The first night of WrestleMania 42 was defined less by its athletic spectacles and more by a relentless parade of corporate integration that often left the wrestling feeling like a secondary attraction.

From the "Cone Zone" segments sponsored by Drumstick to the distraction of Slim Jim branding during high-stakes maneuvers, the broadcast felt increasingly like an elongated series of commercials interrupted by brief bouts of action.

Even the marquee moments were not immune to the cash grab; the Undisputed WWE Championship main event was arguably overshadowed by the inclusion of celebrity figures like Jelly Roll and a "broken" Pat McAfee—whose over-the-top antics and product-placement-heavy presence drew criticism for undermining the match's credibility.

While returns like Paige’s and technical highlights like Gunther vs. Seth Rollins provided brief glimpses of "WrestleMania caliber" quality, the night ultimately struggled to escape the shadow of its own commercialism, with many fans and critics feeling the "show of shows" had traded its prestige for a high-frequency ad buy.

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