WrestleMania 42: Rhodes banishes McAfee but Orton gets last laugh

WWE wrestler Randy Orton makes an entrance ahead of Undisputed WWE Championship match against Cody Rhodes during WreslteMania 42 on Saturday, April 18, 2026 at Allegiant Stadium. LAS VEGAS – It looked like Randy Orton was going to take the high road on Saturday night, refusing to pin an all-but-finished Cody Rhodes after his cohort Pat McAfee ran into the ring as a replacement ref. With McAfee’s professional wrestling career hinging on an Orton win, it made sense that the first ballot Hall-of-Famer would want to get a “tourist” far away from the industry he loves despite their alliance during the build up.

Rhodes took advantage of the opportunity of course, landing his signature Cross Rhodes to end the match and McAfee’s wrestling career once and for all. It was Orton who got the last laugh, however, turning on Rhodes with an RKO and a vicious boot to the head. With blood soaking Rhodes’ bleach blonde hair, Orton stood over the newly-crowned champion with the belt he clearly believed still rightly belonged to himself.

Morgan back on top, Belair reveals big surprise The co-main event saw Elmwood Park, New Jersey’s own Liv Morgan become a three-time WWE Women’s World Champion with her defeat of Stephanie Vacquer by pinfall just under seven minutes into the match. Morgan is now the fourth three-time holder of the belt, joining Charlotte Flair, Becky Lynch and Naomi in the exclusive club. Morgan also stole the show with her entrance, doing her best Tate McRae at Coachella impersonation by performing her new ring song Trouble with the assistance of an ensemble of scantily clad backup dancers.

In a way, it didn’t feel completely unlike something we would have seen from one of the Divas during the Attitude Era. Following the match, Bianca Belair accompanied WrestleMania 42 host John Cena in the ring and revealed to the 50,000+ crowd and the millions watching at home that she was expecting Gunther and Rollins Go For Instant Classic Gunther vs. Seth Rollins was a war that any purist would love, with Gunther earning the win by choke-out in what was surely the match of the night and potentially the entire weekend.