WWE WrestleMania 41 Night Two

By Steve Ward

WrestleMania 41 weekend continued this evening from Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Nevada with night two. The card again featured seven bouts with four titles contested and was capped off by Cody Rhodes defending his Undisputed WWE Championship against John Cena.

 

WWE Women’s World Championship 

Iyo Sky (c) vs. Rhea Ripley vs. Bianca Belair

Winner: Iyo Sky via pinfall

 

Bianca Belair punched her ticket to WrestleMania after winning the Elimination Chamber last month. Things only became more complicated the next night on RAW when Iyo Sky defeated Rhea Ripley for her championship. With Ripley entitled to a rematch, that brings us to our triple threat encounter tonight. In the closing moments, it appeared Belair was poised to take the title after she viciously whipped her with her hair and then hit the Kiss of Death. As Belair attempted the pinfall, Iyo Sky flew in out of nowhere landing an Over the Moonsault on both women and then covered Belair for the win.

 

Sin City Street Fight

Drew McIntyre vs. Damian Priest

Winner: Drew McIntyre via pinfall 

 

This bitter rivalry began at last year’s WrestleMania when Damian Priest cashed in his Money In the Bank briefcase and defeated McIntyre for the World Heavyweight Championship just moments after he won it from Seth Rollins. Since then, McIntyre has blamed Priest for his inability to regain championship gold. This rivalry would come to a head tonight in a Sin City Street Fight. Priest appeared in control after he put McIntyre through a table with a Razor’s Edge until he attempted the Undertaker’s Old School. As Priest walked the ropes, McIntyre shoved him off and he plunged to the floor and through two tables. McIntyre then propped up Priest’s head against a chair wedged into the turnbuckles and delivered a devastating Claymore Kick to seal the victory.

 

WWE Intercontinental Championship Fatal Four Way Match

Bron Breakker (c) vs. Finn Balor vs. Penta vs. Dominik Mysterio 

Winner: Dominik Mysterio via pinfall 

 

This fast-paced, intense bout ended in shocking fashion. Finn Balor appeared in a prime position to win the title as he delivered the Coup de Grace on Bron Breakker. As Balor covered him for the pinfall, Dominik Mysterio landed a frog splash on top of both men and proceeded to cover his own Judgment Day cohort, Balor, for the pinfall.

 

Open Challenge

Randy Orton vs. Joe Hendry 

Winner: Randy Orton via pinfall 

 

Randy Orton was originally scheduled to face Kevin Owens until Owens announced he needed neck surgery. Orton, insistent on performing at his 20th WrestleMania, held an open challenge. The challenge would be accepted by TNA World Champion Joe Hendry. Hendry was able to mount some offense but, in the end, he was smiling for the camera only to become the recipient of an RKO Out of Nowhere.

 

AJ Styles vs. Logan Paul

Winner: Logan Paul via pinfall

 

Late in the match, a member of Logan Paul’s entourage appeared at ringside with brass knuckles. Karrion Kross then emerged from the crowd to confiscate the brass knuckles. Kross next offered them to Styles who tossed them aside and knocked Kross out. Styles proceeded to miss a Phenomenal Forearm attempt on Paul and received a Titanium Fist to the jaw followed by the Pulverizer costing him the match.

 

Women’s Tag Team Championship 

Liv Morgan & Raquel Rodriguez (c) vs. Lyra Valkyria & Becky Lynch

Winners: Lyra Valkyria & Becky Lynch via pinfall

 

Bayley was supposed to team with Valkyria, however, she was attacked yesterday and unable to compete. The roof was nearly blown off of Allegiant Stadium when Valkyria’s partner was introduced as none other than Becky Lynch!  The closing moments of the match saw Becky Lynch hit the Manhandle Slam on Liv Morgan allowing her to score the pinfall.

 

Prior to the main event, Stone Cold Steve Austin rode an ATV to the ring to announce the attendance and drank several Steveweisers.

 

WWE Undisputed Championship 

Cody Rhodes (c) vs. John Cena

Winner: John Cena via pinfall

 

John Cena punched his ticket into the main event of WrestleMania after he emerged victorious from the Elimination Chamber last month - the same night he sided with The Rock to deliver a beatdown of Cody Rhodes and completing one of the most shocking heel turns ever. Late in the match, Cody appeared to be building momentum when Travis Scott made his way to the ring. First, Cody attempted a pinfall only to have referee Chad Patton dragged from the ring by Scott. Rhodes then baited Scott into the ring where he delivered a Cross Rhodes. With Scott out of the picture, Cena attempted to strike Cody with the championship only to have Rhodes intercept him. Rhodes held the title and instead of using it on Cena, he hesitated and received a shot between the legs. Cena finally put Rhodes down with a shot to the head using the championship and pinned him to win his record 17th World Championship.

WWE WrestleMania 41 Night One

By Steve Ward

WrestleMania 41 emanated from Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Nevada with a seven match card for night one to kick off the weekend. Among the bouts, four titles were contested with a triple threat affair featuring Roman Reigns, CM Punk, and Seth Rollins headlining the show.

World Heavyweight Championship

Gunther (c) vs. Jey Uso

Winner: Jey Uso via submission

 

Following Jey Uso’s win at this year’s Royal Rumble, he elected to challenge “The Ring General” Gunther for the World Heavyweight Championship at the Showcase of the Immortals. This bout was a hard-hitting slugfest from bell to bell as both men pulled out every move in their playbooks and even hit each other’s finishers on one another. In the end, it took three consecutive Uso Splashes followed by a rear naked choke to earn the submission victory.

 

World Tag Team Championship

The War Raiders (c) vs. The New Day

Winners: The New Day via pinfall

 

The War Raiders seemed poised to retain their titles as they manhandled The New Day for a majority of the match. In the final moments, Xavier Woods was being set up to receive the War Machine until Ivar was pulled through the ropes to the arena floor by Kingston as Woods drew the referee’s attention. The New Day then executed Daylight to steal the titles.

 

Jade Cargill vs. Naomi

Winner: Jade Cargill via pinfall

 

After it was revealed at the Elimination Chamber last month that Naomi, and not Liv and Raquel, took Jade out of action in November following a brutal attack in the parking garage, the two have entered a bitter rivalry that would come to a head tonight. At the conclusion of this beatdown, Jade achieved her measure of revenge as she hit a vicious power bomb and immediately followed it with Jaded to earn the pinfall victory.

 

WWE United States Championship

LA Knight (c) vs. Jacob Fatu

Winner: Jacob Fatu via pinfall

 

Despite LA Knight’s attempts to mount offense, his efforts had little effect on Fatu as he at many times seemed impervious to pain. In the end, Fatu hit back to back moonsaults to claim victory and his first WWE gold.

 

El Grande Americano (Chad Gable) vs. Rey Fénix

Winner: El Grande Americano via pinfall

 

For months, Chad Gable found himself tormented with his inability to defeat any luchadors. This prompted Gable to take a trek to Mexico where he purchased a mysterious box from an old man with unknown contents. Coincidentally, a “new” luchador named El Grande Americano debuted shortly thereafter and immediately targeted Rey Mysterio and the LWO. Rey Mysterio was originally scheduled to compete until he was injured on Friday and was not cleared to compete. This opened the door for Rey Fénix to make his WrestleMania debut. The two competitors put forth a very entertaining high-flying effort. Late in the contest, El Grande Americano slipped a metal plate into his mask which would prove to be the swinging factor in the bout. First, Fénix injured his foot after walking the ropes and kicking Americano in the face. Moments later, Fénix dove from the top rope, however, Americano sidestepped and head butt Fénix. Finally, Americano ascended to the top turnbuckle and delivered a flying headbutt to cement his victory.

 

WWE Women’s Championship

Tiffany Stratton (c) vs. Charlotte Flair

Winner: Tiffany Stratton via pinfall

 

Charlotte Flair made her return from a serious knee injury and the Royal Rumble and was able to claim victory and punch her ticket to WrestleMania. Flair elected to square off with Tiffany Stratton who has drawn many comparisons to Flair throughout her early career. In a sadly sloppy affair, Tiffany Stratton shockingly retained her title after she landed the Prettiest Moonsault Ever in the final moments of the match.

 

Roman Reigns vs. CM Punk w/ Paul Heyman vs. Seth Rollins

Winner: Seth Rollins via pinfall

Back at Survivor Series, CM Punk agreed to join Roman Reigns’ team in exchange for a favor from Paul Heyman. Punk recently cashed in that favor and said that he wanted Paul Heyman in his corner for WrestleMania - which Heyman obliged. That brings us to tonight. This match appeared to be anyone’s fight until the final minutes when Paul Heyman finally made his presence felt. With all three men incapacitated, Heyman slid a steel chair to Punk who was face to face with Reigns. Heyman then climbed into the ring behind Punk and as Punk rose the chair to strike Reigns, Heyman struck Punk between the uprights. The Wiseman then delivered the chair to Reigns for use on Seth Rollins. As Reigns raised the chair up set to strike, Heyman delivered yet another low blow this time to The Tribal Chief. Heyman handed the chair off one last time to Seth Rollins who delivered a vicious chair shot to Reigns followed by the Stomp to seal his victory.