WrestleMania 28 – One Shot Reactions
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Ryan Kester (Twitter - @TheRyanKester):
Show Grade: B
- My jaw dropped at the end of WrestleMania. I never thought that WWE would actually have The Rock go over John Cena clean.
- The match that proceeded the shocking finish was pretty much what I expected, but the white hot live crowd made a rather simple match enthralling.
- CM Punk and Chris Jericho managed to tell an interesting story coupled with some great action. I'm happy to see Punk finish a WrestleMania match with an Anaconda Vise, which Jericho sold extremely well.
- Undertaker vs. Triple told a great story, and I am enjoying the more human version of the Undertaker character. He has managed to take the best aspects of his American badass and Deadman gimmicks and combined them into a titoal package. If this is the last match we see from Undertaker, then I can't think of a better way for him to go out.
- Cutting a marquee match down to seconds can never be a good thing. I am sure WWE will make this match up at a later date, but that doesn't mean anything to those who ordered the show to see Daniel Bryan vs. Sheamus.
Replay Verdict: Yes. WrestleMania is one of the biggest shows of the year and there was plenty here to deserve the asking price for this viewer. I may gripe about the Daniel Bryan vs. Sheamus match, but the rest of the card lived up to or exceeded my expectations.
Will Pruett (Twitter - @itswilltime):
Show Grade: A-
- This show had everything: great wrestling great drama and great storytelling. The atmosphere delivered. The wrestlers delivered. This was a great show.
- There were some downsides, such as the World Heavyweight Championship match being cut short, but the upsides more than made up for them.
- The big two matches (Undertaker vs. Triple H and Rock vs. Cena) were exciting and dramatic. While the drama may have been overplayed in Undertaker vs. Triple H, it was fitting. The Rock and John Cena took advantage of the atmosphere and the build.
- The undercard was not spectacular, but it was passable. The first hour was comprised of every undercard match possible and the show almost looked like it would end early. Luckily the main event and the spectacle surrounding it ended up going for a very long time.
- Finally, Brodus Clay showed up and made my night. Funk will always be on a roll.
Replay Verdict: This is one of the most essential shows of the last few years. There is absolutely no reason for any wrestling fan to not watch it. The Rock and John Cena added an interesting wrinkle to the entire WWE. Triple H and Undertaker ended an era and their performances should be remembered for years to come. Watch it.
Jake Barnett (Twitter - @barnettjake):
Show Grade: B+
- I’m was very saddened by the quick finish to the World Heavyweight Championship match. Given that the show went right up until 10pm Central, they had to cut something, but why cut there? Unless they got away with charging preposterous amounts of money for advertising, I can’t imagine it was more important than that match.
- I was relieved to find out that the stain on the back of Maria Menounos’s pants was Eve’s makeup. I really thought she crapped her pants for a moment.
- I really enjoyed the Undertaker vs. Triple H. I was nervous of overbooking during the rapid fire ref spots in the middle, but they really put together a fantastic match in the end that really tied together all the fantastic elements of this multi-year feud.
- Chris Jericho and C.M. Punk delivered my favorite pure wrestling match on the show. I was enthralled by the last 15 minutes, and they did a great job of pulling the crowd back into the show after the Hell in a Cell exhausted them and the Team Teddy vs. Team Johnny match put them to sleep. The submission finish surprised me, but in a good way. I thought for sure they had given away the finish with the stipulation added at the last moment.
- The Rock vs. John Cena did not disappoint, and I’m interested to see where they go from here. John Cena is no longer invincible, and his character will need to adjust to that new reality. The Rock didn’t need the win, but he got it, and I think the good thing coming out of this is that it gives John Cena a chance to struggle with something other than his awesomeness.
Replay Verdict: The replay is worth it for Cena vs. Rock, Undertaker vs. Triple H, and C.M. Punk vs. Chris Jericho. They were all great matches that told great stories.