WrestleMania 42: Night 1 Predictions
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WrestleMania season has officially arrived, and for the second year in a row, WWE brings its biggest spectacle of the year back to the bright lights of Allegiant Stadium. WrestleMania 42 takes over Las Vegas on Saturday, April 18th, and Sunday, April 19th.
And Night 1 will set the tone. With John Cena hosting this year, it adds even more intrigue to a weekend where anything can happen as multiple generations collide.
From Cody Rhodes vs. Randy Orton to the Women’s Tag Team Championship Fatal 4-Way, we’ve got you covered with predictions for Night 1 ahead of the Show of Shows:
Night 1 Match Card
- Undisputed WWE Championship: Cody Rhodes (c) vs. Randy Orton w/ Pat McAfee
- Women’s World Championship: Stephanie Vaquer (c) vs. Liv Morgan
- Gunther vs. Seth Rollins
- Women’s Intercontinental Championship: AJ Lee (c) vs. Becky Lynch
- Women’s Tag Team Championships: Irresistible Forces (c) vs. Bella Twins vs. Bayley & Lyra Valkyria vs. Charlotte Flair & Alexa Bliss
- Unsanctioned Match: Drew McIntyre vs. Jacob Fatu
- LA Knight & The Usos vs. IShowSpeed & The Vision
Night 1 Predictions with @CZV_Wrestling
We’re going live Tuesday after WWE NXT on our YouTube channel for a full Night 1 predictions stream alongside Cam Valentine of CZV Wrestling.
Together, we broke down each matchup heading into WrestleMania:
Card Preview & Predictions for WrestleMania 42
WrestleMania Night 1 is stacked with high-stakes matches, surprise factors, and plenty of potential chaos woven into every outcome. You could argue some things feel predictable. But if WWE wants to set the tone for a massive weekend, there’s still room for twists and moments that shift everything.
With so many moving parts across each match, we’ve got you covered. Take a look at our breakdown and predictions for each matchup:
Undisputed WWE Championship: Cody Rhodes (c) vs. Randy Orton w/ Pat McAfee
Joey: With the addition of Pat McAfee to this match, there’s no way WWE builds all this up just to have Randy Orton lose. WWE knows fans are frustrated, so something big feels inevitable. But, whether that moment benefits Cody Rhodes or Orton is the real question.
It feels like the right time for Orton to make another major run and inch closer to John Cena’s record. I’m going with Orton.
Rags: I’m also taking Randy Orton here. The chase for number 15 matters, especially with him and Charlotte Flair both within striking distance of Cena’s record.
WWE has a history of mirroring big moments. When John Cena wins something, Randy Orton often followed by winning the next year. With Cena winning at WrestleMania last year, I think history repeats itself, and Orton gets it done this time.
Women’s World Championship: Stephanie Vaquer (c) vs. Liv Morgan
Joey: I was leaning toward Liv Morgan before the head clash. She’s brought out a more emotional side of Stephanie Vaquer and shown she can get inside her head. But if you remember who Stephanie was before WWE, she may have just awakened a sleeping beast.
With Roxanne Perez back in the mix, I think plans have changed. Before the clash, they were talking about how they turned on Finn Balor, and Liv knows Finn recruited Roxanne. That feels like it’s going to come into play here. So, I have to go with Stephanie Vaquer winning.
Rags: I’m going with Stephanie Vaquer. I also think Roxanne Perez gets involved, and The Judgment Day finally starts to fall apart after years of teasing it happening. This is Stephanie’s first WrestleMania, and she’s just getting started.
Women’s Intercontinental Championship: AJ Lee (c) vs. Becky Lynch
Joey: I’m torn here. It honestly feels like a coin flip that might get decided right before they walk out. On one hand, a run from AJ Lee brings prestige and legacy back to the title.
There are just too many fun matchups for her in WWE right now, and while those don’t need the belt, being champion makes them more likely to happen. That said, Becky Lynch is absolutely red hot. She’s not just on fire in the ring; her movies and shows have her name everywhere.
Something tells me both she and her “hot husband” walk out with wins this WrestleMania. So I’ll go out on a limb and take Becky.
Rags: I think AJ Lee retains here. Putting the title back on Becky Lynch doesn’t feel like the right next step, especially when you ask what comes after. This is AJ’s first WrestleMania back, and she just won the title, so I don’t see WWE changing it this quickly.
Unsanctioned Match: Drew McIntyre vs. Jacob Fatu
Joey: Drew McIntyre losing at WrestleMania never sits right. He’s 5-5 at the event, but this feels like Jacob Fatu’s moment. As much as I want Drew to win, the division needs a Jacob Fatu victory right now.
Drew might need something different moving forward, maybe even a brand change. There’s no deep logic here, it just feels like Fatu’s time based on how the story is playing out. But this match is going to absolutely cook!
Rags: I’m also going with Jacob Fatu. Drew McIntyre has won his last two WrestleManias, and he tends to get screwed over a lot. Not just in storylines and by Nick Aldis, but by WWE creative too. So this will be no different, unfortunately.
Women’s Tag Team Championships: Irresistible Forces (c) vs. Bella Twins vs. Bayley & Lyra Valkyria vs. Charlotte Flair & Alexa Bliss
Joey: I really don’t want Lash Legend and Nia Jax to lose these belts. It feels like they’ve been defending them consistently because a title change is coming.
Even though this is Lash’s first WrestleMania and she’s had a great year, it feels like WWE might have bigger plans for her, whether that’s Elimination Chamber or Queen of the Ring. The titles have always felt tailor-made for Nikki Bella and Brie Bella, so having them lose again wouldn’t make much sense.
This feels like the most straightforward match on the card. Maybe they swerve us, but I’m going with The Bella Twins.
Rags: The Bella Twins are back for a reason. And one of those reasons could be a Total Divas reboot, something we’ve talked about on the site before. So, there’s really no other choice. But hopefully they add something to this match so it’s not so obvious. Maybe an Alexa Bliss heel turn?
LA Knight & The Usos vs. IShowSpeed & The Vision
Joey: My boys The Vision are taking this one to the bank, even if it might piss some people off. I also think IShowSpeed is going to surprise people. They’ve been playing with him, but he’s been putting in the work and actually training.
What’s interesting is how Maxxine Dupri could factor in here, especially since she’s been talking to The Vision. Ironically, her husband Kam Hendrix beat IShowSpeed in Speed’s first match in WWE. That might not mean anything, but it’s interesting nonetheless.
I still think we get a Jey Uso heel turn where he aligns with The Vision. If you’ve been on my streams, you know I’ve been saying this is coming, especially with his relationship with Bron Breakker and the attacks from Austin Theory.
We never fully found out who was behind it, but I think it was Austin Theory aligned with Seth Rollins. I could keep going, but I think The Vision and IShowSpeed win this one.
Rags: I’ve got The Usos and LA Knight. It’s hard to believe IShowSpeed doesn’t end up costing The Vision somehow, given how scared he’s looked leading into this match. I don’t see WWE booking a situation where The Usos and LA Knight lose to two streamers and Austin Theory.
Gunther vs. Seth Rollins
Joey: To have Seth Rollins lose to Gunther doesn’t feel right. Bringing Gunther back from hibernation just to have him lose to Seth also doesn’t feel right.
Even though this match made almost no sense when it was announced, it’s going to absolutely cook. These are two of the best in the industry, period. I’m going out on a limb here and saying this doesn’t end with a clean decision. I think we get interference or some kind of finish like that.
A loss hurts both of them, especially if WWE isn’t ready to reveal who might be helping Seth. Doing that at Mania feels premature, especially with Bron Breakker’s return looming. Bron could absolutely cost Seth the match and I’d be fine with that.
But anything other than a no contest or DQ just doesn’t feel right.
Rags: I have to go with Gunther. I think The Vision has an interest in Seth Rollins not winning, especially since Gunther may have aligned with them in some capacity.
Paul Heyman owes him a favor now, so that could come into play here in some way. It feels a bit silly to bring the idea of favors back into the mix again. But they did it for a reason, and it’s always about the details with WWE, sometimes.
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