UPDATE: The second and final night of WrestleMania 39 in Los Angeles built upon the strong foundation the first night had laid. The show featured plenty of hard-hitting action, beginning with Brock Lesnar vs. Omos in the opening match of the night. Gunther, Drew McIntyre and Sheamus delivered a physical intercontinental title match in the middle of the card and Cody Rhodes and Roman Reigns closed it out with a thrilling main event. Below you’ll find our live analysis of the show, as it unfolded.
After a stellar first night of wall-to-wall action, WrestleMania 39 will look to build on a hot start on Sunday with Night 2 of the annual sports entertainment spectacle.
Culminating once again from SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, Calif., WrestleMania 39 will close out an exciting weekend full of standout matches with a six-match card brimming with potential. Like Saturday, Night 2 will begin with a two-hour kickoff show on Peacock airing at 6 p.m. ET, with the main card set to begin at 8 p.m. ET.
Sunday’s slate of action will kick off with a live performance of “America The Beautiful” by country singer Jimmie Allen, who will follow-up Becky G’s beautiful rendition from Saturday. After putting on a show in front of 80,497 fans with Snoop Dogg on Night 1, WrestleMania 39 host The Miz will again take center stage to welcome the fans to the closing night of this year’s festivities.
Night 2 will be headlined by the widely-anticipated undisputed WWE universal championship match between reigning champion Roman Reigns and Royal Rumble winner Cody Rhodes. Also slated for Sunday, Raw women’s champion Bianca Belair will defend her belt against Asuka, Gunther will put his intercontinental title on the line against Sheamus and Drew McIntyre, Edge and Finn Balor will wage war inside hell in a cell, and Brock Lesnar and Omos will look to tear each other a part in a singles match.
With the big event just hours away, check below for a recap of the full match card for Night 2 of WrestleMania 39:
WrestleMania 39 Night 2 full match card:
- Roman Reigns vs. Cody Rhodes for the Undisputed WWE universal championship
- Bianca Belair vs. Asuka for the Raw women’s championship
- Gunther vs. Drew McIntyre vs. Sheamus for the intercontinental championship
- Edge vs. Finn Bàlor in a hell in a cell match
- Brock Lesnar vs. Omos
- Women’s Fatal Four-Way Showcase: Liv Morgan and Raquel Rodriguez vs. Natalya and Shotzi vs. Ronda Rousey and Shayna Baszler vs. Sonya Deville and Chelsea Green
Let the games begin!
Jimmie Allen Sings “America The Beautiful,” The Miz & Snoop Dogg Introduce Night 2
Grammy-nominated country music singer Jimmie Allen opened the evening with a powerful rendition of “America The Beautiful,” making him the 27th person in WrestleMania history to open the show with the iconic song.
Following a special pre-Night 2 hype video narrated by Kevin Hart, WM39 host The Miz again began the show in the ring alongside the one and only Snoop Dogg. After quickly recapping last night and previewing what’s to come, The Miz and Snoop Dogg were interrupted by the booming entrance theme of Omos, who was out for his opening match against Brock Lesnar.
Brock Lesnar vs. Omos
In a battle of two of the WWE’s most imposing superstars, it was Omos who made the first impression after blocking a Lesnar takedown and chucking him across the ring.
Lesnar went right back at Omo with a few shoulder tackles but couldn’t get the big man to budge. Omos then managed to get Lesnar in a bearhug, but “The Beast Incarnate” fought out of the hold, only for Omos to again get the upper hand and hit him with a chokeslam for a two count.
After trying to catch his breath in a corner, Lesnar sidestepped a charging Omos and hit the “The Nigerian Giant” with three german suplexes. Lesnar, who appeared to be dealing with noticeable pain, then tried to hoist Omos up for an F-5 but was unable to hit the move. However, Lesnar would end up successfully hitting his signature move following another exchange, allowing him to pin Omos for the 1-2-3.
Result: Lesnar wins (via pinfall)
Welcome to Suplex City, @TheGiantOmos!#WrestleMania pic.twitter.com/5re8QvzPug
— WWE (@WWE) April 3, 2023
Women’s Fatal Four-Way Showcase: Liv Morgan and Raquel Rodriguez vs. Natalya and Shotzi vs. Ronda Rousey and Shayna Baszler vs. Sonya Deville and Chelsea Green
Morgan and Green began the match, but it didn’t take long for things to break down into an all-out free-for-all. One of the match’s most memorable sequences saw the action spill out to ringside, with Natalya helping Shotzi hit Baszler and Deville with a suicide dive, followed by Green knocking Natalya into the group and leaping off the top rope for a crossbody and Rodriguez powerbombing Morgan into the sea of bodies.
After the competitors finally recovered, Natayla and Shotzi began to take over, first hitting a Hart Attack in tribute to the Hart Foundation before the third-generation supertstar evoked memories of her uncle Bret Hart with a double sharpshooter on Green and Deville. Eventually, Morgan appeared to break up the move, and hit her finisher on Shotzi, except the “Queen of Extreme” wasn’t able to capitalize due to Baszler blinding tagging her.
Baszler’s time in the ring was short-lived, though, as she tagged in Rousey, who made Shotzi tap very quickly with an armbar. All in all, the women’s fatal four-way turned out to be a strong follow-up to the standout men’s fatal four-way from Night 1.
Result: Baszler and Rousey win (via submission)
Which team will win the Women's #WrestleMania Showcase Fatal 4-Way Tag Team Match tonight? pic.twitter.com/LnAci2pZAN
— WWE (@WWE) April 3, 2023
It's a @NatbyNature showcase at #WrestleMania! pic.twitter.com/uwCXNmvEN1
— WWE (@WWE) April 3, 2023
Gunther (c) vs. Drew McIntyre vs. Sheamus: Intercontinental championship
To quote one of the greatest wrestling voices ever, this match was, as many expected, an absolute slobberknocker.
After immediately taking the fight to Gunther with a Claymore, McIntyre tangled with his good friend Sheamus in hopes of gaining an early advantage. Gunther recovered not long after to take out McIntyre and work over Sheamus before putting the “Celtic Warrior” in a Boston Crab.
McIntyre bounced back to hit Gunter twice in the face to break his hold, leading to an intense chop battle between the two around the ring. At one point, with Gunther leaning on the ropes, McIntyre continued to chop “The Ring General” while Sheamus jumped in to hit him with the Ten Beats of the Bodhran. With Gunther out the way, Sheamus turned his attention to McIntyre, setting him up on the ropes to deliver a ridiculous 28 clubbing blows to his chest, much to the delight of the SoFi crowd.
These #WrestleMania CHOPS are absolutely brutal! 😲😲😲 pic.twitter.com/OCOZyC4uBh
— WWE (@WWE) April 3, 2023
THIS IS AWE-SOME!!! 👏👏 👏👏👏#WrestleMania pic.twitter.com/ClJlhM2v1e
— WWE (@WWE) April 3, 2023
Gunther re-joined the match to hit Sheamus with a boot after McIntyre slid out of the Celtic Cross, and following the vicious kick with a german suplex and two clotheslines for a two count. Another big Gunther clothesline on Sheamus earned him a near-fall, but McIntyre would regain control after hitting him with a neckbreaker and tossing Sheamus overhead with a belly-to-belly with Gunther sitting in corner.
From there, the superstars traded a few big moves, with Sheamus nearly securing a win after hitting Gunther with a White Noise from the second rope and a Celtic cross right after. Eventually, a fired-up Sheamus hit both his opponents with a knee before blasting Gunther with a Brogue Kick, only for McIntyre to pull him out of the ring and exchange an intense glare with his friend.
Welcome to BANGER-Mania!#WrestleMania pic.twitter.com/c7jedoI0UO
— WWE (@WWE) April 3, 2023
After a wave of “This is Awesome” chants. Sheamus countered a Claymore with a Brogue Kick on McIntyre to garner an incredibly close two-count. McIntyre still connected with a Claymore seconds later for another nearfall, but after fighting with Sheamus as they stood to their feet, the two were bombarded by the champion. Gunther powerbombed Sheamus onto McIntyre before hitting “The Scottish Warrior” with another powerbomb to cap an incredible match.
Result: Gunther retains (via pinfall)
One word… PINTS!! #BangerMania💥 pic.twitter.com/8EoplUHCXu
— Sheamus (@WWESheamus) April 3, 2023
Bianca Belair (c) vs. Asuka: Raw women’s championship
After watching Asuka’s chilling entrance, Belair, like always, brought her own unique flair with some special company for her introduction. “The EST” was welcomed out by a great performance by the Divas of Compton dance team, who set the tone for the reigning champion to make her grand entrance.
#WWERaw Women's Champion @BiancaBelairWWE delivers an EST entrance at #WrestleMania alongside the Divas of Compton! pic.twitter.com/7KQuSZb2SW
— WWE (@WWE) April 3, 2023
From the moment the bell rang, Belair took the fight to Asuka with an early barrage but the match stayed fairly even to start. An Asuka kick halted Belair’s momentum, and eventually helped “The Empress of Tomorrow” lock in an Asuka lock that the champ managed to escape from. After making their way to ringside, Belair displayed her trademark athleticism to turn the tables on Asuka, leading to a punishing sitout powerbomb to the challenger on the floor.
#WWERaw Women's Champion @BiancaBelairWWE is looking ready for @WWE_Asuka at #WrestleMania! pic.twitter.com/tPnUBBAxiD
— WWE (@WWE) April 3, 2023
Belair soon went for a Blockbuster and a moonsault shortly thereafter for a two-count, and the two competitors soon found themselves jockeying for an edge on the top rope. Asuka fought off Belair and created some space after grabbing her hair to help her hit Belair with the double knees to the face for a two count.
After recovering from her daze, Belair planted Asuka face first into the top turnbuckle and went for the KOD, which the challenger blocked. Asuka then spewed blue mist in Belair’s direction but “The EST” avoided the potentially devastating manuever. A quick Asuka counter landed Belair in an armbar in the middle of the ring, but she held on long enough for a successful second attempt at the KOD, this time from a deadlift position, for the win.
Result: Belair retains (via pinfall)
The Miz & Snoop Dogg Attendance Announcement Leads to Surprise Match and Shane McMahon’s Return
The Miz and Snoop Dogg returned to announce the night’s official attendance of a whopping 81,395 fans. Suddenly, the two got into a heated back-and-forth after The Miz called L.A. his city, to which Snoop Dogg promptly shot down. After teasing that he would make The Miz wrestle another impromptu match, Snoop Dogg would quickly follow through with the promise by bringing out a returning Shane McMahon.
However, McMahon’s stunning return would end after a few moments after he appeared to suffer a legit knee injury while trying to beat down The Miz. But, just when it seemed that the “Awesome One” would avoid another embarrassing loss, Snoop Dogg decided to step in to continue the match. The iconic rapper rocked The Miz with two right hands to the jaw in McMahon’s defense before delivering an ode to The Rock with a hilarious People’s Elbow for a memorable win in his first ‘Mania match.
SHANE O'MAC IS BACK!!!@SnoopDogg introduces @shanemcmahon at #WrestleMania! pic.twitter.com/BbcL8HL9C1
— WWE (@WWE) April 3, 2023
Hey @TheRock, @SnoopDogg just delivered a #WrestleMania style People's Elbow to @mikethemiz and it was AWESOME!!! pic.twitter.com/H0FiZo30Vw
— WWE (@WWE) April 3, 2023
Edge vs. “The Demon” Finn Balor: Hell in a Cell
Before stepping into the unforgiving confines of the cell, Edge and Balor made their presence known ahead of their long march to the ring. After Russell Crowe–star of the upcoming movie, The Pope’s Exorcist–delivered a dark intro monologue, Edge, dawning his legendary Brood persona, rose through the floor in a mirror mask with the Slayer blaring the background. Moments later, Balor made his long-awaited first ‘Mania appearance as “The Demon” in an ominous entrance at the grand stage of them all.
Accompanied by the sounds of @Slayer, @EdgeRatedR has arrived at #WrestleMania! pic.twitter.com/NLfSszK895
— WWE (@WWE) April 3, 2023
#TheDemon @FinnBalor is BACK at #WrestleMania! pic.twitter.com/j92xB3TEFS
— WWE (@WWE) April 3, 2023
From the onset of the match, Edge and Balor wasted little time in bringing the fight to each other. A few minutes in, Edge decided it was time up the ante, bringing out two kendo sticks as the first weapons of the match. Edge used the kendo sticks to trap Balor in a corner inside the cell, and hopped on the apron to deliver a missile dropkick. Edge then set up table in the corner of cell but didn’t get the chance to use it.
Balor would soon take control of the match with a slingblade before putting Edge through the table he set up with a dropkick. Eventually, Edge would recover and retrieve a ladder from under the ring, which he threw at “The Demon”. The brutal toss appeared to cut the top of Balor’s head, leading to a brief pause for him to be tended to by the medical team before getting back to the action.
After fighting off Edge, Balor dodged a Spear and sent Edge flying into the ladder, which the “Rated R Superstar” set up moments before. The spot earned Balor a nearfall but he would follow it up with Coup de Grace. Despite their best efforts, neither competitor backed down, with Edge planting Balor with an Edgecution off the ladder before Balor went for another Coup de Grace. This attempt, however, would end in disaster after Balor leaped off the cell wall and crashed through a table after Edge rolled out of the way.
With The Demon reeling, Edge, with a crazed look in his eyes, broke out one last move to put his rival away, nailing Balor with a brutal con-chair-to for the 1-2-3.
Result: Edge wins (via pinfall)
Undisputed WWE universal championship match: Roman Reigns vs. Cody Rhodes
The main event surpassed expectations.
Roman Reigns overcame a very real challenge in Cody Rhodes, who was widely expected to take home the crown tonight. Though the match did end with outside interference (extending the Solo Sikoa-Rhodes feud), this was brilliant.
Thanks to @WWESoloSikoa, @WWERomanReigns RETAINS against @CodyRhodes at #WrestleMania!@HeymanHustle pic.twitter.com/Q1vUPOHokZ
— WWE (@WWE) April 3, 2023
The intensity of the match was unlike anything on the two-night card. Reigns now continues his historic title reign, and the victory all but assures his reign is planned to extend well beyond 1,000 days.
This was an incredible WrestleMania, and it ended in magnificent fashion.
