WrestleMania 42: The Beautiful Letdown

The 42nd edition of the Showcase of the Immortals was once again, at Alliegant Stadium in Paradise, Nevada. Will it be better than last year's event from Paradise, Nevada? Let's see, also sorry New Orleans.

(Before I begin, here's a little PSA. So, wrestling fans, some of you decided to be creeps and touch or be absolute clowns in right of the wrestlers. DON'T BE AN (BLEEP)HOLE IN FRONT OF THE WRESTLERS! Just stop, bruh.)

Michael Cole and Wade Barrett are on broadcasting duties and they aren't bad.

Lin-Manuel Miranda gives the introduction promo that can give you chills.

Also, do you like ads? Well, this WrestleMania had tons of them. So much so that everyone complained about it, I mean, EVERYONE!

They need to keep Back in the Saddle Again as the theme for WrestleMania. Do it, WWE.

NIGHT ONE

LA KNIGHT/THE USOS VS. THE VISION/ISHOWSPEED

This was short and didn't really set the mood for the rest of the night. Tag Team Jey Uso is in the first match for the second straight year at WrestleMania. After a miscommunication between iShowSpeed and the Vision, the Usos and LA Knight pick up a win. Logan Paul and Austin Theory turn on Speed as the Usos attack Theory and Paul. LA Knight encourages Speed to the top. The same LA Knight that went to Speed's house and threw him onto his monitor. Speed does a nice-looking splash on Paul through the announce table.

(Editor's note: This year, I decided to do this without notes. I wanted to get my view as a fan. Also, if TKO and WWE didn't put much effort into this, why should I.)

UNSANCTIONED MATCH

JACOB FATU VS. DREW MCINTYRE

As much as everyone wants to forget the entire night, these two deserve your praise since they worked their asses off. It was unsanctioned which could have seen blood, but it didn't. This match had the two opponents use steel steps, chairs, tables, metal toolboxes and wrenches. Fatu getting the victory doesn't hurt McIntyre as he is set to be in a movie. This is a match that elevates everyone.

FATAL FOUR WOMEN'S TAG TEAM MATCH FOR THE TITLES

Nikki Bella comes out with crutches and tells everyone that she isn't medically cleared to compete, but an old friend is there to replace her. The worst best kept secret is revealed as Paige returns (Thanks a lot, wrestling media.) The ending saw Nikki Bella blast Charlotte Flair with her crutch as Brie Bella gets the pin for her team. Brie and Paige are the new Women's Tag Team Champions. For the second year in a row, a fan favorite returns and wins the Women's Tag Team Championship at WrestleMania. Becky Lynch accomplished that feat last year. Speaking of Becky....

WOMEN'S INTERCONTINENTAL CHAMPIONSHIP

AJ LEE VS. BECKY LYNCH

Becky comes out as the band the Wonder Years plays a song during her entrance....and no, I don't mean Danica McKellar and Fred Savage. AJ Lee comes out with little girls dressed like her and skipping like her. This match was okay, I wished both competitors had more time to tell a story, but Becky wins with the Manhandle Slam as she is a three-time Women's Intercontinental Champion. This run by AJ Lee was more nostalgia than substance. Apparently, TKO wasn't happy with her t-shirt sales which tells you where their priorities are.

GUNTHER VS. SETH ROLLINS

The buildup for this wasn't great, but when you have two of the best, then it is a joy for a wrestling fan to see them work their craft. Right on the outside, Bron Brekker returns and spears Rollins. While in the ring, Gunther puts Seth in a sleeper. Rollins passes out as the Ring General gets a much-needed victory at the Showcase of Immortals. Bron then decides to run full blast down the long ramp, only to whiff on the Spear on Seth. Guys, dude is coming back from a hernia injury. Seth will continue to fend against the Vision.

WWE WOMEN'S RAW CHAMPIONSHIP

STEPHANIE VAQUER VS. LIV MORGAN

This was only six minutes long, and the excuse was that they were both fatigued. Liv was going to Coachella, getting knocked on her head, crashing out and making appearances for the event, so I understand that. Vaquer looked less than herself. Liv had Raquel and Roxanne run as interference as Morgan used Oblivion for the three-count and the championship. Gianna Daddio has come a long way as she cemented herself into immortality as Liv Morgan by winning a world championship at the biggest show in the industry.

Also, her new entrance theme is a new guilty pleasure.

John Cena announces that the attendance is 50,816. This is way down from the 61, 457 from night one last year. Bianca Belair comes out, wearing a robe and addresses the crowd. She takes off her robe to reveal that she is pregnant. Congrats to her and Montez Ford.

Carmelo Hayes and Ilja Dragunov are in a Wheatley's Vodka ad. That is their contribution for WrestleMania. SMH.

WWE CHAMPIONSHIP

CODY RHODES VS. RANDY ORTON

Okay, I will try to keep calm while doing this part, but....HOW IN THE (BLEEP) DID YOU SCREW UP CODY VS. RANDY?! Adding Pat McAfee was possibly a gamble that costs you significantly. I will go to my grave and say that they called an audible and realized that McAfee was a bad idea and eliminated him quickly, with Jelly Roll delivering one of the worst elbow drops off the table that you will ever see. Have a heart when it comes to what these two tried to accomplish in the ring. When you get thrown into an uncomfortable situation, you have to do what you can. Cody showed signs of a heel turn, which could have been satisfying, but Cody needs to sell t-shirts, so forget that idea. McAfee comes back with a neck brace and a referee shirt after the original referee was knocked out. Orton delivers a satisfying RKO on McAfee, while Cody capitalizes with Cross Rhodes for the pinfall. After the match, Randy hits Cody with the championship belt and brings back the punt. Cody's face turned into a cause for concern. TKO once again meddled in the main event when they didn't have to, and Cody continues to be the one who gets the shaft due to TKO's meddling.

Night one was a mixed bag. Many said it was one of the worst WrestleManias of all-time. These people clearly didn't start watching wrestling till around the Attitude Era or after. Many consider this one of the worst WrestleMania main event of all-time. I will go into my grave by that...

(Since writing this, I will do a deep dive into why I believe this was the worst Main Event in WrestleMania history.)

NIGHT TWO

Joe Jonas sings the National Anthem without the rest of the Jonas Brothers. Coming into Sunday, many people thought that night two could help the company out because of TKO's meddling. So...

OBA FEMI VS. BROCK LESNAR

From what I read, Paul Heyman produced this match. Oba had the entire crowd chanting when he came out. This man is a future WrestleMania main eventer. This match was short, but sweet at around the four minute mark. Lesnar hits a F5, then I noticed that Brock looked at the crowd with his eyes glossed over, that was a sign. Oba executes a chokeslam and a Fall From Grace to pick up the victory. After the match, Brock takes off his gloves and wrestling boots as the universal sign of retirement. Both Brock and Heyman are emotional as Brock throws up the X sign, meaning that this was off script. As of this writing, Lesnar has been moved to the WWE Alumni Section, meaning his retirement is valid.

SIX-MAN LADDER MATCH FOR THE INTERCONTINENTAL CHAMPIONSHIP

If you were in Vegas during WrestleMania weekend and saw any of these six competitors walking around, I hope you bought them beers or anything they like to drink because these six men put their bodies and careers on the line in this match. I don't really want the Intercontinental title to be defended in this type of match every year at Mania. Rusev took a huge bump on the outside, breaking the ladder in half while Penta executed a Canadian Destroyer on JD McDonaugh with the ladder underneath them. Penta would end up winning, which was the right move.

MEN'S UNITED STATES CHAMPIONSHIP

SAMI ZAYN VS. TRICK WILLIAMS

Trick has the crowd in the palms of his hands with them chanting, "WHOOP THAT TRICK!" He is wearing a robe that went the entire length of the ramp. Lil Yachty was just a waste of space there. The match was not great or not bad, it was just there. I wished these two had more time to develop a story. Trick wins and becomes the new United States champion in a performance that can catapult him into superstardom.

STREET FIGHT

DOMINIK MYSTERIO VS. "THE DEMON" FINN BALOR

I was happy that this match didn't have the Judgement Day interfering and just have the two men work a street fight that didn't need blood. People actually complained that the Unsanctioned Match and this one didn't have the talent bleed. The Demon finishes off Dirty Dom with a Coup de Grace on a table for the pin. This match helped Finn and Dom doesn't lose stream as he will continue to ascend to the top.

SMACKDOWN WOMEN'S CHAMPIONSHIP

JADE CARGILL VS. RHEA RIPLEY

In all honesty, I believe the company devalued the women in this WrestleMania. This encounter was like the men's United States Championship match, it was just there. Jade's crew comes out to assist, but Iyo Sky comes to help Rhea and yes, I still don't understand why Iyo wasn't on the card. Due to the distraction, Rhea executes Riptide on Jade for the pin and the championship. It kind of sucks that they wouldn't allow any of the women's matches to materialize.

Also, during the show, this guy joined the broadcast booth...

Who is he? Apparently, he's a billionaire and didn't say a word despite having headphones on.

John Cena once again announces the attendance, which was 55,256. A better outcome than the previous night's figures. The Miz and Kit Wilson interrupt and ask for a WrestleMania moment. Danhausen's music comes on and he's with tiny Danhausens around. They do some malarkey where Danhausen does the Five Knuckle Shuffle on the Miz. Cena did an adorable job as the host, and he didn't need to interject himself into any riff-raff.

WORLD HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP

CM PUNK VS. RAMON REIGNS

A piano and drums combo plays the Tribal Chief into the ring. They also bought back the old theme, which they should keep. A video package shows with "Misteria Cantare" by AFI, Punk's entrance theme from ROH. Punk is holding the title while sitting on the roof of Allegiant Stadium. Punk walks to the ring, wearing a jacket with an image of his beloved dog, Larry. It also has the names of late WWE employees. Paul Heyman produced this match, meaning it's going to be a banger. This here is what a WrestleMania main event should be. 30 minutes and such of classic storytelling and a classic battle between two of the best. Roman hits Punk with the steel steps, and Punk begins to bleed. Now, everyone went to social media to complain why this wasn't a disqualification. You know why, because people would have complained about the match stopping because of the disqualification, can't have both, also everyone got their precious blood. In the end, Punk tried to attempt a GTS, but collapsed. Roman capitalizes with a spear and the three to become the new World Heavyweight Champion.

CONCLUSION

In all, WrestleMania 42 was a middle-of-the-pack event.

THE GOOD

-Punk and Roman tore the house down that people called it the best WrestleMania main event in a while. Even Dave Meltzer gave it a five-star rating.

-John Cena hosting was a breath of fresh air considering he wasn't involved in anything. He did his job and that's all they needed.

-I actually like how they had different themes for the two nights. Saturday was a desert theme while Sunday was a Vegas night type deal.

-Brock's so-called retirement was an emotional moment.

THE EEH

-The women being undervalued in this was head scratching considering they could have brought more to the table.

-The middle card was solid but didn't get the flash that they deserved.

THE BAD

-The ads saturated the event since TKO needs the money.

-TKO trying to tell everyone everything is okay, despite the drastic dropoff of attendance due to high prices. (Also, putting it in a storyline makes it worse.)

THE WORST

-Putting two devoted wrestling fans in Pat McAfee and Jelly Roll into the Cody/Randy match caused them to feel embarrassed. Not what you want to entice fans to your product.

Hopefully, next year's WrestleMania can be up to snuff in....Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Oh boy.

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