Wrestlemania Count-Up – Wrestlemania XXV (2015 Redo): When Legends Rise
Wrestlemania XXV
Date: April 5, 2009
Location: Reliant Stadium, Houston, Texas
Attendance: 72,744
Commentators: Jim Ross, Michael Cole, Jerry Lawler
Pre-Show: Unified Tag Team Titles: Primo and Carlito vs. The Miz/John Morrison
Some dropkicks have Miz and Morrison in trouble and everything breaks down. Miz and Carlito head outside, leaving Morrison to roll through a high cross body for two of his own. Back up and Morrison loads up a reverse suplex but Primo catches him in a Backstabber on the way down for the pin and both titles at 8:21.
The opening video has a bunch of people talking about their Wrestlemania moments for the big anniversary show. As usual, this turns into a discussion of their matches tonight and how they all want to steal the show.
We see the crowd for the first time. The ring looks like a drop of water in the middle.
Nicole Scherzinger of the Pussycat Dolls sings America the Beautiful.
CM Punk vs. Mark Henry vs. MVP vs. Finlay vs. Shelton Benjamin vs. Kofi Kingston vs. Christian vs. Kane
Christian breaks that up and stands on the bridged ladder for a Killswitch (new name for the Unprettier) to take Punk down (mostly botched as Christian fell first but it must be terrifying up there). To make things even worse, another ladder is set up on the floor next to the bridged ladder, giving us a three ladder structure.
Video on Axxess and Wrestlemania week in Houston.
Divas Battle Royal
Alicia Fox, Beth Phoenix, Brie Bella, Eve Torres, Jackie Gayda, Jillian Hall, Joy Giovanni, Katie Lea Burchill, Kelly Kelly, Layla, Maria Kanellis, Maryse, Melina, Michelle McCool, Mickie James, Molly Holly, Natalya, Nikki Bella, Rosa Mendes, Santina Marella, Sunny, Terri Runnels, Tiffany, Torrie Wilson, Victoria
Santina introduces herself and the fans chant for Santino. Candice Michelle gives him a sash and crown as Beth is livid. Santina dances to make it even worse.
Chris Jericho vs. Ricky Steamboat/Jimmy Snuka/Roddy Piper
This was originally a gauntlet match but has been changed into an elimination match instead. Mickey Rourke is at ringside. At this point, Steamboat is 56 and last wrestled in 1994, Snuka is 65 and Piper is 12 days away from turning 55 (though considering he was diagnosed with Lymphoma just two years before this, he looks great). Flair comes out with them and oh sweet goodness he is WASTED.
We recap the Matt Hardy vs. Jeff Hardy. Jeff won the Smackdown World Title at Armageddon 2008 and was defending at Royal Rumble 2009 but Matt turned on his brother. It was then revealed that Matt was behind an attack on Jeff in a stairwell back in November, trying to run Jeff and his girlfriend off the road, burning him with fireworks and BURNING HIS HOUSE DOWN AND KILLING HIS DOG. Now in the real world, the attempted murder and arson would probably result in Matt going to jail (especially with a confession on film), but why do that when you can have an extreme rules match?
Matt Hardy vs. Jeff Hardy
Extreme rules. Jeff takes him down to start and hammers away before taking it to the floor for a framed Wrestlemania poster to the face. Poetry in Motion against the barricade has Matt in even more trouble. Back in and a Poetry in Motion misses in the corner, allowing Matt time to knock Jeff out of the air with a chair to the knee. Well at least someone is trying to be violent here.
Randy Orton stares off into the distance.
Intercontinental Title: John Bradshaw Layfield vs. Rey Mysterio
Undertaker vs. Shawn Michaels
The story, the build, the execution and the selling during the match made this work so perfectly. It came off like two warriors who gave everything they had for one last shot but only one of them could pull it off. On top of that you had some of the best near falls of all time with the fans eating up every single bit of it as fast as they could have. Outstanding match here and an all time great.
Vickie is wheeled to ringside.
Raw World Title: Edge vs. Big Show vs. John Cena
Show crotches Edge on the top rope and superkicks Cena to break up an AA (Attitude Adjustment instead of FU now) attempt on the champ. The big man misses a running boot though and Edge dropkicks the steps into his knees. Cena adds a dangerous top rope Fameasser to the floor to take Show down again, leaving us with Cena vs. Edge in the ring. Edge gets crotched on the top as Vickie is freaking out on the floor.
Hall of Fame time with Steve Austin as the headliner, giving us a rare glimpse of him in a suit.
Wrestlemania XXVI is in Phoenix.
HHH runs into Vince and Shane on the way to the ring. Nothing is said.
Smackdown World Title: HHH vs. Randy Orton
HHH stands over him as the great conqueror.
The highlight package returns after a one year hiatus.
Now that being said, this show is much better than what a lot of people remember it as. That main event is indeed horrible, but Shawn vs. Undertaker balances it out with room to spare. Unfortunately, people remember Orton vs. HHH and the Kid Rock performance more than they remember the other good stuff on the show.
Ratings Comparison
Finlay vs. Christian vs. CM Punk vs. Mark Henry vs. Kofi Kingston vs. Shelton Benjamin vs. MVP vs. Kane
Original: C+
2013 Redo: B-
2015 Redo: B
Divas Battle Royal
Original: N/A
2013 Redo: N/A
2015 Redo: F-
Roddy Piper/Jimmy Snuka/Ricky Steamboat vs. Chris Jericho
Original: C+
2013 Redo: B-
2015 Redo: B-
Matt Hardy vs. Jeff Hardy
Original: C
2013 Redo: B
2015 Redo: D+
John Bradshaw Layfield vs. Rey Mysterio
Original: N/A
2013 Redo: N/A
2015 Redo: N/A
Shawn Michaels vs. Undertaker
Original: A+
2013 Redo: A+
2015 Redo: A+
John Cena vs. Edge vs. Big Show
Original: B-
2013 Redo: B-
2015 Redo: B-
Randy Orton vs. HHH
Original: F+
2013 Redo: D
2015 Redo: D
Overall Rating
Original: D
2013 Redo: B-
2015 Redo: C-
I might have been trying to make up for lost ratings.
And the 2013 Redo:
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