That’s more like it.
Night two of WrestleMania 42 inside Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas had nearly the exact same format as night one did. Short matches with lots of advertising and sponsorship around it. The difference was two-fold.
First, the short matches were better than night one. More exciting, unique, and crisper. Second, the CM Punk vs. Roman Reigns main event wasn’t a confusing circus like Rhodes vs. Orton was.
WWE has to seriously reconsider the formatting of this show, so that it doesn’t feel like a giant advertising billboard. At the same time, they got the wrestling part of the equation to a better place for night two, which made the same night one issues easier to deal with.
Here are my Brass Ring Ratings for the event and here’s how they work … I call it like I see it and grade accordingly. Period.
Brock Lesnar vs. Oba Femi
A smart match and a fun match that ushers in the Oba Femi era of WWE. The crowd was hot for Femi and the match fed him the entire way. Lesnar was giving and the no-sell by Femi on the F5 was memorable. Femi needed to win this match and he definitively did. Exactly what it needed to be. Lesnar retiring after the match was a surprise, but it makes sense. He really can’t help make anyone more effectively than he did with Femi. You don’t see Brock Lesnar emotional much, but caught a glimpse of that as he laid his boots in the ring. Remember, though. Minnesota is hosting SummerSlam this year and Paul Heyman owes Gunther a favor.
Heydorn’s Brass Ring Rating - OOO 1/2
Penta vs. Rey Mysterio vs. Rusev vs. JD McDonagh vs. Dragon Lee vs. Je’Von Evans — Ladder Match for the WWE Men’s Intercontinental Championship
One of the better WWE ladder matches in recent memory. Some dangerous spots, but spots worthy of WrestleMania. Penta and Je’Von Evans stole the show and were the two most over guys in the match. A lot of car crash fun that the audience ate up. Penta grabbed the belt down and retained his title. Without a clear next champion in the match, keeping the belt on Penta was the only call to make.
Heydorn’s Brass Ring Rating - OOOO 1/4
Sami Zayn vs. Trick Williams — WWE Men’s United States Championship
Sami Zayn is a gem of a pro wrestler. Williams more than held his own in this match, but Zayn leaning into the negative reaction got it over in a stronger way. Williams looked like he belonged on the WrestleMania stage and the extravagant entrance suited him well. Not the last time we’ll see him on the biggest WWE show of the year.
Heydorn’s Brass Ring Rating - OOO
“The Demon” Finn Balor vs. Dominik Mysterio — Street Fight
The Demon entrance is such a cool spectacle that WWE has in it’s production arsenal. Balor played it perfectly and really puts a lot of effort into the movement and facial expressions on display. When The Demon was announced, Mysterio’s fate was sealed and that’s exactly how the match went. Good enough action and my only real gripe was that it wasn’t much of a Street Fight. We don’t need to see Balor as The Demon all the time, but if they pick their spots right, WWE has a money gimmick for a long time.
Heydorn’s Brass Ring Rating - OO 3/4
Jade Cargill vs. Rhea Ripley — WWE Women’s Championship
The best match of Jade Cargill’s career. Cargill needed to deliver in this spot in a WrestleMania singles match and she did. Ripley looked more intense than ever out there and they were able to cultivate some real drama with false finishes. Getting Iyo Sky into the mix was a nice touch and meshed well with everything else the match was.
Heydorn’s Brass Ring Rating - OOO 1/4
CM Punk vs. Roman Reigns — WWE World Heavyweight Championship
Now, that’s a main event. From the entrances and all the way through the match, this one felt like a legendary clash. All the physicality was crisp and some of the “I can do you better than you spots” matched the storyline. The mocking by both Reigns and Punk helped tell a great story. Punk took more physical risks than usual and that added not only to the suspense, but to the idea that both men were willing to fight until exhaustion. This one will be remembered.
Heydorn’s Brass Ring Ratings - OOOOO
What did you think of WrestleMania 42 Night Two? Let us know in the comments!
Subscribe to the Brass Ring Media Newsletter HERE.
Follow Zack Heydorn on Bluesky @zackheydorn.bsky.social.