WrestleMania 38 Night 2 was, like Night 1 before it, an entertaining show.
But it was a fun show, featuring some strong wrestling and memorable performances.
The big surprise from the show was an impromptu wrestling match pitting Vince McMahon against Pat McAfee.
It was grim, but led to a great segment involving Stone Cold Steve Austin doing his thing.
And a cause for celebration: Bianca Belair is once again women’s champion after defeating Becky Lynch.
Roman Reigns defeats Brock Lesnar
This match got real explosive real fast.
Lesnar hits three suplexes straight up, then tossed Reigns out of the ring.
Lesnar confronts Paul Heyman on the outside, where Reigns spears him through the barricade.
Back inside, Reigns hit another Spear for a two count.
From there it was a series of big moves.
Reigns blitzed Lesnar with Superman Punches, but Lesnar countered the third one into a German Suplex.
He then landed a few more Germans, but Reigns countered one into a Superman Punch.
He attempted another Spear, but Lesnar snatched him into an F5 for a two count.
Reigns did a great job selling it.
Lesnar hoisted Reigns for another F5, but Reigns pushed off, speared Lesnar and got the win.
Reigns beats Lesnar clean in the middle.
Rating: 3.5 stars.
In fact, this was the shortest of the pair’s WrestleMania matches.
For the second year in a row, WrestleMania ends with Reigns standing tall as champ.
Vince McMahon (!)
McAfee was taunting McMahon and Theory, which led McMahon to get mad and demand McAfee wrestle him.
As soon as the bell rang, Theory attacked McAfee from behind.
McMahon then hit a few weak clotheslines on McMahon and threw him into the turnbuckle.
McMahon then got a football, kicked it into McAfee’s gut and pinned him.
WHAT IS HAPPENING?!?
@VinceMcMahon@austintheory1pic.twitter.com/19cxxH2l1u
STUNNER!
STUNNER!#WrestleMania@steveaustinBSR@austintheory1pic.twitter.com/FAMEvH3jxr
A STUNNER FOR@PatMcAfeeShow!!!
#WrestleMania@steveaustinBSRpic.twitter.com/omCC2cmvvl
As weird as it was, though, it wasn’t for nothing.
As Theory and McMahon celebrated their win, Stone Cold Steve Austin hit the ring.
It was a priceless moment: The crowd pop was amazing, as was McMahon’s facial reaction.
Austin hit a huge Stunner on Austin Theory, and it was just McMahon and Austin in the ring.
Austin asked McMahon if he’d drink a beer with him.
You know what happens from here.
McMahon takes a drink, eats a Stunner and the crowd goes wild.
It was an awkward as hell Stunner, but that didn’t dampen the fun.
LMFAOOO BRO#WRESTLEMANIApic.twitter.com/MtFnRjgZYC
Austin and McAfee drink beer to celebrate – until Austin stunned McAfee too.
Rating: Silly match, incredible segment.
But McAfee is an announcer and not a wrestler, which makes it slightly easier to eat.
Still, for all the issues here, the Austin-McMahon moment was worth it.
Pat McAfee pins Austin Theory
This was good wrestling.
A simple A to B match, but one that the crowd was massively into the whole way through.
McAfee won by countering Theory’s A-Town Down finisher into a rollup for the 3 count.
After McMahon introduced Theory, the match began with McAfee and Theory exchanging strikes.
Commentating his own match!#WrestleMania@PatMcAfeeShow@austintheory1pic.twitter.com/tl1Xrno0O1
A Superplex FOR THE BRAND!!
!#WrestleMania@PatMcAfeeShowpic.twitter.com/Ed7368ZFqm
MCAFEE WINS!!!
MCAFEE WINS!!!
!#WrestleMania@PatMcAfeeShowpic.twitter.com/c8dSZHChsQ
On the inside, McAfee attempted a Swanton Bomb, but Theory dodged it.
He then sprung to the top rope and hit a suplex of his own.
The crowd went ballistic.
McAfee got control back by blasting McAfee with a forearm.
This led to the finish, where he attempted to hit his finish but McAfee countered for the win.
Rating: 3.5 stars.The crowd’s electricity made this simple, solid match a lot of fun.
This was a quick match.
Ridge Holland and Sheamus attacked The New Day before the bell rang.
The teams brawled outside, including Sheamus' lackey Butch (Pete Dunne).
When Kofi and Xavier good back in the ring, the bell finally rang.
@TrueKofiand@AustinCreedWinsin the@WWEBigEgear!
Kofi tried to jump off the steps onto Sheamus, but Sheamus took him out with a Brogue Kick.
In the ring, Ridge Holland planted Xavier with a Northern Grit for the win.
Edge defeats A.J.
Styles
Edge and A.J.
Styles were put in the “show stealer” spot, alloted plenty of time to deliver a classic.
If there’s any criticism, it’s the ending – Edge got a spear on A.J.
in midair after A.J.
was distracted by Damian Priest, who is now aligned with Edge.
@EdgeRatedRgot the knees up!#WrestleMania@AJStylesOrgpic.twitter.com/2cgRG81OLN
HOLY !
!#WrestleMania@AJStylesOrg@EdgeRatedRpic.twitter.com/w4efXyNQ6u
Is@AJStylesOrggoing to tap?!?
went for the 450 Splash early, but Edge got his knees up.
Halfway through, there was a great submission exchange where A.J.
rolled into a Calf Crusher, but Edge countered it into a crossface.
The last few minutes were great.
There was a gnarly spot where A.J.
did a suplex from the second rope onto the ring apron.
From there he attempted a Phenomenal Forearm, but Edge doged and went for a Spear.
dodged it and hit his Styles Clash, which had been built up all match.
then attempted another Phenomenal Forearm, but was distracted by Damian Priest for a moment.
He then went for the move, but got hit with a spear in midair.
Rating: 3.75 stars.Great match with a weak finish.
Not only was this match thrown together, all of the teams were too.
None of them even have team names!
Yet despite a makeshift build, all eight women worked super hard and put together a great match.
Lots of creative tandem offense that was fun to watch (and would be impossible to describe).
Rating: 3.5 stars.A pleasant surprise.
They should do more with Shayna Baszler, who ruled here.
Johnny Knoxville beat Sami Zayn
This was so stupid, and I loved every minute.
Or rather, if you have a soft spot for Jackass this was fun.
But it quickly became more than one-on-one, with weapons and interference aplenty.
Back in the ring, Zayn beat down Knoxville with all sorts of weapons.
Chris Pontius then hit the ring as Party Boy Chris Pontius, a throwback to the old Jackass character.
After rubbing himself on Zayn, he got knocked out and thrown out.
@SamiZayn@realjknoxvillepic.twitter.com/DL78rjLKu8
.
#WrestleMania@SamiZayn@realjknoxvillepic.twitter.com/QHVbr7DzJY
It was all stunts and props from there.
The highlight was Zayn kicking Wee Man in the face, which got incredible heat from the crowd.
They booed Sami and called him an asshole.
When Zayn scaled the ropes, Knoxville set off pyro and he fell down.
Knoxville then bowled a bowling ball into Zayn’s groin.
Rating:If you like Jackass, this was 4 stars of fun.
If you don’t, this would be minus stars for sure.
I have fond memories from watching Jackass, so loved this.
Thankfully, it was over fairly quickly.
Bobby Lashley pinned Omos after a suplex and two spears.
He’s large but lumbering, and his offense is unconvincing despite his heft.
ALL MIGHTY#WrestleMania@fightbobbypic.twitter.com/LIcCA68F4O
.
@fightbobbygot him up!!
!#WrestleMania@TheGiantOmospic.twitter.com/AeMU6rJqT8
Lashley got a suplex on his third try, then speared him from behind.
Then he was able to set up a proper spear, land it and get the win.
Rating: 1 star.Omos has been built up as a giant that would one day be slain.
Now that he’s been slain, what value does he have?
After a super fun match, Orton and Riddle retained when Orton pinned Gable.
Chad Gable confronted Gable Stevenson and ate a suplex.
WWE obviously has high hopes for Stevenson, highlighting him on both nights of WrestleMania.
What’s keeping the other tag team wrestlers from jumping in at any time?
But alas, the format allows for fast-paced action.
It started explosive, with Riddle blitzing Chad Gable with a high kick.
@MontezFordWWE#WrestleManiapic.twitter.com/4KApQrx1B1
#TheViper+#WrestleMania… you simply LOVE to see it!
@RandyOrtonpic.twitter.com/1mDYC4WDmr
SPRINGBOARD RKO FROM THE TOP ROPE!!!
Riddle and Orton hit stereo second-rope DDTs in the ring and setup for stereo RKOs, but Otis interrupted.
As Ford was setting up for a top-rope splash, Riddle caught him with an awesome springboard RKO.
Gable then tried a top-rope cross body but Orton RKO’d him in midair for the win.
Rating: 4 stars.Great opening match.
and “Too sweet!”
Grabbing a microphone, he said he wanted to thank the crowd and welcomed them to WrestleMania.
