WWE WrestleMania 40 night one live results: The Rock & Reigns vs. Rhodes & Rollins
Date: April 6, 2024
Location: Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, PA
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Show Recap —
KICK-OFF SHOW —
Michael Cole welcomed us to the kickoff show as they aired establishing shots of Philadelphia. The Rock, Roman Reigns, Cody Rhodes, Seth Rollins, Rhea Ripley, and Becky Lynch were all shown either getting ready this morning or arriving to the venue.
There was a WrestleMania hype video with Meek Mill. There are a ton of people outside the stadium behind the pre-show panel.
The panel was hosted by Michael Cole, Pat McAfee, CM Punk and Big E. Punk badly screwed up his “You can’t have WrestleMania in Philadelphia without Phil” line and he joked that he started drinking alcohol.
There was a video package for tonight’s main event. Jackie Redmond recapped everything the Bloodline had going on while standing outside their dressing room. Byron Saxton stood outside of Rhodes’ tour bus. Rhodes told Saxton earlier that tonight was the most important match of his career. Kyla Braxton spoke about everything that was on Rollins’ plate this weekend.
There was a video package for Ripley vs. Lynch and the panel discussed the match. McAfee, Big E and Punk all chose Ripley to win.
Paul “Triple H” Levesque was shown in the back (that’s how his name was shown on the graphic). Cole said of Levesque: “Many believe the man truly responsible for this resurgence of professional wrestling in the past year.” I chuckled.
Interview with Triple H
They aired part one of an interview Megan Morant did with HHH. She asked about this being the first WrestleMania under TKO. He said they allowed them to think out of the box and look at the show with fresh eyes. He called it liberating, different and fun.
HHH said Rock wanted to come back but they had to listen to the fans. The best stories were the ones where they were able to blend reality and fiction. They’ve been able to blur those lines and also follow the path that was most intriguing to the fans.
Morant asked about his relationship with The Rock. He called it poetic that they were in their respective positions going into this show. He called Rock the biggest star in the world but he was the same guy he knew years ago.
Morant asked if he missed performing. He enjoyed being able to collaborate with everyone in his current position and called it more rewarding in some ways than his in-ring career was. (Part two of the interview will air tomorrow.)
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Cole said he thought this period should be called the Triple H Era. Cole asked Punk his opinion. Punk spoke about how different things are now in the company. He recalled a private conversation he had with Big E. Punk wondered if he should have stayed but Big E told him he had to leave when he did.
Big E agreed it was a different company now and was amused to see AJ Styles of all people drop an F-bomb. He said it felt real. Punk called HHH a great coach who has assembled a great team. Cole agreed and said they love to work for him.
(It was a little odd hearing HHH speak about blending reality and fiction and Big E saying the show felt real.)
I suppose if I ran a show I would also schedule a full segment where people spoke about how great I am.
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There was a video for Jey vs. Jimmy Uso. Big E was proud of Jey and Punk compared the match to Bret vs. Owen Hart.
Peter Rosenberg was with Braun Strowman at a bar. They had sponsored vodka and Strowman poured mules for everyone.
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Redmond interviewed Sami Zayn. He admitted he was nervous but it wasn’t self-doubt. These were the kinds of nerves that came when you were ready to go to war. He planned on using those nerves and was ready for war. Redmond wished him luck.
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McAfee mentioned the fire on Rhodes’ bus and said the only things Rhodes grabbed from it were his dog and his wrestling boots. The panel jokingly wondered if someone should be accused of causing the fire. McAfee said he didn’t want to get sued and Punk quipped that he knew nothing about getting sued.
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Cathy Kelley interviewed Trish Stratus. Stratus called Lynch the best that she’s ever stepped into the ring with. She called Ripley unstoppable and didn’t know if Lynch could overcome her. Kelley asked if we’d see Stratus in the ring again and she said, “You never know.”
Braxton interviewed JBL. He put over WrestleMania before saying he has always known Rey Mysterio was a deadbeat. He put over Dominik.
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After a bunch of videos aired, Redmond and Wade Barrett replaced Cole and McAfee on the panel. Redmond wore a parka. It’s 52 degrees F (11°C) outside 45 minutes before the show starts.
Kelley interviewed Damian Priest and Finn Bálor. Priest was pissed. He said nobody could beat them so they kept stacking the odds against them. Bálor said they could keep stacking them up and they would keep knocking them down.
Big E admitted he was cheering for R-Truth in the ladder match despite New Day being in it. Big E said Truth almost lost his leg and we don’t talk about him enough.
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Big E put over Jazz and Jacqueline for paving the way for Naomi, Bianca Belair and Jade Cargill. Nick Aldis joined to speak about signing Cargill.
There was a WrestleMania I video package.
Kelley interviewed Natalya who was most looking forward to Jey vs. Jimmy.
Braxton interviewed Santos Escobar and Dominik Mysterio. Dom and Escobar didn’t care about Andrade. They wanted to eradicate Rey Mysterio.
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Redmond interviewed Rhodes and Rollins earlier this week. Rollins spoke about how much Dusty meant to him. Rhodes said Dusty would be touched by how much his fingerprints were all over WWE in 2024.
Rhodes called it embarrassing getting beat down by The Rock in Chicago but that was the last thing Rock should have done. Rollins said he’s always had Reigns’ number. Rhodes said if you were a betting person, you should bet everything on them.
WrestleMania is starting now. Enjoy the show.
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WRESTLEMANIA XL —
There’s a new signature video at the start of the show, voiced by Triple H. The WrestleMania intro included Meek Mill and his song “Big Boy.”
It’s still 52°F (11°C) as the show kicks off. Rhea Ripley and Becky Lynch were shown warming up.
Coco Jones sang the American national anthem.
Tonight’s announcers are Michael Cole, Corey Graves and Pat McAfee.
Triple H entered. Cole, speaking of his boss, once again said this period should be known as the “Triple H Era.”
Triple H said, “Welcome to a new time, welcome to a new era, welcome to WrestleMania!”
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Rhea Ripley defeated Becky Lynch to retain the Women’s World Championship (17:09)
Lynch’s entrance included excerpts from her book. (Excerpts were also printed on her gear.) Graves acknowledged that she got her wish by opening WrestleMania, years after main-eventing it. Cole said Lynch has been sick all week with strep throat. The band Motionless in White played Ripley to the ring. Lynch received some boos during her introduction.
Ripley hit an early Northern Lights Suplex. She went to the top but Lynch brought her down with an arm drag. They noted that Ripley already had an injured arm. Lynch spiked Ripley with a tornado DDT for two. Lynch followed with a leg drop onto the apron before giving Ripley an exploder into the barricade. Lynch hit another diving leg drop for two. Lynch tried a crossbody but Ripley easily caught her and hit a knee strike for two.
Lynch hit an armbreaker and tried an armbar but Ripley hoisted her up and hit three consecutive powerbombs for a nearfall. Lynch tried targetting the arm but Ripley booted her for two. Lynch avoided a charge and Ripley went shoulder-first into the ring post. Lynch applied a Disarmer between the ropes before the referee broke it up. Ripley countered Lynch and applied the Prism Trap (standing cloverleaf). Lynch countered into a cover for two.
Lynch countered a Rip-tide into a Man-handle Slam for two. Ripley ducked a kick by Lynch and hit Rip-tide for a nearfall.
Lynch hit a superplex and transitioned into a Disarmer. Ripley hoisted her up into an electric chair drop position. Lynch tried flinging her out of the ring but Ripley held on and hit an electric chair drop on the outside. Ripley followed with a frog splash for two.
Lynch tried a Man-handle slam off the middle rope but Ripley blocked it. Ripley gave Lynch a Rip-tide into the turnbuckle pad before hitting another Rip-tide in the ring for the pinfall win.
This was pretty good and it was a strong win for Ripley.
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There was a long video of Pretty Deadly running down all of the teams in tonight’s ladder match.
DIY entered with a DX themed entrance. Johnny Gargano wore a vest inspired by Shawn Michaels. Xavier Woods wore Consequences Creed gear (Kofi Kingston wore yellow and black). Judgment Day entered in masks.
Six-pack ladder match for the Tag Team Championships: Finn Bálor & Damian Priest vs. Johnny Gargano & Tommaso Ciampa vs. The Miz & R-Truth vs. Kofi Kingston & Xavier Woods vs. Austin Theory & Grayson Waller vs. Pete Dunne & Tyler Bate (17:23)
— Austin Theory & Grayson Waller won the SmackDown tag team championships
— R-Truth & The Miz won the Raw tag team championships
The Raw belts and Smackdown belts were placed on separate apparatuses. Cole said the match would not end until both sets of belts were retrieved.
Bálor got a ladder but Bate hoisted him up, along with the ladder, and did an airplane spin. Bate and Dunne each hit moonsaults off a tall ladder onto their opponents below. Bate climbed a ladder but Priest gave Dunne a Razor’s Edge into Bate, who also fell on top of Dunne.
Truth got on the apron and everyone popped as he asked for the hot tag. Miz did make the tag and Truth did John Cena’s comeback sequence. Truth gave Bálor an AA onto a ladder and counted to three. Truth thought he won but Miz smarted him up. Miz and Truth held back Priest so that Gargano could hit a superkick. Ciampa followed with his version of a Pedigree.
Theory and Waller knocked everyone off ladders and Waller quickly ran up a ladder to grab the Smackdown tag titles. Samantha Irvin announced them as the winners of the Smackdown titles (about 7:45 into the match).
Dunne and Bate powerbombed Waller through a ladder bridge. Woods hit Ciampa with a springboard elbow onto another ladder bridge. Kingston wiped out mostly everyone with a trust fall dive. Gargano DDT’d Dunne through a table outside the ring. Ciampa killed Bate with an air raid crash off the top of a ladder.
Truth suddenly emerged to the delight of the crowd but he was cut off by JD McDonagh. McDonagh tried to help Bálor but Kingston hit Bálor with a chair. McDonagh was climbing the ladder so Kingston and Woods tipped it over and McDonagh crashed through a table outside the ring.
Priest cut off New Day and he gave Kingston a Razor’s Edge onto a chair. Miz stopped Priest from climbing the ladder but Priest shoved him off the ladder. (They were probably going for a chokeslam but the ladder was busted so they struggled to pull it off.)
Priest grabbed a new ladder and climbed it but Truth cut him off and dumped him from the ring with an AA. Truth climbed the ladder and retrieved the Raw title belts for the win.
The crowd popped big for Truth. He and Miz celebrated atop the ladder.
(This was mostly pretty good and about what you’d expect for a midcard multi-man WWE ladder match. However, the sudden gimmick to split up the titles was silly but they’re hot enough to get away with nonsensical ideas. The split titles are also now and two much worse teams.)
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Rey Mysterio & Andrade (w/LWO) defeated Santos Escobar & Dominik Mysterio (w/Legado Del Fantasma) (11:03)
Andrade held Rey on his shoulders and they hit a double diving crossbody on their opponents outside the ring. You can only control your bodyweight so much doing such a thing so Andrade crunched Dom.
(There was a funny moment on commentary where Cole said Rey beat Dom last year and Graves added, “and the year before that and the year before that…”)
Escobar took over on Rey and they worked him over until he hit a Code Red. Andrade tagged in and hit Dom with a running double knee strike and double step moonsault for two. Dom came back with a neckbreaker so both men tagged out and Rey dropped Escobar with a seated senton. Rey sent Dom out of the ring before hitting Escobar with a 619. Andrade wiped out Dom with a moonsault to the outside.
Angel and Berto distracted Rey which allowed Escobar to hit a hurricanrana off the top for two. Everyone not involved in the match took each out with moves until Joaquin Wilde hit an impressive springboard dive (mimicking the one he did on NXT).
Escobar went after Rey as Dom grabbed a steel chair. A couple of big white guys in Philadelphia Eagles-themed Rey Mysterio masks thwarted Dom and chucked him into the ring.
Rey hit both Dom and Escobar with a 619. Andrade took out Dom with his new finisher and Rey hit Escobar with a splash for the pinfall win.
The masked men revealed themselves as Jason Kelce and Lane Johnson of the Eagles (Kelce is recently retired) and the crowd popped.
(This wasn’t bad but it did feel like a mess at the end and the match was a backdrop for the Eagles players to appear.)
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Jey Uso defeated Jimmy Uso (11:06)
Lil Wayne brought Jey to the ring. I think they called Lil Wayne the greatest rapper of all time.
Jey interrupted Jimmy’s entrance with a dive and the match started once they hit the ring. Jimmy took control after a Samoan drop which didn’t look good.
Jimmy repeatedly hit superkicks and the crowd chanted “Jimmy sucks.” Jimmy mocked Jey’s pose and went for a splash but Jey dodged it and hit a superkick. They traded right hands which led to chants of “Yeet” and “No Yeet.” They exchanged superkicks and Jey got the better of the exchange. Jey hit multiple superkicks and a leaping superkick.
Jey went for one more but Jimmy held his hand up asking for forgiveness. Jey held up as Jimmy said he was sorry for everything. The crowd was relatively quiet to this point but they got up for this as they encouraged Jey not to listen. Jey helped Jimmy to his feet as the crowd booed. Jimmy superkicked him and hit an Uso splash for a nearfall.
Jey came back with a spear and an Uso splash for the pinfall win.
This was just a match.
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They said it now feels like 46°F (8°C). The announcers are cold.
Six-woman tag team match: Bianca Belair, Naomi & Jade Cargill defeated Dakota Kai & Women’s Tag Team Champions Asuka & Kairi Sane (8:03)
Belair, Naomi and Cargill entered together. Cargill wore white and silver gear and had short, silver hair.
Sane hit an Insane elbow drop outside the ring on Naomi early in the match. Later on, Belair hit all three women with a handspring moonsault. The crowd woke up when Belair went for a tag to Cargill but the heels cut her off. Belair managed to escape and made the hot tag to Cargill.
Cargill dropped Asuka and Kai. She caught Sane out of mid-air and hit a backbreaker. Everyone traded moves and Asuka misted Sane by mistake. Belair gave Asuka a KOD.
Cargill finished off Kai with Jaded for the pinfall win.
This was fine. The main objective was to put Cargill over and that’s what they did.
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Sami Zayn embraced his wife and son in the back. His son may get votes for best non-wrestler in the awards. Zayn asked his wife to keep their son in the back because he didn’t want him watching this.
Chad Gable met with Zayn. Zayn assumed Gable was coming with him to ringside but Gable said he would get this done on his own. They shook hands.
As Zayn went to Gorilla, he was met by Kevin Owens. Owens shoved him, gave him a hug, and told him to go do this.
This was all really good.
Sami Zayn defeated Gunther to win the Intercontinental Championship (15:30)
Zayn avoided chops and hit chops of his own, but as he came off the middle rope, Gunther caught him with a German suplex. Dueling chants began as Gunther hit Zayn with uppercuts. They exchanged chops until Zayn dropped Gunther with a clothesline. Gunther hit chops but Zayn came back with consecutive half-and-half suplexes. Gunther turned him inside out with a clothesline for two. Zayn smacked Gunther and hit a tornado DDT.
Zayn went for Helluva Kick but Gunther applied a sleeper. Zayn slipped out and clubbed Gunther. Gunther blocked a Blue Thunder Bomb and applied a sleeper. Zayn fought to his feet with Gunther on his back and tried to get a rope break but Gunther nailed a German suplex.
Zayn came back with an exploder. Gunther again avoided a Helluva Kick and hit a running dropkick. Gunther followed with a powerbomb for a nearfall. Zayn’s wife Khadijah was shown in the front row cheering him on. (Owens is presumably watching their son.)
Gunther looked down dismissively at Khadijah and Zayn used the distraction to hit a Helluva Kick for a nearfall. (This played off Zayn getting distracted by Gunther in his matches with Bronson Reed.)
Zayn went for another Helluva Kick but Gunther dropped him with a clothesline. Gunther hit consecutive powerbombs for a great nearfall.
Gunther taunted Khadijah who was having none of it. Gunther repeatedly stomped Zayn as the crowd booed. Gunther clobbered Zayn with a clothesline, another powerbomb and consecutive splashes.
Zayn began firing up as the crowd cheered. Gunther went back to the top but Zayn cut him off with a Helluva Kick. Zayn hit a super brainbuster and a Helluva Kick to the back of the head. Zayn hit another Helluva Kick for the pinfall win. The crowd popped huge for the win.
Zayn embraced his wife. This was terrific.
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There was a video about how great WrestleMania is.
Adam Pearce and Nick Aldis announced an attendance of 72,543.
George Kittle (who was booed), Vanessa Hudgens, Wale, and Druski were shown at ringside. Jordan Burroughs was shown earlier.
The announcers ran down the card for night two.
It’s been at least ten minutes since the Zayn segment ended.
There was a video package for the main event.
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Rhodes entered first. He hugged his mom Michelle and gave his belt to Brandi’s father Otis.
I can’t even describe Rollins’ outfit. The announcers weren’t sure what to make of it, either.
The Rock got a big-time entrance and he entered holding the People’s Championship given to him by Lonnie Ali.
Reigns entered last and it’s already been 30 minutes since the Zayn segment ended.
After the in-ring introductions (which the Zayn-Gunther match didn’t get), the match began 36 minutes after the Zayn segment ended.
The Rock & Universal Champion Roman Reigns defeated Cody Rhodes & World Heavyweight Champion Seth Rollins (44:31)
The teams stared each other down for a full 90 seconds before Rock and Rhodes went their respective corners. Rollins and Reigns started.
They had a brief exchange before Rhodes tagged in. There was a brief exchange before Reigns held up because he was confronted by both Rhodes and Rollins (after Rollins tagged in).
Reigns tagged in The Rock (who, of course, is in great shape). Rock faced off with Rollins.
There is a contingent (perhaps a small one) of fans who are in favour of The Rock. Rhodes and Rollins each received a smattering of boos during their intros. And Rollins was booed when he got the better of an exchange with Rock. It’s not super loud or anything, but it’s there.
Rock knocked down Rollins with a shoulder tackle and this match is already a minute longer than the six-woman tag match. Rock taunted Rhodes, who tagged in.
Rhodes got some shots in on the Rock before all four men faced off. The fight spilled to the outside. The referee issued a warning to the Rock who threatened to fire him and told him that he doesn’t f*ck around. Rollins and Rock fought through the crowd on one side of the stadium while Rhodes and Reigns fought on the stage.
Rollins chucked Rock back to ringside, right in front of Rock’s mom. Rock feigned an injury in the ring and as the ref checked on him, Reigns chop-blocked Rollins. (It’s been almost 18 minutes, so this is already the longest match of the evening.)
Rock drove Rollins’ leg into the ring post. Rock and Reigns worked over Rollins’ leg and Cole said there was nothing Rhodes could do about it. (I assume he’s referring to the rules of the match, which were just ignored for many minutes as they all wrestled outside the ring.)
They worked over Rollins forever and Rock punched him right in the balls in front of the referee. They said the ref apologized to Rhodes because he couldn’t do anything about it.
Rock put Rollins in the Sharpshooter so Rhodes just slapped him in the face. Rollins gave Rock a curb stomp.
Rhodes and Reigns tagged in. Rhodes hit strikes, a powerslam, a Disaster kick and Cody Cutter for two. Rhodes went for another Disaster kick but Reigns caught him with a Superman punch for two. Reigns went for a spear but Rhodes countered into a sunset flip cradle for two. Rhodes hit a Cody Cutter and Rollins, who tagged himself in, hit a frog splash for two.
Reigns countered a Rollins curb stomp attempt into a powerbomb but Rollins blocked a spear. Rhodes tagged in. He and Rollins each hit superkicks. Rollins hit a curb stomp and Rhodes hit a Cross Rhodes but Rock pulled the ref out of the ring.
Rock chucked Rollins into the barricade as Reigns gave Rhodes a low blow. Reigns speared Rhodes but Rhodes kicked out at two.
Reigns put Rhodes in a guillotine. Rock held Rhodes down as Reigns cinched it in but Rollins hit Reigns with a stomp.
Rock tagged himself in and 34 minutes into the match, he grabbed his weight belt and taunted Cody’s mother (who yelled “bullsh*t!” at Rock).
Rhodes hit jabs and a Bionic elbow to Rock but Rock came back with a spinebuster. Rock went for People’s Elbow but Rhodes dropped him with a Cody Cutter. Rhodes set up for Cross Rhodes but Reigns saved Rock and hit a Superman punch. (This match is now twice as long as any other match tonight.)
Reigns went for a spear on Rhodes but Rollins pushed him out of the way and Reigns speared Rock.
Rhodes and Rollins each hit Pedigrees to Reigns and Rock respectively but they each kicked out at two.
Rollins wiped out Reigns with a dive but Rock raked Rhodes’ eyes. Rock set up Rhodes for a Rock Bottom on the announce table but Rollins saved him. Rhodes then gave Rock a Rock Bottom through the announce table. Reigns speared Rollins through the barricade.
Reigns hit Rhodes with a drive-by dropkick. They exchanged right hands until Rhodes hit consecutive Cross Rhodes. Rhodes went for one more but Rock hit him from behind with the weight belt. Reigns speared Rhodes.
Rock called for a tag so Reigns tagged him in. Rock hit Rhodes with a Rock Bottom. Rock did a throat-slit motion before hitting a People’s Elbow for the pinfall win.
The announcers emphasized that Rollins and Rhodes were both screwed for tomorrow.
This was very long and took a long time to get going but there was a lot of good stuff in here and Rock deserves credit for his effort. That said, this match was what you want to make of it: A long and plodding Roman Reigns match, a WWE-style main event, etc. Whatever it was, it was ultimately designed to set up tomorrow’s show and that’s what it did.