per se, but you could hear the energy when they talked about him – and that’s exactly what Triple H and the rest of the team are probably hoping he conveys here.

Near the start of Road to WrestleMania, Paul Heyman and Lesnar issued an open challenge across multiple episodes of RAW to any opponent brave enough to step up and fight the man known simply as The Beast.

Early in the Ruthless Aggression era, Kurt Angle posed a similar challenge, and a then-unknown wrestler named John Cena took him on, launching his legendary career.

Now it is Oba Femi’s turn.

I first got a glimpse of Femi’s talent during Cena’s final show on Saturday Night’s Main Event. He more than held his own against Cody Rhodes, whom he threw around the ring like a rag doll. A few months later, he was a formidable opponent at the Royal Rumble, lasting over 39 minutes and eliminating five wrestlers before Lesnar, among others, threw him over the top rope.

You could see the writing on the wall with Lesnar’s challenge. When Femi answered the call, he struck fear into The Beast and showed everyone why he was called The Ruler. He then punched the man – something no one would have ever thought possible. Since then, the promising newcomer has become WWE’s next dominant superstar. I even found myself humming his entrance music while trying to do his signature strut.

More Oba Femi energy, please

The chemistry between the two is undeniable. You can see it in their few in-ring confrontations, including the brawl that saw them throw office furniture at each other. Separately, they signed the contract to make this battle official.

After Femi completed his signing, he faced Heyman and delivered a promo strong enough to knock the sage off his game. Triple H tapped him on the shoulder, and his body language shows that there’s a lot to play for in this match, which Heyman has rightly called the true main event of WrestleMania.

It’s exciting, of course. But when you look at the talent that makes up the WrestleMania roster, it’s clear that there’s a considerable gap between proven performers who may be close to retirement and the promising newbies tasked with taking the company into the next era.

But it’s not just a question of talent. I can watch CM Punk and Roman Reigns trade barbs until the cows come home – and they, along with so many others on the roster, deliver the goods day in and day out.

Ultimately, we need strong, pay-off storylines. These big emotional moments are what WrestleMania was built on. It’s sure to be a spectacle when the show kicks off this weekend. But pyrotechnics, celebrity appearances and surprise twists can only take things so far. Without exciting new faces, infectious energy, and authentic narratives, it feels like a retread.