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LAS VEGAS – Cody Rhodes and Randy Orton put on a pure wrestling match at WrestleMania 42 on Saturday night in Las Vegas, and the looming distraction was mostly eliminated.
Pat McAfee entered the ring with Orton to begin the match. The presence of the ESPN commentator was clearly a sore spot for fans as he received some of the loudest boos of the night at Allegiant Stadium. He attacked Rhodes with a microphone to start the match.
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Pat McAfee greets fans from ringside on April 18, 2026 at WrestleMania 42 at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Nev. (Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
Once Rhodes got the hang of it, he pushed Orton to the side and turned his attention to McAfee. He cleared out the announce table and placed McAfee on it. He allowed Jelly Roll to hit an elbow drop on the former NFL player. McAfee was booed as he was carried out of the arena on a stretcher.
The battle finally began. It mostly moved at a slow but calculated pace. Rhodes, who doesn’t usually target his ailing opponents, kept working on Orton’s back throughout the match. The crowd watched in silence as Rhodes and Orton traded blows and tried to gain advantages on each other.
It wasn’t until Rhodes shoved Orton into the ring post outside the squared circle that the crowd finally woke up. Orton was broken up. Rhodes tried to steal Orton’s finisher and give him an RKO, but it was countered. Orton then stole Rhodes’ tactics and hit “The American Nightmare” with a Cross Rhodes.
Moments later, Rhodes finally hit Orton with an RKO. But still no fall. Orton responded with an RKO of his own. He could smell his 15th WWE Championship, but Rhodes kicked out.
Cody Rhodes reacts before his Undisputed WWE Championship match against Randy Orton at WrestleMania 42 on April 18, 2026 at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Nev. (Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
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Orton got Rhodes again and hit him again with an RKO. The match went on and Charles Robinson was eventually hit with an RKO. There was no judge. Orton tried to kick Rhodes in the groin reminiscent of what McAfee did to him on SmackDown a few weeks ago.
Rhodes countered and kicked Orton in the groin instead. Rhodes went to the top as Orton came out of nowhere with the RKO once again. There was no referee to count until McAfee made a miraculous recovery.
McAfee sprinted down to the ring and countered Orton, but Rhodes kicked out at two.
McAfee tried to yell at Orton to continue his attack, but Orton hit McAfee with an RKO. Rhodes took advantage of Orton taking his eye off the ball for a split second. Rhodes hit the Cross Rhodes and pinned Orton for the win to retain the championship.
The exhausted and bloodied competitors caught their breath in the ring, but Orton was far from finished. He grabbed the belt from Rhodes and hit him with it.
Randy Orton steals the belt from Cody Rhodes before Rhodes defeated Orton during their Undisputed WWE Championship match on April 18, 2026 at WrestleMania 42 at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Nev. (Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
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Orton ended the night with a punt kick to Rhodes’ head, ending Night 1.
