WrestleMania 42 was well on its way to being a disappointment by the time night two rolled around. Saturday was a lackluster affair, with Gunther’s victory against Seth Rollins the only contest on the entire card worthy of rewatching. Sunday was much improved, with Oba Femi defeating Brock Lesnar in the Beast’s seeming retirement match and Penta’s successful defense of the Intercontinental title in an 8-man ladder match, both incredibly entertaining. 

But the match of the night, and indeed the Match of the Year so far, came in the main event. CM Punk defended his World Heavyweight Championship against former long-reigning Undisputed WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns in a contest that was the very definition of a “Big fight feel.” In the end, the Tribal Chief would reclaim his throne, nailing the champion with two spears after a chaotic back-and-forth affair to get the pinfall victory. 

So, where does the match rank in terms of the best of Reigns’ 11 (3 x Night One) main events? Let’s take a look. 

4 – Roman Reigns def. Cody Rhodes WrestleMania 39

WrestleMania 39 was the 955th day of Roman Reigns’ epic Undisputed WWE Universal Championship reign, and his main event opposite Cody Rhodes marked the first time that online betting sites thought that the Tribal Chief could lose the gold. The Bovada sports betting odds heading into the contest listed the long-reigning champion as a 2/1 outsider to continue his reign as king, with the American Nightmare positioned as the clear 1/3 favorite to finish the story. And in the end, it was the championship’s underdog nature that made this match all the more compelling. 

Thousands of fans crammed into the stunning SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles, expecting to see a new champion crowned. What they witnessed was a back-and-forth extravaganza that kept them on the edge of their seats, unsure which way the match would ultimately go. After all, you can never bet against Roman Reigns at WrestleMania. 

Following interference from Reigns’ Bloodline brethren The Usos, as well as a counterattack from Sami Zayn and Kevin Owens – both in Cody’s corner – it looked as though Rhodes would claim the title. He hit the champion with two of his Cross Rhodes finishing moves, and just as he was gunning for a third, he would get hit with the Samoan Spike from Bloodline enforcer Solo Sikoa, allowing Reigns to hit the spear and shockingly retain his title against all odds. 

3 – Roman Reigns def. CM Punk – WrestleMania 42

Perhaps this is recency bias, but Roman Reigns’ victory against CM Punk in the main event of WrestleMania 42 on April 19th of this year felt like an all-timer. The two superstars spent weeks trading barbs on Monday Night Raw, with anticipation reaching a fever pitch heading into Las Vegas’ Allegiant Stadium. On fight night, both headed to the ring amid iconic entrances, Reigns returning to his glorious “Head of the Table” theme song and Punk briefly showcasing his Ring of Honor theme Miseria Cantare. 

Once the action got underway, both men threw everything at the other. Reigns power-bombed Punk through an announce table; Punk would respond by elbow dropping the challenger through another. After plenty of back and forth, it looked as though Punk would retain the gold when he hit the Tribal Chief with a Go-To-Sleep, only for Reigns to fall back onto Punk’s shoulders. The World Heavyweight Champion would then look for a second Go-To-Sleep, only to crumble under the weight of Reigns after 30 minutes of grueling action, playing into the “Old Man Punk” storyline the pair had built up. 

That opened the door for Reigns, and he would hit the champion with a pair of Spears to claim the title in a WrestleMania main event that will stand the test of time. 

2 – Seth Rollins def. Roman Reigns & Brock Lesnar – WrestleMania 31 

The very first of Roman Reigns 11 Mania main events came way back in 2015. He won the Royal Rumble that year to a chorus of boos, with fans unhappy that the “Big Dog” was being pushed down their throats. To make matters worse among an unhappy fan base, it seemed as though Reigns would ultimately win the WWE World Heavyweight Championship as his opponent, Brock Lesnar, was thought to be leaving WWE at the culmination of WrestleMania 31. Then, in the week heading into Mania, Lesnar surprisingly penned a new deal to remain with the company, plunging the result of the main event into uncertainty. 

At Levi’s Stadium in San Francisco, no one truly knew which direction WWE would head in. Would Lesnar retain? Would Reigns win the title? In the end, it was neither, as the company pulled the trigger on the swerve of all swerves. But before that, Lesnar and Reigns would go to battle in an absolute war. 

Lesnar hit Reigns with an F5 right out of the gate, but not before the challenger legitimately busted open the champion in less than 60 seconds. Lesnar would introduce Reigns and the world to “Suplex City,” landing no fewer than eight suplexes on the stricken challenger. Then, after the wound was opened up on Lesnar after he was pushed into the ring post, it looked as though Reigns would get the win, hitting two Spears, only for the champion to somehow kick out at 2.99. 

After Lesnar delivered a fourth F5, both men were stricken on the mat. Then, shockingly, Seth Rollins made his way to the ring, cashed in his Money in the Bank briefcase, turned the match into a triple threat, and hit a curb stomp on Reigns to steal the title. 

1 – Cody Rhodes def. Roman Reigns – WrestleMania 40 

This is the match that you would show to a non-wrestling fan if you wanted to get them into wrestling. Cody Rhodes finally finishing the story against Roman Reigns in the main event of WrestleMania 40 is arguably the greatest Mania main event of all time. It truly had it all: Guest appearances from The Rock, The Undertaker, and John Cena, as well as the perfect story told over the course of a year following Rhodes’ surprise defeat to Reigns the year prior. 

Both men had epic entrances to the ring, and both hit their finishing moves early. However, it’s the last five minutes that everyone remembers. Jimmy Uso made his way to the ring in a bid to help Reigns retain the gold, only for his outcast brother Jey Uso to thwart his twin’s efforts. Then, Solo Sikoa looked to aid Reigns’ victory, only for John Cena to shockingly emerge and put the Enforcer through a table. 

The Rock then made his way to the ring and hit Cena with a Rock Bottom. Seth Rollins then made an appearance, but he was too bruised and battered from his efforts the night before to make an impact, getting hit with a spear by Reigns. Finally, The Undertaker made a shocking appearance, hitting The Rock with a Chokeslam. 

After the carnage, Roman Reigns stood with a steel chair in hand. Rhodes was open on one side of the ring, long-time adversary Rollins on the other. Reigns chose to crash the steel into the back of Rollins, and it would be to his detriment, as Rhodes then nailed Reigns with a trifecta of Cross Rhodes to pick up one of the most emotional victories in professional wrestling history.

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