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WWE WRESTLEMANIA XXX

April 6, 2014

Mercedes-Benz Superdome, New Orleans, Louisiana

 

In the pre show match, The Usos retained the Tag Team Titles against The Real Americans, RybAxel and Los Matadores and after the match, there was dissention between The Real Americans for Cesaro being pinned, resulting in Cesaro giving Swagger the big swing.

 

A New Orleans themed video, with a street party involving fans and wrestlers, highlighting past Wrestlemanias and running down the key matches for this show kicked off the PPV.

Big segment to start with Hogan coming out to a big reaction. Hogan did his host speech but called it the ‘Silverdome’, not once but twice, which got some boos and ‘Superdome’ chants. He corrected himself though, so no harm no foul. Hogan was interrupted by the sound of glass shattering and Stone Cold coming out. Austin jokingly called it the Silverdome as well and teased opening up a can of whoop ass on Hogan before shaking his hand. Austin said tonight was about the current superstars. But there was more, as The Rock came out to a huge pop and “this is awesome” chants for the three of them. Rock called Austin and Hogan the two biggest names in WWE history. He said there wouldn’t be a guy fighting for hustle, loyalty and respect without Hogan saying his prayers and taking his vitamins and there wouldn’t be a man fighting the Authority without Austin crossing the boss and whipping his candy ass. Boos for the Cena mention and a YES chant for Bryan. Everybody got their catchphrases in and Hogan emphasised that they were in the Superdome before they shared a beer to close the segment. Quite a way to start the show.

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MATCH 1: Triple H vs. Daniel Bryan

Stephanie did an introduction for HHH, who had a suitably grand HHH entrance.

 

Understated as ever.
Understated as ever.

Sasha Banks, Charlotte and Alexa Bliss from NXT were the three women with HHH. Big YES chant during Bryan’s entrance. Bryan had his shoulder taped. He also had new, furry boots for Wrestlemania.

HHH offered a handshake to start the match and Bryan kicked the hand away. After sending HHH outside Bryan then mockingly offered a handshake of his own. Mat wrestling early and there were actually some duelling chants at one point. HHH tried to go after the shoulder but couldn’t get the advantage. Bryan hit a tornado DDT off the apron and a front flip over the ring post in quick succession before HHH finally took control after crotching Bryan on the top turnbuckle and after Bryan blocked a Pedigree through the table, dropping him arm first across the edge of the table. HHH worked over the arm from that point. He countered a dive by Bryan and gave Bryan a hammerlock back suplex on the apron but Bryan beat the count back in. HHH used a crossface chickenwing and a crossface. Bryan fought back with some german suplexes before HHH hit a tiger suplex. Yes, HHH hit a tiger suplex. I’m fairly sure that’s a new one for him. Bryan hit a sunset flip powerbomb before a huge clothesline from HHH put a stop to Bryan’s comeback. Bryan countered a Pedigree and hit a buzzsaw kick. HHH blocked the flying headbutt with a knee and put the crossface on. Bryan eventually got out and put on the YES Lock, but HHH managed to get the ropes. Bryan hit a pair of dives and a missile dropkick. After a near fall from a buzzsaw kick, Bryan teased the big knee but ran into a spinebuster. HHH then hit the Pedigree, but Bryan kicked out. When HHH went to pick him up Bryan got a small package for 2. A second Pedigree was countered into a bridging pin for 2. HHH held on and hit some knees, then tried another Pedigree. But Bryan escaped and hit a roundhouse kick. HHH ducked a buzzsaw kick, but Bryan flipped out of a back suplex and hit the running knee for the win.

Credit to Triple H, he hung with Bryan here and we got a match that was somewhere in between HHH’s methodical style and Bryan’s faster pace. I thought this was very good and just about what it should have been. They didn’t do too much and we didn’t get a ton of ‘Wrestlemania near falls’ as the cliché goes, but we got more than a typical HHH match. I mean, he did a tiger suplex. That’s got to count for something! Very good way to start and another match to add to the ‘best PPV opening match’ conversation.

Winner via pinfall (25:58): Daniel Bryan (****1/2)

 

After the match, Stephanie slapped Bryan repeatedly and he laughed it off, but HHH attacked Bryan from behind and hit Bryan’s arm with a chair against the ring post to set up the story for later.

 

MATCH 2: The Shield vs. Kane and The New Age Outlaws

The Shield interrupted Road Dogg’s spiel while he was still on the ramp. Ambrose hit a jawbreaker lariat early on Kane and Reigns ran through the Outlaws. Reigns hit the superman punch to Road Dogg but Kane saved Billy from one and tried a chokeslam. Rollins hit the springboard knee to break that up and a dive on Kane. Ambrose then cut off a fameasser attempt by Billy and Reigns hit a superman punch. They surrounded Billy who tried to roll outside. Ambrose and Rollins hit dives, before Reigns speared Kane and hit a double spear to both Outlaws. And then The Shield hit a double triple powerbomb, on both Outlaws at the same time, with Rollins pinning Billy for the win. This was about as quick and decisive as you could have hoped for if you weren’t into the idea of this match coming in.

Winners via pinfall (2:55): The Shield (N/R)

 

Backstage we got a skit with Sgt Slaughter, Hacksaw Jim Duggan, Dangerous Danny Davis and Ricky Steamboat, plugging the Slam City toys. Somebody took their toys and Ted Dibiase walked in saying whether it was WWE or Slam City, everybody had a price for the Million Dollar Man. Ron Simmons then appeared to say DAMN which is probably the best way to end any segment.

 

MATCH 3: 30 Man Andre The Giant Memorial Battle Royal

Participants: Alberto Del Rio, Big E, Brad Maddox, Brodus Clay, Cesaro, Cody Rhodes, Damien Sandow, Darren Young, David Otunga, Dolph Ziggler, Drew McIntyre, Fandango, Goldust, Great Khali, Heath Slater, Jinder Mahal, Justin Gabriel, Kofi Kingston, Mark Henry, The Miz, Rey Mysterio, Sheamus, R-Truth, Santino Marella, Sin Cara, Titus O’Neil, Tyson Kidd, Xavier Woods, Yoshi Tatsu, Zack Ryder

Disappointingly, only Big Show, Sheamus got entrances and everybody else just started in the ring. I’m sure doing 30 entrances would have eaten up time, but still, having all those guys just in the ring waiting for Big Show didn’t really do much to build anticipation. Or me trying to type up who was in it. Thank you Wikipedia.

So this was a battle royal. Eliminations and key moments were: Yoshi, Maddox and Brodus all by Khali, Khali by 3MB, Ryder by Drew and Jinder, Darren Young by Drew and Slater, then Drew and Jinder by Henry and Heath press slammed onto both of them before Big Show eliminated Henry. Big Show eliminated Titus, Santino hit the Cobra to eliminate Miz, Del Rio then eliminated Santino. Sandow eliminated Xavier before being eliminated by Cody, with an assist from Goldust pulling the rope down. Big E threw Gabriel out from a powerbomb position which was kind of scary. Big E then eliminated Otunga and Fandango eliminated Big E. Fandango danced on the apron as everyone Fandangoed but Sheamus hit the clubbing forearms before shoving him out. Big Show pressed Truth out and Del Rio eliminated Sin Cara off camera.

Last 10 were Ziggler, Sheamus, Kofi, Cody, Kidd, Cesaro, Goldust, Big Show, Rey and Del Rio. Big Show decided not to attack Rey before Del Rio hit a rope walking enziguri to send Tyson out. He did the same to eliminate Goldust who was stood on the apron, then eliminated Cody. Rey hit a 619 to Del Rio, but Cesaro blocked one and hit an uppercut to block a Rey springboard and eliminate him. Cesaro hit a pop up uppercut to Ziggler. Then, in an awesome looking spot, Cesaro pressed Kofi all the way over the post and Kofi landed on the steps, managing to hit the floor but with his feet on the ring steps meaning he could come back in. Kofi ran wild and hit Trouble In Paradise to Del Rio and to Big Show, before Cesaro blocked one and got Kofi in the big swing. Big Show hit a chokeslam to Cesaro and Sheamus hit a Brogue Kick to Big Show. Sheamus sent out Kofi with a Brogue Kick. Ziggler tried to skin the cat but was superkicked by Del Rio to eliminate him.

Which meant the final four were Cesaro, Sheamus, Del Rio and Big Show. Del Rio got Sheamus in the cross armbreaker but Sheamus powered out and tried to eliminate Del Rio, which caused them both to go over the top eliminating each other. That left Big Show and Cesaro, with the crowd fully behind Cesaro. Cesaro avoided a chokeslam and hit some uppercuts and clotheslines to try and get Big Show out. Big Show threw Cesaro to the apron and hit Cesaro as he came off the top rope. He then went to throw Cesaro out, but Cesaro escaped, hit an uppercut, picked Big Show up for a slam and threw him over the top to win the battle royal.

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A great finish that got a great reaction from the crowd. Big Show shook Cesaro’s hand after the match. I don’t think anyone was expecting Cesaro to be in the battle royal let alone win it, but it turns out he was the perfect guy to have win.

Winner of the Andre The Giant Memorial Battle Royal (13:25): Cesaro (N/R, overall thumbs up for the finish)

 

MATCH 5: John Cena vs. Bray Wyatt

There was a live performance of Bray’s entrance. Story heavy match. Bray offered Cena the first shot to start the match and Cena refused to take it. Bray took control for a while. When Cena fought back, Bray laughed about it, the idea being that Bray wanted Cena to be aggressive I guess. Harper and Rowan got on the apron but Bray told them to get down. Bray took over again and wore Cena down. Cena made his comeback, but when he went for the five knuckle shuffle, Bray got into the crab walk position and Cena took a bump. Fantastic. Harper then distracted Cena to allow Bray to retake control. Bray then got the crowd to start swaying. Cena hit a tornado DDT for a 2 count, before Bray countered the top rope legdrop to the back of the head into a powerbomb for a near fall. Bray avoided an STF before Cena hit the five knuckle shuffle. Bray escaped the AA and hit a gutbuster for 2. Cena went for the AA on the apron, but Bray countered and hit a DDT on the apron for a 2 count. The crowd at various points in the match tried to start singing “he’s got the whole world in his hands”, which was on the back of Harper’s vest. Cena blocked a superplex and dove off the top onto Rowan and Harper. Bray then sent Cena into the steps. He teased using the steps but Cena fought back. Cena then teased using them, but had second thoughts and threw them down. Bray got a 2 count with a crossbody attack and then he started singing too. Cena then avoided a senton and hit the AA but Bray kicked out. With Rowan distracting the referee Harper hit a kick from outside and Bray hit the senton for a near fall. After being thrown outside Cena speared Harper through the barrier. Bray then set up for the Sister Abigail, but Cena turned it into the STF. Bray made the ropes though and hit the Sister Abigail out of nowhere, but Cena kicked out. Finish saw Bray get a chair and Rowan distract the referee, but Bray gave the chair to Cena and offered him a free shot. Cena hit Rowan with the chair and Bray rolled him up for 2. He then went for the Sister Abigail, but Cena escaped and won with the AA. They played this off as Cena “staying true to himself” and he celebrated with the fans at ringside, notably a young child in a Cena shirt right after the pin, plus his dad was in the front row and he hugged The Rock’s mother who was there too. An interesting match more than a great match.

Winner via pinfall (22:27): John Cena (***1/2)

 

The Hall Of Fame inductees were introduced on the stage: Jake Roberts, Mr. T, Paul Bearer’s sons Michael and Daniel Moody who were representing him, Carlos Colon, Lita, Razor Ramon and The Ultimate Warrior who got an entrance with his music.

Bryan was shown backstage getting his shoulder checked by the trainer.

 

MATCH 6: The Undertaker vs. Brock Lesnar

Long Undertaker entrances with clips from his past Wrestlemania matches. Staredown before the bell. Brock hit a belly to belly early on and clotheslined Undertaker outside, but he landed on his feet. Undertaker posted Lesnar’s shoulder. Lesnar posted it a second time missing a shoulder in the corner a short time later. Lesnar avoided a chokeslam and Undertaker avoided the F5, before Undertaker missed a boot in the corner and Lesnar sent the leg into the post. Lesnar took control and wore Undertaker down. Undertaker fought back and hit the chokeslam for 2. Lesnar then avoided a Tombstone and hit the F5 for a 2 count. Undertaker got Lesnar in the Hell’s Gate but Lesnar lifted and dropped Undertaker to escape it. He got it a second time and Lesnar powered out a second time before getting the kimura. Undertaker turned it into a kimura of his own and Lesnar made the ropes. Undertaker went for Old School but Lesnar got him in a second F5 for a near fall. Lesnar hit a couple of german suplexes and Heyman fired up Lesnar. Undertaker went for a Last Ride out of the corner which ended up as more of a normal powerbomb. He hit a Tombstone for a near fall which brought a great smile to Heyman’s face. Lesnar then countered a second Tombstone into a third F5 and got the pin. Heyman celebrated big as they got some great reaction shots of the crowd.

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The match itself didn’t have a lot of heat at all. I didn’t think the match was bad aside from that, although the general reaction I saw seemed to be fairly negative.

My opinion on the Undertaker Wrestlemania streak was using it to give someone “the rub”, as the kids say probably wasn’t going to work as well in reality as it does in theory. And if anything, it could backfire and lead to the crowd resenting them. Big shoes to fill and all that. If a Roman Reigns or a Bray Wyatt had a match with Undertaker that people were disappointed by and won, people would be questioning if it was the right person to win straight away just the same as they presumably are with Lesnar. And they’d be under a greater magnifying glass from that point on. Add in the usual resistance you get when a wrestler is clearly being pushed strong, especially when it’s not because crowds have deemed them ready like a Punk, a Bryan or a Cesaro and you’re asking for trouble.

If beating the streak gives Lesnar a boost, great. If not, you at least haven’t set up a promising younger wrestler in position to fail. The other factor as I’ve seen pointed out on Twitter is what beating the streak does for Heyman. Chris Jericho becoming “the first ever Undisputed Champion” just became an annoying trope he’d say in every interview. If Heyman can use this to annoy people and get more heat, then great for him and great for whoever he’s managing, whether that’s Brock or somebody else if Brock takes time off. So maybe Lesnar was the right man to win. That’s just one person’s opinion though.

Undertaker got “thank you Taker” chants and applause afterwards. The commentators all stood and applauded him as well.

Winner via pinfall (25:11): Brock Lesnar (***)

 

MATCH 7: WWE DIVAS CHAMPIONSHIP, Vickie Guerrero Divas Championship Invitational

Participants: AJ (CHAMPION), Aksana, Alicia Fox, Brie Bella, Cameron, Emma, Eva Marie, Layla, Natalya, Nikki Bella, Rosa Mendes, Summer Rae, Tamina Snuka

Only AJ got an entrance. This was a one fall match with everybody in the ring. Vickie had her own podium at ringside to watch from and she wished AJ good luck from before the match. Everybody went after AJ and Tamina at the start before a brawl broke out. There were Undertaker chants early on. Naomi hit a rope assisted piledriver to Aksana which looked cool. Natalya teased a triple sharpshooter on Alicia, Rosa and Cameron but Eva rolled her up for a 2 count. We got quadruple suplexes and a quadruple pin, but everybody kicked out. Cameron hit a Codebreaker to AJ. A sequence of moves ended with Tamina superkicking Naomi and Eva shoving her down. Eva ran from Tamina and the Bellas took her out before hitting a double dive onto I think everybody but AJ. The Bellas were left in the ring and Nikki countered a facebuster, then hit the torture rack backbreaker, but Alicia and Layla broke up the pin. Tamina hit a samoan drop to Natalya and went for the superfly splash but Naomi pushed her off the top. Aksana went for a superplex and Natalya powerbombed her as she hit the move. Tamina broke the pin and pulled Natalya and Aksana outside. Natalya ducked a double clothesline and clotheslined Tamina, but took a baseball slide from AJ. AJ then got Naomi in the Black Widow and retained the title. This was perfectly fine.

Winner via submission and still champion (6:48): AJ (**)

 

Backstage, Mene Gene interviewed Hogan. Just like old times! Hogan was quickly interruped by Roddy Piper and Paul Orndorff who had an amazing moustache. They talked about the Wrestlemania I main event and Orndorff said people brought up that he lost in the first main event of Wrestlemania every day. Orndorff said if he had a partner who watched his back maybe they wouldn’t have lost. Piper teased a fight before Mr. T showed up and Pat Patterson appeared in a referee’s shirt telling everyone to calm down. Hogan had Piper and Orndorff shake their hands, which Piper really didn’t want to do, making Orndorff shake Hogan’s hand first. But he eventually gave in and he and Mr. T ended up hugging.

Mr. Wonderful Moustache
Mr. Wonderful Moustache

Bruno Sammartino, Harley Race, Bob Backlund, Dusty Rhodes and  Bret Hart were shown sat in the crowd.

 

MATCH 8: WWE WORLD HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP, TRIPLE THREAT MATCH

Randy Orton (CHAMPION) vs. Batista vs. Daniel Bryan

Orton was played out by Rev Theory. Bryan immediately hit a corner dropkick on Orton when the bell rang. Batista then went for a Batista Bomb but Bryan countered with a hurricanrana. Orton quickly took out the arm to stop Bryan’s momentum. Orton was sent into the steps by Batista and he tried a Batista bomb on the steps. But Orton countered with a backdrop and Batista landed on the steps instead. Orton then gave both Bryan and Batista back suplexes onto the barriers and posed on the steps. Bryan hit a missile dropkick to both Orton and Batista before delivering some kicks to both. Orton caught Bryan with an exploder suplex, then Batista gave Orton a powerslam with both pins being broken up. Bryan hit repeated corner dropkicks to both opponents then a super hurricanrana to Orton.

Bryan got release suplexed to the floor from the apron by Batista. Orton gave Batista a superplex, but Bryan came back to hit Orton with a flying headbutt. He then put on the YES Lock but HHH and Stephanie appeared through the crowd and HHH pulled the referee out. With Bryan distracted Batista hit a spinebuster, before Scott Armstrong appeared in a referee’s shirt. Batista hit a Batista Bomb but Bryan kicked out. After Batista posted his shoulder, HHH instructed Armstrong, but Bryan kicked him in the head. Bryan then hit a dive which took out HHH, Armstrong and Stephanie which got a big reaction from the crowd. HHH got the sledgehammer but Bryan delivered a kick and nailed HHH with the sledgehammer, knocking him off the apron. He rolled up Batista but Orton broke up the pin. Orton sent Bryan outside and he and Batista started working together, tearing off Bryan’s bandaging before Orton used the steps. Batista and Orton then teamed up to set up the announce tables. Batista used a monitor on Bryan before setting him up for a powerbomb on the announce table, with Orton hitting a reverse RKO on Bryan on the way down. That looked awesome, except for the fact Orton landed back first on a monitor when the table broke which cut up his back. That part looked slightly less awesome, for Orton at least.

As EMTs came down to stretcher out Bryan, Batista clotheslined Orton and the match continued between them. After Orton gave Batista the DDT off the apron on the floor though, Bryan got off the stretcher and crawled back to ringside. Orton sent him into the steps and taunted the crowd before teasing an RKO. Bryan countered into the YES Lock but Batista made the save. Bryan then got Batista in the YES Lock but Orton made the save. Batista countered an RKO and went for a spear, which Orton leapfrogged, causing Bryan to be speared. Orton then hit the RKO to Batista for a near fall. Orton teased the punt, but Bryan hit him with the running knee. Batista threw Bryan outside and pinned Orton, but Orton kicked out. Batista then hit a Batista Bomb. As Orton rolled outside Bryan then hit Batista with the running knee and put on the YES Lock to win the title. Huge pop for the finish and Bryan got the big pyro and confetti celebration, celebrating in the ring with his sister and his niece.

They got back the crowd and then some. Considering what people were expecting a few weeks ago, this couldn’t have been a much better result and way to end the show. Everything was laid out as it should have been, all of the heels got their comeuppance and Bryan won clean, again, to end the show as WWE World Heavyweight Champion. I’ve seen it mentioned that he didn’t beat Orton but I really don’t think that’s of any real importance at this point and clearly it didn’t matter to the fans in the arena. A great way to end the show and WWE really delivered on the Bryan story on this show. Maybe it wasn’t plain sailing all the way and maybe there were points the story wasn’t working out the way people wanted, but in the end Bryan got his moment and for that alone the show was a success, let alone everything else we got largely (if not entirely) delivering. Thumbs up.

Winner via submission and new champion (23:20): Daniel Bryan (****1/2)

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YES

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