The Opening Word: Well, it's WrestleMania so it's supposed to be special, right? We'll see. I'm looking forward to good matches from the usual suspects (Benoit, Angle, Jericho, Hardys, etc.) so hopefully this will meet expectations.
Surprisingly, we started out with the IC title match. Jericho took to the air early with several moves, including a flying forearm. He hit a pescado outside the ring that just barely touched Regal. He brought him back in the ring and hit a back elbow from the top. He went to work with chops on Regal, making his chest red. He went for the Walls, but Regal escaped and took control, working on Jericho's shoulder by ramming it into the post. Jericho hit a reverse elbow and went for the Lionsault but only bounced off of Regal's raised knees. Regal hit a sloppy-looking suplex and then removed the top turnbuckle. Jericho got whipped into it, but came back with a "Here, hold my foot" enziguri. He hit a missile dropkick for a two count, but missed a splash in the corner. Regal hit a butterfly superplex for a two count. Jericho went for the Walls of Jericho, but Regal reversed into a different version of the Regal Stretch. After some kneelifts from Regal, Jericho made a comeback with more chops and executed the bulldog. He hit the Lionsault for and pinned Regal. Okay match, but the ending was anticlimactic. I was going to say I expected better from these two, but I just learned that Jericho hurt his ankle during the match, which was why it was cut short.
Rating: Decent
Houston, we have a goblin. An orange one at that. After a brawl, it settled into the RTC beating up Tazz. It looked like he took a pretty nasty shot to the head which made his timing off when he was Irish whipped into the ropes and turnbuckle. Tazz tagged in Bradshaw who went to town on the RTC. Everyone got involved, leaving Goodfather alone to fall victim to the Clothesline from Hell for the pin. Short, pointless match, but not the usual piece of trash we've come to expect from Buchanan and Goodfather. Hopefully, an RTC break-up will come out of this.
Rating: Bad
Raven started to hit Kane with things just as The Big Show's entrance music hit. After about a minute, they went off into the crowd and the cameramen looked like they were taking a beating from the fans. They went backstage, where Show slammed Raven into a wall. The Show slammed Kane on some wooden pallets and then ran after Raven, who fought back with a garden hose. They fought into a fenced area, where Show tried to padlock the mesh fence so that Kane couldn't get in, but of course messed it up, and Kane had no problem getting the door open. Show got control and smashed Raven through the same window they always use for the window spot. Kane caught up and put the Show through a door, and then they both went through the wall. Raven grabbed a golf cart and tried to make a break for it, but the Big Show got on and they fought until they ran it off the staging area. Kane got another golf cart and put the ref in the back where the clubs usually go and hurried to catch up, almost running over Raven's leg. The Show cleared a table full of food using Raven, and they fought out to the arena and arrived on the entrance ramp. Show was about to military press slam Raven off the stage, but Kane caught him with a big boot, which sent both of them into a… something… well, it looked like a giant fish tank. We couldn't see anything because of all the mist. What did they do, land on a fog machine? Kane jumped after them with a flying something and pinned the Show for the title. The match itself wasn't all that good, but had some funny spots and Raven took some hellacious bumps. Where was Pete Rose?
Rating: Decent
Sailor Saturn came out with Eddie, looking like a cross between a completely bald Hollywood Hulk Hogan and Superstar Billy Graham. Test took the early advantage, after an attempted top rope hurricanrana by Eddie that he blocked by holding onto the ropes. He hit several high impact moves, including a falling powerbomb. The tide took a turn to the silly when Test missed a big boot and got hung upside down from the top rope with his foot stuck. When the ref couldn't get him out, Eddie tried to help. When that didn't work, Saturn came over to help and they finally got him free. Getting back to the match, Eddie worked on the leg and applied a sleeper hold. Test fought out, and hit a tilt-a-whirl slam. He tried for a sidewalk slam, but Eddie countered into a hurricanrana attempt, and Test recountered into a powerbomb. Very dangan. Eddie distracted the ref while Saturn interfered with a neckbreaker. The first "Holy sh-t!" spot of the night occurred when Eddie lifted Test for a brainbuster like it was nothing! He went for a full nelson slam, but Eddie hit a low blow. He distracted the ref as Saturn got in the ring and hit the Moss-covered Three-handled Family Gradanzo (corkscrew fisherman's suplex). Eddie went up top but missed a senton bomb. Test hit the pumphandle powerslam but Saturn got in the ring again. Test took him out with a big boot and then hit a much nastier sounding one on Eddie. When he went for the cover, Dean Malenko ran out and pulled him off. Test grabbed Malenko, but Eddie grabbed the Euro belt and nailed Test in the face with it to get the three count. This was good despite Test getting stuck and a dull part near the middle. Fun match but it had a lousy ending.
Rating: Decent
On Sunday Night Heat, Chris Benoit cut a promo. He said that he will make Angle tap. You'll need to get him some special shoes for that, Benoit. They started the match with some nice amateur matwork, with Angle showing why he was a gold medallist and actually carrying Benoit! This continued for a few minutes until Angle started to get frustrated that he couldn't beat him and hit a back suplex for our first pro wrestling move of the match. He followed with more matwork, but Benoit tried to twist him into the Crossface. Angle made it to the ropes, but Benoit tried to maneuver him into it again and Angle made it to the ropes again. Angle went outside to consider his options, and finally got in where Benoit tried for the Crossface yet again, and Angle got to the ropes again. The crowd was really appreciating the work here. Benoit didn't release the hold right away, so Angle went at him when they got up. They went outside where Benoit took a bump into the stairs. Angle threw him back in and hit a belly to belly suplex for a two count, and then a back suplex for another two count. They started with the chops, with Benoit getting the better of Angle. He hit a snap suplex and followed with a floatover superplex from the top rope. Benoit hit two rolling German suplexes, but Angle reversed the third attempt into an anklelock, which Benoit reversed into an anklelock of his own. Angle escaped with a kick to the head. Benoit got the Crossface, but Angle slipped a hand in and broke the hold, reversing into a Crossface of his own! Benoit got to the ropes, but the ref was then knocked out. Benoit finally locked in the Crippler Crossface, and Angle tapped out but there was no ref. Benoit released the hold to wake up the ref, but Angle hit the Olympic Slam for a two count. He then went to the top rope for his Holly-buster Moonsault, but Benoit got his knees up and Angle took them right in the face. Benoit went up top and hit the flying headbutt for a two count. After a mess of grappling, Angle rolled up Benoit and held the tights for the three count. Sweet match, but the ending seemed a bit anticlimactic, much like the Jericho/Regal match. It looks like we haven't seen the last of this matchup.
Rating: Spectacular~!
Chyna's bazooka looks a lot less impressive in such a huge stadium. Ivory started off by nailing Chyna with the belt and it pretty much fell apart from there. Chyna eventually gained control and hit a powerbomb and followed with an Ultimate Warrior gorilla press drop. She simply laid across Ivory while the ref counted to three. It sucked but it was short.
Rating: Craptacular
Shane gave a shout out to his WCW boys, who were up in the skybox. I saw Lance Storm and Meat, but didn't recognize anyone else. Mick Foley then came out to be the special guest referee. Vince came out and slapped Shane to start. He slapped him again, until Shane fought back with punches and a spear off the ropes. Vince headed for higher ground while Stephanie McMannequin-Warrior came in and slapped Shane. Shane looked at her and she hightailed it. Vince and Shane brawled to the outside, where Shane retrieved a kendo stick from under the ring (stick it to him!). He then undressed the Spanish announcing table and whacked Vince with a monitor (everyone in the back is monitoring this very closely). Shane laid his father across the table and went to the top rope. He came off with a flying elbow drop, but Steph pulled Vince out of the way, and Shane crashed through it! Oh my God! You killed the Spanish announcing table! Tu bastardos! Trish Intrepid then wheeled Linda McMannequin to ringside for Vince. Trish went to help Vince up and slapped him! Steph got in her face and the streetfight turned into a catfight. Trish ended up chasing Steph back up the ramp. Meanwhile, Vince advanced on Linda until Foley got in between them and said, "Don't even think about it, Vince!" He wheeled Linda to safety, but Vince grabbed a chair and nailed Foley in the back and head with it. He grabbed Linda and rolled her into the ring, setting up the chair in the corner for her. He tossed Shane into the ring along with four trashcans. He hit Shane with two of them and then badmouthed Linda before raising the third one. All of a sudden, Linda shot up out of her chair and the crowd went BATSHIT. Shane pointed behind Vince and he turned around to meet a kick to the balls by Linda. Foley got back in the ring and laid into Vince, setting him up in the corner and hitting him with a running knee. Shane set up the trash can on Vince's face and climbed to the top rope on the opposite side of the ring. He leapt off and sailed all the way across the ring, dropkicking the can into Vince's face! VAN TERMINATOR! He covered for the academic three count. The match itself wasn't anything special, but the spots and drama at the end were unbelievable.
Rating: Awesome
The Dudleys and Hardys started out by teaming up on Edge and Christian, tossing them out of the ring. They went at it themselves, but were stopped when Edge and Christian brought in a ladder and mowed everyone down. They hit a double drop toehold on Jeff, which sent him face-first into a chair. Matt and Edge fought on the ladder but fell off. Another ladder was brought in and the Hardys did the legdrop/splash combo that they pull out every so often. The Dudleys came back in and did the "Wazzup!" Owchie Move on Edge, with D-von just barely hitting the headbutt. D-von got the tables and Edge was set up on one. Jeff Hardy attempted to hurricanrana Buh-Buh Ray, but got powerbombed through Edge and the table. The Dudleys stacked up four tables outside the ring but were ambushed by Matt. Three ladders were set up in the ring, and all six guys tried to race up to the top. Jeff and Christian were tipped over first, with Christian completely missing the ropes and falling all the way to the floor! The others were then tipped over, all of them crashing into the ropes in various painful positions. Spike Dudley came down to interfere and gave the Acid Drop to Edge. Poor Christian, who climbed back up to the ring apron, received another Acid Drop, this time through a table on the outside! Rhyno came out to help E & C, goring Matt through a table in the corner. Lita also ran out to stop Edge from climbing the ladder. Rhyno got her into a military press, but Spike saved her with a low blow to Rhyno. She responded with a chairshot to the head of Spike. She took off her shirt, only to receive a 3D from the Dudleys. Edge and Christian returned with chairs and took out the Dudleys. A BFL (Big F-cking Ladder) was set up outside the ring. Jeff laid Rhyno and Spike across it and scaled the ladder, nearly slipping before diving off with the Swanton Bomb. He hit both guys, but only Rhyno's table broke. Jeff was incapacitated from the impact. The BFL was brought into the ring, with D-von and Christian trying to climb it. As they reached the belts, Matt snatched the ladder, and they hung from the rings the belts were hanging on. They both eventually fell to the canvas. Jeff attempted to walk across the tops of the various ladders to get to the belts but the last one tipped over. He climbed back up, but Buh-Buh came in to try and steal the ladder. Jeff hung onto the rings with his hands on the ladder with his feet. Meanwhile, Edge climbed one of the other ladders. Jeff finally released his legs from the ladder and went swinging into a spear by Edge! Buh-Buh and Matt scaled the BFL, but Rhyno tipped the ladder over and they both went crashing through the four tables at ringside, completely shattering them! D-von tried to climb the other ladder, but Rhyno put Christian on his shoulders and hustled up the ladder, allowing Christian to easily snatch the belts and win the match. Holy crap. That was freakin' amazing. Not quite as amazing as the original TLC, but great nonetheless. I'm just glad these guys were able to put on a hell of a show and walk away without being injured.
Rating: Spectacular~!
The Bushwhackers came out first and it was impossible not to do the arm motions. Duke "The Dumpster" Droese is next, with a shaved head. Next was The Iron Sheik, looking like he might need a wheelchair to get to the ring. Earthquake was next and looked just about the same as the last time I saw him. The Goon came out, and they're really getting obscure now. Doink the Clown was next, and made me wonder who was playing him. Kamala and Kimchee were next, along with Harvey Wippleman. That brought back some memories. Next was one of my personal favorites, Repo Man, who looked like he gained about two hundred pounds. James E. Cornette? Nikolai Volkoff came out and looked happy to be picking up a paycheck. Freebird Michael Hayes was next, out to Badstreet USA. One Man Gang came out, followed by The Gobbly Gooker along with footage of Survivor Series 1990. Tugboat was next, making everyone go into hysterical laughter. Hillbilly Jim was followed by Bruce Pritchard as Brother Love. And Sgt. Slaughter rounded out our list. The "action" got underway, and Repo Man was eliminated almost immediately. After awhile, the Gooker was thrown out and then Tugboat, Earthquake, The Goon, Luke, Cornette, Droese, Volkoff, Butch, Doink, Hayes, Brother Love, the Gang, and Kamala. Slaughter and the Sheik are left, but Slaughter is quickly dumped out. However, he immediately got back in and applied the Cobra Clutch to his old nemesis. That was… pointless. The entrances were good for nostalgia, but the actual match sucked.
Rating: Craptacular
Motorhead are off to the right of the ramp and sang Triple H's theme song during his entrance. The hometown crowd popped huge for UT. They start on the outside, and Triple H fell onto the temporary Spanish announcing table, which broke. Oh my God! You killed the Spanish announcing table AGAIN! Tu bastardos! The Taker took control back in the ring, hitting a back body drop and a powerslam. However, when he went to walk the ropes, HHH used his arm to pull him off. Triple H took control and hit a neckbreaker. He got the sledgehammer, but it was taken by the ref when he tried to use it. He was knocked into the ref and UT hit a chokeslam that only got a two count. This angered the Undertaker, so he elbow dropped the ref. They brawled to the outside and through the crowd, with the cameras yet again taking a pounding from the fans. They fought into the tech area and then up another level, where HHH went to work on UT with a chair. Undertaker took control and chokeslammed HHH over the edge, and we lost sight of where Triple H landed. It looked a lot more impressive until the replay showed him landing on padding covered by a black cloth. EMTs came out to tend to Triple H (the poor ref never gets any treatment) but UT hit a flying elbow from his perch. He beat HHH up some more and brought him back to the ring, where UT grabbed the sledgehammer. HHH hit a desperate low blow and grabbed the hammer only to meet a boot to the head. HHH then went for the Tombstone, but UT reversed it and gave him a Tombstone of his own! Yes! Undertaker tried to wake up the ref, but had no luck. He went for The Last Ride, but HHH had the sledgehammer and hit UT in the back of the head with it, falling on top of him. He took UT to the corner for the ten-shots to the head, but UT grabbed him and gave him The Last Ride out of the corner! Undertaker picked up the win, continuing is WM undefeated streak at 9-0. That was a pretty good match.
Rating: Awesome
Before the match, it is announced that the match has been made no DQ. They started off with their fists flying and Austin hit the Thesz Press early. Austin went for the Stunner but was thrown into the ropes into a Rock Bottom attempt. Austin escaped and threw the Rock over the top rope. They brawled into the crowd, trading punches. Back in the ring, Austin took control with a superplex. He then took off the turnbuckle padding, and Rock made a comeback with a flying forearm and a clothesline. They brawled back outside where Austin nailed Rock with the bell. He set Rock up on the English announcing table, but it just collapsed under the Rock's weight. Oh my God! The English announcing table committed suicide! You bastard! Rock was busted open from the bell shot and Austin made sure to lay into the cut with his fists. He kicked at the Rock in the corner, but Rock came back out of the corner with a clothesline.
Jim Ross: The Rock just exploded!
(PPV Squad laughs.)
Croooooow: There's pieces of him everywhere! The eyebrow's still twitching!
Nykk: I found the People's Elbow over here!
He hit Austin with the ring bell for a two count. That busted Austin open. They went back outside where Austin blocked himself from being rammed into the security railing and dropped the Rock onto it. He then slingshotted Rock into the post. He nailed him with a monitor and then rolled him in the ring for a two count. Rock managed to come back and lock in a sharpshooter and suddenly I was having flashbacks to a certain past WrestleMania. Austin finally made it to the ropes and returned fire with a sharpshooter of his own. Rock managed to power out of it. He slammed his knee into the mat and then locked the hold in again. Rock made it to the ropes but Austin flipped off the ref when he told him to release the hold. He finally released it and locked on a Million Dollar Dream! The ref did the hand-drop thing, but Rock didn't give in. In continuing his transformation into Bret Hart, he kicked back off the corner and landed on top of Austin for a two count. Austin got an incredulous look on his face, perhaps remembering why he stopped using the hold. The Rock then hit the Stone Cold Stunner on Austin for a two count. Vince came back out to a chorus of boos. Austin hit a "Look, ma! No hands!" spinebuster for a two count. Rock came back and hit his spinebuster.
Rock then hit the People's Elbow. However, Vince pulled him off. Rock went after Vince, but ate a Rock Bottom from Austin when he got back in the ring! That got a two. Austin went for the Stunner, but was sent into the ref by the Rock. Austin hit a low blow and told Vince to bring in a chair. Then Austin held Rock and McMahon hit him with the chair! The ref woke up, but Rock kicked out of the pin attempt. Rock got up and hit the Rock Bottom. Vince distracted the ref, so Rock went over and beat up on Vince. Austin finally nailed the Stunner, but The Rock kicked out! Austin is discombobulated. Vince brought him the chair and he nailed the Rock with it. However, the Rock kicked out again. Austin was livid and proceeded to beat the hell out of the Rock over and over again with the chair. He covered, and finally Austin got the three count. After the match, Austin and Vince shook hands and drank a beer together. That was a great match (best Austin/Rock match I've ever seen) with great drama, though the crowd wasn't totally behind the Rock even when Austin and Vince shook hands. Unbelievable effort by all participants and one of the best WrestleMania main events in years.
Rating: Spectacular~!
Overall PPV Rating: Wonderful
The Closing Punctuation Mark: Wow. Definitely one of the best PPV events I've seen in awhile. After having somewhat mediocre WrestleManias the past two years, this one was pretty damn great. Maybe it was the huge dome crowd, but it definitely brought out the best in almost everyone involved. The match order was almost perfect and the match quality was pretty much spread across the board. This will be a tough PPV to follow.