WrestleMania 41: Night 2 Breakdown The Good & Bad

Triple Threat Match for Women’s World Championship:

Iyo Sky (c) vs. Bianca Belair vs. Rhea RipleyResult: Iyo Sky retained the Women’s World Championship (time not specified).

Summary: The match opened Night 2 with a high-energy showcase of three top-tier performers. Sky capitalized on the rivalry between Belair and Ripley, who underestimated her. A key moment saw Belair hit Ripley with a braid whip followed by the Kiss of Death, but Sky stole the pin to retain.

Analysis: This match was widely praised as a potential show-stealer, with excellent in-ring action and storytelling. Sky’s cunning victory reinforced her as a credible champion, while the Belair-Ripley dynamic set up future feuds. The lackluster buildup was a minor flaw, but the performers delivered beyond expectations.

Sin City Street Fight: Drew McIntyre vs. Damian PriestResult: Drew McIntyre defeated Damian Priest (time not specified).

Summary: This hard-hitting brawl utilized the street fight stipulation effectively, with weapons and environmental spots. McIntyre’s victory solidified his main-event trajectory, while Priest had a strong showing in defeat.

Analysis: The match was entertaining and provided a change of pace, showcasing both competitors’ physicality. The stipulation elevated what could have been a standard grudge match, and McIntyre’s win was logical given his momentum. Fans appreciated the chaos, though it didn’t outshine the opener.

Fatal 4-Way Match for Intercontinental Championship: Bron Breakker (c) vs. Penta vs. Finn Bálor vs. Dominik Mysterio

Result: Dominik Mysterio won the Intercontinental Championship (time not specified)

.Summary: A fast-paced, chaotic match saw Mysterio steal the victory, capitalizing on the numbers game. The buildup focused on Mysterio’s underdog status and potential Judgment Day tensions.

Analysis: The match was fun and unpredictable, with Mysterio’s win providing a fresh direction for the title. It set up potential feuds, particularly with Bálor, but some felt Breakker’s reign ended too soon. The crowd was engaged, though the match didn’t reach the heights of the women’s opener.

Women’s Tag Team Championship: Liv Morgan & Raquel Rodriguez (c) vs. Lyra Valkyria & Becky LynchResult: Becky Lynch and Lyra Valkyria won the Women’s Tag Team Championships in 8:42.

Summary: Lynch’s surprise return as Bayley’s replacement (due to injury) added excitement. The makeshift team overcame the established champions in a short but solid match.

Analysis: The match was serviceable but felt like a filler due to its rushed buildup. Lynch’s return popped the crowd, but the short duration and lack of story depth limited its impact. The title change keeps the division fresh but didn’t resonate as a major moment.

Singles Match: Logan Paul vs. AJ StylesResult: Logan Paul defeated AJ Styles (time not specified).Summary: Paul continued his rise as a part-time star, outlasting the veteran Styles in a competitive bout. The match highlighted Paul’s athleticism and Styles’ technical prowess.

Analysis: Paul’s victory was divisive, as some fans wanted Styles to go over, but it reinforced Paul’s credibility. The match was well-executed, with strong pacing, though it lacked the emotional weight of other bouts. It served its purpose in elevating Paul.

Singles Match: Randy Orton vs. Joe HendryResult: Randy Orton defeated Joe Hendry in the shortest match of the night (time not specified).

Summary: Hendry, a TNA star, answered Orton’s open challenge, leading to a brief but fun encounter. Orton dispatched Hendry quickly with an RKO.

Analysis: The match was a pleasant surprise, with Hendry’s viral popularity earning a strong crowd reaction. However, its brevity disappointed some, as it felt like a missed opportunity to showcase Hendry. Orton’s win was expected, maintaining his dominance.

Undisputed WWE Championship: Cody Rhodes (c) vs. John CenaResult: John Cena defeated Cody Rhodes in 25:03 to win the Undisputed WWE Championship, becoming a 17-time world champion.

Summary: The main event saw Cena, in his final WrestleMania match and as a heel aligned with The Rock and Travis Scott, face Rhodes, who was 378 days into his title reign. The match featured intense back-and-forth action, with Rhodes kicking out of multiple Attitude Adjustments and Cena surviving Cross Rhodes. A referee bump led to chaos, with Travis Scott interfering by pulling the referee out. Rhodes hit Scott with a Cross Rhodes, but Cena capitalized with a low blow, a belt shot, and an Attitude Adjustment to win.

Analysis: The match was technically sound, with strong psychology highlighting Cena’s desperation and Rhodes’ resilience. However, the finish was polarizing due to its reliance on interference and heel tactics, which many felt undercut the historic moment of Cena’s 17th title win. The absence of The Rock, expected by fans, added to the anticlimactic feel.

The Good of WrestleMania 41 Night 2Women’s Triple Threat Match: The opener was a highlight, with Iyo Sky, Bianca Belair, and Rhea Ripley delivering a match that rivaled the best of the weekend. The storytelling, athleticism, and Sky’s sneaky victory were universally praised, making it a standout.Sin City Street Fight: McIntyre and Priest’s brawl was a crowd-pleaser, using the stipulation to create memorable spots. McIntyre’s win positioned him for bigger things, and Priest’s performance kept him relevant.

Becky Lynch’s return and Joe Hendry’s appearance added excitement, keeping the audience engaged. Hendry’s brief moment was a nod to crossover appeal, while Lynch’s win provided a feel-good moment.Logan Paul’s Continued Rise: Paul’s victory over Styles showcased his growth as a performer, proving he can hang with WWE’s elite. The match was a solid mid-card highlight.

The Las Vegas setting, grandiose entrances (especially Rhodes’), and commentary (Michael Cole’s 28th WrestleMania) enhanced the spectacle. The event felt like a major show despite some flaws.The Bad of WrestleMania 41 Night 2Main Event Finish: The Cena-Rhodes match ending was widely criticized for its convoluted execution. Travis Scott’s involvement felt forced, and the low blow/belt shot finish was seen as anticlimactic for such a historic title change. The absence of The Rock, heavily teased, disappointed fans expecting a bigger payoff.Underwhelming Buildup for Some Matches: The women’s tag team match and the triple threat match suffered from lackluster storylines, making them feel like afterthoughts despite strong in-ring work. The Orton-Hendry match’s brevity also felt like a missed opportunity.

The card started strong but lost momentum after the street fight and four-way, with the main event failing to regain the energy of Night 1’s triple threat (Rollins vs. Reigns vs. Punk). Some matches, like the women’s tag, felt rushed.Fan Disappointment with Title Changes: Beyond the main event, Mysterio’s Intercontinental win and the women’s tag title switch were seen as abrupt by some, with Breakker’s reign ending prematurely and the tag division lacking direction.

Analysis of the Cody Rhodes vs. John Cena Title SwitchThe main event title switch, where John Cena defeated Cody Rhodes to become a 17-time world champion, was a pivotal moment but drew significant criticism for its execution and narrative choices.

:The match’s climax relied on a referee bump, Travis Scott’s interference, a low blow, and a belt shot, which felt like an overused trope for a heel victory. Fans expected a cleaner or more dramatic finish for such a historic moment, especially given Cena’s retirement tour and the buildup of his heel turn. The convoluted ending diluted the impact of Cena breaking Ric Flair’s record.The absence of The Rock, who was heavily tied to Cena’s heel persona and teased as a potential factor, left a narrative gap. Fans felt cheated out of a promised payoff, with Scott’s involvement seen as a poor substitute.

Rhodes, after a 378-day reign and defeating Roman Reigns at WrestleMania 40 in one of the greatest main events ever, was a central figure in WWE. His loss to Cena, especially via cheap tactics, felt like a step back from his “face of the company” status. Fans argued that Rhodes’ story deserved a stronger conclusion, not a loss to a part-time retiring star, even one as legendary as Cena.The storytelling emphasized Rhodes’ refusal to cheat (e.g., not using the belt when tempted), which led to his downfall. While this reinforced his babyface character, it frustrated fans who wanted him to overcome Cena’s heel tactics, especially after his long battle against The Bloodline.

Cena’s heel turn at Elimination Chamber was a monumental moment, but his limited appearances afterward (due to his retirement tour schedule) hindered the feud’s momentum. The main event needed more personal stakes to match its billing, and the reliance on Scott’s interference felt like a creative crutch.Fans questioned whether Cena, nearing retirement, needed the title for a short reign, especially as a heel. Some argued the record-breaking moment could have been saved for a younger star like Bron Breakker or a returning CM Punk, allowing Rhodes to pass the torch later.

Posts on X reflected mixed feelings, with some fans thrilled by Cena’s historic win but others calling the finish “hot garbage” and “underwhelming.” The split crowd reaction during the match (chanting both for and against Cena) showed investment, but the ending left many deflated.

The match’s 25-minute runtime was praised for its pacing and near-falls, but the final moments didn’t live up to the epic stare-downs and grandeur promised by comparisons to past WrestleMania classics (e.g., Rock vs. Hogan).

The title switch sets up an intriguing heel championship run for Cena, potentially leading to a chase by Rhodes, Punk, or a rising star like Breakker. However, fans worried about Cena’s part-time status limiting his title defenses, reducing the belt’s prestige.The loss gives Rhodes a new underdog arc, which could culminate at SummerSlam or WrestleMania 42, but fans felt his reign deserved a more definitive end, especially after Night 1’s high bar with the Rollins-Reigns-Punk match.

WrestleMania 41 Night 2 was a mixed bag, with standout moments like the women’s triple threat and the street fight overshadowed by a polarizing main event. The event excelled in delivering surprises (Lynch, Hendry) and showcasing new stars (Paul, Mysterio), but pacing issues and weak buildups for some matches hindered its overall impact. The Cody Rhodes-John Cena title switch, while historic, was marred by a convoluted finish, Travis Scott’s misplaced involvement, and The Rock’s absence, making it a disappointing cap to an otherwise solid night. The decision to put the title on Cena sets up future storylines but came at the cost of Rhodes’ momentum and fan satisfaction, ranking it among WrestleMania’s more controversial main event outcomes.

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