If the first night of WrestleMania served as an appetizer for a historic Sunday, WWE did its job.
Outside of Austin Theory, John Cena hit all the right notes the way he did in Saturday night’s opener at SoFi Stadium to retain the United States Championship.
While the surprise left something to be desired, WWE delivered fitting conclusions to its biggest stories, cementing an emotional main event and new female star.
Here are five highlights from the first night of WrestleMania.
Part I Complete
Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn end The Uso’s 622-day reign as Undisputed Tag Team Champions and get emotional.
From two best friends becoming the first ever tag champs in WWE to the PWG logo in Los Angeles, to Zayn’s wife crying outside the ring in the first tag title main event in WrestleMania history.
Collision wasn’t a technical classic, but it didn’t need to be.
It was about a year of riding and emotions.
The 1-D and Stereo Uso Splashes weren’t enough to take Zayn and Owens down as were the opening Stunners and Helluva Kicks.
At the end of the match, Zayn faked an Avalanche 1-D attempt and eventually got the tag from Owens.
Zayn, after a long pause, helluva kicks Jey Uso three times.
Owens stunned Jimmy before the third, before pinning his opponent-turned-friend to win the match.
Zayn is getting beat up and Owens is flying around to his aid but at one point, Jimmy and Jay double slam Owens through the announce table. Zane somehow breaks out of 1-D, the first time anyone has.
Jay asked Zayn why he wouldn’t quit before delivering a Helluva Kick to former Honorary Us.
Zayn, almost our instinct, with an explosive to the turnbuckle before tagging Owens – now a Grand Slam Champion – back inside. Helluva kicks, pop-up powerbombs and a stunner followed, but Jey kicked out. Both teams gave each other their best shots until Zayn and Owens won.
Cody Rhodes didn’t come out to celebrate with his friend, but his WWE Universal Championship match with Roman Reigns was a highlight on Sunday.
Bloodline has already lost some gold, will Rhodes now finish the job and send them into chaos?
stomp and circumstance
Logan Paul and Seth Rollins put on a stellar performance.
Paul entered by rising slightly to the zipline halfway down the ramp, where he was met by his PRIME drink mascot.
Logan Paul prepares for a top-rope splash at WrestleMania 39.WWE
Wrapped in a gorgeous red robe, Rollins was joined by a full choir and some fiery pyro while singing his theme from the top of the stage in one of the cooler entrances of the night.
Rollins turned Paul’s early advantage by avoiding a moonsault, then told him, ‘You want to play with the big boys bitch’ before performing three straight suicide dives.
The Visionary then slammed Paul’s right hand into the steps.
After several fun mat exchanges between the two, Paul landed his knockout right hand.
But Stomp slows him down to cover and allows Rollins to kick out.
KSI, Paul’s friend and business partner, ended up in the PRIME mascot. He even pulled Paul out of the ring at one point to swing the momentum.
Paul would put Rollins on the table, but Rollins pulled KSI through the table instead, with Paul landing a splash in his friend’s place. Rollins hits a Pedigree in the ring, but Paul kicks out.
Paul countered a stomp attempt into the GTS and then took too long to attempt a Frog Splash. Rollins kicked.
As Paul tried to go Coast to Coast, Rollins countered the latter with a Superkick A Stomp and Rollins got the win thanks to a huge crowd reaction.
Dude is over and deserves this win, but it looks like we may be seeing it again soon.
Family pride with some bunny business
I fully expect Bad Bunny to be included in The Judgment Day vs. LWO feud for Backlash in Puerto Rico next month, when the performer helps Rey Mysterio defeat his son Dominik in a very storyline-driven, but emotional match. helped.
Dominik distracted the referee by removing the turnbuckle cover and attempted to grab Damian Priest with a chain he had left under his jacket in the ring.
Bunny, who was on Spanish commentary, snatched the chain from Dominic so he could use it.
This allowed Ray to trip his son and deliver a 619 and Frog Splash to pick up the win. It was a very fitting end to the story on Ray’s Hall of Fame weekend.
Ray and Dominic had a great entry. Dom was shown being led out of prison in handcuffs and Sophie arrived at the stadium – with her father’s purple mask on – in a corrections van surrounded by officers.
Ray paid tribute to Eddie Guerrero when Snoop Dogg took him out in a low-rider car, and Eddie’s music was the first to be heard.
After Ray throws Dominic into the post, he actually takes off his belt and whips his son’s skin after months of agony.
Dominique then scolded the mother and threw a drink in her sister Aaliyah’s face to gain the upper hand in the match.
Rey Mysterio hits a Frog Splash on Son Dominik. wwe
Dom’s mother would slap him at the end of the match.
Priest and Finn Balor finally made their way to ringside.
Dom flipped Ray into the bottom rope before attempting the Three Amigos.
Ray retaliated, hitting 619 but Judgment Day’s interference cut the momentum.
Eventually the newly formed LWO came out of the barriers as well, but Dominic was still able to land a 619 and a frog splash, but Ray played the final sequence before kicking.
the tide has turned
Rhea Ripley was trying for a star-making performance and she and Charlotte Flair kind of pulled it off.
This saw Ripley slamming Flair’s head into the top of the ring post and hitting a Riptide off the middle rope to finally overcome her nemesis to become the SmackDown Women’s Champion and avenge her loss at WrestleMania 36.
Rhea Ripley celebrates winning the SmackDown Women’s Championship. wwe
The win officially stamped him as the main-event talent and garnered one of the biggest pops of the night.
The crowd fell midway into this match as both really started to show off their athleticism and power. Ripley rolled over and picked up a leaping Flair, who would then counter Riptide into a big DDT. Flair steps over Ripley and goes to the top rope.
Ripley ran in and superplexed Flair, flipping him face first in the process, but could not score the pin.
Flair took a second suplex, flipped, and later went face-to-face on the mat for the first time as she went the extra mile to make the replays look good.
A second Ripetide attempt was countered into a German suplex, but Ripley landed in the third and Flair kicked out to gasps of disbelief from the crowd.
A replay kick-out revealed furore as both were dug deep.
Replays went to the bottom rope before Flair even reached the figure 8 and you could see the disappointment on Queen’s face before she took a risk on the ropes that resulted in her loss.
Flair sat outside ringside, dejected but clapping as Ripley stood by the belt, it was a cool sight.
plight to open
John Cena dominated the early rounds and made little fun of Theory, causing the champ to resort to biting his idol and kicking him from behind in frustration.
A Super Cocky Theory tried a second rolling drop kick, but Cena countered an STF that forced his opponent to chop him to break the hold.
Austin Theory defeated John Cena to retain the United States Championship. WWE
Theory countered the first Attitude Adjustment in DDT.
Cena later managed to hit the Five Knuckle Shuffle, but the referee was called out when Theory countered an AA attempt.
The referee was unable to see the STF tap out theory.
This opened a door for Low Blow and A-Town Down, allowing the champion to retain.
I think the hoax turns more heat on Theory and furthers the idea that he is willing to cut corners.
But it was a basic match and a great start to the show. Cena’s last win at WrestleMania came at WrestleMania 33 in 2017 with Nikki Bella, she is overdue.
other matches
Lita & Trish Stratus on Becky Lynch, Bayley, Io Sky & Dakota Sky
Lynch did most of the work early, but damage CTRL kept her from making the tag.
Eventually, Lita joined in and battled it out with Io Sky, but was separated by Damage CTRL before Stratus could tag in. He had a nice bulldog and half-hurricane on Skye and Bailey.
After boost ups from his teammates, he flipped Kai over the top rope.
Skye hits her signature moonsault, taking everyone down.
The two teams then regrouped in the ring.
Stratus hits a Chick Kick and Lita hits a Lita-Sault to take care of Sky and Kia.
This left Lynch to counter Bayley’s belly to belly attempt from the top rope into a manhandle slam for the win.
Trish Stratus attacks Dakota Kai. wwe
Stratus and Lita did a great job playing hits and this match was about as good as you could hope for.
There’s no sign of any potential Stratus turn on Lynch and it’s followed by a loss of CTRL.
We will see what happens on Monday.
Street Profits on Chad Gable and Otis, The Viking Raiders, Braun Strowman and Ricochet
Chad Gable performed an insane rolling German suplex on Braun Strowman, who then performed a huge splash over the top rope.
We also got a nuts six-man super-plex and Ricochet leapt into it for the finish. Angelo Dawkins cuts off the Strowman Express with a Vicious Shoulder Block.
Ricochet hit a smooth shooting star press to the outside, but Dawkins kneeled on one in the ring.
This opened the door for Montez Ford to hit a Frog Splash for the win.
After this, The Street Profits could be next in line for a tag team title shot.
Credit to all eight men for putting in a show-stealing level performance.
Pat McAfee on The Miz
McAfee made a surprise appearance to defeat The Miz in a surprise match.
Miz tried to leave but attacked George Cattle of the 49ers who was sitting at ringside. Cattle jumps the barricade and clotheslines Miz, before McAfee leaps over him from the top rope and defeats Miz with a high punt kick that at least the crowd can reach.
Corey Graves’ standout commentary was the only thing that made it worth watching.
He called McAfee “Aaron Rodgers’ propaganda machine” and lashed out at him the entire time, only showing up. We really need a Graves-McPhee match at some point.
Big Winner: Rhea Ripley
Biggest Loser: Damage CTRL
best Match: Charlotte Flair vs Rhea Ripley, SmackDown Women’s Championship
Best Entrance: Dominic Mysterio
Predictions: 5-2
Category: B+
Source: www.bing.com
