WrestleMania 38 results, Night 2 grades: Roman Reigns unifies titles, Stone Cold stuns Vince McMahon
After a wild Night 1 of WrestleMania 38, WWE returned to AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas for Night 2 of the biggest event in pro wrestling. In the main event, WWE champion Brock Lesnar clashed with Roman Reigns in a bout to unify WWE’s top two championships.
In the end, Reigns was able to outlast Lesnar in another of their typical hard-hitting matches, though one that didn’t live up to the past clashes between the two men.
Instead of the main event, the lasting memory of Night 2 may instead be Vince McMahon returning to the wrestling ring as he faced Pat McAfee in an impromptu match moments after McAfee defeated McMahon protege Austin Theory. McMahon ultimately got the victory but was embarrassed by his greatest rival when “Stone Cold” Steve Austin made an appearance for the second night in a row.
CBS Sports was with you the whole way through the event, providing updates and highlights as the action went down in the live blog below. Check out the complete results from Night 1 here.
2022 WWE WrestleMania 38 results, grades for Night 2
Triple H kicked off the show by making an elaborate entrance to leave his boots in the ring, finishing off the recent news that he is officially retired from in-ring action after his recent cardiac episode. He then welcomed the crowd to WrestleMania to officially get the event underway.
Raw Tag Team Championship — RK-Bro (c) vs. The Street Profits vs. Alpha Academy: It took only seconds before all six men were involved in the match, ending with Otis as the last man in the ring before an all-out brawl as everyone entered the ring again. Montez Ford hit a flipping dive to the outside, only for Chad Gable to hit his own top rope moonsault to the outside seconds later. Momentum swung wildly as men tagged in and out until Otis tagged into the match and hit both Angelo Dawkins and Riddle with a splash to break a pin, slightly slowing the match down. Randy Orton eventually took a hot tag and cleared the ring, leading to both RK-Bro members spiking the Profits with hanging DDTs. A huge near fall came when Fort hit Gable with a blockbuster as Gable was seated on Dawkins’ shoulders. Riddle took out Ford with a springboard RKO as Ford was on the top rope and Orton hit Gable with an RKO of his own as Gable came off the top rope, scoring the win. Really fun, all-action match to get the show off on the right foot. After the match, the Profits poured a drink for the champions before welcoming Gable Steveson to the ring to partake. Chad Gable then jumped in the ring and slapped the drink from Steveson’s hand. Steveson whipped off his shirt and hit Chad Gable with an overhead belly-to-belly suplex. RK-Bro def. The Street Profits and Alpha Academy via pinfall to retain the titles. Grade: B+
Looks like @GableSteveson just SHOOOOSHED @WWEGable at #WrestleMania! pic.twitter.com/We2FkdirGU
— WWE (@WWE) April 4, 2022
Bobby Lashley vs. Omos: Omos easily knocked aside a Lashley kick before dropping Lashley with a forearm to the back. Lashley continued to fire back, though he was repeatedly overpowered by Omos, including when Lashley first attempted to apply a Hurt Lock. Omos caught Lashley and launched the former champion from his shoulders. Omos locked Lashley in a bear hug, but Lashley fought out and after more attempts managed to hit Omos with a vertical suplex. Lashley then hit a spear to the back and another spear from the front to score the pin. It wasn’t a great wrestling match, but it’s how you use a monster heel, building him up until you feed him to a big star. Bobby Lashley def. Omos via pinfall. Grade: B-
.@fightbobby got him up!!!#WrestleMania @TheGiantOmos pic.twitter.com/AeMU6rJqT8
— WWE (@WWE) April 4, 2022
Sami Zayn vs. Johnny Knoxville (Anything Goes): Zayn immediately hit Knoxville with a Helluva kick as the bell sounded. Knoxville used a fire extinguisher to even things up, but Zayn stopped Knoxville from using any weapons from a trash can full of them. Zayn used a baking sheet and a crutch to hit Knoxville across the back before pulling out a table from under the ring. Zayn then found a table covered in mouse traps under the ring, which he pulled out and set up only to run into Knoxville, who used a pair of trash can lids only to end up sent through a table in the corner with an exploder suplex. Chris Pontius of “Jackass” would enter the ring and dance at Zayn before stripping down to his underwear. Wee Man then attacked Zayn and hit a bodyslam to set up a Knoxville tornado DDT for a near fall. Zayn took out Wee Man with a Helluva Kick. Knoxville knocked Zayn from the top rope by pressing a button that set off pyro from the ring post. This built to Knoxville throwing Zayn from the top rope through the mousetrap-covered table at ringside. Knoxville then used a giant mousetrap to pin Zayn and get the win. I don’t know what to say about this match. It was basically a Looney Tunes cartoon in the form of a wrestling match. Some of the gimmicks didn’t work, but that didn’t really matter. As pure entertainment, the match was a complete success. Johnny Knoxville def. Sami Zayn via pinfall. Grade: A-
WEE-MANIA!!!!!!@iamweeman just lifted @SamiZayn up for a body slam at #WrestleMania!@jackassworld pic.twitter.com/yS6tFamh6g
— WWE (@WWE) April 4, 2022
Women’s Tag Team Championship — Carmella & Queen Zelina (c) vs. Sasha Banks & Naomi vs. Liv for Brutality vs. Natalya & Shayna Baszler: Interesting early segments between Ripley and Banks, who failed to hit a backstabber when Ripley easily shrugged her off. Baszler paired off with Morgan and stomped her ankle before locking her in a footlock. Zelina hit Morgan with a code red, but Ripley broke the pin, setting off a stretch of everyone hitting big moves. Morgan and Ripley hit simultaneous tower of doom spots on the other six women in the match, setting them up for a big run that included hitting Naomi with a Riptide into Morgan’s knees. Near falls continued to come one after the other, with all the women in the match hitting signature moves only to see pin attempts broken until Naomi hit a facebuster into Banks’ knees to score the win. Like the men’s tag earlier in the night, this was served by pure non-stop action. Well structured all-around. Sasha Banks & Naomi won the titles. Grade: B+
.@ZelinaVegaWWE takes out @RheaRipley_WWE! #WrestleMania pic.twitter.com/LCzOVAPfRq
— WWE (@WWE) April 4, 2022
AJ Styles vs. Edge: Edge took a smug approach to the start of the match, disrespecting Styles before Styles hit a dropkick and several arm drags to get off to a hot start. Edge tried to come back with a spear, but Styles countered. Edge came right back to counter a Styles springboard 450, allowing him to take over control of the match. The match came down to Styles attacking Edge’s compromised knee while Edge focused on Style’s injured shoulder. Edge tried to work toward a crossface, but Styles was able to quickly reach the bottom rope. Styles hit a rack bomb for a near fall as both men continued to bust out some of their biggest moves to try and score the big win. Edge was able to secure a LeBell Lock, but Styles was again able to escape a submission that focused on his shoulder. Styles drove Edge into the ring apron with a superplex, nearly resulting in a double count out but Styles hit a springboard 450 when Edge got back in the ring, resulting in a near fall. Moments later, Styles hit the Styles Clash, but Edge barely managed to kick out. Damian Priest made his way to ringside, distracting Styles as he was going for a Phenomenal Forearm. That delay allowed Edge to counter with a spear to score the win. There had been rumors Edge would be leading a new heel stable involving Priest, so the result was not a shock, though it was a bit anticlimactic considering the hype for the bout and really took a bit away from the whole thing. After the match, Priest and Edge shared a laugh and posed together. Edge def. AJ Styles via pinfall. Grade: B
.@EdgeRatedR got the knees up!#WrestleMania @AJStylesOrg pic.twitter.com/2cgRG81OLN
— WWE (@WWE) April 4, 2022
The New Day vs. Sheamus & Ridge Holland: Kofi Kingston hit Trouble in Paradise early, nearly finishing Holland just seconds into the match. Butch tried to get involved, forcing Sheamus to continually pull him out of the action. As Butch distracted the ref, it allowed Sheamus to hit Xavier Woods with a Brogue Kick and Holland to hit Northern Grit to score the win in an extremely short match. Butch attacked Woods after the match. Just a terribly short and pointless match that isn’t likely to make anyone happy. It’s not that the outcome was wrong so much as the match just felt smashed in after getting cut from Night 1. Sheamus & Ridge Holland def. The New Day via pinfall. Grade: C-
Butch adding insult to injury at #WrestleMania!@WWESheamus & @RidgeWWE take down The #NewDay on the Grandest Stage of Them All! pic.twitter.com/lWrQOyDiGK
— WWE WrestleMania (@WrestleMania) April 4, 2022
Pat McAfee vs. Austin Theory: McAfee got off to a hot start with spinning elbows and ranas to keep Theory on the defensive. Theory got upset with the crowd for being firmly behind McAfee, working over the former NFL punter with suplexes while taunting and playing to Vince McMahon, who was seated at ringside. McAfee came storming back, taking Theory to ringside and attacking him while putting on a headset at the commentary table. Back in the ring, McAfee missed a swanton bomb, allowing Theory to get back in control. McAfee hit one of his trademark spots, landing on his feet on a backflip off the top rope before leaping back to the top rope and hitting Theory with a superplex. McAfee would score the win with a schoolboy pin counter to Theory’s ATL finisher. The crowd was very hot for McAfee and popped big for his win. After the match, McAfee taunted McMahon, leading McMahon to take off his jacket and his shirt, striping to a tanktop and bringing a referee to the ring. Theory attacked McAfee from behind and McMahon called for the bell. Pat McAfee def. Austin Theory via pinfall. Grade: B
No water in the pool for @PatMcAfeeShow! 😱#WrestleMania @austintheory1 pic.twitter.com/zNQACtZsg4
— WWE (@WWE) April 4, 2022
Pat McAfee vs. Vince McMahon: Vince toyed with McAfee while Theory interfered repeatedly. Theory then handed McMahon a football and McMahon lightly punted it into McAfee as he was prone on the canvas. After the punt, McMahon pinned McAfee for the win. Setting aside how ridiculous this is and how ridiculous it made McAfee look, it’s not hard to imagine that McMahon, watching the reaction to McAfee and his performance against Theory isn’t suddenly more interested in seeing if there’s something in a real McAfee run. After the match, Steve Austin’s music hit and “Stone Cold” marched to the ring to get in McMahon’s face. Theory tried to jump Austin, only to eat a series of right hands and a stunner. That left Austin and McMahon alone in the ring together in a callback to an era-defining rivalry. Austin initially called for beers, sharing a toast before a kick to the gut and, after much trouble catching McMahon, who had completely lost his balance, a stunner. After sharing a beer with McAfee, Austin blasted McAfee with a stunner in a reminder of Austin’s philosophy of “Don’t Trust Anybody.” Vince McMahon def. Pat McAfee via pinfall. Grade: F for the match, A+ for the Austin vs. McMahon callback, even if McMahon could barely take a stunner.
Mr. McMahon is picking apart @PatMcAfeeShow at #WrestleMania! pic.twitter.com/WWPZ1X1QM8
— WWE (@WWE) April 4, 2022
A STUNNER FOR @PatMcAfeeShow!!! 🍻#WrestleMania @steveaustinBSR pic.twitter.com/omCC2cmvvl
— WWE (@WWE) April 4, 2022
Winner Take All Championship Unification — Roman Reigns (c – universal) vs. Brock Lesnar (c – WWE): Lesnar removed his MMA gloves once the bell rang, looking to go bare-knuckle with Reigns. Lesnar took the fight right to Reigns before sending him across the ring with multiple overhead, belly-to-belly suplexes. Lesnar clotheslined Reigns over the top rope and followed him to the floor. Lesnar allowed himself to be distracted by chasing down Paul Heyman, however, and Reigns drove Lesnar through the ringside barricade with a spear. Lesnar beat the 10 count but ran right into another spear from Reigns that resulted in the first near fall of the match. Reigns followed up with two Superman punches. Lesnar fought back to his feet and began laughing before countering another Superman punch into a series of German suplexes. Lesnar went for an F-5, but Reigns slid out and hit another Superman punch.
Reigns tried to follow up with another spear, but Lesnar caught him and hit an F-5 for a near fall. Reigns clawed at Lesnar’s face to avoid another F-5 and drove Lesnar into the official with a spear. Reigns hit Lesnar with a low blow and Heyman gave him the universal championship, which Reigns used to hit Lesnar and score a two count. Reigns hit two more spears but Lesnar grabbed Reigns’ arm on the second and locked in a kimura, scissoring Reigns’ body. Reigns crawled toward the ropes and Heyman pushed the rope forward so Reigns could grab it to break the hold. Lesnar went for another F-5 only for Reigns to slide out, shoving Lesnar into the ropes and allowing Reigns to hit one final spear for the finish. The finish was pretty sudden and the match was a bit lacking in the overall drama compared to previous Reigns and Lesnar contests. A bit of a disappointment, overall. Though there weren’t many matches that disappointed across the weekend. Roman Reigns def. Brock Lesnar via pinfall to unify the titles. Grade: B-
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