WrestleMania 42 Full Recap: Check Out All the Must-See Moments

WrestleMania 42 took over Las Vegas this past weekend, and the “Showcase of the Immortals” gave pro wrestling fans plenty to talk about. The packed two-night event spotlighted old rivalries, new champions and some seriously standout moments for the robust roster of WWE superstars.

So, before you check out tonight’s post-Mania episode of Monday Night Raw, we’ve gone ahead and recapped all the biggest moments for you below, so you can find out who heard announcer Alicia Taylor say “AND STILL...” and who had to accept the reality of hearing “AND NEW...”

NIGHT 1

John Cena acted as the host for both nights following his in-ring retirement in December 2025. Lin-Manuel Miranda was also on hand both nights via an introduction video, where the near-EGOT winner hyped up the crowd. In the middle of the show, WWE superstar Bianca Belair also appeared amid her hiatus, announcing her pregnancy to applause from the Las Vegas crowd.

The Usos and LA Knight vs. The Vision and IShowSpeed

A three-on-three match opened the first night, which saw The Usos teaming up with LA Knight to take on The Vision—a Paul Heyman-led faction with Austin Theory and Logan Paul—alongside IShowSpeed. Following an energetic bout, LA Knight secured the win for his team after IShowSpeed hesitated. Paul and IShowSpeed fought after the match, with the YouTubers turning on each other and the newcomer putting Paul through the announce desk with an impressive splash from the ring post.

WINNERS: The Usos and LA Knight

Jacob Fatu vs. Drew McIntyre

Jacob Fatu and Drew McIntyre faced off next in their unsanctioned match, which saw the two longtime rivals begin fighting before the bell even rang. Given the aforementioned “unsanctioned” nature of the fight, plenty of weapons were introduced throughout, including tables, a toolbox and even the referee’s belt at one point. When all was said and done, Fatu hit McIntyre with his top-rope finisher, putting the Scottish warrior through a table and taking home the win.

WINNER: Jacob Fatu

Women’s Tag Team Fatal Four-Way

The tag team champions, the Irresistible Forces—Nia Jax and Lash Legend—took on Charlotte Flair and Alexa Bliss, Bayley and Lyra Valkyria and The Bella Twins—or, at least, originally it was The Bella Twins. Following an injury, Nikki Bella wasn’t medically cleared to compete, which led Brie Bella to call in a favor from an old friend, who was revealed to be Paige. Paige’s appearance marked her return to WWE after her in-ring retirement in 2018, and she and The Bellas succeeded in outlasting the other teams to win the championships.

WINNERS: Brie Bella and Paige

AJ Lee vs. Becky Lynch

AJ Lee and Becky Lynch have cemented quite a rivalry since Lee returned to WWE last year. Lee was the Women’s Intercontinental Champion going into Mania, with Lynch set on dethroning her. After some back and forth, including a few storytelling moments between Lynch and referee Jessika Carr, Lynch bested Lee by distracting Carr long enough to remove a turnbuckle covering and slam Lee into it. Following the match, Lee also stopped for an interview with a WWE correspondent, where she appeared to hint at possibly taking time away from the ring, but this hasn’t been confirmed as of this article’s publication.

WINNER: Becky Lynch

Seth Rollins vs. Gunther

In the match every pro wrestling fan knew was going to be an 11 out of 10 from the moment they announced it, Seth Rollins took on Gunther. As the match progressed, Rollins seemed primed to take the victory; however, he was derailed after Gunther cashed in the favor owed to him by the aforementioned Heyman, who called in a returning Bron Breakker—another member of The Vision, which was also Rollins’s old faction. In the end, Breakker hit Rollins with one of his impactful spears to give the win to Gunther.

WINNER: Gunther

Stephanie Vaquer vs. Liv Morgan

Following her Royal Rumble win, Liv Morgan challenged Stephanie Vaquer for the Women’s World Championship on the “grandest stage of them all.” The two had a tension-filled lead-up on the road to Mania, and their rivalry came to a head at the event. Thanks to distractions provided by her Judgement Day faction members, Roxanne Perez and Raquel Rodriguez, Morgan finally got the edge on the champion to secure her victory.

WINNER: Liv Morgan

MAIN EVENT: Cody Rhodes vs. Randy Orton

Cody Rhodes and Randy Orton had decades worth of story leading to this highly anticipated match, which explained why the injection of Pat McAfee and Jelly Roll caught fans off guard after they were added as background characters in recent episodes. There were a few moments where the celebrities got involved on Mania night, including Jelly Roll putting McAfee through the announce desk (they really book-ended the announce desk destruction on this night!).

After an intense showdown that saw Orton accidentally RKO referee Charles Robinson at one point, Rhodes came out on top to retain. However, Orton let those darn voices in his head counsel him all the way back to 2009, and he attacked Rhodes after the bell, landing a long-banned punt kick on the champion for a blood-soaked finale to Night 1.

WINNER: Cody Rhodes

NIGHT 2

Cena returned to host the second night, while also getting involved in a segment with WWE superstars The Miz, Kit Wilson and Danhausen in the middle of the show.

Oba Femi vs. Brock Lesnar

Perhaps the brightest rising star in WWE following a dominant tenure in NXT, Oba Femi challenged Brock Lesnar to open the show. Femi had been brutalizing the pro wrestling veteran in the lead-up to the bout, and their in-ring face-off was no different. While Lesnar got in some offense, Femi ultimately continued his dominance. Still, the most shocking moment of the match wasn’t Lesnar’s loss, but what happened after Femi cleared the ring: Lesnar appeared to retire. The WWE superstar removed his gloves and boots, becoming emotional as he thanked the crowd and exited with Heyman.

WINNER: Oba Femi

Six-Pack Ladder Match

Next up, Intercontinental Champion Penta took on Je’Von Evans, Dragon Lee, JD McDonagh, Rusev and a recently returned Rey Mysterio in a ladder match for his title. Easily one of the highlights of the weekend, the match featured multiple standout moments and impressive sequences, including some absolutely awe-inducing stunts (see: Evans hitting his finisher on Rusev from atop a ladder). Still, the five foes were no match for Penta, who climbed the ladder and retrieved his title to retain.

WINNER: Penta

Sami Zayn vs. Trick Williams

Sami Zayn and Trick Williams faced off for the United States Championship after exchanging barbs for weeks, including the latter releasing a diss track (yes, really!). Williams was also accompanied to the ring by recording artist Lil Yachty, who had been involved in the storyline as a friend to the WWE superstar. Following some involvement from the rapper and a referee distraction, Williams landed his finisher on Zayn to become the new United States Champion at his first-ever Mania.

WINNER: Trick Williams

Finn Bálor vs. Dominik Mysterio

After three years, Finn Bálor gave fans the long-awaited return of his “Demon” persona to challenge former friend and current rival Dominik Mysterio to a street fight. The lawless nature of the match led to chairs, tables and kendo sticks being introduced throughout for a violent one-on-one. While Mysterio tried to get the upper hand on the supernatural entity, The Demon won out with Bálor’s finisher to put the challenger through a table.

WINNER: Finn Bálor

Rhea Ripley vs. Jade Cargill

Rhea Ripley and Jade Cargill went toe-to-toe in the penultimate match, with the former challenging the latter for the Women’s World Championship following her win at Elimination Chamber in February. Both WWE superstars showed no mercy, but it appeared Cargill had the edge after she received an assist from her friends Michin and B-Fab; however, Iyo Sky arrived to aid Ripley, taking out the two women and leaving Ripley room to triumph over Cargill for the title.

WINNER: Rhea Ripley

MAIN EVENT: CM Punk vs. Roman Reigns

Night 2’s main event saw Royal Rumble winner Roman Reigns challenge CM Punk for the World Heavyweight Championship. The match also marked Punk’s first-ever Mania main event in his over 11 years with the company. The two had gone back and forth over the last few months, with Punk cutting another viral pipe bomb-style promo on the record-breaking former champion in the lead-up.

The match was well-paced with several thoughtful storytelling moments woven throughout. While Punk certainly put up a fight, Reigns ultimately got the better of the pro wrestling veteran, delivering two spears and becoming the new World Heavyweight Champion.

WINNER: Roman Reigns

How will these title switches affect the landscape of WWE moving forward? Be sure to tune in to Monday Night Raw tonight at 8 p.m. ET on Netflix to find out!

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