WWE WrestleMania 40: Night Two (2024)

After a really solid, though slightly badly paced, first night of action, the second night of WWE's biggest show of the year had plenty of promise, and plenty to live up to. After some much needed rest, I was rejuvenated and energised for what I hoped to be another exciting night of in-ring entertainment.

The opening match of the night saw Seth Rollins put his World Heavyweight Championship on the line against the domineering Drew McIntyre. The entrances gave the match a big fight feel, and showcased some creative minds from the two men's respective cultures. The match itself was a bit of signature and finisher fest, but it was at least a pretty damn good finisher fest. The match had the right winner, who finally got their moment in front of fans. The aftermath was chaotic, but so much fun. I was wondering how CM Punk would get involved, but I didn't expect WWE to do what they did. The moment was thoroughly deserved, as Damian Priest finally cashed in his Money In The Bank contract to become World Champion.

Following this was the six-man tag team 'Philadelphia Street Fight', between The Final Testament and The Pride. I can't say I cared about this particular match, but I also figured it would be fun. It was a pleasant surprise to see hard-core wrestling legend Bubba Ray Dudley as the special guest referee. The match may have been a mess, but it was that nutty kind of mess that made it absolutely great. I was laughing my head off. Snoop Dogg being the special guest commentator was the icing on the cake. The wrong team won, but honestly it didn't matter. What a tremendously ridiculous match.

Match three of the evening featured LA Knight taking on AJ Styles in what I hoped would be a show-stealer. The rivalry between these two has been very silly, but I've loved it, and the match definitely followed the trend of aggression and fast-paced action. The crowd was really into it, and was, unsurprisingly, chanting along in full voice with Knight's every manoeuvre. What's more, Styles showed his class once more as one of the best in-ring workers of all-time. The match was very solid, and the crowd being so into it made it that much better.

Kicking off the second half of the night was the triple threat match for the United States Championship, defended by Logan Paul, yes that Logan Paul, against Kevin Owens and Randy Orton. I felt like this was another show-stealer in waiting, and I couldn't wait to see the shenanigans that Logan would unleash. The dynamic between the three men was great, and all three clearly wanted to put on a good show for the fans. Logan continued to show just how much of a natural he is as a sports entertainer. I can't praise this match enough. It was exciting, it was fast-paced and it was hugely entertaining. It even had a hilarious cameo from YouTuber and friend of Paul IShowSpeed.

The penultimate match of the night saw WWE Women's Champion Iyo Sky defend her title against Royal Rumble winner and former mentor Bayley. The storyline coming into this match had suffered a little bit because of bigger storylines around it, but I was still very excited to watch these two women burn it down. It must be said that Iyo Sky is one of the best women's wrestlers on the planet. She's so smooth and so talented. The in-match story was so well worked, the crowd was partizan for Bayley, and the atmosphere was magnificent. Both women worked their asses off and had the crowd on their feet multiple times - it was excellent! The pop for the end was the cherry on top. I was thrilled for both ladies.

Finally, after two nights of tumultuous action, it was time for the main event of WrestleMania 40; Undisputed Universal Champion Roman Reigns defending against Royal Rumble winner Cody Rhodes, in the much anticipated rematch of last year's main event. The message since last Mania has been clear for Cody; "I have to finish the story." I could not have been more excited for this one. Both men's entrances felt special, especially the champion, who was played to the ring by an epic orchestra, which made it one of the greatest entrances in WWE history. The energy in the stadium was palpable, the atmosphere mesmerising. The match had surpassed last year's within about ten minutes, such was the uptick in quality this time around. The drama was taken through the stratosphere, with run-ins, surprises and all sorts of absurd drama which was just delicious. At the end of it all, one story ended, and another began. Roman Reigns has cemented himself as a true Mount Rushmere figure for the company, while Cody Rhodes has forever immortalised himself in the anals of wrestling history, and did his family proud.

What a night, what a show, and what a moment in time. Nobody, and I mean nobody, does it like the WWE. Sure, it can be mightily silly, sometimes sloppy, and at times utterly unbelievable, but the emotional core that runs through each and every show, and the undying need to entertain and bring joy to others, bound together by a shared love and passion for an industry and its fans, makes professional wrestling something entirely unique and totally incomparable to near any entertainment type in pop culture or media as a whole. A special mention goes to Paul Levesque for starting his era marvellously. I also want to mention ring announcer Samantha Irvin, for bossing her introductions and announcements as always - she is a legend. It is a very good time to be a wrestling fan, and this show is a damb good example as to why. Wow. Who knows where we go from here? Not me, but honestly, I can't wait.