Wrestlemania XXXV
Date: April 7, 2019
Location: MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford, New Jersey
Attendance: 82,265
Commentators: Michael Cole, Corey Graves, Renee Young, Byron Saxton, Tom Phillips
America the Beautiful: Yolanda Adams

We’re back to this show after a year away and I’m not sure what to think about this one. I wasn’t in the stadium for this one and for once that is making me remember the show a little bit better. This whole thing is centered around a few matches, as Wrestlemania always tends to be. Let’s get to it.

Kickoff Show: Cruiserweight Title: Buddy Murphy vs. Tony Nese

Murphy is defending and this is during Nese’s (who won a tournament to get here) not so great face run. First good thing: there are a bunch of people in their seats already so the place doesn’t look ridiculous. Murphy misses a running knee at the bell so Nese hammers away in the corner and tells the fans that this is his Wrestlemania moment. A cartwheel off the apron lets Nese hit him in the jaw but Murphy grabs a fireman’s carry drop onto the corner (Colt Cabana’s Chicago Skyline) as we take a break.

Back with Murphy holding a chinlock but getting suplexed into the corner to cut things off. Some running elbows to the face rock Murphy and the Lionsault, with Murphy hanging in the ropes, gets two. Nese catches him on the ropes with a palm strike, only to get pulled into a Cheeky Nandos kick. A powerbomb into a spinning faceplant gives Murphy two as we get the “still filing in line” from commentary. Murphy’s Law is countered and Nese hits a reverse hurricanrana to put them both down again.

Murphy wins a strike off but Nese is right back with a sunset driver for his own near fall as the fans are finally getting into this. The running Nese doesn’t get to launch so Nese hits the Fosbury Flop instead. Back in and the 450 gets two in a surprising near fall. The jumping knee connects out of nowhere and Murphy’s Law gets two as Nese gets a foot on the rope. Ever the villain, Murphy tries his own running Nese, which is cut off by a superkick. The real running Nese finishes Murphy at 10:44.

Rating: C. The 205 Live guys had several matches that would blow this one away but at least they had a nice moment in the end with the fans getting into things. Nese as a face didn’t exactly click but beating Murphy felt like a bit deal. It’s a nice mini feel good moment to start what is going to be a long night.

Kickoff Show: Wrestlemania Women’s Battle Royal

Zelina Vega, Kairi Sane, Ember Moon, Liv Morgan, Sarah Logan, Ruby Riott, Mandy Rose, Carmella, Maria Kanellis, Asuka, Sonya Deville, Candice LeRae, Naomi, Nikki Cross, Lana, Dana Brooke, Mickie James

Only Naomi and Asuka get entrances. Nikki goes nuts to start and it’s a big brawl, as a battle royal should be. Maria is out in a hurry and Asuka knocks out Candice and Nikki back to back. Ember and Naomi trade hurricanranas until the former hits a quick springboard Eclipse on Lana. Another Eclipse gets rid of Naomi and there’s the real version to Mandy. Ember goes up again but Lana (the one in the designated Captain Marvel attire) shoves her out.

Sane hits an Alabama Slam on Lana and goes up like a schnook, only to get shoved to the apron by Logan. Even the bigger schnook, Logan doesn’t eliminate her but rather joins the rest of the Riott Squad to go after Lana. The elimination doesn’t take long but Sane drops Logan. The Insane Elbow connects, only t have the Squad get together and eliminate Sane without much trouble. An assisted flipping Stunner rocks Vega but AGAIN Logan doesn’t get the elimination.

Instead the Squad goes after Asuka and again they don’t eliminate her. Brooke gets to fight off all three of them and manages a slow motion Thesz press on Morgan. Riott goes after Brooke and gets tossed, with Morgan following her out. Brooke’s handspring elbow hits Vega’s knees though and the running knees in the corner make it worse. Rose and Deville get rid of Vega and Brooke, meaning we can get a big hug.

We’re down to Rose, Deville, Asuka, James, Logan and Carmella, the latter of whom seems to be on the floor because that’s something you have to have in battle royals these days. James hurricanranas Rose to the apron and superkicks her out, only to get dropped by Deville. Asuka beats up Logan and Deville at once but she manages to toss Deville. Logan gets rid of Asuka but, say it with me, Carmella is still in and superkicks Logan out for the win at 10:33.

Rating: D. Holy sweet goodness I can’t stand that finish and yet we seem to get it in every few battle royals (including last year’s women’s battle royal). I know Carmella getting the win is for the sake of the New York fans but egads this feels like a waste of a match, which tends to be the case with so many of these pre-show battle royals. In other words: more of the same stuff that wasn’t good in the first place.

Kickoff Show: Raw Tag Team Titles: Revival vs. Curt Hawkins/Zack Ryder

Revival is defending and picked the match because they thought it would be an easy win. See, Hawkins hasn’t won a match in two and a half years so of course he gets a Wrestlemania title shot (you have to keep the New York crowd happy you see). Dawson shoves Hawkins down to start and then pats him on the cheek in the corner. We get a recap of the Edgeheads as Dawson headlocks Hawkins down.

Ryder comes in as we hear about how the show in “the shadow of New York”, which is acknowledged as New Jersey, likely for one of the only times tonight. A middle rope missile dropkick puts Wilder down but Dawson low bridges him out to the floor. Something close to a top rope Demolition Decapitator gets two and the armbar goes on. Dawson comes back in and rips at the face before working on his own armbar.

That’s enough of that so Wilder grabs another armbar (he’s up 2-1 on Dawson) to keep Ryder down. Ryder fights up again but neckbreakers his way out of a double suplex. With Hawkins being distracted, the champs cheat to set up a hard clothesline for two more. The assisted legdrop gives Wilder two and we hit the chinlock as this keeps going. Ryder finally suplexes his way to freedom and there’s the hot tag to Hawkins.

House is cleaned until it’s a double clothesline to put Hawkins and Dawson down at the same time. The middle rope Rough Ryder hits Dawson but Ryder and Wilder crash out to the floor. Wilder saves Dawson at two and tornado DDTs Ryder on the floor. A brainbuster drops Hawkins outside as well and they’re all down for a bit. Back in and Hawkins is dead but manages a small package for the pin and the titles at 13:20. Hawkins slowly realizing that not only is the match over but that they won is kind of awesome.

Rating: D+. This went on too long but the ending was fine after setting everything up for so long with the losing streak. Hawkins and Ryder are a likable team so it’s not like them winning the titles is a bad idea. Besides, WWE has already taken away anything that the Revival could offer (and yet it would still get worse) so the loss doesn’t do a ton of damage to them anyway.

Kickoff Show: Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal

Otis, Karl Anderson, Andrade, Gran Metalik, Chad Gable, Heath Slater, Bo Dallas, Colin Jost Jeff Hardy, No Way Jose, Lince Dorado, Bobby Roode, Konnor, Tyler Breeze, Viktor, Luke Harper, Ali, Apollo Crews, Michael Che, Titus O’Neil, Tucker, Braun Strowman, Shelton Benjamin, Jinder Mahal, Matt Hardy, Curtis Axel, Rhyno, Luke Gallows, EC3, Kalisto

So the big deal here is Jost and Che are from Saturday Night Live and Strowman doesn’t like them. The two of them bail to the floor and hide under the ring as Axel is out in about ten seconds. Dorado takes a SCARY bump to the floor with Breeze, EC3 and Benjamin following him out. There goes Dallas as well but it’s time for a staredown with Strowman and Harper.

That’s broken up in a hurry and Titus gets rid of Slater. As expected, Titus is out a few seconds later off a missed charge and Ali gets rid of Jose. Ascension sends Strowman shoulder first into the post for a crash to the floor (through the ropes so no elimination). Anderson isn’t so lucky as he gets tossed and the Hardys do the same to Rhyno. Roode and Metalik are out next as the ring is starting to empty a bit.

Andrade tosses Kalisto onto Metalik but Gable rolls Andrade with German suplexes. Since it’s Gable though, Andrade throws him out in a hurry, leaving Otis to hit a double Caterpillar on the Ascension. They’re both out as well but Strowman is back in to get rid of Gallows, Tucker and Otis in a row. There goes Mahal as Harper tries to suplex Ali over the top. With Ali hanging upside down, Strowman kicks Harper out, nearly dropping Ali on his head in a very near miss.

We’re down to Strowman, Andrade, Matt, Jeff and Crews in the ring with Che and Jost still underneath the ring. Andrade and Crews go to the apron and Andrade tries a hurricanrana for no intelligent reason in a double elimination. Strowman puts the Hardys on the apron in the battle of North Carolina as Che and Jost get back inside. They can’t get rid of Strowman, who dumps the Hardys and is ready for the destruction.

Jost grabs a mic though and says this doesn’t need to end in violence. He presents his personal therapist, whose breathing exercises earn him a chokeslam. Che tries to eliminate himself but Strowman punches himself out instead. Strowman misses a charge and almost gets eliminated but powers through it and tosses Jost for the win at 10:27.

Rating: D+. Yeah it’s stupid and the SNL guys added nothing to the whole thing but Strowman won in the end and there were some nice spots (granted they went with some scary ones) throughout. It isn’t anything better or worse than your usual “get them all in there” battle royal and it could have been worse. That’s high praise for something like this anymore.

And with that Smackdown length Kickoff Show out of the way, we can get on with the real show. Isn’t modern WWE great?

Yolanda Adams sings America the Beautiful and we get the big helicopter flyover.

The opening video, complete with a WWE Presents, features the wrestlers talking about how Shakespeare said all the world’s a stage. Tonight, this is their stage and they are the players. We get the classic moments of course because this show is built around history. They do a good job of starting this slowly and then building it up into a big feeling. As usual, WWE’s promo videos are nothing short of incredible and somehow they manage to get better a lot of the time. That being said, wrestlers calling themselves storytellers doesn’t sound right.

Maybe it’s how many times I’ve heard the song on highlight packages since then, but that Love Runs Out theme song is really catchy.

Here’s Alexa Bliss, the host for the evening, to open things up. Bliss talks about how this show needs a goddess and if she snaps her fingers, she can make a Wrestlemania moment. A snap of her fingers produces Hulk Hogan, who is happy to be back here in the Silverdome. That gets a chuckle so then he calls it the MetLife Center in a joke that doesn’t go over as well. Hogan and Bliss pose together in a cute moment.

Hold on though as Paul Heyman storms out and says we’re doing the Universal Title match RIGHT NOW. The faster Lesnar wins, the faster he can go to Las Vegas where he is ULTIMATELY appreciated.

Raw World Title: Brock Lesnar vs. Seth Rollins

Rollins is defending after winning the Royal Rumble and gets a big BEAST SLAYER intro. At least BURN IT DOWN gets a big reaction so they’re doing something right. Lesnar jumps him before the bell and knees Rollins off the apron. An F5 plants Rollins on the floor and a hard whip into the barricade makes it even worse. Rollins gets tossed over the announcers’ table as the beating is on in a big way. That’s not enough for Lesnar so he throws Rollins over another table before throwing Rollins inside.

Heyman and Lesnar talk the angry trash but it’s back to the floor before the opening bell. Cole: “Seth Rollins never had a chance!” And there’s your usual WWE line that gives away the ending. Brock throws Rollins over the announcers’ table for a third time and then through the cover of the announcers’ table. They go back in for the opening bell and there’s the first German suplex. Lesnar: “SUPLEX CITY B******!” Give him his t-shirt money.

The second suplex sends him flying again as Cole brings up the Wrestlemania XXXI cash-in. The F5 is countered though and Rollins gets in a low blow. That means a low superkick and three straight Stomps make Rollins champion at 2:30. It was an exciting start and the whole thing from Lesnar’s first attack ran about 7:00. They had to get the title onto Rollins here (though more importantly off of Lesnar) and this was certainly a memorable way to do it. Certainly more so than when they did it again in a longer form four and a half months later.

AJ Styles vs. Randy Orton

This is your “here are two big names without much else to do” match. Orton eliminated him from the Elimination Chamber and they got in an argument about who built Smackdown. Orton’s big CGI snakes really don’t look great but those things are hit and miss for everyone. AJ headlocks him to start and is promptly driven into the corner. A very early threat of an RKO sends AJ bailing to the corner and it’s another standoff.

Orton pokes him in the eye and hits a dropkick to take over, including a boot across the eye to make it even worse. AJ gets in his own dropkick though as they’re pretty even in the early minutes. With Orton taking a breather on the floor, AJ scores with the slingshot forearm, only to get knocked off the apron and hard into the barricade. Back in and the chinlock goes on as the fans start chanting something I can’t understand.

That’s broken up so AJ hits the sliding forearm, setting up the fireman’s carry backbreaker for two. An early Styles Clash attempt is countered into a powerslam to give Orton his own near fall as the slow pace continues. The Calf Crusher attempt is countered without much trouble but the second attempt is slapped on in the middle of the ring. Not that the fans are exactly interested but AJ did get it on. That’s broken up in a hurry so AJ heads to the apron for the Phenomenal Forearm.

Orton jumps up to RKO him out of the air (as he had done last week) but AJ holds back, leaving Orton to crash. The springboard 450 gets two but Orton is right back with the backbreaker. Orton’s rather good looking top rope superplex has AJ crashing down for two and an uppercut gets a crazy loud pop (that had to be for something else). The hanging DDT gets no reaction but Orton walking around does, as I’m almost scared to imagine what had the fans’ attention.

AJ hits an enziguri to block the RKO, only to walk into it on the second attempt. That’s only good for two as well and Orton is shocked. With nothing else working, Orton loads up a super RKO, which is escaped without a lot of effort. A Pele sends Orton to the floor and the Phenomenal Forearm knock him even sillier. Back in and Orton still can’t hit the RKO, meaning it’s another Phenomenal Forearm to give AJ the pin at 16:12.

Rating: C-. Things got a bit better by the end but it never got going at any intense level. These two are capable of a lot but it was rather slow paced for the most part and when the match is going that long, it can get pretty tiresome in a hurry. It’s not bad in any sense but it wasn’t exciting and you know these two could do a lot better. That makes it more frustrating than anything else, as I kept waiting for them to get going and they never really did.

Here’s Lacey Evans to continue doing her thing of walking around, smiling, and then walking back.

Smackdown Tag Team Titles: Usos vs. Rusev/Shinsuke Nakamura vs. Bar vs. Ricochet/Aleister Black

The Usos are defending and it’s one fall to a finish. There is something so awesome about seeing the look on Ricochet’s face as he walks onto the stage. You can see what it means to him and there is no faking that kind of a feeling. This also marks Ricochet and Black’s third shot at different titles this week, after Raw and NXT title shots earlier in the week. Jimmy and Black start things off with a feeling out process until Sheamus tags himself in to face Black.

The armbar doesn’t last long as Rusev tags Sheamus and runs Black over. Nakamura comes in for a kick to the back but the rapid fire tags continue, with Jimmy coming in to Samoa drop Black. Nakamura kicks Jimmy into a tag to Ricochet, who does a very spinny headscissors on Cesaro. Since it’s just a headscissors though, Cesaro uppercuts Ricochet down and starts swinging him, as Sheamus forearms everyone else.

After a nearly 40 second swing (geez), the Sharpshooter goes on in the middle of the ring. Black makes the save and strikes away, setting up a springboard moonsault for two on Rusev. Nakamura is back in with some running knees to Black, meaning Ricochet has to make a save of his own. That earns him a swinging Rock Bottom from Rusev and it’s time for the nine man Tower of Doom. Just to show off, Ricochet flips out and lands safely in the corner, setting up the 630 for two on Sheamus. We hit the parade of kicks to the face with the Usos superkicking Sheamus down. The Double Us retains the titles at 10:05.

Rating: B. This was almost all action from bell to bell and that’s all you can do with a match like this one. Let them do whatever they want and get in spot after spot for a little while. They didn’t overstay their welcome either, as this match got in the right amount of time. Good stuff here and one of the more entertaining things all night so far.

Hall of Fame recap. Thankfully Bret being attacked isn’t mentioned whatsoever.

Here’s the class being presented in the stadium:

Honky Tonk Man (How was he not in yet?)

Harlem Heat (Perfectly fine.)

Torrie Wilson (The new low benchmark.)

Brutus Beefcake (Again, how was he not in yet?)

Hart Foundation (Should have been earlier so Neidhart could be there but long overdue as well.)

Sue Aitchison (Warrior Award.)

D-Generation X (I’m sure they had to twist their arms to get here. Deserved of course.)

We recap Miz vs. Shane McMahon. Somehow Shane won the World Cup despite not being in the tournament and Miz, the man he replaced in the finals, was jealous. Miz’s dad thought they should team together so they won the Tag Team Titles. The reign didn’t last long though and they split up, with Shane turning on Miz. Tonight, it’s Falls Count Anywhere. This was in the middle of Shane’s RIDICULOUS run near the top of Smackdown where he was all over the show and beating main eventers, including that Tag Team Title win. Of course he gets a big Wrestlemania match, because that’s what makes sense for such a star.

Shane McMahon vs. The Miz

Falls Count Anywhere, but hang on as Shane needs to hear his introduction three times in a row. With that out of the way, Shane bails to the floor at the bell so the chase is on, with Shane hitting his horrible punches. In a smart move, Shane grabs Miz’s dad (in the front row) and again, the chase goes badly for Miz as Shane hammers away. They head outside again with Shane loading up the announcers’ table.

A monitor shot to the head puts Miz on the table but Miz’s dad blocks the big elbow. Shane gets down so Miz’s dad gets inside for the showdown, with Miz’s dad doing the pose that launched a subplot on the upcoming season of Miz and Mrs. Shane takes him into the corner and stomps away, drawing Miz back in for the beating. They fight to to the floor with Shane falling over the barricade but hold on as Miz wants someone to check on his dad.

With the medics doing their job, Miz dives over the barricade to take Shane down again. They fight over towards one of the big pillars that holds up the canopy over the ring but Shane fights out of the Skull Crushing Finale. Instead Shane grabs a DDT for two but Miz kicks him down off the stage. Shane is sent knee first into a barricade and Miz beats on him with a chair to blow off some more steam.

They wreck announcers’ row with Miz throwing him over every chair he can find, plus throwing some chairs around. Shane gets sent through a table for two, followed by a monitor shot to knock him over a barricade and onto the top of a well placed golf cart. That gives Miz a delayed two so he punches Shane up towards a production tower. A Skull Crushing Finale onto the platform gets two, because he’s Shane and Miz is just a former World Champion.

Shane fights back (of course) and climbs up to the top of the tower. Miz pursues so Shane begs off, even dropping to one knee. That earns him some left hands to the head and Miz superplexes him all the way down (after asking if Shane is ready) onto a crash pad. Worry not though as Shane lands on top for the pin at 15:25.

Rating: D-. I knew the ending was coming here and I still shake my head at the ending. Shane is the boss’ son but my goodness how hard can you push him? The worst part is that it is only going to get worse as the summer goes on, but this was a punch to the gut as Shane wins AGAIN, meaning he isn’t going away anytime soon. The superplex was a nice idea but showing the landing on the pad (which just happened to be there) took away all of the impact that it had. That is, whatever was left before Shane won of course.

Paige joins commentary.

Women’s Tag Team Titles: IIconics vs. Beth Phoenix/Natalya vs. Nia Jax/Tamina vs. Sasha Banks/Bayley

Banks and Bayley are defending and it’s one fall to a finish. Bret Hart is here with Beth and Natalya (who really feel like fill ins for Trish Stratus/Lita), though he doesn’t go beyond the stage. Tamina shoves Bayley down to start and superkicks Natalya for a bonus. Everything breaks down in a hurry with Nia being sent outside for a ram into the steps. Back in and Peyton rolls Sasha up for two and it’s a double kick to put drop Sasha again.

The Hardys’ Spin Cycle gets two on Banks but she’s right back with a backslide for the same. It’s back to Bayley for a sliding clothesline for two on Beth but Billie tags herself in. The IIconics take over on Beth, who is right back with a suplex to both of them at once. Natalya comes in for two but Bayley makes a fast save. The champs get in a fight with Beth and Natalya and it’s a Bank Statement to Phoenix. That’s broken up but the Glam Slam is countered into a rollup into the corner.

Natalya drops Sasha onto Bayley and they get the always fairly dumb looking double Sharpshooter treatment. This time it’s Tamina making the save and Nia comes back in to wreck everyone else. The IIconics get crushed with stereo Samoan drops but Beth shoves Nia off the top to break up a splash. Sasha takes Beth down as well and Bayley drops the top rope elbow, followed by Banks’ frog splash. The Tower of Doom is broken up so Beth hits a super Glam Slam on Bayley, with Kay making a blind tag. With Beth sent outside, Kay steals the pin and the titles at 10:47.

Rating: D. This went on too long and wasn’t all that interesting in the first place. The titles were brand new at this point and they already seemed pretty worthless, which would be proven over the next year. The fallout here is more interesting than the match itself, as you Nia would go away for about a year with double ACL surgery and Sasha (allegedly) threw a fit over losing and took the summer off.

The pilots from the Kickoff Show flyover are in the crowd. That’s always cool.

We recap Kofi Kingston vs. Daniel Bryan for the Smackdown World Title. Kofi replaced the injured Ali in the Elimination Chamber and got down to the final two. That set up one of the most dramatic things that WWE has ever done, as Kofi got inches away from winning the title and the fans ate it up. It was clear that Kofi had to get the title at Wrestlemania or he never would, which sent Kofi and New Day into a crusade to finally get the title shot that had eluded him for eleven years.

After jumping through all kinds of hoops set by Vince McMahon, it took New Day winning a gauntlet match to get the shot, with their longtime rivals the Usos stepping aside in a great show of respect for Kofi. At the same time, Bryan said that Kofi was a B+ player in an awesome role reversal from his legendary run five years earlier.

The match was finally set and it was a heck of a story, as Kofi had put in so many years of building credibility to get here and was finally cashing in. This wasn’t JBL jumping up to the main event scene, as Kofi had pretty much won every title other than the World Title. That’s not a big jump, but it was hard to believe that they would actually pull the trigger here. In other words, this was EXCELLENT and would have headlined any other year.

Smackdown World Title: Kofi Kingston vs. Daniel Bryan

Kofi is challenging and has New Day in his corner, while Bryan has Rowan. Big E. has a gift for Kofi and promises it for after the match. I had forgotten how nice of a touch Bryan’s eco-friendly belt really was. They stare each other down to start and the fans are behind Kofi, which is almost hard to fathom until you realize that Bryan might be a better heel than face. Kofi’s headlock doesn’t get anywhere so they fight over a backslide. Bryan monkey flips him so Kofi lands on his feet, setting up a dropkick to the floor.

The big dive takes Bryan down again and the roster is behind Kofi in the back. Things slow down a bit as Bryan needs a breather with Rowan. Back in and Bryan uppercuts him a few times to set up the surfboard, which always looks awesome. That’s broken up in a hurry as usual, allowing Kofi to kick away in the corner. Bryan’s moonsault into the running clothesline is countered into something resembling the standing double stomp (almost a Thesz press as Kofi can’t hit it properly) for two.

Kofi’s jumping clothesline works a bit better and the Boom Drop connects. Bryan heads outside again so Kofi tries a springboard dive, which lands ribs first on the announcers’ table. You don’t have to ask Bryan twice to go after the ribs like that so he drops Kofi ribs first across the top rope. The ribs get sent into the corner and it’s off to a waistlock, which works a lot better this time around. Kofi fights up and elbows in the corner but a very quick Trouble in Paradise is countered into a Boston crab.

Bryan’s belly to back superplex is broken up with elbows to the face and Kofi hits a top rope splash to the back for two. They slug it out but Trouble in Paradise is countered again, only to countered into a small package to give Kofi two more. Kofi’s crossbody is rolled through though and Bryan pulls him into a failed LeBell Lock attempt so they’re both down for a second. The running knee is countered into the SOS but Bryan reverses into the LeBell Lock, with Bryan letting go for some more elbows to the ribs.

Kofi finally gets his foot on the rope and you can hear the sigh of relief. Bryan YES Kicks at the ribs even more but Kofi fires up and tells Bryan to kick him even harder. As Bryan backs away, Kofi throws his own kicks and busts out a reverse suplex for two. They head outside again so Rowan can go after New Day, earning himself Trouble in Paradise. The Midnight Hour on the floor takes care of Rowan and Kofi blocks Bryan’s suicide dive.

Back in and Bryan hits the running knee…..for two and a big pop on the kickout. Bryan has had it and unloads with stomps to the head to set up the LeBell Lock. Kofi breaks out again and blasts Bryan with forearms to the face with more aggression than you usually see from him. Bryan won’t let go of the wrist so Kofi stomps him right back, knocking Bryan silly. Trouble in Paradise gives Kofi the clean pin and the title at 23:45.

Rating: A. That is the definition of the Wrestlemania moment and it holds up to perfection a year later. The fans completely bought into the idea of Kofi fighting through everything and winning the title in the end and that’s all it should have been. Kofi is the kind of guy who has been around forever and built up so much good will that when he finally went after the title, everyone was on his side. That made for a special moment and it was amazing throughout as it’s something that I never thought I would see, but here it is. That’s a great thing to see as rare as it can be.

On top of that, this was an awesome match with both guys giving it everything they had. The story here was perfect with Kofi not being the wrestler Bryan was but knowing that this was his one shot and giving everything he had to achieve his dream when he could. The fans believed in him and there was no way he could lose in this spot. Outstanding stuff and if not for the historic main event, this would have headlined in a landslide. Watch this again and smile a lot.

Post match Woods and Big E. pull out the classic WWE Championship and hand it to Kofi for the first time (Kofi kneeling in the ring and waiting to have it presented to him is a great visual). The pyro goes off and Kofi’s sons get in the ring to celebrate with him and one of them holds up the title, which is almost bigger than he is. We’re not done yet though as Big E. brings in the present from earlier. It’s the first New Day shirt featuring Kofi as champion and his kids get to hold them up for a perfect visual. Woods: “THEY SAID WE COULDN’T MAKE IT! WE MADE IT TO THE TOP!” Outstanding.

Che and Jost are banged up so Bliss introduces them to Dr. Scott Hall and Dr. Kevin Nash. Ok then.

Booker T. is the next guest commentator.

US Title: Samoa Joe vs. Rey Mysterio

Mysterio is challenging and this year’s comic gear is…..well Mysterio appropriately enough. Now how did he never do that one before? Joe kicks him in the face but Rey is right back with the springboard hurricanrana. The 619 connects but Joe pulls him out of the air into the Koquina Clutch and Rey is out at 1:00, which may have something to do with Rey injuring his ankle on Monday. Booker being annoyed at wasting all the time on prep work is good for a chuckle.

Sneak peak of Batista’s new movie Stuber.

We recap Roman Reigns vs. Drew McIntyre. Reigns returned from leukemia after a four month absence and he needs a first victim. Drew has run through the rest of the Shield as a bonus. This is your likely layup result of the show and that’s fine.

Roman Reigns vs. Drew McIntyre

Drew gets played to the ring by the New York Bagpipe Band. They trade shots to the face to start so Reigns snaps off a Samoan drop for an early two. McIntyre is right back with a spinebuster into a jackknife cover for two of his own. The Glasgow Kiss knocks Reigns down again and McIntyre throws him into the corner for two. The chinlock/armbar goes on until Reigns powers out and knocks him to the floor. Reigns’ running kick to the face is blocked though and McIntyre suplexes him down.

Back in and the reverse Alabama slam gives McIntyre two so he takes Reigns up top. That earns him a crotching, only to have Drew pull himself up from the Tree of Woe to send Reigns flying with a belly to belly superplex. Reasons of general heelishness cause McIntyre to slap him in the face, meaning the comeback is on. McIntyre gets knocked outside again for the Samoan drop on the floor, followed by the Superman Punch back inside. The spear finishes McIntyre at 10:06.

Rating: D. The fans didn’t care and why should they have? As usual, it was clear that Reigns was going to win and that happens far too often at Wrestlemania. It’s amazing that Reigns got to come back here but it’s Reigns, who almost always wins, winning again in a match where the ending was obvious throughout. Nothing to see here, and the fans were silent throughout.

Post match Reigns gets to pose in a rather emotional moment.

Here’s Elias for his self described greatest performance ever. He’s on screen playing drums, with a second Elias joining him on piano and the real thing in the ring playing guitar. They jam for a bit and guitar Elias says the other two deserve a standing ovation. Elias teases more members of the band and gets in his catchphrase before loading up the song….but here’s a SPECIAL BULLETIN on Babe Ruth calling his shot in the 1932 World Series.

Cue John Cena in Dr. of Thuganomics gear and the fans seem rather pleased. Cena raps about how he’s about to turn heel and how bad his own movies are. WWE doesn’t stand for Walk With Elias because it really means Wasted Wrestling Experiment. We get a nuts joke, followed by the FU to leave Elias laying. They have history together so this was as good as you were going to get. This was funny for a change if nothing else and that’s a cool Wrestlemania feeling.

We recap Batista vs. HHH. Back at Smackdown 1000, Batista had mentioned that HHH never beat him but laughed it off. Then in February, Ric Flair was having a 70^th birthday celebration but Batista attacked him, while asking HHH if he had his attention. This set up the match, with Batista demanding that HHH give him what he wanted (over and over and over). HHH has put up his career just in case the ending was in the slightest bit of doubt.

Shawn Michaels is guest commentator.

Batista vs. HHH

No holds barred with HHH’s career on the line. Batista goes out to glare at Shawn but here’s HHH, riding in a Mad Max style cart because of course he is. Batista drives him straight into the corner to start so HHH is back with some right hands to the face. A backdrop sends Batista outside but he throws HHH over the announcers’ table in a crash. HHH is right back up with a ram into the barricade and busts out a chain to whip Batista over the back.

The chain is pulled into Batista’s mouth (Shawn: “That’s not going to help his movie career.”) and HHH whips him into the steps. To ramp up the pain, HHH busts out some pliers to bend Batista’s fingers around a bit. HHH isn’t done with the toolbox so he grabs some needle nose pliers and ribs Batista’s nose ring out. To be fair, that thing looked horrible. Cole: “HHH just ripped a nose ring out of the nose of Batista.” So the nose ring in his ear is still intact.

Batista’s nose is good enough to drop HHH onto the announcers’ table and then he does it again onto a different one. A chair to the back sets up the shoulders in the corner for two as things have slowed way down. Batista slams him down for two more and let’s go outside again. The steps are set on the table and another table is cleared off as this is taking quite a long time for one big spot.

The huge Batista Bomb through the table is countered with a backdrop onto (not through) the other table and they’re both down again. HHH gets up, spinebusters him through the table, and we get another breather. HHH pulls out the sledgehammer but it’s a spear to cut him down for two. This time it’s HHH knocking the sledgehammer away from Batista, earning himself a spinebuster in the process. The Batista Bomb, which makes HHH drop the sledgehammer again, connects for two.

With nothing else working, Batista brings in the steps but goes up top for some reason. That reason would be so HHH can powerbomb him onto the steps, setting up a Pedigree for two (Because this MUST KEEP GOING!). They’re both down again so here’s Flair to slip HHH the sledgehammer. HHH gets up and uses the steps as a launchpad to hammer Batista in the head. Since that’s not enough to pin him (or KILL HIM as it probably should have), Batista pops up to take the Pedigree for the pin at 25:45.

Rating: D. Why does HHH do this? They could have had the same match with at least ten minutes chopped off but for some reason we needed to get HHH’s latest big epic match, no matter how much people aren’t interested in seeing it. This was terrible with Batista looking like a shell of his glory days (fair enough) and the match going WAY longer than it should have. Horrible match, and did you expect anything else given this style of match’s history?

The B Team model Daniel Bryan WWE Champion shirts but here’s Ron Simmons for the joke.

JBL is your next guest commentator.

Baron Corbin vs. Kurt Angle

This is Angle’s retirement match as he can barely get in the ring without injuring himself these days and needs to limp away for good. Corbin is here because we all did something horrible in a past life. Angle goes after him to start but gets knocked into the corner to put him in early trouble. Corbin takes it to the corner and pounds away before mocking Angle’s family a bit. A missed middle rope ax handle sends Corbin throat first into the rope so Angle snaps off some suplexes for two.

Angle walks into a big boot but is fine enough to grab a quickly broken ankle lock. Deep Six gives Corbin two more but he misses a charge, allowing the Angle Slam to connect for two. The straps come down and the ankle lock goes on until Corbin rolls him into the corner for the break. Corbin throws in a You Can’t See Me so Angle punches him into more rolling German suplexes. The moonsault misses though and the End of Days finishes Kurt’s career at 5:59.

Rating: D. Angle does seem fine with putting Corbin over on the way out but this was another step in the seemingly eternal nonsense that was/is the Corbin push. It’s a lot to take and while I can live with Angle going out on his back, it’s a lot to take because Corbin really is going way above his pay grade every time he’s in a match like this.

Post match Angle thanks the fans and asks for one more YOU SUCK chant for the road.

Intercontinental Title: Bobby Lashley vs. Finn Balor

Lashley, with Lio Rush, is defending and they’ve traded the title, so tonight it’s the Demon to make the match feel big. Balor gets a special entrance by coming down off a raised platform, though it’s not as creepy as his NXT entrances. Lashley has very bright green contacts in for some reason. Some early dropkicks put Lashley on the floor and Balor takes him out with a dive for a bonus.

A hard drive into the apron cuts Balor off though and there’s a suplex to make it worse. Lashley clotheslines him hard to the floor but a Sling Blade gets Balor out of trouble. Rush’s distraction lets Lashley hit a HARD spear through the ropes though and a regular one gets two back inside. Balor fights out of a powerbomb and hits one of his own, setting up the Coup de Grace for the pin and the title at 4:01.

Rating: C. The match was entertaining enough for something that was going so fast but at the same time, the booking still doesn’t make a ton of sense. Balor has already shown that he can beat Lashley so now he needs to bring up the powers to win? And the extraordinary thing was just a powerbomb? I’m glad to see the Demon again but this wasn’t exactly the most logical thing in the world.

Here’s Alexa Bliss to announce the attendance record of 82,265. Cue R-Truth and Carmella for the Wrestlemania Dance Break (Remember those?).

We recap the main event of Raw Women’s Champion Ronda Rousey and Smackdown Women’s Champion Charlotte defending against Becky Lynch in a winner take all match. Rousey is the unstoppable force, Charlotte is Charlotte and Becky is here because she’s the hottest name in wrestling at the moment and won the Royal Rumble. Tonight the winner leaves with both titles and it’s the biggest women’s match in history.

Raw Women’s Title/Smackdown Women’s Title: Ronda Rousey vs. Charlotte vs. Becky Lynch

Lynch is challenging both. In a nod to her father and the Four Horsemen, Charlotte lance in a helicopter outside and walks into the stadium. Already inside, Joan Jett and the Blackhearts play Rousey to the ring. There is something so cool about watching Becky walk down the ramp in a wide shot as Cole talks about how she has started a movement. I’m not sure if that is the right term but it looked awesome. The bell rings and even a year later I still can’t believe this happened. The women’s division was a joke just a few years ago and now it’s the biggest match of the year. That’s hard to believe and it’s very cool.

They stare at each other for a good bit to start until Becky goes after Rousey’s arm. Rousey kicks her to the floor without much trouble and that means a Samoan drop into the barricade. Charlotte follows and takes Piper’s Pit but pops right back up for a fall away slam to send Rousey into the barricade for a change. That sets up the required Charlotte vs. Becky fight with Becky getting the better of things but can’t get the Figure Four, allowing Rousey to come and hammer away.

Charlotte breaks up an armbar attempt but gets pulled into a triangle choke over the ropes. Becky hits a running dropkick though and Rousey falls HARD onto the floor in a nasty crash. That leaves Charlotte to knee Becky in the head as the fans get behind Becky in a big way. Charlotte’s moonsault hits knees and Becky gets the Disarm-Her but Rousey make the save in a hurry. A double Natural Selection gives Charlotte two each and it’s Becky going outside this time.

For some reason Charlotte tries to slug it out with Rousey, earning herself a knee to the head. Charlotte pulls her into a Boston crab, drawing Becky in for her own save. Becky and Charlotte slug it out again until Charlotte is sent to the apron. Charlotte gets caught up top with a super Bexploder for two but Rousey drops both of them with a high crossbody for a double near fall. The double armbar goes on so Becky and Charlotte powerbomb her for the break. It took three attempts but they finally got out.

Everyone is down for a bit until Becky hits a Rock Bottom for two on Charlotte. Rousey goes after Becky and gets pulled straight into the Disarm-Her so she uses the ropes to power up in the corner. That’s fine with Becky, who puts it on again in the corner until Charlotte boots her in the face. Charlotte’s super Spanish Fly gets two but she might have banged up her knee. Rousey’s knee is banged up as well so Charlotte stomps away and grabs the Figure Four around the post.

After sending Becky into the barricade, Charlotte grabs the Figure Eight but Becky dives in off the top for another save. Just because, let’s bring in a table but Charlotte decks Becky for taking too long to set it up. Rousey shoves Charlotte off the top and turns the table over because she doesn’t need it. A double spear takes down Becky and Rousey so Charlotte sets up the table in the corner.

Charlotte sends Rousey face first into the table and spears Becky for two more. Back up and Charlotte gets hiptossed through the table, leaving Becky and Rousey to have the slugout we’ve been waiting for. They throw some serious hands but Piper’s Pit is countered into a crucifix (with Rousey’s shoulder a good six inches off the mat in a bad botch) to give Becky both titles at 21:28.

Rating: B. I don’t know if it’s because I didn’t watch it in one sitting this time around but I liked the match a good bit better on a second viewing. These three beat each other up and while Becky winning was the presumed finish, it wasn’t entirely a lock given who she was in there against. It was a heck of a fight and the three of them all came out looking great. This is much more historic than good, but it’s really rather good and that’s always a positive way to go out.

Rousey is ticked as Becky celebrates to end the show.

Overall Rating: C+. The positives are better than the negatives but not by much. There are some flat out bad matches on here but they are overcome by some great feelings with the faces winning all of the big matches for a change. That felt like an old school style as for the first time in what felt like forever, they didn’t cut the fans off for the sake of dragging things out until later. For once it felt like a season finale and that’s what Wrestlemania should be when it gets the chance. Good show, but it could have been a lot better.

How you ask? CUT THE SHOW DOWN! Look at how long this show is and tell me that it’s well put together. There is no need for a sixteen match card, especially with some of the matches that feel tacked on. All three Tag Team Title matches feel like they’re here for the sake of being here and some of the matches just need to be shortened. Either that or find a way to get people to the ring faster. I know it seems simple but how much of these shows are spent on ring entrances alone? Just find a way to shorten things, please.

Overall there are more good things than bad, but this isn’t a show that you need to watch in one sitting. As soon as you get to the point where the show is five hours plus an episode of Smackdown before it starts (and a Smackdown with more wrestling than usual at that), you’re hitting a firm ceiling of how much you can enjoy this. I know you can’t cut out big chunks, but find a way to get this under six hours. Do that and it’s a lot better, but that has been the case for years now and it keeps getting longer. Either way, at least we had enough nice stuff on here, but don’t watch it all at once.

Ratings Comparison

Tony Nese vs. Buddy Murphy

Original: C+

Redo: C

Women’s Battle Royal

Original: D

Redo: D

Revival vs. Zack Ryder/Curt Hawkins

Original: C

Redo: D+

Men’s Battle Royal

Original: D

Redo: D+

Brock Lesnar vs. Seth Rollins

Original: N/A

Redo: N/A

AJ Styles vs. Randy Orton

Original: B-

Redo: C-

Usos vs. Shinsuke Nakamura/Rusev vs. The Bar vs. Aleister Black/Ricochet

Original: C+

Redo: B

Shane McMahon vs. The Miz

Original: C-

Redo: D-

Boss N Hug Connection vs. Natalya/Beth Phoenix vs. IIconics vs. Nia Jax/Tamina

Original: D

Redo: D

Kofi Kingston vs. Daniel Bryan

Original: A-

Redo: A

Samoa Joe vs. Rey Mysterio

Original: N/A

Redo: N/A

Drew McIntyre vs. Roman Reigns

Original: C-

Redo: D

Batista vs. HHH

Original: D+

Redo: D

Baron Corbin vs. Kurt Angle

Original: F

Redo: D

Finn Balor vs. Bobby Lashley

Original: C

Redo: C

Ronda Rousey vs. Becky Lynch vs. Charlotte

Original: B

Redo: B

Overall Rating

Original: B-

Redo: C+

About the same all around, but some of those earlier ones are a good bit off. Still though, too long, despite some of the very good parts.

Here’s the original review if you’re interested:

https://kbwrestlingreviews.com/2019/04/08/wrestlemania-xxxv-so-much-for-no-happy-endings/

Remember to follow me on Twitter @kbreviews and pick up the paperback edition of KB’s Complete 2004 Monday Night Raw Reviews (also available as an e-book) from Amazon. Check out the information here:

http://kbwrestlingreviews.com/2019/08/26/new-book-and-e-book-kbs-complete-2004-monday-night-raw-reviews/

And check out my Amazon author page with cheap wrestling books at:

http://www.amazon.com/Thomas-Hall/e/B00E6282W6

It’s one of my favorites.

https://411mania.com/wrestling/halls-wwe-survivor-series-1989-review/

Wrestlemania XXXIII
Date: April 2, 2017
Location: Camping World Stadium, Orlando, Florida
Attendance: 75,245
Commentators: Michael Cole, Corey Graves, Byron Saxton, John Bradshaw Layfield, David Otunga, Tom Phillips

This hasn’t been quite a year yet but I have a feeling it’s going to be a very long night. Like a few years before, I was in the stadium for this show but haven’t seen it since I reviewed it last year. This is a show that was well received at the time and it could be interesting to see how it holds up a year later. Let’s get to it.

The set is one of the most intricate they’ve ever done, with a big Wrestlemania globe (ala Universal Studios) and a roller coaster next to it (I think you get this). There’s also an inflatable ring atop the structure above the regular ring, which I somehow didn’t notice until about an hour and a half of being in the stadium). The theme was the Ultimate Thrill Ride and the visual certainly works. It’s really cool looking and worked very well. Unfortunately the stadium isn’t the best looking in the world and it made the whole thing feel a bit out of place. Oh and the CRAZY LONG RAMP, which is something like seventy yards long.

Kickoff Show: Cruiserweight Title: Austin Aries vs. Neville

Aries is challenging after Neville has dominated the division for months and needs someone fresh to challenge him. The fans are behind Aries, which isn’t that surprising though Neville was nothing short (ok he was always short) of awesome at this point. Aries takes him down with an armbar but Neville is right back out with a headscissors. Back up and Neville has to bail to the floor so Aries has a rest on the top rope. I know it’s a Shawn Michaels spot but Aries sells the heck out of it.

Neville comes back in and eats a basement dropkick, followed by the middle rope elbow to the back for two. The suicide dive is blocked with a kick to the head though as the back and forth continues. A missile dropkick gives Neville two and we take a break. Back with Neville holding a chinlock (They even do it on the Kickoff Shows!) but taking WAY too long to glare at the crowd before trying a middle rope Phoenix splash (makes sense given his King thing).

One heck of a backdrop puts Neville on the floor and Aries is right back after him with the suicide dive. You can hear the fans getting back into this and that’s a good result from these two. The main reason to put something like this on is to get the fans fired up for the real show and it’s a great place to put them in.

They come back in with Aries blocking the superplex and nailing his own missile dropkick (looked awesome too) for a near fall. A snap German suplex plants Aries though and Neville takes over again. Another suplex gets another two and Neville is starting to look annoyed. With the technical stuff not working, Neville just kicks him in the face in the corner.

Aries is fine enough to reverse the Rings of Saturn attempt into a rollup and now the Discus knocks Neville hard to the floor. Back in and Aries hits a top hurricanrana and the 450 (with a really annoying crowd reaction shot) gets two. The Last Chancery goes on but Neville rips at the eye (which was recently reconstructed) to break the hold. Aries is writhing in pain and it’s the Red Arrow to retain the title at 15:40.

Rating: B. I remember hearing that this would be on the Kickoff Show and being very relieved as I didn’t think the main show would allow it nearly the amount of time that it needed and deserved. I’m glad to see that I was right here as they had a heck of a chess match here with both guys getting in everything they could and showing how back and forth the whole thing was. Neville cheating to win in the end fit him well, as he finally had someone who could match him and had to take a shortcut. Really good stuff here as Neville continues his unbelievable roll.

If the pay per view started here, it would have been a perfect Kickoff Show. But nah, we need two more matches.

Kickoff Show: Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal

Killian Dain, Sin Cara, Luke Harper, Kalisto, Sami Zayn, R-Truth, Chad Gable, Konnor, Braun Strowman, Curt Hawkins, Apollo Crews, Titus O’Neil, Curtis Axel, Goldust, Jimmy Uso, Jinder Mahal, Big Show, Simon Gotch, Aiden English, Tyler Breeze, Heath Slater, Epico, Bo Dallas, Fandango, Big Show, Rhyno, Primo, Viktor, Jason Jordan, Tian Bing, Jey Uso, Dolph Ziggler, Mark Henry

Rob Gronkowski, a friend of Mojo Rawley, is in the front row. Big Show’s music plays everyone but Braun Strowman to the ring. Braun tosses Primo two seconds into the match as the ring needs some serious cleaning out. Kalisto and Simon Gotch are tossed as well and Strowman eliminates Slater. Jimmy Uso and Goldust follow them out as they’re not wasting time here.

There goes Konnor but it’s time for the Show vs. Strowman showdown. Everyone stops to watch but Sami jumps Braun due to reasons of general stupidity. That goes nowhere so it’s Strowman dumping Show. Everyone goes after Strowman but he gets rid of Viktor in the process. Strowman is eliminated, making him look like a loser/afterthought in the process (oh….just wait). Hawkins is out and Ziggler gets to do his usual false hope spot. We get into the required “everyone hits everyone but doesn’t really try to win” portion as things slow down.

Ziggler low bridges Truth out as I manage to remember that Truth is employed. There goes Rhyno and Ziggler is thrown over the top, only to hang on again. There goes English, followed by American Alpha dropkicking English out. Jey Uso and Jason Jordan are tossed, followed by Chad Gable as the ring is really thinning out. Tian Bing gets rid of Fandango and Breeze, followed by Henry eliminating Sin Cara (in some sweet Wrestlemania gear). Henry is out next as there’s nothing between these eliminations.

Ziggler superkicks Bing out and that’s about it for Tian’s career accomplishments to date. Sami’s Helluva Kick gets rid of Epico and we’re down to nine. It’s been too long since Ziggler was nearly eliminated so Harper chokes him on the apron this time around. Mojo dumps Bo and Mahal eliminates Crews, followed by Rawley tossing Ziggler. Harper is out next and we’re down to Mojo, Jinder, Titus, Dain and Zayn.

A running clothesline gets rid of Titus but Dain eliminates Sami, completely sucking the life out of the crowd. Why you ask? Well we’re left with Dain, Rawley and Mahal. How excited would you be? Jinder gets clotheslined down and we get a Dain vs. Mojo showdown. A Pounce drops Dain but Jinder pulls Mojo through the ropes and out to the floor. Jinder follows him out and sends Rawley into the barricade, right in front of Gronkowski.

That means a drink going into Gronkowski’s face and here he comes over the barricade. This gives us the funniest part of the show as a security guard runs over to stop him, only to have a ringside guy tap her on the arm as some referees come over and allow Gronkowski to get in. Gronkowski runs Mahal over (your future WWE Champion everyone) and Mojo’s running right hands get rid of Dain. Another running punch to Mahal gives Rawley the win at 14:09.

Rating: D-. And this just LAUNCHED Mojo to the moon right? I know the idea here was to get Gronkowski involved (possibly as a substitute for Shaquille O’Neal) but Sami Zayn was RIGHT THERE to get the big win but nah, let’s go with the nothing guy winning the match. This wasn’t the best result for the battle royal but at least they were trying with Rawley, who took the time to talk to an entire group of fans when I saw him walking through Axxess that same weekend. Hopefully he gets somewhere in the future. The rest of the match was terrible with everyone being thrown out in short order and a bad ending.

Kickoff Show: Intercontinental Title: Baron Corbin vs. Dean Ambrose

Ambrose is defending and I have no idea why this was on the Kickoff Show. Corbin crushed Ambrose underneath a forklift to set this up, giving us the hilarious visual of the referees trying to LIFT IT UP despite the key being in the ignition. They waste no time in fighting to the floor with Dean getting the better of it and heading back inside.

That earns him a hard whip to send Ambrose’s ribs into the post and give Corbin a nice big target. Or 24 of them in this case. A choke shove puts Dean down for two and Baron whips him into the barricade for good measure. We hit the chinlock for a few moments before Dean avoids a charge to send Corbin shoulder first into the post. Corbin avoids the top rope elbow and blocks Dirty Deeds for good measure. That earns him a trip to the floor but Baron knocks him out of the air on a slingshot dive.

The top rope elbow puts Corbin down again though and Dean gets two off a swinging neckbreaker. These two aren’t exactly clicking so far. Deep Six gives Corbin two and works on the ribs a bit more. The Rebound Lariat runs Baron over again but he’s right back with a powerbomb to stay on the ribs. That’s about it for Corbin though as Dean jumps up and hits Dirty Deeds to retain at 10:44.

Rating: C-. I wasn’t feeling this one but the bigger issue was with the ending, as Baron winning the title would have made the most sense. Making it even worse was the fact that Baron won a street fight non-title rematch two days later but none of that matters as the Superstar Shakeup changed everything a week later. The match was nothing to see either as they didn’t go into the brawl that would have suited them best.

And now on the main show, which is FIVE HOURS AND TEN MINUTES LONG. Sweet goodness and they wonder why it’s hard to make new fans.

Tinashe, who looks like a low rent Beyonce (still very attractive though with a great voice) sings America the Beautiful. This includes the Air Force flyover, which will nearly knock you off your feet.

The opening video is about how everyone wants to come here, either as a fan or as a wrestler. This is the biggest show of the year and it is the ultimate thrill ride. The video turns into a roller coaster, starting with some historic moments and going into clips of wrestlers on tonight’s show. It’s continuing the theme and that’s a good thing when so many of these shows only have a loose theme at best. Ignore the fans cheering for Miz and AJ Styles and booing the heck out of Roman Reigns of course.

Here are your hosts for the evening: the New Day, in Final Fantasy inspired gear, with Kofi riding in on their bicycle powered ice cream cart. I still have one major question: HOW DID THEY NOT HAVE ICE CREAM FOR SALE??? They teased that for weeks and NOTHING. I was looking forward to it but for some reason it just never happened. After some dancing and gyrating, Xavier says there were a lot of options to host the show. Fans: “WOO!” It was your boys the NEW DAY who got the call though and they get to tell us about all the action that we’ll be seeing tonight.

It’s time to officially pulls their levers (making Kofi and Xavier cringe) and Big E. starts sending the smiling glances over to Woods as he freaks out. This was just after the sex tape fiasco, which was hinted at but never mentioned on WWE TV. In other words, this was a nice little inside joke for the fans while not giving away anything that would be un-PG. Well done and the way this needed to be handled. New Day’s level of rock is confirmed and that’s it, wrapping up this year’s installment of an unnecessary addition to the Wrestlemania card.

We recap AJ Styles babysitting Shane McMahon. AJ lost the Smackdown World Title to John Cena at the Royal Rumble and Daniel Bryan/Shane put him in the Elimination Chamber instead of giving him a one on one rematch for the title. That’s not cool with AJ, so he beat up Shane to set up this year’s “Shane can totally wrestle if you give him one of the best performers in the world” match. They’ve attacked each other a few times each since with Shane’s punches somehow getting a little worse since last year.

Shane McMahon vs. AJ Styles

Shane’s kids are at ringside because what would Wrestlemania be without them? AJ isn’t interested in throwing punches so a quick standing switch sends Shane into the ropes. A headlock and snapmare have Shane down as AJ is toying with him to start. Shane gets in some armdrags and takes Styles down for a rollup, giving us some frustration to send AJ outside.

Back in and AJ punches him in the face as it turns into a boxing match. You know you don’t have to ask Shane to do that twice so we let the suck fly, followed by an elbow to AJ’s face. One heck of a baseball slide sends Shane over the announcers’ table as control goes hard to Styles. Back in and a knee drop rocks Shane again but of course he can shake off the Phenomenal Blitz.

The Phenomenal Forearm is broken up and Shane starts his dance that was stupid back in the 90s so today it’s awesome (like everything in the Attitude Era). An Angle Slam gets two on AJ but he’s right back with the Calf Crusher. Shane reverses into a rear naked choke, a cross armbreaker and something like the Rings of Saturn. He trains MMA you see. AJ shrugs them off and drops Shane again but the springboard 450 is countered into a triangle choke. That’s reversed into a one armed Styles Clash, and of course Shane is up at two.

They slug it out and the fans are entirely behind AJ, even more than you might have expected them to be. I know he’s going to be the favorite coming in but this star treatment of Shane is making it even worse. The ref gets bumped (well duh) and it’s trashcan time. AJ loads up his own Coast to Coast but Shane throws the can at him (with AJ having to pull up on the dive, making it look horrible). Phillips: “AJ has stepped into Shane’s world now!” You mean high flying wrestling?

Shane’s Coast to Coast gets two and it’s time to load up the announcers’ table. The big elbow misses but of course Shane is fine enough to counter the Phenomenal Forearm into a Maiavia Hurricane. That’s not enough from Shane though as he gets to try the shooting star, which only hits mat. The Phenomenal Forearm connects to finally put Shane away at 20:31.

Rating: B. Well that was Shane, with some Shane on the side and then more Shane to wrap it up. AJ looked awesome but that’s all he supposed to be. This was all about Shane getting to counter and hang with AJ, which doesn’t do Styles any good. A 40+ year old who doesn’t wrestle shouldn’t be hanging with a guy who was World Champion less than three months ago. But hey, Shane, right?

James Ellsworth is having issues working out so Ric Flair comes in to give him a Snickers. Then Ellsworth becomes Charlotte. Uh, yeah.

We recap Chris Jericho vs. Kevin Owens. Their friendship had been having some issues of late so Jericho put together the Festival of Friendship, an over the top celebration of all things Owens and Jericho. At the end of it, Owens turns on Jericho and beat the heck out of him. Jericho came back and cost him the Universal Title at Fastlane so Owens is coming for Jericho’s Universal Title. The question became could Owens win without Jericho and now we get the chance to find out.

US Title: Chris Jericho vs. Kevin Owens

Owens is challenging. Jericho’s entrance brings back the countdown for a nice touch. Throw in the light up scarf and a big List of Jericho on the stage and this is advantage Chris. They slug it out to start with the Walls going on less than thirty seconds in. That sends Owens bailing to the floor and a top rope forearm to the head drops Owens back inside. Owens kicks him in the face and hammers away to take over.

We hit the chinlock, with some horribly obvious spot calling, followed by the backsplash for two. They head outside for the third time with Jericho backdropping his way out of the apron powerbomb. Jericho chops away and gets two off a super hurricanrana but gets clotheslined down. The frog splash misses, the Lionsault hits knees, and the Swanton hits knees as well to give us a slow down stretch.

Now the Lionsault connects for a delayed two but Owens gets in his own Walls of Jericho. A rope is grabbed so Owens tries the Cannonball, only to be reversed into the Walls. Kevin grabs the rope for the break and is right back with the Pop Up Powerbomb for two. Another Pop Up Powerbomb is countered into the Codebreaker but Owens touches the rope with one finger for the save. That’s a sweet heel touch. Owens rolls outside and superkicks the knee, setting up the apron powerbomb to give him the pin and the title at 16:46.

Rating: C+. Not bad but they never cranked up the violence that you would have expected after seeing the Festival of Friendship. These two should have been ready to destroy each other and instead it’s just a match with Owens working the ribs and looking for a powerbomb. They accomplished the goal of making Owens look like he can win on his own, but this isn’t the way they should have gone about it.

We recap the Raw Women’s Title match. Charlotte and Sasha Banks had raised the women’s division to entirely new levels and Charlotte needed a new challenger. Enter Bayley, who won the title on Raw in a big surprise, completely defeating the purpose of her character and leaving her with nothing to do. This problem would plague her for the next year and still does to this day. Nia Jax was added to the other three because you need to have as many people in Wrestlemania matches as possible.

Raw Women’s Title: Charlotte vs. Sasha Banks vs. Nia Jax vs. Bayley

Bayley is defending under elimination rules. The tube men are at ringside for a special change of pace. Sasha rides in on the back of a chauffeured car because that’s what Sasha does. Charlotte gets a crazy amount of pyro, making her look even more like a star than usual. Everyone goes after Nia to start but she wrecks them in increasingly short order. A Banzai Drop crushes Bayley and Nia throws Charlotte off the apron onto both Bayley and Sasha. There’s something about people being thrown around like weapons.

All three get together to go after Nia with Sasha wisely grabbing the leg to keep her in place. Charlotte boots Nia in the face for a double German suplex for two in a painful looking crash. Nia is back up and tries a second Banzai, only to get TripleBombed out of the corner for the elimination at 4:08.

As usual, Nia chokes in the big match because that’s just how she rolls. Charlotte pulls Bayley to the floor and it’s Sasha hitting a flip dive to take the champ down. As you might expect, it’s the corkscrew moonsault from the top to take Bayley and Sasha down again in a huge crash.

Back in and Natural Selection is countered into a failed Bank Statement attempt. Instead Charlotte gets two off a backbreaker and rips off a turnbuckle pad in frustration. Sasha’s top rope double knees are good for two of her own and the Bank Statement goes on. Sasha goes with a rollup and the kickout sends her face first into the buckle for the elimination at 8:10.

Bayley comes back in and gets her knee rammed into the exposed buckle. The moonsault, with the wind blowing Charlotte’s hair around, only hits mat to give Bayley a near fall. Charlotte is fine enough to go after the knee and grab the Figure Eight. Bayley gets to the rope so Charlotte takes her into the Tree of Woe, only to get backdropped from the top in a big crash. The big elbow is enough to retain the title at 12:04.

Rating: D. Why can’t they get these big matches right? This was completely backwards with Nia being thrown in there at the last minute and lasting all of four minutes. Then it’s Bayley not really overcoming the odds and just pinning Charlotte after shrugging off some of the offense. It’s not some come from behind win or a big moment, but really just a match where Charlotte happened to lose.

Video on the Hall of Fame induction ceremony. Hearing Jim Cornette’s voice in WWE is just wrong.

Diamond Dallas Page. Nice reaction and WELL deserved just for his stuff with Hall and Roberts alone.

Rock N Roll Express. WAY overdue.

Rick Rude. See the Rock N Roll Express.

Teddy Long. I defy you to not smile at this.

Eric LeGrand. Warrior Award and that’s fine.

Beth Phoenix. Fine enough if a female entrant is required.

Kurt Angle. Yep. Moving on.

Support the Boys and Girls Club! Fair request actually.

Raw Tag Team Titles: Enzo Amore/Big Cass vs. Anderson and Gallows vs. Sheamus/Cesaro

No real story here as this is they’ve just been feuding and it’s time for a title match. Anderson and Gallows are defending and this is a ladder match because we have to have one. Enzo and Cass’ speech is short this time as they say they’re climbing every rung to win the titles. We’re ready to go….and here’s New Day. Yeah remember them?

Anyway they’re in wrestling gear here but first, an announcement. This is now a FATAL FOUR WAY with one more team to be added. That would be the HARDY BOYZ, making a shocking return and giving us a legitimate Wrestlemania moment. Before the music hit, I stood up and said “they wouldn’t”, which was aided as I couldn’t see that New Day was in ring gear. Amazing moment here and the twenty six million YouTube views suggest that it’s quite the popular idea. Cole says thinks are about to be BROKEN and Matt does the DELETE pose.

It’s a brawl to start (as it should be) and the Hardys waste no time with Poetry in Motion to Gallows. Enzo and Cass are taken down as well as the fans are entire enamored with the Hardys all over again. A Whisper in the Wind takes both Sheamus and Cesaro down and it’s time for the first ladder. Jeff goes up but it’s Gallows making a pretty easy save. Cesaro comes back in and climbs onto Gallows’ shoulders for a double stomp onto Anderson’s ribs. Well that worked.

This time it’s Enzo and Cass coming in, just to make sure that everyone gets their turn in you see. That goes nowhere so the Hardys bridge the ladders between the ring and the apron but Cesaro and Sheamus slam them together. With a little too much Sheamus on offense, Cass launches Enzo over the ladders like a cannonball to take him down.

Back in and Sheamus hits the ten forearms to Gallows while Cesaro Swings Anderson. Despite what Cole thinks, that’s not exactly working together. We hear about the Tag Team Titles not changing hands at Wrestlemania in SIXTEEN YEARS (that’s inexcusable) until Sheamus Brogue Kicks the heck out of Cass. Enzo shoves the ladder over to drop Gallows and Sheamus and goes up, sending Graves into hysterics over the horrible possibilities.

Sheamus and Gallows come back in for the save but don’t bother to knock him off the ladder. Instead it’s Anderson climbing the ladder and knocking Cesaro into the ladder. There’s a Magic Killer to Cesaro but Matt hits them both with a Twist of Fate, including a big one off of the ladder to Anderson. Jeff hits the required Swanton off the ladder to drive Cesaro through a bridged ladder, leaving Matt to pull the titles down at 11:05.

Rating: C+. There’s only so much you can get out of a ladder match like this with almost nothing to it other than the big Hardys return. That being said, they absolutely got the ending right as there was no other way to go here. Enzo and Cass weren’t going to work after something as special as the Hardys showing up so don’t even try. There wasn’t much to this in the way of high spots either, but this was ALL about Matt and Jeff, as it should have been.

Jimmy Fallon is here.

We recap the Miz/Maryse vs. John Cena/Nikki Bella, which is mostly about Nikki and Cena teaming together for the first time ever. The idea is that Cena won’t marry Nikki so Miz and Maryse are better, meaning we’re just waiting on Cena to pop the question here. In the show stealing moment of the year though, Miz and Maryse did some parody videos of Cena and Nikki and Total Divas/Bellas, giving us some of the funniest things WWE has ever done.

They nailed the ridiculous nature of the shows to perfection and made Miz look like the guy who should be ready to break through every ceiling above her. Oh and Maryse as Nikki Bella: sweet GOODNESS that worked on about a million levels. Finally though, a year later with Miz and Maryse now as parents, Cena’s jokes about Miz “firing blanks” are pretty much dead.

Jerry Lawler is on commentary.

Nikki Bella/John Cena vs. Maryse/The Miz

Al Roker is guest ring announcer for absolutely no reason whatsoever other than having a celebrity appearance. This is Maryse’s first match nearly six years and she doesn’t look like she’s lost a step. Cena and Nikki run down the ramp and we see a wide shot for a cool visual. Cena’s mom is in the front row and he seems shocked to see her, which would be a heck of a surprise.

The women start and there’s no contact for a minute so let’s bring in the guys instead. Miz poses on the ropes and then bails to the floor to start a chase. Back in and Miz finally stomps away as we finally make contact nearly two minutes in. Maryse gets in a poke to the eye so Miz can fire off a left hand. Cena and Nikki have had no offense so far. The fans are very pleased with Miz’s beating of Cena, mainly because they realize how awesome those Total Bellas parodies were.

Miz misses the running clothesline in the corner but Maryse breaks up the hot tag attempt by pulling Nikki off the apron. A DDT gives Miz two and he slowly does Daniel Bryan’s pose (How amazing is it that the match could ACTUALLY HAPPEN?). The YES Kicks keep Cena rocked but Miz makes the mistake of telling Nikki that she can’t see him.

A big slap puts Miz on the floor and a diving tag brings in Nikki. Some bad forearms to Maryse’s arms (Shane could do better than that) don’t do much damage so Nikki runs Miz over instead. Back in and Nikki’s big forearm sets up stereo Five Knuckle Shuffles. The AA and a Rack Attack 2.0 give us a double pin at 9:38.

Rating: D-. What in the world was that? Miz beat Cena up for about eight minutes and then it was hot tag Nikki to put the villains away Hogan style. After all the work and amazing promos, this is Miz’s Wrestlemania reward. I’m so glad this is what they went with instead of Cena vs. Undertaker, which was likely possible at this show. But hey, Total Divas and Total Bellas got a plot out of it.

Post match Cena says this is what Nikki wanted when she was rehabbing her neck. He tells a downright creepy story about Nikki being groggy before going inf or surgery. Apparently Cena asked if Nikki knew he would marry her one day. She said yes, and today is that day. Cena proposes and we get the big moment as she says yes. I’m SO glad this is what Cena, in the final few years that he has in WWE, is spending one of them doing this. It’s a sweet moment, but my goodness do this on Total Bellas where the fans want to see it.

We recap Seth Rollins vs. HHH, in another dumb story. So Rollins was HHH’s big ace in the hole a few years back and everything was all evil and great. Then Rollins tore his ACL and had to vacate the World Title, which HHH took as not being good enough to be the top guy. Let me repeat that: HHH said that leg issues were signs that someone wasn’t good enough to be the man in WWE. HHH then cost the returning Rollins the title to turn him face but now it’s time for revenge with a fired up Rollins wanting to burn the place down to destroy HHH.

Seth Rollins vs. HHH

Anything goes and, as usual, HHH gets the coolest entrance of the night with a big motorcycle and a police escort, plus Stephanie as a CRAZY HOT biker chick. Seriously, I know she can be irritating but she can rock the heck out of some leather pants. He gets the biggest entrance every year and it takes up a bunch of the spotlight but I can live with it if she’s in outfits like that.

Rollins’ entrance involves holding up a torch and touching it to the ground, sending digital flames down the ramp. I get the burn it down thing but it’s rather lame, along with coming after the really cool entrance. Well done again HHH, as he continues to be smarter than most wrestlers today.

They waste no time in slugging it out with Rollins getting the better of it (therefore I must remind you: HHH once won a slugout with modern day Brock Lesnar) to knock HHH outside. A dragon screw legwhip takes Rollins down by the knee that wasn’t hurt in the first place. Rollins shrugs it off and punches him away, followed by an enziguri back inside. The suicide dive sends HHH into the barricade and it’s already time for the announcers’ table. As usual, Rollins tries a Pedigree onto the table but gets countered with a DDT which doesn’t break the table.

HHH cranks up the violence with a chair to the knee before bridging Rollins’ knee between the ring and the table so he can drive his own knee into Rollins’. Back in and the slow knee work continues, because that’s how HHH loves to work on a show this big. Rollins tries the sunset bomb but hurts his knee all over again. It’s fine enough to hit the Buckle Bomb and a hard whip sends HHH over the corner to the floor. With HHH staggered, Rollins goes up top (Graves: “He’s screwed if he hits this or not.”) and scores with a high crossbody to the floor.

Since it’s an anything goes match, Rollins loads up a pair of chairs and a table on the floor instead of just bashing HHH with the chair. A frog splash to the back keeps HHH down but he kicks the knee out to cut Rollins off again. HHH takes forever to get up top though and gets a chair pelted at his head, setting up the superplex into the Falcon Arrow for two. You know, on the bad knee.

Stephanie breaks up the Phoenix Splash by pulling the knee onto the ropes and we hit a reverse Figure Four. That’s reversed into a Gargano Escape of all things but HHH goes smart by punching him in the knee. The reverse Figure Four goes on outside so Rollins reaches underneath the ring to find weapons. Naturally this includes the sledgehammer but HHH lets the hold go.

Back in and Rollins’ knee is fine enough for a low superkick to the face, followed by an enziguri to really hammer the point home. Stephanie takes the hammer away from Rollins though and a Pedigree gives HHH two. The fans barely even reacted to that one and I can’t say I blame them.

HHH channels his inner CM Punk and loads up a super Pedigree but gets backdropped down (already done by Bayley earlier). Now the Phoenix Splash gets two but neither can hit a Pedigree. Instead HHH hits him in the knee but walks into a superkick, which knocks Stephanie off the apron and through a table. That wakes the fans WAY up just in time for the Pedigree to give Rollins the pin at 25:25.

Rating: B-. This is an interesting one I was bored out of my mind watching it live but it flies by watching it back. That being said, the constant knee work got very dull, especially when it wasn’t even Rollins’ bad knee. As usual, the Stephanie bump got by far the strongest reaction of the night because it’s something you don’t see very often. It’s not a bad match at all but you EASILY could have chopped off ten minutes and no one would have missed a thing.

Pitbull performs the theme song and eats up way too much time.

We recap Randy Orton vs. Bray Wyatt for the Smackdown World Title. Orton joined the Wyatt Family after becoming tired of being beaten down by the team. Then he won the Royal Rumble and promised to never cash in the title shot on new champion Wyatt. It wound up being a ruse though and Orton used his newfound access to the Wyatt Family compound to destroy the whole place. Then Bray poured Sister Abigail’s ashes over himself and gained her powers as this story got REALLY stupid. There was also something about Luke Harper nearly becoming #1 contender that went nowhere but warrants a quick mention.

Smackdown World Title: Bray Wyatt vs. Randy Orton

Orton is challenging and has a viper go down the ramp, which he himself called stupid. We get the Big Match Intros and Orton takes him down with a Thesz press and some right hands. They head to the floor for more right hands but Bray goes caveman with a running headbutt back inside. And then the lights go out (which I thought was a blackout) until the mat is covered with a projection of maggots. We’re about two minutes into the match and this is already in the pantheon of dumbest ideas ever.

Bray runs him over again and this time it’s worms on the mat. The referee jumps out of the ring, possibly because he wants to go work for a sensible company like TNA. A Rock Bottom into a backsplash gives Bray two but Sister Abigail is countered into a rollup for two. I mean, it doesn’t matter as they’ve completely lost the fans after that stupid, STUPID idea but never let that stop WWE.

They head outside again with Bray diving off the apron and straight into a dropkick. Sister Abigail into the barricade drops Orton again but he’s back up with an RKO to knock Bray silly on the floor. That’s only good for two back inside and Sister Abigail is countered into the backbreaker. Orton’s hanging DDT looks to set up the RKO but this time Sister Abigail connects for two. But hang on because let’s hit those roaches to complete the trio of stupid! Orton is finally done with all this nonsense and hits the RKO for the pin and the title at 10:13.

Rating: F. You are the winter, fall and spring. You are the sun that summertime brings. You are the stars in the nighttime sky. You are my girl and I’m your guy. You got me all tied up in knots and I’m lovin’ you lots and lots. I’m just lovin’ you lots and lots. I’m lovin’ you lots and lots.

That doesn’t make sense? Neither does what we just saw. Moving on.

The pilots from the flyover are here. That’s kind of cool.

We recap the Universal Title match, which all started because of a video game. Goldberg came back at Survivor Series to face Brock Lesnar in a rematch of the nightmare that was Wrestlemania XX. In a shocker, Goldberg won in about a minute and a half. Then it was decided that Goldberg could win the title again. He went on to eliminate Brock from the Royal Rumble and then won the Universal Title in about thirty seconds at Fastlane. Lesnar needed to defeat Goldberg once and for all so we’re having the match for the title tonight. This is all narrated by Paul Heyman, who talks about fantasies coming to an end in a nice touch.

Here’s the thing: you could do this same story without the title. Have Lesnar put up his career to get one more shot at Goldberg (it’s not like there was any doubt on the winner here anyway) so let us have the original plan: Owens dropping the title to Jericho (who never won the World Title as a face) and then Lesnar winning it the next month. Nah. We need GOLDBERG winning the title in a nostalgia moment for whatever reason.

Universal Title: Goldberg vs. Brock Lesnar

Goldberg is defending and gets the long walk to the ring which might as well be the long walk to the gallows. Lesnar wastes no time and hits three German suplexes in nineteen seconds. In a great visual, the camera is on Lesnar when Goldberg cuts him down with a spear. A second spear sends Lesnar bailing and the third spear takes Lesnar through the barricade. That’s the first MINUTE of this match as they’re certainly starting fast.

Back in and both finishers are escaped, setting up another spear to Lesnar. The Jackhammer gets two, making Lesnar the second person to ever kick out (the other being Hogan, who only did it because of a missed cue). That means another spear (Heyman: “HE’S IN POSITION AGAIN!”) but this time Lesnar leapfrogs him and Goldberg hits the buckles. More suplexes (make it ten total) set up the F5 to officially conquer Goldberg at 4:47.

Rating: B. This was PERFECT for what they had to work with. Goldberg wasn’t going to be out there for a long match (he didn’t in his prime either) and they went with the right path. This was as action packed of a nearly five minute match as all you could have done. That first spear looked awesome and Goldberg gets to go out on his big moment. I’m pleased, though not as much as Goldberg, who probably made a ton of money for less than ten minutes combined of wrestling time in his comeback.

Smackdown Women’s Title: Alexa Bliss vs. Naomi vs. Becky Lynch vs. Carmella vs. Mickie James vs. Natalya

Alexa is defending and this is the most thrown together match that I can remember in a good while. They’re also rushing through the entrances due to the time issues. You know, because NOW they care about time issues. Naomi is the hometown girl and MY GOODNESS the Glow entrance is a sight to behold in a stadium. There are no tags of course so it’s a big brawl to start.

Naomi gets sent to the floor for a double suplex from Natalya and Carmella. Back in and Becky kicks the two of them down but James Ellsworth (Remember that?) grabs Becky’s foot to take over. Bliss breaks up a cover and screams at Carmella to get out of her ring. The DDT gets two on Natalya but Becky breaks it up this time, only to have Ellsworth come in. No Chin Music is countered into a Bexploder and it’s Naomi coming back in this time.

Naomi slingshots in to sunset flip Natalya, who German suplexes Becky at the same time. Speaking of the same time, Natalya tries a double Sharpshooter on Carmella and Naomi but can’t get the legs up. Well, not surprising, but it’s so bad that the camera cuts to her back. Naomi comes back in for a Rear View to Bliss and a big dive to take everyone out. Back in and Naomi’s reverse Rings of Saturn makes Bliss tap for the title at 5:33.

Rating: D. The timing issues KILLED this and there’s no way around it. Much like the ladder match earlier, there’s nothing you can do when you have five minutes and six people in a match. Naomi winning the title back is cool, but I still have no idea why her winning it back in her hometown is supposed to be some huge deal. Yeah it’s cool, but it’s not like this is some great moment.

Wrestlemania XXXIV is in New Orleans. Those songs will drive you crazy by the end of the weekend.

New Day comes out to thank the fans for the record attendance of 75,245. The team is still funny but egads they could have been cut out of this whole thing and not been missed.

We recap Roman Reigns vs. Undertaker. Reigns eliminated him from the Rumble and now we have a match to determine who is the real Big Dog.

Jim Ross is out to do commentary for the main event. That’s even more impressive when you consider his wife died days before this show.

Undertaker vs. Roman Reigns

No holds barred, first announced before the entrances. Reigns is booed out of the stadium, as has become a custom. In a smart move, Undertaker rises from the middle of the ramp (with a cool visual of smoke building up and clearing to reveal him standing there). I completely missed this as I was looking at the stage and then glanced down to the ring and saw him climbing the steps.

Undertaker slugs away in the corner to start and knocks Reigns to the floor. Back in and Reigns knocks him over the top as well, with Undertaker landing on his feet. Reigns hammers him down to take over and they head outside so this can be more of a brawl, which is the only way to go. The apron dropkick (to a standing Undertaker) puts Undertaker down again but he wins a slugout back inside. Reigns hits him in the face and Undertaker just looks mad.

Snake Eyes and the big boot set up the legdrop for two. The threat of a chokeslam sends Reigns outside again and this time the apron dropkick is punched out of the air. Another dropkick staggers Undertaker but it’s a chokeslam onto the announcers’ table. They climb onto the other tables and it’s a spear to drive Undertaker through (almost in a running spinebuster) for the double knockout.

Reigns is the only one back in….and Undertaker sits up. Back in and Reigns does the corner clotheslines into the corner right hands, meaning the Last Ride (an AWFUL one at that with little impact and more Undertaker dropping Reigns than slamming him down). It’s chair time but Undertaker takes it away and beats him down instead. A quick Superman Punch knocks Undertaker into the ropes but another is countered into a chokeslam onto the chair.

The Tombstone gets two and the fans, who are supposed to be smart at Wrestlemania, seem shocked at the kickout. Off the first Tombstone. In a Wrestlemania match. Who’s the smart one here? Another Tombstone is loaded up but this time Reigns backflips….and just can’t lift Undertaker for the counter. They try a few more times but just stop for the sake of embarrassment with Reigns trying a Superman Punch instead.

The spear connects but Undertaker is fine enough to put on Hell’s Gate. The rope is reached for a break (erg) and Reigns unloads with the chair. Another spear gets another two and another spear gets another two and another Superman Punch (Undertaker sits up and falls over) sets up another spear to give Undertaker his second Wrestlemania loss at 22:57. That last sequence took nearly five minutes.

Rating: D+. It’s not terrible, but Undertaker looked like an old man who should have hung it up a few years ago. The problem here was the crowd being completely dead and it showed really badly. There’s only so much energy you can have in an academic match at the end of a seven hour show. Reigns winning makes complete sense but it was a bad match (the botches and CRAZY amount of time spent standing around didn’t do it any favors) and there’s no way around that.

Reigns gets the big pyro display behind him as he stands on the ramp (great shot) but we’re not done yet. Undertaker slowly sits up and we go to a bunch of replays. Back to live and it’s Undertaker standing in the ring with the hat and coat on. I use that term loosely as it looks like Mark Callaway standing there dressed as Undertaker. For the first time, it seems like we’re seeing the real person instead of the character, which is a MAJOR change for him.

He looks around to the crowd, takes off his gloves, coat and hat and folds them up in the ring. With the fans applauding, he goes outside, kisses Michelle McCool, and walks up the ramp. Undertaker stops, looks back one more time, raises the fist, and lowers down through the ramp, fist still in the air, to end the show with the gong sounding one more time. There was no commentary for the last ten minutes, without even a goodbye (appropriate here).

That’s about as perfect of a sendoff as WWE has ever done. It was emotional, it felt special, and it came off like the real thing. Undertaker is the last vestige of that older generation and him breaking character for the first time ever and leaving is incredible to see. It’s why I don’t want to see him wrestle again and why it makes me sad to think that he will. Incredible stuff, and Thank You Taker.

Overall Rating: C+. There’s no way around it: this show is way way way way way way way WAY too long. I got through an hour of the show a few days back (you know I’m not watching this in one sitting) and looked down at the bar in near horror of how little space I had covered. Five hours, plus TWO HOURS of a Kickoff Show is just too much, especially when there’s stuff to be cut. What could be cut? Well off the top of my head:

AJ vs. Shane (move AJ to ANYTHING else and drop Shane) entirely or at least cut it down by about eight minutes

Corbin vs. Ambrose (I know it’s the Intercontinental Title but on a show this huge, it’s understandable)

Smackdown Women’s Title (it’s just nothing and felt like total filler)

Five to ten minutes each off of Reigns vs. Undertaker and HHH vs. Rollins (those combine for nearly fifty minutes total)

Pitbull

AT LEAST get this down to four and a half hours of main show. That can’t be too much to ask, right?

Other than the timing issues though, the show is mostly solid. There’s a ton of good stuff up until the mixed tag and then things start to fall apart. The Universal Title match was as perfect as it was going to be get but there’s just so much bad around it (Bray vs. Orton, Reigns vs. Undertaker, HHH vs. Rollins in that match that is still going on somewhere, with HHH still working the knee) that the good is dragged down.

At the end of the day, it all comes back to the timing issues as there’s almost no way to make a show this long work. It’s too much to sit through and it becomes a chore at the end. Just cut this down by a good hour (or two) and things are much better, but bigger is better for WWE and that’s not changing anytime soon. As it is, the show works more than it misses but it’s still not a classic by any means.

Ratings Comparison

Neville vs. Austin Aries

Original: A-

2018 Redo: B

Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal

Original: D

2018 Redo: D-

Dean Ambrose vs. Baron Corbin

Original: C+

2018 Redo: C-

Shane McMahon vs. AJ Styles

Original: B

2018 Redo: B

Kevin Owens vs. Chris Jericho

Original: B

2018 Redo: C+

Sasha Banks vs. Bayley vs. Charlotte vs. Nia Jax

Original: C-

2018 Redo: D

Hardy Boyz vs. Anderson and Gallows vs. Enzo Amore/Big Cass vs. Sheamus/Cesaro

Original: B

2018 Redo: C+

John Cena/Nikki Bella vs. The Miz/Maryse

Original: D

2018 Redo: D-

HHH vs. Seth Rollins

Original: C+

2018 Redo: B-

Bray Wyatt vs. Randy Orton

Original: F

2018 Redo: F

Brock Lesnar vs. Goldberg

Original: B

2018 Redo: B

Naomi vs. Alexa Bliss vs. Becky Lynch vs. Carmella vs. Mickie James vs. Natalya

Original: D-

2018 Redo: D

Undertaker vs. Roman Reigns

Original: D+

2018 Redo: D+

Overall Rating

Original: B

2018 Redo: C+

Yeah I overrated a lot of this the first time around. It’s good, but not that good.

Here’s the original review if you’re interested:

http://kbwrestlingreviews.com/2017/04/07/wrestlemania-xxxiii-a-long-wait-for-a-long-show-with-a-long-ramp/

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/

And check out my Amazon author page with cheap wrestling books at:

http://www.amazon.com/Thomas-Hall/e/B00E6282W6

Smackdown
Date: April 10, 2026
Location: SAP Center, San Jose, California
Commentators: Joe Tessitore, Wade Barrett

We’re just over a week away from Wrestlemania and that means it’s time to start talking a lot more. That’s likely going to be the focal point of the show, though unfortunately a lot of that is probably going to be done by Pat McAfee. Last week’s big reveal was certainly a choice and I’m almost scared to see what we’re getting with the followup. Let’s get to it.

Here are last week’s results if you need a recap.

We open with a recap of Pat McAfee being revealed as Randy Orton’s associate last week and the ensuing beatdown on Cody Rhodes. Later in the night, Rhodes gave a rather angry response to McAfee.

Rhodes runs into Nick Aldis, who says McAfee is on his way. Aldis is under strict orders for Rhodes to not touch McAfee, but he won’t say who gave the orders. Jelly Roll comes in to say this is about Rhodes’ relationship with Orton and wants him to deal with this.

Here is Rhea Ripley for a chat. She congratulates Jade Cargill for finding her one weakness when she attacked Iyo Sky. Ripley wants Cargill out here but gets Sky instead. She’s angry at Cargill too and knows Ripley will get her at Wrestlemania…but Sky wants Cargill tonight. Nick Aldis comes in to make the match for tonight’s main event.

Bayley vs. Alexa Bliss

Lyra Valkyria and Charlotte are here too while Bayley is the hometown girl. Bayley shoulders her down to start but they go to a quick standoff. Bliss gets in a knockdown of her own and stands on Bayley’s back, only to be sent outside. A dropkick through the ropes rocks Bliss as we take a break.

We come back with Bliss striking away and hitting a running Blockbuster for two. Back up and Bayley sunset bombs her into the corner but gets caught with a tornado DDT. The Sister Abigail DDT is countered into the Bayley To Belly and they’re both down again. Bayley gets up for the top rope elbow and a near fall before taking Bliss outside. Some chops have Bliss in more trouble and Bayley even mocks Charlotte’s strut. Charlotte isn’t having this and throws her jacket at Bayley, which is enough for Bliss to grab the rollup pin at 10:08.

Rating: C+. This was just a little taste to help boost up the four way tag at Wrestlemania and that’s a fine idea. The match is already set so there is no real point in messing with the whole thing. Go with what is set up and don’t mess with it too much, which seems to be what they’re doing here.

We look back at Sami Zayn retaining the US Title last week by taking advantage of Carmelo Hayes’ injury. Then Trick Williams called him Ginger Snap.

Matt Cardona gives the still injured Hayes a pep talk but Williams, with Lil Yachty, comes in to say Hayes can watch him win the US Title. Hayes says he’s coming for the title after Wrestlemania but Cardona sets up a match with Williams tonight.

Drew McIntyre talks about how Jacob Fatu’s family is probably in the arena tonight but reveals he’s sitting in a prison cell, which is what Fatu will always be about. This is where Fatu always belongs and after Wrestlemania, he’ll screw up and wind up right back here. At Wrestlemania, McIntyre is the judge, jury and executioner.

Fatu isn’t happy but Solo Sikoa and the MFT’s come in to mock him, including losing Fatu his teeth the last time he was here. That doesn’t work for Fatu, who seems likely to get a match with Tama Tonga tonight.

We meet Royce Keys, who grew up around here and saw all of the violence and drugs. He and his friends had Royal Rumbles, where you had to toss someone over the fence to eliminate them. Things have changed for him now and he refuses to be defined by where he is from. So yeah basically the same intro as Powerhouse Hobbs. That’s not a bad idea but it took them this long?

Royce Keys vs. Berto

Angel is here too. Berto grabs a headlock and is promptly sent flying. Keys pulls him from the mat into a powerslam (nice) but Angel gets in a cheap shot. That lets Berto get in a posting but Keys is back with a fall away slam. A running powerslam and spinebuster finish for Keys at 2:50. Not quite a squash but close enough. Now how did this take two and a half months after he started at the Royal Rumble?

Pat McAfee arrives and confirms with Nick Aldis that no one from WWE is allowed to touch him. McAfee gives him a thank you with a rather bad British accent but runs into Jelly Roll. He wants to know what McAfee was thinking with everything and teases a fight but Aldis cuts that off. McAfee wants Roll out of here and goes off to save WWE.

Royce Keys is glad to be here in front of his hometown. Solo Sikoa comes in to say long time no see. He runs things around here so if Keys needs anything, let him know. Keys doesn’t say anything.

Here is Pat McAfee for a chat and he doesn’t like San Jose. He mocks the fans and moves on to CM Punk, who had a WWE jacket over a WWE Punk shirt on Raw. Punk has 283 things to sell right now but where does that money go? To the fans who can’t afford Wrestlemania tickets or to the “I’m sorry Saudi Arabia” fund?

The difference is that McAfee gets things done, which brings him to the Wrestlemania ticket prices. He called Ram Trucks and got them to pick up 25% of the bill for a Saturday night Wrestlemania ticket from now until the end of Raw. Sunday? Who cares, as Randy Orton isn’t on that show. This city has never won a Stanley Cup but this city will see Orton win the title at Wrestlemania.

Cue Cody Rhodes, with McAfee mocking his theme song in a bit of a funny bit. Rhodes knows that he can’t touch him but McAfee can go to the back and get a nice replica title and pretend to face anyone he wants. Then he can go back to whomever sent him here and say “thank you daddy”. There’s a term in wrestling called “play wrestler” and he never got it until he saw McAfee talking about the Attitude Era.

That was THIRTY YEARS AGO and Orton watched it in high school! Rhodes brings up Paul Boesch, who didn’t like the term “marks”, which McAfee was using on his show this week. Boesch called them CUSTOMERS and when you have everything because of those people, whether it’s the collector at the airport with 70 Pops or that kid in the front row with the cool jacket, they become FAMILY.

McAfee has one talent though: he has made the fans actually agree that they want to see Orton at Wrestlemania, but not McAfee, so go home. Rhodes goes to leave but McAfee says he’s here because he was born for the business while Rhodes was born into the business. He sees a fake man in Rhodes and if Orton doesn’t win the title at Wrestlemania, he’s out of this business forever. Fans: “GO HOME PAT!”

Rhodes brings up McAfee saying he’s tired so let’s get Gunther out here to put him to sleep for good. Rhodes leaves and McAfee calls him the “Elite runaway artist, eh Stardust?”. He suggests that Rhodes is going to go suck up to HHH, which brings Rhodes back, sans jacket. Orton pops up on screen, having attacked Jelly Roll.

Orton drags him into the arena and a McAfee distraction lets Orton get in a cheap shot on Rhodes. Roll gets up and grabs McAfee by the throat, with Orton making the save. A hanging DDT drops Rhodes, as does a belt shot. McAfee even leaves with the title. This was certainly better than last week, but that’s a far cry from it being good. McAfee as a heel manager/mouthpiece (for someone who doesn’t need one) is fine, but DANG Roll feels wedged into this thing.

Post match McAfee and Orton leave with the title.

We look at CM Punk’s promo from Raw.

Miz and Kit Wilson tell Nick Aldis that he needs to do something about the referee last week. Aldis: “He was cursed.” Miz: “NOT YOU TOO!” Aldis says fixing the curse is beyond him but he can put Wilson in the ring with Danhausen. Aldis: “Unless you’re afraid of the….curse.” Miz: “THERE IS NO CURSE!” This is the goofy fun I love in wrestling.

Jacob Fatu vs. Tama Tonga

Fatu backs him into the corner to start but misses a charge, allowing Tonga to strike away. A headbutt works a bit better for Fatu as Tonga is sent outside, where a suicide dive sends him over the announcers’ table. We take a break and come back with Fatu winning a slugout and hitting a splash in the corner. The running Umaga Attack connects but Tonga is back up with a kick to the face. A reverse rolling cutter gives Tonga two but he charges into a pop up Samoan drop. The triple jump moonsault finishes for Fatu at 8:07.

Rating: C+. Fatu hasn’t been in the ring much lately so it’s a good idea to have him out there getting a win. At the same time, I’m not sure what is going on with Tonga at the moment. He was teasing going after the US Title for the better part of ever and had the thing with Shinsuke Nakamura but nothing really came of either. That could change, but for now it’s not working out so well.

Post match Fatu grabs the mic but Drew McIntyre runs in for the brawl. A chair to the back and Futureshock on the floor knock Fatu silly so McIntyre handcuffs him around the post. McIntyre asks him how it feels to be back in chains where he belongs. Fatu tries to fight back but gets knocked cold, with McIntyre throwing him back inside for another Claymore and a belt whipping.

R-Truth explains how to get the ESPN App and Danhausen seems to understand. Damian Priest comes up to say that R-Truth thought that was Asuka last week…but R-Truth says Priest thinks Danhausen is Asuka. Priest is flummoxed but we cut to Rhea Ripley attacking B-Fab. Ripley: “One down, one to go.” R-Truth: “I don’t think Rhea wants her in Judgment Day.” Priest: “I’m the crazy one?” R-Truth could make the phone book amusing.

Here is Sami Zayn to a mixed reaction, which he acknowledges. People have been telling him that he needs to change and maybe that is what the fans want. He has always tried to be something more than a catchphrase and he does this for the fans. There is no way he will ever change on the fans who love him. Now as for the fans booing him, what did he do? As soon as he knew he had fans who were with him no matter what, the pressure was off.

Cue Trick Williams and Lil Yachty to interrupt, with Williams thinking that the fans are sick of hearing Zayn talk. The reality is Zayn hates Williams and his sauce, because Williams is the anointed one. Everyone loves him, but Zayn thinks it’s just a crush. Zayn tells Williams to understand what he’s up against at Wrestlemania, but Yachty thinks Zayn should be worried. Cue Matt Cardona for his scheduled match with Williams.

Trick Williams vs. Matt Cardona

Yachty and Zayn are still here too. We’re joined in progress with Williams grabbing a headlock but getting driven into the corner. The running knee out of said corner cuts Cardona off and Williams chops him down. A running clothesline connects for Cardona and he dropkicks Williams through the ropes. Back in and Cardona’s right hands in the corner are cut off and we take a break.

We come back with Williams hammering away but getting caught in a belly to back suplex. The Reboot connects and an Unprettier gives Cardona two. Williams is right back with a pop up neckbreaker for two his own and Cardona is sent outside for a clothesline. Zayn gets shoved down so he gets on the apron, where Yachty pulls him down. That earns Yachty a Helluva Kick but the Trick Shot finishes Cardona at 11:05.

Rating: C+. This was a good way to keep Williams’ momentum up, as it feels like we’re coming up on a double turn. Williams is only going to be able to be a heel for so long and WWE seems to know that. Zayn is someone who can work both ways at any time and he seems ready to switch, though I’m not sure how necessary that’s going to be. The story here is Williams though, and he seems ready for the task.

Video on Oba Femi vs. Brock Lesnar.

Class Wrestlemania Moment: John Cena vs. HHH vs. Randy Orton at Wrestlemania XXIV.

Danhausen vs. Kit Wilson

Danhausen is billed from 1311 Mockingbird Lane, which works well for an old school TV fan. Miz is here with Wilson. Danhausen actually dropkicks him and grabs a northern lights suplex for two before going outside to pose with a clueless Miz (ala Shawn Michaels and Sunny back in the day). Back in and Wilson hits a running elbow in the corner before insisting that the curse is NOT REAL. Wilson goes up but Danhausen curses him again (the fans are into it this time) and some pyro goes off in the corner, crotching Wilson on top. Miz gets poked in the eye and a pump kick finishes Wilson at 3:01.

Rating: C. That was exactly what it should have been as this was all about a goofy heel getting beaten by something that doesn’t make a ton of sense but has everyone in on the joke. Danhausen is doing exactly what he should be doing and it’s working out. It’s a good, silly story and they’re not pretending it’s anything else.

Post match the lights go out and Danhausen runs off before Miz can get him.

Michin has been attacked as well. Jade Cargill is ready for revenge.

Here’s what’s coming next week, including the Andre The Giant Memorial Battle Royal.

Wrestlemania rundown.

Rhea Ripley tells Iyo Sky about her previous work tonight. Sky is appreciative but asks Ripley to stay back here for the match. That’s fine with Ripley, but she wants Sky to save some for her at Wrestlemania.

Iyo Sky vs. Jade Cargill

Non-title and Sky is taped up from last week’s attack. Cargill powers her into the corner to start and knocks Sky down without much trouble. Sky is back up with a pop up dropkick to send Cargill outside, only to have the suicide dive cut off. We take a break and come back with Sky striking away, including snapping the arm across the top rope. The running knees in the corner rock Cargill, who is right back with a gorilla press.

Sky slips out of that and grabs a choke, which is broken up as well. Cargill’s pump kick is countered into a rollup for two, followed by Cargill grabbing a Blue Thunder Bomb for the same. Sky kicks her outside for an Asai moonsault but Cargill gets in a wheelbarrow drop onto the steps. Back in and Cargill nails a pump kick, followed by Jaded for the pin at 9:09.

Rating: B-. This was far from some kind of epic showdown, but Cargill getting a win over a star like Sky makes her feel all the more dangerous on the way to facing Ripley. Sky even has the injuries to give her an out in the loss. This is what it should have been given the circumstances and they got the ending right, which is what matters.

Post match Cargill grabs a chair but Rhea Ripley comes in for the save. Cargill sits down to stare at Ripley (for about a second) to end the show.

Overall Rating: C+. This show’s biggest benefit was coming off of last week’s mess. While McAfee still played a big role here, he didn’t come off as completely out of nowhere as he did last week. It’s still not a good story, but they do seem to have tweaked it a bit (thank goodness). The rest of the show feels like it’s all about getting ready for Wrestlemania, which is all but locked into place. This week and next week are bout pushing what is already set and this show did a nice enough job.

Results
Alexa Bliss b. Bayley – Rollup
Royce Keys b. Berto – Spinebuster
Jacob Fatu b. Tama Tonga – Triple Jump Moonsault
Danhausen b. Kit Wilson – Pump kick
Jade Cargill b. Iyo Sky – Jaded

 

 

Remember to follow me on Twitter and Bluesky @kbreviews and head over to my Amazon author page with 30 different cheap wrestling books at:

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Ring Of Honor
Date: April 10, 2026
Location: WJCT Studios, Jacksonville, Florida
Commentators: Ian Riccaboni, Caprice Coleman

It’s an AEW PPV week so that means we get a bonus Ring Of Honor. I’m guessing the theory is to get the wrestling happy people on the Ring Of Honor bandwagon but the show was barely mentioned on this week’s Ring Of Honor show, with no mention on AEW TV. In other words, expect the equivalent of the deleted scenes from a TV taping. Let’s get to it.

Here are this week’s results if you need a recap.

Opening sequence.

MxM Collection vs. Top Flight

Mansoor and Darius start things off with Mansoor stopping to pose but Darius bends the finger back. Dante comes in with a top rope ax handle to the arm so Mansoor bails into the ropes. That lets Madden come in from behind with a leg lariat and a side slam/legdrop combination gets two on Dante.

Madden crushes Mansoor in the corner though and it’s off to Dante to start the comeback. Everything breaks down and Darius gets caught in a sitout powerbomb/leg lariat combination for a rather near fall. Mansoor gets crotched on top though and it’s a hurricanrana into a sitout powerbomb to give Darius two. Darius suicide dives onto Madden and Mansoor is slingshotted into a cutter for the pin at 6:01.

Rating: C+. While it might not have been the exact same match, this feels like the kind of match that we have seen several times now. They’re both entertaining teams, but neither of them are going anywhere. The Tag Team Titles aren’t defended very often and it’s not like the champions even appear very often. In other words, nice match, not going to mean anything.

Rush vs. Dante Leon

Rush knocks him to the floor and then takes him back inside for the forearms in the corner. The Bull’s Horns finishes Leon at 1:12.

The IInspiration are ready to face anyone around here.

Hyan/Maya World vs. IInspiration

World has to duck out of a right hand out of the corner to start but Lee drives her right back into another corner. Hyan comes in for a hurricanrana out of the corner and a bridging suplex puts Lee down for two. Lee makes a blind tag though and hits a knee to the face to put Hyan in trouble for a change.

The IInspiration gets in some posing before talking some trash, followed by an armbar to keep Hyan down. The chinlock doesn’t last long and Hyan comes out of the corner with a running clothesline. World splashes both of them in the corner and a moonsault gets two on McKay. A posting puts McKay down on the floor and a double chickenwing faceplant/Downward Spiral combination finishes Lee at 6:55.

Rating: C. Well, they were undefeated for about a day. I’m not sure what the point was in having the team win a match on one episode of Ring Of Honor and then lose the next night. It isn’t like there are many teams who matter much in Ring Of Honor and the IInspiration lose that soon? Hyan and World are established enough and don’t gain much here so…why?

Gates Of Agony vs. Daisuke Sasaki/Paul Virk

Sasaki is a big deal in DDT. Kaun leapfrogs Sasaki to start and chops him into the corner before handing it off to Liona. Sasaki gets pulled out of the air and driven into the corner, only to get over for the tag to (the rather tall) Virk. That means a mini hoss fight with Liona, who eventually drops Virk with a spinebuster. Open The Gates finishes Virk at 3:10.

Rating: C. Sasaki might not be the biggest star in the world but he felt way out of place as a jobber in a tag match. Other than that, this was a reminder that the big power team are till a big power team. That’s pretty much what you’ve seen from the Gates for years now and that doesn’t seem likely to change.

Sisters Of Sin vs. Nixi XS/Aminah Belmont

XS and Hart knock the other two off the apron to start and it’s off to those other two rather quickly. XS is knocked off the apron this time and Belmont gets caught in the Tarantula, allowing Blue to hit a running dropkick. A snapmare into a PK gets two on Belmont but she fights out of the corner. There’s no XS to tag though and a Black Widow makes Belmont tap at 3:42.

Rating: C. The string of fairly run of the mill tag matches continues, albeit with a team who aren’t regulars around here. The Sisters are fine enough in their role, but there isn’t exactly anything for them to do around here. The match was little more than a squash, though at least Belmont got in a bit of offense to keep it from getting dull.

Dalton Castle/Outrunners vs. Deonn Rusman/Devo Knight/Alex Findley

Castle is rather excited for the new ROH figures and wants them in your guest bathroom. Magnum headlocks Knight to start and it’s off to Floyd to work on the arm. A spinning belly to back suplex drops Knight and his partners both get chopped. Castle comes in for the suplexes and the Mega Powers Elbow finish Findley at 3:42.

Rating: C. Cool, now give them a title shot. I’m not sure what else is next for the Outrunners/Castle, but the only logical step is a title shot. They’ve won all kinds of regular matches in a row, they’re popular and they’re…not likely to face the champions, because the titles have been defended once since December so we just get to keep waiting, as always.

Dralistico vs. Komander

Dralistico is wrestling in a shirt, which is apparently rather disrespectful in lucha libre. They trade some early rollups for two each but Dralistico tells him to stop running. Komander does for some reason, allowing Dralistico to remove his shirt. Dralistico takes him down and hits a running knee to the face, followed by a running shot in the corner. Komander fights up and chops away, followed by a DDT for two.

Dralistico avoids a 450 but gets rolled up for two more instead. A gutbuster hits Dralistico but he pops back up to kick Komander down. That doesn’t last long as Komander knocks him off the top and hits a super crucifix bomb for two. A poisonrana into Cielito Lindo finishes Dralistico at 9:29.

Rating: B-. This was the kind of match you would have expected from the two of them and, while it doesn’t have the best competition, it did feel like the biggest match of the show. They had their high flying stuff and it worked pretty well, which shouldn’t be a surprise. Granted it’s the second Komander vs. a high flier match I’ve seen in two days but at least it was good.

Overall Rating: C. Yep this was exactly what I was expecting the second I saw this show being announced. Ring Of Honor turns these shows into big ads for the weekly show and that’s exactly what what it felt like: a bunch of mostly mediocre matches which don’t feel like they have any impact on the ongoing stories. If you like Ring Of Honor, you’ll like this, but after three plus hours of the same style in two days, I could go for a break from this stuff.

Results
Top Flight b. MxM Collection – Slingshot cutter to Mansoor
Rush b. Dante Leon – Bull’s Horns
Hyan/Maya World b. IInspiration – Double chickenwing faceplant/Downward Spiral combination to Lee
Gates Of Agony b. Daisuke Sasaki/Paul Virk – Open The Gates to Virk
Sisters Of Sin b. Nixi XS/Aminah Belmont – Black Widow to Belmont
Dalton Castle/Outrunners b. Deonn Rusman/Devo Knight/Alex Findley – Mega Powers Elbow to Findley
Komander b. Dralistico – Cielito Lindo

 

 

Remember to follow me on Twitter and Bluesky @kbreviews and head over to my Amazon author page with 30 different cheap wrestling books at:

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Ring Of Honor
Date: April 9, 2026
Location: WJCT Studios, Jacksonville, Florida
Commentators: Ian Riccaboni, Caprice Coleman

Things have the potential to start getting bigger around here sooner than later, as Supercard Of Honor is set for next month. That should mean we get some things set up in advance, though at the same time it often doesn’t happen until the last minute. Other than that, it’s hard to say what we’ll be getting around here so let’s get to it.

Eddie Kingston and Ortiz want young, fresh opponents so here are Bustah And The Brain. The match is set but Kingston tells them to earn the handshake.

Opening sequence.

Video on TMDK vs. Roppongi Vice, who have never faced each other. UNTIL NOW!

TMDK vs. Roppongi Vice

Haste and Romero lock up to start, with Haste putting him on top for a pat on the head. A shoulder drops Romero again and it’s off to Beretta, who is quickly taken down as well. Nicholls comes in and hits a standing moonsault for two but Beretta is back with a suplex. Romero comes back in for a wind up poke to the eye and Nicholls is sent outside for a whip into the barricade.

Beretta’s charge misses though and the Forever Lariats are broken up, allowing the tag back to Haste. A suplex puts Beretta down for two but Romero is back in with a double hurricanrana. Haste gets knocked out of the ropes with a top rope double stomp and some running kicks in the corner rock him again. Nicholls makes the save and sends Beretta outside but Romero is back up with a suicide dive to drop Haste. Strong Zero finishes Nicholls at 11:05.

Rating: B-. It was good enough action and they had some fun spots near the end, but this is a prime example of how you have to build people up over time or it doesn’t make much of a difference. These teams have some status in New Japan but TMDK haven’t done much here and Vice have been little more than cannon fodder. The match was fine, though there wasn’t exactly a reason to be interested in the result as it isn’t like either team has any status.

Riccaboni on the win: “LFI better watch out!” This would be your latest incident of commentary making statements that are utter nonsense based on how title shots work in Ring Of Honor. And yes I get that Riccaboni is likely told to say this kind of thing. The problem is in the way the show works, not in him.

Lio Rush vs. Nathan Cruz

Cruz tentatively shakes his hand and wants Rush to stand up. They fight over a suplex until Cruz backs him into the corner for some elbows to the face. Rush’s spinning kick to the head gets one so Cruz knocks him outside, where Rush laughs a lot. Cruz bends Rush’s arms around the ropes but Rush is back up with a handspring kick to the head. The suicide dive drops Cruz again and a Thesz press gets two back inside. Cruz is right back with a Samoan driver for two of his own but Rush gives him a Stunner. The Final Hour finishes Cruz at 5:55.

Rating: C+. Hey, did you know that Rush was weird? That’s the whole thing here, as he just crawls around with his eyes bugging out…and then a few minutes go by and he’s the same wrestler he’s always been. Rush is good at his style and the way he usually moves is rather cool. I have no idea what the Gollum stuff needs to be there for but it’s what we’re getting for whatever reason.

We look back at the women of Ring Of Honor at Global Wars.

Deonna Purrazzo says if Diamante wants to come after the Women’s Pure Rules Title at Supercard Of Honor, bring it. So there’s your first title match and at least it does follow a story that has been going on.

Josh Woods vs. Matt Menard

Pure Rules. They go technical to start, as of course they should, with Woods being sent to the ropes for his first break. Menard goes to the floor for the chase and catches him in a front facelock on the way back in…while in the ropes, which is the second break. A Boston crab has Woods going to the ropes for the third and final break as we’re only 2:10 into the match.

Menard tries another Boston crab and Woods IMMEDIATELY reversed into a leglock for the tap at 2:46. Ok that was actually funny, as Menard took away the rope breaks but Woods realized he’s facing MATT MENARD and made him tap almost instantly. It probably wasn’t on purpose, but I chuckled at that ending.

Soleil vs. Komander

Soleil is better known as Sidney Akeem under a mask (commentary acknowledges that it’s him). They start with the tumbling and neither of them can make much contact, with Soleil doing something like an inverted Worm. Back up and a spinning crossbody gives Soleil two but he gets sent outside. A high crossbody gives Soleil two and a running kick to the head gets the same.

The chinlock goes on but Komander is right back up with a springboard missile dropkick. Something like a pumphandle Side Effect gives Soleil two but Komander grabs an Octopus Hold. Back up and Soleil misses a charge into the ropes and gets kicked down for two. A poisonrana gives Komander two but Soleil is back with a slingshot Canadian Destroyer. Komander pops back up and hits a gutbuster into Cielito Lindo for the pin at 9:01.

Rating: B-. It was the match you would expect from the two of them doing their flips and dives. As usual, that was rather entertaining and the two of them can do some awesome stuff that few others can pull off. At the same time, it felt like the same match they had before and it’s not like either of them are going anywhere anytime soon.

We look at the recent issues between the women of Shane Taylor Promotions and Zayda Steel/Red Velvet. And Shawn Dean cheating so Anthony Ogogo could win a match.

Shawn Taylor Promotions vs. Von Erichs/Bang Bang Gang

Moriarty and Austin start things off with Moriarty working on the arm. Austin pops up and pulls him down with an armbar. That’s reversed into an Octopus, which Austin reverses into the Koji Clutch. With that broken up, Ross and Dean come in so Ross can kick him in the face in the corner.

Ross stays on the arm before Taylor and Robinson come in, with neither being able to get a slam. Instead Taylor Snake Eyes him into the corner and everything breaks down. Bravo comes in to dance a bunch before we settle down to Bravo kicking Robinson in the face. Something like a Garvin Stomp gets two and it’s off to Dean for a running elbow drop. Taylor comes in for a splash and it’s back to Dean for a Bronco Buster.

Taylor misses a legdrop and Moriarty gets backdropped, allowing Austin to come back in and clean house. Everything breaks down again and Taylor powerbombs Austin, with Marshall making the save. Marshall manages to slam Taylor and Austin kicks Dean into the Fold for the pin at 14:55. Riccaboni: “He just pinned one third of the Six Man Champs!” Shame it’s not in a six man tag or that might matter a bit more.

Rating: B-. It’s another fun match and odds are this sets up a Six Man Tag Team Title match, even though it was a pair of two man teams pairing up. The match did get going in the end and it was nice to see Austin getting a pin. Can we just get him away from the Bang Bang Gang and let him do something better though?

Bustah And The Brain are ready to change the Ring Of Honor tag division.

Action Andretti vs. AR Fox

They go to the mat to start with Fox grabbing a headscissors before an exchange of rollups gets two each. The rollups continue for another series of near falls before Andretti avoids an enziguri to send Fox into the corner. Fox trips him down and grabs a suplex, followed by the slingshot dropkick to a downed Andretti. They go outside, with Fox putting him in a chair and running around the ring, only to get cut off.

Fox is right back up with a suicide dive, only for Andretti to hit a dive of his own. That doesn’t work for Fox, who sends him outside for a heck of a no hands dive over the top. Back in and Andretti grabs a very spinny wristdrag, followed by some driving shoulders in the corner. Andretti’s suplex gets two and they kick each other for a double down. Fox grabs a rolling cutter for two more but Andretti pips up with a forearm.

A split legged moonsault gives Andretti two but Fox is back up with some kicks to the head. Fox hits a basement cutter so he goes up, only to get caught with a running Spanish Fly. A springboard clothesline into a running shooting star press gives Andretti two, as does the torture rack neckbreaker. They slug it out until a springboard spinning crossbody drops Fox. Andretti dives into a cutter though and the 450 finishes for Fox at 16:59.

Rating: B. Well that was….long. It was rather entertaining and had two guys who are incredibly athletic, though much like a lot of the other matches on this show, it’s hard to buy either of them going anywhere. Fox will probably be in g a TV Title match at Supercard Of Honor and that’s about it. That being said, this was a heck of a match, though the near falls got a bit nutty near the end.

Post match respect is shown.

IInspiration vs. Viva Van/Frankie B

Van is taken into the wrong corner to start but ducks underneath the two of them to escape. Some kicks put Van and B down, allowing the IInspiration to pose a bit. Van gets knocked down again and the Idolizer finishes Frankie at 2:55. Just a squash.

Post match Riccaboni gets in to interview the IInspiration, who allow him to leave and then talk about how awesome they are. Posing ensues.

We look at Myron Reed beating Mansoor.

Workhorsemen vs. Rascalz

Reed is the odd Rascal out here, making the video about him before the match make a bit less sense. Xavier and Henry grapple around to start, which goes to a standoff. Drake comes in and blocks a double suplex so the Rascalz kick the legs out instead. Henry comes in to kick Wentz in the head and we settle back down to Xavier in trouble in the corner.

Drake’s headbutt gets two but Xavier fights up and gets over to the corner, allowing the tag to Wentz. The pace picks up as Wentz gets to strike away, including a big kick to Henry. Everything breaks down and the push moonsault hits Henry’s raised knees. The Rascalz kick Henry back down though and now the push moonsault finishes him off at 10:37.

Rating: B-. As usual, the Rascalz can do the flying around stuff rather well but they continue to feel like a copy of various other teams on the AEW roster at the moment. I could go for seeing more of them, but there’s only so much to be gained from being the Workhorsemen, as everyone does that. Still though, not too bad here, which isn’t exactly shocking.

Action Andretti and AR Fox agree to run it back but Andretti says it will go differently next time.

Nick Wayne vs. Alex Reynolds

Non-title Proving Ground match. Wayne kicks the handshake away and knocks Reynolds into the corner. Reynolds flips his way out of the corner and knocks Wayne out to the floor. Back in and a high crossbody puts Wayne down again but he goes after Reynolds’ arm to take over. They trade shots to the face until Reynolds grabs a neckbreaker for two more. A clothesline and fisherman’s buster give Reynolds two, followed by a string of rollups for the same. Wayne is right back up for a kick to the head and the pin at 6:16.

Rating: C+. I’m really not sure I get the appeal of Wayne. He had a bunch of potential and still has a good bit of it, but he’s feeling like an afterthought despite being a champion. Case in point this match, as he’s not defending the title against a member of a low level stable. It doesn’t feel important in the slightest, at least partially due to how many champions there are around here.

Post match Wayne, with Mother Wayne, talks about being the future around here because he’ll still be here in twenty years.

Eddie Kingston/Ortiz vs. Bustah And The Brain

Kingston tells Price to shoulder him to start but Oliver is in for a double dropkick. A double suplex drops Oliver though and it’s time to talk about the Backseat Boyz. Ortiz gets dropkicked down but Kingston comes right back in for a camel clutch to Price. With that broken up, Kingston chops him down and chokes away but Price fights out of the corner. That means a quick tag off to Oliver as everything breaks down.

An exchange of strikes to the face leaves everyone down and it’s Ortiz getting struck into the corner. That doesn’t last long though and a Doomsday faceplant drops Oliver. They load it up again but Price runs in with a hurricanrana for the save. Ortiz avoids a frog splash though and it’s a quick rollup to pin Price at 8:30.

Rating: C+. As usual, I like Bustah And The Brain but the two of them aren’t going to get very far if they keep losing like this. Kingston and Ortiz aren’t exactly a thrilling team either and the match wound up being about what you would expect. I’m not sure why this was the main event as it’s not exactly a major match but I guess Kingston being in the last match was the big idea.

Respect is shown to end the show.

Overall Rating: C. Yeah fine. That’s about all there is to say about this show, as it’s a bunch of matches between people who don’t have much going on, but this one just happened to go two hours and fifteen minutes (couldn’t fit a title match in there though). It’s a great example of a show that is long for the sake of being long with pretty much nothing that felt important in the slightest. In other words, I guess we’re still waiting to start most of the build towards Supercard Of Honor, because it makes more sense to have shows go on and on without changing much of anything.

Results
Roppongi Vice b. TMDK – Strong Zero to Nicholls
Lio Rush b. Nathan Cruz – Final Hour
Josh Woods b. Matt Menard – Leglock
Komander b. Soleil – Cielito Lindo
Von Erichs/Bang Bang Gang b. Shane Taylor Promotions – Fold to Dean
AR Fox b. Action Andretti – 450
IInspiration b. Viva Van/Frankie B – Idolizer to Frankie
Rascalz b. Workhorsemen – Push moonsault to Henry
Nick Wayne b. Alex Reynolds – Kick to the head
Eddie Kingston/Ortiz b. Bustah And The Brain – Rollup to Price

 

 

Remember to follow me on Twitter and Bluesky @kbreviews and head over to my Amazon author page with 30 different cheap wrestling books at:

http://www.amazon.com/Thomas-Hall/e/B00E6282W6

Impact Wrestling
Date: April 9, 2026
Location: Alario Center, Westwego, Louisiana
Commentators: Tom Hannifan, Matthew Rehwoldt

It’s the last show before Rebellion and since we’re on a pretty compact schedule, it’s time for the contract signing for the show’s World Title match. That would mean Mike Santana and Eddie Edwards, who can hopefully have a bit of a more emotional standoff than last week. Other than that, it’s the Hardys vs. the Righteous in a tables match so let’s get to it.

Here are last week’s results if you need a recap.

Here are Santino Marella and Daria Rae in the ring for the contract signing. Rae handles the introduction for Eddie Edwards and Mike Santana, much to Marella’s annoyance. Edwards isn’t impressed with Santana and talks about how they’ve had similar paths around here. They both started as tag wrestlers who were fighting for every scrap they could find. Both of them wound up becoming two time TNA World Champion but that’s the end of the similarities.

Edwards stayed while Santana left when things were going badly. He carried this company on his back while Santana found out that the grass isn’t always greener in the Inner Circle. Edwards signs and we get a SANTANA chant. Santana takes his glasses off so Edwards can look him in the eyes for this. It’s true that Edwards stayed while Santana left so he could test himself against the best in the world. Then he came back to prove what he can do around here.

Two years ago he took a sledgehammer and cracked the foundation, including Edwards. At Rebellion, Edwards is losing to a man who bets on himself every single night. Santana is doing this for the fans and signs, but Edwards says the fans won’t be there to help him at Rebellion. The fight is teased and Edwards brings up Santana’s family.

Santana says that Edwards lost part of his family when his wife teamed up with Moose. Cue Cedric Alexander for the brawl but Leon Slater runs in for the save. House is quickly cleaned and Slater hits his big flip dive over the post. Santana is trying so hard here but this doesn’t feel like a big time World Title match.

AJ Francis insults the Cleveland Browns on the way to Rebellion, which is in Cleveland. He doesn’t like Nic Nemeth either, as he’s from Cleveland (close enough), which is why he took something away from him. Now it’s time to take out Ryan Nemeth at Rebellion.

Dani Luna vs. Jada Stone

Tasha Steelz is on commentary. Luna works on the arm to start but gets taken down with a headscissors. Stone sends her outside for a big dive but Steelz offers a distraction. Luna apron bombs Stone and we take a break. We come back with Luna forearming her in the back of the head but missing a big boot.

That lets Stone hit a quick dropkick and a hurricanrana out of the corner takes Luna down again. A slingshot Fameasser sets up a split legged moonsault to give Stone two but Luna is back up with another hard shot. Stone backflips into an anklescissors, setting up a nasty looking corkscrew moonsault (landing on Luna’s head) for the pin at 10:47.

Rating: C+. That’s a good result as Luna is still one of the bigger forces in the Knockouts division. Stone is someone who could turn into something and TNA seems to be treating her as a project. The Knockouts division could use some fresh blood so putting Stone in that spot isn’t a bad idea at all.

Post match Steelz lays Stone out.

Elijah walks through a cemetery and talks about how you just walk. A boy comes up, saying he and his dad were big fans. He asks Elijah to come to his dad’s grave and pray with him. That’s fine with Elijah but it’s a ruse so Frankie Kazarian can jump Elijah from behind. Kazarian gives the kid $20, but it was supposed to be $100. Kazarian: “Yeah I lied. Life sucks. Get used to it.” He throws in a Bible verse about revenge and leaves Elijah laying to end one of the more bizarre segments I’ve seen from TNA in awhile.

Here is Taryn Terrell for a chat. She’s glad to be in her hometown but she never got to say goodbye because her career was wrapped up early. Over the last few weeks, she’s seen what the Elegance Brand has been saying to various legends, which brings out the Brand to interrupt. M mocks Terrell, who wants nothing to do with the Brand. We see ODB and Mickie James down in the back so Terrell is on her own, with the group beatdown ensuing. Mr. Elegance even gives her a slam and Nip & Tuck leaves her laying.

Santino Marella yells at Arianna grace and Stacks, the latter of whom tells him that there is no one to protect him. Marella punches Stacks, who runs into the women’s locker room. Indi Hartwell pops up to make sure it’s clear and Marella goes in for the off screen brawl. Hartwell and Marella come back out, with Hartwell having retrieved the Cobra. Which is still just a sock.

Frankie Kazarian vs. BDE

Ryan Nemeth is on commentary and says he’s been carrying Nic for his whole life. Kazarian takes him down to start and hits the springboard spinning legdrop. A slingshot backbreaker has BDE in more trouble but he manages a quick neckbreaker for two. The chickenwing is loaded up but BDE slips out and hits a running knee. BDE’s springboard is countered into a Backstabber and the chickenwing finishes for Kazarian at 3:43.

Rating: C. They only had so much time here and it’s not like a recent World Champion like Kazarian is going to lose to BDE without some major shenanigans. There was a possibility that Elijah could interfere to cost Kazarian the match but BDE’s first singles win should be a better moment than that. Not much to see here, but Kazarian getting a win is a smart enough idea.

Post match Nemeth goes after BDE but the lights go out. Elijah shows up to chase Kazarian off.

Elayna Black vs. Myla Grace

Harley Hudson is here with Grace, who takes Black into the corner to start. A takedown has Black in more trouble but she’s right back up with a stomp to the back. Grace suplexes her down for two and goes up, where Black catches her with a running knee. The Blackout finishes for Black at 3:23.

Rating: C. Black’s time in TNA has been…not the most thrilling. She’s not bad, but there is just nothing to her that makes her stand out. Granted it didn’t help when her debut was so nothing and she hasn’t gotten much of a chance to do anything. There’s something to her, but she needs something to make her stand out.

Daria Rae tells Santino Marella that he is suspended indefinitely for his actions earlier. Indi Hartwell comes in to say that’s not how it went and gets suspended for “assaulting” Rae (she barely grazed her) as well. Rae is just so nothing in this role.

Here is Ricky Sosa for a chat. He’s here to show the world what the Young Savage is like but here is Eric Young to call him a wannabe. Sosa isn’t impressed and wants to fight but gets hit in the face. The brawl is on and Young leaves him laying.

Tessa Blanchard is still in the Undead Realm with James Mitchell, who tells her to enjoy her stay and then laughs a lot.

Mara Sade is with Rosemary in a cave, where Rosemary tells her to be on her guard. That’s fine with Sade, but Allie pop up. Yes she died (and we see a clip of it) but she’s kind of sick of being dead. Rosemary talks to the two of them and says they need to change a bit. They’re off to find new clothes and we cut to Victoria Crawford looking rather lost in the Undead Realm.

We cut back to Rosemary, who sees a bunch of ads from Shudder for some horror movies. Then Havok kidnaps Mila Moore and we cut to Mitchell singing My Way. Rosemary praises him but he thinks she’s up to something. Like a deep dive into the seven deadly sins. She needs some help from Mitchell….and they go to find Abyss. To Be Continued. This stuff is certainly unique, but my goodness how many years do you need to have been watching TNA to know what’s going on?

Here is Order 4, with Mustafa Ali calling out Trey Miguel. Cue Miguel, with Ali apologizing for what happened to Jada Stone. Ali mocks Miguel’s criminal history and says that he’s not a champion because he’s too good for TNA. Miguel says Ali isn’t a champion because he’s a scumbag or a coward.

Yes Miguel needed a second chance but maybe that’s why the fans accepted him. Ali is just so perfect but TNA treats him like family. That has Ali laughing, because Order 4 is the only family here since there are no Rascalz. Miguel mocks Order 4 and says Ali has nothing, including testicles. Ali is ready to fight one on one but Order 4 jumps Miguel. The beatdown is on so here is Moose for the save, including a big spear to Ali.

Rebellion rundown.

Tag Team Titles: Righteous vs. Hardys

The Hardys are defending in a tables match (both members have to go through tables). It’s a brawl on the floor to start with the Hardys taking over and setting up a table at ringside. Vincent gets caught in the ropes for a legdrop from Jeff before Dutch is sent into the steps. Matt’s top rope elbow misses Vincent and Matt crashes through the table (doesn’t count), leaving Jeff to get stomped down in the corner.

We take a break and come back with Dutch in trouble on the floor. Jeff whips out a broom to hit Vincent and it’s time to climb a ladder. Vincent breaks that up and DDTs Jeff on the floor before breaking up the ladder with a chair. Dutch is back up and puts Jeff on a table and goes up, only for Matt to cut him off. Matt knocks Dutch through a table but Vincent does the same to Matt to tie it up. Back in and Vincent misses a Swanton so Jeff does the same thing. The Twist Of Fate drops Vincent on the floor, setting up Jeff’s Swanton through the table to retain at 13:40.

Rating: B-. This was the expected violent brawl, though I did like that they avoided the other weapons for the most part. Vincent breaking the ladder was a bit of a sigh of relief as there was no need to go there. In theory this is it for the Hardys vs. the Righteous and if so, it’s quite the weak ending to a pretty long story.

Post match Dutch drives the Hardys through the table in the corner to end the show.

Overall Rating: C. All in all, this was not the strongest show and certainly not a great way to get me to want to watch Rebellion. Other than the good opening segment, a lot of this felt like it was just thrown out there to fill in time. Some of the midcard stuff got attention, but then there’s the big deal with the Undead Realm and all of the battling bosses stuff. It’s not a horrible show, but this was a pretty big misfire right before one of their biggest nights of the year.

Results
Jada Stone b. Dani Luna – Corkscrew
Frankie Kazarian b. BDE – Chickenwing
Elayna Black b. Myla Grace – Blackout
Hardys b. Righteous – Swanton to Vincent through a table

 

 

Remember to follow me on Twitter and Bluesky @kbreviews and head over to my Amazon author page with 30 different cheap wrestling books at:

http://www.amazon.com/Thomas-Hall/e/B00E6282W6

Before there was Shawn Michaels, there was someone else.

 

https://www.smarkdownsblog.com/macho-man-randy-savage-mr-wrestlemania-before-shawn-michaels

Dynamite
Date: April 8, 2026
Location: Rogers Place, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
Commentators: Tony Schiavone, Excalibur, Taz

It’s the last Dynamite before Dynasty and that means we’re going to be seeing one of the last pushes towards the pay per view. In this case we have a big six man tag, which should make for a rather entertaining match. We might be seeing some more matches added to the card, which still has some spots available. Let’s get to it.

Here is Collision if you need a recap.

Will Ospreay jumps Jon Moxley in the parking lot so here are the Death Riders to cut him off. Cue Alex Windsor and the United Empire (New Japan stable) for the big brawl. The fight heads into the arena, with Callum Newman (the new IWGP World Champion) hitting a dive. The Death Riders run off and Ospreay says this is him using his head. Ospreay issues the challenge for the big team match tonight.

Don Callis announces that Kyle Fletcher is injured so the TNT Title is vacated. There’s going to be a casino gauntlet match for the title at Dynasty, but he’s not done. People are asking to see Takeshita vs. Okada but he doesn’t give them what they want. The Family will be stronger than ever.

Darby Allin/Bandido/Jack Perry vs. Don Callis Family

It’s Konosuke Takeshita/Andrade El Idolo/Mark Davis for the Family. Bandido is replacing Brody King, who had a family issue. Allin starts with Andrade, who hands it off to Takeshita and walks out. Davis teases a piledriver but gets knocked outside for some dives. Allin calls Andrade back out, so here he is to suplex Allin in the aisle. Takeshita throws Allin into the corner but it’s off to Perry to take over, including a dive to the floor. Back in and Takeshita knocks Perry out of the air and Andrade sends him into the barricade. Andrade gets his weekly photo with the woman and we take a break.

We come back with Perry enziguring Davis, allowing Bandido to come in and start the comeback. A pop up hurricanrana gets two on Davis and Allin dives onto Andrade. Allin gets caught though and LAUNCHED over the announcers’ table for a huge crash. Bandido gets powerbombed onto the apron to take him out as well. Back in and Davis hits the piledriver on Perry, leaving the rather cocky Andrade to come in and hit the DM for the pin at 11:40.

Rating: B-. This was quite the wild match, with Allin’s huge toss over the announcers’ table being a heck of a visual. The Family basically won by diving and conquering, which was a fun strategy. It should mean that Andrade gets the next National Title shot, but can we pleased stop having the champion get pinned? It’s happened far too often in the title’s short history.

Post match the beatdown continues, with Andrade distracting Allin to kick him low. Even Callis gets to go after Perry’s eyes but the Young Bucks run in for the save. Kazuchika Okada comes in to save Davis from the TK Driver before going face to face with Takeshita. They slug it out until the Family breaks it up. Cue the Rascalz to hit some dives onto the Family as this was quite the populated segment.

The medical doctor says Kenny Omega has been cleared, no matter what MJF said.

TBS Title: Queen Aminata vs. Willow Nightingale

Nightingale is defending. Aminata snaps off a quick neckbreaker for an early two and they head outside to forearm it out. We see Hikaru Shida watching as Aminata misses a running boot over the barricade. Back in and Nightingale fires off the clotheslines in the corner but gets taken down for a PK.

We take a break and come back with Nightingale grabbing a backbreaker, followed by a middle rope dropkick. The Death Valley Driver gives Nightingale two and Aminata rolls outside, where a running flip dive from the apron takes her down. Back in and Aminata hits a running elbow for two, followed by some chops. Nightingale grabs a backslide for two before Pouncing Aminata out to the floor. The Babe With The Powerbomb finishes for Nightingale at 11:08.

Rating: B. Aminata hasn’t been around in a rather long time but she had a good return here. It certainly helped to be in the ring with Nightingale, who can work well with just about anyone. The match kind of came out of nowhere but it wound up being better than I was expecting, which is always a nice bonus.

We get a video on MJF’s impact on wrestling, which is quite praising of everything he has done.

Here is Chris Jericho for a chat. Jericho has a clipboard and talks about how glad he is to be back. He’s going to sign his new AEW contract, just 100 kilometers from where he wrestled the first match of his career. Yes he’s glad to be back, but he admits that everything he’s done here hasn’t been great.

There have been times when things haven’t gone as they were supposed to but all he cares about is trying to build AEW. Jericho is about to sign the contract but here is the Demand to interrupt. Ricochet insults all of Canada, though he’s here to talk to Jericho (as you might have guessed). His advice to Jericho is to just don’t sign and come back. Why would he want to come back after a year?

The reality is that Ricochet is the man right now and no one wants Jericho here right now. Jericho: “Wow. You really are bald.” He doesn’t care what Ricochet thinks and signs the contract. Oh and there’s a bonus: he can pick whomever he wants to face at Dynasty, so he’ll face Ricochet. He hasn’t done this in about ten years, but he takes the back of the clipboard off to reveal his own logo. Ricochet being bald means HE JUST MADE THE LIST!

Don Callis announces the Young Bucks vs. Okada/Takeshita, neither of whom are happy with this. Takeshita wants to challenge Okada for the International Title, which is fine with Callis. He even makes them shake hands, but they argue over which one is Pippen and which is Jordan.

Tommaso Ciampa vs. Mascara Dorada

For the #1 spot in the Casino Gauntlet match at Dynasty. Ciampa works on the arm to start but has to escape a quick crossface attempt. Back up and Dorada flips around a lot, setting up a nice wristdrag. Ciampa avoids a flip to the floor and hits a heck of a running knee. Dorada gets back inside for a headscissors out of the corner and we take a break.

We come back with Dorada coming off the top with another wristdrag to send Ciampa outside. A big moonsault off the post hits Ciampa, followed by a middle rope 450 for two. Dorada’s handspring is cut off with a dropkick but Dorada catches him with something like a 619 on top. Something like a standing Iconoclasm gets two but Dorada misses a charge and gets caught in Willow’s Bell. The running knee finishes Dorada at 11:01.

Rating: B. When Ciampa signed, he felt like just another guy but he has wound up being one of the best additions to the roster in a good while. He’s had one good match after another and it wouldn’t be a bad idea to give him the title back on Sunday. Dorada is quite the star in his own right but Ciampa felt like the better one here, which has me encouraged about where he’s going.

The Dogs have attacked Orange Cassidy and Roderick Strong and now they’re coming for the Trios Titles.

Thekla is so sick of hearing about Jamie Hayter being a former Women’s Champion that she threatens….to take Lexi Nair to a strip club, give her a nice dinner, and drag her onto the stage and break every bone in her body. Oh and general threats to Hayter. I have no idea what Thekla was going on about here but it certainly had my attention.

Here are Adam Copeland and Christian Cage. Copeland talks about how FTR’s jealousy of being in his shadow but that’s not his fault. He’s not shrinking to their size and they’re not big enough to get into his. Cage talks about how FTR has ticked off all of Canada and as everyone’s favorite father figure, they have been very naughty. He has visited both of their mothers and, just so there’s no confusion, “I mean, I banged them both” (Copeland needs a minute on that one). Oh and Stokely shouldn’t feel left out, because Cage will be visiting Stokely’s mother very soon, but as half of the Tag Team Champions.

Cue FTR and Stokely for a distraction, allowing Roppongi Vice of all people to sneak in and beat Copeland and Cage down. That left FTR come in to beat the Canadians down, with Stokely even spearing Copeland. Cage’s arm gets Pillmanized as well to leave him in big trouble. It’s not a great ending for them, but Cage was hilarious here.

Darby Allin talks about how he really wants to be champion and he’s coming for the winner of the title match at Dynasty.

United Empire vs. Death Riders

Anything goes as this is CHAOS IN CANADA. The Empire jumps the Riders in the crowd to start fast and they head back to ringside. Cue Alex Windsor to go after Marina Shafir as Francisco Akira and Henare pull out a ladder to go after Castagnoli. Newman hits a huge dive onto a pile of Riders and we take a break.

We come back with the Empire setting up a table at ringside (to go with another on the other side) but Castagnoli cuts Newman off. Akira gets taken inside for a string of running shots in the corner and Newman receives the same treatment. Henare is back in to take the Riders down again but Castagnoli muscles him up on the floor, where he walks Henare around to suplex him through a table.

We take another break and come back with Castagnoli forearming away at a downed Ospreay. Henare comes back in and we hit the parade of knockdowns. Garcia gets Ospreay into a Dragontamer, with Moxley adding a Stomp to knock Ospreay silly. Akira breaks up the cover and strikes away at Moxley, which doesn’t go so well. Newman comes in to strike it out with Moxley until Ospreay is back in for a double cutter and a double near fall

Castagnoli swings Ospreay, only to get taken down by Henare’s clothesline. Henare finally spears Castagnoli through the table at ringside and Garcia is put onto (not through) another table. A top rope double stomp puts Pac through a table at ringside and Callum’s splash still won’t put Garcia through another table. Back in and Moxley gives Ospreay the Paradigm Shift and then does it two more times. Newman makes a save with a clothesline and Ospreay Hidden Blades Moxley through the table in the corner for the pin at 20:49.

Rating: B. I’m not sure what to think of this one. It was a wild brawl and felt like a bigger deal than most of the matches of this kind…but that’s kind of the problem. This is something AEW does fairly often and they threw it together on about two hours’ notice. You have all of these guest stars, including the IWGP World Champion, and he’s in an eight man tag with no rules. It felt like this was thrown together without much planning, which left it more like “yeah go do something and we’ll call it a main event”. Still good, but it felt like it should have been something more.

Video on Kenny Omega’s history in wrestling, basically his version of the MJF video from earlier.

Here is Omega (in a suit) for a chat. He talks about how he used to drive here about twenty five years ago because he wanted to be part of this place’s independent scene. That brings him to MJF, who thought he was surprising people by bringing up his diverticulitis. Omega points out that commentary mentions it EVERY SINGLE WEEK so it wasn’t exactly shocking

MJF is best known for his talking about everything he can do. Well everything MJF can do, Omega can do better and everything MJF can’t do is what Omega does every day (that’s a great line). He thought the idea here was to have the title on the best wrestler, as in someone who can actually wrestle. These fans deserve a better champion and while he might not be the same Omega he was before, but now it’s about working harder. At Dynasty, he’s taking the title and starting to right MJF’s wrongs.

This brings out MJF, who thinks Omega and the fans are scared. Is this going to be Omega’s last match? It will be his last shot, because his health isn’t holding up and MJF is ready to show that Omega isn’t on his level. Omega says this is their last chance to act civil together and offers one final handshake before Dynasty.

MJF swings instead and gets kneed in the face, with Omega calling him predictable and stealing the ring. Omega hits his catchphrase and drops the ring to end the show (a whopping 25 minutes after the scheduled ending). This was really long after it started late in the first place, but Omega’s promo was great.

Overall Rating: B+. This was the big final push towards Dynasty and that worked pretty well, even if Dynasty doesn’t feel like the biggest show. I liked Omega’s promo a lot and Ciampa is always worth a look. It would be nice to keep the card a bit smaller than usual, though there is always the chance that more matches will be added on Collision. Good show here though, and that’s what they needed for Dynasty.

Results
Don Callis Family b. Darby Allin/Bandido/Jack Perry – DM to Perry
Willow Nightingale b. Queen Aminata – The Babe With The Powerbomb
Tommaso Ciampa b. Mascara Dorada – Running knee
United Empire b. Death Riders – Hidden Blade to Moxley through a table

 

 

Remember to follow me on Twitter and Bluesky @kbreviews and head over to my Amazon author page with 30 different cheap wrestling books at:

http://www.amazon.com/Thomas-Hall/e/B00E6282W6

Evolve
Date: April 8, 2026
Location: WWE Performance Center, Orlando, Florida
Commentators: Peter Rosenberg, Blake Howard

It’s time for more fresh blood and as we have the new female ID prospects debuting this week. That should open up some new doors, just like the men’s versions did last week. Hopefully they can get off to a good start, as it can go a long way in making them into bigger stars right off the bat. In addition, Chazz Hall gets his Evolve Title shot. Let’s get to it.

Here are last week’s results if you need a recap.

Chazz Hall is ready to become a big star, starting tonight. See you at Wrestlemania. Hold on though as we go to the back where Kam Hendrix and Harley Riggins have attacked Tate Wilder and Luca Crusifino.

Opening sequence.

Tristan Angels vs. Romeo Moreno

Angels declares himself Mr. England and says he’s rather handsome. On the other hand, Moreno describes himself as an artist, with Evolve as his canvas. Angels grabs an armbar to start but has to elbow his way out of a waistlock. Moreno picks him up and marches him around, followed by a running backdrop of all things. Back up and Angels stomps him out of the corner, followed by a hard throat first whip into the ropes. Moreno tries to climb those ropes but gets dropped down onto them again and we take a break.

We come back with Moreno getting in a knockdown to start the clothesline comeback. Angels is sent outside for a running springboard dive. Back up and Angels goes after the ribs again, setting up a half crab to keep Moreno down. That doesn’t last long either though as Moreno gets up and hits a suplex before they both head to the apron. Moreno’s running kick is blocked and Angels sends him into the steps. Back in and a running driving knee to the back of the head finishes Moreno at 8:23.

Rating: B-. Moreno stood out here as he has a different style and did some things that felt different. That’s what you need out there, though he might want to put on some weight to enhance his look a bit. At the same time you have Angels, who has a nice look but didn’t stand out quite as much. Still though, nice match, but you’re only going to be able to tell so much in about eight minutes.

Earlier today, It’s Gal praised Santi Rivera and Jacari Ball’s physiques and offered to go train with them. They’re actually in.

It’s time to meet the four new ID signees to the women’s division, with the winner of their upcoming fatal four way going to the gauntlet eliminator for the Women’s Title.

Gianna Capri (formerly known as Valentina Rossi) talks about her years of hard work to get here. She’s wrestled in Shine and in Japan, which has given her the extra sauce.

Sloane Jacobs (Notorious Mimi, who wrestled in NXT back around 2022) is ready to put the other three under her.

Veronica Haven thanks everyone who helped get her here because she’s ready to prove herself.

Anya Rune (described as an anime girl, she has green hair and calls herself the Main Character) is ready to be noticed.

Before their match, PJ Vasa comes in to say the winner is her next victim.

Timothy Thatcher talks about how things have been going around here and puts Tyra Mae Steele in the gauntlet match. He’ll need to make a phone call to get the final participant. In other news, Tate Wilder and Luca Crusifino are out of action due to the attack earlier in the night. Kam Hendrix and Harley Riggins should be suspended, but Wilder and Crusifino probably want their match. They can have it when they heal up. Now GET TO WORK. Thatcher as the slightly disorganized boss is working very well.

Gianna Capri vs. Sloane Jacobs vs. Veronica Haven vs. Anya Rune

They talk trash to start and Capri/Jacobs’ kicks to the ribs are both reversed into suplexes. Hayden’s high crossbody hits Capri and Jacobs for two each. Back up and Capri kicks Hayden off the top, leaving Rune to fire off kicks at Capri and Jacobs. Capri pounds her down for two before Jacobs sends Rune face first into the buckle over and over. Capri’s splits splash gets two on Rune but Jacobs breaks up the cover and isn’t happy. Rune is back up to take over but Hayden rolls up Rune and Jacobs for two each. Jacobs Snake Eyes Hayden and takes out the knee, setting up a Muta Lock for the tap at 5:00.

Rating: C+. Much like last week’s men’s triple threat, you can only get so much out of this kind of a match as it isn’t the kind of a match that lets anyone stand out. Jacobs might have stood out a bit, but it’s not like this was some game changer win. I could go for seeing any of them again, which is the point of having them in Evolve.

Post match Jacobs celebrates but here is Kali Armstrong to clear most of the ring. Armstrong goes after Jacobs and then takes out Laynie Luck for trying to make a save.

Earlier today, Lince Dorado was training Mike Cunningham when they stopped to look at It’s Gal, Jacari Ball and Santi Rivera lifting. Dorado and Cunningham tell Gal to be more professional so Gal puts Ball and Rivera in a tag match against Dorado and Cunningham. Works for them.

Aaron Rourke is putting his makeup on when Kam Hendrix and Harley Riggins come up to call him a pretty boy. Rourke is ready to fight anyone and since they aren’t going to make a move, he’s off to defend his title.

Video on Dorian Van Duks.

Evolve Title: Chazz Hall vs. Aaron Rourke

Rourke is defending and backs him into the corner to start. The lockup actually goes to the mat until Rourke grabs the arm. Hall’s wristlock is broken up and they flip over to a standoff. They both miss dropkicks until Rourke gets a pair of near falls off some rollups. A basement dropkick puts Hall down but he’s right back up with a rather spinny springboard wristdrag. Hall sends him to the floor, where Rourke gets yelled at by Brooks Jensen. Hall’s dive takes Rourke out but here is Cappuccino Jones to take Jensen out.

We take a break and come back with Rourke hitting a pump kick for two. Some handstand knees hit Hall again and Rourke grabs a lifting full nelson. That’s broken up so Rourke kicks him in the head, followed by a Vader Bomb elbow for two. Hall fights up and slugs away, setting up a missile dropkick. A tornado DDT gives Hall two more but Rourke grabs a quick Stratusphere. Rourke misses a leg lariat but comes back with a very spinning Blue Thunder Bomb for two.

Hall is able to get up with a spinning kick to send Rourke outside, setting up a Sasuke Special. Back in and Hall grabs Sliced Bread, followed by a standing corkscrew moonsault. For some reason Hall doesn’t cover, allowing Rourke to catch him on top. Rourke flips out of a sunset bomb and hits some running knees, setting up Over The Rainbow to retain the title at 10:40.

Rating: B. The more I see of Rourke, the more impressed I am. He has something about him that makes me want to see him succeed and he feels like he belongs in this spot. That’s quite the feat and it’s working here. Hall is good at the athletic stuff and his size issues don’t seem to hurt him that much. I’m not sure how far he goes, but he’s off to a nice start.

Post match, respect is shown.

Kam Hendrix and Harley Riggins are watching in the back. Harlem Lewis comes in to say Rourke is ducking him.

Overall Rating: B. This was a good show and continued the theme from the last two weeks as they build towards the future. Evolve is like a faster version of the old NXT, as it’s about moving people up and keeping everything going. That makes for some interesting shows and I’m liking what we’re getting around here. Nice job again, and hopefully they can keep this stuff going.

Results
Tristan Angels b. Romeo Moreno – Driving knee to the back of the head
Sloane Jacobs b. Anya Rune, Veronica Haven and Gianna Capri – Muta Lock to Haven
Aaron Rourke b. Chazz Hall – Over The Rainbow

 

 

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