WrestleMania 38 – Night 1 | WWE SmackDown Tag Team Championship:
The Usos (Jey Uso and Jimmy Uso) (c) vs. Shinsuke Nakamura and Rick Boogs
WrestleMania 38 – Night 1 starts off with the Tag Team Titles from Smackdown as Shinsuke Nakamura even started the fight at full throttle, but ended up falling into the Usos’ clutches. Then Rick Boogs had his moment of brilliance, but a knee injury stopped his momentum and further increased the chances of the Usos, who ended up winning after a 3D on Nakamura. Absolutely normal match, which could very well have happened on any episode of SmackDown, harpered by poor Rick Boogs just destroying his leg.
Winners : The Usos (Jey Uso and Jimmy Uso)
Rating : 6/10
WrestleMania 38 – Night 1 | Drew McIntyre vs. Happy Corbin
I confess that I was expecting a quicker and more categorical victory from McIntyre, but Corbin also had his period of dominance. However, Madcap Moss’ support eventually distracted Corbin, which allowed McIntyre to regain momentum. Although Corbin applied the End of Days , the Scotsman kicked out the ensuing settlement, in what was a mere parenthesis in a final straight dominated by McIntyre, who was slow to settle with Claymore . He will have been on the third or fourth attempt, but it gave him the victory. But with about 45 minutes of WrestleMania already over, I still felt like I was still on the Kick Off Show.
Winner : Drew McIntyre
Rating : 6/10
WrestleMania 38 – Night 1
Rey Mysterio & Dominik Mysterio vs. The Miz and Logan Paul
Entertaining combat, with plenty of shining moments for Dominik Mysterio. However, after some spectacular flights, Dominik became The Miz and Logan Paul’s punching bag.
The entry of Rey Mysterio turned the match upside down, with The Miz having a hard time, however, Mysterio ended up falling into the clutches of Logan Paul, who applied a Three Amigos and a Frog Splash with an Eddie Guerrero dance.
The Mysterios responded with a Double 619 on Logan Paul, but The Miz was the cool man on his team, having beaten Dominik before giving Rey Mysterio the Skull Crushing Finale that gave his team the victory.
Winners : The Miz and Logan Paul
Rating : 7/10
WrestleMania 38 – Night 1 | WWE Raw Women’s Championship:
Becky Lynch (c) vs. Bianca Belair
Bianca Belair started the match as she did at SummerSlam , holding out her hand to Becky Lynch, who, as in the summer event, immediately advanced to Manhandle Slam . However, this duel was destined to last a little longer. It was a very balanced match, without following that tradition of the heel having a long period of dominance before Babyface ‘s comeback . It was always one-on-one: sometimes you attack, sometimes I attack.
Bianca Belair came very close to winning after a 450 Splash , but Becky kicked out . The champion also responded with a groundbreaking move from the top rope, a Dropkick, but then a backflip.
After suffering a kind of Kiss Of Death out of the ring, Becky Lynch did everything she could to stay away from the ring, catching some breath, which allowed her to perform a Manhandle Slam on top of the steps. Bianca Belair was close to losing by countout, but not only managed to get back to the ring in time but also applied the Kiss Of Death that gave her the victory and the title.
Winner : Bianca Belair (new champion)
Rating : 8.5/10
WrestleMania 38 – Night 1 | Seth “Freakin” Rollins vs. Cody Rhodes
Never heard so many chants of “ Cody! ” in a WWE arena. Where were these fans between 2007 and 2016? The match was balanced, with an intensity not always high, and there were two botches, both at moments when Rollins had to catch Cody in midair: the first in a kind of Rolling Diving Cross Body in which Rollins was perhaps waiting for a Diving Moonsault, another in an intersection followed by Powerbomb in which Rollins couldn’t take Cody’s weight and ended up applying the blow too soon. Cody Rhodes came close to achieving victory after a Cross Rhodes and later after a Diving Cutter, but Rollins was kicked out on both occasions. Rollins was also close to triumph after a Pedigree.
Cody Rhodes ended up taking victory after three straight Cross Rhodes – albeit the third preceded by a small tribute to his father, Dusty Rhodes. Will Cody’s singles match in WWE receive a four-star rating or higher?
Winner : Cody Rhodes
Rating : 7.5/10
WWE SmackDown Women’s Championship:
Charlotte Flair (c) vs. Ronda Rousey
Ronda Rousey very focused on submissions and judo maneuvers; Charlotte Flair using everything she could in what was really happening, a wrestling match .
The final stretch of the match was marked by an authentic submission battle, with Ronda Rousey betting on Ankle Lock and Charlotte Flair on Figure Four and Figure Eight .
Already after a near fall for each of the parties, Charlotte Flair knocked the referee down and the next moment gave up through an Armbar , but there was no referee to see and official the victory. Soon after, Ronda Rousey went to get the referee, but ended up suffering the Big Boot that sentenced her to victory.
Winner : Charlotte Flair
Rating : 7/10
WrestleMania 38 – Night 1 | No Holds Barred match:
Kevin Owens vs. Stone Cold Steve Austin
It wasn’t scheduled, but it ended up happening. Austin ‘s mobility is no longer the same, and neither is his physical health, but even so Stone Cold was predisposed to head into the post and suffer a Suplex in the audience area, in addition to a Stunner in the ring, ending up for winning after a Stone Cold Stunner. Had it been announced a priori, it would have been considered a disappointment. So, it was a kind of festive match that left fans – especially those who were at AT&T Stadium – quite satisfied.
Winner : Stone Cold Steve Austin
Rating : 5.5/10