Rhea Ripley vs. Jade Cargill and WWE WrestleMania 42 Matches That Exceeded Expectations

There are expectations with any WrestleMania match, to varying degrees, and this year's edition from Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas was no different.

Some exceed modest expectations, adding to the overall expectations in way that benefits the show as a whole.

In the days after the show, relive the matches that most surprised fans for the better with this review.

Rhea Ripley vs. Jade Cargill

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It was not as though expectations were low for Rhea Ripley vs. Jade Cargill for the WWE Women's Championship, but there were real questions about the chemistry of the two competitors and how the defending champion, Cargill, would perform in the biggest match of her career.

As it turned out, the answer was "spectacularly."

The champion never looked out of place and her chemistry with Ripley, in their first match together, was solid.

Some inventive spots, well-timed interference from Michin, B-Fab, and Iyo Sky, and a cool reversal by Ripley out of Jaded and into the Riptide put an exclamation point on the contest.

A strong match with plenty of future storyline potential, it helped establish Sunday's broadcast as the clear stronger of the two.

Ladder Match for the Intercontinental Championship

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For a match thrown together at relatively the last second, the Ladder Match for the Intercontinental Championship quickly established itself as one of the best of its kind in WrestleMania history.

Penta, Rey Mysterio, Je'Von Evans, Dragon Lee, JD McDonagh, and Rusev tore the house down with some inventive spots, high-risk maneuvers, and some of the most unbridled energy of the entire weekend.

Evans, in particular, seized the spotlight and made sure fans were buzzing about his performance in his WrestleMania debut.

Penta showed cero miedo, Mysterio proved that age is but a number, and Rusev delivered in his return to the grand stage, elevating a match that looked like it had potential to one of the best in recent memory.

The Usos and LA Knight vs. The Vision and IShowSpeed

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Make no mistake about it: there was nothing magnificent about the opening match of this year's WrestleMania festivities, which pitted The Usos and LA Knight against The Vision's Logan Paul and Austin Theory and YouTuber IShowSpeed.

What elevated the match to worthiness of this list was Speed's performance. He did not reinvent the wheel, but he did not have to. He showed off his athletic ability that dates back to his days as a track star, and delivered his spots mostly crispy.

For a match that most expected to be overbooked and focus too much on the celebrity involvement, it was a solid six-man tag match that excelled because of Speed's presence, as opposed to failing as a result of it.