An action-packed WrestleMania 42 concluded with Night 2 as new stars made statements and veterans reclaimed their championships at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas. Oba Femi and Trick Williams were the two big winners on Sunday, looking impressive in their WrestleMania debuts. Fami’s victory over Brock Lesnar capped off a night with one man on his way to becoming a dominant force, and the other possibly making his final run in WWE. Williams, with his “lemon pepper steppers” and 50-yard gown, captured the United States Championship from Sami Zayn, who is unable to shake his miserable 2026.
Rhea Ripley and Roman Reigns were former champions who returned to glory tonight. Each of Ripley’s WrestleMania matches was for a championship, and she won her first singles title in 13 months by ending Jade Cargill’s reign in consecutive matches.
In the main event, Reigns and CM Punk fought in a 33-minute battle of wills to show who is the best after months of insults. Punk – coming out with his former Ring of Honor music before the “Cult of Personality” – continued fighting until he had nothing left, leaving no doubt that the original Tribal Chief had returned.
Here are the biggest takeaways from Night 2, including a chaotic ladder match and a violent grudge match between former teammates.
Can Reigns carry this title alone?
Punk entered the main event of WrestleMania Night 2 with a lot to prove, even going on to retain the World Heavyweight Championship. Based on their conversation prior to this match, Punk and Reigns represented A completely different approach to wrestling. How they portrayed themselves, as well as their associated history. For Punk, who took advantage of the opportunity when previous champion Seth Rollins was injured, the night was the culmination of a journey to prove he was still “the best in the world”.
It ended on Sunday, as despite every attack and strategy used against Reigns, Punk ran out of steam. Two years after their 1,316-day reign ended, OTC claimed the championship. Reigns also had a lot to prove, as a loss would validate every insult and criticism made by Punk. More importantly for Reigns, he won without any interference.
Towards the end of Roman’s previous reign, the title was defended less frequently. Can we expect Reigns to defend the championship at Backlash in May? If so, some people are hungry for a shot on “Raw.”
Also, can we expect more Reigns to be on his own with no one at ringside? This would be an interesting development for his character, as he’s finding his way in WWE without anyone’s support. Wouldn’t it be shocking to see Reigns bring home the championship at WrestleMania 43… perhaps against The Rock?
Oba Femi defeats “The Beast” Brock Lesnar
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Oba Femi did the unthinkable, defeated Brock Lesnar in the opener
Oba Femi can’t believe his victory over Brock Lesnar in the opening match of WrestleMania 42 Night 2.
WWE announcer Michael Cole declared, “Oba Femi is the next big thing,” when Femi left the ring following his victory over Brock Lesnar, who was dubbed “The Next Big Thing” in 2002. Femi has been a force to be reckoned with since debuting on the main roster. Now, his first WrestleMania match was a victory over Lesnar, who had dominated WWE for the past 24 years. It’s onwards and upwards for Femi.
The most interesting development of this match was Lesnar’s emotional outburst, who left his gloves and shoes in the ring. Lesnar later stopped to acknowledge the crowd, which is something the business-like Lesnar has rarely done in his decorated career. If this was Lesnar’s final WrestleMania, he leaves with a historic resume. After less than a year in WWE, he main evented WrestleMania XIX against Kurt Angle and ended Undertaker’s historic 21–0 undefeated streak at WrestleMania XXX.
SummerSlam will be a two-night event in Lesnar’s former home of Minnesota. at last night’s takeawayI saw the possibility of Gunther cashing in on his side with Paul Heyman taking on Lesnar. If Lesnar got one more match, this would be it.
Lots of upcoming options for Penta
This ladder match showcased each man’s abilities, from Ja’Von Evans’ aerial skills and Rey Mysterio’s veteran savvy to JD McDonagh’s survivability. Everything He progressed in this match.
Penta’s impressive Intercontinental Championship reign continues, with many possibilities for the near future. There’s no shortage of challengers on “Raw,” including some in this match who will be eager for another shot.
Evans, on the other hand, has come up short in every one of his championship matches in NXT, AAA, and WWE. The future is bright, but disappointments may eventually emerge.
Williams’ title win could renew NXT rivalry
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Trick Williams defeated Sami Zayn to become the new United States Champion
At WrestleMania 42, Trick Williams defeated Lil Yachty to become the new United States Champion.
From crowd entrances to trick shots, Trick Williams put on an impressive performance to claim the United States Championship at WrestleMania. Williams’ trajectory is very high and this match is a big step forward.
Williams’ friend turned NXT rival Carmelo Hayes would be an exciting candidate to become her next opponent. Williams frequently defended the United States Championship on “SmackDown” before losing to Sami Zayn in late March, causing Hayes to lose a spot at WrestleMania.
For Zayn, it’s been a disappointing 2026, leading to erratic behavior and possibly some soul searching. His disappointed look after losing the match shows that he can find ways to get back into the United States Championship picture.
Dom’s rivalry with Balor is not over yet
“The Demon” Finn Balor picked up a victory over his former disciple Dominik Mysterio in a tough street fight, and it was a victory he needed. After being removed from Judgment Day due to his issues with Mysterio, Balor took on the demon persona in order to seek revenge.
For Mysterio, his next goal will be to find a way to defeat Balor before his next match. Mysterio has won many of his matches through deceptive tactics and interference, but there was no member of Judgment Day left to interfere on his behalf. He will need to work on himself ahead of a potential rematch this summer.
Where does aunty go from here?
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Rhea Ripley wins WWE Women’s Championship after Io Sky’s help
At WrestleMania 42 Night 2, Rhea Ripley defeated Jade Cargill with the help of Io Skye to win the WWE Women’s Championship.
Rhea Ripley completed her journey back to the top of the women’s division by dethroning Jade Cargill and ending her reign at 169 days. Ripley now has the singles championship for the first time in over a year, and she has an interesting list of potential challengers on “SmackDown”, including Tiffany Stratton, Jordyn Grace and Chelsea Green, to name a few.
Cargill had been dominant since winning the championship, but could not maintain it even with the help of B-Fab and Mitchin. Cargill put in an impressive performance on the mic in the lead up to this feud and it was her best match in WWE, as she displayed strong chemistry with Ripley. Cargill needs to be in the mix for the championship, whether that means a rematch or pursuing the Women’s Tag Team Championship. The move to “Raw” would also give Cargill a new list of rivals.
