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WWE WrestleMania 40 Highlights: Cody Rhodes beats Roman Reigns, finishes the story after Undertaker, Cena shock returns
WWE WrestleMania 40 Highlights: Cody Rhodes has beaten Roman Reigns to be crowned the WWE Undisputed Universal Champion after Undertaker, Cena's shock returns.
- 8:49 AM IST, Apr 8Rollins and Rhodes: Photos that hit hard!
- 8:34 AM IST, Apr 8YOU'VE GOT TO BE KIDDING!
- 8:22 AM IST, Apr 8CODY surrounded by greatness! What a sight
- 8:09 AM IST, Apr 8CODY RHODES! CODY RHODES! HE HAS DONE IT
- 7:53 AM IST, Apr 8Plenty of close calls!
- 7:43 AM IST, Apr 8Reigns gradually seizes the advantage
- 7:36 AM IST, Apr 8Cody with a early flurry of attacks
- 7:27 AM IST, Apr 8Here comes the champ. Is it for the last time though?
- 7:24 AM IST, Apr 8The look on Cody Rhodes' face says it all
- 7:17 AM IST, Apr 8It's time for the Main-Event! Roman Reigns vs Cody Rhodes for the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship
- 6:50 AM IST, Apr 8Friends turn foes as Bayley looks to put Damage CTRL in their place
- 6:37 AM IST, Apr 8Logan Paul retains the US title
- 6:31 AM IST, Apr 8RKO! But Kevin Owens kicks out
- 6:28 AM IST, Apr 8WWE WrestleMania 40 Live: Vintage Randy Orton
- 6:17 AM IST, Apr 8Logan Paul, KO sure knows how to make an entrance
- 5:56 AM IST, Apr 8BFT! LA Knight pins AJ Styles at WrestleMania
- 5:29 AM IST, Apr 7The Dudley essence in this Street Fight
- 5:14 AM IST, Apr 7OH MY GOD! Punk attacks McIntyre and Damian Priest cashes in…
- 5:05 AM IST, Apr 7McIntyre pins Rollins! New World Champion crowned
- 4:54 AM IST, Apr 7CLAYMORE KICK… one second into the match
- 4:50 AM IST, Apr 7Rollins and McIntyre get their special entrances
- 4:44 AM IST, Apr 7Well look who's here! Stephanie McMahon
- 4:35 AM IST, Apr 7Here we go! Punk takes his place at the commentary table
- 4:20 AM IST, Apr 7WWE WrestleMania 40 Live: 10 minutes away!
- 4:10 AM IST, Apr 7The night of the Slammy Awards
- 4:00 AM IST, Apr 7WWE WrestleMania 40 Live: LA Knight vs AJ Styles
- 3:50 AM IST, Apr 7The Rock promised quite a surprises today. Are they Stone Cold and John Cena?
- 3:30 AM IST, Apr 7Here are some jaw-dropping WrestleMania trivias
- 3:20 AM IST, Apr 7WWE WrestleMania 40 Live: What is your favourite WrestleMania moment?
- 3:10 AM IST, Apr 7Bayley aims at destroying her own creation
- 3:00 AM IST, Apr 7Orton gears up for his 19th WrestleMania
- 2:28 AM IST, Apr 7WWE WrestleMania 40 Live: Hello and Welcome to the sequel
WWE WrestleMania 40 Highlights: Cody Rhodes vs Roman Reigns main-event is underway at the Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia. Watch this space for quick and realtime updates.
WWE WrestleMania 40 Highlights: It has happned! Roman Reigns' historic reign as WWE champion is over. Cody Rhodes has finished the story with assists from Jey Uso, John Cena and The Undertaker. What an ending. Three crossrhoades and 1, 2, 3. The Cody Rhoades era has begun, the Triple H era has begun. An all new era has begun not just in WWE but in whole of professional wrestling....Read More
In an explosive start to Day of WrestleMania 40, Drew McIntyre defeated Seth Rollins after 4 Claymore Kicks to be crowned the new World Heavyweight Champion, realising his dream of winning the top prize in front of a packed audience. However, his reign lasted barely minutes as after being attacked by CM Punk, Damian Priest successfully cashed in his Money in the Bank contract to snatch the title away from The Scottish Psychopath.
Shortly after, Bobby Lashley and The Street Profits defeats Karrion Kross and AOP in a Philadelphia Street Fight that witnessed a bit of extreme as guest referee and WWE Hall of Famer Buh-Buh Ray Dudley directed traffic. In the third match of the day, LA Knight pinned AJ Styles to win his first WrestleMania match.
Logan Paul defended his United States Championship against Randy Orton and Kevin Owens in a triple-threat match. After Orton RKO'ed Owens, Logan shoved The Apex Predator outside the ring and launched himself on to KO for splash to pick up the win. When it's WrestleMania, let alone with three people battling for a title, with the possibility of an RKO out of nowhere, fewer things top it. And if that wasn't enough, Bayley and Iyo Sky put on a show before the founder of Damage CTRL reigned supreme and won her 4th WWE Women's Championship.
After a roller-coaster of Day 1, it's time for the sequel as we are live all the way from the Lincoln Field for Day 2 of WrestleMania 40. What must Cody Rhodes be thinking? The odds just got that much more against him as he and Seth Rollins lost to The Rock ad Roman Reigns yesterday. The condition was simple. If Cody and Seth lost, Rhodes' main-event against the Tribal Chief would be a Bloodline Rules match. Which means there are no rules. Anyone can interrupt, anyone can attack, anyone can make his presence felt, making Rhodes' dream of winning the Undisputed WWE Universal Champion next to impossible.
Unfortunately for Rhodes, that's exactly what happened. The Rock laid the Smackdown on The American Nightmare, pinning him after a Rock Bottom and the People's Elbow.
Besides Rhodes and Reigns, quite a few other matches promise to steal the show. Rhodes’ teammates from last evening Seth Rollins. Sorry, beaten and banged up Seth Rollins will defend his World Heavyweight Championship against the ravaging Drew McIntyre. The Scottish Psychopath won his last world title at WrestleMania 36 in front of a zero live audience due to the pandemic. Four years later, he has the chance to do it again in front of 72,000 people.
Pretty sure you have it all covered, but it's our job to refresh your memory. What an opening day of WrestleMania 40 did we witness yesterday. The Rock returning for his first actual match after 11years and proving he's still got it as he and Reigns got the job done. It was a match that was hard to top but Sami Zayn and Gunther really gave a stiff fight for the match of the night contender. Zayn pulled off the ultimate come-from-behind story as he ended the Ring General's 666-day run to be crowned the new Intercontinental Champion. Rhea Ripley defeated Bayley in a high-octane show opener, whereas Jey Uso triumphed over brother Jimmy in only the third-ever 'Brother vs Brother' match at WrestleMania.
There is no day bigger in sports entertainment than today and tomorrow. After months of anticipation and build-up, we are finally here at the Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia… for WWE WrestleMania 40… also called WrestleMania XL. The 40th anniversary of the holy grail of professional wrestling. WrestleMania is pro wrestling's equivalent of the Superbowl. Heck, many in the United States believe that it has long surpassed it. Each year, ever since it began way back in 1984, the legend of WrestleMania has kept on growing, to an extent that today it is the pioneer of the entertainment industry. An icon in its own rights.
Think about all those moments. When Hulk Hogan body-slammed Andre The Giant in from of 93,000 strong at the Silver Dome. When Shawn Michaels jumped off the ladder in 1994. When The Austin era began. When Brock Lesnar Broke The Undertaker's 21-match undefeated streak. When HBK retired Shawn Michaels… or when Cody attempts to finish his story. Stay tuned. You may become part of history over the next few hours.
WWE WrestleMania 40 Live: Thank you for joining us
WWE WrestleMania 40 Live: And with that, we come to the end of our coverage of the biggest WrestleMania of all time. What an event it was, one that surpassed expectations for sure. Easily one of the greatest WrestleMania finishes of all time. Title changes, dreams coming true, stars returning and nailing the perfect ending. This is what professional wrestling is all about. The trust us when we say it. WrestleMania has peaked. WWE has peaked. Pro wrestling has peaked. If you're a pro wrestling fan, there has never been a better time to be alive.
WWE WrestleMania 40 Live: Photo that hits hard!
WWE WrestleMania 40 Live: Seth Rollins, one of the many, in tears to see Cody Rhodes finally have his moment under the sun. Don’t forget his part in this. The way he played the supporting role in this entire feud. While most of the attention was focussed on Cody, Roman and Reigns, Rollins played his part with aplomb. The call to come out to the Shield theme song and capturing Roman's attention… to the extent that Reigns couldn’t help but get his 10-year-long by hitting Rollins in the back. This is what long-term storytelling is about.
WWE WrestleMania 40 Live: Did someone say thrice in a lifetime?
WWE WrestleMania 40 Live: Holy Christ! Are you serious? John Cena and The Rock in the same ring again? The last time it happened was at WrestleMania 32. They were allies back then. Far from it now for sure. What a face-off, but one that ends with The Rock drilling Cena with the Rock Bottom. Book it Triple H.
WWE WrestleMania 40 Live: YOU'VE GOT TO BE KIDDING!
The Rock could never face The Undertaker at WrestleMania, but this is the cloest we could get to the dream match. Just when The Final Boss was about to lay waste to Rhodes, the gong hit, the lights went out and the arena went bonkers. The Undertaker emerges out of nowhere to chokeslam The Rock and even it up to a 1-on-1 contest. Madness! Triple H, you genius.
WWE WrestleMania 40 Live: CODY surrounded by greatness! What a sight
WWE WrestleMania 40 Live: What a sight! Cody Rhodes lifted by his peers. There’s John Cena there, there’s Randy Orton. Seth Rollins, Jey Uso. Sami Zayn. All those who’ve taken a beating at the hands of The Bloodline are in the ring and they’ve ensured that this moment of Rhodes’ becomes even greater. This is unreal. Michael Cole is in tears. Samantha Irwin’s voice, for the first time, shook while announcing the winner. But it’s all worth it. For the first time, a superstar from the Rhodes’ family holds the top prize in the business. And by god, you deserve it Cody Rhodes.
WWE WrestleMania 40 Live: CODY RHODES! HE HAS DONE IT
WWE WrestleMania 40 Live: Do you believe in miracles? You better. Because Cody Rhodes has done it. He has beaten Roman Reigns to win the WWE Undisputed Universal Championship after 1366 days. A legendary run but tonight it comes to an end. And how? It needed John Cena. It needed The Undertaker as well to chokeslam The Rock. Even Seth Rollins dressed in a Shield costume. And finally, when the coast was clear, with no one to interfere, Cody Rhodes hit Roman Reigns with the triple Cross-Rhodes to finally do what no man has done since 2019. Pin Roman Reigns in a singles match. What a moment! What a DREAM.
WWE WrestleMania 40 Live: JOHN CENA! It’s JOHN CENA
WWE WrestleMania 40 Live: What in the world? It’s John Cena. He is here. The Champ is here. Stops the assault from Solo Sikoa, lands the Attitude Adjustment on Sikoa on the table
WWE WrestleMania 40 Live: Déjà vu from last year!
WWE WrestleMania 40 Live: Cody hits Roman with the crossroads. Twice. But just as he goes for a third, Solo Sikoa comes in and nails Cody with the Samoan Spike. But miraculously, Cody kicks out.
WWE WrestleMania 40 Live: INTERFERENCE! Jimmy Uso strikes Cody
WWE WrestleMania 40 Live: No way! But is it even surprising anymore? Bloodline rules, anything goes. Just as Cody has Roman for the crossroad, Jimmy struck with a Super Kick. To negate this assault, in comes Jey Uso who takes out his brother and spears him off the ramp onto the table lying below.
WWE WrestleMania 40 Live: Plenty of close calls!
WWE WrestleMania 40 Live: But none of them is proving to be enough. Roman hit Cody with the Superman Punch but Cody kicked out. Rhodes then hit Roman with a Spear and still not enough. One would feel it’s still too early to come to a conclusion in this match. Reigns even landed the Spear – a monstrous one, but Cody won't stay down. Not just yet, maybe not today.
WWE WrestleMania 40 Live: Roman steals finisher!
WWE WrestleMania 40 Live: The audacity from The Tribal Chief. Roman Reigns caught Cody Rhodes as he went for the Cody Cutter and hit him with The Cross Rhodes. Insult to injury Goes for the pin but Rhodes kicks out. Roman mutters a few words to Paul Heyman but enough for Rhodes to gather his breath and make Roman groggy with the Bionic Elblow. Shades of his father The American Dream, The late great Dusty Rhodes.
WWE WrestleMania 40 Live: Short little comeback from Cody, albeit just briefly
WWE WrestleMania 40 Live: Roman hit Cody with 9 clothesline on the corner but in a bid to showboat, allowed Reigns to comeback and hit a couple of Super kicks. Both make a dash towards each other and connect with a flying clothesline. Both down, but Rhodes gets some breathing space.
WWE WrestleMania 40 Live: Reigns gradually seizes the advantage
WWE WrestleMania 40 Live: The action spilled to the outside briefly where Cody suplexed Roman Reigns on one of the platforms into the crowd, but ever since, it’s been all Roman. Methodically dismantling Cody who erred when he went for a cutter. Reigns picked him up out of thing air and drilled with a Powerbomb. Cody out of energy and Reigns is taking all his time to wear down The American Nightmare.
WWE WrestleMania 40 Live: Cody with a early flurry of attacks
WWE WrestleMania 40 Live: Early moments but back-and-forth swing of momentum. Cody using his quickness to stun Roman early as he misses a spear and heads straight into the ring post. Hits back with a drive-by but only momentarily. Cody understands this is Bloodline Rules, hence brings out the table from underneath the table. Reigns however puts it back in and brings out a kendo stick.
WWE WrestleMania 40 Live: Here comes the champ. Is it for the last time though?
WWE WrestleMania 40 Live: Roman Reigns, in his god-mode is here. He has entered the last three WrestleMania as champ and left with the gold intact. But tonight is as good a chance as any for that narrative to chance. Reigns has been champion for 1366 days. Only three people in the history of the WWE have more single tenures as champion more than him. There is not an iota of doubt on Roman’s face. And hey, surprisingly, there is not a single member of the Bloodline with him… THUS FAR. Pretty sure we’re going to see them emerge as the match progresses.
WWE WrestleMania 40 Live: The look on Cody Rhodes' face says it all
WWE WrestleMania 40 Live: This is the moment of truth, ladies and gentlemen. Cody Rhodes' last chance to finish the story. As expected, a thunderous ovation as The American Nightmare makes his way to the ring, but there’s so much nervousness on his face with a mix of courage and determination as well. He knows what it’s going to be like. Everything will be thrown at him in this Bloodline rules match. The Cody chants begin.
WWE WrestleMania 40 Live: It's time for the Main-Event! Roman Reigns vs Cody Rhodes for the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship
WWE WrestleMania 40 Live: Are you ready? This is what the world had been waiting for. Cody Rhodes and his chance to finish the story against Roman Reigns. But it won’t be easy. Last year, Cody came this close before an outside interference from Solo Sikoa cost him the match, and this year it promises to be a lot worse with Bloodline rules coming into full force. Cody and Seth Rollins lost to the Rock and Roman Reigns yesterday, which gives the Bloodline all the right to whatever they please in this match. Can Cody script the biggest miracle in WrestleMania history? Will it be another Mania with a nightmare finish, or will it convert into a dream? Remember, if Cody doesn't win this time, he will neve get another shot at this championship. So much is at stake.
WWE WrestleMania 40 Live: Bayley does it! New WWE Women's Champion
WWE WrestleMania 40 Live: Thunderous ovation from this crowd who thought Iyo almost had Bayley after that moonsault, but there is life left in her as she kicks out. Sky went for another one but this time she slipped out of the way. From there, Bayley did not miss her crucial moments. Executed the backdrop, the flying elbow and then finally the rose plant to pick up the 1, 2, 3. Another high for one of the four horsewomen. Iyo was brave but Bayley, this is what sweet redemption looks like. She is now a 4-time Women's Champion. Couldn’t have asked for a better first singles WrestleMania match.
WWE WrestleMania 40 Live: Bayley in trouble it seems
WWE WrestleMania 40 Live: This is Bayley’s first WrestleMania singles match, where she is finding out that she may have taught Iyo Sky a bit too much for her own liking. She wasn't expecting this sort of cleverness from Sky, who had Bayley into a cross-face, almost getting a submission out of her. Bayley hits the Belly to Bailey but no damage done to Iyo. Both women then trash-talk and slap each other.
WWE WrestleMania 40 Live: Friends turn foes as Bayley looks to put Damage CTRL in their place
WWE WrestleMania 40 Live: Damage CTRL already have a loss at this year’s WrestleMania losing to Cargill, Naomi and Bianca yesterday, and while Iyo, who won the championship back in August, cashing in her MITB contract, would want to pull one back, Bayley has never looked more determined. She is not going to take his betrayal lightly. She has been a trailblazer, being the first women grand-slam winner, tag-team champion and most recent, a Royal Rumble winner. Bayley knows what it’s like to be champion – she was the Smackdown women’s champion for 280 days. Samantha Irwin introduces the two participants like only she can.
WWE WrestleMania 40 Live: Logan Paul retains the US title
WWE WrestleMania 40 Live: You may not like it but Logan Paul has found a way to pull off a win. Orton countered KO’s pop-up powerbomb into an RKO but just then Logan Paul shoved him out of the ring. Then he climbs up the top rope and hits Owens with the splash for the referee to count 1… 2 and 3. Still, the United States Champion. LOGAN PAUL.
WWE WrestleMania 40 Live: Randy Orton has Logan Paul in line for the PUNT but…
WWE WrestleMania 40 Live: Oh dear! Randy Orton handed the brass knuckle back to the referee. Why? Because he was about to bring back a move feared by most. The dreaded PUNT KICK. As Paul is right there for the picking, the man inside the Prime bottle pulls Logan out. Turns out it’s Speed, who pays the price as Orton RKOs him on the announce table. He’s pretty much knocked out, safe to say.
WWE WrestleMania 40 Live: RKO! But Kevin Owens kicks out
WWE WrestleMania 40 Live: Owens goes for the stunner but Randy counters it into an RKO. But not enough to pick up the win as KO kicks out. Logan Paul slithers into the ring with a brass knuckle and even though Orton eventually evades it, he gets punched with it eventually. You would think it’s a pinfall but Orton, somehow, gets his arms up much to the shock of the United States champion. The match continues.
WWE WrestleMania 40 Live: Vintage Randy Orton
WWE WrestleMania 40 Live: A veteran, in his 19th WrestleMania plants both Logan Paul and Kevin Owens with a vintage double DDT off the middle rope. Orton lines Paul up for the RKO but he isn't groggy enough so gets out of it. KO then takes advantage. As he goes on to the top rope, Orton tries to suplex KO but loses control. Orton falls and slides out of the ring allowing KO to powerslam Logan Paul off the top rope.
WWE WrestleMania 40 Live: Back to a triple-threat now
WWE WrestleMania 40 Live: Orton inadvertently goes for the pin and that’s when KO realised alliances don’t last long. Orton and Owens engage in a fist fight before Logan launches himself into a double clothesline. High-flying action ensues as Owens hits both Orton and Paul with a double cannon ball before Randy and Logan compete in an upper-cut extravaganza.
