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LAS VEGAS– Cody Rhodes and Randy Orton put on a pure wrestling match at WrestleMania 42 on Saturday night in Las Vegas and the looming distraction was largely eliminated.
Pat McAfee entered the ring with Orton to start the match. The ESPN commentator’s presence was clearly a sore point for fans as he received some of the loudest boos of the night at Allegiant Stadium. He attacked Rhodes with a microphone to start the match.
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Pat McAfee waves to fans from the ring during the first night of WrestleMania 42 at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Nevada on April 18, 2026. (Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
Once Rhodes got his bearings, he pushed Orton aside and turned his attention to McAfee. He cleared the commentators’ table and placed McAfee there. He allowed Jelly Roll to hit an elbow on the former NFL player. McAfee was booed as he was carried out of the arena on a stretcher.
The match finally began. He moved at a slow, but calculated pace for the most part. Rhodes, who normally doesn’t target sick opponents, continued to work Orton’s back throughout the match. The crowd watched silently as Rhodes and Orton exchanged blows and tried to gain an advantage over each other.
It wasn’t until Rhodes pushed Orton into the ring post outside the squared circle that the crowd finally woke up. Orton was busted. Rhodes tried to steal Orton’s finisher and give him an RKO but it was countered. Orton then stole Rhodes’ tactic and hit “The American Nightmare” with a Cross Rhodes.
Moments later, Rhodes finally hit Orton with an RKO. But still no fall. Orton responded with an RKO of his own. He could feel his 15th WWE Championship, but Rhodes kicked out.
Cody Rhodes reacts before his WWE Undisputed Championship match against Randy Orton at WrestleMania 42 on April 18, 2026, at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
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Orton picked up Rhodes again and hit him with an RKO again. The match continued and Charles Robinson was eventually hit with an RKO. There was no referee. Orton attempted to kick Rhodes in the groin, reminiscent of what McAfee did to him on SmackDown a few weeks ago.
Rhodes countered and kicked Orton in the groin instead. Rhodes went to the top rope when Orton came out of nowhere with the RKO once again. There was no arbiter to count, until McAfee made a miraculous recovery.
McAfee sprinted to the ring and counted out for Orton, but Rhodes kicked out at two.
McAfee tried to yell at Orton to continue his attack, but Orton nailed McAfee with an RKO. Rhodes took advantage of Orton taking his eyes off the ball for a split second. Rhodes hit the Cross Rhodes and pinned Orton for the win and retain the championship.
The exhausted and bloodied competitors were catching their breath in the ring, but Orton was far from finished. He grabbed Rhodes’ belt and hit him with it.
Randy Orton steals the belt from Cody Rhodes before Rhodes defeats Orton in their WWE Undisputed Championship match on night one of WrestleMania 42 at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Nevada on April 18, 2026. (Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
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Orton ended the night with a punt kick to the head of Rhodes, ending the first night.
