Wrestlemania Count-Up – Wrestlemania XXVIII (2015 Redo): The In Your House of Wrestlemanias
Wrestlemania XXVIII
Date: April 1, 2012
Location: Sun Life Stadium, Miami, Florida
Attendance: 78,363
Commentators: Michael Cole, Jerry Lawler
Pre-Show: Tag Team Titles: Usos vs. Primo/Epico vs. Tyson Kidd/Justin Gabriel
Jimmy and Epico get hot tags and everything breaks down. Jey throws Gabriel up for a Samoan drop but Justin kicks out. Epico gets backdropped over the top and out onto Primo, setting up a dive from Jey. Gabriel moonsaults out onto all three of them, leaving only Jimmy on his feet. Jimmy throws Gabriel back in for a cover, only to have Epico come in for a Backstabber to Jimmy for the pin at 5:11.
Lillian Garcia sings America the Beautiful. The show is outside again and the stadium looks amazing.
World Heavyweight Championship: Daniel Bryan vs. Sheamus
Kane vs. Randy Orton
Santino Marella talks to a cast member from Deadliest Catch and Mick Foley is there eating crabs while talking like a pirate. Mr. Socko and the Cobra make cameo appearances and destroy the crabs until Ron Simmons comes in for his catchphrase.
Intercontinental Title: Cody Rhodes vs. Big Show
Video on what it means to be a WWE Diva, which seems to translate to wearing very little clothing and dancing a lot.
Maria Menunos/Kelly Kelly vs. Beth Phoenix/Eve Torres
The attendance record is announced.
Jim Ross, now with a goatee, comes out to do commentary.
Undertaker vs. HHH
We get the Hall of Fame video from last night with the Four Horsemen being inducted as a team so Flair could be put in twice. This wound up biting them though as Flair was officially still under contract to TNA so WWE had to send Christian to Slammiversary 2012 as compensation (while Christian was still Intercontinental Champion).
Team Teddy vs. Team Johnny
Teddy: Santino Marella, R-Truth, Kofi Kingston, Zack Ryder, Great Khali, Booker T.
Johnny: David Otunga, Mark Henry, Dolph Ziggler, Drew McIntyre, Jack Swagger, The Miz
Alex Rodriguez and Torrie Wilson are here.
Wrestlemania week video.
CM Punk is ready to defend his WWE World Title but Johnny comes up to say the title can change hands on a DQ.
WWE World Title: CM Punk vs. Chris Jericho
Wrestlemania XXIX is in New Jersey.
After all that, we recap John Cena vs. the Rock. This has been built up for over a year now and both guys have spent so much time heavily insulting each other that it actually is epic, as described by a bunch of legends in the video. Several years back, Cena had been on a radio show where he talked about Rock saying he loved WWE and then leaving. Cena on the other hand was here every single day because this is what he loved more than anything.
John Cena vs. The Rock
Rock sends him hard into the steps to keep Cena in trouble but he grabs the STF (with almost no torque). The hold stays on WAY too long and Rock starts to fade, even drawing an arm check. Rock finally makes the ropes after about two minutes and grabs a Samoan drop to get a breather.
Now for the second iconic image of the show: Rock poses on the ropes and Cena sits on the ramp, totally lost.
Ratings Comparison
Daniel Bryan vs. Sheamus
Original: N/A
2013 Redo: N/A
2015 Redo: N/A
Kane vs. Randy Orton
Original: B-
2013 Redo: B-
2015 Redo: C-
Cody Rhodes vs. Big Show
Original: D+
2013 Redo: D+
2015 Redo: D
Kelly Kelly/Maria Menunos vs. Beth Phoenix/Eve Torres
Original: C+
2013 Redo: D+
2015 Redo: D+
HHH vs. Undertaker
Original: A+
2013 Redo: A+
2015 Redo: A+
Team Johnny vs. Team Teddy
Original: C
2013 Redo: D+
2015 Redo: D+
Chris Jericho vs. CM Punk
Original: A
2013 Redo: A
2015 Redo: B+
The Rock vs. John Cena
Original: B+
2013 Redo: A+
2015 Redo: A
Overall Rating
Original: A+
2013 Redo: A
2015 Redo: B+
The top matches on this card are as good as WWE has done in a long time.
http://kbwrestlingreviews.com/2012/04/01/wrestlemania-xxviii-one-of-the-best-shows-of-all-time/
And the 2013 Redo:
http://kbwrestlingreviews.com/2013/04/06/wrestlemania-count-up-wrestlemania-xxviii-this-show-got-me-excited-all-over-again/
Remember to follow me on Twitter @kbreviews and pick up the paperback edition of the WWE Grab Bag (also available as an e-book) from Amazon. Check out the information here:
http://kbwrestlingreviews.com/2018/03/23/new-paperback-kbs-grab-bag/
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