I needed a week to let everything marinate regarding this past WrestleMania weekend. In the last several years, it truly has become a weekend. In a way, it's become a five-day experience if you include Raw and Smackdown. I'll briefly review the Hall of Fame before getting into Takeover, followed by WrestleMania XXXIV. If you notice, I use Roman Numerals because I'm old school like that.
WWE HALL OF FAME CLASS of 2018
Ivory had some great stories and it was great to see one of the more influential women in wrestling get her moment in the sun. To be honest, I skipped over the entirety of Kid Rock's induction. To understand why, I've got a blog dedicated to that on here. Even though the Warrior Award has become something nice, I skipped that too. However, that JJ has a lot of personality and it was cool for him to receive that award. I have to say, it was awesome to see Jeff Jarrett have his moment and the Road Dogg was the perfect person to induct him. He seems like a different person. He was very humbled and appreciative of everything. Having it end by singing "With My Baby Tonight" was fantastic.
Mark Henry's induction was something else! This was very deserving and it was truly a proud moment for him. Of course, the man that headlined this class was the one and only Goldberg. He had a great career and it was nice for it to come full circle for him, considering his not-so-great run in 2003-2004. I couldn't help but notice that there was a lot of mention of Hulk Hogan. Goldberg, Hillbilly Jim, and D-Von Dudley all mentioned him. Little by little, Hogan's influence is returning. There are reports about Bam Bam Bigelow getting inducted next year with WrestleMania being in his home state of New Jersey. There were several mentions of Owen Hart this year and Mark Henry even pleaded with Martha Hart to allow Owen to become part of the Hall of Fame. Here's hoping for next year!
NXT TAKEOVER: NEW ORLEANS
Wow! What can I say about Takeover? This was a fantastic show from top to bottom. I can't find a single complaint about it! While I really did enjoy this show, I know it's not realistic to compare it to WrestleMania, or say it's better or not. What I will say is that this Takeover did not disappoint. From the opening match, to the unexpected heel turn, to the happy ending, it was a great show all around.
NXT North American Championship Six-Man Ladder Match - EC3 vs. The Velveteen Dream vs. Adam Cole vs. Lars Sullivan vs. Killian Dane vs. Ricochet
Women's Title - Ember Moon vs. Shayna Baszler
At Takeover: Philadelphia, the Queen of Spades couldn't get the job done against the Champion but she certainly made her mark. Baszler injured and worked on Moon's arm, even after that match when it took Moon's entire weight and momentum to pin her. Baszler kept up the attack, much like she had with Kairi Sane and Dakota Kai in the months leading up to the match. This time, the former MMA fighter was too much to handle, as she became the new NXT Women's Champion. As we know by now, Ember Moon made her debut two nights later on Raw. Now I'm wondering who will be the next challenger to the NXT Women's Championship.
Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic Trophy & NXT Tag Team Championship Triple Threat Match - Undisputed Era vs. Authors of Pain vs. Roderick Strong and Pete Dunne
NXT Championship - Andrade "Cien" Alnas vs, Aleister Black
It's somewhat unusual when the main Championship of a brand is not the main event. Such was the case here, as the last match on the card was a blood feud, a lot more personal than this match. In any event, this match delivered. Both men are tremendous talents. Aleister Black's talents speak for themselves and Almas' stock has risen immensely since he paired up with Zelina Vega. At the end of the day, El Idolo was no match for the Dutch Destroyer and his Championship reign faded to Black!
Johnny Gargano vs. Tommaso Ciampa
Johnny Gargano vs. Tommaso Ciampa
As usual, NXT Takeover produced a fantastic event. Starting off with an incredible six-man ladder match for a new Championship was a great idea. Though I usually like to have a main Championship as the main event, I was more than okay with that spot going to the Gargano/Ciampa match. I would have liked it to include a match between Candice LaRea vs. Zelina Vega based on their previous encounters to be done either on the show or as a Kick-Off match but that will come in time. The turn by Roderick Strong was unexpected and executed perfectly. It's rumored that this will lead to Pete Dunne forming the infamous British Strong Style faction to deal with the Undisputed Era. I think it was the right move to get the Title onto Aleister Black to see what he can do with it. I'd imagine Almas will get his rematch in Chicago or Brooklyn this year and move to the main roster by the year's end. Johnny Wrestling's defeat of Tommaso Ciampa was the feel good moment of the year so far in NXT. Now we move to the show of shows, WrestleMania!
WRESTLEMANIA XXXIV
This was a very interesting WrestleMania to say the least. A lot of unexpected things took place here. I had mixed feelings about the show as I thought all the matches were good to great but I questioned some of the off-the-wall booking. Overall, it's still WrestleMania! Once the event itself was in the books, we had Raw and Smackdown to look forward to, which included some returns and NXT call-ups. This week we have the Shake-up, which is sure to be entertaining.
KICK-OFF SHOW
Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal
This is the fifth installment of this match and every single time the winner never amounted to much more. Going in, I found it to be a big waste of time. I also had heard rumors of them making a bigger deal of it this year, considering the Andre the Giant HBO documentary came out just days later. I really didn't care beforehand who won the match but I have to admit, I was pleasantly surprised by the outcome. I was curious as to why Bray Wyatt was not in the thing until there were just a few men left in the ring. The final three were former winners Baron Corbin and Mojo Rawley, along with Matt Hardy. Suddenly, the lights went out and when they came back on, the Broken One's rival Bray Wyatt appeared. Together, the two attacked Corbin and Rawley, eliminating them, causing Hardy to win. They both embraced and exclaimed; "Wonderful!"
Cruiserweight Championship Tournament Finals - Cedric Alexander vs. Mustafa Ali
I'm glad that this match was placed between the two Battle Royals. This was sure to be an exciting match, with two of the best Cruiserweights in the business. It's been a long, tough road for Cedric to get to this moment and Ali has really upped his game since the Cruiserweight Classic took place, with his recent incredible promos. As expected, I really enjoyed this match. While I would have been happy with either outcome, it truly made me smile when Cedric got the job done.
Women's WrestleMania Battle Royal
After the outrage of the initial naming of this match due to the controversy regarding the Fabulous Moolah, everything was all set. I'm disappointed that Sasha Banks and Bayley were in this and didn't get their own match. However, with their involvement, it was likely to end with one or the other winning. While no women of the past came back for this Battle Royal, it did involve several members of the female NXT roster, including Kairi Sane, Dakota Kai, Bianca Belair, and one half of the Iconic Duo, Peyton Royce. My predicted winner was actually Royce and Billie Kay together. Two nights later on Smackdown, they made their main roster debut by attacking Charlotte, only for Carmella to successfully cash in her "Money In the Bank." In a surprising, yet positive outcome, Naomi ended up winning the whole thing. With her Smackdown Women's Title win at last year's WrestleMania, this superstar has sure made things glow! Too bad the trophy looks like a woman's reproductive organs!
MAIN CARD
Intercontinental Title Triple Threat Match - The Miz vs. Finn Balor vs. Seth Rollins
This was a great way to start the show! Going in, almost any scenario was possible. My prediction was that the Miz would retain but I would have been happy with any outcome. The only disappointment I had was that Balor did not show up as the Demon. It's WrestleMania, for crying out loud! Moving on, the match was really good. It was fast paced and exciting. In the end, we saw Seth Rollins with the victory, gaining the one Title he needed to become a Grand Slam Champion.
Smackdown Women's Title - Charlotte Flair vs. Asuka
It was surprising that a match of this caliber happened so early on the card. After some great entrances, especially Charlotte's, we got right into the action. I think many wrestling fans had this preconceived theory that Asuka was going to walk out the new Women's Champion, being that she won the Royal Rumble and she had an undefeated streak. I certainly chose Asuka as the winner! Then the unthinkable happened! Charlotte locked in the Figure 8 and soon after, Asuka tapped out! I was in complete shock! In that moment, I was not too happy, even after what was probably the match of the night. I thought she should have won the Title and kept it and her undefeated streak for another year until a bout with Ronda Rousey at next year's WrestleMania. Looking back, especially with what took place on Smackdown two nights later, I get why they did this. Also, if Asuka was going to lose to someone, there's no one greater or more deserving than Charlotte Flair!
US Title Fatal Fourway Match - Randy Orton vs. Bobby Roode vs. Jinder Mahal vs. Rusev
At Fastlane, Randy Orton defeated Bobby Roode to win the US Championship. At first, many assumed the rematch would take place at WrestleMania. However, with Jinder Mahal butting into this feud, it became a Triple Threat. With Rusev's popularity as of late, he was added to the match. The moment that happened, I immediately picked Rusev as the winner and new US Champion, with a huge celebration of Rusev Day! The match itself was pretty good and I could have seen anyone walk out the winner. Before Rusev was added, I was sure Jinder Mahal was taking the gold. That's what happened anyway, as Jinder was not to be hindered. Although some might not be happy with this, at least it's the US Title and not the WWE Title, which he unfortunately held for six months last year.
Triple H & Stephanie McMahon vs. Kurt Angle & Ronda Rousey
It was finally time for the in-ring debut of Ronda Rousey. Since her arrival at the Royal Rumble this year, she has been the focal point of WWE programming. Her interactions in the ring left some worrying if she could pull it off. Some even pointed out that she smiled too much. At the end of the day, she was simply excited and couldn't help herself. It was going to take time for her to grow both in the ring and on the microphone. She came out in full Rowdy Roddy Piper garb and it was awesome. Although, I have to give credit where credit is due, as the motorcycle entrance for Triple H & Stephanie McMahon was really cool. Though many thought the Game and Angle were going to keep the match's integrity going, Rousey shocked us all with great ring technique for a beginner. I was so proud of her and came to the full realization that Ronda will be just fine. She's a star! She really came through and this was probably my second favorite match of the night. It ended with Stephanie tapping out to an arm bar.
Smackdown Tag Team Titles Triple Threat Match: The Usos vs. The New Day vs. Bludgeon Brothers
At Fastlane, during the Usos' Title defense against The New Day, the Bludgeon Brothers appeared and destroyed both teams. As a result, a Triple Threat Match for the Tag Team Titles was created, featuring all three teams. The former Wyatt Family members Luke Harper and Erick Rowan somehow became an even more brutal and intimidating presence as the Bludgeon Brothers. Along with many people, I thought it was going to be their night. We were all right, as they captured the Tag Team Championships. Their brutality and surprising agility mixed well with the always entertaining combination of the Usos and The New Day. In the end, the Bludgeon Brothers escaped with the Championships from the confines of the Uso Penitentiary.
Undertaker vs. John Cena
I can barely rate this match, to be honest! First of all, there was zero buildup, as this match was never confirmed, even though it was likely to take place. This is a match that should have happened years ago when the Streak was still in tact. For me, once the Streak ended, I stopped caring about the Undertaker's matches at WrestleMania. Throughout the night, John Cena was shown as a member of the crowd, enjoying the spectacle of WrestleMania and interacting with the fans, in quite an entertaining manner. After speaking with a WWE staff member, Cena was seen hopping the barricade, running up the ramp. Later, Cena came out and after speaking for a while, the Undertaker actually showed up. An impromptu match between the two then took place and the Undertaker handily defeated Cena in less than three minutes. It was certainly a disappointment and it was a complete waste of time. On the bright side, at least Taker won!
Daniel Bryan & Shane McMahon vs. Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn
The grudge between Owens/Zayn and Smackdown Commissioner Shane McMahon had been going on since the Summer of 2017 but now it was almost overshadowed by the in-ring return of Smackdown General Manager Daniel Bryan. After being attacked by the Canadian duo after firing them, Bryan said he and Shane would take them on at WrestleMania. I thought for sure that either Bryan would turn on Shane or Shane would turn on Bryan. To my surprise, they came together and defeated Owens and Zayn. Now everyone wondered what would happen to those two, due to the stipulation that if they lost, they would remain fired from Smackdown. Now it's going to be exciting to see how Daniel Bryan gets back into the mix. I should have figured the happy ending would take place here, with it being Bryan's first match back. Bryan vacating his GM spot left the door open for a newly in-ring retired Paige.
Raw Women's Title - Alexa Bliss vs. Nia Jax
This feud had been slowly building up for quite some time and finally started to explode when Nia found out about all of the things Alexa said behind her back. There was even a tad of bullying and body shaming within this feud, with Alexa talking with new best pal Mickie James about Nia's weight and size. If ever there was a match that was thought to have gone under three minutes, this would be it! Surprisingly, it went over ten minutes! As predicted, however, Nia Jax defeated Alexa Bliss to become the new Raw Women's Champion.
WWE Title - AJ Styles vs. Shinsuke Nakamura
This, in my opinion, should have been the main event! As a traditionalist, since Nakamura won the Royal Rumble, he should have headlined with the Champion Styles in the main event. This was a match that was sure to be a good one, with either man winning sending the fans home happy. Even though I would have been okay with AJ winning, I was still pulling for Shinsuke to win the Championship. The match didn't quite live up to the hype but I think it's more than because of the in-ring action. I would call the match good, but not great. However, WrestleMania is such a long and tedious event that by the time this match took place, I think the fans both in the arena and at home were just exhausted. To the shock of many, AJ defeated Nakamura to retain the WWE Title. What shocked people even more was the aftermath, as Nakamura turned heel by nailing AJ with a low blow and then attacked him. Though I was skeptical of how a heel Nakamura would be presented, his antics on Smackdown changed my mind.
Raw Tag Team Titles - The Bar vs. Braun Strowman & Nicholas
There was such speculation as to who the Monster Among Men would choose as his partner to challenge Sheamus and Cesaro for the Titles. My personal pick was the Big Show but fans had other possibilities picked out, such as Bobby Lashley, Rey Misterio, Big Cass, and Samoa Joe. Braun then said he wanted to wait because he was going to pick a fan as his partner. He searched the crowd high and low. I spotted No Way Jose in the crowd so there was hope that it would be an actual wrestler. Braun chose a ten-year-old child named Nicholas as his partner. Even though the crowd seemed to be okay with it, there was a collective groan within my group of friends watching. Though Braun pretty much destroyed The Bar by himself, he and Nicholas became the new Raw Tag Team Champions. I understand what they were trying to accomplish but please do that in a non-Title match. This was really lame to me and a complete let down.
Universal Title - Brock Lesnar vs. Roman Reigns
The main event was of course this match, which was the match I was looking forward to the least. It has nothing to do with Roman Reigns and how I may or may not feel about him either. I just wasn't interested at all! I simply did not care for the match, nor for the Championship that pretty much means nothing to me. For many, it was a forgone conclusion that Reigns was going to walk away the Champion. Then the unexpected happened! After several F-5's and German Suplexes, as well as being bloodied up by Lesnar, Reigns was defeated. Though the Reigns haters were happy, the Reigns supporters were not. I was so indifferent by the whole thing!
WrestleMania is still a great event, no matter what goes on. I think many will agree that there have been some pretty bad ones but I don't think this one could be in that discussion. It wasn't on my all-time greatest list either, though! As far as the match level, I'd give it an overall 8 out of 10. Some of the endings, however, were questionable to me. The best match itself from an in-ring standpoint was probably Charlotte/Asuka. The best overall match of the night for me was the one with Ronda Rousey, as she completed exceeded expectations and I hope it shut her haters up. There is nothing quite like the spectacle of WrestleMania!
If you have any further thoughts on this topic, let me know in comments. Heck, let us all know on The WAR Report podcast, every Tuesday at 7PM EST on YouTube, brought to you by tagmeadate.com, the first and only dating site for wrestling fans. Go to askthewarreport@gmail.com or #askthewarreport. For TagMeADate members, our Android and Apple apps are vastly approaching so stay tuned!
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KICK-OFF SHOW
Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal
This is the fifth installment of this match and every single time the winner never amounted to much more. Going in, I found it to be a big waste of time. I also had heard rumors of them making a bigger deal of it this year, considering the Andre the Giant HBO documentary came out just days later. I really didn't care beforehand who won the match but I have to admit, I was pleasantly surprised by the outcome. I was curious as to why Bray Wyatt was not in the thing until there were just a few men left in the ring. The final three were former winners Baron Corbin and Mojo Rawley, along with Matt Hardy. Suddenly, the lights went out and when they came back on, the Broken One's rival Bray Wyatt appeared. Together, the two attacked Corbin and Rawley, eliminating them, causing Hardy to win. They both embraced and exclaimed; "Wonderful!"
Cruiserweight Championship Tournament Finals - Cedric Alexander vs. Mustafa Ali
Women's WrestleMania Battle Royal
After the outrage of the initial naming of this match due to the controversy regarding the Fabulous Moolah, everything was all set. I'm disappointed that Sasha Banks and Bayley were in this and didn't get their own match. However, with their involvement, it was likely to end with one or the other winning. While no women of the past came back for this Battle Royal, it did involve several members of the female NXT roster, including Kairi Sane, Dakota Kai, Bianca Belair, and one half of the Iconic Duo, Peyton Royce. My predicted winner was actually Royce and Billie Kay together. Two nights later on Smackdown, they made their main roster debut by attacking Charlotte, only for Carmella to successfully cash in her "Money In the Bank." In a surprising, yet positive outcome, Naomi ended up winning the whole thing. With her Smackdown Women's Title win at last year's WrestleMania, this superstar has sure made things glow! Too bad the trophy looks like a woman's reproductive organs!
MAIN CARD
Intercontinental Title Triple Threat Match - The Miz vs. Finn Balor vs. Seth Rollins
Smackdown Women's Title - Charlotte Flair vs. Asuka
It was surprising that a match of this caliber happened so early on the card. After some great entrances, especially Charlotte's, we got right into the action. I think many wrestling fans had this preconceived theory that Asuka was going to walk out the new Women's Champion, being that she won the Royal Rumble and she had an undefeated streak. I certainly chose Asuka as the winner! Then the unthinkable happened! Charlotte locked in the Figure 8 and soon after, Asuka tapped out! I was in complete shock! In that moment, I was not too happy, even after what was probably the match of the night. I thought she should have won the Title and kept it and her undefeated streak for another year until a bout with Ronda Rousey at next year's WrestleMania. Looking back, especially with what took place on Smackdown two nights later, I get why they did this. Also, if Asuka was going to lose to someone, there's no one greater or more deserving than Charlotte Flair!
US Title Fatal Fourway Match - Randy Orton vs. Bobby Roode vs. Jinder Mahal vs. Rusev
Triple H & Stephanie McMahon vs. Kurt Angle & Ronda Rousey
Smackdown Tag Team Titles Triple Threat Match: The Usos vs. The New Day vs. Bludgeon Brothers
At Fastlane, during the Usos' Title defense against The New Day, the Bludgeon Brothers appeared and destroyed both teams. As a result, a Triple Threat Match for the Tag Team Titles was created, featuring all three teams. The former Wyatt Family members Luke Harper and Erick Rowan somehow became an even more brutal and intimidating presence as the Bludgeon Brothers. Along with many people, I thought it was going to be their night. We were all right, as they captured the Tag Team Championships. Their brutality and surprising agility mixed well with the always entertaining combination of the Usos and The New Day. In the end, the Bludgeon Brothers escaped with the Championships from the confines of the Uso Penitentiary.Undertaker vs. John Cena
I can barely rate this match, to be honest! First of all, there was zero buildup, as this match was never confirmed, even though it was likely to take place. This is a match that should have happened years ago when the Streak was still in tact. For me, once the Streak ended, I stopped caring about the Undertaker's matches at WrestleMania. Throughout the night, John Cena was shown as a member of the crowd, enjoying the spectacle of WrestleMania and interacting with the fans, in quite an entertaining manner. After speaking with a WWE staff member, Cena was seen hopping the barricade, running up the ramp. Later, Cena came out and after speaking for a while, the Undertaker actually showed up. An impromptu match between the two then took place and the Undertaker handily defeated Cena in less than three minutes. It was certainly a disappointment and it was a complete waste of time. On the bright side, at least Taker won!
Daniel Bryan & Shane McMahon vs. Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn
Raw Women's Title - Alexa Bliss vs. Nia Jax
This feud had been slowly building up for quite some time and finally started to explode when Nia found out about all of the things Alexa said behind her back. There was even a tad of bullying and body shaming within this feud, with Alexa talking with new best pal Mickie James about Nia's weight and size. If ever there was a match that was thought to have gone under three minutes, this would be it! Surprisingly, it went over ten minutes! As predicted, however, Nia Jax defeated Alexa Bliss to become the new Raw Women's Champion.
WWE Title - AJ Styles vs. Shinsuke Nakamura
This, in my opinion, should have been the main event! As a traditionalist, since Nakamura won the Royal Rumble, he should have headlined with the Champion Styles in the main event. This was a match that was sure to be a good one, with either man winning sending the fans home happy. Even though I would have been okay with AJ winning, I was still pulling for Shinsuke to win the Championship. The match didn't quite live up to the hype but I think it's more than because of the in-ring action. I would call the match good, but not great. However, WrestleMania is such a long and tedious event that by the time this match took place, I think the fans both in the arena and at home were just exhausted. To the shock of many, AJ defeated Nakamura to retain the WWE Title. What shocked people even more was the aftermath, as Nakamura turned heel by nailing AJ with a low blow and then attacked him. Though I was skeptical of how a heel Nakamura would be presented, his antics on Smackdown changed my mind.Raw Tag Team Titles - The Bar vs. Braun Strowman & Nicholas
Universal Title - Brock Lesnar vs. Roman Reigns
WrestleMania is still a great event, no matter what goes on. I think many will agree that there have been some pretty bad ones but I don't think this one could be in that discussion. It wasn't on my all-time greatest list either, though! As far as the match level, I'd give it an overall 8 out of 10. Some of the endings, however, were questionable to me. The best match itself from an in-ring standpoint was probably Charlotte/Asuka. The best overall match of the night for me was the one with Ronda Rousey, as she completed exceeded expectations and I hope it shut her haters up. There is nothing quite like the spectacle of WrestleMania!
If you have any further thoughts on this topic, let me know in comments. Heck, let us all know on The WAR Report podcast, every Tuesday at 7PM EST on YouTube, brought to you by tagmeadate.com, the first and only dating site for wrestling fans. Go to askthewarreport@gmail.com or #askthewarreport. For TagMeADate members, our Android and Apple apps are vastly approaching so stay tuned!
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