WrestleMania 42 is back in Las Vegas for the second-consecutive year, with Night 1 taking place Saturday night from Allegiant Stadium. The opening night of WrestleMania had a little bit of everything, blending a standout celebrity moment, the long-awaited return of Paige, a show-stealer between Gunther and Seth Rollins, Cody Rhodes fending off Randy Orton and Pat McAfee, plus much more.As we wrap the first night of the two-night extravaganza, here’s our eight biggest takeaways from a busy night in Sin City.1. Did we just get a double turn?After Pat McAfee’s unwelcome inclusion in WrestleMania 42's main event, his immediate removal from the match by Cody Rhodes allowed the attention to focus on the champion and Randy Orton.The escalation of Saturday's headliner was reminiscent of Bret Hart’s WrestleMania 13 match with “Stone Cold” Steve Austin, all the way down to a vulnerable opponent being bloodied (Orton) while the tension sat with the babyface (Rhodes) as the duo teetered in their standings with the audience.

Rhodes turning up heel tactics, like poking Orton in the eyes, felt like an intentional playing to the crowd reactions.The end saw McAfee’s return as a substitute referee, Orton turning on him, and Rhodes completing a presumed heel turn by taking advantage of the opening to earn the pinfall. Cody Rhodes is still the Undisputed WWE Champion.Ethan Miller via Getty ImagesBut the post-match festivities, including Orton punting Rhodes and standing tall holding the belt, felt like a real turning point in establishing the direction for both men as we hit the summer.It’ll be interesting to see how far WWE leans in here.

Saturday's Las Vegas audience clearly knew who they were supporting — and it wasn't the babyface — and that'll likely remain true come Monday night. But outside of Vegas, will the broader audience continue to see Orton favorably and Rhodes in a negative light? If the WWE chooses to bridge the gap to Night 2, with Rhodes showing some clear intent after his brief confrontation with CM Punk on Friday night, we could be in for quite the summer.2.

What a time to LivFor as hard-hitting as the lead-up to their WrestleMania match was, Liv Morgan and Stephanie Vaquer picked up right where they left off.In her first match on the big stage, “La Primera” continued to give reason to her meteoric rise alongside one of WWE’s most consistent in-ring talents. After a handful of distractions from the Judgement Day, it was Morgan who took advantage of Vaquer — tossing her into the steps, then landing an Oblivion — for the surprise pinfall to recapture the WWE Women's World Championship.AND NEW‼️Liv Morgan defeats Stephanie Vaquer to become the Women's World Champion at #WrestleMania 🏆 pic.twitter.com/KPdgAZzWGn— Uncrowned (@uncrownedcombat) April 19, 2026With Raquel Rodriguez and Roxanne Perez successful in helping Morgan earn the victory, it seems any potential for a Rodriguez vs.

Morgan rivalry will continue to get kicked down the road, à la Finn Bálor vs. Dominik Mysterio until only recently.For Vaquer, adding a faction to back her in this numbers game seems like the logical next step in a rivalry for the Women’s World Championship that’s seemingly only just beginning.3. Gunther rolls, Breakker runsGunther and Seth Rollins are two of the best in-ring technicians in WWE today, so it's no surprise they put on a WrestleMania-worthy match that had a little bit of everything.

Both men understand pacing, allowing moments to breathe, and how to pick up intensity at a level rarely seen across the top of WWE. Saturday night, they balanced brutality with precision, and after a spear from the returning Bron Breakker, it was Gunther who choked out Rollins for the victory.For as messy as the build to WrestleMania 42 was, this duo more than made up for it in the ring.While Breakker and Rollins are now clearly on a collision course, I'm most curious to see what happens with Gunther. Perhaps saving Paul Heyman opens the door for a colossal showdown with Brock Lesnar in the not-so-distant future?Gunther defeated Seth Rollins during WrestleMania 42 Night 1 at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas.WWE via Getty Images4.

Becky gets on the boardBecky Lynch is Intercontinental Champion yet again. After losing three consecutive times to AJ Lee, she finally got her hand raised when it mattered most, recapturing the belt on the biggest stage of the year. Lynch relied on the typical heel tactics she’s utilized since turning on Lyra Valkyria last year, exposing the steel behind the turnbuckle, tossing Lee into it, and then hitting the Manhandle Slam for the finish.I would’ve expected a cleaner finish, with Lynch and Lee going in their separate directions after feuding for much of the last seven months.

But it appears this is only the next step in their ongoing battle over the Intercontinental Championship. Referee Jessika Carr’s more prominent inclusion Saturday night — getting physical with Lynch after the new champion tested her one too