WWE WrestleMania 36 Night 2 Results, Highlights, and Grades: Bray Wyatt’s time to shine

WWE WrestleMania 36 Night 2 took place on April 5 at 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT at the WWE Performance Center and live on the WWE Network with a one-hour kickoff show beginning at 6 p.m. ET/3 p.m. PT. The following will provide some results, highlights, and analysis for the show of shows.

WrestleMania! The Showcase of the Immortals and the very first WrestleMania without a live audience. Per WWE’s official website, the following is a preview of the official WWE WrestleMania 36 Match Card:

"WWE Championship Brock Lesnar (c) (w/Paul Heyman) vs. Drew McIntyre Universal Championship Goldberg (c) vs. Braun Strowman BoneYard Match The Undertaker vs. AJ Styles (w/ The O.C.) Firefly Funhouse Match John Cena vs. Bray Wyatt Last Man Standing Match Edge vs. Randy Orton Raw Women’s Championship Becky Lynch (c) vs. Shayna Baszler SmackDown Women’s Championship Fatal-5-Way Elimination Bayley (c) vs. Sasha Banks vs. Naomi vs. Lacey Evans vs. Tamina NXT Women’s Championship Rhea Ripley (c) vs. Charlotte Flair Grudge Match Kevin Owens vs. Seth Rollins Intercontinental Championship Sami Zayn (c) (w/Shinsuke Nakamura and Cesaro) vs. Daniel Bryan (w/Drew Gulak) SmackDown Tag Team Championship Triple Threat Ladder Match John Morrison (c) vs. Jimmy Uso vs. Kofi Kingston Raw Tag Team Championships Street Profits (c) vs. Austin Theory and Angel Garza (w/Zelina Vega) Grudge Match Elias vs. King Corbin Grudge Match Aleister Black vs. Bobby Lashley (w/Lana) Grudge Match Otis vs. Dolph Ziggler (w/Mandy Rose) Women’s Tag Team Championships Kabuki Warriors (c) vs. Bliss Cross Applesauce"

Despite recent events, this card is stacked enough to sufficiently entertain the WWE Universe and possibly put smiles on their faces. With night 1 of WrestleMania behind us, here are the results, highlights, and analysis for night 2 of WWE WrestleMania 36, starting with the kickoff match between Natalya and Liv Morgan.

Natalya vs. Liv Morgan [Kickoff Match]

Result: Liv Morgan

Rating: 2.5/5.0 Stars

Grade: C-

Competitive babyface action at its finest. Natalya and Liv Morgan started off their in-ring action in a very amicable and respectful manner. Liv Morgan delivered her patented hip attack at the corner turnbuckle but Natalya neutralized Morgan with her patented Dropkick, Disqus Clothesline, and Snap Suplex.

Natalya used her many submission maneuvers to her advantage but Morgan refused to give up and delivered a Double Knees Codebreaker. She remained resilient and avoided Natalya’s Sharpshooter to deliver a Step Up Enziguiri. She ended the match with a roll up pinfall to kickoff WrestleMania with her first victory on the show of shows.

Analysis: Considering that Liv Morgan was getting repackaged for six months and promised the WWE Universe that she will come back and be real, she needed this win more than Natalya so the right superstar won this match. As is done with most kickoff matches, this match was half of what it should be but these superstars performed very well for the time they were given. Hopefully, a Riott Squad Triple Threat is in the WWE’s future since that rivalry has not been completed and is still in high demand for the WWE Universe.

Rhea Ripley (c) vs. Charlotte Flair [NXT Women’s Championship]

Result: Charlotte Flair

Rating: 4.0/5.0 Stars

Grade: B+

Charlotte Flair played some mind games with Rhea Ripley early on in the match as they grappled head to head to set the pace for the match. After delivering some Knife Edge Chops, Charlotte gets caught off guard with a very early Riptide from Ripley for the two-count.

Ripley maintained control with a Tope Con Hilo off the steel steps as well as a dropkick and a snap suplex in the center of the ring for the two-count. However, Ripley got caught attempting a Big Boot as Charlotte Flair focused all of her attacks on Ripley’s knee.

Ripley rallied back with shoot kicks as she fights through the pain of her injured knee. She delivered a Missile Dropkick from the top rope to Charlotte for the two-count. Charlotte Flair rallied back with a chop block to Ripley’s knee and attempted the Figure 8 Leglock but Ripley countered to lock in the Standing Cloverleaf.

Charlotte countered the Cloverleaf into the Boston Crab, but Ripley got out of it with a Small Package two-count and a Big Boot. Ripley attempted to continue her momentum and deliver a Superplex from the top rope but Charlotte counters to deliver a Moonsault, which Ripley counters with her feet. Charlotte rallies back with a Spear for the two-count and transitioned her offense into the Figure 8 Leglock for the submission and the victory.

Analysis: WOOOO! Charlotte Flair had the experience advantage to win this match and she can now go to NXT to help the show compete with AEW on Wednesday nights and elevate the NXT Women’s Division. This was a good business decision on WWE’s part and will do wonders for the yellow brand. As for the match itself, Charlotte’s focus on Ripley’s knee and Ripley’s selling of her knee were excellently done. It made Ripley’s submissive loss seem reasonable since her knee was already in pain once she got caught in Charlotte’s patented Figure 8 Leglock.

Aleister Black vs. Bobby Lashley (w/Lana) [Grudge Match]

Result: Aleister Black

Rating: 3.5/5.0 Stars

Grade: B-

Bobby Lashley gained early control with an Over-head Belly to Belly Suplex outside the ring as well as a patented scoop slam inside the ring. He continued his dominance with a Vertical Suplex but gets caught with a swift knee strike after attempting a Spear.

Aleister Black rallied back with a couple of dropkicks and moonsaults to Lashley. Lashley regained his dominance with a running crossbody and a clothesline. Lashley was about to finish Black with the Dominator but Lana shouted for Lashley to deliver the Spear instead.

Lashley attempted the Spear but ran into a Black mass by Aleister Black in what was a beautiful counter. Black won the match by pinfall, as expected. Although Lashley seemed to have had that match won, it seems that Lana may cost him the victory.

Analysis: It was pretty obvious that Aleister Black was winning this match, but it was unexpected that Lana would screw Lashley in the process. It seems that rifts are being drawn in their relationship. As for the match itself, it had great counters. For a match that was thrown together at the last minute, it delivered quite sufficiently.

https://twitter.com/WWE/status/1246954817450389509

Otis vs. Dolph Ziggler (w/Sonya Deville) [Grudge Match]

Result: Otis

Rating: 3.0/5.0 Stars

Grade: C+

Dolph Ziggler delivered a quick Super Kick to Otis to start off the match hot and slammed Otis into the steel post. Otis rallied back with ground-based offense as he gets pumped up and hyped for some headbutts, clotheslines, and powerslams.

Otis delivered the Compactor and was about to deliver the Caterpillar but Sonya Deville went on the apron to distract the referee, allowing Dolph Ziggler to deliver a low blow to Otis. Ziggler was about to win the match nefariously, but Mandy Rose came outta nowhere to slap Deville in the face and deliver a low blow to Ziggler.

Otis capitalized with a Caterpillar for the pinfall and the victory. Otis and Mandy Rose kissed after the match and Otis carried Rose off into the sunset for a happy ending. Love is in the air, no matter how polluted it is in the current day.

Analysis: Otis won the match and his peach. Good storytelling for a love storyline. It was so much better than the Rusev and Lana storyline. This storyline sent a strong message: Heart matters most when it comes to love. Everyone involved in this storyline made it worthwhile. Although it’s saddening that Fire and Desire probably broke apart, it was heartwarming to see Otis go on the winning end for this rivalry in the way that it should end.

Edge vs. Randy Orton [Last Man Standing Match]

Result: Edge

Rating: 4.5/5.0 Stars

Grade: A-

Randy Orton was disguised as the cameraman and delivered an RKO before the match even started. Once Edge got back up to his feet and the match started, Orton delivered another RKO for good measure, allowing the referee to count to 10. Edge got up before the count of 10 and Orton grabs the camera and whacks Edge with it, allowing the ref to count to 10.

Orton and Edge continued fighting into the backstage area of the performance center. They used the items in the gym to their advantage. They then transitioned to the garage area, where Edge slams Orton into the garage door until Orton gets up at the count of 6. Orton tossed Edge off the stage area, but Edge got up at the count of 8.

Orton dragged Edge into the main office areas of the WWE Performance Center, dominating most of this match. Edge rallied back by slamming Orton face-first into one of the portraits on the wall. Edge then acrobatically grabs onto the fenced roof of the office to deliver an elbow to Orton on the office table/desk.

They transitioned to a storage area, and Orton slammed Edge face-first into the steel steps. Edge gains momentum back by climbing a ladder and delivering an elbow drop to Orton through a table. Orton rallies back with a patented DDT off the cover of the bed of a truck.

Orton and Edge then transition to the top of a trailer. Orton had Edge where he wanted him with a potential Punt Kick but Edge countered it with a Spear. Edge attempted another Spear but Orton countered it with an RKO.

Orton grabbed two chairs to deliver the Con-Chair-To to Edge. Edge stopped Orton with a submission hold and laid Orton down on the chair. He stopped the ref from counting to deliver the Con-Chair-To and the ref counted to 10 for an Edge victory.

Analysis: Edge has more grit. What a barn burner! This is what WrestleMania is all about. Amazing comeback story for Edge. It will be hard to top this match but it was definitely main event worthy. Also, if this match does not guarantee future hall of fame status for Orton, what else possibly could? Win, lose, or draw, these superstars have nothing to be ashamed of.

https://twitter.com/WrestleMania/status/1246971363275014145

Street Profits (c) vs. Austin Theory and Angel Garza (w/Zelina Vega) [Raw Tag Team Championships]

Result: Street Profits

Rating: 3.0/5.0 Stars

Grade: C+

Street Profits started the match off hot with dropkicks and frequent double team moves. Austin Theory and Angel Garza gain back control with their own patented double team maneuvers. However, Angelo Dawkins got the hot tag to Montez Ford, who delivered a patented DDT.

Ford delivered a Tope Con Hilo to Austin Theory and Angel Garza delivered a Moonsault to Street Profits outside the ring as well as inside the ring to Montez Ford for the two-count. Ford gains back control with a Step-Up Enziguiri and delivered a hot tag to Angelo Dawkins.

Angelo Dawkins got caught in a Twilt-A-Whirl DDT by Austin Theory, but Ford delivered a Frog Splash to Austin Theory to break up the pinfall, allowing Dawkins to pin Theory for the three-count and the retention. Garza and Theory attacked Street Profits after the match and Zelina Vega delivered a Superkick to Montez Ford after the match. Bianca Belair made her debut on the main roster at WrestleMania by coming in to help the Street Profits fend off this tandem and delivered the Kiss of Death to Zelina Vega to end this post-match attack on a happy note.

Analysis: Street Profits retaining against The A-Team was the right decision. They won the championships very recently and it would not make sense to take the championships off of them just yet, especially against a randomly formed tag team like Austin Theory and Angel Garza. The debut of the EST of NXT made things even sweeter, and it will be exciting to see what she does on the main roster, if she indeed gets called up.

Bayley (c) vs. Sasha Banks vs. Naomi vs. Lacey Evans vs. Tamina [SmackDown Women’s Championship: Fatal 5-Way Elimination]

Result: Bayley

Rating: 4.0/5.0 Stars

Grade: B+

Everyone targeted Tamina at the start of the championship match. Naomi and Lacey Evans team up to fend off Sasha Banks and Bayley. Tamina returns to the ring to wreak havoc on everyone in her path. Team BAD have a reunion in the ring with a tense face-off, shouting ‘UNITY!’

Tamina delivered a Super Kick to Sasha Banks and Naomi delivered a Stunner to Tamina. Banks delivered a 619 to Tamina. Bayley delivered an Elbow Drop to Tamina. Sasha Banks delivered a Frog Splash to Tamina. Lacey Evans delivered a Moonsault to Tamina. Naomi delivered a Split Legged Moonsault to Tamina. All of the superstars pinned Tamina to eliminate her from the match.

Now that Tamina is eliminated, Bayley and Sasha Banks team up against Naomi and Lacey Evans. They take Evans out of the equation and focus on Naomi. Naomi rallied back with a Rear View on Bayley and a Spinning Enziguiri to Banks. Naomi had Banks locked in her patented submission maneuver but Bayley saves Banks from submitting with a running knee and Banks capitalizes with the Bank Statement on Naomi to make her submit and eliminate her from the match.

Now that Naomi is eliminated, Bayley and Banks focus on double-teaming Lacey Evans. Bayley intended to deliver a knee to Banks and accidentally delivered a knee to Banks. Banks got upset with Bayley and argued with her, but Bayley calmed her down until Evans delivered a Women’s Right to Banks and pinned Banks for the three-count to eliminate her from the match.

Now that Sasha Banks is eliminated, Bayley and Lacey Evans are the final two contestants in the match. Lacey Evans gained lots of offense in this match and delivered a Moonsault to Bayley for a two-count nearfall. Even though she was eliminated, Banks ran in to deliver a Backbreaker to Evans, allowing Bayley to deliver a Headlock DDT to Lacey Evans to eliminate Evans and retain the SmackDown Women’s Championship.

Analysis: This Fatal Five-Way Elimination Match was fun to watch, especially when pertaining to the tensions between Bayley and Sasha Banks. Bayley retaining the SmackDown Women’s Championship was a smart call. Not only she is the best SmackDown Women’s Champion in WWE history who deserved to solidify her incredible championship reign in a WrestleMania victory but this will also give Banks a chance to win MITB down the road and potentially cash in the briefcase on her best friend. The seeds have already been planted and they will soon be sowed. All we have to do is wait.

John Cena vs. Bray Wyatt [Firefly Funhouse Match]

Result: Bray Wyatt

Rating: 4.0/5.0 Stars

Grade: B+

There are so many key references in this match. Bray Wyatt and John Cena references the Cena’s ‘ruthless aggression’ debut with Kurt Angle, his relationship with Nikki Bella, and even Vince McMahon’s bodybuilding fetish. They transition to Cena’s rap gimmick, in which Wyatt conveys how Cena is the golden goose who gets all the chances Wyatt never got and that Cena is not a hero since he capitalizes on everyone’s weaknesses for fame.

All the characters of Bray Wyatt were addressed, especially Husky Harris and the Eater of Worlds. They reflect back on their WrestleMania 30 match, in which Wyatt gave Cena a steel chair to finish him. Wyatt gave Cena the chair again to not make the same mistake again, and Cena swung the chair this time but Wyatt disappeared.

Cena entered as a member of NWO and attacked Wyatt until he noticed he was actually attacking Husky The Pig. With Bray Wyatt as the referee, The Fiend delivered a Sister Abigail to Cena for the three-count and the victory.

Analysis: This had some genius callbacks and references. Although some would not appreciate this since it was not really a match, would a Bray Wyatt match really do his character justice? This performance made Wyatt look like the invincible superstar he should look like and redemption was accomplished from six years ago. Good booking.

Brock Lesnar (c) vs. Drew McIntyre [WWE Championship]

Result: Drew McIntyre

Rating: 2.5/5.0 Stars

Grade: C-

Drew McIntyre delivered a Claymore to Brock Lesnar for the two-count. Brock Lesnar takes McIntyre to Suplex City and delivered an F-5 for the one-count. He delivered another F-5 for the two-count. He delivered a third F-5 for another two-count.

McIntyre countered Lesnar’s fourth F-5 to deliver three Claymores to win the WWE Championship. McIntyre slayed the Beast. He is officially Beast Slayer #2. That’s not a prediction, and it’s not even spoiler. It actually happened, and I wrongfully predicted Brock Lesnar all along.

Analysis: This match was dumb and could have been better for the main event of WrestleMania, but the moment was awesome. Drew McIntyre won his first WWE Championship and no one can take that moment from him. Overall, night 2 of WrestleMania did not really surpass the greatness of night 1. Nonetheless, Charlotte Flair vs. Rhea Ripley opened the show with a bang, Randy Orton vs. Edge in the Last Man Standing Match stole the show, and Bray Wyatt’s Firefly Funhouse Match was very creative.