SEScoops

Tag: Allegiant Stadium

  • Penta Wears Shao Kahn Mask For WrestleMania 42 Entrance

    Penta Wears Shao Kahn Mask For WrestleMania 42 Entrance

    Penta brought Mortal Kombat to WrestleMania 42.

    The Intercontinental Champion made a show-stopping entrance on Night 2 at Allegiant Stadium, stalking onto the stage in full Shao Kahn-inspired armor as part of WWE’s cross-promotion with the upcoming Mortal Kombat II film.

    Flanked by a blood-red stage and MK imagery across the video wall, Penta posed on the ramp in a horned skull helmet and custom gear before heading to the ring for the Intercontinental Championship Ladder Match.

    The presentation leaned all the way into the crossover. Mortal Kombat II branding has been visible throughout WrestleMania weekend, but Penta’s walkout gave the partnership its most prominent spotlight yet on the Allegiant Stadium stage.

    Penta went on to retain the Intercontinental Championship, climbing the ladder to retrieve the title and outlasting Je’Von Evans, Dragon Lee, JD McDonagh, Rusev, and Rey Mysterio in the six-man match.

    WWE’s Mortal Kombat II Partnership

    The entrance is the payoff to a promotional deal between WWE and Warner Bros. Fandango is currently selling a “WrestleMania Bundle” that pairs a theatrical ticket to WrestleMania 42 with an exclusive WWE T-shirt, while ticket buyers for Mortal Kombat II receive 750 Dragon Krystals for use in the Mortal Kombat 1 game.

    Mortal Kombat II arrives in theaters and IMAX on May 8, 2026. Directed by Simon McQuoid, the Warner Bros. and New Line sequel stars Karl Urban as Johnny Cage, with Martyn Ford playing Shao Kahn, the same villainous Outworld emperor whose imagery Penta channeled in Las Vegas.

    A Career Moment For Penta

    Even by WrestleMania’s high bar for spectacle, the Shao Kahn walkout immediately stood out as one of the weekend’s signature visuals. Paired with a successful title defense, the moment is tailor-made for replay packages, social clips, and Mortal Kombat II marketing heading into the film’s May release.

  • Brock Lesnar Retires After WrestleMania 42 Loss to Oba Femi

    Brock Lesnar Retires After WrestleMania 42 Loss to Oba Femi

    Brock Lesnar retires from WWE

    Brock Lesnar’s WWE career ended in the middle of the ring at Allegiant Stadium. The Beast retired Sunday night at WrestleMania 42 following a loss to Oba Femi, removing his gloves and boots and leaving them in the ring in the most understood visual in professional wrestling.

    Femi, in his WrestleMania debut, pinned Lesnar in 4:45 to open Night 2. Lesnar caught Femi with an F5, but as he rose to celebrate, Femi beat him to his feet, hit a massive chokeslam, and followed with Fall From Grace for the three count.

    Michael Cole’s call on commentary — “The fall from grace from Oba Femi to the Beast, Brock Lesnar” — landed with weight that the crowd inside the building already understood.

    The Boots and Gloves in the Ring

    Lesnar stayed in the ring after the bell. “Thank you Brock” chants rolled through Allegiant Stadium as he removed his gloves and boots and set them in the center of the ring. He raised his hands. He shared an emotional, long hug with Paul Heyman, his longtime advocate and the man who just moments earlier had done his final WrestleMania ring introductions. Lesnar gestured to the fans, waved, and slowly walked up the ramp, stopping to shake hands with fans along the way.

    A Career That Redefined the Main Event

    This is the end of one of the most consequential runs in modern wrestling history. Lesnar debuted in WWE in 2002 and won the WWE Championship at SummerSlam that year at age 25 — the youngest champion in company history at the time. He left for the NFL, returned in 2012, and spent the next decade as WWE’s ultimate part-time attraction.

    He ended The Undertaker’s undefeated WrestleMania streak at WrestleMania XXX. He is a former Universal Champion, Undisputed WWE Universal Champion, UFC Heavyweight Champion, and 2014 Royal Rumble winner.

    His WrestleMania ledger closes at 6-7 across 13 matches. His final televised appearance before Sunday came at WrestleMania 39, a win over Omos. He returned to WWE at SummerSlam 2025 by attacking John Cena after Cena dropped the Undisputed WWE Championship back to Cody Rhodes. He was 48 at WrestleMania 42.

    The Passing of the Torch

    Lesnar put Femi over clean at the biggest show of the year in under five minutes. That choice is the story. Femi entered the match as WWE’s hottest rising act, undefeated in singles action since his main roster debut in December and coming off a dominant 273-day reign as NXT North American Champion.

    He delivered his signature promo at the contract signing the week before the event — “I am the one. I have always been the one.” Lesnar handed him the torch in the biggest possible spot and left the boots behind to make it official.

    What Comes Next

    Lesnar’s retirement closes a chapter that touched every WWE era from the Ruthless Aggression years through the modern TKO era. For Femi, the runway is now clear. For Heyman, the client list just got shorter. For WWE, the weekend’s biggest emotional moment came in the opener, not the main event.

    Thank you, Brock.

  • WrestleMania 42 Night 2 Results: Reigns Wins Title, Lesnar Retires, Ripley Dethrones Cargill

    WrestleMania 42 Night 2 Results: Reigns Wins Title, Lesnar Retires, Ripley Dethrones Cargill

    WrestleMania 42 is in the books. Roman Reigns won the World Heavyweight Championship from CM Punk in a 33:57 main event, capping a Night 2 that also saw Brock Lesnar retire, Rhea Ripley dethrone Jade Cargill, “The Demon” Finn Balor get payback on Dominik Mysterio, Trick Williams take the US Title from Sami Zayn, and Penta retain the Intercontinental Championship in an instant-classic ladder match.

    Full Results

    • Oba Femi def. Brock Lesnar (Lesnar retires after the match)
    • Penta (c) def. Je’Von Evans, Rusev, Rey Mysterio, Dragon Lee, and JD McDonagh to retain the Intercontinental Championship (Ladder Match)
    • Trick Williams def. Sami Zayn (c) to win the United States Championship
    • “The Demon” Finn Balor def. Dominik Mysterio (Street Fight)
    • Rhea Ripley def. Jade Cargill (c) to win the WWE Women’s Championship
    • Roman Reigns def. CM Punk (c) to win the World Heavyweight Championship

    John Cena Opens Night 2

    Host John Cena returned in a suit to open Night 2, calling Night 1 “incredible” and noting the historic significance: this is the first WrestleMania ever to air on ESPN. Joe Jonas performed the national anthem.

    Oba Femi def. Brock Lesnar — Lesnar Retires After the Match

    A passing of the torch, then a goodbye. Oba Femi made his WrestleMania debut by pinning Brock Lesnar in 4:45, and Lesnar followed it with the most meaningful moment of his WWE career’s second act: leaving his gloves and boots in the ring to signal retirement.

    Alicia Taylor’s ring introductions were interrupted by Paul Heyman, who took over to do the honors for Lesnar. Lesnar got a massive pop from the Allegiant Stadium crowd. Femi got one just as loud, with “Oba! Oba!” chants filling the arena before the bell.

    The two locked up in a collar-and-elbow that turned into a stalemate before Lesnar shoved Femi off. They repeated the exchange, and Lesnar eventually carried Femi to the corner. Femi answered with running uppercuts, went back for a third, and Lesnar caught him with an F5. As Lesnar rose to celebrate, Femi got to his feet first, hit a massive chokeslam, and followed with the Fall From Grace for the pin.

    Lesnar stayed in the ring after the bell as “Thank you Brock” chants rolled through Allegiant Stadium. He took off his gloves, took off his boots, placed them in the center of the ring, shared an emotional hug with Heyman, and walked up the ramp stopping to shake hands with fans. This was Lesnar’s first televised WrestleMania since 2023 and his 13th overall. He finishes 6-7 at The Showcase of the Immortals. Full breakdown in our Brock Lesnar retirement report.

    Penta Retains Intercontinental Championship in Six-Man Ladder Match

    An instant classic. Penta became just the second Superstar in WrestleMania history to retain the Intercontinental Championship in a ladder match — joining Razor Ramon at WrestleMania X — outlasting Je’Von Evans, Rey Mysterio, Rusev, JD McDonagh, and Dragon Lee in 15:10.

    The match opened with Penta diving onto Rusev before the luchador trio (Penta, Dragon Lee, Rey Mysterio) took over on McDonagh. Rusev bridged a ladder from the apron to the announce table early. Dragon Lee hit a suicide tijeras over the ropes onto Evans. Mysterio countered Lee’s Styles Clash into a Frankensteiner. Rey later dropkicked Lee into a ladder and hit the 619, got hung in the rungs himself, and took a Lee dropkick. Penta launched Rey over his head to drive Rusev through a propped ladder on the floor.

    Inside, McDonagh hit a Spanish Fly off the ladder on Dragon Lee. Je’Von Evans answered with an OG Cutter off the top to pull Rusev off a ladder. Rey, hung in a Tree of Woe on a ladder, took a Dragon Lee springboard double stomp. Rusev hit a uranage on Evans from a bridged ladder to steel. The closing stretch saw Penta hit McDonagh with a Mexican Destroyer on top of a ladder, then catch Evans with the same move to clear the way. Penta climbed and retrieved his title to retain.

    Trick Williams def. Sami Zayn to Win the United States Championship

    Trick Williams won his first main-roster championship in his WrestleMania debut, dethroning Sami Zayn in about six minutes to become the new United States Champion. Lil Yachty accompanied Williams to the ring; Zayn walked out to the usual Vegas mix of boos and his own sung theme.

    Zayn sent Williams to the floor and teased a suicide dive early. Williams recovered and hit a Book End for the first near-fall. Zayn answered with a Blue Thunder Bomb. Zayn leaned heel hard, having to be restrained by the referee multiple times, and when Lil Yachty checked on Trick, Zayn cracked him from behind and drove Williams into the barricade. Zayn rammed Williams’ head into the ring post and dropped him on the apron with a brainbuster. Trick fought back and pulled it out. The double-turn finally landed on the biggest stage — Zayn full heel, Trick full babyface — and Williams leaves Allegiant Stadium a WrestleMania debutant and a champion.

    “The Demon” Finn Balor def. Dominik Mysterio (Street Fight)

    The Demon got his win back. Finn Balor beat Dominik Mysterio in 10:25, ending a two-match losing streak for the Demon persona (Roman Reigns in 2021, Edge at WrestleMania 39) that had threatened to retire the alter ego for good.

    Dominik walked out first carried on a throne by masked luchadors. Balor crawled to an illuminated heart on the stage sporting a spiked mohawk helmet over his traditional Demon paint, picked up a spiked skull staff, and walked through a curtain of red and black streamers.

    Once the bell rang, Balor pounced. He grabbed a kendo stick to hit Mysterio twice and dragged a table from under the ring. Mysterio cut him off and took over with the kendo stick, introduced three chairs, and beat down Balor. The two traded signature moves. Mysterio hit a frog splash for a near-fall, avoided a Coup de Grace attempt, and used a chair to set up a close two count.

    Dominik unloaded with a steel chair and went outside for a second table. As he set it up, Balor rose and turned the tables with a chair of his own. Balor put Mysterio’s head against a chair in the corner and drove him into the turnbuckle with a missile dropkick. He laid Dominik on the table, climbed up, and drilled the Coup de Grace through the table for the pin. The Judgment Day chapter closes with Balor getting his measure of revenge on the protege who got him kicked out of the faction.

    Rhea Ripley def. Jade Cargill to Win the WWE Women’s Championship

    Seven straight WrestleManias in a title match, and Rhea Ripley is champion again. The Eradicator ended Jade Cargill’s reign as WWE Women’s Champion, cutting short a title run that began when Cargill took the belt from Tiffany Stratton at Saturday Night’s Main Event last November.

    Cargill came out first in an elaborate robe, ditching it at the ring to taunt the crowd. Ripley followed to the second-biggest pop of the night behind Oba Femi, walking out in insane-asylum-inspired ring gear reading “Inmate: R. Ripley” with a pyro package behind her.

    They locked up slow and stared down before the action picked up. Cargill overpowered Ripley into the ropes, hit a shoulder tackle and a body slam. Ripley answered with a slam of her own and a basement dropkick that sent Cargill outside. Cargill turned it back around with a powerslam near-fall and worked Ripley over in the corner before dumping her to the floor. The Baddies (Michin and B-Fab) were at ringside for Cargill, with Iyo Sky in Ripley’s corner to neutralize the numbers game. Ripley leaves Las Vegas with her seventh women’s world title overall. Cargill’s reign ends at roughly 170 days.

    Main Event: Roman Reigns def. CM Punk to Win the World Heavyweight Championship

    Roman Reigns is a seven-time world champion. In his record 11th WrestleMania main event, Reigns ended CM Punk’s second World Heavyweight Championship reign at 169 days, pinning Punk clean in 33:57 with a running Spear to close WrestleMania 42.

    The entrances told the story before the bell. Reigns came out to a live stage setup — a woman sang while a man played piano and another played drums, as photos of the Anoa’i family’s Samoan dynasty (Peter Maivia, Afa, Sika, Yokozuna) flashed on the big screen. Punk followed with a video package set to AFI’s “Miseria Cantare: The Beginning,” his old ROH and AEW theme. He walked out in a white jacket paying tribute to Harley Race, his late dog Larry, and WWE staff who have passed, knelt on the stage and yelled “It’s clobberin’ time” before his Cult of Personality hit.

    They let the moment breathe. Both men stood in their corners for several seconds before slowly walking to the middle for a staredown. Punk mocked Reigns for using baby oil when he couldn’t get a grip. Reigns answered with a shoulder tackle and got in his face. Punk took over until Reigns hit a Samoan drop and slammed Punk’s head into the ring post. Punk returned the favor on the announce table. Reigns launched Punk into the crowd, Punk came back off the barricade with a diving takedown. Reigns missed a Superman Punch, and Punk hit a top-rope crossbody, signaled GTS.

    Reigns escaped the first GTS attempt with elbows, sent Punk into the ring post, and landed a Superman Punch for a near-fall. They traded submissions — Reigns countered a Spear attempt with a guillotine choke, Punk escaped and locked in the Anaconda Vice, Reigns reversed it back into a guillotine. They wiped each other out with tandem clotheslines as the crowd applauded.

    The finish turned when Punk leaned heel. He unwrapped his hand and threw the wrist tape at the referee to distract him, hit a low blow, and drilled Reigns with a GTS. Reigns kicked out. Punk followed with multiple elbow drops, shoved Reigns to the floor, climbed to the top and hit a big elbow through the announce table. Reigns answered with a powerbomb through the Spanish announce table.

    Back in the ring, Reigns won a back-and-forth sequence, got a near-fall, and trapped Punk in the corner with heavy clotheslines as the crowd counted along. Punk managed one last flurry — another GTS on Reigns — but when he hoisted Reigns up for a second GTS, he collapsed under the weight. Reigns recovered enough to hit a Spear but couldn’t make the cover. Both men stared each other down one more time. Reigns lined up, took a running start, and drove through Punk with a second Spear for the clean pin.

    Two days before the match, Reigns had said he’d leave WWE if he lost. Instead, he leaves WrestleMania 42 with his seventh world title and the world title picture flipped on its head.

    What’s Next

    WrestleMania 42 fallout kicks off on Raw Monday night. Roman Reigns, CM Punk, Oba Femi, Brock Lesnar, Rhea Ripley, Penta, Logan Paul, and Stephanie Vaquer are all advertised. SmackDown follows Friday. Stay tuned to SEScoops for full post-show coverage.

    How to Watch the Replay

    • United States: ESPN on-demand
    • International: Netflix
    • Venue: Allegiant Stadium, Las Vegas
  • Street Fight Stipulation Added to WrestleMania 42 Match

    Street Fight Stipulation Added to WrestleMania 42 Match

    A late change has been made to one of the matches on Night 2 of WWE WrestleMania 42.

    During the kickoff show ahead of Sunday’s event from Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Raw general manager Adam Pearce informed Dominik Mysterio that his match against Finn Balor has been upgraded to a Street Fight stipulation.

    WWE confirmed the news on social media, writing: “A STREET FIGHT ? Better get ready for The Demon, @DomMysterio35!”

    The match was originally announced as a standard singles contest on the March 30 episode of Raw, when Balor issued the challenge after being ejected from The Judgment Day. Balor later revealed on the April 6 episode of Raw that he would summon The Demon for the first time since WrestleMania 39.

    Personal Feud Gets a Personal Stipulation

    The added stipulation reflects how personal the rivalry has become between the two former stablemates. Dominik pinned Balor at WrestleMania 41 last year in a Fatal 4-Way for the Intercontinental Championship, and the tension simmered until Balor was attacked and kicked out of the faction on the March 9 episode of Raw.

    A Street Fight had been floated as a possible stipulation for the bout back in March, but WWE never officially confirmed it until Sunday’s kickoff show.

    Updated WrestleMania 42 Night 2 Lineup

    The full Night 2 card for Sunday, April 19, 2026:

    1. Oba Femi vs. Brock Lesnar
    2. Intercontinental Championship Ladder Match: Penta (c) vs. Je’Von Evans vs. Dragon Lee vs. JD McDonagh vs. Rusev vs. Rey Mysterio
    3. Finn Balor vs. Dominik Mysterio in a Street Fight
    4. United States Championship Match: Sami Zayn (c) vs. Trick Williams
    5. WWE Women’s Championship Match: Jade Cargill (c) vs. Rhea Ripley
    6. World Heavyweight Championship Match: CM Punk (c) vs. Roman Reigns

    WrestleMania 42 Night 2 streams live at 6 ET/3 PT on the ESPN app in the United States and on Netflix internationally.

  • Tiktoker Claims He Was Kicked Out of WrestleMania 42

    Tiktoker Claims He Was Kicked Out of WrestleMania 42

    Content creator and wrestler GFed says he was ejected from WrestleMania 42 at Allegiant Stadium on Saturday, despite having purchased a ticket to the event. According to video GFed posted on social media, WWE security ordered his removal without providing a specific reason.

    Security approached GFed and a friend during the show and informed them they needed to leave. The interaction was recorded and quickly circulated online after GFed shared it on his Twitter account.

    Stadium security made clear the decision came from WWE, not the venue itself. “Gentlemen, this has nothing to do with the stadium. We’ve been informed by WWE that they want you two ejected from the site—something that might have happened on social media. We’re stadium security. WWE security wants you removed,” security told GFed in the video.

    GFed Pressed for Explanation

    GFed questioned why he was being removed when he had caused no issues inside the arena. “You’ve got to have a reason, right?” he asked security.

    Security did not provide specifics, only stating that WWE was in charge of the event and they were following orders. “It’s their show,” security responded.

    When GFed pointed out he had paid for his seat, security confirmed the order came from WWE security leadership. “The head of WWE security spoke to me and specifically told me to eject you. We’re not going to give you anything—just an ejection. I doubt either of you can return tomorrow,” security stated.

    GFed attempted to find out who at WWE he could contact to resolve the situation, but security repeatedly directed him back to the promotion. “This has nothing to do with Allegiant Stadium. This is their show—WWE is in charge of it. They gave us instructions,” security said.

    NFL Ban Claim Disputed

    After the video spread online, some social media users claimed GFed was removed due to an alleged NFL ban tied to Allegiant Stadium. GFed quickly disputed this claim.

    “Wrestlemania has nothing to do with the NFL. I have been to events at multiple NFL stadiums since the ban with no issues. Please pay attention to what im posting before coming in my comments with assumptions,” GFed wrote on Twitter.

    WWE has not issued a public statement explaining the removal. GFed’s final comment in the video summarized his perspective on the situation: “I bought a ticket like a regular person, went to my seat like a regular person. I’m literally getting kicked out for showing up and buying a ticket.”

  • WrestleMania 42 Night 1 Results: Cody Rhodes Retains, Orton RKOs McAfee, Paige & Breakker Return

    WrestleMania 42 Night 1 Results: Cody Rhodes Retains, Orton RKOs McAfee, Paige & Breakker Return

    WrestleMania 42 Night 1 is in the books from Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, and Randy Orton stood tall holding Cody Rhodes’ Undisputed WWE Championship over his head — the belt he couldn’t win, but the message he wanted to send. Cody retained. Pat McAfee ate an RKO from his own guy and is gone from the wrestling business per the stipulation. Three women’s titles changed hands. Paige returned after more than eight years away. Bron Breakker reemerged from his hernia-surgery layoff to spear Seth Rollins in half. And Bianca Belair announced a pregnancy.

    Quick Results

    • LA Knight & The Usos def. The Vision (Logan Paul, Austin Theory & IShowSpeed)
    • Jacob Fatu def. Drew McIntyre (Unsanctioned Match)
    • Paige & Brie Bella def. Nia Jax & Lash Legend (c), Charlotte Flair & Alexa Bliss, and Bayley & Lyra Valkyria to win the Women’s Tag Team Championship
    • Becky Lynch def. AJ Lee (c) to win the Women’s Intercontinental Championship
    • GUNTHER def. Seth Rollins (Bron Breakker returns)
    • Liv Morgan def. Stephanie Vaquer (c) to win the Women’s World Championship
    • Cody Rhodes (c) def. Randy Orton to retain the Undisputed WWE Championship

    John Cena Opens WrestleMania 42

    Host John Cena kicked off the show in a suit, delivering the opening address to the Allegiant Stadium crowd. Cena acknowledged that the road to WrestleMania 42 has been “chaotic, unpredictable, vocal and polarizing,” with fans, talent, and people behind the scenes all weighing in on the journey to Las Vegas. He welcomed everyone to WrestleMania, and pyro fired to officially launch Night 1.

    It was Cena’s first televised WWE appearance since retiring from in-ring competition in December 2025.

    Cena later returned to announce the Night 1 attendance at 50,816. That number bumped up to 50,817 when Bianca Belair made a surprise appearance in a robe of sparkly blue roses, told Cena she had one more to add to the count, and opened her robe to reveal a baby bump. Belair has been out of action since last year’s WrestleMania three-way with Rhea Ripley and Iyo Sky.

    LA Knight & The Usos def. The Vision (Logan Paul, Austin Theory & IShowSpeed)

    LA Knight, Jey Uso, and Jimmy Uso opened WrestleMania 42 with a win over The Vision’s Logan Paul, Austin Theory, and IShowSpeed, but the real story came after the bell.

    Logan Paul turned on IShowSpeed the moment the match ended, screaming that Speed had one job and ruined WrestleMania for him and Austin Theory. Paul threw Speed out of the ring, cleared off the announce table, and laid Speed’s lifeless body across it while calling him a moron.

    Paul climbed to the top rope and lined up a dive through the table, but The Usos and LA Knight stormed back out to stop him and laid Paul out with a beatdown of their own.

    Knight and The Usos hoisted Paul onto the announce table and waved Speed to the top rope. Speed climbed up, measured his shot, and came off with a picture-perfect frog splash that destroyed the table and Paul in the process. LA Knight and The Usos congratulated Speed, walked him back into the ring, and the four celebrated together with a group Yeet as the Allegiant Stadium crowd erupted.

    Jacob Fatu def. Drew McIntyre (Unsanctioned Match)

    An absolute war. Jacob Fatu made his entrance flanked by fire dancers, while Drew McIntyre brought back his signature sword for the walk to the ring. Fatu didn’t wait — he hit McIntyre with a suicide dive before the bell rang to set the tone for a fight that had no rules and no one with authority to stop it.

    What followed was a showcase of two hard-hitting brawlers trading shots through multiple table spots and an assortment of weapons, including a toolbox that came into play as the violence escalated. McIntyre also found time for his signature WrestleMania spot, firing off a tweet in the middle of the match.

    Fatu landed consecutive superkicks and a Mighty Moonsault to put McIntyre away at 14:09, sending Allegiant Stadium home from the opening hour with a statement victory over a multi-time world champion.

    Paige Returns, Wins Women’s Tag Team Championship With Brie Bella

    Nia Jax and Lash Legend entered first in gear paying tribute to Demolition’s Ax and Smash, who were inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame the night before and seated at ringside. Charlotte Flair & Alexa Bliss and Bayley & Lyra Valkyria followed, and then Nikki Bella came out on crutches alongside Brie. Nikki told the crowd she wasn’t medically cleared, so she’d called in a favor from an old friend.

    Paige was back. Making her first WWE appearance in-ring since the December 2017 neck injury that was believed to be career-ending, the former Divas Champion walked to the WrestleMania ring to a massive reaction from Allegiant Stadium.

    The match worked under a fatal four-way tag structure, with only designated competitors legal and tags required to rotate partners in. Brie connected with her signature Yes Kicks on Flair early, and the bout built toward Alexa Bliss lining up a Twisted Bliss for what looked like the winning pin.

    That’s when Nikki got involved. Still on crutches, she yanked Flair out of the ring and went to work on her, giving Paige just enough time to raise her knees and catch Bliss on the way down. Paige followed with the Rampage on Bliss for the three count, claiming the Women’s Tag Team Championship in her first WWE match in more than eight years and her first singles or tag championship win since the AEW Women’s Championship in 2023.

    Paige and Brie Bella are your new WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions.

    Becky Lynch def. AJ Lee to Win the Women’s Intercontinental Championship

    This was the entrance show. Becky Lynch had The Wonder Years perform her entrance live. AJ Lee walked out flanked by roughly a dozen young fans all wearing matching gear and carrying replica title belts — her first WrestleMania appearance in eleven years, her last being WrestleMania 31 in a tag match alongside Paige, of all people, against the Bella Twins.

    Lynch came in with a lot to avenge. She tapped to the Black Widow at WrestlePalooza, at Survivor Series WarGames, and at Elimination Chamber, where she lost the Women’s Intercontinental title to AJ for the first time. Three prior Lee wins. WrestleMania was Becky’s chance to flip the ledger, and she took it.

    Becky Lynch is a three-time Women’s Intercontinental Champion. The head-to-head singles record between the two is now 1-1 on titles, with AJ still leading the overall head-to-head 3-1 when tag and multi-woman matches are factored in.

    GUNTHER def. Seth Rollins (Bron Breakker Returns)

    Rollins walked to the ring wearing black contacts that turned his eyes fully dark — equal parts creepy and cool, and a callback to the headspace he’s been in heading into this match. GUNTHER wasted no time and jumped him before the bell, turning what fans expected to be a technical wrestling match into a ringside brawl from the opening seconds.

    Once the pace settled, the Ring General took over with trademark chops, slowing Rollins down in the center of the ring. A Buckle Bomb and clothesline from Rollins reset things at the five-minute mark, and the two started trading chops and strikes. GUNTHER answered with a powerbomb and a close near-fall to shift momentum back his way.

    The match hit its highest gear with both men on the top rope. Rollins countered a superplex attempt and drilled GUNTHER with his signature superplex/Falcon Arrow combination, then locked in his own sleeper. GUNTHER reached the ropes to break it, rolled outside, and Rollins followed with three suicide dives. GUNTHER caught him with two powerbombs onto the apron and announce table. When the Ring General went for a third, Rollins countered into a Pedigree and a Curb Stomp through the announce table.

    That’s when WrestleMania flipped. As Rollins celebrated, Bron Breakker’s music hit, the lights exploded, and the man supposedly out of action with a hernia injury charged the ring and speared Rollins in half. GUNTHER rolled back in, locked in the sleeper on the dazed Visionary, and Rollins passed out cold. GUNTHER takes WrestleMania at 15:48.

    Breakker wasn’t done. After the match, he ran the length of the ramp and speared Rollins again, then told him he should have finished him off when he had the chance. Paul Heyman walked out to the top of the ramp and hugged Breakker — making official what the spear already signaled. Breakker is aligned with Heyman and The Vision, and Rollins paid the price.

    The WWE Hall of Fame Class of 2026 was then shown on stage, including Demolition, Dennis Rodman, and family members representing Bad News Brown, Hulk Hogan (joined by longtime friend Jimmy Hart), Andre the Giant, and Sid Vicious. AJ Styles and Stephanie McMahon came out to their own music to round out the segment.

    Liv Morgan def. Stephanie Vaquer to Win the Women’s World Championship

    Liv Morgan made her entrance with a full stage performance of her new single “Trouble,” lip-synced with backup dancers before heading to the ring still sporting the bruises from her recent collision with Roxanne Perez. Stephanie Vaquer followed with rose petals raining down as she hit the ramp. It was Vaquer’s first WrestleMania match.

    Vaquer took the early lead with a double-leg takedown into a striking exchange, sending Morgan into the barricade before hitting a running double knee strike in the corner. Morgan fired back by countering Vaquer on the turnbuckle with a springboard sunset flip powerbomb for a near-fall, then ran through the Three Amigas in tribute to Eddie Guerrero.

    Vaquer connected with a backbreaker and, in the night’s biggest spot, hit Morgan with Morgan’s own ObLIVion. Morgan kicked out. The Judgment Day numbers game went to work from there: Roxanne Perez distracted the referee while Raquel Rodriguez draped Vaquer across the ropes, letting Morgan connect with an ObLIVion. Vaquer kicked out again, took Perez and Rodriguez out on the floor with a springboard crossbody, and looked primed to retain.

    Morgan caught her on the way back in with the steel steps, then connected with a Codebreaker followed by ObLIVion for the pin at 6:50. “Dirty” Dominik Mysterio ran down with the championship and hoisted Morgan up as Perez and Rodriguez joined them in the ring to celebrate.

    Morgan is now a three-time Women’s World Champion, completing the Rumble-to-Mania run she mapped out when she returned at Survivor Series last November. Vaquer’s reign ended at 211 days.

    Main Event: Cody Rhodes def. Randy Orton to Retain the Undisputed WWE Championship

    Pat McAfee walked out first, flipping off the crowd and cursing at fans on his way down. Orton followed to the usual “Voices” singalong from an Allegiant Stadium crowd that hasn’t fully turned on him. Rhodes’ entrance rolled a montage of every gimmick he’s worn in WWE, including Dashing Cody Rhodes and Stardust, before the American Nightmare rose from under the ramp decked out in all gold and an American Nightmare mask.

    The match couldn’t start clean. As Alicia Taylor handled introductions, McAfee grabbed the mic to introduce Orton himself, then he and Orton jumped Rhodes before the bell. Cody fought both men off, and as McAfee scrambled, Jelly Roll appeared at ringside and drove McAfee through the announce table with an elbow drop. A stretcher wheeled McAfee away from ringside, removing Orton’s corner guy before the bell even rang — or so it seemed.

    Once the bell rang, Orton and Rhodes locked up in a classic collar-and-elbow. Orton won the opening exchange with shoulder tackles to establish his power advantage. Rhodes answered with speed and counters, capping the flurry with a scoop powerslam. He picked Orton’s back apart with a sidewalk slam and a Disaster Kick, and at one point wiped Orton’s blood across his own chest — a glimpse of a darker Cody than the American Nightmare fans are used to. Throughout the match, Rhodes leaned on underhanded tactics that felt new for WWE’s top babyface: an eye poke, a low blow, a willingness to target Orton’s open wound with punches and kicks after Orton was busted open on the ring post.

    Orton hung in and answered with vintage offense: a superplex, clotheslines, a scoop powerslam, and his own draping DDT. Every RKO tease got countered. Rhodes hit a backslide, then shocked Orton by hitting him with his own RKO. Orton kicked out at two. Cody mocked the RKO setup; Orton caught him with a CrossRhodes for a near-fall. Rhodes lined up the triple CrossRhodes, and Orton snapped back into an RKO out of nowhere — another close two. Orton even hit referee Charles Robinson with an RKO at one point during the scramble.

    And then McAfee was back. After being stretchered out, he returned as a replacement referee with the match continuing to spiral. That set up the finish everyone will be talking about for weeks. After a Rhodes kickout, McAfee ordered Orton to finish Cody off. Orton stood up, turned, stalked McAfee instead, and hit the mystery-caller with an RKO. With Orton distracted and McAfee down, Rhodes hit CrossRhodes for the pin at 22:40. Cody Rhodes retained the Undisputed WWE Championship. Per the match stipulation, Pat McAfee is now banned from the wrestling business forever.

    But this wasn’t a celebration. As the bell rang, Orton got back to his feet, stole the title belt from Rhodes, and cracked Cody in the skull with it. He followed up with the Punt Kick to put Cody down for real and held the Undisputed WWE Championship over his head as the show went off the air. Orton didn’t win the title. He used his own RKO to clear out the version of himself that was embarrassing him, and then sent a message to Cody about what’s next.

    Cody walks out of Night 1 still Undisputed Champion. Orton walks out still chasing his 15th world title, fully turned, and fully alone. This rivalry isn’t over.

    What’s Next

    WrestleMania 42 Night 2 streams live Sunday, April 19 at 6 p.m. ET / 3 p.m. PT from Allegiant Stadium, headlined by CM Punk defending the World Heavyweight Championship against Roman Reigns. Also on the card: Brock Lesnar vs. Oba Femi, Jade Cargill defending the WWE Women’s Championship against Rhea Ripley, Sami Zayn defending the United States Championship, and a six-way Intercontinental Championship Ladder Match. Stay tuned to SEScoops for Night 1 fallout and Night 2 live coverage.

    How to Watch

    • Date/Time: Saturday, April 18, 2026, 6 p.m. ET / 3 p.m. PT
    • Venue: Allegiant Stadium, Las Vegas (attendance: 50,816)
    • United States: ESPN (first hour also on ESPN2)
    • International: Netflix
  • WWE Seats Fans on Stage, Moves Pyro for WrestleMania 42

    WWE Seats Fans on Stage, Moves Pyro for WrestleMania 42

    WWE is making a significant change to the WrestleMania 42 stage setup, seating fans directly on the stage and repositioning pyrotechnics behind the main stage. The shift marks a major departure from the company’s traditional WrestleMania production design.

    Construction is already underway inside Allegiant Stadium ahead of the April 18 and 19 shows. According to PWInsider, the new layout will feature fans seated on both sides of the stage, with an entrance aisle running down the center.

    New Stage Configuration

    The redesigned stage will include two large square columns on each side to frame the entrances and overall presentation. With fans now part of the visual backdrop, pyrotechnics will fire from behind the stage rather than from the traditional positions.

    This configuration represents a notable shift from WWE’s standard WrestleMania setup, where the stage area is typically kept clear for entrances and production elements. The change could create a more immersive atmosphere for both live attendees and viewers watching at home.

    WrestleMania 42 takes place this weekend at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, with Night 1 on April 18 and Night 2 on April 19.

    Can they top last year’s set?

  • WrestleMania 42 First Hour To Air Free on ESPN, ESPN2

    https://media.sescoops.com/uploads/2026/02/\"WrestleMania

    WWE and ESPN have confirmed that the first hour of WrestleMania 42 will air live on cable television each night, giving fans who don\’t subscribe to ESPN Unlimited a free look at the opening of the biggest event of the year.

    Saturday, April 18 will see the first hour simulcast on ESPN2, while Sunday, April 19\’s opening hour will air on the flagship ESPN network. Both nights kick off at 6 p.m. ET from Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas. The remainder of each night will be available exclusively to ESPN Unlimited subscribers.

    The linear TV window is a significant move for accessibility. WrestleMania 42 marks ESPN\’s first WrestleMania since acquiring the domestic streaming rights to all WWE Premium Live Events as part of a five-year, $1.6 billion deal announced in August 2025.

    The move to put a portion of the event on free cable mirrors the approach ESPN has taken with other major sports properties and could help draw casual viewers into the full broadcast.

    https://media.sescoops.com/uploads/2026/02/\"WrestleMania

    How To Watch WrestleMania 42

    Fans have multiple options to access the full two-night event. The ESPN Unlimited plan ($29.99/month) is the primary home for all WWE PLEs in the U.S. and streams through the ESPN App.

    Xfinity subscribers can now authenticate ESPN Unlimited access at no additional cost through eligible TV packages, joining providers like Charter Spectrum, DirecTV, Hulu + Live TV, and Fubo that are already fully integrated. YouTube TV subscribers are still waiting for full access, which is not expected until later this year.

    WWE PLEs have also been made available on Disney+ as part of ESPN\’s broader content rollout strategy. Internationally, WrestleMania 42 will stream on Netflix.

    The WrestleMania 42 match card continues to take shape with Roman Reigns challenging CM Punk for the World Heavyweight Championship confirmed as the Sunday night main event.

    Saturday\’s Elimination Chamber will determine additional title challengers, and Brock Lesnar has issued an open challenge that remains unanswered heading into the final stretch of the Road to WrestleMania.