Morning Daily News Update: April 20, 2026 – Randy Orton’s WrestleMania 42 Title Win Plans Scrapped Late

Good morning, everyone!

It’s Monday, and it’s time for the Morning Daily News Update! And I hope you all enjoyed WrestleMania weekend. Boy, I don’t know about the rest of you, but I sure feel like buying some products after Mania, and I don’t know why.

In all seriousness, if any of you haven’t watched Mania yet and are intimidated by the 7 and a half hour total run time, skip night one entirely, and you can fast forward through about 2 hours worth of ads on the second show, and just watch the matches, and then it’s only an easy hour and a half show.

And if you’d rather just read a review about both shows, you can read Scott’s Rants for Mania Night One here, and Mania Night Two here.

Original Plans For Randy Orton Vs. Cody Rhodes At WWE WrestleMania 42

Randy Orton was originally planned to win the Undisputed WWE Championship at WrestleMania 42, but the decision was changed in the final weeks, with Cody Rhodes retaining instead. The shift came as WWE opted to continue the feud beyond WrestleMania, reflected in Orton’s post-match attack after Rhodes’ victory. Rhodes was retained despite suffering visible injuries, while the storyline direction now appears set to carry on into future shows.

Brock Lesnar Appears To Retire After WrestleMania 42 Defeat

Brock Lesnar may have had his final match at WrestleMania 42, losing to Oba Femi in under five minutes. After the defeat, Lesnar removed his gloves and boots and shared an emotional moment with Paul Heyman, signalling a possible retirement.

Roman Reigns Says He Will Be In WWE ‘All Summer’

Roman Reigns addressed “part-timer” criticism after winning the World Heavyweight Championship at WrestleMania 42, confirming he will be a regular presence moving forward. Reigns said fans can expect to see him throughout the summer, starting with an appearance on the April 20 episode of Monday Night Raw.

Tony Khan Identifies The ‘MVP’ Among AEW’s Recent Arrivals

Tony Khan has named Thekla as the “MVP” among AEW’s recent signings, praising her impact as AEW Women’s World Champion. Khan highlighted her rivalry with Jamie Hayter and noted her strong title run, which includes multiple successful defences since winning the championship earlier this year.