My thoughts on WrestleMania 42: Reigns vs. Punk was a masterpiece, Way too many ads during the show

Before I start with my thoughts about WWE WrestleMania 42, I just wanted to take this time to get something off my chest. I’ve been a wrestling fan for 40-plus years, and while, like most fans and other people writing about wrestling, I got caught up with all the backstage crap that’s been reported by all the dirt sheets and on social media, I felt like I lost myself a little bit and started taking this stuff too seriously. It began to affect my enjoyment of the product that I love, and that’s what I feel like most fans—especially those living on the internet—have experienced as well.

We’re so consumed with trying to know every little thing that’s going on behind the scenes that we forgot what made us fans in the first place, which is the product we’re being given inside the ring. Yes, writing about all the negative stuff going on behind the scenes will get you more clicks because that’s how the world works, but I’ve decided to stop basing my opinions on all that and just enjoy the product for what it is. That doesn’t mean I won’t be critical about what I see, but I’m done writing about all the backstage stuff because, quite frankly, I don’t care how WWE, AEW, or TNA are run. All I need is for them to give me a product I enjoy so I can continue to talk about it. I also feel fans and some columnists should take this approach, as it would make this fandom a lot less toxic, as Kit Wilson would say.

Now, on to my thoughts on Mania 42.

Another Mania is in the books, and I’ve got to say that overall it was a middle-of-the-road show for me. Personally, I really liked both nights, but Night 1 had the slight edge because it felt a little bit more like Mania than Night 2.

So let’s start with the positives.

1. Both free hours were really well booked

For the first time in Mania history, WWE decided to give away the first hour of both nights for free as a way to get more people to subscribe to the ESPN app and watch the show, and I feel like they delivered. Night 1 had the six-man tag, which gave them a viral moment with IShowSpeed putting Logan Paul through a table, and a great fight between McIntyre and Fatu. Night 2 gave us the destruction of Lesnar by Femi in what seemed like Lesnar’s retirement match, as well as a really strong ladder match. On that aspect, WWE did a great job hyping the event, and I’m very curious to see if it affected subscriber numbers for the app.

2. Paige’s return

Yes, her return was spoiled by the dirt sheets, but at the same time, it was still a great way to bring her back, and the pop she got was huge. Giving her the tag title on her return was a great throwback to her debut when she won the Divas Championship, and they booked her return perfectly by milking the hot tag as much as possible, which made the crowd erupt when she finally got it. Yes, she had a little bit of ring rust, but that was to be expected since it’s been a while since her last AEW match. She still looked good overall, and I hope she’s able to end her career the way she wants without a career-ending injury.

3. Reigns vs. Punk was a masterpiece

This, for me, is what a Mania main event should be. It should have you on the edge of your seat the entire time and keep you wondering what it’s going to take for someone to win. Punk and Reigns proved again why they are two of the best wrestlers today and why they are true main-event talents and major draws. They had an awesome match without relying on over-the-top spots or excessive moves. Everything they did had a purpose and advanced the story they were telling in the ring, which got everyone in the arena invested. In the end, Reigns survived and became the new world champion, which means we’re going back to the part-time champion era—but I don’t really mind. When Reigns does defend the title, it’s going to feel special, and his limited schedule could help make the midcard titles feel more important.

4. Rollins vs. Gunther was an awesome match, and Bron’s return was very well executed

This match did two things really well: it gave us a great match that protected Gunther’s character, and it made Bron’s return feel impactful. I really can’t say much more beyond the fact that it elevated both guys and set up the next chapter in the Seth/Bron feud, which makes me very interested in what’s going to happen next.

Now let’s talk about what I thought was okay.

1. Danhausen segment was decent

I’m a big fan of Danhausen, but I’ve seen better from these three. Just go on YouTube and watch the video they posted when Miz tried to renew his vows to Maryse—that was fantastic. The saving grace here was Cena’s reaction, which felt genuine, like he wasn’t fully clued in on what was about to happen.

2. Midcard matches felt like TV matches, especially on Night 2

Nothing against the talent involved, but outside of the elaborate entrances and gear, nothing on Night 2 really felt like a Mania match. Zayn vs. Trick was decent but short, as was Jade vs. Rhea, and Mysterio vs. The Demon should have been much better than it was. At least on Night 1, the matches felt more like true Mania-level bouts.

Now let’s get into some of the negatives.

1. Way too many ads during the show

I don’t know what fans got in terms of ads on the ESPN app since I watched on Netflix, but for those watching there, we were hit with a lot of ads for the Hogan documentary and other WWE projects. It was better than the usual filler montages during breaks, but it still felt excessive for WWE’s biggest show of the year.

2. Cody vs. Orton was a mess but still got me interested in what’s next

This story has been messy for a few weeks, and that carried over into Mania. Orton clearly had back issues, which slowed things down and made it feel like the match was reworked on the fly. They listened to fans by taking McAfee out early, which created a viral moment, but bringing him back later to play a major role in the finish didn’t help. Orton losing felt like a way to write off McAfee, but it also meant Rhodes retained, denying fans the ending many wanted—Orton winning his 15th world title.

What happened after the match saved this from being a total disaster, though, and it got me interested in what’s next in the Rhodes/Orton feud, especially with Rhodes reportedly dealing with an injury from the Punt Kick.

Conclusion

This wasn’t a WrestleMania that will be ranked among the best. It delivered what it needed to—big moments, great entrances, and a few standout matches—but that’s about it. If it wasn’t for Brock’s apparent retirement, Paige’s big return, and the Night 2 main event, this would have felt like just another PLE, which isn’t the feeling you want when watching WrestleMania.