WrestleMania 39 Night 1: 5 things WWE got right on the show
WWE WrestleMania 39 Night One had many big matches scheduled for Saturday. Rhea Ripley challenged Charlotte Flair for the SmackDown Women's Championship on the first night of the show.
Meanwhile, Austin Theory and John Cena competed in the first match of the night to get things going. Pat McAfee also returned to the ring for an impromptu match against The Miz during WWE WrestleMania 39.
The Street Profits scored a big win in the Fatal Four-Way Showcase Tag Team Match at WrestleMania 39. Plus, Rey Mysterio fought his son for the first time in one of the biggest matches of the night.
The main event saw The Usos defend the Undisputed WWE Tag Team Championship against Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn. The match turned out to be the best of the first night.
Take a look at the five things WWE WrestleMania 39 got right on Night One.
#5. Austin Theory controversially retained his United States Championship
Austin Theory competed in the biggest match of his career against John Cena on Saturday. Cena took control of the contest early before Theory bit his ear to break a headlock.
The champion took control of the contest for the next few minutes before Cena trapped him in the STF. Both men continued to trade moves, and The Unproven One countered the Attitude Adjustment with a DDT.
After a few takedowns, Cena caught Theory in the STF again. The champion tapped out, but the referee was knocked out and did not see it. The champion then hit Cena with a low blow and finished him off with the A-Town Down to retain his title.
The match was decent but not WrestleMania level. However, it was the right call to keep the title on Theory, who has worked hard to remain one of the top heels on RAW.
Cena gave the 25-year-old the push he needed, and that will probably help him build toward some bigger matches on RAW. Overall, it was a decent showing by the two WWE Superstars.
#4. Seth Rollins scored a win over Logan Paul at WWE WrestleMania 39
Seth Rollins and Logan Paul made epic entrances before their big match at WWE WrestleMania 39. They got down to business early and unloaded on each other right after the opening bell.
Logan tried a few submission moves, but Rollins got the better of him. The YouTube star hit a Gut-Wrench Suplex before missing a dive from the top rope.
The Visionary sent his opponent outside before hitting three big dives. They kept going hard at each other, and Rollins nearly got a Stomp before the Prime energy drink mascot saved Paul.
The mascot turned out to be YouTuber and Logan's friend, KSI, and the distraction allowed The Maverick to send Seth Rollins into the ring post. They fought all around the ring, and Seth pulled KSI in the way of a dive to save himself.
In the final moments of the match, Paul hit the GTS with a Frog Splash, but Rollins kicked out again. The Visionary survived a Coast-to-Coast with a Superkick before getting the stomp for the win.
This match got WrestleMania going as both superstars gave it their best in the ring. Seth Rollins needed the win to push ahead on the RAW brand. It will help him get some bragging rights before an eventual rematch between the two men down the line.
#3. Rey Mysterio taught his son a lesson at WWE WrestleMania 39
Bad Bunny joined the announce team for the match between Rey Mysterio and Dominik at WWE WrestleMania 39. Mysterio came out in a low-rider with Snoop Dogg, while Dominik came out in a prison van before the match got going.
Dominik dominated the first part of the contest before Damian Priest and Finn Balor came out at ringside to support the younger Mysterio. Dominik hit a powerbomb before missing the Three Amigos. Rey got a 619, but Balor distracted the referee, and Priest pushed him off the ropes.
LWO (Latino World Order) came out to help Rey out and took down Priest and Balor. Back in the ring, Dominik got a near fall off a 619 and a Frog Splash. He undid the top turnbuckle before grabbing a steel chain from Priest and was about to attack his father before Bad Bunny snatched it away from him.
Rey finally got the 619 against before connecting with the Frog Splash for a huge win over his son at WrestleMania 39.
Many fans believed that this would be Rey's retirement match at The Show of Shows. However, it was the right call to give him the win and extend this rivalry. It will help Santos Escobar and his faction grow while giving fans a few more matches before the father-son duo.
#2. Rhea Ripley became the new SmackDown Women's Champion
Rhea Ripley and Charlotte Flair competed in a SmackDown Women's Championship match at WWE WrestleMania 39. Flair took control early before Ripley hit a few moves and sent the champion into the turnbuckles.
The Queen continued to dominate the contest for some time and tried for the Figure Four Leglock before countering a Riptide with a DDT. Rhea Ripley came back strong and hit a German Suplex before Flair took her down with Natural Selection.
The two superstars traded German Suplexes in the ring before The Queen took out the referee with a Spear by mistake. The Eradicator hit Riptide but could not get the win before trying a Sharpshooter.
In the final moments of the contest, both WWE Superstars gave it their all and continued to beat each other down. Rhea finally got another Riptide and pinned The Queen to become the new SmackDown Women's Champion.
The Eradicator badly needed this win after putting on some great performances over the past year. She was good throughout the match and gave Flair a tough fight before finally putting her away. The Nightmare will now return to SmackDown to terrorize the women's roster there.
#1. Sami Zayn and Kevin Owens won in the main event of WWE WrestleMania 39
Best friends Sami Zayn and Kevin Owens competed in the main event of WWE Wrestlemania 39 Night One. They took on The Usos for the Undisputed WWE Tag Team Championship.
Jey Uso punished Zayn early in the contest, while Jimmy took a cheap shot at his former teammate behind the referee's back. The brothers isolated Sami for some time and got a couple of near falls early.
Owens made the tag and took out Jimmy at ringside before getting a near fall on Jey. The Master Strategist returned to the ring and took out his frustration at The Usos.
He got a Blue Thunder Bomb and a kick to the head before Jey tagged back in, and The Usos hit Sami with a barrage of Superkicks. KO broke up the 1D and dragged Jimmy outside the ring. Jey joined them and sent Owens through the announcers' table with a powerbomb.
The Usos hit the 1D on Sami in the ring, but the babyface managed to kick out and stay alive. He continued to take a beating, and Jey spiked him with a Helluva Kick from Jey.
Owens got back on the apron and got the tag before the challengers hit the champions with power bombs. Sami hit Jimmy with the Helluva Kick before KO hit Jey with a Stunner for another near fall.
The brothers recovered and hit Owens with a double splash, but somehow he still kicked out. Jey took three Helluva Kicks from Sami before he stayed down for the three-count and awarded the win to Zayn and Owens.
The match was as good as anyone would have expected and had several near falls. It was the right call to have the two teams main event on the first night of WWE WrestleMania 39. Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn deserved the win on the big stage after suffering at the hands of The Bloodline for so long.