• “One Of The Greatest Matches In The Last Few Years” – AEW Star On Randy Orton vs. Cody Rhodes At WrestleMania 42
WrestleMania 42 – Night 1 was headlined by an Undisputed WWE Championship match between Cody Rhodes and Randy Orton.
Before the match began, Orton and Pat McAfee attempted to take out Rhodes, but were unsuccessful. Rhodes then received help from Jelly Roll, who neutralized McAfee temporarily.
The closing moments saw Orton take out referee Charles Robinson, leading to McAfee returning as a replacement referee to help Orton. However, Orton turned on McAfee, and Rhodes ultimately capitalized to retain his title. The Viper then blindsided The American Nightmare after the match.
The build to the match had already drawn criticism from fans, particularly due to McAfee’s involvement, which many felt was unnecessary. The outcome also received mixed reactions, with a large section of fans hoping to see Orton win, while the sudden fallout between him and McAfee left many confused.
However, 2-time WWE Hall of Famer Ric Flair (who is currently under AEW contract) had a very different take. The Nature Boy took to X to praise the match and called it one of the greatest bouts he has seen in recent memory.
“One Of The Greatest Matches I’ve Seen In The Last Few Years. Congrats To @CodyRhodes But There Is No Winner Or Loser! @RandyOrton, You Were Spectacular! You Both Represent So Well At The Highest Level. I Have So Much Respect For You Both! #wrestlemania”
Also Read: Tony Khan Adds To WrestleMania 42 – Night 1 Discourse Amid Fan Backlash
• Top Star May Be Taking Time Off From WWE After WrestleMania 42 Loss
AJ Lee lost the Women’s Intercontinental Championship to Becky Lynch at WrestleMania 42 – Night 1. This marked AJ’s first match at the Showcase of Immortals since 2015.
Lynch picked up the win after exposing the turnbuckle and using referee Jessika Carr as a shield before taking AJ out.
After the match, Jackie Redmond caught up with AJ Lee backstage to ask about the result and whether she would be looking for another shot at the title.
Below is her response:
“I should have known better. I don’t know. Becky fights dirty. She plays dirty. I should have seen it coming. That’s on me, right? She calls WrestleMania her home, and she’s going to do anything it takes to win. She took my title from me. But I don’t know, this was still a really special night.
So once I get checked out from the doctors, I’ll reassess and… just try to appreciate the experience so far. It’s been my favorite WrestleMania experience so far. Maybe my favorite match so far, even though I lost it. I got to have my family here. For a lot of them it’s the first time ever.
And what I wanted to do that entrance was represent all the fans who have been with me from day one. Who have been wearing my outfits, my shirts and my shorts and my shoes and skipping along with me the whole way. That was for you. I love you. I never got to say goodbye last time and I felt bad about that. So this is not goodbye, but I’ll see you soon, I hope.”
A performance to be proud of, @TheAJMendez 🫶#WrestleMania pic.twitter.com/n5V8QcyOPI
— WWE (@WWE) April 19, 2026
AJ’s comments have led to speculation that she could be taking time off from WWE, especially as she has not appeared regularly on WWE programming since her return, so this could end up being another one of her breaks from the company.
