On the Marc Reviews: WrestleMania XXVIII

live from Sun Life Stadium in Miami, Florida (home of my Miami Dolphins!); April 1, 2012

Commentators: Michael Cole & Jerry “The King” Lawler

Championship’s role call: WWE Champion: CM Punk… World Champion: Daniel Bryan… Intercontinental Champion: Cody Rhodes… United States Champion: Santino Marella… Tag Team Champions: Primo & Epico… Diva’s Champion: Beth Phoenix

Lillian Garcia sings the National Anthem

World Heavyweight Championship Daniel Bryan (w/AJ Lee) vs. Sheamus:   Awesome stage; beautiful day for a wrestling match! Bryan has an awesome robe for his entrance. There are a TON of “Yes” signs supporting Bryan. He asks for his good luck kiss from AJ and then turns into a Brogue Kick for the three? Really? Sheamus is the new champion. The commentators claim this was a record (eighteen seconds) but I think Diesel beat Bob Backlund in nine seconds. 2/10 I like Sheamus, don’t get me wrong, but that was ridiculous. At least, Bryan has an HUGE excuse for losing the title. I’m sure the IWC will be all over this one.

The Miz tries to fire up his team but it falls completely flat. David Otunga introduces John Laurinaitis in AWESOME white suit with red tie. He says winning here is like a MOMENT, such as, Hulk Hogan slamming André the Giant or Steve Austin refusing to submit to Bret Hart’s Sharpshooter and they will be there for the MOMENT he becomes the GM of both shows.

Randy Orton vs. Kane:   Two for two in my match order thus far. Orton opens with punches as the fans voice their disapproval of the previous match’s outcome, by chanting “Daniel Bryan“. Kane takes over with an uppercut and pounds on Orton. He tries the chokeslam but Orton counters and stomps the crap out of him. He tries the Viper DDT but Kane counters and drapes him on the top rope and capitalizes with a big boot. Kane takes over on offense and hits his low dropkick for a nearfall; he wears Orton (and the crowd) down with a chinlock. I like the giant palm trees that hold up the ring structure. Orton and Kane get into a slugfest which Kane wins with a thrusting uppercut. Kane sends him into the corner but meets a boot; he recovers and hits the side suplex for two. Back to the chinlock; Randy comes out with a swinging neckbreaker. Orton tries to toss him into the buckles but Kane maintains control and hits a boot. Kane with a nice vertical suplex for two… so we go back to the chinlock. Orton tries a head-butt and then FLIPS OUT of Kane’s side slam attempt for the stretch backbreaker. Orton hits a view clotheslines which barely hurt Kane, the scoop-powerslam does though, and the Viper DDT follows. Michael Cole calls it a bulldog TWICE before finally calling it a DDT, I’m sure the picky fans will be all over him for that one. Kane counters the RKO with another big boot, which garners a two count. Kane to the top and leaps right into a dropkick! Orton thinks punt kick to the “skuul” but charges right into a chokeslam… for TWO! Kane is frustrated and moves in the corner to pound away; Orton fights back and almost gets the RKO again. He drop-toeholds him into the buckles but Kane manages to scale them to the second rope; Orton catches him and they fight there. Orton looks for the superplex but Kane counters and hits a second-rope chokeslam for the THREE! 6/10 Much better than I was expecting; I’m SHOCKED that Kane won, but I guess a big win over Orton at ‘Mania makes him more than just the main event JTTS.

Santino Marella talks to Mick Foley and a captain from Discovery Channel’s Deadliest Catch at catering as they promote Deadliest Catch. The Cobra and Mr. Socko destroy the king crab legs until Ron Simmons arrives to say, “Damn!” Commercials during the PPV.

WWE Intercontinental Championship Cody Rhodes vs. Big Show:   Cody is wearing AWESOME entrance robe #2. I think this is Cody’s first title defense since he changed the title back to the classic version. Cody is in red and white tonight, makes him look old school. The bell rings and Cody runs away he makes Show chase him and tries a pescado but gets caught and press-slammed back INTO the ring. Rhodes tries offense but gets tossed across the ring; chops in the corner ring out all over Miami. He bodyslams him and follows with body blows in the corner and then shoves Cody’s head up his ass in the corner. At least that’s the way it looked. Show then misses the reverse avalanche and Rhodes takes over with dropkicks and then a low one to the knee. Cody stomps, which is all he really can do with Show, and adds some rope assisted knee drops. Cody slaps on a standing leglock, which is wise since Show cannot reach him with his big hands. Rhodes stomps at the head of the Giant and reapplies the leglock. Show kicks him off and adds a swatting chop; Show erects himself and Rhodes is in trouble now. Show gets a brief flurry before Rhodes heads to the top to sucker Show in and then hangs his arm off the top rope. The Beautiful Disaster kick follows. It merely staggers Show so he tries another one and gets speared out of the sky. DOWN COMES THE STRAP and levels Rhodes with the WMD and wins the IC title, ending the singles match schnide. 5/10 I don’t get how this ONE win exorcises all of the losses for Show. Too bad for Cody but I’m sure he’ll rebound and get that title back or perhaps move up into the world title picture. The match was pretty decent, not awful, but not spectacular either.

Kelly Kelly & Maria Menounos vs. Eve Torres & Beth Phoenix:   I kinda like Eve’s theme. Beth is wearing a weird dress complete with giant feathers in her head. This started when Beth attacked Kelly and Maria on the set of Extra and issued the challenge. Maria has the Greek flag on her ring attire; wonder if she’ll get bailed out during this match. Kelly and Eve, the former friends, start off. They lock up and there is a lot of movement of the fans in the rafters, which indicates bathroom break. Kelly hits a nice Frankensteiner for two. Eve misses a clothesline in the corner and Kelly tries the handspring elbow but meets a pair of boots to the back. Eve to the top but Kelly crotches her and tags in Menounos; they make most men jealous of Eve with a double stink face. Beth slides along the apron and sneaks in a kick to give the advantage back to her team. Torres chokes her in the ropes and Phoenix adds some nice cheap shots. Eve applies a chinlock followed by a body scissors. Beth finally tags and the Diva’s champ applies a side bearhug; she releases to knock Kelly off the apron and tags in Eve. They hit a double arm stretcher on Maria. Eve tries the Bump ‘n’ Grind moonsault but a little too much grind and Maria boots her to the floor allowing the really long hot tag to Kelly. She hits the satellite head scissors and a neckbreaker to Beth; she heads to the top rope for a Molly-Go-Round for a… Eve breaks it up tossing Kelly into the buckles. The Glam Slam is countered into a wheelbarrow bulldog and crawls to the tag; Maria is still injured on the apron but Kelly tags anyway. Maria thinks top rope but takes forever so Beth snatches her in a press-slam; Kelly saves her and they shove Beth into Eve and Maria rolls her up for three. 4/10 Acceptable match but it is criminal that this got longer than the World title match.

Matt Striker is with Shawn Michaels. HBK says something is coming to an end, either The Streak or the end of The Game. Losing to the Undertaker ended his career and he feels it’s ironic that he has the power in his hands to end an era.

Back in the ring, Justin Roberts announces a new Sun Life stadium record of 78,363 people.

Jim Ross comes out with a goatee to add some commentary and hopefully not argue with Michael Cole the entire rest of the show.

Undertaker vs. Triple H Hell in a Cell:   Match 20, wow… match 20. This match is dubbed “The End of an Era” with Shawn Michaels as the special referee. This match is now? I guess it’s the mid-show main event. Shawn comes out first; I miss hearing Sexy Boy. HHH hits the ring first and comes through, what looks like, a mini version of Castle Grayskull from Masters of the Universe. Taker gets his usual entrance with a RIDICULOUS robe with spikes on the sleeves. He enters the ring and rips off the hood and he’s the BALDER TAKER! The head apparently attracts lightening. Taker looks up slowly as Metallica’s The Memory Remains plays the Cell down to the ground as it gets its own entrance. The bell rings and they meet in the center with punches and kicks; Taker has what looks like a Mohawk as he pounds on HHH in the corner; Hunter gets a few shots in but Taker tosses him to the floor. Taker punches away on the floor and stalks HHH. Hunter creates space tossing Undertaker into the steel but Taker reverses a whip and backdrops Helmsley on the floor. The cameraman was a bit too close to the action there. Taker dominates on the floor as a huge “Undertaker” chant rings out in Miami. Shawn tries to separate them a little on the floor but Taker shoves him aside and continues to toss Helmsley into the cell and then into the steel steps. This is a bit methodical but they are obviously building a match here so they cannot blow it all up in the first tem minutes. Back in the ring, Hunter scores with a facebuster, which is no-sold, and a clothesline puts HHH down again. Taker turns his attention to the arm and works in the Ropewalk Forearm, a.k.a. Old School. Helmsley gets sent to the floor again where Taker dismantles the other steel steps and levels Hunter between the eyes. He goes for it again but elects to slide the base of the steel steps into the ring; Taker drapes HHH on the apron and hits the guillotine legdrop. Taker has literally been kicking HHH’s ass all over the ring from the outset here… up until now as HHH hits a DDT. Helmsley slams Taker’s face into the steps that Taker himself brought into the ring. Irony. HHH looks for a Pedigree onto the steps, but it’s too early in the match for a finisher, and Taker counters with a big backdrop. Taker drops a fist and punches HHH right in the face. Taker charges and Triple H catches him with a spinebuster onto the steel steps which looked really nasty. HHH moves in slowly but Taker catches him in Hell’s Gate! Since the hold last year was applied after thirty minutes of action it elicited a tapout, here HHH is still fresh, and is able to lift Taker up and slam him down to break the hold, and gets a nearfall. HHH grabs a pair of chairs from beneath the ring and lays Undertaker out with them (in the back). Taker lands against the ropes so HHH sets the steps horizontal against the ropes and tosses him into them. HHH continues to wear Taker down with hard chairshots the spine over and over. It gets a bit excessive so HBK tries to intervene and gets shoved aside by Hunter. HHH and HBK get into a little fight over weather Hunter should pin him; Helmsley says he has to “end it” and Michaels pleading for him to cover him out of mercy. Hunter refuses as Michaels asks Taker if he wants to continue. An impatient Helmsley grabs Shawn by the hair, tosses him down into the ropes, and continues to beat on the Undertaker with the chair. Helmsley tells Shawn to “end it… or I will!” HBK goes to Taker who says “do NOT stop it, do NOT STOP IT!” Helmsley shouts at Taker to “stay down!” Taker ignores him and rises to his feet so HHH knocks him down again with the chair. HHH finally goes for a cover… for two! This is some intense ring work from them, which you don’t see nowadays, this must be one of those “eras” ending tonight. HHH continues to yell at HBK to end it or he will; Helmsley heads to the floor for, guess what, the Sledgehammer. The commentators fear for Taker’s life as HBK plays the voice of reason but HHH refuses to stop. Undertaker gets up again as Shawn BEGS him to let him ring the bell, fearing for Taker’s life as well. This is really intense. Helmsley NAILS Taker, in the face, with the sledgehammer… FOR TWO! Helmsley is bleeding over his right eye. Helmsley tries to literally smash Taker’s skull in but Michaels intervenes and saves his life. HBK tosses the hammer to the floor as Helmsley tells HBK to ring the bell. Michaels is conflicted as he sees the prone Undertaker on the mat and thinks to ring the bell. He wanders over to Taker and gets the Hell’s Gate applied to Shawn? Helmsley CLOBBERS Taker with the hammer, saving Shawn, but there is no referee. Hunter looks for another shot with the sledgehammer but Taker kicks him square in the nuts. Hell’s Gate to Triple H! Shawn is still writhing in pain on the mat as, just like last year, HHH struggles in the Hell’s Gate and fumbles for the nearby sledgehammer. HHH passes out from the hold but there is no referee so Taker relinquishes the hold. Referee Charles Robinson runs down, unlocks the Cell, and enters the ring to referee. Taker hits a chokeslam and gets… TWO! Holy, poop! Robinson checks on Michaels and he then tries to reason with Taker and eats a chokeslam. Robinson is dead as Michaels revives. Taker tries for a Tombstone but HBK kills him with Sweet Chin Music… right into the Pedigree… but TAKER KICKS OUT! Now both HHH and HBK together can’t end The Streak! Shawn is completely flustered as all four men are down. Michaels regains his composure, holding HHH back, appearing to have regretted conspiring against the Taker (or just losing his cool), but HHH tosses him over the top into the Cell. ZOMBIE SIT UP! Taker lives! He clobbers HHH with Snake Eyes, big boot and legdrop. TOMBSTONE! Michaels hops back into the ring and counts… TWO! Taker is exasperated. Shawn’s facial reactions are priceless here as he appears frightened. They fight from their backs and trade head-butts then they slug from their knees in a “boo/yay” spot. Taker gets the “yay”. They fight to their feet ads the crowd is electric here. Taker tries another Tombstone but HHH turns it into a Pedigree… for two, of course. Someone is going to have to shoot someone to get a win here. The fane are probably exhausted… and we’re only halfway through! Taker sits up again revealing a really large nasty bruise on the back of his shoulder. Taker grabs a chair as HHH brandishes the sledgehammer; they rise, but Taker STEPS on the sledgehammer in a wicked visual. Taker lays out HHH with the chair. Revenge is a bitch as Taker pounds on HHH’s back with the chair. He shows a bit of mercy but then hits him some more with it. Now, HBK backs Taker away, but he goes for a pinfall, which gets two. Michaels begs them to essentially let it go and end this somehow as he cannot take refereeing anymore. Triple H gets the hammer as Taker moves in; Hunter cannot lift the hammer, but he finally does and lunges at Taker but gets rebuffed. Just like Shawn two years ago, HHH defiantly shoves Taker and gives him a crotch chop, enraging Taker to nail him in the face with the sledgehammer. Undertaker stands over HHH and drops the straps; Helmsley uses Taker’s body to pull himself up but meets a throat cut gesture and Tombstone to FINALLY get the three and Taker moves to 20-0! Post-match, Shawn helps Taker to his feet and they embrace. HBK and Taker help Triple H to his feet and they help him out of the ring and the three of them leave the ring together with Michaels and Taker walking HHH. Impressive… most impressive. 10/10 What a match! I thought this was an awesome fight with intensity, it wasn’t a technical marvel, but it was an unbelievable match. Great characterizations, psychology and storytelling in the ring, these three are the end of an era. I’m actually drained after watching that.

Highlights from the 2012 Hall of Fame highlights follow and then Howard Finkel announces the class to the arena. Mil Máscaras, Yokozuna (represented by his children), Ron Simmons, Ric Flair, Barry Windham, J.J. Dillon, Arn Anderson and Tully Blanchard as the Four Horseman, “Iron” Mike Tyson (who does a little crotch chop) and Edge, with short hair, who gets his music.

Justin Roberts begins to discuss Flo Rida but gets interrupted by Heath Slater. Flo Rida comes out and rejects his attempts to get himself shoved on his ass. Tyler Reks and Curt Hawkins show up to make fun of him.

Team Teddy: Santino Marella, Kofi Kingston, Zack Ryder, R-Truth, Great Khali & Booker T (w/ Teddy Long, Eve Torres, Aksana, Nikki Bella & Hornswoggle) vs. Team Johnny: David Otunga, Jack Swagger, Dolph Ziggler, The Miz, Drew McIntyre & Mark Henry (w/John Laurinaitis, Brie Bella & Vickie Guerrero) twelve-man tag match for total GM control:   The Bella Twins ring announce the respective teams. Otunga and Santino are the respective team captains. Teddy has a nice powder blue suit on. Kofi and Ziggler start and Kingston eats an elbow and fireman’s carry takedown; Kofi comes back with a double jump crossbody for two. Everyone is keeping their respective team shirts on; Truth tags and they hit a double hiptoss/ boot, knee strike and brake dance legdrop combo. Dolph comes back with a dropkick right in the face; McIntyre tags in but eats the Lie Detector. Khali enters as the fans boo. Funny. He rips into Drew with a huge chop in the corner. He tags in Bookah! Booker with chops and then pummels McIntyre in the corner; he hits a shuffle side kick and side slam for a nearfall. HE goes for the scissors kick but Otunga interfere from the apron so Booker systematically knocks every Team Johnny member off the apron. Otunga recovers and hangs Booker off the top rope allowing McIntyre to nail him with a big boot. Swagger, in some spiffy new aqua gear, tags in and punches Booker away into a chinlock. Booker frees himself but runs into a clothesline. Uh oh, Mark Henry tagged in and wears him out with slams; he entraps him in the corner where all the Team Johnny members lay into him. The Miz tags and hits a running kneelift for two; he slaps on a chinlock. Booker blocks a suplex and reverses it. Dolph enters and cuts off the tag and hits a SHOW OFF elbow drop. Miz comes back in and applies a chinlock with pounding. Booker tries to fire up but Miz cuts it off with a knee… and charges right into a leg lariat. Henry illegally wanders in and kills Booker with the World’s Strongest Slam. Khali enters and takes him out with the Head Chop drawing McIntyre and Swagger in to take him out with a double flapjack. Kofi and Truth wipe them with double dropkicks. Ziggler tries to enter but gets double clotheslined to the floor by Truth and Kingston as well. Otunga gets deposited onto the floor and Team Teddy toss Hornswoggle onto the pile. Henry casually catches him and with a “you shitting me?” look on his face tosses Horny to the floor. Kofi, Ryder and Truth then wipe out all of Team Johnny with triple somersault planchas! There are bodies strewn about ringside and a huge pile in front of the announce table as Aksana and Vickie get into a catfight on the floor. The Bellas try to separate them as we move back to the ring where Booker T and the Miz are down and Santino, the only conscious member of either team, on the apron. Booker tags in Marella who lays into Miz with the split-legged dropdown into hiptoss and a TOP ROPE Salute head-butt. The Cobra makes an appearance and almost nails the Miz but Laurinaitis distracts him; Miz charges… but the Cobra strikes! Ziggler JUST makes the save. Ryder recovers and tags in as Ziggler misses a Stinger splash; he runs in and monkey flips Ziggler so we all can witness his 360˚ oversell onto the face on a much grander stage other than WWE Superstars. I must note that Ryder has “RyderMania” trunks on in the WrestleMania logo. Ryder kills Miz with a neckbreaker and looks for the Rough Ryder. Miz backdrops him… right into Ziggler, who eats the Rough Ryder. Miz charges in the corner and eats knees. He looks for the Broski Boot but Eve runs in to hog the spotlight, which distracts Zack, allowing Miz the Skull-Crushing Finale to give Team Johnny the win! John Laurinaitis now controls both shows. Post-match, Team Johnny celebrates as Team Teddy is left in the ring to look on in disbelief. Eve tries to help Ryder to his feet as the rest of Team Teddy look on… and she, of course, kicks him in the balls. 7/10 Highly entertaining match with all sorts of craziness; poor Ryder looked great in the match but then looks like a chump once again.

Alex Rodriguez is in the crowd with Torrie Wilson. In the back John Laurinaitis approaches CM Punk in the back, Johnny tells him that he does not want a brawl tonight, so to ensure match quality; he alters the rules so if Punk gets DQed he loses the title.

WWE Heavyweight Championship CM Punk vs. Chris Jericho DQ title stipulation waived:   Jericho has a new Light Bright jacket for ‘Mania with blue and red LED lights on it. Punk gets an impressive firework laden entrance with cool blimp aerial view. We see Andy Garcia in the crowd. They lock up and fight over a wastelock and Punk takes him down with it. Jericho has some bedazzled trunks on with “Best in the World” on the back. Punk gets some strikes in and backs off to sell the DQ stipulations; he further drives the point home backing off out of the corner at referee Scott Armstrong’s four count. Jericho SLAPS him in the face trying to enrage him to get disqualified. Punk stomps away in the corner and breaks on four. Jericho does it again and Punk dropkicks him and pounds in the corner again. Chris alters his strategy and shouts “how’s your father?” at him. Punk charges with a knee and punishes him with rapid-fire elbows. Punk slams him and heads to the top but Jericho retreats to the floor so Punk wipes him with a diving lariat. Jericho asks him how his sister is further enraging Punk to grab a chair and… almost nail him. Jericho yells “hit me! Your father’s a drunk and your sister is a drug addict!” Punk comes to his senses and drops the chair on the floor but blind charges into the corner and meets a dropkick. Jericho pounds on him with knee strikes. I like the psychology and story they’re telling in there, as a matter of fact this whole ‘Mania has been about storytelling in the ring. Punk rolls to the apron so Jericho looks for the springboard dropkick. Punk counters and tries a GTS on the apron but Jericho saves himself with elbows to the head. Jericho clotheslines him back into the ring and then VERTICAL SUPLEXES him TO THE FLOOR. Devastating. No bracing there, just back to the floor. Jericho gets a soccer kick on the floor and chucks him back into the ring for a nearfall. The replay shows the suplex to the floor again and it still looked nasty. Jericho applies a chinlock as the crowd seems edgy. Punk frees himself but rushes into a tilt-a-whirl backbreaker, for two. Punk tries to come back again with a springboard move but Jericho yanks him off the top, right onto his back, for a two count. Jericho, using sound strategy here, working the back in prep for the Walls of Jericho, as evident by the bow-and-arrow lock he is using here; Punk frees himself with a reverse mule kick. Jericho counters the knee in the corner with a boot but then Punk tit-for-tats back, countering Jericho’s bulldog shoving him face-first into the buckles. Double KO spot. Punk recovers first and kicks away on Jericho; he hits the leg lariat and a swinging neckbreaker, for two. Chris retreats to the corner and Punk hits the running knee but Jericho counters the bulldog into the Lionsault… Punk gets the knees up, HOWEVER Jericho was waiting, lands on his feet and grasps the legs, trying for the Walls of Jericho. Punk twists himself free and kicks Chris’ head off… for two! Fans meekly chant for Punk so he slams Jericho and heads up top for the Macho Man Elbow Drop but Jericho gets the knees up and Punk is hurting. CODEBREAKER! Punk wisely ricochets to the floor. Jericho deadlifts Punk back into the ring and… walks into the Go2Sleep! Punk is slow to cover and Jericho luckily falls towards the ropes and gets the foot up to break the pinfall. Punk opens up with kicks but misses the roundhouse; Jericho hits the ropes but Punk catches him in a Randy Orton scoop-powerslam, for two. They trade a series of switches and Jericho suplexes Punk onto the ropes and finally lands the Lionsault for a nearfall. Michael Cole makes an astute observation that Jericho can’t lose his cool either or he’ll get disqualified since all of the DQ psychology was on Punk for the entire match. Chris sits on the top rope but takes too long and Punk catches him with some double chops and a head-butt. Punk looks for a Super Frankensteiner but Jericho BLOCKS mid-move and grabs the Walls of Jericho. Wow, that looked dangerous if it went wrong. Jericho has the hold on center of the ring but Punk… just makes the ropes. Jericho thinks he’s won but gets frustrated when he realizes it’s not over; he haphazardly charges and gets backdropped to the floor. Punk lunges at him with a topé. Jericho recovers and leans against the ringpost so Punk charges with a double knee squashing Jericho’s skull against the post. Back in the ring, Punk tries a springboard move and lands right into the Codebreaker… for two! Last year, verses Orton, Punk lost on that kind of springboard into a finisher move, this year he kicks out. Jericho disguises spot calling for trash talk; Punk tries another GTS but Jericho elbows free again. Jericho to the top but Punk catches him with a kick to the thigh. Punk gathers him in the GTS, shouts “best in the world”, but Jericho catches the knee and this time applies the Liontamer. Punk crawls for the ropes and Jericho drags him to the center again, to the surprising roar of the crowd, but Punk grabs the ankles and they trade cradle nearfalls and Punk turns into the Anaconda Vise. Jericho turns it into a nearfall and then counters the move outright into another Walls of Jericho attempt. The crowd is eating this with a spoon; Punk counters again into the Vise and FINALLY taps out! 9/10 Damn fine match there, especially the end with all of the counters. Excellent initial ring storytelling with the family values taking center stage and then they moved it up a gear into the wrestling portion of the match. Great match!

A promotion for WrestleMania XXIX from MetLife Stadium in the swamps of Jersey is shown. I’ll be there! April 3, 2013!

Somebody call my Momma! Brodus Clay is at WrestleMania! He cuts a promo saying the Funkasaurus is at WrestleMania and asks everyone in the building to grab their cellphones and call their mommas! He grabs his white cellphone and calls him momma, who says she’s here with her bridge club. His momma and the entire bridge club come out on the stage and dance with Brodus.

Machine Gun Kelly comes to perform Invincible live for the crowd; the fans boo this. He brings out John Cena after they perform to HUGE BOOS. Flo Rida then performs Wild Ones and them brings out The Rock.

The Rock vs. John Cena:   Cena is in new all green Cena gear eerily similar to the Boston Celtics and back to the jean shorts. We get in-ring ring announcements for the special occasion. The “Rocky” chants begin. This is a WrestleMania match, built for over two years. They stare down and soak up the ecstatic crowd which explodes when the bell rings. They lock up and Cena wins the battle shoving the Rock on his ass. Cena’s dueling chant begins. They lock up again and the Rock wins this time. How very Ultimate Warrior/Hulk Hogan of them; a third lock up sees the Rock apply a side headlock as the fans are going ape shit. Cena garners control of the arm so Rocky does the dropdown spin into a nip up to counter! Cena bounces off the ropes into a pair armdrags and a Majestral cradle, for two. Cena looks on is disbelief. The Rock is ready and has ZERO ring rust. Another lock up and they run the ropes as Cena leapfrogs into a hiptoss and headlock takeover; Cena works a chinlock. This is a throwback match to earlier days of ‘Mania with lockups and headlocks, I’m sure there will be people who will chastise it for being boring. The Rock takes Cena out and tries a Sharpshooter so Cena sides to the floor. Back in the ring, Cena catches the Rock in the corner with a pair of running shoulderblocks and a stiff looking clothesline. Rock stays down so Cena applies a wastelock bearhug; he rises to his feet and charges, Cena low bridges him, and the Rock tumbles to the floor. Cena slams him, ribs first, across the ring barricade and announce table. Rocky is down on the floor so Cena grabs him and chucks him back into the ring. The match begins to slow down as the fans come down off the high of the initial magnitude of the match and Cena takes over with a belly-to-belly suplex, for two. Rocky tries to mount a comeback but Cena catches him in a bearhug which goes on for a while. The fans get restless waiting for the Rock to make his move and he finally answers with a DDT, for two. After the kickout the fans go silent as the Rock writhes in pain, possibly overselling the bearhug a little. Rocky finally recovers but Cena peppers him with punches; the Rock comes back and hits a leaping clothesline and the ‘Pinebuster. He sets up for the People’s Elbow but Cena picks the ankle and begins his shoulderblock comeback followed by the Proto-Bomb. He connects with the Five-Knuckle Shuffle as the crowd grows restless again waiting for the Rock to get to his feet; Cena tries for the Attitude Adjustment but Rocky counters and they hits the prerequisite double KO (for big matches) double clothesline. They each make it to their feet for the trading punches allowing the fans to amuse themselves with a “boo/yay” spot. They go a little over the top with each of them overselling the other, falling to their respective knees, until Rocky begins to win the exchange but Cena counters the spit-punch, out of nowhere, with the AA! This only gets two. The fans come alive with dueling Cena chants again as John drags Rocky to his feet… right into Rock Bottom! I assume Cena will kick out and he obliges as the crowd gets really quiet again, which usually happens in the main event of a huge show, some burnout is expected, especially for four hours and considering some of the previous in-ring work this evening. The Rock pounds away in the corner but Cena catches him in a sidewalk slam, for two. Cena heads to the top and, waits for the Rock, to SKY through the air with a Cena Slice, for two. He looks for another AA but the Rock grabs the ropes and counters into the Sharpshooter. Cena NEVER taps so this hold is fruitless and Cena makes the ropes. Rock pounds on his face and tries another Sharpshooter, Rock stumbles, but Cena makes the ropes again and smartly pulls himself to the apron cutting off any possibilities third one. The Rock drags Cena to the floor and tosses him into the steps and then back into the ring. Cena surprises the Rock with a slingshot sunset flip into the STF! Rocky fights and claws his way (almost) to the ropes but Cena pulls him back center of the ring and reapplies the hold. Rocky lasts a LONG while in the hold as the rest of the roster would have tapped at this point but Rock perseveres. He refuses to tap out and passes out, the referee checks the arm which drops twice but in classic Hulk Hogan fashion does not drop the third time and he FINALLY makes the ropes. Cena charges right into a Samoan drop for another double KO; they both struggle to their feet again and tease finishers. Rock catches Cena with the ‘Pinebuster again and finally connects with the People’s Elbow, but Cena kicks out yet again. Rock moves in slowly and almost gets caught with an inside cradle. They both lie around again and the fans begin to chant loudly and Cena slingshots Rocky into the buckles for a nearfall. Cena changes strategy and hoists the Rock onto the top rope and they battle up there, Rock wins that battle and shoves Cena off. Rocky tries comes off the top with a crossbody but Cena rolls through and powers the Rock up into the AA… FOR TWO! Wow, I thought that was it. Cena thinks a Five-Knuckle Shuffle but tries to rub it into Cena’s face with a People’s Elbow but it proves fatal as he charges right into the Rock Bottom for the three count. 7/10 Good match that was more of a throwback to the early WrestleMania main events with Hulk Hogan and André the Giant rather than the more modern technical classics that we crave nowadays with CM Punk and Chris Jericho. This felt like a WrestleMania main event and it delivered as such. I’m a little surprised that the Rock won however I figured Cena to win and stamp himself as this generation’s “man”; it should be interesting to see where he goes from here considering all of the promos leading up to this match.

OVERALL 9/10 This was an excellent WrestleMania, there were some good things, some bad things and some things which will live in the annals of ‘Mania history. I was very much entertained by the entire show and this is what WrestleMania is all about, moments in time and entertainment. Good show.

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