The biggest party in professional wrestling is officially underway, and Las Vegas is once again at the center of it all. For the second straight year, Allegiant Stadium in Sin City swings open its doors for WrestleMania, and night 1 of the 42nd edition arrives loaded with championship gold, decades of rivalry and enough celebrity energy to power the entire Strip.
Seven matches are on the card for tonight’s opening, including four title bouts that could dramatically shift the WWE landscape by morning. Whether you have followed the product for years or are tuning in for the spectacle alone, night 1 is built to deliver something for everyone.
When and where is WrestleMania 42 night 1?
Night 1 of WrestleMania 42 takes place today, April 18, at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, home of the NFL’s Las Vegas Raiders. The main card begins at 6 p.m. ET / 3 p.m. PT, with a free preshow getting things started at 3 p.m. ET / noon PT.
How to watch WrestleMania 42 night 1
The first two matches of the evening will air on ESPN2 before the remaining bouts move exclusively to ESPN’s streaming service, which starts at $29.99 per month. The service is also available through a range of cable and TV providers. For international viewers, WrestleMania 42 streams on Netflix in most markets at no extra cost for existing subscribers. The preshow is free to catch on YouTube and WWE’s official social media channels.
The full night 1 match card
All seven matches scheduled for tonight carry real stakes, and the card breaks down as follows:
- Unsanctioned match: Drew McIntyre vs. Jacob Fatu (on ESPN2)
- Six-man tag team match: IShowSpeed, Logan Paul and Austin Theory vs. LA Knight, Jimmy Uso and Jey Uso (on ESPN2)
- Gunther vs. Seth Rollins
- WWE Women’s Tag Team Championship fatal four-way: Nia Jax and Lash Legend (c) vs. The Bella Twins vs. Alexa Bliss and Charlotte Flair vs. Lyra Valkyria and Bayley
- Women’s Intercontinental Championship: AJ Lee (c) vs. Becky Lynch
- Women’s World Championship: Stephanie Vaquer (c) vs. Liv Morgan
- Undisputed WWE Championship: Cody Rhodes (c) vs. Randy Orton
The main event, match No. 7, is the one that has had fans talking for months. Rhodes and Orton carry decades of combined history inside a WWE ring, and with sports analyst Pat McAfee standing firmly in Orton’s corner, the champion may have more to navigate than he bargained for going in.
Celebrities taking center stage
The celebrity factor at WrestleMania has always been part of the draw, and night 1 delivers on that front without hesitation. YouTube personality IShowSpeed steps between the ropes alongside internet star Logan Paul and WWE’s Austin Theory in match No. 2, taking on LA Knight and brothers Jimmy Uso and Jey Uso in what shapes up to be one of the evening’s most unpredictable moments.
Presiding over the entire two-night event is the legendary John Cena, who retired from in-ring competition in December and transitions into his role as host of WrestleMania. His presence adds unmistakable star power to the proceedings even without lacing up his boots. Music artist Jelly Roll and rapper Lil Yachty are also expected to be woven into the weekend’s programming in some capacity.
What’s at stake tonight
With four championships on the line, the women’s division commands much of the spotlight during night 1, with three of the four title matches belonging to female competitors. The return of the Bella Twins, stepping back into the spotlight for the Women’s Tag Team Championship fatal four-way in match No. 4, adds a nostalgic layer that longtime fans will be glad to see.
From the rules-free intensity of the unsanctioned bout to the high-stakes title collisions and the unscripted chaos that celebrity competitors tend to bring, WrestleMania 42 night 1 has everything it needs to make tonight in Las Vegas a night worth remembering.