By Jason Powell, ProWrestling.net Editor (@prowrestlingnet)
WWE WrestleMania 42 Night Two
April 19, 2026, in Las Vegas, Nevada, at Allegiant Stadium
Streamed live on ESPN Unlimited, Netflix internationally, first hour on ESPN
Lin-Manuel Miranda hosted a video package… Michael Cole welcomed viewers to WrestleMania. Cole was joined on commentary by Wade Barrett…
WrestleMania 42 host John Cena made his entrance dressed in a suit while ring announcer Alicia Taylor introduced him. Cena played up night one as a good show. He said it was the first time WrestleMania was on ESPN, which drew boos. Cena said that meant they had to start with something big. Cena welcomed fans to WrestleMania. Pryo shot off on the stage…
Powell’s POV: I guess they called an audible. The ladder match was previously listed as the opening match of night two. Two hours before the show, WrestleTix listed the venue as being set up for 51,920 with 51,266 tickets distributed. The total number of seats was listed at 68,703. One year ago, 61,389 tickets were distributed for WrestleMania 41 night two.
Oba Femi made his entrance while the fans changed his name. George Kittle survived night one (protect your beers, everyone!). The San Francisco 49ers tight end was shown in the front row, mimicking Oba’s entrance strut. Brock Lesnar made his entrance with a smiling Paul Heyman…
1. Oba Femi vs. Brock Lesnar (w/Paul Heyman). Alicia Taylor delivered in-ring introductions for the match. Heyman took the mic and introduced Lesnar, and then Taylor introduced Oba. The wrestlers locked up a couple of times, with neither man getting the better of it. Lesnar picked up Oba and drove him into the corner. Oba no-sold it and shoved Lesnar to the mat. Lesnar threw two clotheslines that didn’t move Oba, who put Lesnar down with a clothesline of his own.
A frustrated Lesnar rolled to the floor and took the top piece off the ring steps. Oba reached out and grabbed Lesnar, who ended up running Oba into the ring post casing and the ring steps. Back in the ring, Lesnar took Oba to Suplex City with a few German Suplexes. Lesnar went for another, but Oba caught him with an elbow.
Oba charged Lesnar and hit him in a corner of the ring twice. He went for a third time, but Lesnar scooped him up and put him down with an F5. Oba recovered and chokeslammed Lesnar. Oba followed up with the Fall From Grace sit-out powerbomb and pinned Lesnar clean.
Oba Femi defeated Brock Lesnar in 4:45.
Oba showed a look of disbelief while standing over Lesnar. Oba backed up the ramp. Cole told fans to look at the ring. Cole said Lesnar was laid out and had not moved. Oba celebrated in the entrance aisle while the broadcast team narrated highlights from the match, which included Heyman with his jaw dropped. “Oba Femi, ladies and gentlemen, is the next big thing,” Cole declared.
Lesnar sat up in the ring and looked to the sky. He spoke to himself and then removed his gloves and boots. Lesnar got emotional. There was a “Thank you, Brock” chant. Lesnar stood up and waved to the fans.
Heyman entered the ring and shared a hug with an emotional Lesnar. Heyman raised Lesnar’s arm, and the fans cheered. Lesnar blew a kiss and then waved. He went to the ropes and played to the cheering crowd. Lesnar dropped down on his hands and knees and pounded the mat a few times before exiting.
Once on the stage, Lesnar patted his chest and said, “Thank you, guys, I appreciate this.” Lesnar and Heyman headed to the back. The camera showed Lesnar’s boots and gloves in the middle of the ring before they cut to a commercial break…
Powell’s POV: Wow. Brock put over Oba Femi clean and even sold it like he was laid out. As if that wasn’t enough, Lesnar removing his gloves and boots to signify his retirement was obviously a huge moment that will surely get plenty of attention on ESPN’s various shows. Is this truly the end? Undertaker did the same thing at WrestleMania 33 in 2017, and then stuck around and eventually had his last match at WrestleMania 36. I’m keeping the door open, as SummerSlam is in Minneapolis, where he went to college, and there’s been a lot of talk about him facing Gunther on that show. If this is the end, Brock definitely did right by Oba Femi on his way out.
Rey Mysterio was shot up from underneath the stage as part of his entrance. Rey wore red gear with a “619” logo on his chest. JD McDonagh, Dragon Lee, and Rusev were in the ring, meaning their entrances were not televised. Je’Von Evans made his entrance. He walked under a ladder on his way to the ring. A brief Penta video aired before he made his entrance. He stood on the stage wearing a horned helmet while pyro shot off behind him. Cole said Penta’s helmet and gear were inspired by the Mortal Kombat video game character Shao Kahn…
2. Penta vs. Rey Mysterio vs. Dragon Lee vs. Je’Von Evans vs. Rusev vs. JD McDonagh in a six-way ladder match for the Intercontinental Title. Penta and Lee set up for a double suicide dive during the opening minute, but Rusev held up a ladder that struck them both. McDonagh pulled a ladder into Penta. Evans dove over the top rope onto McDonagh.
Rusev set up a ladder and made the first play for the Intercontinental Title belt that was hanging above the ring. Penta broke it up. Evans and McDonagh climbed opposite sides of the ladder, which was pushed over. McDonagh landed on the apron while Evans took a bump to the floor. McDonagh climbed the ladder again, but Evans knocked him down with a springboard clothesline.
Rey performed a 619 and then set up a ladder. Evans jumped ahead of Rey on he ladder, but Rey pulled him down. After being tripped, Rey ended up hanging by his legs from the ladder. Penta suplexed Evans on a ladder that was leaning in a corner of the ring. Lee hit Rey with a missile dropkick to knock him off the ladder.
Rusev created a ladder bridge between the ladder in the middle of the ring and the middle turnbuckle. Rusev slammed Evans on the bridge before being sent to the floor. Penta and Rey fought while Rusev returned to the apron and put both feet on another ladder bridge that was located outside the ring. Penta launched Rey, who hit Rusev with a West Coast Pop onto the ladder.
Rey made a play for the belt, but Lee climbed up the other side and traded punches with him. Rey knocked Lee off the ladder, but Lee got up and grabbed Rey’s ankle. Rey kicked his way free and dove at Lee, who caught him and put him down with a Styles Clash. Lee went up the main ladder, but McDonagh cut him off and performed a Spanish Fly off the ladder to the mat. A “this is awesome” chant broke out.
McDonagh climbed the ladder. Penta climbed up the other side. McDonagh tried to suplex Penta, who blocked it and then pulled McDonagh’s head into one of the ladder rungs. Penta climbed to McDonagh’s side of the ladder and hit a Mexican Destroyer onto the in-ring ladder bridge.
Evans made a play for the belt while everyone else was on the floor. Rusev returned and pushed the ladder out from under Evans, who hung from the hook. Rusev pulled Evans down and then tossed him to the floor. Rusev limped as he positioned the main ladder. Evans went up top and pulled Rusev off the ladder with an OG Cutter.
Penta returned to the ring and jumped off the ladder before hitting Evans with a Mexican Destroyer. Pena also limped before climbing up the ladder and pulling the belt down to win the match.
Penta defeated Rey Mysterio, Dragon Lee, Je’Von Evans, Rusev, and JD McDonagh in a six-way ladder match in 15:10 to retain the Intercontinental Title.
Cole put over all six wrestlers, and then Barrett recapped highlights from the match…
Cole and Barrett recapped Lesnar leaving his gloves and boots in the ring after his loss to Oba Femi. Barrett said he was going to pump the brakes on what this meant until Lesnar makes it official. Cole said one thing they do know is that Oba Femi is for real. They wrapped up the ESPN coverage before a batch of commercials aired…
Powell’s POV: The wrestlers lived up to high expectations. It was the crazy spot-fest ladder match that everyone envisioned. Here’s hoping that everyone came out of it healthy. My only complaint is that it was more difficult to cover than it should have been because three babyfaces wore red gear. Yes, poor me.
What a letdown.
Okay. Got that out of the way. Now let’s watch WM SUNDAY. 🙂
And that was a hell of an opener. FINALLY. Great great great storytelling. Brock made a beautiful exit.
(And a nice hat tip to Brock when Oba walked away.)
Exactly the kind of big man match those two should have and I didn’t see the Brock retirement coming now. Great way to start night two.
I am left wondering if that was more of his goodbye to Wrestlemania instead of a retirement. The whole story with Gunther and Heyman is basically pointing to Gunther retiring him. It doesn’t seem like there would really be another favor that Heyman could pay back Gunther with. But I huess it is not like they pulled things out of left field before that made no sense.
Unlikely that was Brock’s final match, as they would want to promote that ahead of time. I believe that Gunther vs. Brock was a possible plan for this WM before they had to switch things up due to other injuries and repurpose Gunther, so likely Brock will finish in Minnesota.