WrestleMania 42 Night 1 – Best and Worst – 38-Year-Old Star is Done With WWE; Triple H Should Be Ashamed

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The entire thing just felt a little soulless, and it reflected in around half of the card tonight. There were only 84 minutes of wrestling on this four-hour broadcast. At times, it felt like the commercials were the main attraction and the matches were interrupting them.

Obviously, there were some massive highs, but it should’ve been much better. A few small changes would have made this one of the best shows in recent memory. But that isn’t the case. Let’s get into the best and worst of WrestleMania 42 Saturday.

#3. Best: Bianca’s Big Announcement

I was thrilled to see Bianca Belair return to WWE at WrestleMania 42. The EST has been badly missed ever since she broke her finger at last year’s event. However, this return was a one-off, as Belair announced she is pregnant in an emotional promo.

WrestleMania 42 host John Cena was in the ring and was the first to congratulate her. It would’ve been nice to see Montez Ford out there, too, but I’m just nitpicking. Sportskeeda Wrestling wishes him and Bianca Belair nothing but the best in this journey.

Some things are bigger than wrestling.

#3. Worst: Poor Bayley and Lyra

Onto the action now, and it was disappointing to see Bayley and Lyra Valkyria fail in their pursuit for tag team glory again. WWE had the perfect story in their hands at WrestleMania 42, with The Role Model being taken out of her and Valkyria’s Tag Team Title match at last year’s event.

Everything could have come full circle and made the past 12 months worth it for the lovable duo. I was one of the many people who were invested in their journey. But instead, WWE went where the pop goes. This time, it went to Paige, who made a surprise return as Nikki Bella’s last-minute replacement.

While it is amazing to see her back, I don’t think Paige and Brie Bella should have won the Women’s Tag Team Championship at WrestleMania 42. Other than the fact that Bayley and Lyra Valkyria should’ve come out on top, it wasn’t even The Bella Twins who won the titles. At least that would’ve made narrative sense.

But it seems like WWE decided on the moment and plans on figuring out everything else later. Given their track record in this area, I don’t trust them to do anything creative in this situation. Nikki’s eventual return to the ring might be awkward for Brie and Paige.

#2. Best/Worst: Goodbye Pat

Well, that was a waste, wasn’t it? WWE is the king of self-sabotage, and the entire Pat McAfee saga proves it. They had the perfect story for WrestleMania 42 between Cody Rhodes and Randy Orton. The two of them ended up having a great match on the show, with minimal McAfee shenanigans.

So, if we were always going to get the good outcome, why intentionally ruin your road to WrestleMania 42? But other than that confusion, it does look like Pat McAfee is done. He claimed he’d leave WWE and never return if Orton lost. That’s exactly what happened, so it’s time for the part-time commentator to be a man of his word.

Elsewhere in the match, Cody Rhodes found his killer instinct and low-blowed Randy Orton. He also took advantage after The Viper hit McAfee with an RKO, winning with Cross Rhodes. However, what happened next is really confusing.

Orton attacked Cody and punted him in the skull before posing with the Undisputed WWE Championship. This was a pretty bleak ending to Night One of WrestleMania 42; one that would’ve been more suitable for the weeks leading into the big show.

#1. Best: Gunther and Seth Rollins Save WrestleMania 42

This was possibly the only match on Night One of WrestleMania 42 that didn’t have any real flaws. Seth Rollins and Gunther truly pulled it out of the hat, with a physical and intense display at Allegiant Stadium. They are both among WWE’s best in-ring workers, so we shouldn’t be surprised at all.

The match got better and better until Bron Breakker made his presence known. He speared Rollins outside the ring and allowed Gunther to pick up the win via his Sleeper Hold. Bringing Breakker back was an inspired move that somehow added to this match.

I love how he sprinted up the ramp to spear Seth Rollins again, as we embark on the next chapter in The Visionary’s feud with Paul Heyman and everybody he manages.

#1. Worst: The Women Deserve Better

I mentioned how there was only an hour and 24 minutes of wrestling on this show. Well, the three women’s matches each lasted eight minutes or less. That is shameful from Triple H and everyone else responsible. It’s not like the women on the card couldn’t have longer matches.

Becky Lynch vs. AJ Lee at WrestleMania 42 was around half the length of their first match at Elimination Chamber. Meanwhile, Liv Morgan and Stephanie Vaquer were heavily disrespected. They did a great job in selling the intensity and hatred in their storyline with each other, but weren’t allowed more than seven minutes in the ring.

What a waste that truly is. Even an extra five minutes for both matches would have made a massive difference to the quality and legacy of WrestleMania 42 Saturday. Instead, it’s among the worst-received nights of ‘Mania of the Triple H Era. Women’s wrestling has gone backwards on The Game’s watch.