story by editor-in-chief: Ashly Nicole

The energy in Las Vegas the week of WrestleMania 42 was unreal, and you could absolutely feel it everywhere; the starbucks in your hotel, the uber ride over to the stadium, or the walk over the bridge to the ticketing gates. I became apparent that walking past strangers wearing championship belts over hoodies was completely normal behavior, at least for Mania weekend anyway.

We kicked off our weekend a little early at the WWE Superstore and WWE World! The day before Mania, we made our way over to WWE World and the Superstore, which honestly felt like Disneyland for wrestling fans but with more steel chairs and better outfits. Within minutes, we had our first “is this real life” moment running into Roxanne Perez just casually walking through the store shopping the merch just like we were. She was so sweet, and said hi to us, which I definitely had a little fangirl moment about, also being from south Texas just like her.
You know we did not leave empty handed either. We took home Penta hoodie and a Stephanie Vaquer shirt from Civil Regime, a signed mystery turnbuckle., which was a rare 1 of 10 autograph from The Miz, and of course, a WrestleMania 42 mini belt because…well…priorities.

After shopping around a bit we hit the WWE World floor hard. Every activation, every booth, every corner.

The ESPN Top Rope experience was one of the wildest things there. You literally got to jump off a “top rope” into an airbag ring and live out your wrestler fantasy for a hot second. And yes, they gave us custom trading cards of ourselves after, which is honestly the kind of delusion boosting content I support! We also stopped by the activation and preview for AMO Coffee, the new coffee brand from Seth Rollins and Becky Lynch, which officially drops May 22 at Dayglow in Venice. And because this weekend was apparently built different, we actually met Seth himself and got to take a quick portrait of him right before his ESPN interview, ya know, casual.
From there it was just one surreal run in after another. Sheamus doing a meet and greet at the Funko booth. Stephanie Vaquer handing out prizes in the Club WWE lounge like a little devil’s kiss godmother
of wrestling. We searched everywhere for Danhausen, we even tried saying his name 3 times like Beetlejuice, and thought maybe if we said it he would appear like Joe Hendry, but tragically, we only found a giant inflatable version of him. Emotionally devastating but also kind of iconic, and we definitely still took a photo with it.

There was so much happening, I’m sure we missed a couple things, but we really enjoyed the pop up memorial Civil Regime had for Eddie Guerrero, complete with merch and his forever nostalgic lowrider.
We even came across Tattoo Alley where fans were fully committing to the bit and getting WWE tattoos on the spot, we were incredibly tempted to leave with one ourselves. Out of everything WWE World had to offer, a lot of the free experiences were the most memorable, one of the most wholesome parts was watching fans perform their favorite superstar’s entrances. A lot of the participants being kids, but also wrestling fans of all ages. There was no judgement and so much support for each and every person that came down that ramp, and made every person around feel included and a part of something special.
It really set the tone for what Wrestlemania weekend is all about.

Photos by Ashly Nicole

The pre-mania events didn’t stop at the superstore and WWE World though, they actually lasted up until right before we had to head over to Allegiant Stadium for the show. Pre-Wrestlemania day 1, we headed over to Flanker to hangout with our new friend, WWE Hall of Famer and Legend, Trish Stratus for her “First Crush” pop up, which included a decked out “herstory” archive of Trish’s outfits and memorabilia, merch store, and even a custom menu that could you order from! Best believe we got that pink bun first crush burger, how could we not?!
Trish’s pop up really turned into this beautiful mix of nostalgia and celebration. She hosted a meet and greet alongside other WWE icons from the Golden Era like Victoria, Mickie James, and Jazz.
They watched old matches, reacted in real time, and answered fan questions. It felt intimate and historic at the same time.

We didn’t get the chance to join in for the festivities the entire weekend with Trish, but throughout the weekend, more legends and fan favorites pulled through including Mick Foley, Lita, Lillian Garcia,
Liv Morgan, and Raquel Rodriguez. Even WeezyBlonde hosted a Mania watch party with Trish at Flanker! It was really giving community, legacy, nostalgia, and giving “we are all emotionally attached to
this sport”, it was one of those things that gave more of the familial feeling, another thing that brought even more fans together.

Photos by Ashly Nicole

Mania Day 1:

The first show kicked off with John Cena returned as the host for the weekend, which felt like the perfect full circle moment since his retirement show back in December. The crowd adored it, of course.
This Mania was so jam packed with matches, events and surprises, it’s impossible to cram everything into this one piece!

Our very first match of the day came in HOT with a tag team feud featuring The Usos, Jey and Jimmy, and LA Knight vs The Vision, made up of Austin Theory and Logan Paul, with the puppetmaster, Paul Heyman
pulling the strings. Did I mention that iShowSpeed was also an honorary member of the vision for this match? The match was full of comedy, but also full of insane action, utilizing Logan’s high flying abilities, but also Speed’s agility and tumbling abilities, and in the end Speed turned on The Vision after they lost to the Uso + LA Knight tag team, slamming Logan through the announce table! The crowd lost it.
I know a lot of people don’t enjoy influencers and internet personalities getting involved in WWE, but Speed really solidified his place if he ever wants it in the sport; he was truly made for something like this, and has so much talent and potential.

Photos courtesy of WWE

One of the biggest moments of the night was Liv Morgan debuting her new entrance song “Trouble” live, dance and all, before facing Stephanie Vaquer. I also need to take a second to acknowledge that both Liv and Stephanie’s ring gear for Mania was SO cool. The match was insane and intense, as always, given how talented and all out both of these superstars are, but Liv walked out as the new
Women’s World Champion. What made this match even more emotional is that Liv’s entire family flew all the way from New Jersey to witness this moment. She went up into the crowd and celebrated with her nieces and the rest of her family. Both Stephanie and Liv worked so hard for this moment, and it was so cool to witness Liv get to celebrate her main event moment at Wrestlemania with the people that mean the most to her.

We were also given a pretty intense and ultimately catty four way tag team match between the iconic besties, Charlotte Flair and Alexa Bliss, Bayley and Lyra, Nia Jax and Lash Legend, vs The Bella Twins…or so we thought. Prior to Mania weekend, Nikki Bella was hurt and not medically cleared to compete, so in a weekend already jammed packed full of surprises, the world of WWE got the return of a former diva, Paige. While it was definitely a mixed bag of feelings, and a lot of opinions were said, all the girls brought their A-game! We really thought Charlotte and Alexa or Lyra and Bayley would come out with the tag team titles, but unfortunately, the new team of Brie Bella and Paige, who replaced Nikki, retained the titles.

Photos courtesy of WWE

Then came a moment that not only took everyone by surprise, but had everyone crying. Bianca Belair made an unexpected appearance after being out with injury and joined John Cena for a little in-ring moment saying, “It wouldn’t be WrestleMania without a few surprises now, right?” after John revealed the amount of people in the audience for the night, she continued with, “So John, I think we need to add one more to the attendance list… because the EST is having a baby!” every person was so excited for Biance and her partner Montez. John correct his attendance number with,
“Thank you so much for allowing our family to share this moment with yours. I stand corrected, we need to include the youngest WWE superstar in history for f 50,816 in attendance tonight.”
There was not a single dry eye in that stadium, and it really showed that wrestling is family and that moment proved it. We’re so excited that Bianca shared that moment with all of us. In a stadium full of 50,000+ attendees, it truly felt like such a personal and intimate moment that she decided to include us in.

After Bianca’s pregnancy announcement, the emotions were high and continued to escalate throughout the evening, there was no sign of any of the excitement dying down before the night ended, honestly.
Look, we know day 1 was already stacked, but the back half of the show is where things really started spiraling even more, but in the best way possible.

Becky Lynch vs AJ Lee for the Women’s Intercontinental Championship.

First of all, the entrances alone felt like a full production, as we expect from Wrestlemania entrances. Becky came out to a live performance of her entrance music by The Wonder Years, which immediately set the tone, and as a huge and long time fan of The Wonder Years, it was a huge moment for me too. It felt big. It felt important. It felt like we were about to witness something, and if you know anything about Becky, all of the above was about to happen. AJ Lee’s entrance was genuinely one of the most emotional visuals of the night. She walked out surrounded by a group of young girls dressed just like her, which felt like such a full circle moment for her legacy. You could literally see the impact she has had on a generation of fans in real time.

The match itself was intense, fast, and personal. There was history there, and you could feel it in every exchange. Near falls that had the entire stadium holding their breath, momentum swings that made it impossible to look away. In the end, Becky won, reclaiming the Women’s Intercontinental Championship. Becky didn’t just win though, she took back what she believed is rightfully hers, as the greatest women’s wrestler of all time. In typical Becky fashion though, she went well…full Becky, shouting about how she deserved this, how this was hers, completely unfiltered and emotional in the ring. And then, in one of the most unexpectedly soft moments of the night, she went over to the front row, picked up her daughter, and carried her up the ramp with the title in hand.

It was chaotic. It was heartfelt. It was very “I did all of this and I am taking everything with me.”

Photos courtesy of WWE

The main event: Cody vs Randy, and a war we will not forget

Cody Rhodes vs Randy Orton closed Night 1, and honestly, calling it a match does not even feel accurate.

The Viper, 2009 Randy Orton was back. Pat McAfee was pissing everyone off. Cody wanted revenge. This was a war.

From the second the bell rang, it felt heavier than anything else on the card. Immediately Cody went after Pat McAfee, and his pal Jelly Roll was in the house to assist. Jelly Roll delivered a full on body slam from the spanish announce table to the other announce table, sending McAfee out of the stadium on a stretcher.
Getting into the nitty gritty of the match, it seemed so intense more deliberate, every move carrying actual weight. These are two of the most calculated performers in WWE, and they wrestled like they had everything to lose. Randy was vicious, striking like The Viper they call him. Methodical in that way only he can be, picking Cody apart piece by piece. Every time Cody tried to build momentum, Randy shut it down in the most brutal way possible, delivering one RKO after another, he even RKO’d the ref, Charles Robinson! Pat McAfee somehow made enough of a recovery to come out and ref. the next parts of the match, and both Cody AND Randy had enough. Randy quickly turned against McAfee, RKOing him into the mat, as Charles gained his composure enough to finish out the match.
There were multiple moments where it genuinely felt like Randy was about to take the title and rewrite everything, and Cody just kept getting back up.

The physical toll started showing quickly. At one point, Cody was busted open, and not in a subtle way. Blood pouring, face swelling, Cody’s platinum blonde hair, now stained almost completely read.
The kind of visual that makes the entire crowd hold their breath for a second because it suddenly feels very real. The pacing of the match was perfect. Long stretches of control, sudden bursts of chaos, constant near finishes that had everyone on edge. You could feel the crowd shifting back and forth, not knowing who was actually going to walk out with the championship.
Randy hit everything. Cody survived everything, and somehow, through all of it, Cody retained.

Barely.

Randy was really not taking Cody winning that easily. He then took the title belt, slamming it into Cody’s head, creating further damage, then holding it up for himself, self proclaiming that he was the true champion this time around.
By the end, he was completely wrecked. A deep gash, a black eye completely swollen shut, the kind of damage that does not just go away overnight. It was so bad he had to cancel his meet and greets and bus tour the next day, which honestly just adds to how brutal that match really was. It was not just a main event. It was the main event. It was the kind of match fans are going to reference for years.

Photos courtesy of WWE

After all of that, after the chaos and the blood and the emotional damage, we caught Becky Lynch again during her ESPN post show interview, and this is why people love her. Even after everything, she still came over to the fans, took time, said hi, made it feel personal. No switch off, no ego, just Becky being Becky. Champion again. Still chaotic, still for the people, and honestly, that was the perfect way to close out Mania day 1.

Photos by Ashly Nicole

WrestleMania Day 2: ramp views and pure Brutality

For day 2 we got the upgrade of a lifetime and moved down to the floor right on the ramp, the MIDDLE of the ramp. A literal dream.
Before the show even started, we met Daphanie LaShaunn, also known as RefBae, who is just as iconic in person, and truly the sweetest person you could hope to meet. We also ran into creators and personalities like Chris Van Vliet, Allenownz, and Kurt Tocci, who even let me borrow his “Lost My Mami” sign for a photo with my full Rhea Ripley outfit. We love nice people!

Photos by Ashly Nicole

Now let’s talk matches.

One of the most anticipated matches of the weekend kicked off day 2 with new comer and fast rising star, Oba Femi vs the veteran, Brock Lesnar. The match was swift, and quite honestly quicker than both entrances combined, but it was one that showed just how intense and threatening Oba is, as he beat Brock, which not many have been able to do. After Oba exited the ring, Brock began removing his gloves first, then his shoes. The stadium went absolutely silent for a second, then the chatter became louder as everyone realized what Brock was doing. He looked as though he was laughing, but then we quickly noticed that one of the toughest and stone faced superstars of our time was full on sobbing in the middle of the ring. He then looked up and set his gear in the middle of the ring, officially marking his retirement from wrestling and WWE. No one knew this was happening, not even Paul Heyman who was Brock’s right hand man at the time, he even had to confirm to Paul that this was real, mouthing
“I’m done, Paul” and making an X with his arms across his chest. Paul Heyman then also burst into sobs, the two hugged, and exited up the ramp together with chants of “thank you Lesnar” from the crowd. Brock stopped at the middle section of the ramp to address everyone around and thank everyone for being there and being fans. A very heartfelt and emotional goodbye from someone who only ever showed feelings of vengeance, and was almost emotionally avoidant most times.

Photos by Ashly Nicole

Following Brock Lesnar’s unexpected departure was the six way ladder match for the Men’s Intercontinental Championship. One right after the other Dragon Lee, JD McDonough, Rusev, new comer Je’Von Evans, Rey Mysterio, and zero miedo himself, Penta entered the ring, with Penta defending his IC Championship.
There were ladders set up like bridges, people getting launched onto them, and absolutely no regard for human safety. We had Rusev intercepting dives with a ladder like a literal weapon, Rey still hitting the cleanest 619s, and Penta was out here hitting Mexican Destroyers onto ladder bridges like that is a normal decision! Not to mention the INSANE never before seen moves courtesy of Je’Von.
At one point, Je’Von Evans had the entire crowd convinced he was about to win. He was hanging from the title, fingertips away, before the ladder got knocked out from under him. He hit a ridiculous OG Cutter and was just flying the entire match. This felt like a star making performance even without the win.

But in the end, Penta shut it down. Another Destroyer, climb, grab, retain. Somehow, nobody left that match looking weak. That is how you do a ladder match, truly one of the best matches of the weekend, stacked card and all.

As we attempted to regain our composure after that ladder match, the Miz, Kit Wilson, and John Cena were having a bit of a talk in the ring, but then Danhausen showed up and riled the entire crowd up again!
He pulled up with his minihausens in a coffin shaped Hausenmobile and immediately targeted The Miz and Kit Wilson. This entire segment felt like a fever dream, and I’m absolutely here for it. Kit got called toxic and immediately got low blown by a minihausen. Miz tried to hold it together and absolutely failed. The minihausens tried to carry him like a sacrifice up the ramp and then just…dropped him, leaving him to do the walk of shame to the side of the stage. But hey! After all that, Danhausen finally got to meet his hero, now BFF, John Cena…Hausen. This was the best comic relief we could have ever hoped for, and always leaves us wanting more and more of Danhausen’s shenanigans.

Photos by Ashly Nicole

Now, we’re only about half way through the show, but every match leads to more and more anticipation for the next. It was finally Trick Williams’ time to shine like the superstar he is. He came out like he already knew this was his moment, human turn table and all. The entrance alone was ridiculous. A full mink train dragging behind him down the ramp, plus Lil Yachty walking out with him in his new role as Trick’s manager.
This match delivered just like we knew it would. Sami Zayn brought experience, control, and some very close near falls, including a Blue Thunder Bomb that had everyone biting. There was interference, chaos at ringside, even a moment where Sami launched Yachty into the barricade which felt personal, but Trick stayed locked in. He dodged a Helluva Kick, hit the Trick Shot clean, and won his first United States Championship. You could feel the energy in the stadium shift, and the pop that Trick received for this win was mind blowing. He absolutely deserved this, and we were so excited to see him take home that championship belt.

Photos by Ashly Nicole

Dominik Mysterio vs “The Demon” Finn Bálor: trauma, betrayal, the only resolve to this was a street fight between the long time friends and teammates turned enemies. What better place to have this feud than the Wrestlemania 42 stage?
The breakup between Dominik Mysterio and Finn Balor had been building for weeks after Judgment Day imploded, so this was not just a match, this had become very very personal between the two.
Dominik Mysterio made a grand larger-than-life entrance. Billed (himself) as the "King of the Luchadores," he rode to the ring on a massive throne and was surrounded by a massive entourage of over 20 independent luchadores wearing white masks and "King of the Luchadores" t-shirts, helping to coordinate the spectacle. True to his heritage, Mysterio wore a custom jacket and boots that paid tribute to the legendary Mexican wrestler Perro Aguayo.

Finn’s entrance featured his first transformation in three long years, since he had joined the Judgement Day. It was dark, theatrical, full body paint, adorned with an entire mural of The Demon eating Dom painted on Finn’s back. Despite daylight, WWE maximized the visual impact with sweeping red lighting, heavy smoke, and a ton confetti streamers Finn drug down the ramp with him as he made his way
to the ring. Bálor notably performed his signature crawling and heartbeat-like chest motions as he walked down the ramp as well, and he truly had the kind of aura that immediately reminded you this is not regular Finn, this is in fact, The Demon in all his glory.

Dominik came in aggressive, almost desperate, as he almost always does. He did not wait. He launched himself into the fight with a suicide dive and immediately brought weapons into play like he had something to prove, and for a second… it worked. Dom was pulling out everything. A 619. A frog splash. Even driving Finn through a table at one point. It felt like he was trying to overwhelm him before the Demon could fully take over, but Dom quickly learned that the Demon does not get overwhelmed.

Finn slowed everything down and started picking Dom apart. Sling Blades, shotgun dropkicks, and one of the nastiest sequences where Dom’s neck was literally trapped in a chair while Finn blasted him.
The turning point in this match was brutal. Finn hit the Coup de Grâce and drove Dominik straight through a table to end it. This was less “street fight” chaos and more calculated destruction, which honestly worked for the story. Finn did not just win, he taught Dominik that The Demon is back and not to be messed with, but all know that Dom never fully learns his lesson.

Photos by Ashly Nicole and WWE

The final two

The women showed up and showed OUT, duh. This was not just a match. This was a full circle moment for Rhea.
Coming into WrestleMania, Rhea Ripley had already clawed her way back into title contention after winning the Elimination Chamber, earning her shot at Jade Cargill, who had been dominating as champion
for months. And Jade? She came in looking untouchable, as she does. Strong, confident, backed by her presence alone. The kind of champion who makes you question if anyone can realistically take her down.

But Rhea did not come to play. She came to TAKE IT BACK.

The match felt like power vs resilience. Jade was throwing everything at her. Strength, control, straight up dominance at points. There were moments where it genuinely felt like Rhea was getting overwhelmed. Jade’s side tried to tilt things in her favor with interference, which honestly felt inevitable. But this is where everything flipped. Iyo Sky came out, and the energy in the stadium immediately changed.
Iyo did not just show up, she neutralized everything. There was this insane moment where she took out the interference with a perfectly timed moonsault, and suddenly the match was reset. No distractions. No excuses. Just Rhea vs Jade, that is when Rhea really locked in. You could literally feel the shift. The crowd got louder, Rhea started building momentum, and every hit felt heavier than the last. She was done surviving. She was ready to finish it. Jade went for it. Rhea countered, and then it happened. RIPTIDE!

Clean. Powerful. Final. Rhea hit her signature move and pinned Jade, ending her reign and finally reclaiming the championship. FINALLY.
After everything she had been through leading up to this, the losses, the setbacks, the near misses, this was her moment again, you could see it all over her face. She was not just celebrating. She was relieved. She was emotional. She was so, so happy. The kind of happy where you know it means everything. The crowd erupted. Iyo was there with her. It felt like a victory not just for Rhea, but for the entire journey it took to get back there. Her fourth world title. Her comeback. Her era, again. Rhea’s family was even there to witness this huge Mania moment for her, it just felt right.

Photos by Ashly Nicole and WWE

The main event: CM Punk vs Roman Reigns

This match had YEARS of history, friendship, betrayal, and resentment behind it. CM Punk vs Roman Reigns for the World Heavyweight Championship. No shortcuts. No interference. Just two of the biggest names in wrestling finally colliding to end this feud once and for all, and it started messy.

The match did not stay contained for long. CM Punk and Roman Reigns took things to the outside early, setting the tone for how physical this was going to get. Punk threw himself into the fight without hesitation, even launching off the barricade to try and catch Roman off guard, but Roman answered the only way he knows how, with raw power and control, demanding that OTC acknowledgment he always expects. Once Roman gained momentum, he made it count. He slowed the pace down and turned the match into something much more punishing, using the environment to wear Punk down. Steel steps came into play, and there was a brutal sequence at ringside where Roman drove Punk through the announce table with a powerbomb that felt like it could have ended the match right there. It was the kind of offense that makes you question how anyone realistically gets back up from it, but Punk did.

That was the story of the entire match.
No matter how much damage he took, he kept finding ways to stay in it. He shifted strategies, stopped trying to match Roman’s strength, and instead leaned into precision and timing. Targeting weak points, creating openings, and slowly pulling himself back into control.

That shift paid off when Punk finally created enough space to hit the Go To Sleep clean in the center of the ring. For a moment, it genuinely felt like that could be it. The crowd believed it. The energy completely flipped. Roman kicked out.

Not barely, not by accident, but with authority and force. Punk pressed forward, digging deeper and finding another opening later in the match to land a second GTS after countering Roman’s offense. At that point, it felt like the champion was closing in. Like he had done enough to hold onto the title, but the damage had already stacked up. The final stretch became a test of endurance. Both men were worn down, slower to get up, every movement carrying the weight of everything they had already endured. Punk managed to connect with a third GTS after a long sequence of counters, but he could not immediately capitalize. That single delay, that one moment where he could not follow through, ended up costing him everything.

That hesitation was all Roman needed.

Roman recovered just enough to create separation, reset the moment, and then explode back into control. A Superman Punch to stun Punk, followed by a decisive Spear that finally ended it. After everything they put each other through, it came down to that single opening. The referee counted three, and just like that, the match was over.

Roman Reigns did not walk in as champion, but he walked out with the World Heavyweight Championship, taking it from CM Punk in a match that felt like it could have gone either way until the very last second. Punk came in with everything to lose, and Roman took it.
The audience was stunned, most were celebrating, but Punk’s fans were shocked, not because the match was bad, but because it hurt. The kind of ending where you realize the person you were rooting for gave everything…and it still wasn’t enough. Roman stood tall, championship in hand, untouchable, at the center of everything,

And whether people loved it or hated it, the result was the same:

We all acknowledged him.

Day 2 was everything WrestleMania is supposed to be. It was chaotic, emotional, dramatic, and at times completely unhinged. You had brutal, high-stakes matches, larger-than-life entrances, deeply personal storylines paying off, and just enough camp to remind you that this is what makes wrestling so special. Nothing felt throwaway. Every match had purpose, every moment carried weight, and even the over-the-top elements somehow added to the experience instead of taking away from it. From title changes that genuinely shifted the landscape, to emotional victories, to shocking losses, the entire weekend balanced spectacle and storytelling in a way that never felt forced.
To witness Wrestlemania in person is a privilege I’ll never take for granted, but will forever always been an experience I could relive over and over again. We can’t wait until the next time we get to feel this energy, and it might just be sooner than we think. Stay tuned!!