With WrestleMania week nearing its end, let’s review the “Showcase of the Immortals.” We’ll be taking a look at 16 of the 18 matches on the card. Since WWE has never cared for the men’s and women’s Battle Royale, neither shall I.
WrestleMania 35 seemed like a refresh on the current product of the WWE. Five of the seven belts on the line changed hands, including both world titles and the women’s titles.
Kickoff-Show
Cruiserweight Title Match: Tony Nese vs Buddy Murphy Winner: Tony Nese
What can I say except, once again, the cruiserweights didn’t disappoint.
Though the crowd was still piling in, Nese and Murphy put on a show like the full 82,265 was there. They showed why the newly rejuvenated 205 Live is must-see TV, not just an excuse to go to the bathroom.
While the right man won, I can’t see this being a long reign but more of an appreciation for Nese sticking with the brand and not jumping ship during the dark days.
If you like fast-paced matches and high spots, this is one you should definitely check out.
Match Grade: B
Ryder & Hawkins vs The Revival Winner: Ryder & Hawkins
This, without a doubt, should’ve been on the Main Card. While there wasn’t much of a build to the match there were many underlying storylines.
One, in particular, was possibly the greatest streak in WWE history, Curt Hawkins’ losing streak. Since November 2016 Hawkins has gone a combined 0-269. The streak may be everyone’s favorite streak and should’ve been on the Main Card.
While the match wasn’t a barn burner, it was definitely fun to watch. We got a feel-good story and a reward for following Hawkins’ story since November ’16. Hopefully, this isn’t a short reign and wrecked in the weeks to come.
Match Grade: C+
Main Card
Brock Lesnar vs Seth Rollins Winner: Seth Rollins
This WrestleMania spent no time getting to the big matches. Paul Heyman said if Brock Lesnar was not on last, the two of them weren’t hanging around all night. He called out his beast, and the Universal Championship match was underway.
Rollins came out to a new Titantron graphic which got a huge pop for the “BeastSlayer.” Before he even got to the ring, however, Lesnar, being the focused, dangerous, unstoppable beast he is, attacked Rollins. He brought a driving knee after ferocious knee into his stomach. Rollins dropped to the floor, prompting Lesnar to give Rollins a devastating F-5 onto the canvas. Lesnar finally rolled Rollins into the ring, allowing the match to begin.
In typical Lesnar fashion, once the bell rang, it was a one-way ticket to Suplex City for “The Beast Slayer.” After five or six Germans, Lesnar went for the final F-5. Rollins, sensing the end was near, wiggled out of Lesnar’s grip, bumping the referee in the process. Being the architect he is, he assessed the situation, gave low blows to the Beast, and three curb stomps later we had a new Universal Champ.
If you love carefully constructed matches with a good story, go on and check this out.
Match Grade: A
AJ Styles vs Randy Orton Winner: AJ Styles
There’s nothing much to say about this match because it was exactly what it was supposed to be: a slow-paced match against two all-time technical wrestlers.
The match took a minute or two to get moving, but once it started going it was a smartly wrestled match. It relied heavily on the technical prowess of both Orton and Styles to carry this match. With counters and reversals being the forte of the match, one small slip up would lead to the victory. Styles simply proved to be one step ahead. Nothing more, nothing less.
If you love technical bouts, this is the match for you.
Match Grade: B-
SmackDown Tag Team Championship Fatal 4-Way Winner: The Usos
Following the previous match, this was the perfect follow up to get the crowd going again.
The four teams involved packed a ton of action into this one, never giving fans the opportunity to breathe. All four teams impressed, improving upon last year’s rather pedestrian Triple Threat match for the SmackDown tag titles.
Ricochet and Black, in particular, made the most of their WrestleMania debuts and really stood out. They were the fan favorites and should be just fine going forward.
However, the real “Mania” moment from the match has to be The Bar absolutely taking over.
Match Grade: B+
The Miz vs Shane McMahon
The Miz absolutely needed this match. This is his first noteworthy match since 2011.
Weeks of frustration, anger, and an unquenchable thirst for vengeance led The Miz to WrestleMania 35 and a Falls Count Anywhere match with Shane McMahon. For once in what seems like a long time, it was actually falls count anywhere. This match would be “Match of the Night” for me if they didn’t have the Kofi match.
The biggest spot of the night, however, came at the end of the match. The superstars climbed to the top of the lighting rig, where McMahon begged off further punishment from Miz. The former partners fell some 15 feet to the ground in a jaw-dropping superplex spot, but it was McMahon who happened to land on top of Miz, giving McMahon the win.
I highly recommend you watch this match.
Match Grade: B+
Women’s Tag Team Championships Fatal 4-Way Winner: The IIconics
For me, personally, this match fell flat. It should’ve been better then what it was.
WWE hasn’t shown much attention to the Women’s Tag Titles, and it shows. The build to the match was lackluster, causing this match to be less enticing than the Fatal 4-Way before this.
I will, however, applaud WWE’s decision to put the belts on the IIconics, since they weren’t on anyone’s mind to win it. With this being a seven-hour show, it was a much needed swerve.
Match Grade: C+
WWE Championship Match: Kofi Kingston vs Daniel Bryan. Winner: Kofi Kingston
This was, hands down, Match of the Night; the perfect WrestleMania match through and through.
11 years. That’s how long Kofi Kingston has been trying to get back to the World Title. This match is the epitome of Professional Wrestling. The emotional roller-coaster ride, the athleticism, the storytelling, and the finish WWE fans, both young and old, had so eagerly anticipated for the last two months. All of it combined to create an unforgettable moment that’ll live in the annals of WrestleMania forever.
Match Grade: A+
Filler Matches
The next few matches all had the same problem. They followed KofiMania. The exhausted crowd was just that. They weren’t noteworthy and really could’ve been left off the card as well. Besides Angle vs Corbin, the others were just filler and could’ve been replaced by the Raw Tag Match or taken off and shaved some time off the seven-hour event.
Joe vs. Mysterio was a wasted opportunity with not much to talk about. While, yes, Samoa Joe looked and felt badass, there was no need for this match especially if Rey was still injured.
Match Grade: D-
Finn Bálor and Bobby Lashley is another match that ended up wasting these talented men. This is especially true for Bálor who was the only reason this match is remembered.
The Demon gimmick, however, is always a win, and the powerbomb on Lashley was definitely a shocking moment.
Match Grade: C+
Kurt Angle’s final match took place at WrestleMania 35, and let’s just say it was a weird one. Many weren’t happy with the choice of Baron Corbin as his final opponent, but it was the right one.
Kurt putting over Corbin helps solidify himself as a future authoritative heel in the company. Other than that reason, this match was five minutes of nothing, and we could’ve lived without it.
Match Grade: C-
Finally, the last of the filler matches was Roman Reigns vs Drew
McIntyre.
The effort was there from both guys, but a combination of fans never buying McIntyre as a legitimate threat to Reigns and exhaustion in the wake of Kofi Kingston’s win led to a pedestrian match.
Reigns going over was the right call, especially after his emotional comeback, but McIntyre looked like any other guy on the roster, and that’s not okay. Next time, they should have someone like Bo Dallas or Apollo Crew for a match like this.
Main Card
Triple H vs Batista – No Holds Barred Winner: Triple H
Like most of Triple H’s WrestleMania matches, this was way too long. It was overbooked and unnecessarily violent in an attempt to make up for the weaknesses of the guys involved at this point in their careers.
With that said, they told a story that fit within the context of the story told to that point. Though the audience didn’t react a lot to anything they did, both guys worked extremely hard, and the result was a match better than the crowd’s response would suggest.
Match Grade: C
Triple Threat Winner-Take-All Match Winner: Becky Lynch
The Raw and SmackDown Women’s Championships were on the line in the first ever women’s main event at WrestleMania. Becky Lynch sought to dethrone both Ronda Rousey and Charlotte Flair and pay off “The Man’s” journey to the top of the industry.
Timing was an issue late, as it felt like the women were rushing to get certain spots in, and the finish— casting doubt on Lynch’s victory by questioning whether Rousey’s shoulders were down—could’ve been better.
Rousey bumped all over. Flair and Lynch turned in two more stellar performances, and the fans bought in with every passing minute. What could’ve been a major disappointment given the hour of the show that preceded it was, instead, everything those involved could’ve hoped for.
The main event had the feel of a big match, featuring three women beating the unholy hell out of each other. It provided fans the outcome they desired. It earned its grade and put an exclamation point on a noteworthy event.
This was a strong conclusion to a mostly strong WrestleMania that overstayed its welcome and robbed Lynch of a longer celebration to close out the night.
Match Grade: A
WrestleMania 35, for the most part, produced one hell of a show. Honestly, the show flowed so well that, at one point, I was surprised that it was the main event already.
The future is bright, and everything is in place for a great year in WWE. With AEW having its first show in a month, and the new FOX deal starting in October, the year 2019 could be the biggest year in the wrestling industry.