WrestleMania XL Night 1 is officially over. It took place at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia on April 06. We have all the results from the illustrious night featuring seven matches. Two title changes happened on the show. With Roman Reigns and The Rock teaming together against Cody Rhodes and Seth Rollins in the Greatest WWE Tag Team Match of all time, let’s find out the WWE WrestleMania XL Night 1 Results, Grades, and Analysis: WrestleMania Saturday.
Rhea Ripley vs. Becky Lynch (Women’s World Championship)
Coco Jones started the show by singing the national anthem. Triple H welcomed fans to WrestleMania 40. Becky Lynch’s entrance included her narrating some of the lines from her biography book. Also, some lines from the book were printed on her ring gear. Rhea Ripley got a special entrance as her theme was played by the band Motionless in White. Becky Won the Elimination Chamber Match to Challenge Ripley.
Becky got the first valid move in the match when she landed a missile dropkick on Ripley. Lynch focused on getting Ripley into an armbar, but the Champion countered with a Northern Lights Suplex. Rhea wanted the delayed Vertical suplex, but Becky countered it into an inside cradle for a one-count. Ripley powered out and delivered a massiveVerticalSuplex for a two-count. Rhea landed a stiff dropkick and posed for the crowd. She went for an Eddie Guerrero splash, but Lynch met her on the top rope and laid her out with an arm drag.
Becky connected with a tornado DDT for a near fall. Later, The Man delivered a flying leg drop. Lynch hit Ripley with a Bexploder into the barricade, followed by a leg drop from the top rope for another near fall. Becky trapped Rhea into an arm breaker, but Mami countered it with three consecutive Powerbombs, only for Lynch to kick out again. After some punch exchanges, Lynch applied the Dis-Arm-Her on the top rope. The referee forced her to break the hold.
Becky delivered a Manhandle Slam, but the Champion kicked out before three. Soon, Ripley hit the Riptide. Becky was kicked out at two this time. Rhea slammed Becky on the floor with an electric chair drop. Back in the ring, Rhea delivered a Frog Splash for a two-count. In the end, Ripley connected with a Riptide onto the turnbuckle, followed by another one on the mat to secure the win as we predicted in our WWE WrestleMania Night 1 Prediction.
Winner: Rhea Ripley
Grades: B+
Analysis: It was an excellent match to kick off WrestleMania Saturday. Mami and The Man put on a great fight. Ripley retained the title and will continue to dominate the Women’s division. Is it the best decision in this WWE WrestleMania XL Night 1 Results?
Six-Pack Ladder Match (Tag Team Championships)
Judgment Day vs. DIY vs. Awesome Truth vs. New Day vs. A-Town Down Under vs. New Catch Republic. The Raw and SmackDown tag team titles hung separately above the ring, signaling a title split. The action began with a brawl that quickly went outside. Theory and Waller tried to steal the tag titles wisely but were cut off by other teams. Tyler Bate did an airplane spin while lifting Balor on a ladder on his shoulders. Bate and Dunne took out other competitors with stereo moonsaults off the ladder. Balor and Priest entered the frame. Priest landed a Razor’s Edge on Dunne.
R-Truth paid homage to his childhood hero, John Cena when he delivered the 5-Knuckle Shuffle and an Attitude Adjustment on a ladder for Finn. Truth considered it a simple match. He pinned Balor and considered himself the winner. Truth thought of DIY as DX. Gargano delivered Sweet Chin Music, while Ciampa delivered Pedigree. Theory and Waller laid out DIY and Awesome Truth and unhooked the titles. A-Town Down Under are your new SmackDown Tag Team Champions.
As Waller was celebrating, Dunne and Bate crashed him through a ladder bridge with a double powerbomb. New Day bounced back in the match. Kofi landed a Trouble in Paradise to Gargano while Woods delivered a Springboard Elbow Drop on the ladder. Kingston laid out everyone with a Trust Fall to the outside. New Catch Republic delivered a Burminghammer to Theory. Gargano drove Dunne through a table with a tornado DDT. Ciampa hit Bate with an Air Raid Crash from the ladder.
R Truth set up a ladder, but JD McDonagh prevented him from climbing. McDonagh was helping Balor in climbing. New Day came in and sent JD through two tables set at ringside. Priest joined the action and delivered a Razor’s Edge to Kofi. In the final sequences, Truth delivered an AA to Priest to the outside. Truth climbed the ladder and grabbed the Raw Tag Team Titles.
Winner: A-Town Down Under (SmackDown Tag Team Champions)
Awesome Truth (Raw Tag Team Champions)
Grades: A-
Analysis: Brilliant ladder match. It had more than you would expect. DIY and New Catch Republic put on an excellent performance. Finally, the tag team titles are split. Is it a better outcome on WWE WrestleMania XL Night 1 Results?
Rey Mysterio and Andrade vs. Dominik Mysterio and Santos Escobar
Rey started with Santos and delivered an early head-scissor takeover. Dom had a brief encounter with Rey before Andrade tagged in. At ringside, Andrade and Rey Mysterio delivered a double-stacked cross-body block off the middle rope. Rey sent Dominik into the ring post and went for a whipping with a belt, just like last year, but Dom avoided it. Escobar hit Rey with a slingshot leg drop. Later, Andrade landed a tilt-a-whirl backbreaker on Dominik.
Dom hit a slingshot senton splash on Rey for a two-count. Escobar and Dom dominated Rey and delivered stereo head kicks for another near fall. Rey countered from an electric chair and delivered a Code Red. Andrade got the tag. He delivered a dragon screw and crushed Doom with a double knee strike in the corner. Andrade delivered a standing moonsault for a near fall. Dom delivered a reverse neckbreaker.
Rey returned and delivered a flying seated senton and a 619 to Escobar. At ringside, LWO and Legado got into a brawl. Vega took out Lopez while Carlito and Del Toro launched Wilde with a springboard fly onto Garza and Carillo. Dom grabbed a chair, but two masked men took it away. Rey delivered a double 619. Andrade hit the Message on Dom. Rey pinned Escobar after a Frog Splash. The masked men were revealed to be Jason Kelce and Lane Johnson of the Philadelphia Eagles.
Winners: Rey Mysterio and Andrade
Grades: B
Analysis: It was a decent match, with the Babyface team going over. It seems like this feud is not over. In our WWE WrestleMania XL Night 1 Results, it is clear that it is not the best outcome.
Jey Uso vs. Jimmy Uso
Next up, let’s talk about Twin vs. Twin and brother vs brother bout in our WrestleMania XL Night 1 Results, Grades, and Analysis: WrestleMania Saturday. Lil Wayne came with Jey during the entrance. Jey attacked Jimmy during his entrance and delivered a suicide dive. Jey took out his frustrations for a bit, but Jimmy returned with several running hip attacks in the corner. This match was more about the emotions and not the unbelievable sequences.
They were not selling each other’s moves at a time during the match. Even the superkicks weren’t sold. One highlighted moment came when Jimmy faked to apologize to Jey, who fell into it and hugged Jimmy. Soon, Jimmy showed his true colors and delivered a superkick, followed by a splash for a near fall. Jey delivered the Spear and a splash to get the win in the end.
Winner: Jey Uso
Grades: C
Analysis: It was an emotional encounter. But it failed to deliver in an athletic and wrestling manner. The expectations were high for the match, but it failed to deliver to the hype. It was the worst match of the night, as we further move to some more matches in our WWE WrestleMania XL Night 1 Results.
Jade Cargill, Naomi, and Bianca Belair vs. Damage CTRL
Cargill, Naomi, and Belair had a special entrance when they landed on stage from the elevator. All six competitors had unique gears. In the match, Naomi landed a double dropkick and a split leg drop. Later, Kairi delivered an In-Sane elbow to the floor. Asuka got the tag, and she dominated Naomi. They prevented Naomi from tagging in her partners, but she finally tagged in Bianca. The EST was on fire to start. She hit a backbreaker on Asuka and a delayed Vertical Suplex on Sane.
Belair continued the fight and delivered a gutbuster to Dakota. Bianca landed a spinebuster on Asuka and hit a press slam on Sane. The whole match was built on the anticipation to tag in Jade Cargill. Finally, The Storm got the tag. Jade delivered a Chokeslam on Kai and a backbreaker on Kairi. Cargill landed a backbody drop and a suplex driver on Dakota. Asuka’s mist accidentally blinded Kairi, and Naomi laid out Sane. Bianca delivered a KOD to Asuka. Cargill captured Kaii and landed a Grand Slam for the victory.
Winner: Jade Cargill, Bianca Belair, and Naomi
Grades: B
Analysis: It was a fun match and a fine way for Cargill to make her WrestleMania debut. If given some more time, this would have been an epic match. Jade performed well and proved that she is built for big stages. Let’s move to the business end in our WWE WrestleMania XL Night 1 Results.
Gunther vs. Sami Zayn (Intercontinental Championship)
Sami Zayn had an excellent segment backstage before the match. Sami’s family, Chad Gable and Kevin Owens, motivated him well for the match. The crowd gave a huge ovation to Sami. Gunther entered with a 666-day Title reign. Zayn ducked a few chops from the Champion in the beginning and delivered his chops. Gunther turned the table with a German Suplex. Gunther slammed Sami and hit back-to-back chops. Gunther connected with uppercuts and more chops.
The Ring General teased Sami’s wife. After minutes of absolute domination by Gunther, Zayn got life back with a stiff lariat and two half-and-half suplexes. Gunther soon laid him out with a lariat for a two-count. Zayn countered a powerbomb into a tornado DDT. The Ring General trapped the challenger in a sleeper hold to further wear him down. Sami delivered an exploder suplex. While going for Helluva Kick, Zayn met with a Tyranno Saurus Dropkick. Gunther delivered the powerbomb, but Zayn barely kicked it out, to the shock of the fans.
Sami followed Gunther in the opposite corner and delivered the HelluvaKick for a near fall. Gunther hit another clothesline and two violent powerbombs, but Sami won’t stay down. Gunther was angry, and he decided to annihilate Sami. He delivered vicious lariats and a powerbomb. Gunther landed back-to-back flying splashes while talking trash to Sami’s wife, sitting in the front row attendance. Zayn caught Gunther on the top rope and delivered a brainbuster on the top turnbuckle. Sami was fired up and delivered two Helluva Kicks to end Gunther’s historic title reign.
Winner: Sami Zayn
Grades: A
Analysis: Awesome match. Sami got his redemption, and Gunther’s title reign was over. It was an emotional night for Zayn, even after the match. It will be interesting to see what’s next for these two.
Roman Reigns and The Rock vs. Cody Rhodes and Seth Rollins
It’s time for the main event in our WrestleMania XL Night 1 Results, Grades, and Analysis: WrestleMania Saturday. The bell rang, and all four men had a brief stare-down with the crowd buzzing in the back. Roman and Seth started the match. They started with headlocks and shoulder tackles. Cody got the tag, and we got a preview of what would come tomorrow. Roman soon tagged The Rock in with the crowd buzzing and chanting “Rocky.”
Rollins shoved Rock and posed with the crowd, singing his theme. The Rock returned with punches and stomps and laid out Rollins with a clothesline. Rock called out Cody, and Rhodes got the tag. Rhodes hit a series of punches on Rock. The action went to the outside. The Rock stopped the referee from counting and told him he would be fired if he counted out this match. Rock and Rollins fought in the crowd, while Coody and Roman fought on the stage. From there, the real heel tactics of Rock and Reigns began. They delivered all the cheap shots, even the low blows, but the referee feared losing his job.
Rock and Roman targeted Rollins’ injured knee. After a long beatdown, Seth countered a Superman Punch into a neckbreaker. But Rock again used his corporate power in front of the referee and prevented Rollins from tagging Cody. Rock applied the sharpshooter, but Cody slapped The Brahma Bull to break the hold. Rollins somehow gathered power and delivered a Stomp to The Rock. Cody brought the fight to Roman. He delivered a snap power slam, Disaster Kick, and a Cody Cutter for a two-count. Later, Rollins landed a frog splash, and Reigns barely kicked out.
Rollins and Rhodes delivered stereo kicks to Reigns. Seth connected with a Stomp, and Cody delivered a Cross Rhodes, but Rock pulled the referee to prevent the three-count. Reigns took advantage of the situation and delivered a low blow to Cody, followed by a Spear. The Rock returned the referee, but Cody kicked out at two. Later, Rocky brought a “Mama Rhodes” weight belt. Cody fought back and threw the weight belt.
Cody hit a Bionic Elbow. Rock soon replied with a spinebuster and went for the People’s Elbow. Cody countered and delivered a Cody Cutter. Rhodes went for Cross Rhodes, but Roman prevented it and delivered a Superman Punch. Roman prepared for the Spear, but Rollins shoved Cody away, and Roman Reigns speared The Rock.
The action continued at ringside, where Cody delivered a Rock Bottom to The Rock through the announce table. On the other hand, Roman speared Seth through the barricade. Back in the ring, Cody delivered two Cross Rhodes and Roman. The Rock smashed Cody in the back with the weight belt. Reigns delivered a Spear on Cody and tagged Rock in. The Great One hit a Rock Botton, followed by a People’s Elbow, and pinned Cody to win this match.
Winners: Roman Reigns and The Rock
Grades: A+
Analysis: An outstanding main event. The Rock delivered more than expected. The heel work from Roman and Rock was sublime. It will be “Bloodline Rules” in Cody Rhodes and Roman Reigns match on Night 2. So, can Cody finish his story now?
This was all from WWE WrestleMania XL Night 1 Results, Grades, and Analysis: WrestleMania Saturday. Which result surprised you the most?
