Cody Rhodes at WrestleMania 38 at AT&T Stadium in Arlington.

On March 31, 1985, the first WrestleMania was held at Madison Square Garden, just five months after I was born.

I became a professional wrestling fan at a young age, and I remember my first event that I attended at the Summit in Houston. I remember seeing Ric Flair, the Ultimate Warrior, Tito Santana, the Brooklyn Brawler and more.

I attended more wrestling events as a kid and even some as an adult, including two recent Royal Rumbles.

The 2020 Royal Rumble that my wife, Elizabeth, and I attended at Minute Maid Park in Houston, was the WWE’s final big event before the COVID-19 pandemic shut everything down in March 2020.

But one thing I had yet to do was attend a WrestleMania. That changed this past weekend as WrestleMania 38 was at AT&T Stadium in Arlington.

For the third straight year, WrestleMania was a two-night event. I was fortunate enough to attend both nights, but in two different capacities.

On Saturday night, I went as a member of the media and got to watch the action from the press box with other media members from across the country and even the world.

Just the first night had its share of memorable moments.

My favorite match was Bianca Belair versus Becky Lynch for the WWE Raw Women’s Championship. Both women came to the ring in unique fashion, but it was Belair’s entrance that included the Texas Southern University Band that really set the stage.

Once in the ring, both women delivered their best, providing the more than 77,000 fans in attendance plenty of reason to be invested, not only with the moves they delivered but also with the story they told.

In the end, Belair, a former track star at the University of Tennessee who also attended the University of South Carolina and Texas A&M University, became a champion at WrestleMania for the second consecutive year.

The following match featured Seth Freakin’ Rollins against an opponent to be named. That opponent turned out to be Cody Rhodes — son of the late Dusty Rhodes, a WWE Hall of Famer — who returned to the WWE after six years.

Rhodes helped start All Elite Wrestling, which began in 2019. Rhodes left AEW in February and returned to the WWE on Sunday to a large ovation from the crowd, or pop as it’s referred to in the wrestling world. And Rhodes, who was victorious in his return, definitely had the biggest pop of the night.

A close second to biggest pop of the night? That went to Stone Cold Steve Austin.

Austin, who graduated from Edna High School near Victoria before going to Wharton County Junior College and the University of North Texas, ended the night by being a guest on Kevin Owens’ “KO Show.” That turned into an impromptu no holds barred match with Owens.

It was Austin’s first match since 2003. After the match went into the crowd and up the ramp, it eventually returned to the ring, where Austin delivered his signature Stone Cold Stunner and picked up the victory. Austin then spent plenty of time after the match to celebrate with several beers in vintage Stone Cold fashion as the crowd continued to cheer him on.

For the second night of WrestleMania 38, I had the fan experience as my wife and our 4-year-old son, Nolan, came with me.

The night started with Triple H, who in the recent weeks announced that his in-ring career was over due to health complications, coming to the ring to say “Welcome to WrestleMania” and get a proper sendoff from the more than 78,000 people in attendance as he left his boots in the ring.

A triple threat tag team match between RK-Bro, the Street Profits and Alpha Academy was a good opening match and very entertaining. RK-Bro (Randy Orton and Matt Riddle) won the match to retain the RAW Tag Team Championship. After the match, Olympic Gold Medalist, NCAA champion and recent WWE signee Gable Steveson was invited into the ring, and he eventually suplexed Chad Gable.

While not many people were interested in the next match, Bobby Lashley versus Omos — former University of South Florida basketball player Jordan Omogbehin — Nolan definitely was. Lashley has become one of his favorites. And he had went with his mother for a bathroom break, but as soon as they realized Lashley was coming up next, he sprinted back to his seat just in time and enjoyed a post-match celebration video with the lady sitting in front of us following Lashley’s victory.

Johnny Knoxville of “Jackass” fame defeated Sami Zayn using various stunts that he’s been known for over the years. Wee Man even joined in on the fun.

The Undertaker (Mark Calaway), who played basketball at Angelina College in Lufkin, was recognized for the second consecutive night after being inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame on Friday.

And then came the match I was most looking forward to as Pat McAfee — former NFL punter and current WWE announcer — took on Austin Theory. McAfee, who has an infectious personality, came to the ring with the Dallas Cowboys cheerleaders as “Seven Nation Army” by The White Stripes played and the crowd chanted with the music.

McAfee didn’t disappoint and was victorious in the match. He then had a match with Vince McMahon, who is the chairman and chief executive officer of the WWE. McMahon won that match before Austin came down and delivered Stone Cold Stunners to McMahon and McAfee.

The main event was WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns against the WWE Champion Brock Lesnar in what was billed as the “Biggest WrestleMania Match of All-Time”. The match was a winner-take-all title unification.

Nolan is also a Reigns fan and was very involved during Reigns’ long entrance to the ring.

Reigns won the match and held up both championship belts to end the show.

Going to wrestling events is always fun, but this is one I will definitely never forget. Because not only was it my first WrestleMania, it was my son’s first wrestling event, and hopefully a night he will remember for many years.