WWE WrestleMania 37 Night 1: 5 Biggest news stories - Bad Bunny surprises fans, Braun Strowman rips steel cage

#2 Bobby Lashley crushed Drew McIntyre's WrestleMania dream

.@DMcIntyreWWE TAKES FLIGHT!!!#WrestleMania #WWETitle @fightbobby @The305MVP pic.twitter.com/ljf2wnSiDw

— WWE WrestleMania (@WrestleMania) April 11, 2021

Drew McIntyre aimed to win his third WWE Championship in front of a live crowd at WrestleMania 37. However, his redemption arc did not come full-circle on Saturday.

McIntyre and Bobby Lashley had the honor of kicking off the event with their WWE Championship contest. The two stars delivered a great match from an in-ring standpoint. As both competitors seemed equally matched, all it took was a minor distraction from MVP for Lashley to gain the advantage.

Thanks to MVP, Lashley applied The Hurt Lock on his opponent to win the match. Even though McIntyre did not tap out, he passed out because of the submission hold, which prompted the referee to stop the match and award the victory to Lashley.

Despite the minor distraction from MVP, fans and viewers alike were thoroughly entertained by this encounter. Additionally, Vince McMahon seems to have embraced Bobby Lashley's position as the current WWE Champion.

#AndSTILL the ALL MIGHTY!#WrestleMania #WWETitle @fightbobby @The305MVP pic.twitter.com/hEFgRTaoL2

— WWE (@WWE) April 11, 2021

WWE will likely play the long-term game with Drew McIntyre's redemption arc instead of providing instant gratification to fans. One has to appreciate WWE's decision to head in a bold direction as opposed to playing it safe during the first match of WrestleMania 37: Night One.

In the men's division, Cesaro vs. Seth Rollins was another bout alongside Lashley vs. McIntyre that competed for the title of "match of the night." Cesaro earned a hard-fought victory in his singles WrestleMania debut, as the match also featured many creative spots.