Article Edited by Paul Elegbeleye | Photo by Alexander Vaughn, via Flickr/Wikimedia Commons, licensed under CC BY 2.0
A 16-time World Champion and WWE ambassador, John Cena, hosted the event. It was a two-day event held on Saturday, the 18th, and Sunday, the 19th, of April 2026.
It was the third recorded such event in Las Vegas and the second consecutive WrestleMania in the arena.
The 42nd Annual WrestleMania is Cena’s first official appearance since his formal retirement in December 2025. According to SuperSports, “The Greatest of All Time broke the news on social media that he is headed to Las Vegas.”
To be honest, seeing Cena host WrestleMania 42 in Vegas brought back nostalgic feelings. It felt like watching a superstar who has been offstage finally come back to the show. It did bring back memories.
However, this time around, he wasn’t there to wrestle in the ring, he was there to ensure everyone had a good time.
From Wikipedia, WrestleMania 42 is a 2026 professional wrestling pay-per-view and live streaming event. An insanely large number of fans attended the event. About 106,000 fans were present for the night.
Table of Contents
Outstanding moments in the night
Bianca Blair’s Pregnancy Announcement
Bianca Blair made her return to WWE with a pregnancy announcement. According to Forbes, “Bianca has not had a match since the opening match of WrestleMania 41, Night 2.” This is due to a reported finger injury. “The Est is having a baby!” She had announced while in the ring. When she said this, the auditorium erupted with excitement.
However, while some fans are excited about her good news, others feel that this will keep the superstar sidelined for a long while. She may not be back in the ring, at least, until she gives birth. Bianca is married to a WWE superstar, Montez Ford.
A Powerhouse Opener
This was a fight John Cena himself referred to as “a glimpse into the next decade”. The battle was between Oba Femi and Brock Lesnar. Femi had made a grand entrance with fans chanting “Oba”.
He gave Lesnar a smackdown in the five-minute sprint. Oba Femi, “The Ruler”, destroyer and bringer of war, treated Lesnar in a way he hadn’t been treated.
Oba Femi reported that he didn’t just win; “he took down 25 years of history and dominance and made it null.” Who can dispute? He really showed that he was exactly what he claimed to be. I guess Lesnar didn’t foresee that. He left his boots and gloves in the ring. An action that signifies the end of his career.
Main event: World Heavyweight championship
The Icon vs Icon battle was fought between Roman Reigns and CM Punk. Both opponents exuded energy that could be felt all around Allegiant Stadium during that Mania weekend. Both champions have always been ahead in their game. They both displayed unshaken tenacity while delivering an entertaining and professional ring action.
Yahoo Sports reported that CM Punk “had Reigns where he wanted him after a gruelling 34 minutes but quite literally folded under the pressure”. Furthermore, I would call that a pure match. Both men avoided external interference. It was a match strictly between the two heavyweights.
After a back-and-forth battle, Punk gave in to tiredness. Roman Reigns saw and utilised the opportunity. He defeated Punk to become the new World Heavyweight Champion.
An analyst from USA Sports today has this to say: “The main event is an absolute classic, delivering in the best way possible to perfectly cap off the night.” It was nothing short of professionalism and entertainment.
WrestleMania 42 Night 2 Results: Oba Femi Beats Lesnar, Reigns Wins Title
Summary
It is interesting to note that Cena’s return was not a long-planned event. According to Yahoo Sports, his return was only finalised in late February. This marked his transition following his retirement.
His appearance (in a well-tailored suit instead of his signature cargo shorts) also signified a permanent shift in his career.
Despite being the host, during the event, he didn’t steal the spotlight; instead, he allowed younger stars to shine. It was obvious his presence alone commanded respect. He didn’t need to be in the ring.
WrestleMania 42: Night 1 vs Night 2 and What WWE Taught Us
