WrestleMania Night One delivered in the best possible way. Matches possessing the “big match feel” and let’s be perfectly honest, the main event featuring Bianca Belair defeated Sasha Banks for the SmackDown Women’s Championship was one of the best main events I have seen. From the emotions and smiles, at the beginning, to the ferocity of passion during the bout, and the pride shown after it was all over. That, my friends, was a WrestleMania Moment.
Can’t help but notice the live crowd cheering for Titus O’Neil and booing Hulk Hogan.
Randy Orton defeated “The Fiend” Bray Wyatt
Orton out tonight in white and red trunks, looking a bit dazed and confused, playing to the unpredictability of this whole supernatural story. Orton in the ring, and then the fans at home are given the long promo-package, giving ring crew time to set up a giant Jack-in-the-Box as a video entrance shows the “Burned” Bray Wyatt respawning into his Fiend at full health, shedding the battle damage. Creepy entrance, leads to Fiend dominating and no-selling early. Orton appears at a disadvantage, tries for his “vintage” moves as Cole calls. I love Michael Cole. I do. Orton throws Fiend into the “Box-like structure” when it IS a box. Don’t change Cole. It appears Fiend has this easily in hand, until a four-corner pyro hits, and black-oozing Alexa Bliss sits on top of the box, distracting the field long enough for Orton to easily hit the RKO for the pinfall.
The boos from the live crowd likely echo the confusion from the fans sitting at home, as both Bliss and Fiend vanish in the darkness, leaving us all very confused.
Backstage: Bayley tries to recruit Eric Bischoff for her show while putting him down. Hogan and Titus promote 83 Weeks, and soon find a way to ditch Bayley and her Ding Dong Hello show.
Shayna Baszler and Nia Jax retained the Women’s Tag Team Championships again Natalya and Tamina
Nia Jax and Shayna Baszler spend most of the match absolutely demolishing Natalya. I’m happy she and Tamina get some earned pops from the crowd. Baszler is an absolute monster during the match. Tamina took some serious bumps on the outside of the ring as well. Crazy spot with Jax jumping off the top with a double-body splash on both opponents. They played into Jax and Tamina’s history as a duo… Even with Jax dropping a few s-bombs during the match. Natalya almost had the match teetering in her favor by locking the Sharpshooter onto Jax, except Jax wasn’t legal. Shayna jumps in, locking the Kirafuda Clutch, and Natalya passes out.
The outcome was a bit anti-climactic, building up Tamina and Natalya for a few weeks, winning the gauntlet, only to lose in the championship bout.
The crowd was huge behind Tamina and Natalya. I think that added to the feelings of hope being deflated on seeing their loss. This meant they told a good story in the ring.
Kevin Owens defeated Sami Zayn w/ Logan Paul
Sami Zayn out first, with the live crowd singing his entrance, cheering him upon entry to ring. However, the cheers turned to boos as he introduced Logan Paul. I can’t say I am surprised at the crowd turning, wrestling fans don’t seem to take too kindly to internet celebrities. Unlike Bad Bunny last night who was embraced by the live audience, showing he took his role seriously and did damn well.
Owens kicked it off hard with a pop-up powerbomb out of the gate, but Zayn rolled outside. Owens took control early on, until Zayn came back as the action went to the outside. Owens took a sick looking brainbuster on the ring apron, turning the tide of the match to Zayn’s favor. These guys went at it like a good ol’ PWG show. Tossing each other around with some neck-crushing suplexes. Zayn hit a trifecta of Dragon, Full Nelson, and Brainbusters. Owens manages an offense, taking flight and scoring with the Frog Splash, but Zayn wouldn’t stay down for three. After a volley of back-and-forth, Zayn scores with the Helluva Kick, but Owens refused to lose. Firing off two consecutive superkicks, the fight culminated with Owens hitting the Stunner for the definitive three count.
After the match ended, it appears Logan Paul chose changing sides was a better move, however Owens declined his hand, hitting a Stunner as well. I think Paul might have gotten a little hurt. It appeared he may not have taken it correctly, neck seemed to twist on the way down.
Oh well. I weep not.
Sheamus defeats Riddle for the United States Championship
Sheamus apparently dislikes scooters, and that is how we get this match. This was one beast of a fight. Hard hitting from both wrestlers. Some crazy highlights here, Riddle taking Sheamus for a huge ride with a Spanish fly-like belly-to-belly suplex off the top rope, Riddle scoring a big Jackhammer after struggling on the first attempt.
During the match, Sheamus slipped off the top rope while attempting a White Noise, but I’m just glad he had the wherewithal to slide forward, protecting both himself and Riddle from damage. He hit the move, following it up with diving knee off the top rope.
The big finish, spectacular, Riddle leaps for a moonsault and Sheamus just clobbers him with a Brogue Kick while he’s inverted, knocking him senseless. Sheamus scores the pinfall, and the United States Championship.
Sheamus walks away with the title, leaving Riddle in a pool of blood from his mouth.
Apollo Crews defeats Big E. to win the Intercontinental Championship
Well, WWE loves their foreign heels, and tonight continues the trend. Apollo, with help from the former Dabba Ka-to, manages to defeat Big E.
It was a pretty good match. Calling it a Nigerian Drum whatever was pretty stupid, just call it a No-DQ match. Kendo Sticks, ring stairs, and tables came into play. I’ll give credit to Crews, stepping up and taking some pretty sick bumps tonight. A lot of near falls, and it seemed for sure Big E. had it won after Crews plows himself through a table, allowing Big E. to take control and hit the Big Ending. However, a giant whose name has yet to be officially revealed, the former Dabba Kato rushes in and just KOs the New Day member, taking away the final championship from the trio.
This was expected. While I despise shady finishes, at least they didn’t diminish Big E. with a clean loss. Apolo winning with some big help increases his heel status.
Rhea Ripley defeated Asuka for the RAW Women’s Championship
I can’t say I was surprised by the result, but damn this was a good match. Slow start with some brawling, but the women got their groove going with an unleashing of some serious hard kicks and big time suplexes and slams. Asuka nearly kills Ripley with a leaping DDT off the ring apron to the ring floor. Asuka and Rhea go back and forth until Ripley takes out The Empress of Tomorrow with The Riptide (pumphandle slam) for a very, very emotional win.
The Main Event of Wrestlemania 37 Night Two: Universal Title Match – “The Head of the Table” Roman Reigns (c) w/Paul Heyman and Jey Uso vs. Daniel Bryan vs. Edge
This match gets crazy from the bell. Jey Uso doing a lot of legwork for the Head of the Table delivering Superkicks, trying to incapacitate both challengers. Unfortunately, this doesn’t end well for Uso, as he inevitably is taken down and out, being dropped on the ring stairs and ending his time in the match. The pace picks up fast, Daniel Bryan unleashing most of the offense in trying to disable Reigns as well as keeping Edge at bay. Edge surprising on more than one occasion, turning some into near falls. The story is clear, Reigns is the clear aggressor, both Edge and Bryan trying to find their way to win by any means necessary.
Reigns does a fantastic job of getting his uber-heel heat from the crowd. Arrogant, abrasive, and dismissive. He retorts the hostile crowd by powerbombing Bryan through the announce table. The gloating is cut short as Edge spears Reigns clear across the arena floor.
Edge shows signs of desperation, grabbing a pair of metal chairs, but is stopped by Reigns while entering the ring. Edge manages to overcome Reigns, locking in the Crossface, with an assist by a piece of the metal chair in Reigns’ mouth. It appears Reigns is about to tap, but Bryan stops his hand from hitting the mat! He locks in a crossface as well! Edge and Bryan stare each other, then headbutts! Headbutts! They’ve got Reigns locked in dual submissions and are headbutting each other!
Edge manages to spear both Bryan and Reigns, but doesn’t get the three count as Bryan pulls the ref away! Edge, losing his mind, grabbing more chairs, clobbering both Reigns and Bryan over and over and over again!! It’s madness I tell you! Madness!!
He puts chairs underneath the heads of both Bryan and Reigns, delivering a CON-CHAIR-TO to Bryan! He goes for Reigns, but Jey Uso is back!! He attacks Edge but is taken out by a chair as well. Reigns recovers, hits Edge with the chair, KO-ing him. It’s not over yet, he puts Edge on top of Bryan, and…
PINS. THEM. BOTH.
Ladies and gentlemen, that was one hell of a main event. Roman Reigns retains the WWE Universal Championship in a solid WrestleMania Main Event match. Could he win on his own, it appears he needed the assist by Jey Uso to solidify is ongoing reign as champion. Reigns looked damn menacing tonight. Edge and Bryan sold their tales of desperation for one last glory run as champion. They were robbed, denied, and disrespectfully put an end to in being pinned, together, by the Head of the Table.
Now that, was a WrestleMania finish.
My highlights are Cesaro/Rollins, Owens/Zayn, Big E./Apolo, Miz & Morrison/Priest & B. Bunny, Reigns/Bryan/Edge, and of course, Belair/Banks. These are my favorites, but the other matches had their highlights of standing out and making their own WrestleMania moments. Styles sitting on top of Omos is one for sure.
Both nights had their highlights, and overall the good most definitely outweighed any negatives. WrestleMania 37 is now in the history books, both main events delivering in full. I enjoyed the two-night show. Was every match a winner, no. But the majority were, and the standouts felt like Mania matches. This felt like a WrestleMania.
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