All articles tagged with #wrestlemania 42
Brock Lesnar explained the WrestleMania 42 retirement on RAW, calling himself retired while vowing to conquer Oba Femi in a rematch at Clash in Italy, a storyline that keeps The Beast active to elevate Femi after his WrestleMania win in Las Vegas.
Wrestling Observer notes that Cody Rhodes’s night-one win over Randy Orton at WrestleMania 42 was decided before the show, with Pat McAfee’s opt‑out and widespread backstage negativity prompting WWE to pivot to a Rhodes vs. Punk angle (potentially for SummerSlam). The chaotic day was likened to WCW, and the piece hints at continuing storylines sparked by the match, all detailed in the Observer’s latest issue available to subscribers.
Paul Heyman pushed back hard on retirement talk for Brock Lesnar following WrestleMania 42, insisting Lesnar isn’t retiring and could dominate for another 15 years, while dismissing online speculation as irrelevant. WWE hasn’t officially confirmed a retirement, and the emotional sendoff moment at WrestleMania 42 remains a topic of fan debate.
CM Punk was filmed in the MGM Grand lobby in Las Vegas after WrestleMania 42, grabbing a fan’s phone as the man recorded Punk’s wife AJ Lee and Bayley hugging; hotel security and Punk's longtime friend Ace Steel intervened, with TMZ footage capturing the moment. The full context isn’t clear, and no arms were bitten in the clip, leaving the rest of the incident open to interpretation and potential follow-up.
Oba Femi capped WrestleMania 42 by defeating Brock Lesnar; on Raw After Mania he dropped the mic with 'The Ruler has arrived,' signaling his ascent on the WWE main roster, while a teased confrontation with Roman Reigns remains unfulfilled on air.
Oba Femi is reportedly set to open WWE RAW on April 20, 2026, fresh off his WrestleMania 42 win over Brock Lesnar, signaling continued momentum for the rising star as Roman Reigns also makes a post-Mania appearance as WWE World Heavyweight Champion; the Las Vegas live show airs at 8 PM ET with Ringside News providing live results coverage.
Pat McAfee has declared his WWE chapter is officially over, saying wrestling is now in his rearview mirror after WrestleMania 42, where he pursued a feud with Cody Rhodes against Randy Orton. The former commentator and occasional in-ring performer walked away in 2025 due to mental exhaustion and subsequent returns, and he now confirms he won’t be returning to wrestling.
Finn Balor said on ESPN’s SportsCenter that he will revive his Demon persona ahead of WrestleMania 42, shaping his matchup with Dominik Mysterio; the Demon’s first appearance in three years follows losses to Roman Reigns and Edge and is framed as a taxing, emotionally charged return within The Judgment Day storyline.
Dominik Mysterio says he was originally set to face Finn Balor at WrestleMania 42 Night Two, but Adam Pearce changed the plan by adding Demon Balor and a Street Fight, which he believes led to an unfavorable result. He vented about the decision during the Mania post-show interview, insisting the contract called for Balor and that the stipulations made the outcome unfair, with Balor ultimately winning after the Coup de Grace. The remarks suggest potential fallout with The Judgment Day and set up what happens next on RAW after Mania.
Oba Femi defeated Brock Lesnar in WrestleMania 42 Night 2’s opening match, delivering Fall From Grace to secure a career-defining win as Lesnar hinted at retirement by leaving his gloves and boots in the ring while fans chanted his name.
Roman Reigns defeated CM Punk in the WrestleMania 42 Night 2 main event to win the World Heavyweight Championship, capping a heated buildup and extending Reigns’s legacy as a seven-time WWE world champion after a saga that featured promo wars, family tension with The Usos, and Paul Heyman ties.
Sources cited by Bodyslam say both Liv Morgan and Stephanie Vaquer were already dealing with injuries heading into WrestleMania 42, so WWE kept their Women’s World Championship bout short to avoid worsening either wrestler’s condition. Morgan defended and reclaimed the title in Las Vegas after a fast-paced match that included Roxanne Perez’s interference and a finish where Morgan threw Vaquer into the steel steps before hitting her finisher, with Morgan even performing her entrance live.
WWE shifted the Dominik Mysterio vs. Finn Balor match at WrestleMania 42 Night Two into a Street Fight after realizing the two-night card needed more variety beyond standard singles bouts. The Demon Balor used weapons and tables, finishing with a Coup de Grace through a table to win, making it one of Mania’s more chaotic bouts and marking the second Street Fight of the weekend per Fightful Select.
After WrestleMania 42, CM Punk confronted a fan in a Las Vegas hotel lobby, knocking the fan's phone away as Ace Steel and security intervened; the situation did not escalate to a fight, the fan apologized and left, following Punk's loss to Roman Reigns in the Night Two main event.
CM Punk returned at WWE WrestleMania 42 with a nostalgic entrance, first using ROH-era Miseria Cantare before his Cult of Personality; he defended the World Heavyweight Championship against Roman Reigns, paid tributes on his jacket to late WWE staff, and the main event was underway with Reigns in control after Punk was busted open.