BROCK LESNAR RETIRES? | WrestleMania 42 Night 2 explodes in Las Vegas as The Beast leaves boots in ring
Night 2 of WWE's biggest weekend of the year unfolding live from Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas is delivering one genuine shock after another.
Rising star Oba Femi, in his first premium live event main event-caliber match, stunned the wrestling world by defeating Brock Lesnar, in what was billed as the most anticipated match of the night.
What followed may go down as one of the most memorable moments in WrestleMania history.
Lesnar took off his gloves and boots in the ring, a la what MMA fighters do when they retire.
The fans chanted:
"Thank you Lesnar."
The Beast left his gear in the centre of the ring, took a bow, and embraced longtime advocate Paul Heyman, strongly suggesting the 48-year-old legend has wrestled his final match.
The intercontinental championship ladder match followed, with champion Penta successfully defending against Je'Von Evans, Rusev, Dragon Lee, JD McDonagh and Rey Mysterio in a high-risk, multi-man spectacle.
Trick Williams then claimed his biggest career victory to date, dethroning Sami Zayn to capture the United States Championship in his first WrestleMania appearance.
Williams was introduced to the stadium by rapper Lil Yachty, trailed by a massive white train attached to his fur jacket — the kind of over-the-top entrance Mania demands.
Finn Balor brought back "The Demon" character for his Street Fight against Dominik Mysterio, with Balor emerging victorious in a hard-hitting, weapons-filled brawl that saw both men push each other through tables.
Still to come as the night reaches its crescendo: Jade Cargill defending the WWE Women's Championship against Rhea Ripley, and the main event fans have been waiting more than a year for — CM Punk defending the World Heavyweight Championship against Royal Rumble winner Roman Reigns.
The showdown represents Punk's second WrestleMania main event and marks Reigns' staggering 11th WrestleMania headline appearance.
Night 1 on Saturday set the table for tonight's drama, with Cody Rhodes successfully defending the Undisputed WWE Championship against Randy Orton, the shock return of former champion Paige, and Bianca Belair's emotional pregnancy reveal during the show.
Grammy-nominated artist Joe Jonas performed the national anthem to open Sunday's festivities, with John Cena hosting the weekend in what many have described as a star-making turn for the future retiree.
The event is streaming live on ESPN in the United States and Netflix internationally, with WrestleTix reporting 50,386 tickets sold at showtime.
