Well, that was one of the most random, craziest and up and down Wrestlemanias I've ever seen. I can just see alot of people complaining over the next 24 hours about alot of segments on this show. I can also see people down the road calling this one of the worse Wrestlemanias ever. But for now, let's stick to the present and I will get my thoughts on this show.
United States Championship
Sheamus (c) vs. Daniel Bryan
Winner: Sheamus
Um, yeah. They pulled this match from the card. I'm not sure why. They could have cut out Snoop Dogg and put this match on here in the same spot. (more on that in a few) This was a match alot of people were really looking forward to, especially ROH fans that were seeing their boy Daniel Bryan grow up and get on the WM card. Alas it didn't happen and the match was moved to the pre show, only to be thrown out and turned into the yearly traditional battle royal (non title) and Great Khali won that match. Total bullsht in my opinion.
Now onto the actual PPV. (This review will also include instant reaction from facebook and twitter from me, Mandy and our friends through out the show so look for those. It will show the feel of the show throughout from different perspectives.)
First of all, America The Beautiful was sung beautifully by Keri Hilton. That being said, I LOVED the set, it had an old school feel with the old Wrestlemania logo but a new feel with the screens and the stage was set up like a dome. Very nice. Major points for that.
The Rock opened the show with a kinda not so funny recap of all the insults he's been giving to John Cena over the last couple of weeks. Blah. The crowd was red hot though and that was cool. Overall an eh way to start the show, but understandable since he is the guest host of the PPV.
INSTANT REACTION
Blake (Twitter)-"Did Rock actually get a Fruity Pepples chant going? Now I've heard it all."
Another fantasic opening video. Those never get old.
Announcers to start the show: Michael Cole (in the Cole Mine), Josh Matthews (he has actually earned and deserves the right to call at least half this show) and Jerry "The King" Lawler. Also Hugo and Carlos are back on Spanish announcing. We only get to see them like once a year nowadays so it's always nice to see them.
World Heavyweight Championship
Edge (with Christian) (c) vs. Alberto Del Rio (with Brodus Clay)
INSTANT REACTION
Blake (Twitter)-"The World Heavyweight title is first?!? Wow, this is going to be a wild night."
Predictation: Alberto Del Rio
So this year the Royal Rumble winner is in the opening contest, NOT the main event. Say what?!?!
I did LOVE Del Rio's entrance though. Very cool and just different. It made him seem important. He drove out with a very fancy mansion behind him like he was pulling out of his driveway and onto the WM set.
Overall the match was good. I'm glad there wasn't ALOT of interference from Christian and Clay, just enough to make their presence known. It wasn't a GREAT match by any means, but good enough for this night. I actually though that Del Rio was going to win when he had the arm bar locked in but Edge was able to counter it into his submission move (which for some reason I can't remember the name of) which Del Rio countered and then got up right into a spear.
They did note that this was the fist time that Edge has successfully defended the World Heavyweight Championship at Mania. So that in itself is cool.
Winner: Edge (0 for 1)
INSTANT REACTION
Blake (Twitter)-"This was alot of fun and I'm glad I was wrong."
Matt (Facebook)-"Edge remains Heavyweight Champ!"
Post match, Edge finally got to destroy Del Rio's car with help from Christian, that, how do you say it? Reeked of awesomeness.
INSTANT REACTION
Blake (Twitter)-"Nice to see Del Rio's car finally destroyed! Sweet!"
Rey Mysterio vs. Cody Rhodes
Predictation: Cody Rhodes
This was the first time I actually got to appreciate Cody's new entrance video and music. Very dark and fitting for his new character.
Rey did his very cool traditional superhero entrance this as Captian America which was actually surprising very nice. I like the M on his forehead instead of an A.
INSTANT REACTION
Blake (Twitter)-"This year we go with Captain America! Sweet!"
Well this was a good match in parts, especially the ending. Overall, I think they could have done more with the time they were given. I had high expectations going in though so that could be it. Just didn't seem up to Rey's WM standard, let alone anyone elses. I definately didn't expect Cody to win on a three count in the middle of the ring after the Crossroads.
I did love how excited Cody was to get his first WM win. That was real to me.
Winner: Cody Rhodes (1 for 2)
INSTANT REACTION
Blake (Twitter)-"That was really exciting! And I called Cody winning."
Okay this I have issues with Snoop Dogg and Teddy Long doing a mock American Idol in the middle of the show for no real reason. It was kinda stupid and boring a times. The only real highlights was watching Regal attempt to rap which was hysterical and Hornswoggle. My issues looking back now were that this took up time that could have been where the US Title match was.
INSTANT REACTION
Blake (Twitter)-"What's going on? Why is Regal rapping? Khali and Beth? Zack Ryder? Roddy Piper?" "Yoshi and Masters was funny!" "Hornswoggle was epic hysterical!"
The Corre (Wade Barrett, Ezekiel Jackson, Health Slater and Justin Gabriel) vs. The Big Show, Kane, Santino and Kofi Kingston
Predictation: The Big Show, Kane, Santino and Kofi Kingston
This match got changed on Saturday after Kozlov got attacked at Axcess and got replaced by Kofi instead.
INSTANT REACTION
Blake (Twitter)-"Thank you for adding Kofi to this match! Made it better!"
That was it? Really? 8 men come out, two minutes later the match is over after a cobra and knockout punch to Health Slater. Very anti-climatic for me.
INSTANT REACTION
Blake (Twitter)-"That was the fastest 8 man tag ever!"
Matt (Facebook)-"Big show pinned Heath Slader, fastest 8 man tag ever, the entrances were longer than the match"
Winner: The Big Show, Kane, Santino and Kofi Kingston (2 for 3)
We head back stage to The Rock and they wasted the Divas Champion Eve. They should have had in a match, maybe even debut Awesome Kong. But instead we get a random segment with her, Rock and Mae Young.
INSTANT REACTION
Matt (Facebook)-"Mae Young wants "The People's Strudel" :p"
The only cool thing about this was Stone Cold and Rock being face to face for the first time since Wrestlemania X9. That never gets old.
INSTANT REACTION
Blake (Twitter)-"Holy Attitude Era Batman! Stone Cold and Rock together! Better than Mae Young."
Randy Orton vs. CM Punk
Predictation: Randy Orton
I thought this might have been the show stealer of the night. A very good wrestling match.
The one thing I noticed as the match went on was that both men were hitting moves they don't normally hit. It's like they were saving stuff for this night. Especially Punk, it's like he turned on a different switch for the first time in years.
INSTANT REACTION
Blake (Twitter)-"It's nice to see Punk wrestle his kind of match."
I actually really enjoyed it all the way through up the amazing finish with the RKO in mid air. Both men just kept kicking out of everything till that point. Just was a good wrestling match should have.
INSTANT REACTION
Blake (Twitter)-"RKO in mid air! Hell yeah!"
Matt (Facebook)-"Randy Orton defeats CM Punk, kind of surprised after all the abuse that Randy was put through on his leg"
Winner: Randy Orton (3 for 4)
More Rock talking to Mean Gene which I have no problem with at all. Then "John Cena's number one fan" came face to face with Rock.
INSTANT REACTION
Blake (Twitter)-"Pee Wee Herman? What the hell? What is going on?"
Matt (Facebook)-"Pee Wee Herman!?!?!?!? WTF!"
This is what Rock is doing? This is how Rock hosts? Really? This is just totally random.
2011 Hall of Fame Induction AnnouncementI love that the HOFers got their moment but I have always have issues with how the announcement is made. At Wrestlemania 21 they let all the HOFers come out to their entrance music and videos. Ever since then they haven't done this. This year they didn't have the HOFers walk out they were on the stage already then Shawn got his full entrance music. I respect HBK more than any wrestler ever but it made the rest of them look alot less important. INSTANT REACTION
Blake (Twitter)-"HBK! HBK!!! "
Mandy (Twitter)-"@ being inducted into the Hall of Fame just made my being his lifelong fan worth it."
Announcers to for the following match: Josh Matthews, Booker T and Jim RossINSTANT REACTION
Blake (Twitter)-"Jim Ross!!! Yay!"
Jerry "The King" Lawler vs. Michael Cole (with Jack Swagger)
Special Guest Referee: Stone Cold Steve AustinPredictation: Jerry "The King" LawlerSo intead of entrance music, Cole comes out with a mic and talks and pisses the crowd off more. INSTANT REACTION
Blake (Twitter)-"Someone shut Cole up already!"
Matt (Facebook)-"Michael Cole has become a major douche, this match with him and Jerry "The King" Lawler is pretty awesome"I loved the fact that Stone Cold rang the bell so the Lawler could finally put his hands on Cole and go after him in the Cole Mine. I've been wanting to see that for months!Once they got in the ring it was big surprise to see Cole get in so much offense. It shows he took this match seriously and actually trained.INSTANT REACTION
Blake (Twitter)-"Cole actually learned how to wrestle! I'm shocked!"
Finally King got in some offense and it was on. Cole FINALLY got his ass kicked. I loved every second of it. Then seeing King get him to tap out to the ankle lock was great!INSTANT REACTION
Blake (Twitter)-""Michael Cole is the pimple of the buttocks of life"-JR Classic! I missed JR!"
Matt (Facebook)-"And of course the no brainer, Jerry "The King" Lawler won the match and Swagger carried Cole out for their honeymoon :P"
Then Booker got in the ring, which seemed super random and ended up taking a stunner for old time's sake.
INSTANT REACTION
Blake (Twitter)-"Booker called Stone Cold his dawg. Wow."
But then the Raw GM rang in and Josh Matthews read the email and it was announced that because Stone Cold got involved in the match, King was DQed thus then Cole got the win. Josh was stunned for reading that.
INSTANT REACTION
Blake (Twitter)-"That was the biggest bull shit ending to a match ever!!"
Matt (Facebook)-"Wow......total shit from the GM email, King disqualified and Cole wins? Total BS. But at least Josh Matthews got Stone Cold Stunned :)"Winner: Michael Cole (3 for 5)Announcers to for the rest of the show: Jim Ross and Jerry "The King" Lawler (which is the way it should be)No Holds Barred
Undertaker vs. Triple H
INSTANT REACTION
Blake (Twitter)-"I knew HHH-Taker wasn't going to be the main event!"
Predictation: Undertaker
First of all I want to comment on the entrances.
Before Triple H came out, a bell tolled and then Metallica's For Whom The Bell Tolls played and out came an army of men holding shields which led to the return of the King of Kings.
INSTANT REACTION
Blake (Twitter)-"Nice to see the return of the King of Kings!"
Then out came Undertaker to his Johnny Cash music. Unlike years past it was slow and not over the top. It fit the new layer of his character so well.
INSTANT REACTION
Blake (Twitter)-"Motorhead vs. Johnny Cash, music purists loved those entrances."
As for the match. This was by FAR the best match on the show. When Triple H kicked out of the tombstone the first time I honestly didn't know what to expect. But then Trips turned it up a notch but still couldn't get Taker's shoulders on the mat despite a spinebuster through the Spanish annouce table, three pedigrees (one being on a chair), a tombstone of his own, seven chair shots to back and one shot to the head. Finally Trips got the sledgehammer out and was about to use it when Taker hit the Hell's gate submission and Trips had to tap out. INSTANT REACTION
Blake (Twitter)-"That was an amazing match! I am speechless..."
Matt (Facebook)-"Undertaker's streak remains thanks to a wonderful finish with Hell's Gate, I knew it wouldn't end without the Triple H sledge hammer :)"
The aftermath was really dark but felt so real. Watching Taker getting put on the gurney and being driving out reminded me of when a football player gets him and then gets a standing ovation when he finally makes it off the field with help.
Winner: Undertaker (4 for 6)
John Morrison, Trish Stratus and Snooki vs. Dolph Ziggler and Lay-Cool (with Vickie Guerrero)Predictation: John Morrison, Trish Stratus and Snooki
After all that we get Vickie Guerrero's voice to start things. I must say she looks great since she lost some of the weight. She still has her curves though which is nice. She could be a role model for plus size women, if they just stopped making fat jokes.
INSTANT REACTION
Mandy (Twitter)-"I want to be a cougar like @ when I grow up."
Apparently Dolph went from Vickie's boyfriend to her business associate.
JoMo, Trish (looking HOT) and Snooki then came out.
INSTANT REACTION
Mandy (Twitter)-"Wrestlemania makes @ look even better than he normally does."
Well this match was an issue for me. Morrison and Dolph didn't get enough in ring action. But Trish and LayCool looked great together. Alot of chemistry. The crowd wanted to HATE Snooki but totally popped for her when she hit her cartwheel and flips. Didn't expect that. Also the fact that she pinned McCool was a big surprise. I figured it would have been Layla.
INSTANT REACTION
Blake (Twitter)-"That was very surprising finish by Snooki."
Matt (Facebook)-"Snooki pins Michelle McCool? wow....weird"
Mandy (Twitter)-"I am going to join the Brunette Mafia with @ and @."
Sal (Facebook)-"SNOOKI!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Amazing!!!!!!!!!!!"
Winner: John Morrison, Trish Stratus and Snooki (5 of 7)WWE Championship
The Miz (with Alex Riley) (c) vs. John CenaINSTANT REACTION
Matt (Facebook)-"Final match of the night The Miz vs. John Cena, who will win? My pick for this one is The Miz, believe it or not....we shall see though."
Mandy (Twitter)-"Seeing my son look up to @ like I look up to @ is surreal. Thank you @"
Predictation: John Cena
Much like the Taker-HHH match, I will start with the entrances.Miz was given one of the best videos I've ever seen. It showed his journey from The Real World to being on Tough Enough to being the Smackdown host to winning Money in the Bank and winning the WWE Championship. It actually made respect the man more and more. He has had a true storybook career and he worked his ass off to get to this point. I really want to know what this song was because it feel so well. This made Miz feel like main eventer which he needed. The look in his face when he came out showed alot to me. He was in tears and emotional and really couldn't believe this was happening. That's the emotion you need on a night like this. I think he actually might have more fans after this night because of this opening.INSTANT REACTION
Mandy (Twitter)-"I remember watching @ on the Real World and thinking he was going to be big. Glad to see I was right."Then Cena came out with a full church choir. It showed a completely different side of him. The video they made for him was also really cool. It told his story from being a kid who made his own title belts to this point in his career. Alot of people don't like Cena but they really have to respect him. I also didn't know that John was so religious. The words spoke so true and were totally chilling. Then he came out wearing his new red, white and blue shirt (which I really want) and was also really emotional. Great opening.INSTANT REACTION
Mandy (Twitter)-"My two year old freaked out like @ was a friggin' Beatle. Apparently, I couldn't see him or his new talking shirt."
Then came the match. I might have been the only one who had high expectations going into this match. I really thought the two of them could put on a great match if given the proper time. The problem is that by the time they got started they only had about 20 minutes to work with. The match wasn't bad but I expected better from them.
I really liked the fact that Cena kicked out of the skull crushing finale and Miz kicked out of a very hardcore attitude adjustment. I also liked the fact that Miz knocked out Alex Riley with his own stupid briefcase.
Then came the ending. My jaw almost hit the ground when the match ended with a double countout. I felt cheated. I actually had no problem with Miz winning, but to end the match like that really pissed me off.
INSTANT REACTION
Matt (Facebook)-"What? A draw? WTF!? I was half right at the very least with The Miz winning, he didn't officially win but he kept his Championship"
Rock then came out and actually did something smart that a guest host should do. Shutup the Raw GM and restarted the match. Then he hit the rock bottom on Cena and Miz pinned him. See I would have no problem with the rock bottom BUT I really would have liked for Miz to hit the skull crushing finale afterwards to lead to the pin. It wouldn't have seemed like such a cheap win then.
INSTANT REACTION
Matt (Facebook)-"Correction, thanks to The Rock the match restarted and The Miz won, rather without honor since The Rock helped beat Cena down a bit....kinda bogus, but officially now my prediction was right, The Miz won :P"
This is where I would have ended the show though. Rock on the outside happy with his work and then Miz celebrating to go out. Especially being the first heel champion to win the main event in 11 years. But no Rock just HAD to get the last word in and hit the people's elbow on Miz. The crowd didn't even seem happy for that.
INSTANT REACTION
Matt (Facebook)-"And of course The Rock can't end without stealing the lime light and dropping the people's elbow on The Miz"
Winner: The Miz (5 of 8)
That's Wrestlemania 27. I'm not sure what to make of it all. At points it was a let down, at points it was good show. Not a bad night, but not as great as it could have been.
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