Ranking WWE WrestleMania's Biggest Surprises from 2026 Results
Surprises have become a staple of WWE WrestleMania and are expected by fans.
They are not only the magical moments that separate the Show of Shows from other premium live events, but they can also be the saviors of otherwise lackluster presentations.
With the 2026 edition behind us, relive the Granddaddy of Them All through this ranking of the year's biggest and most unforgettable surprises.
WrestleMania 42 Results
1 of 5
Saturday
Sunday
4. Cody Rhodes Retains
2 of 5
One outcome that felt like a certainty entering this year's event was Randy Orton defeating Cody Rhodes to win the Undisputed WWE Championship.
That is not what happened.
After 22 minutes of a muddled, mangled, disjointed, confusing, overthought, albeit bloody, main event, Rhodes capitalized on the distraction that Orton's RKO to Pat McAfee brought with it and delivered Cross Rhodes to win the match and retain his title.
The fans booed because fatigue with any long-term babyface is commonplace in pro wrestling today, and will likely continue to until something happens to freshen up The American Nightmare's current on-screen presentation.
That he cheated, using eye rakes and a low blow, could be a hint of that impending change.
3. Bron Breakker Returns
3 of 5
There was always a chance Breakker was going to pop up at WrestleMania and cost Seth Rollins his match with Gunther, but the lack of his name in any conversations or discussions made a return to Raw or sometime after more realistic.
Then, he rushed the ringside area, obliterated Rollins with a spear, and added a viral moment with a mad dash down the long entrance ramp for another spear to The Visionary.
It was a memorable return for a young star for whom there were big plans this WrestleMania, before he suffered a serious hernia that kept him out of action.
The visual of him sprinting down the ramp and delivering his finisher to his mentor may be more memorable than anything he would have done on the show had he been booked for a match anyway.
2. Paige Returns
4 of 5
Word had gotten out about Paige re-signing with WWE, beginning with PWInsider.com's Mike Johnson, well before she stepped out onto the WrestleMania stage as the replacement for the injured Nikki Bella in the Women's Tag Team Championship Fatal 4-Way, but it did not change the monster reaction she received when he theme music played over the sound system.
One of the OG members of the women's revolution in WWE, she was welcomed back with open arms by the fans who long wondered what would happen if she came back to compete with the current crop of talent.
They got their answer as she and Bella defeated Charlotte Flair and Alexa Bliss, Nia Jax and Lash Legend, and Bayley and Lyra Valkyria for the titles.
A signature WrestleMania moment from a wrestler who shockingly did not have as many as one would expect for a star of her stature, she now has the second chance to write her legacy in pro wrestling's most prominent promotion.
1. Brock Lesnar Calls It A Career
5 of 5
Moments after losing to Oba Femi clean, in the center of the ring, a teary-eyed Brock Lesnar removed his gloves, and his shoes, and left them in the center of the ring before embracing long-time manager and advocate, Paul Heyman.
It was clear that something was different. After all, the wrestling world never sees Lesnar in a moment of emotional vulnerability. The Beast does not cry, but in this moment, there was plenty of it, from both men, as they embraced over a career well done.
As Lesnar made his way up the long WrestleMania ramp, waving goodbye to the fans and visibly thanking them, it was clear that one of the most decorated stars in pro wrestling history had taken his final bow.
Perhaps Femi's tip of the hat as he exited Allegiant Stadium, directed to Lesnar, should have been the first hint that the unexpected was about to occur.
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