• WrestleMania 42 – Night 1 Produces Shocking Match Time Stat
The first night of WrestleMania 42 is in the history books. The show ran for nearly four hours, with most of the matches being short across the card. Below is a breakdown of times for all the matches that took place tonight:
– The Usos and LA Knight vs. The Vision (Logan Paul and Austin Theory) & IShowSpeed – Time: 7:10
– Unsanctioned Match: Jacob Fatu vs. Drew McIntyre – Time: 14:10
– Fatal-4-Way WWE Women’s Tag Team Championship Match: The Irresistible Forces (c) vs. Paige & Brie Bella vs. Charlotte Flair & Alexa Bliss vs. Bayley & Lyra Valkyria – Time: 8:35
– Women’s Intercontinental Championship Match: AJ Lee (c) vs. Becky Lynch – Time: 8:15
– GUNTHER vs. Seth Rollins – Time: 15:45
– Women’s World Championship Match: Stephanie Vaquer (c) vs. Liv Morgan – Time: 9:00
– Undisputed WWE Championship Match: Cody Rhodes (c) vs. Randy Orton – Time: 22:55
When all match times are combined, WrestleMania 42 – Night 1 produced a total of 85 minutes and 50 seconds of in-ring action, a surprisingly low figure considering the nearly four-hour runtime of the show.
• “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
