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| End of an era? |
Miami Sun Life Stadium played host to easily the Greatest Wrestlemania of the decade. With an attendance of a whopping 78,363 the the show started of with a lucky victory for Sheamus. Fighting Daniel Bryan for the World Heavyweight Championship, Sheamus hit Bryan with a Brogue Kick after Bryan kissed his valet AJ Lee for luck. Unlucky as the match lasted all of 18 seconds-literally!
Winner:- Sheamus
Rating:- 6/10. A bit of an anticlimax from this,especially since it was for the second-most important title and a year since the last title match from these two.
The second match was a match between two disturbed monsters: 'The Viper' Randy Orton and 'The Big Red Monster' Kane (now masked!!!!)
Both men come out brawling and trading punches, the larger and stronger Kane quickly took initative through slams and chokeholds. Randy Orton managed to nail Kane with kicks to the torso and survived a chokeslam from the Monster. Orton then added to the momentum through a DDT and even managed to coil the viper for the RKO but failed. The match went to the top ropes and everyone thought it was going to end in a predictable RKO but in actuality, Kane reversed it and chokeslammed Orton from the tope rope for the three count.
Winner:-Kane
Rating:-6.5/10. A match full of continuos brawling and exchanges of punch. Not much heart in it for a Wrestlemania match
Cody Rhodes vs The Big Show was an ok match-not much of a push for either of these guys considering it was for the Intercontinental Championship. The match was a matter of speed vs strength. Cody attacks Big Show and jumps back out of the ring but Show catches him and throws him in again.Cody tries to attack again but is pushed down and around the ring.Show gives Rhodes lots of hard chops and squashes him with a 15 second squashing 'stinkface' to boot. Show attempts to belly flop Rhodes but Rhodes rolls out the way and hits him with a dropkick. Cody Rhodes goes to work on the knee of Big Show and attempts a submission after a failed one count. Big Show stops the onslaught from Rhodes and throws him into the corner; Rhodes kicks out to stop the charge and runs out of the ring,pulling Big Show's arm onto the top rope to cause some damage.Cody Rhodes dazes Big Show with 'Beautiful Disaster' and attempts another but is stopped by a mid air spear and knocked out courtesy of a right hand from Big Show
Winner:- Big Show
Rating:- 7.5/10 A good attempt by Rhodes to topple the giant and entertaining too.
The third match was a Diva's Tag Team match with Eve and Beth Phoenix taking on Kelly Kelly and (special celebrity diva) Maria Menonous. The build up was from Eve and Beth Phoenix causing trouble during a Maria Menonous interview with Kelly Kelly;Phoenix thought she was being disrespected as Kelly Kelly was the one being interviewed an not her.
The match started with Kelly Kelly and Eve brawling; although both Kelly Kelly's 'Kelly Killer' and Eve's 'Moonsault' both get stopped, Kelly gained the upper hand and tagged in Menonous for a double stinkface!! Menonous then was caught by Beth Phoenix while she was pummeling on Eve and the tide turned in the heels' favour. Menonous sold her injury from dancing with the stars and somehow managed to tag in Kelly. Kelly attacked Beth and got her with the neck lasso and did a fantastic spinning jump off the top (courtesy of ex-boyfriend Justin Gabriel?). However,she failed to pin Beth for the 3 count and almost lost from a Glam Slam! With Menonous still injured, Kelly reluctantly tags her in but she is gorilla pressed by Phoenix after a failed top rope attempt. Before Menonous gets slammed,Kelly pushes Phoenix off-balance and both Beth Phoenix and Maria Menonous crash into Eve. Menonous then takes the advantage and pins a dazzled Phoenix for the three count.
Winner:- Maria Menonous and Kelly Kelly
Rating:-7/10. Not too bad a match
Here's the big one, the more anticipated main event of the night- Triple H vs Undertaker, Hell in a Cell with Shawn Michaels as the special guest referee. The match had the magic of the Attitude Era and both combatants showed that experience outweighs the new brood's (lack of) talent. Last Wrestlemania Undertaker won the match via Hell's Gate Gogoplata but had to be stretchered off after chair shots,a 'Tombstone Piledriver' and THREE Pedigrees! He was obsessed with a rematch (like Shawn Michaels between Wrestlemania 25 and 26)
Shawn Michaels is first to enter, then after a short delay the lights go off and Motorhead starts to play "Time to play the game...TIME TO PLAY THE GAAAMMME" and the smoke and green lighting initiates;out comes Triple H from under a gothic-style arch. Next comes out a hooded Undertaker in what looks like an armour plated coat; as 'The Phenom' enters the ring with both men, the lights go on again and Undertaker reveals a Chuck-Liddell style mohawk. The cage is then lowered to the music of Metallica's The Memory Remains
Undertaker and Triple H start off brawling with both men exchanging punches and backing each other into the corner; Undertaker gains the upper hand and Triple H gets thrown out of the ring and retreats, fending off Undertaker and searching for a weapon. Undertaker continues the assault on Triple H and Shawn Michaels tries to break it up but gets pushed away. Undertaker then goes to work on Triple H with the steel steps and brings both Triple H and the steps in. After Undertaker's assault and leg drop, Triple H hits Undertaker with a DDT and attempts a 'Pedigree' on Undertaker (on the steel steps brought into the ring) but fails. Triple H gets up and engages Undertaker,slamming him on the steps; Undertaker tries the 'Hell's Gate' on Triple H from the steps but the latter picks him up and slams him and covers him for the pin. 1...2..NO! Undertaker kicks out. Triple H's 'hardcore badass' side comes out when he brings out two steel chairs and hits Undertaker numerous times with it-focusing on the spine; as well as this he hits Undertaker with the steel steps. Undertaker can now not even get up and looks unconscious. Telling Shawn Michaels to 'end it' (stop the match), Triple H looks in control as the match finally goes his way; Shawn Michaels goes to Undertaker to see if he is ok and if he wants the match to end but he refuses.
After trying to get up,Undertaker is hit with more chair shots and covered as Shawn Michaels counts the pins 1...2...NO!! Undertaker is still hanging in there. Triple H now brings out the signature sledgehammer and starts hitting a floored Undertaker with the handle. Just as he goes to finish Undertaker, Shawn Michaels stops it and tells Triple H to stop it and cover Undertaker for the pin; Triple H's response is to "end it" and ring the bell. As Shawn Michaels goes to check on Undertaker and try stop the match, Undertaker refuses to quit; Shawn Michaels is reluctant and is about to signal to ring the bell but Undertaker puts him in a 'Hell's Gate' and chokes him unconscious. Triple H hits Undertaker with the sledgehammer again but eerilie similar to last year, gets himself caught in a 'Hell's Gate' with nowhere to go. As Undertaker chokes out Triple H, there is no official to count the pin as Shawn Michaels is unconscious! Another referee tries to open up the cage but has no keys! Undertaker is too exhausted to keep the hold on- as the new referee Charles Robinson gets in the ring, Undertaker chokeslams Triple H. Surely this time it's over 1...2...WHOA!!! Triple H survives a Hell's Gate AND chokeslam. An angry Undertaker attacks Charles Robinson and chokeslams him. Triple H throws Undertaker across the ring into a 'Sweet Chin Music' by Shawn Michaels which leads to a 'Pedigree' from Triple H! This must be it! 1...2...NO!! Even a DX double could not finish Undertaker off! Shawn Michaels comes to his senses that he can't affect the match and goes back to being neutral. Undertaker now starts pummeling Triple H and hits him with Snake Eyes, Big Boot and a Leg Drop!! Undertaker is winning and hits Triple H with his finisher: Tombstone Piledriver! 1...2...KICK OUT! Back and forth the match goes with Undertaker and Triple H exchanging punches, standing on their last legs. Undertaker fails a 'Tombstone Piledriver' and gets hit with a 'Pedigree'! Surely this must be it:1...2...NO! Both men are now at the final hurdle, Triple H struggles to sit up and goes for his sledgehammer while Undertaker sits up abruptly and goes for the chair, he gets it first and stands on the sledgehammer. Undertaker punishes Triple H with chair shots to the point Triple H can't stand.Undertaker tries to pin him: 1...2..NO! Triple H somehow finds the energy to get up and grabs his sledgehammer but Undertaker takes it off off of him and stops him! Triple H pushes Undertaker away and gives him a DX crotch chop as an act of defiance. Undertaker knocks him down one more time, Triple H gets up as Undertaker takes his top off; Undertaker does his 'cut throat' gesture and finishes it for the three count with a Tombstone Piledriver!!!!!!!! The streak continues!!!!!!!! Undertaker,barely able to stand, helps Shawn Michaels carry off an injured Triple H, on the ramp all three men group hug.
Winner:-Undertaker
Rating:- 9.5/10 A fantastic match with plenty of in-fight dialogue, both men gave it their all with 4 pin attempts and 2 Pedigrees from Triple H and 3 (plus a winner) pin attempts, a Chokeslam,two 'Hell's Gates' and two Tombstone Piledrivers from Undertaker!!! A shame Shawn Michaels did not intervene but we will see what happens in the future...
Team Laurinaitis (John Laurinaitis, Vickie Guerrero, Brie Bella,David Otunga,Mark Henry,Dolph Ziggler,Jack Swagger,The Miz and Drew McIntyre) fought Team Teddy (Teddy Long,Aksana,Nikki Bella,Hornswoggle,Santino Marella,R-Truth,Kofi Kingston,Zack Ryder,The Great Khali and Booker T) for the rights to rule over both SmackDown and RAW.
Kofi Kingston and Dolph Ziggler start things off; Ziggler strikes first but Kingston strikes back and hits him with a crossbody for the two count. R-Truth is tagged in and continues beating on Ziggler while dancing; Ziggler dropkicks R-Truth and tags in Drew McIntyre who gets beaten around by R-Truth before The Great Khali comes in and gives chops and a clothesline to Drew McIntyre. Booker T continues the attack on Drew McIntyre but is hit by David Otunga so attacks each member of Team Laurinitis but before attacking Mark Henry, is dropped by Drew McIntyre. Jack Swagger then comes in to attack Booker T and pins him but Booker T kicks out; Swagger keeps attacking and tags in The Miz who strikes with knees. Booker T counters Miz's suplex with his own.Dolph Ziggler now comes back in nd attacks a tired Booker T and tags in Miz again.Booker T holds off Miz but Mark Henry hits him with 'The World's Strongest Slam'. The Great Khali comes in to fight Mark Henry and drops him; in turn Jack Swagger and Drew McIntyre come to attack Khali but Kofi Kingston dropkicks them out. Hornswoggle is thrown out of the ring onto Team Laurinaitis before Kofi Kingston and Zack Ryder jump from the top rope into the battle outside the ring. Inside the ring Booker T and Miz are fighting and Santino is tagged in and beats up the Miz via hip-toss and jumping on him from the top rope. As he is about to finish him with the 'Cobra' Santino uses it to scare off John Laurinaitis, luckily he dodges Miz' attack from behind and hits him with the 'Cobra'. 1...2....NO! Dolph Ziggler stops the pin so Zack Ryder comes in and hits Ziggler with the 'Ruff Ryder' after Miz blocks it. Just as Zack Ryder is about to finish off Miz, Eve appears and is cheering on Ryder, distracting him. Miz hits Zack Ryder with a 'Skull Crushing Finale'
1...2...3! TEAM LAURINAITIS WINS! Eve adds insult to injury by kicking Zack Ryder in the b*lls. The Hoeski!
Winner:- Team Laurinaitis (John Laurinaitis, Vickie Guerrero, Brie Bella,David Otunga,Mark Henry,Dolph Ziggler,Jack Swagger,The Miz and Drew McIntyre)
Rating:- 7.5/10 - a good match;always exciting with teams!!!!!!!!!
The WWE Title match between Chris Jericho and CM Punk was an amazing match considering Chris Jericho called Punk a b*stard (from his parents not being married when he was born) and questioned his Straight Edge gimmick when his father was found to be an alcoholic and his sister a user. John Laurinaitis made the stipulation that CM Punk would lose his title if disqualified.
Both men wrestle for position but CM Punk manages to get Chris Jericho down first and strikes him several times with his MMA knowledge. Jericho is backed into the corner and continuosly stamped on-Punk releases at the 4 count before getting disqualified. Chris Jericho slaps him to enrage him and gets stomped again. Chris Jericho then asks Punk how his father is so Punk beats him down and attempts a jump off of the tope rope; Jericho rolls out but Punk lands on him out of the ring. Outside of the ring Jericho asks Punk how his sister is, Punk grabs a steel chair,enters the ring after Jericho and is about to hit him with it but stops when he hears Jericho egging him on and the referee stopping him.Chris Jericho takes this opportunity and begins a new attack, dropping Punk with an elbow.Punk tried a GTS but fails and is clotheslined and suplexed out of the ring.Jericho kicks a flooring CM Punk and brings him back into the ring. A failed 2 count from Jericho leads to a backbreaker to CM Punk. 1...2...OH! Not yet! Chris Jericho tries again after another backbreaker; 1...2...NO!! Jericho kicks Punk and does a back splash;1...2...NO!! Another failed attempt and Jericho knees Punk in the back. Punk gets up and fights back with chops to the chest and a knee to the chin. A clothesline and swinging neckbreaker later, Punk covers: 1...2...OH! Not yet! Punk tries a 'bulldog' but fails, Jericho tries to counter that with a 'lionsault' but also fails. CM Punk manages to evade 'Walls of Jericho' and kicks Jericho in the head and pins him 1...2...WHOA! Jericho kicks out and the fight goes out of, and back into the ring. CM Punk hits Chris Jericho with a GTS 1...2...JERICHO'S FOOT'S ON THE ROPE!!!!!!!! Punk punishes Jericho with some kicks, slams him and covers 1...2...OH! Chris Jericho's still in this! After more wrestling, Chris Jericho nails CM Punk with a 'lionsault' for the 10th pin of the match but fails! Jericho takes this to the middle rope but is stopped by strikes from CM Punk. CM Punk attempts a 'hurricanrana' from the top rope but Jericho reverses it to 'Walls of Jericho' CM Punk almost taps out but somehow amazingly gets to the ropes to break the hold.Jericho charges at Punk but misses and falls out of the ring; Punk dives after him out of the ring. CM Punk again uses his superior clinch work and uses his jumping knee on Jericho. Punk takes Jericho back into the ring but is caught with a 'Codebreaker' when he tries to go in via top rope. Surely this is is: 1....2....NO! CM Punk kicks out. CM Punk attempts two GTS but fails; Jericho fights Punk back and goes to the top rope but is kicked down.CM Punk tries the GTS again but is countered by 'Walls of Jericho', which in turn is countered by an 'Anaconda Vise' and vice versa- two times each man put a submission on and failed . Finally CM Punk puts on a tight 'Anaconda Vise' but is knees in the back of the head; when Chris Jericho tries the 'Walls of Jericho' he is stopped by head kicks from CM Punk. CM Punk tries his fourth 'Anaconda Vise' and regardless of Chris Jericho's knee strikes, wins via tapout.
Winner:- CM Punk
Rating:- 8/10. FOURTEEN PIN ATTEMPTS (10 for Chris Jericho and 4 for CM Punk) later and we have a winner from an extremely technical match. Fantastic.
The main event: The Rock vs John Cena; ten years after children of the 80s saw Hulk Hogan fight the new kid and 90's phenom Rock, we see The Rock being the guy from the previous generation facing noughties hero John Cena. Last year's Wrestlemania was a bit of a let down when The Rock (as a guest referee) attacked John Cena against The Miz and then beat up Miz (after letting him retain the title) but this year it was a straight fight.
Both men tussled as soon as the bell went- Cena pushed The Rock into the posts, The Rock pushed Cena into the posts, Cena put on a headlock, The Rock put on a headlock. The Rock is the first to attempt a pin but Cena kicks out at 2, Cena retaliates with an arm drag to hip toss and gets Rock in a headlock but The Rock breaks free and Cena leaves the ring. As Cena re-enters the ring again, he gets kicked by The Rock but manages to get The Rock into the corner and unleashes a flurry of punches and shoulder barges.Cena finally grabs hold of The Rock with a bearhug but The Rock powers out; Cena uses this to his advantage and The Rock falls out of the ring. Cena then gets The Rock over the fan barrier and slams him onto the announcers' table. Cena then brings The Rock into the ring again and hits him with a belly-to-belly suplex;Cena pins The Rock for 2. Again Cena bearhugs The Rock,squeezing the life out of him but The Rock breaks free and unleashes a load of punches and a spinebuster.'The Peoples' Champ' then gets ready to finish Cena with the 'People's Elbow' but Cena evades it and manages to get The Rock to the mat and hits The Rock with the 'Five Knuckle Shuffle'!Surely it's over as Cena initiates the 'Attitude Adjustment' but no, The Rock escapes! Both men trade shots again and Cena suddenly hits The Rock with the 'Attitude Adjustment'-is that it? 1...2...OH! The Rock barely kicks out; Cena attempts to lift The Rock but The Rock counters with 'The Rock Bottom'! 1...2...NO! The fight is still going on! The Rock works on Cena in the corner and the latter retaliates with a side slam for the two count. Cena climbs up to the top rope and nails The Rock with a leg drop. Surely it must be over?! 1...2...NO! The Rock kicks out again! Cena tries another 'Attitude Adjustment' but The Rock reverses it and gets Cena in a 'Sharpshooter'. Cena survives two 'Sharpshooter' attempts by grabbing the ropes. The Rock pulls Cena out of the ring and gives him a flurry of punches and a running elbow before slamming him into the steel steps.As The Rock brings Cena back into the match, Cena manages to get The Rock in the STF and The Rock barely moves before Cena brings him back into the centre of the ring with the STF still on. Everyone can see The Rock losing consciousness and the ropes oh-so-far away; the referee picks up the Rock's hand and it drops...1! again he picks it up and it drops...2! it looks like Cena will win! NOT! The Rock's arm stays strong and he drags both himself and Cena to the rope. The Rock hits Cena with a 'Samoan Drop' and both men go down. After getting up and exchanging strikes, The Rock and Cena both manage to get out of the 'Attitude Adjustment' and 'Rock Bottom'. The Rock manages a 'Spinebuster' on Cena and hits him with the 'Peoples' Elbow' 1...2....OH! Cena survives! Cena begins another offensive and rolls The Rock for a 2 count and then the fight goes to the corner of the ring with another 2 count from Cena. Cena and The Rock fight on the top ropes but The Rock wins and pushes Cena off! The Rock leaps at Cena with a 'crossbody' from the top rope but is caught by Cena who uses his amazing strength to execute an 'Attitude Adjustment'. It's all over!!!! 1...2....NO! Cena doesn't pin him but is in better shape; he gets up and mocks The Rock before doing the 'Peoples' Elbow' BUT THE ROCK STOPS HIM AND HITS HIM WITH THE ROCK BOTTOM. 1...2....3!!! Still the Peoples' Champ- THE ROCK!
Winner:-The Rock
Rating:- 8/10 An awesome match but both men are not really the best technical wrestlers. It was very worrying when Cena hit The Rock with 2 'Attitude Adjustment' and the 'Five Knuckle Shuffle' since he was in more control during the match (Cena's 7 pin attempts,4 finishers vs The Rock's 4 pin attempts and 3 signatures) and it looked like he would have won it-especially with the STF. John Cena and The Rock's match was overshadowed by The Undertaker vs Triple H match.
Easily the best Wrestlemanias ever. Why? We saw a group battle (pushing the mid carders), a technical match between CM Punk and Chris Jericho (important in this MMA dominated day and age), The Champ (John Cena) vs The Peoples' Champ (The Rock) and of course, Undertaker defeating Triple H and ensuring the streak lives on. Not to mention a humerous segment with 'Funkasaurus' Brodus Clay, his Mother and all of the Bridge Club women shaking their groove thing!
8/10
