Having sort of let it sink in and watchig bits of it again I thought I might so a match by match review.
Rock Promo
I felt this was more for the live crowd to get them pumped up but it sort of dragged and I would have much preffered for it to go on after the first match so people have seen whats advertised in "wrestle"mania and have got into the rythme of things, there comfortable and things have kicked off. The promo was too long but it did what it was suppose to do I guess.
World Heavyweight Championship
Edge vs. Alberto Del Rio
Now I have thought on it I have no problem this opening the show (beside the Royal rumble winner being in it). The match was good but Christian entering on his own in ring gear was slightly confusing and then he didnt get added to the match it seemed odd to me. I thoroughly enjoyed the match, and to kick the event off (25 minutes into it) it did the job, the Christian entrance and car destorying took too much time for my liking and the car could have just been stolen and smashed on SD or in a later segment that was quicker. Del Rio could have just exited crying because his destiny did not get fullfilled and the crowd really getting on his back.
Rey Mysterio vs. Cody Rhodes
Good match, to me it was WM worthy because it told a story, the Rhodes entrance was fantastic and Reys outfit was good. Overall it could have been a couple minutes longer as I felt Rey didnt have much offense throughout the match but I love everything about the match, Rey could have done a big move "WM moment" but the match was more of a cody Rhodes moment and I loved it and the win he got. No problem with this whatsoever.
Kane, Big Show, Santino Marella and Kofi Kingston vs. The Corre
This match had so much potential, for some reason I loved the Corres entrance, the looked "as one" and it had that WM entrance feel to it. Snatino power walking was utterly brilliant and Big Show calming him down was funny. The match started off great and when Zeke closelined Show I thought this match really kicked off well and could be a dark horse in MOTN... then Kane came in and I still had hope, Trouble in Paradise was done fantasticly and I felt like if Corre pulled Slater out before the cobra and regrouped it was a tremendous quick passed start to a match WM needed.... but the Cobra hit, Show knocked him out and I could see no one to help Slater. Thoroughly dissapointed and shocked in the quickness of the match (whats more annoying is its not the only short match on the card).
Randy Orton vs. CM Punk
I loved the match and the way Punk controlled it (the Bret figure 4 on ring post was beautiful)but the more the match dragged on the more it became obvious the outcome. I knew with the build up Orton would win before Mania and the match went the way I thought it would. the problem Ihad was I thought 3/4 minutes more with some Orton offense could have made this match so much better (same as Rey/Rhodes). I do think this feud has so much more to offer and am looking forward to see what they do at ExR.
No Holds Barred Match
The Undertaker vs. Triple H
The entrances where great (albeit time consuming but expected). The way HHH started it with punches and dodging Takers punches was great as it showed HHH was the cerebral assasin, scouting Taker, knowing when he punches and being on top of him. I liked the ferosity of the start but the way they where 5 minutes into it and lying on the floor like it where the end of a last man standing match annoyed me. They should have been more quick to get back on the offense and show no signs of weakness to opponent. Overall I really enjoyed the match and I did think HHH might win near the end, the sledgehammer grabbing during the hells gate was well done but I did think again this had a bit more to give. I loved the story of Taker doing everything to keep the streak, almsot like HHH thought when tapping out he couldnt achieve what needed to be done to beat Taker at WM.
The exit of Taker though was too long and a promo could have been shown during it, then cut back to Taker leaving again to save time and still do the "Takers almost dead" kind of exit.
John Morrison, Trish Stratus & Snooki vs. Dolph Ziggler & Lay-Cool
To be honest I did not expect great things from this, Ziggler and Jomo would have little ring time and not be allowed to do what they could do... I was alsmot right, the star
champagne ship pain was brilliant to me but Snooki looked like she fudged up the finish with the backflip. Again I dont mind the short match so much if theres one on the card, but 2? give more time to one and scrap the other. I dont think WWE needed the publicity of Snooki and Jersey Shore with the Rock back, if he wasnt there and it was just the normal roster then I would have been more for it but I couldnt see her getting too many people buying it to see her and she added little to the event.
Stone Cold Steve Austin as Special Guest Referee
Jerry Lawler vs. Michael Cole
I liked this match live
. It was a lot better and funnier than I thought it would be. Ausint entering when Swagger was doing press ups made me laugh a lot. the towel skit was funny and Coles face squashed up against the Cole mine was brilliant.
Booker entering to commentate, great... but why no Jim ro.....
. I was extremely excited and thought knwoing Cole might get "injured" in the match JR would stay for the rest.
What let it down for me was the time limit, it started great, Cole got offense, Cole had more offense, Cole continues to attack... but it wasnt believable, as someone who half knows how matches work you could see Cole talking to King and Austin during the whole thing and his execution of moves was awful. As someone who commentates on wrestling for years, surely he could slam someones ankle down with a bit of authority. King getting the win was expected but the Raw GM overturning it was odd for two reasons.
1) Why is he at WM, it ruins the prestigue and flow of the event for me and takes away the ultimate ending of King getting his victory over ~Cole at Wrestlemania. (I cant see them in a cage match at ExR... I hope not anyway).
2) Decision overturned due to bad officiating, Rock interfered in the main event... where was the overturn on that decision? bit of a plot hole i didnt like.
I would have had it as a 3 on 2 match with King and Booker vs. Swagger, Dibiase and Cole so there is more wrestling and Cole doesnt have to do so much whilst also getting whats coming to him.
Promos during
Mostly pointless and the Snoop one could have been saved for the DVD, the Austin/Rock one was good and needed for the live PPV but I would have liked some interviews with people who where about to or just competed.
Dissapointed in lack of Bryan/Sheamus and no Evan Bourne or Drew McIntyre.
WWE Championship Match
The Miz vs. John Cena
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This was built well and Miz promo video was sublime. Really well done to whoever made that, you deserve a bonus. Cenas entrance, why cant he enter normally or make sense? Miz shows his rise to the top despite no one believing in him, Cena shows his links to the black choir?... not sure abaout that.
That match was average and needed the Rock in some way. He should have entered first and gone on commentary, that way, the ref goes down with Cena and Miz, crowd looks to Rock who slowly gets up and then interferes.
The delay in him coming and and the Raw GM bit whilst funny was not needed or wanted on Wrestlemania, Miz head hitting the floor though looked real painfull and cudos for conitnuing to him.
I felt this match lacked someone else, a triple threat would have added a lot more energy to the match and got the crowd more involved. It did seem as though Cena wasnt really into the match and had little chemistry with Miz.
Overall it was a good WM and on second judgement im glad I watched it. 6.5/10.
First year without MITB was a bit of an adjustment and lack of HBK/Batista/Y2J and a few midcarders who would get on the card in MITB was also hard to get used to.
I'm glad the Lawler WM match is out of the way so hopefully next year a match like that wont be included... unless Josh Mathews wants his WM match.