Wrestlemania 33 Recap
ORLANDO, FLA. – This past Sunday, the 33rd edition of Wrestlemania took place from the Citrus Bowl in Orlando, Fla. According to WWE, over 75,000 filled the stands on Sunday night to witness the show of shows.
In case you missed it, here is a quick recap of what took place on “The Ultimate Thrill Ride,” Wrestlemania 33.
Roman Reigns def. The Undertaker
This match may have been last on the card, but it was the most significant match of the evening. The Undertaker came into the match with a 23-1 record at Wrestlemania (his only loss was to Brock Lesnar at Wrestlemania 30), but this would not be a good night for the Deadman.
Reigns dominated the entire match. ‘Taker was able to get some offense in, but Reigns had an answer for everything, and even put the Deadman through the Spanish announce table at one point. After 20 minutes, it was clear that the Undertaker was running out of gas. He had kicked out of a few of Reigns’ spears, but finally Reigns hit another one and pinned the Deadman for the win, becoming just the second man in history to defeat the Undertaker at ‘Mania.
After Reigns exited, the Undertaker was shown back in the ring with his entrance attire on. He walked around the ring a few times, and then took off his gloves, his jacket, and his hat. He left everything in the center of the ring, went over and kissed his wife (former WWE star Michelle McCool) and walked up the ramp.
With the Undertaker being 52-years-old and needing a hip replacement, this had to be his last match. Anyone who watched the match could see that ‘Taker can’t move anymore. He looked gassed and out of shape. It is hard to see perhaps the greatest wrestler in history go after a 27-year career, but it is time. Father time is undefeated.
The Hardy Boyz Return, Win RAW Tag Team Championships
The biggest surprise of Wrestlemania was the return of The Hardy Boyz, who came back to the WWE after absences of eight years (Jeff) and seven years (Matt). The Hardy’s became a part of the ladder match for the RAW Tag Team Championships, that also featured Sheamus & Cesaro, Enzo Amore & Big Cass, and the defending champions, Karl Anderson and Luke Gallows.
The Hardy’s defined the Ladder Match in the late 1990’s and early 2000’s, and they did just that again on Sunday. At one point, Jeff hit a “swanton bomb” off a ladder and onto Cesaro, who was laying on a ladder. Right after that, Matt climbed the ladder in the ring and claimed the tag titles, making the Hardy’s seven-time tag champions in the WWE.
After over half a decade away, it is good to see the Hardy Boyz back in the WWE again. Whether they are performing as a team or as singles, they are a top draw and still have some good years left in them. Not only can they be awesome tag champions, but they can mentor the young roster.
She Said Yes!
One of the best builds leading up to Wrestlemania was the mixed tag team match, featuring longtime couple John Cena & Nikki Bella against the married duo of The Miz & Maryse. The match itself lasted just under 10 minutes, but what took place after the match was the bigger story.
After the match, Cena grabbed a microphone. He told Nikki that he was waiting for the perfect time to ask her a question, and then he got on one knee and asked Nikki to marry him. Of course, she said yes and they celebrated in the ring afterwards.
Cena and Nikki have been dating for years, so it was nice to see them share that moment on a stage as big as Wrestlemania. Congratulations to both of them.
Seth Rollins def. Triple H
For weeks, it was unclear if Seth Rollins would be able to compete in this match after suffering an MCL injury at the hands of Samoa Joe. Rollins had his injured knee in a brace, but he moved around just fine.
With the “non sanctioned” stipulation, weapons were used throughout the match. The angle of Triple H “trying to destroy what he created” was done well, with Hunter repeatedly aiming for the injured knee of Rollins.
The ending of the match was well-played, too. Rollins shoved Triple H into Stephanie McMahon (Hunter’s wife), who happened to be standing on the edge of the ring. Steph fell off the edge and crashed through a wooden table that was placed outside of the ring. Hunter turned around, and Rollins hit him with a Pedigree (also Hunter’s finishing move), and pinned him for the win.
Two Major Titles Change Hands
There were five total title changes at Wrestlemania, but the two major WWE title matches were obviously the most noteable.
In the Universal Title match, Brock Lesnar defeated Goldberg. The match went just under seven minutes, which is five minutes longer than any of Goldberg’s previous singles matches since his return.
It was nice to see Goldberg back in the WWE, but it got old after a few weeks. He is expected to go back into retirement, which is the right move. Now, all signs point to Lesnar getting into a feud with Roman Reigns, who is expected to take the belt from Lesnar.
In the WWE Championship match, Randy Orton defeated Bray Wyatt. Orton is now a 13-time world champion, and Wyatt is now 0-3 at ‘Mania.
If I had the choice, I would have had Wyatt win this match. Orton is now 37-years old and does not need any more Wrestlemania moments. How can fans get behind a younger star like Wyatt when he loses year after year on the grandest stage? It’s just confusing.
Other Results:
- A.J. Styles def. Shane McMahon
- United States Championship: Kevin Owens def. Chris Jericho
- RAW Women’s Championship: Bayley def. Charlotte Flair, Nia Jax, Sasha Banks
- SmackDown Women’s Championship: Naomi def. Carmella, Alexa Bliss, Becky Lynch, Mickie James, and Natalya
- Intercontinental Championship: Dean Ambrose def. Barin Corbin
- Cruiserweight Championship: Neville def. Austin Aries
- Mojo Rawley won the Andre The Giant Memorial Battle Royal
Wrestlemania 34 takes place on April 8, 2018 at the Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana.
