This past Sunday I was able to live out most every wrestling fan’s dream by attending my very 1^st WrestleMania at MetLife Stadium. The atmosphere & excitement was like no other and I highly recommend it to any wrestling fan that is or has contemplating going to the “Super Bowl of Wrestling.” With that said I thought I’d figure to give some my thoughts on the 29^th installment of WrestleMania:

- The Miz def. Wade Barrett

Not a bad opener to start off WrestleMania and I completely understand the time constraints of it being on the pre-show. Therefore it wasn’t as good as some of their recent RAW matches but it got the crowd on the right foot with a Miz victory. It’s nice to see two stars with a ton of potential, be pushed up and down the hierarchy of the WWE only to make their climb back to the top.

- The Shield def. Sheamus, Randy Orton & The Big Show

The Shield was very over with the NY/NJ crowd which came as a surprise to no one. Ambrose, Rollins and Reigns continue to grow on WWE television and I really hope are given the ball to run with now that ‘Mania is in the books. If the stars align correctly this trio could one of the best groups/stables from this current decade.

As for the “superfriends” trio of Sheamus, Orton and Big Show, I got to admit I was pretty surprised they went back to (or stayed with) The Big Show heel turn. All three stars really have looked weak throughout this whole thing and I am intrigued with how WWE handles these stars heading into Extreme Rules. Currently they don’t reflect the top star “mantra” that they should be receiving in my opinion.

- Mark Henry def. Ryback

This was your typical “brut” match. I thought both stars did a lot with what they had and made it work for the most part. I’m not a fan of these type of matches but Ryback and Henry proved that they are much more athletic then the normal “brut” matches we have been accustomed to.

- Team Hell No def. Ziggler & Langston

I wasn’t a fan of the buildup for this match because while the WWE Tag Team division was a bright spot for the WWE in 2012, a tandem of Ziggler and Langston never materialized as an actual tag team until weeks before WrestleMania. Having Ziggler and Bryan in the ring against one another during WrestleMania was enough for me and I thought the match was good as well. I think had the WWE given more focus to these four superstars we could’ve gotten a lot more emotional attachment to this match from a fan’s perspective.

- Fandango def. Chris Jericho

I was in the majority when I felt this match could ultimately steal the show from an undercard’s perspective and frankly it did not. The finish was sloppy but it was made up for as both stars are heavily over with the WWE fans. Fandango is going to be a major player in the WWE and Chris Jericho continues to prove why he is one of the best in the business as he continues to help build for wrestling’s future.

While the first match didn’t “blow our socks off” like we thought, I do look forward to seeing an eventual rematch on a smaller stage then WrestleMania. I still have high hopes for this feud and the potential it has.

- Alberto Del Rio def. Jack Swagger

The Del Rio/Swagger feud fell way below expectations and rightfully so. If you go back 12 weeks ago one of these stars was a heel and the other wasn’t even on WWE television. Fast forward to post-Elimination Chamber and one of them is being pushed as a major face (Del Rio) while the other is being pushed as a #1 contender to the World Heavyweight Championship despite just being back on television (Swagger).

It’s to work a World Heavyweight Championship match like that with those things restricting them from connecting to the audience and it doesn’t help it was for a WrestleMania. Like many matches on the card I feel like if it was given more room to grow and be built the fans would’ve accepted it more. It had a ton of potential but overall I feel like it fell flat out of most, if not all, the WrestleMania matches on the card.

- The Undertaker def. CM Punk

This was the best match from the event hands down. Despite everyone “knowing” what will happen the fans are completely invested with every near fall, reversal or regular move when The Undertaker is performing at WrestleMania. It helps when “The Deadman” is quite possibly facing the first person since Randy Orton at WrestleMania 21 to really give people hope that “the streak” could end.

Huge props to both stars for putting on a show under the type of injuries they had. It was a great story told in the ring and I look forward to watching it again once the show comes out onto DVD.

- Triple H def. Brock Lesnar

Other then Undertaker/CM Punk I felt like this match told a great story inside the ring that led to a compelling finish to the match. Both guys really beat the hell out of one another to give the fans a solid match and that’s exactly what they got. Despite Lesnar losing 2 out of his first 3 matches back in the WWE I still feel like he is as strong as when he debuted.

The Triple H/Lesnar feud in my opinion was highly underrated as well and gave fans one of the better buildups heading into MetLife Stadium. I’d be perfectly fine if the WWE wanted to move forward with some sort of “rubber match” between these two at another Summerslam to really end this thing on the right note and unfortunately for Triple H the right note is by getting Lesnar over again as a monster heel. Once again, great job by both guys at WrestleMania.

- John Cena def. The Rock

Sadly the majority of fans could careless about this match and that’s unfortunate for all the hype it received two years ago as being one of those last “mega-matches” in professional wrestling. The match started off slow but I felt really picked up towards the end and had a lot better flow then their WrestleMania 28 match in Miami. While I would’ve preferred to see some sort of heel turn from John Cena (because who doesn’t at this point) or some sort of finish that left us talking, the WWE decided to let all the talking be done in the ring.

The silver lining in this all is that there are questions surrounding both of these wrestlers in regards to what’s next for both of them. Will The Rock ever wrestle again especially after the injury he suffered? Who will be able to feud with John Cena heading into the summer? Can Ryback be that guy?

Overall I was very impressed with the show as a whole and felt it was really solid. Undertaker/CM Punk went beyond expectations and everything else didn’t make me desire anything more but left me pleasantly pleased with the performances. WWE does a hell of a job with their live shows and I felt WrestleMania lived up to all that they deem it to be.

When it’s all said and done I felt like WrestleMania 29 was a 4-out-of-5 show from my standpoint. Very solid show from top to bottom that will probably be one of, if not the best, WWE pay-per-views of the year.

For more on this topic join us for the Thursday April 11^th edition of “The Still Real to Us Show” and download the show at www.wheelhouseradio.com or www.wrestlechat.net.

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WWE: WrestleMania 29 DVD

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It was the old WWE regime that ruled WrestleMania 29. The Rock returned and electrified the crowd, Triple H and Brock Lesnar had an intense fight, but it was  The Undertaker with CM Punk that stole the show in one of the most star studded WrestleMania pay per views ever.

You didn’t buy the WrestleMania 2013 edition expecting surprise  winners. We all knew how it was going to turn out. You watched it expecting to see the most exciting WrestleMania of all-time. While it may not go down as the best ever, it was certainly one of the most memorable top to bottom from the modern era. In regards to the overall show you won’t find much better.

John Cena pinned The Rock to win the WWE championship. The crowd was much more into this match in the open than anything else on the show. It definitely had a main-event vibe to it. Like last year though I found the zest to wear off pretty quickly. It was almost as if the crowd was waiting for something big to happen, yet they kept a pretty lethargic pace. They finally opened up with a bunch of moves after a few minutes with Cena eventually winding up in a Sharpshooter. The crowd hated Cena, booing him every time he went on the offense. The Rock got a great reaction from a spinebuster. Cena kicked out of a People’s Elbow and Rock Bottom. Cena reversed a People’s Elbow attempt into an AA for a close fall. Cena hit a Rock Bottom for another close fall. They played a lot off of last year’s match. Rock countered a sequence where he Cena suckered him with a People’s Elbow attempt into an AA attempt which was countered with a Rock Bottom for a close fall. They both kept going for the AA and Rock Bottom. Cena hit the AA out of a Rock Bottom to pin Rock and win his 11^th WWE championship. I’d definitely call this match better than their last one but at the same time it was nothing special in my opinion. Rock shook Cena’s hand and hugged him after the match to a crowd full of boos. That wasn’t what these people wanted to see.

Triple H as expected defeated Brock Lesnar in a No Holds Barred Match. The match immediately broke into a brawl. They spent the early part of the match outside of the ring. Brock hit a suplex on the floor. Brock even wound up with a mouse under his eye. Brock suplexed Hunter through a table like it was nothing. Brock and Hunter had a real tough time getting the crowd back following Undertaker and Punk. Lesnar dominated the mid part of the match. Lesnar knocked Shawn Michaels off the apron with an elbow at one point. Michaels came back at him and took an F5. Brock kicked out of a Pedigree right after. Hunter brought the sledgehammer in the ring. Lesnar F5’d him and Hunter kicked out. Lesnar had a bloody lip at this point. Brock looked jacked by the way. The match had a similar psychology to The Undertaker vs. Triple H matches with Brock playing the part of Trips. Triple H finally regained the advantage and slammed a chair into Lesnar’s arm twice. Triple H got the kimura. Heyman tried to interfere but got kicked by Michaels. Brock finally powered his way out but wound up taking a DDT into the steel steps. Hunter nailed Brock in the head with the sledgehammer. Trips followed up with a Pedigree onto the steps for the three count. I have to admit that I was a bit surprised here. All of the rumors indicate that next year’s main-event is scheduled to be Brock vs. The Rock. Why put down the guy scheduled to headline next year’s Mania to a part-time guy? The match was good but they were really handicapped by following Undertaker-Punk.

The Undertaker retained The Streak going 21-0 defeating CM Punk. The Undertaker looked better than I expected here. The crowd came alive for this match more than any other at this point. One thing that dawned on me during the match is that the WWE let a golden opportunity slip here. Cena and Rock didn’t need the title. If Punk held on to the title they could have promoted streak vs. streak and the match would have been absolutely huge! Maybe I need to bid on that auction to submit my idea to Stephanie McMahon…or maybe not? Great match, much better than I expected. The big spot here was Punk nailing The Undertaker with an elbow off of the top to Taker who was laying on a table outside of the ring. They had a ton of close falls towards the end, building to the usual high drama of The Undertaker’s WrestleMania matches. The Undertaker reversed a GTS into a Tombstone for the pin. I wouldn’t put this up there with the Shawn Michaels-Undertaker matches, but it was certainly up there with the Triple H matches. It was different but just as good if not better. For a guy that was just hobbling up and down the ramp on Monday night, The Undertaker looked real good and Punk was an all-star here.

Alberto Del Rio defeated Jack Swagger to retain the WWE world heavyweight title. Swagger tapped out to the cross armbreaker. This was probably what you expected. I can’t say a whole lot about it. They had a cool spot in the match where Swagger somehow rolled through an arm breaker to the Patriot Lock teasing a title change. I am guessing this program is over since Del Rio got the win clean. No Dolph Ziggler here. I give up predicting a Ziggler cash in. Logically why a man holding a Money in the Bank briefcase wouldn’t cash in at WrestleMania 29 makes no sense to me.

The Shield defeated The Big Show, Sheamus, and Randy Orton in a hot opener. Orton tug himself in when Sheamus went to tag Show. Orton cleaned house at that point.  Orton hit an RKO but was then speared by Roman Reigns and pinned by Dean Ambrose. The post-match saw Show lay out both Orton and Sheamus. It was a hot opener but The Big Show turning on Orton and Sheamus was way too predictable. I am not sure what the deal was with Orton but it appeared Orton was set up to turn. For a WrestleMania it was a decent opener. I’d like to see what they could have done with more time.

On a side note, last year I ordered the stream off of WWE.com and told you how horrible it was. Out of convenience I was willing to give it another shot. Unfortunately for about five minutes the website either timed out or said stream unavailable. I wound up ordering off of FIOS. I received some tweets from people who said they ordered the online stream and couldn’t get it on WWE.com. Later I saw some say their stream didn’t come back until about the three hour mark. I cannot fathom for the life of me how a company who brags about social media and has as much money as the WWE can’t get these WrestleMania streams right. It really boggles my mind!

Mark Henry defeated Ryback. This reminded me of a lot of the strongman vs. strongman matches I watched in the 1980s like Tony Atlas vs. Jesse Ventura, Ivan Putski vs. Ken Patera where the guys work a slow pace and test each other with power moves, bear hugs, etc. Ryback eventually took Henry off of his feet with a clothesline for his big comeback. Ryback then got Henry up for Shellshock but Henry grabbed the ropes and Ryback collapsed with Henry on his back. Henry wound up rolling over and pinning him. Ryback wound up giving Henry a spinebuster and Shellshock after the match. This was kind of odd considering the guy was “knocked out.” So this tells me one of two things. Either the WWE has totally given up on Ryback or Ryback is turning heel and is en route to a big SummerSlam 2013 clash with John Cena. My hunch is that Ryback is turning heel but it’s just a guess. I wouldn’t call this a bad match but it wasn’t anything special either.

Team Hell No retained the WWE tag team titles over Big E and Dolph Ziggler. Daniel Bryan was red hot in the opening moments of this match. Bryan and Ziggler started off and the fans really seemed to come alive for these two. Fans also got into Big E and Kane going head to head early on. Kane was in for the majority of the match for Team Hell No. Ziggler was fantastic as usual in the match, bumping all over the place. Kane chokeslammed Ziggler, tagged into Bryan, Bryan came off with a diving headbutt off the top rope, and pinned Ziggler for the win. Bryan was by far the most over guy on the show at this point. Bryan and Kane didn’t tease any problems. This was a pretty good match but I am not really sure what the thought was of having Kane work most of the match instead of Bryan. As confused as I was on the WWE’s inability to operate streaming video properly, I am even more confused every time I watch Daniel Bryan as to why he is not pushed harder. Unfortunately these guys only got about six minutes.

On another side note I have to tell you that it got old fast seeing tweets crawling across my television for four hours. I can see throwing the tweets up on Monday Night RAW but when you are charging people $70 to watch WrestleMania, I think you need to limit the tweets or kill them altogether. Not sure what the end game was there. Did they expect you to turn the show off you paid $70 to watch and jump on Twitter? Could you imagine seeing streaming tweets during the Super Bowl across your television? It was ridiculous.

Fandango pinned Chris Jericho. This was a pretty damned good match, probably better than most expected.  I thought a real gutsy angle here would have been for Fandango to walk out telling the fans that Lillian got his name wrong. Talk about the height of arrogance giving up your WrestleMania match! He didn’t.  Jericho was on fire here and was a real one-man show early on, and dominating the match.  Jericho kicked out of Fandango’s top rope leg drop. JBL said Fandango winning would be the biggest upset in sports entertainment history. He needs to search on YouTube for David Sammartino vs. Ron Shaw. The finish saw Jericho tweak his knee going for the Lionsault and while going for the Walls of Jericho was cradled by Fandango. This finish probably came across better on television with the announcers explaining it.  I’ll say this about Chris Jericho. Instead of phoning it in he embraced the challenge and really upped his game here.

Overall I’d say that WrestleMania was pretty good. From top to bottom it was probably the most solid card they have had in a long time. There weren’t any bad matches and you didn’t have the show slowed down by any ridiculous celebrity matches. The Undertaker and Punk easily stole the show and while the others worked hard, these guys just had “it”. Nothing else came close to this one, although the opener was real good for the short amount of time they had. I’d certainly say the spectacle here was bigger than the event.

Unfortunately it was a very predictable show, one of the most predictable in recent memory. It seemed like the WWE were in cruise control going in and through the show, getting by on star power. There is nothing wrong with that but it just felt a little lazy to me. I’d say the biggest surprise to me was Lesnar losing, although everyone predicted it. Why put your money guy down like that? Rumor has it that the WWE are expected to rev up a bunch of new angles over the next two weeks and begin new storylines. Cena is going to need a challenger so I’d expect someone surprisingly to emerge there. Last year Brock Lesnar debuted the night after WrestleMania. I wouldn’t expect anything that shocking this year but stranger things have happened.

I’d give the show a recommendation if you were on the fence. You won’t find many better WrestleMania events from open to close. At the same time I can almost guarantee you that Extreme Rules will probably blow it away.

Full WWE WrestleMania 29 results…
John Cena pinned The Rock to regain the WWE championship
Triple H defeated Brock Lesnar in a No Holds Barred Match
The Undertaker defeated CM Punk
Alberto Del Rio defeated Jack Swagger via submission to retain the WWE WHC
Fandango defeated Chris Jericho
Team Hell No retained the WWE world tag team titles defeating Dolph Ziggler and Big E. Langston
Mark Henry defeated Ryback
The Shield defeated Randy Orton, Sheamus, and The Big Show
The Miz defeated Wade Barrett to win the WWE I-C title

WWE: WrestleMania 29 DVD

WWE: Bret Hitman Hart – The Dungeon Collection

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It’s that time of year again for WWE. It is time for WWE to put on it’s biggest show of the year. Most wrestling fans have heard the show called “The Granddaddy of Them All.” The event’s been called “The Showcase of the Immortals.” For sports fans reading this blog, WWE is going to have their version of the Super Bowl, or the World Series, or the Breeder’s Cup, or whatever championship you would like to use as a metaphor.

To put it simply, the event I am describing is WWE’s Wrestlemania. The fist edition, Wrestlemania I, started in 1985 at the “World’s Most Famous Arena,” Madison Square Garden.

On April 7, 2013, in East Rutherford, New Jersey, at Met Life Stadium where the New York Giants and the New York Jets both play their home games, the 29th edition, Wrestlemania XXIX will be taking place. The milestone Wrestlemania 30, will take place in New Orleans, LA next year in 2014.

That being said, in just about all of the previous 28 editions of this PPV, there has been a lot of buildup and excitement. That is NOT the case for this year’s edition. I am just not feeling the large majority of the matches. Part of it is on the writers for not coming up with better material, and a lot of it , I put on Vince and Creative. Many of the matches are re-matches, and there is a lot of dependance on part timers to carry the show.

I mean, whomever is writing Cena’s promos should be fired. Cena should never be portrayed as an underdog, particularly against another baby face. I found a lot of the promos Cena cut insulting to my intelligence. Cena told Rock that he (Cena) “never won the big one (meaning the title) at Mania.” on Raw. Really, Cena? Who pray tell, beat John Layfield for the World Title at Wrestlemania 21, then? Oh, you did, Cena. Cena has retained titles at Manias, and even won it at Mania 25 over Edge (C) and the Big Show in a Triple Threat.

I mean, Cena doesn’t write the promos (I’m sure he signs off on them.), but whomever is feeding him the lines really needs to do research there.

The Rock-Cena match and the Lesnar-HHH match are examples of re-matches and use of part timers. I thought WWE would have new people at the top by now, and I thought Rock vs Cena was supposed to be “Once in a Lifetime” at WM28. HHH is corporate, and Lesnar has only limited dates.

I just have no interest in this PPV. Fortunately, I am going in with some friends, or I would be thinking long and hard before buying it.

Well, enough of my ranting about the buildup, I am going to give you a rundown of the card, and give my predictions on who I think wins. Enjoy.

Youtube Preview Show:

Intercontinental Championship: Wade Barrett (C) vs The Miz

How the mighty have fallen. Two years ago, The Miz was the WWE Champion, and was headlining Mania. Now, two years later, he is going for the Intercontinental Championship, but he is not even on the PPV, and neither is Barrett. This is sad.

The poor Intercontinental Championship was once a coveted stepping stone to the next level. Now, it is being treated like a joke. The feud between Barrett and Miz has been lackluster.

Prediction: Wade Barrett retains.

Mixed Gender Tag Team Match: Brodus Clay, Tensai, Cameron and Naomi vs. Cody Rhodes, Damien Sandow and The Bella Twins

Now if any match should be on the preview show, it is this one. I would rather see the Intercontinental Championship defended on PPV than the goofy Bella Twins. I am guessing this match is going to be used after one of the more intense matches to calm the fans down, so to speak.

Prediction: Clay, Tensai, Cameron and Naomi win

One on One Match: Fandango vs. Chris Jericho

I am thinking this could be a sleeper match. Of course, Jericho can have a good match with just about anyone. I am interested to see if Fandango can perform. I am still baffled that Cesaro is not on the PPV, but this Fandango is.

Prediction: Fandango somehow dances his way to a win.

One on One Match: Ryback vs. Mark Henry

This will be my “bathroom break,” so to speak. I have no interest in this match. What are these guys going to do, just club each other, and try to slam each other? Boring.

Prediction: Ryback has to get a win somehow, so I will go with Ryback.

Six Man Tag Team Match: Sheamus, Big Show and Randy Orton vs. Seth Rollins, Dean Ambrose and Roman Reigns

This match should be a very entertaining and a very good match. This match is one of the two matches I am looking forward to watching. I am really enjoying the Shield, and I just love Dean Ambrose. I think he is the strongest performer of the three.

The big story is will Sheamus, Show and Orton be able to work together? That is the big question. I am suspecting that one of them, probably Randy Orton, will walk out on them during the match.

Prediction: The Shield prevail.

The Undertaker Puts his Streak on the Line: CM Punk vs. The Undertaker

The buildup to this match has been pretty lackluster. I really expected better. Now, I am aware that the family of the late Bill Moody (Paul Bearer) approved, and such. I get that. I watched all of Punk’s antics with the urn, and at first, I was OK.

I felt that Bearer got to be part of Mania one last time, and the family approved. When I saw what happened on the go home Raw show, I thought that was kind of tacky, and a little much.

In the past, even though Taker won, many of his opponents were built up as legitimate threats. Even when we all know HBK was going to end his career at Mania 26, the match was built up to where there was that possibility that HBK could end Taker’s streak. Here, I just did not get that feeling. Now that there is news that CM Punk is going to be taken off the road from house shows due to injuries, I just think that the result is not in doubt.

Prediction: Undertaker is 21-0.

No Holds Barred Match with Triple H’s Career on the Line: Brock Lesnar vs. Triple H

This is the other match that I am very interested in. Yes, I think I have made it clear in past blogs that I am a huge Edge mark. What I don’t think most of my readers know is that I am a huge mark for two other wrestlers. One is HBK. The other is Triple H. Obviously, I am pretty interested in the outcome of the match.

The match buildup has been pretty good, thanks to Triple H and Paul Heyman, Brock’s manager. If a young wrestler who is learning his/her craft wants to learn how to cut a promo, they should watch videos of Paul Heyman. There are others (Flair, Rock, etc.) that one can learn from, but Heyman is a master. Heyman really did a great job building up this feud.

The booking should be obvious, especially considering that Brock both HHH’s arm twice, broke his friend HBK’s (who’ll be in HHH’s corner at the PPV) arm, and manhandled Hunter’s father in law, Vince McMahon and put Vince in the hospital (storyline). However, I could just as well see HHH retiring and then headlining the HOF next year in New Orleans.

Prediction: Since WWE likes to have a happy ending in their main matches, I am going to go with HHH winning. Perhaps you will see a couple of the McMahons do a run in.

WWE Tag Team Championship Match: Dolph Ziggler and Big E Langston vs. Kane and Daniel Bryan (C)

This is another match that I don’t have a lot of interest in. There is the back story of Bryan and Ziggler both dating AJ. I am sure AJ will interfere somehow. I think it may be a good time to have Team Hell No drop the belts also. Of course, depending on the placement of matches and such, team Hell No may retain if Ziggler cashes in his MITB briefcase.

Prediction: Team Hell No retain.

World Heavyweight Championship Match: Jack Swagger vs. Alberto Del Rio (C)

What a mess of a feud this has been. Bad enough Jack Swagger has been saddled with a racist Tea Party style gimmick, but evidently Vince likes the gimmick so much, he didn’t have Swagger lose his push or suspended when Swagger got that DUI. Had that been Jeff Hardy or RVD, the punishment would have been extremely harsh.

You also have the problem with trying to get over Alberto Del Rio as a baby face to attract the Mexican audience. It is failing miserably. I don’t blame Del Rio as much as I blame the writers. I personally think WWE Creative does not know how to get a Mexican baby face over in 2013.

Prediction: Well, if Dolph Ziggler is going to cash that MITB Briefcase in any kind of a BIG moment, I would have it done here. I think Swagger wins after a nasty battle, and Ziggler cashes the MITB and becomes the new World Champ.

WWE Championship Match: John Cena vs. The Rock (C)

Now, I thought last year’s match at WM28 was “ONCE in a Lifetime.” They had a special on it and everything. I guess this makes this TWICE in a Lifetime? Last year’s match felt like a big fight feel. This felt like nothing. On the Raw go home show, after I heard Cena’s speech, I was hoping Edge would come out and give Cena ANOTHER “pep talk,” and walk out like he did before Cena fought Lesnar. However, it was not to be.

I think it is obvious who is winning. The audience’s reactions will be interesting for me. Which fans will cheer or boo the Rock, and who will cheer or boo Cena.

Prediction: John Cena will once again win the WWE Championship, and hold it forever and a day.

WWE: WrestleMania 29 DVD

WWE: Bret Hitman Hart – The Dungeon Collection

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Every WWE superstar has a bad night, yet having a bad night on a WrestleMania will be remembered forever. Today I celebrate those off-nights and  look back at the ten worst WrestleMania main-events of all-time.

What constitutes a main-event? For the purposes of this article, I am looking at only the matches that closed WrestleMania events. Anything other than that would be subjective. For some guys that had clunkers on the undercard, they will avoid the dreaded top 10 list. Unfortunately others won’t be so lucky.

Of course this entire list is subjective to my opinion. Agree or disagree? Leave a comment after the blog and let me know.

The Undertaker vs. Psycho Sid for the WWE championship – WrestleMania XIII. The more and more I went through this list, the harder it got to find something worse than this. As bad as L.T. vs. Bigelow was, it was still better than this snoozer. I understand the matchup. On paper, it made sense. Yet in the ring, Vince McMahon couldn’t have booked a worse main-event. How ironic that the same WrestleMania would have both the worst main-event and greatest WrestleMania match in WWE history? Fortunately for these two guys, the show is remembered more for the classic than the dud on top.

Lawrence Taylor vs. Bam Bam Bigelow – WrestleMania XI. The funny thing is that I didn’t remember this match to be nearly as bad as its reputation. Yet after watching it again, I completely sympathize with the haters on this one. L.T.’s knees were completely shot by this point in his life and it showed. Believe it or not, he still put on a better performance than the Undertaker and Sid Eudy did at number 13.

Randy Orton vs. Triple H for the WWE championship – WrestleMania XXV. I still have nightmares over paying $50 to watch this match. The feud didn’t work, the storyline didn’t make a lot of sense, and these didn’t click whatsoever at WrestleMania 25. To be fair, they followed the Shawn Michaels vs. The Undertaker match in addition to an appearance by Steve Austin which had to be rough. But for whatever reason they could never get the crowd back. It wasn’t pretty and it truly was a low point in WrestleMania main-event history. The result certainly didn’t help this one either.

John Cena vs. The Miz for the WWE championship – WrestleMania XXVII. Fortunately for Triple H and Randy Orton, their nightmare is in the past while Cena vs. Miz is still remembered for the train wreck that it was at WrestleMania 27. I don’t know where to begin. They didn’t click and missed spots in the match, something you rarely see from Cena in a WrestleMania main-event. The crowd wasn’t buying The Miz as champion, they hated Cena, and waited impatiently for The Rock to return. He did and even giving Cena the Rock Bottom wasn’t enough to save this disaster.

Hulk Hogan vs. Andre the Giant for the WWE championship – WrestleMania III. I know that this match is generally remembered as a classic but quite frankly, it was terrible. Andre was old, broken down, and could hardly move at this point in his career. Hogan was good enough to carry a passable match and the storyline helped masquerade the low points in the match. Unfortunately tape still exists of the match, we have all seen it by now, and it comes up real short by the standards of other WrestleMania headliners.

Triple H vs. The Rock vs. The Big Show vs. Mick Foley for the WWE championship – WrestleMania 2000. It really wasn’t that the match was horrible but it was just pure McMahon overkill at WrestleMania 2000. Throw in an out of shape Mick Foley who just retired a few months earlier and you have a main-event that should have never happened. Watching this back with a maximum overdose of McMahon distracted from any of the positives of this match.

Chris Jericho vs. Triple H for the undisputed championship – WrestleMania XVIII. You really have to feel for Chris Jericho here. The result was just way too predictable. The fans knew exactly what was going to happen and didn’t like it. The match also followed The Rock vs. Hulk Hogan, which sucked the emotions right out of the building. The dead crowd here is really the difference maker and no matter the reason, a main-event on WrestleMania that grab a crowd is a main-event that deserves criticism.

Bret Hart/Hulk Hogan vs. Yokozuna for the WWE championship – WrestleMania IX. I know that Bret Hart is remembered fondly for being one of the best of all-time, but he had a bad night in Las Vegas. I am sure the scenario with Hulk Hogan coming out to steal the heat and the title at the end didn’t help, but he wrestled the match like a guy who didn’t give a damn. His match with Yoko was not good, Hogan’s match with Yoko wasn’t that good, and the whole thing just fell flat.

Hulk Hogan vs. Psycho Sid – WrestleMania VIII. This was probably the first time as a teenager that I remember the WWE really starting to pass Hogan by. On an undercard full of promising young talent, Hogan and Slaughter had a match that appeared to be in slow motion. Shockingly the WWE pulled a scheduled Hogan vs. Flair match in favor of this. All in all that wound up being a good thing with Flair and Savage having a classic underneath the main-event.

Hulk Hogan and Mr. T vs. Paul Orndorff and Roddy Piper – WrestleMania I. Listen, I was as big a WWF fan during this time period as anyone but I have to admit, this match was not very good. I have it here at ten so who knows, maybe something will come along to bump it off the list. Paul Orndorff tried his best but not even his greatness could save this from making the bottom of the list.

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WRESTLEMANIA XXVIII
From SunLife Stadium in Miami, FL
April 1, 2012

BACKGROUND
It’s been purported that each WrestleMania event is generally planned a year in advance, and the booking is written backwards to support what they want to present on the grandest stage. While recent WrestleManias seem a bit more thrown-together at times, owing to an increasingly frenetic Vince McMahon being known to make constant changes, WrestleMania XXVIII was an event where a year-long plot was used, this time as an actual storyline.

One night after WrestleMania XXVII in Atlanta, John Cena called out The Rock. Rather than thrash the previous night’s guest host for costing him his World Title match against The Miz, a calm and happy-go-lucky Cena simply challenged Rock to a match at next year’s big event, giving both men one year to prepare for the clash of the ages.

The idea was unique for a modern time frame in which that $45 secondary PPV that you’re being offered has but two matches booked sixteen days before the event. It’s a little hard to get up for those shows (and buyrates seem to agree), but a WrestleMania where the main event is entrenched in everyone’s brains for 363 days?

Those “in-the-know” fans who balked at WWE’s most overexposed star, and most overexposed part-timer, getting a full calendar of non-stop billing would be rewarded by the successes of their heroes.

WWE was becoming a different place, as CM Punk and Daniel Bryan, who’d each passed through Philadelphia’s Murphy Rec Center on the way to the top, won the WWE and World Heavyweight Championships in 2011.

In spite of all of the social media blitzes, irksome moments from Michael Cole, and use of gimmickless FCW/NXT castoffs, it seemed WWE was crafting a WrestleMania unique among the pack. Between a year-long main event build, and two “workrate” champions, the everyday mold was finally being broken.

THE EVENT
Cena and Rock crossed paths prior to the WrestleMania main event, as Rock’s movie schedule allowed him to wrestle at Survivor Series 2011. That night at Madison Square Garden, he and Cena formed a super-team that annihilated The Miz and R-Truth. Afterward, Rock dropped Cena with a Rock Bottom as a reminder that, in four months, they’d each engage in a defining match in their careers.

After Cena was sidetracked by a hard-boiled feud with Kane through early 2012, he and Rock criss-crossed on the remaining road to WrestleMania, insulting each other in their typical juvenille fashion. Rock would host one of his trademark “Rock Concerts” laden with entendres and jibes toward the current company flagbearer, while Cena reinstituted his “Doctor of Thuganomics” persona, ripping into Rock with some lines that would make the kid-friendly sponsors cringe.

The match was even given a TV special on USA Network to promote the history of the icons, giving this match, dubbed “Once in a Lifetime”, a super fight feeling like no other in recent memory.

As if the dream match wasn’t enough to churn buyrates, the “end of an era” was also promised. The Undertaker, 19-0 at WrestleMania, wasn’t happy with how he barely eked the win out over Triple H one year earlier, and demanded a rematch with COO of the company.

Hunter initially balked, but The Dead Man persisted, eventually goading the man technically his boss into a fight. The Game agreed on one condition: that it be a Hell in a Cell match. Shawn Michaels, who’d had his career ended by Undertaker, was made guest referee as one last twist of the screw.

Sheamus was the winner of the 2012 Royal Rumble, last ousting a quizzically-acting Chris Jericho. The Celtic Warrior waited three weeks before deciding which championship to challenge for, ultimately deciding on the World Heavyweight title held by an increasingly-self-indulgent Daniel Bryan.

Bryan was an anomaly, winning the title as an underdog hero on December 18 via briefcase cash-in, but slowly took on a portrayal as an egomaniac jerk. Not only did he ignore the affection of girlfriend AJ Lee, but Bryan began to praise himself more and more for minor victories, many of them tainted. He even allowed AJ to be injured by a stampeding Big Show, all just to keep his title.

As for the WWE Championship, anti-hero CM Punk would face the winner of a ten man battle royal that took place on February 20. Jericho would win, and thus be afforded a chance to continue his vague “end of the world” crusade via the company’s top champion.

Jericho first began the mind games with Punk by claiming the “Straight Edge Superstar” had stolen his “Best in the World” moniker, which Punk gladly challenged Jericho to try and take back. With the champ not fazed, Y2J resorted to revealing the ugly family history of Punk, complete with the addictions his family members all once had. Jericho promised to lead Punk down the road of self-destruction en route to taking his title.

Michael Cole and Jerry Lawler were the evening’s commentators, joined by a now-goateed Jim Ross for the Hell in a Cell match. For the third time, Lilian Garcia performed America the Beautiful. The Hall of Fame Class of 2012 consisted of Edge, The Four Horsemen (dual induction for Ric Flair), Ron Simmons, Yokozuna, Mil Mascaras, and celebrity inductee Mike Tyson.

THE RESULTS
World Heavyweight Championship: Sheamus def. Daniel Bryan in 18 seconds to win the title
(And we stumble out of the gate. Boy the fans at SunLife dumped on them for this decision. I’ve said it in other mediums: it’s not the treatment of Bryan that made this moment suck; it was the belief by the company that Sheamus was going to look stronger as a result. The people who run WWE couldn’t find the pulse of the fans if they had a GPS)

Kane def. Randy Orton in 10:56
(I don’t know who this “Daniel Bryan” fellow is, but he sure got a lot of chants during this match. Decent contest that ended with a flying chokeslam)

WWE Intercontinental: Big Show def. Cody Rhodes in 5:18 to win the title
(The build was entertaining, with Rhodes showing film of Show’s WrestleMania embarrassments to psyche him out, but the match was all too brief. Rhodes actually reigned as champion for eight months)

Maria Menounos/Kelly Kelly def. Eve Torres/Beth Phoenix in 6:49
(All of these women are gone from WWE, which is a commentary on how women would rather do “something else” than work there. But I’d take a stinkface from Miss Menounos, at least)

Hell in a Cell/”End of an Era”: The Undertaker def. Triple H in 30:50
(Opinions of this one are a little divided. Some call this the greatest match in the history of the galaxy. Others think it was stupid to have Triple H assault Undertaker with basic moves, and have Michaels nearly “stop the match” because Taker couldn’t continue. Because Hunter’s so bad ass. Eh, 20-0 is 20-0, even if was slower and more plodding than Heaven’s Gate)

David Otunga/Mark Henry/The Miz/Dolph Ziggler/Jack Swagger/Drew McIntyre def. Kofi Kingston/Santino Marella/Great Khali/R-Truth/Zack Ryder/Booker T in 10:38
(As a result of this, John Laurinaitis won complete control of Raw and Smackdown from Teddy Long. Oh, and Zack Ryder looked like a useless tool. That’ll learn em)

WWE Championship: CM Punk def. Chris Jericho in 22:21
(A highly physical and intense battle that took some time to find second gear, I still found it to be the best match of the night. The battle at the end over the Anaconda Vise, with Punk refusing to give up on the hold, despite Jericho’s vicious struggle, was a nice touch)

“Once in a Lifetime”: The Rock def. John Cena in 33:34
(Nice throwback to the big-time WrestleMania main events of old, even if it was preceded by a six hour concert featuring Flo Rida and anorexic Shannon Moore. Cena’s undoing came as he tried a People’s Elbow, only to be Rock Bottom’d. Some said it was boring, but I actually liked it. Whether Rock has the endurance for another 30 minute match is another story)

ITS PLACE IN HISTORY
It’s hard to argue with 1.22 million buys, a WWE record, so some would say that a year-long build is the way to go. Rock would remain a part of WWE in a limited capacity, sticking around to challenge for the WWE Title at the 2013 Royal Rumble, but we’ll get to that next year.

The show began disastrously, and the fans largely didn’t come out of their anger-induced coma until the Hell in a Cell match. As many people who remember that match, and Rock and Cena’s epic showdown, equally remember how the show opened with the misstep of Sheamus and Bryan, possibly the worst WrestleMania booking since Hogan went over a tired Yokozuna at WrestleMania IX.

It wasn’t a terrible show, but it wasn’t a home run in any way except financially (undoubtedly important, despite our gripes). For the official “portrait” of the show, my pick will be a split screen. On one side is Shawn Michaels and Undertaker holding up a semi-conscious Triple H on the stage, while The Rock stands tall on the other side. WWE more than ever lives off of the past, as it can’t create an exciting present. Logically, their imagery should make you think you’re in 1998.

Justin Henry is a freelance writer who splits time between this site, WrestleCrap.com, and FootballNation.com. He can be found via his wrestling Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/wrestlecrapjrh

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The 29^th installment of WrestleMania is upon us as it will be live this Sunday from MetLife Stadium in New Jersey! Lets take a look at some of my preview and predictions for every match on this Sunday’s WrestleMania 29 card:

“Tons of Funk” (Brodus Clay, Tensai, & The Funkadactyls) vs. Team Rhodes Scholars (Damien Sandow & Cody Rhodes) and The Bella Twins (Nikki & Brie Bella):

I’m going to assume this will be on the pre-show of WrestleMania 29 but I could be wrong. Team Rhodes Scholars and The Bella Twins obviously have the most “upside” of the two combined teams but I believe the WWE wants to kick-off the show by making the fans happy, specifically the younger ones in attendance. With that said I think “Tons of Funk” will walk out of WrestleMania victorious and I would not be shocked if the WWE has bigger plans for this tag team heading into the Summer months.

Winners: Brodus Clay, Tensai and The Funkadactyls

Wade Barrett (c) vs. The Miz (For the WWE Intercontinental Championship):

I’ve been pretty happy with the way WWE has built up this match in recent weeks as it gives two good workers the opportunity to showcase their skills at WrestleMania. I feel like this could be one of those matches on the undercard that has fans talking as both stars will take the WrestleMania opportunity and use it to their benefit. In my opinion The Miz is back on the rise in the WWE and I foresee him capturing the Intercontinental Championship in a decent match.

Winners: The Miz

Chris Jericho vs. Fandango:

Similar to the Wade Barrett/Miz matchup, I would not be shocked if this steals the undercard of WrestleMania 29. This more then likely isn’t wrestling fans first pick for a Chris Jericho match at WrestleMania but from what we have seen in recent weeks Fandango has the chance to have the “it factor” that WWE looks for. The WWE would not be having a star make his singles debut (sorry Johnny Curtis) if he wasn’t going to win. Getting a victory over Chris Jericho in your debut match at WrestleMania could be one of the biggest “rubs” of all-time.

Winner: Fandango

Team Hell No (Kane & Daniel Bryan) (c) vs. Dolph Ziggler & Big E. Langston (For the WWE Tag Team Championship):

Two things make me excited about this match: the WWE Tag Team Championship is on the line and we are guaranteed Dolph Ziggler & Daniel Bryan in the ring, at the same time, at a WrestleMania. The build up has been mediocre at best in-regards to this match and that’s why I believe the excitement is down about this match. I believe all four Superstars will be able to change the fans opinion once this one concludes and I look for Dolph Ziggler & Big E. Langston getting the victory.

Winner: Dolph Ziggler & Big E. Langston

Ryback vs. Mark Henry:

This isn’t going to be a Savage/Steamboat, Hart/Michaels, Punk/Jericho type of match at all. This will be a muscle vs. muscle match that will showcase ones strength rather then in-ring ability. Ryback & Mark Henry have had a nice build up to this match and I think this will help catapult Ryback back into the main event picture now that WrestleMania season will be over. Be on the look out for Ryback lifting Mark Henry for a “shellshock” as well, could be one of the more impressive moments of the entire WrestleMania show.

Winner: Ryback

Sheamus, Randy Orton & The Big Show vs. The Shield (Dean Ambrose, Seth Rollins & Roman Reigns):

Similar to Ryback vs. Mark Henry, this has had a good buildup heading into WrestleMania 29. More importantly the WWE has done a good job make The Shield a force to be taken seriously heading into the future of its company. I expect all six superstars to give us a brawl but The Shield will be victorious on WrestleMania Sunday. As for the Randy Orton “heel turn” predictions currently taking place, I expect the “seeds to be planted” rather then a complete turn on the grandest stage, I still think Orton/Sheamus could be a top feud heading into the Summer.

Winner: The Shield

Brock Lesnar vs. Triple H (No Holds Barred match, if Triple H loses he must retire):

Lesnar vs. Triple H is going to be everything we expect it to be and that’s an extremely physical wrestling match. While it’s not the most entertaining stipulation to give (No Holds Barred is pretty plain actually), I expect both stars to take that stipulation and use it to their benefit. This will be the match that gets a lot of reaction out of the fans simply due to the physicality it will bring.

Look for Paul Heyman, Stephanie McMahon & Vince McMahon to be involved in this match somehow and I’ll go out on a limb to predict a Shane McMahon sighting as well. Triple H isn’t going to retire any time soon and I would be shocked if the WWE allows him to lose two straight versus Brock Lesnar. I like Triple H getting the win against Lesnar in a match that will leave it all on the line.

Winner: Triple H

Alberto Del Rio (c) vs. Jack Swagger (For the World Heavyweight Championship):

When this match was first announced after Elimination Chamber I was all for it because it made the most storyline sense. But I get the feeling that wrestling fans aren’t as excited as first expected and I think that’s due in-part to a recent face turn from Del Rio & a recent Main Event skyrocketed push for Jack Swagger. Should this feud continue I believe it will get fans more excited for their matches but it currently lacks any type of “WrestleMania excitement” that’s for sure.

Both stars are on the cusp of being major players as Del Rio is better served as a face and Swagger has the ability to be a great “throwback” heel with Zeb Coulter. The injury angle to Ricardo Rodriguez leads me to believe that Del Rio gets the victory at WrestleMania and that’s why I am going with the current World Heavyweight Champion to retain in a pretty good match.

Winner: Alberto Del Rio

The Undertaker vs. CM Punk:

In recent weeks we have been shown why The Undertaker and CM Punk are two of the best in the business. They have had limited time to help build their match but it has fans wanting more. Fans love The Undertaker’s WrestleMania streak and CM Punk is a legit superstar who can really contend giving “The Deadman” his first loss at the biggest wrestling stage.

Reason for that is because we all know that CM Punk isn’t only the future of the WWE but he is also its present. While a victory over The Undertaker could be just as big as his recent WWE Championship title reign I don’t foresee it happening because at this point The Undertaker should never lose at ‘Mania. Combine that belief to the passing of Paul Bearer and how the company has used the legendary manager in building this match & you have another reason why it makes sense for The Undertaker to extend his streak to 21-0.

Winner: The Undertaker

The Rock (c) vs. John Cena (For the WWE Championship):

Unfortunately the buildup for this match hasn’t been anything special due in-part to that two week lag where The Rock was promoting his most recent movie, G.I. Joe. The WWE has attempted to put this match into 5^th gear and have done a good job doing so but I believe it is too little, too late when it comes to overall excitement for this match. It doesn’t have the same feel as it did going into WrestleMania 28 but I believe the match itself could eventually steal the show and make us forget any of the current negative feelings towards it.

I believe that the WWE has a “trick up their sleeve” for this match that will have the fans talking. Whether it is an angle (reportedly the WWE dabbled with the idea of having John Cena turn heel after getting help from The Shield) or the actual match itself, it will have people talking. With that said, the most sense is for John Cena to walk out of MetLife Stadium as the WWE Champion and while it won’t make the North East wrestling contingency happy, I feel for certain in saying that’ll have fans talking for quite sometime.

Winner: John Cena

Check out The Still Real To Us Show’s” WrestleMania 29 Preview & Predictions show available for download starting this Thursday April 4^th at www.wheelhouseradio.com or www.wrestlechat.net.

You can listen to Jeff on “The Bower Show” every Monday – Friday from 3pm – 7pm ET on 97.9 ESPN in Hartford, CT. You can listen online at www.979espn.com

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WRESTLEMANIA XXVII
From The Georgia Dome in Atlanta, GA
April 3, 2011

BACKGROUND
WrestleManias these days are more like the Super Bowl than ever before. In the NFL’s biggest annual game, while the outcome determines a champion, thus making the game the most relevant part of the weekend, the lure and aura of the halftime show, commercials, and interminable pre-game shows loaded with puff pieces draw in the casual viewer.

With WWE’s ratings and buyrates waning incrementally from the Attitude Era’s ending, Vince McMahon has discovered other ways to appeal to the casual viewer, especially come “WrestleMania season.”

In the last year and a half or so, World Wrestling Entertainment has dove into the deep end of social networking. You can’t sit through more than five minutes of Monday Night Raw anymore without Michael Cole prattling on in his cacophonic shriek about “hashtags” and “trending” and whatnot. Wrestlers tweeting threats to each other on off-days, usually in character, have begun to replace traditional story elements of tag team miscues and title shot demands as a means of fueling feuds and grudges.

With Twitter and Facebook as prime means of communication, it’s no doubt that WWE would exploit any chance to reach potential viewers.

Of course, WWE also continues the time-honored tradition of immersing past stars into the present story world. In recent years, we’ve seen Chris Jericho run afoul of Hall of Famers like Ric Flair and Ricky Steamboat on the Road to WrestleMania. One year later, Vince McMahon and Bret Hart modified their years of bad blood into a three month story arc that culminated in one of WrestleMania’s most unlikely matches.

With a Georgia Dome to fill, and fans to get talking, WWE brought somebody in off the bench to help ensure the likelihood of both. It had been nearly seven years since he was last seen….

But finally……he came back.

THE EVENT
On February 14, 2011, a day devoted to love, wrestling fans jilted by the loss of WWE’s classic spontaneity and assertiveness were greeted to the sports entertainment equivalent of John Cusack standing below their bedroom window with a boombox.

One week after Vince McMahon announced a special guest host for WrestleMania, The Rock showed up in Anaheim, to an ungodly ovation from fans who had missed one of the sport’s greatest heroes. Dwayne Johnson systematically riffed on The Miz and John Cena, the two would-be main eventers, the latter in particular for some scathing public comments. Cena had derided Rock for leaving WWE completely behind in his pursuit of Sunset Boulevard, and now “The People’s Champion” was back to dress down his verbal attacker.

For weeks, Rock and Cena exchanged jibes back and forth so often, you’d think they were facing off at WrestleMania. Instead, Cena (who won #1 contendership at Elimination Chamber) would be challenging The Miz for the WWE Championship. Miz became a secondary figure to Rock and Cena’s trash talk, even while Michael Cole was championing Miz as “the most must-see WWE Champion in history.”

Ahh, Michael Cole’s heel turn. That ties into WrestleMania as well, as Cole, now pro-heel to the hilt, kept getting under the skin of Jerry Lawler, his longtime partner. When Lawler attempted to become WWE Champion in his only-ever shot, and felt short vs. The Miz, Cole rubbed it in to Lawler in antagonistic fashion. Emotions spilled over when Cole let slip that Lawler’s now-dead mother watched her son lose, and “The King” finally put his hands on his partner.

Soon enough, a match would be signed, with Jack Swagger as Cole’s trainer, and Stone Cold Steve Austin (what did I say about classic acts?) as the guest referee.

We haven’t even mentioned the Royal Rumble winner yet. Alberto Del Rio won the only 40-Man Rumble in history, and selected Edge, the World Heavyweight Champion, as the hilltopper he wished to knock off the summit. This feud had the added advantage of involving Christian, whom Del Rio put out of action in the fall of 2010. The reunited brothers (not friends, screw you WWE) banded together against Del Rio, his servant Ricardo Rodriguez, and protégé Brodus Clay.

To add more star power, The Undertaker’s streak of eighteen WrestleMania wins would be put on the line. Rumors swirled about who would try to end the mark. First, former UFC Champion Brock Lesnar was considered, but a deal never occurred. Then Sting was to jump from TNA, but re-signed with the company in the eleventh hour. Finally, Triple H stepped in, and engaged in weeks of tremendous dueling promo monologues with The Dead Man. The one from March 28 involving Shawn Michaels was some of WWE’s best TV to date.

CM Punk would face Randy Orton in a war over some of Orton’s past acts of aggression. And speaking of aggression, Orton would take out each of Punk’s Nexus flunkies on the road to their showdown.

Michael Cole, Jerry Lawler, and Josh Mathews provided commentary, with Jim Ross and Booker T joining in later. Keri Hilson performed America the Beautiful. The Hall of Famers included Shawn Michaels, The Road Warriors, Paul Ellering, Sunny, Hacksaw Jim Duggan, Abdullah the Butcher, Bob Armstrong, and Drew Carey.

THE RESULTS
World Heavyweight Championship: Edge def. Alberto Del Rio in 11:10
(Not only did the Royal Rumble winner open the show, but he also lost, looking like quite the “chumpstain” in the process. This would be Edge’s final match before retiring due to spinal injuries, but at least it was a really good opener. But still, why did it have to open?)

Cody Rhodes def. Rey Mysterio in 12:00
(This was quite an important match, as not only was it really good, but it showed that Rhodes can shine in a role outside of being Randy Orton’s lackey, or Ted Dibiase’s co-conspirator. If you wonder why Rhodes is trusted with a serious push, look here)

Kane/Big Show/Kofi Kingston/Santino Marella def. The Corre in 1:35
(As of this match, Santino Marella is 2-0 at WrestleMania, and Big Show is 3-8. Let that sink in)

Randy Orton def. CM Punk in 14:48
(If the crowd wasn’t so restless by this point, and if the night didn’t have a sour tone overall, this would be remembered as something more. Damn good match, but greater things lie ahead for both. Especially Punk about three months later….)

Michael Cole by Jerry Lawler by DQ in 13:42
(Why yes, this got more time than the first two matches. Coupled with The Rock wasting fifteen minutes at the start of the show with a cheerleading session, and you see why Sheamus and Daniel Bryan’s US Title match was bumped. The only good this match provided was getting Jim Ross to do commentary for the rest of the evening. Watching Cole on extended offense is like watching a midget do a caber toss)

No Holds Barred: The Undertaker def. Triple H in 29:26
(Not the five star classic some were hailing it as, but still a match of the year contender, surpassed by Christian/Del Rio a month later, and then Cena/Punk at MITB and Summerslam. Just a wild brawl with an insanely intense last few minutes. Undertaker springing back from the dregs of death to make Triple H tap out was heart-stopping excitement, and it pretty much saved the show. 19-0)

John Morrison/Trish Stratus/Snooki def. Dolph Ziggler/Michelle McCool/Layla in 4:00
(I’ll say it: Snooki + WWE’s make-up team = mildly attractive. She filled out those shorts nicely, even if I find her repulsive otherwise. Morrison snubbed Trish for much of the post-match, out of protest for Melina not getting to be on the show, and would fall out of favor with WWE entirely, leaving by year’s end. Actually, factoring in Layla’s near year-long injury, and Dolph is the only one still there)

WWE Heavyweight Championship: The Miz def. John Cena in 16:10
(If there’s one thing Miz doesn’t know how to do, it’s put on an epic match. Pedestrian, Raw-like, and building to nothing exciting, the match ended in a double countout before Rock restarted it, just so he could screw Cena with a Rock Bottom. Then Miz, after winning, got one too, and Rock celebrated to end the show. Really, that was the ending. The Seinfeld finale was better conceived)

ITS PLACE IN HISTORY
Rock and Cena would immediately begin to hype their one on one match for a year later, but the fans were still coming to grips with the show that they’d just been fed. Bryan/Sheamus bumped? Edge opening? Rock rambling in horrible segments? Cole wrestling for fifteen minutes? Snoop Dogg hosting a sing-off? No title changes? SNOOKI?!?!

Four of the matches (Edge/Alberto, Rey/Cody, Punk/Orton, Taker/HHH) were all WrestleMania worthy, and keep this from being a complete clunker. That said, there were so many head-scratching decisions involved with WrestleMania XXVII, you’d think Vince McMahon was bound and gagged backstage while Vince Russo and Herb Abrams ran amok with the booking sheet.

As for the show’s most enduring image, it has to be The Rock. It was supposed to be, theoretically, a night for Cena and Edge, two longtime heroes, to wage war with two upstart villains, Del Rio and Miz, in championship matches, but they were mere appetizers. Rock leading the fans in a chant exhibition, and then cavorting around with Mae Young and Peewee Herman…..this was somehow necessary, according to WWE.

Rock standing tall to close the show is the official portrait, and that pretty much sums up the show’s downfall.

Justin Henry is a freelance writer who splits time between this site, WrestleCrap.com, and FootballNation.com. He can be found via his wrestling Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/wrestlecrapjrh

WWE: WrestleMania 29 DVD

WWE: Bret Hitman Hart – The Dungeon Collection

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