WrestleMania 42 Set for Las Vegas with 13 Matches

WrestleMania 42 descends on Las Vegas this weekend, drawing thousands of fans to Allegiant Stadium for WWE's premier event on April 18 and 19. The two-night spectacle features 13 high-profile matches, including championship clashes headlined by Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes defending against Randy Orton on Saturday and World Heavyweight Champion CM Punk facing Roman Reigns on Sunday.

The card blends long-simmering rivalries with fresh confrontations. On Night 1, Rhodes and Orton collide in a bout rooted in nearly two decades of shared history, from mentorship in the Legacy stable to recent betrayals. Orton, who won the Elimination Chamber to earn his shot, has allied with broadcaster Pat McAfee, who turned heel and orchestrated attacks on the champion. Sources indicate McAfee's involvement stemmed from corporate efforts by WWE's parent company, Endeavor, and TKO CEO Ari Emanuel to boost visibility and ticket sales. Rhodes expressed frustration over the intrusion during a recent podcast appearance, stating, "Randy Orton, who I'm wrestling at WrestleMania, we have like almost two decades of history between each other. He was my mentor... There was a lot of rich story...