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Randy Orton was originally planned to defeat Cody Rhodes and win the Undisputed WWE Championship at WrestleMania 42, but WWE scrapped those plans in the final weeks before the show. Instead, Rhodes retained the title, with reports indicating the decision change was made to support WWE's long-term plans to continue the feud between the two wrestlers beyond WrestleMania.
Joe Jonas kicked off WrestleMania 42's second night by performing the Star Spangled Banner. His rendition was described as memorable, adding him to WWE's tradition of featuring major artists for patriotic opening performances that began with Ray Charles at WrestleMania 2.
Danielle Fishel, best known for playing Topanga on Boy Meets World, appeared at multiple events during WrestleMania weekend in Las Vegas and was spotted in photos and social media content with WWE talent. The article notes that Fishel has been linked to the wrestling industry through her relationship with Danhausen, who moved to WWE after building a fanbase elsewhere. Her WrestleMania weekend appearances included fan interactions, backstage moments, and social media content alongside WWE performers.
A new report revealed that Randy Orton was originally supposed to win the Undisputed WWE Championship from Cody Rhodes at WWE WrestleMania 42. The original plans would have seen Orton defeat Rhodes for the title at the event.
ESPN reporter Andreas Hale revealed that WWE denied him credentials for WrestleMania 42, stating that neither he nor ESPN were given a reason for the blocked access. R-Truth responded to Hale on social media with a blunt message calling him a "bitch ass," adding another layer to the situation as fans continue debating the credential denial online.
IShowSpeed received backstage praise following his performance in the opening match at WrestleMania 42, where he teamed with The Vision against The Usos and LA Knight. According to Fightful Select, Speed was commended for taking the opportunity seriously and being committed to his role in the match, with sources noting he "threw himself into wrestling" despite being a celebrity participant.
WWE is expected to increase match times for WrestleMania 42 Sunday following backlash over short match durations on Saturday night, according to PWInsider. WrestleMania Saturday featured several matches that ran under 10 minutes, including bouts with Becky Lynch, AJ Lee, and Liv Morgan, as well as matches like GUNTHER vs. Seth Rollins and Cody Rhodes vs. Randy Orton that ended quicker than expected. Sunday's card will feature major matches including CM Punk vs. Roman Reigns for the World Heavyweight Championship and Jade Cargill vs. Rhea Ripley for the WWE Women's Championship.
The match order for night two of WWE WrestleMania 42 has reportedly been revealed. No additional details about the specific matches or their order were provided in the report.
According to Dave Meltzer on Wrestling Observer Radio, WWE has been discussing Roman Reigns vs. Gunther as a major matchup following WrestleMania 42, particularly if Reigns wins the World Heavyweight Championship. Meltzer reported that this was WWE's plan as of a week ago and noted the match would likely be saved for a big premium live event later in the year, possibly SummerSlam rather than Backlash. WWE reportedly views the potential Reigns vs. Gunther bout as a "big time major match" that has been discussed internally as a significant creative direction.
The planned match order for night two of WWE WrestleMania 42, taking place on Sunday, April 19, 2026, has been revealed. However, no specific matches or their order were detailed in the available information.
WrestleMania 42 Sunday has distributed 51,266 tickets compared to Saturday's 50,386, putting Night Two ahead in ticket sales at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas. Sunday's show, headlined by CM Punk vs. Roman Reigns for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship, added 327 tickets since the afternoon update with 654 seats still available out of the 51,920 stadium setup. Based on current distribution numbers, Sunday appears positioned to surpass Saturday's announced attendance of 50,816 once final numbers are released.
A stipulation has been added to the match between "The Demon" Finn Balor and Dominik Mysterio at WWE WrestleMania 42 Night 2. The specific details of the stipulation were not disclosed.