Cody Rhodes

Summary

This was a WrestleMania main event in every sense of the word—big entrances, big stakes, and two guys who know each other way too well trying to outthink and outlast the other. Cody Rhodes came in as champion with the weight of the moment fully on him, while Randy Orton looked like a man who’s spent years building toward one more shot at the top, not wasting a second once the bell was close to ringing. Even before things officially settled, Pat McAfee injected chaos into the situation, turning what should’ve been a clean start into a messy, high-stakes brawl right out of the gate. Once it finally stabilized, the match delivered on the expectations—heavy strategy, targeted offense, and both men constantly trying to bait mistakes out of the other. Orton zeroed in on Cody’s back with vintage precision—DDTs, powerslams, and methodical pressure—while Cody answered with speed bursts, Disaster Kicks, and his own calculated attacks on Orton’s durability. Both men kept stealing momentum and finishers from each other, with CrossRhodes and RKO attempts getting countered or reversed at key moments, keeping the crowd fully invested in every near-fall. Then everything unraveled in classic WrestleMania fashion. Ref bump, eye rakes, low blows, and McAfee getting involved again just to eat an RKO for his troubles. Orton still managed to land an RKO in the chaos, but the distraction swung the door open just enough for Cody to hit CrossRhodes and retain in 22:40. After the match, Orton didn’t accept the result—he stole the title, used it as a weapon, and capped things off with a Punt

Summary

The main event delivered a rare TV title change as Cody Rhodes dethroned Drew McIntyre to win back the Undisputed WWE Championship. After stalling an obnoxiously long time, McIntyre came in aggressive, throwing heavy offense early and looking every bit like a champion who didn’t want his reign ending on a random Friday night. Cody weathered the storm and thanks to a little help from Jacob Fatu, Cody avoided a chair shot from Drew and eventually connected with the Super Cody Cutter, followed by Cross Rhodes, to get the pin and reclaim the title. The Portland crowd exploded for the finish, and Cody ended the show pointing at the WrestleMania sign with pyro firing behind him.

Summary

kicked off with Cody Rhodes and Je’Von Evans starting things inside the unforgiving steel structure. Early on, Trick Williams’ entrance added chaos as he immediately targeted both men with hard strikes and threw them around the ring, showcasing his speed and aggression. When Logan Paul entered next, he became the early focal point — his opponents ganged up and hurled him through a pod before scrambling back into the fray. As the match accelerated with LA Knight’s arrival, the competition spilled to the top of the pods and the unforgiving walls of the Chamber. Knight delivered his signature BFT on Williams from the top of a pod, electrifying the crowd, while Orton — the final entrant — methodically cut through the field with cold-blooded precision once his pod opened. Throughout the bout, bodies were smashed into the steel, with big moves and near-eliminations keeping the tempo high. Alliances of convenience formed briefly — only to break apart — and every competitor scored some momentum with impactful offense. Despite spirited offense from Rhodes and Knight, Orton used his veteran instincts to time his counters perfectly, delivering multiple RKOs “outta nowhere” at key moments inside the structure. In the final stretch, Orton withstood a barrage of offense, fought off multiple opponents at once, and found openings to hit decisive strikes. When it was down to the wire, his calculated aggression paid off: he capitalized on a wear-down sequence to hit a crushing RKO on his final opponent, pinning him inside the steel and becoming the last Superstar standing in the match. With that win, Orton punched his ticket to face the Undisputed WWE Champion at WrestleMania 42, continuing his chase for a historic 15th world title.

Summary

In the main event, Cody Rhodes emerged victorious in the triple threat to qualify for the men’s Elimination Chamber match, even with interference from Drew McIntyre affecting the flow. Rhodes hit Cross Rhodes on Zayn after a series of chaotic spots to secure the pin and keep his WrestleMania dreams alive.

Summary

The Men’s Royal Rumble match also featured 30 participants, mixing established stars, surprise returns, and breakthrough performances. Oba Femi made a huge early impact by entering at #1 and eliminating several competitors, including Rusev and Solo Sikoa. Throughout the middle of the match, notable moments included surprise eliminations, then-fresh returns like LA Knight, and clashes involving Brock Lesnar before he was eliminated by alliance efforts from other competitors. The final stretch came down to Roman Reigns (#26), Gunther (#30), Randy Orton, and Logan Paul as the last four. Reigns ultimately survived the fray by spearing Gunther, eliminating him over the top rope to win his second career Royal Rumble and punch his WrestleMania main event ticket.