Wrestlemania 35 Review

Wrestlemania 35 took place on Sunday 7th April at the Metlife Stadium in New York. There are SIXTEEN matches on the card plus we will get to see the first ever women's main event. Let's take a look at the biggest show of the year.

There were 4 matches on the Kick Off Show and the first one is for the Cruiserweight Championship as Tony Nese challenges Buddy Murphy. The match starts at 100 miles an hour before Murphy bounces Nese onto the turnbuckle. Nese gets back in control when he hits a brutal German suplex. Nese goes for the running knee but Murphy hits a knee followed by Murphy's Law. However, Nese manages to get his foot on the ropes. In the end, Nese hits a German suplex followed by the running knee to get the win...Wait, what? Ok, I did not see that coming. The match was pretty decent between the two. I'm still getting used to seeing Nese as a babyface and I just couldn't see him being the Cruiserweight Champion. Despite that, I hope that he has a good title reign.
Winner: Tony Nese (0 for 1)

The next match is the Women's Battle Royal. Taking part were: Dana Brooke, Mickie James, Ruby Riott, Liv Morgan, Sarah Logan, Asuka, Carmella, Naomi, Lana, Mandy Rose, Sonya Deville, Zelina Vega, Maria Kanellis, Ember Moon, Kairi Sane, Candice Le Rae and Nikki Cross. Kanellis is the first to be eliminated thanks to Cross. Ember Moon goes for the Eclipse on Deville, but she gets eliminated by Lana, which pissed off the crowd. The Riott Squad team up to eliminate Lana and Sane before Brooke eliminates Riott and Morgan. The final 5 end up being: Mandy Rose, Sonya Deville, Asuka, Mickie James and Sarah Logan. James eliminates Rose but she then gets eliminated by Deville. Asuka eliminates Deville and Logan eliminates Asuka to win the match. No, wait, hang on. Carmella suddenly appears out of nowhere and it turns out she hasn't been eliminated. Logan ends up on the apron and Carmella superkicks her off to the floor to get the win. The match was ok but I have no idea what happened to Carmella during the match. The commentators didn't mention it and it wasn't shown in the replays. Even though Carmella is a face, this makes it a tainted win for me and that's unfortunate.
Winner: Carmella (0 for 2)

Next is Zack Ryder and Kurt Hawkins challenging The Revival for the RAW Tag Team Championship. The Revival spend the early part of the match mocking Hawkins over his losing streak. Ryder tries to crossbody Dash Wilder but Scott Dawson pulls him out of the way and Ryder goes flying to the floor. This gives The Revival the opportunity to wear down Ryder. Ryder back bodydrops Dawson and he manages to tag in Hawkins. The match goes to the outside and Dawson hits Hawkins with a beautiful brain buster to the floor. Dawson rolls Hawkins back in but Hawkins suddenly pins him with a small package to get the win...Wait, seriously? Hawkins ends his 269 match losing streak and, along with Ryder, becomes the new RAW Tag Team Champions?! The match was pretty good. I'm pissed that The Revival lost, especially to a small package out of nowhere. Having said that, it did create a nice Wrestlemania(ish) moment for Ryder and Hawkins.
Winners: Zack Ryder and Kurt Hawkins (0 for 3)

The Kick Off Main Event is the Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal. Taking part were: Michael Che  and Colin Yost from Saturday Night Live, Braun Strowman, Apollo Crews, Titus O'Neil, Tyler Breeze, Jinder Mahal, No Way Jose, Bobby Roode, Chad Gable, Kalisto, Gran Metalik, Lince Dorado, Bo Dallas, Curtis Axel, Heath Slater, Rhyno, Konnor, Viktor, Andrade, Ali, Shelton Benjamin, Luke Gallows, Karl Anderson, Matt Hardy, Jeff Hardy, Otis, Tucker and EC3. As soon as the match starts, Che and jost hide under the ring and we can get a fuck load of eliminations before Strowman gets ganged up on. Gallows sends Strowman into the ring post and to the floor but not over the top rope. The final 5 in the ring end up being: Andrade, Apollo Crews, The Hardys and Braun Strowman. In a dumb move, Andrade eliminates Apollo Crews and himself with a hurracarrana. While Strowman is trying to eliminate The Hardys, Che and Jost reappear and try to eliminate Strowman. Strowman deals with it and eliminates The Hardys. Jost tries to use a therapist to appeal to Strowman. However, Strowman kills the therapist then eliminates Che. He then chucks Jost to a pile of wrestlers on the outside to get the win. The match was more fun to watch than I thought it would be and I quite enjoyed it.
Winner: Braun Strowman (0 for 4)

Wrestlemania starts with a segment involving the host of Wrestlemania Alexa Bliss and that racist piece of shit Hulk Hogan. It ends with Paul Heyman storming to the ring and announcing that because Brock Lesnar is not going on last, he might as well have his match now. So, the first match of the show is Seth Rollins challenging Brock Lesnar  for the Universal Championship. Brock attacks Rollins as he enters the ring and beats the fuck out of him. The bell finally rings to start the match and Lesnar continues his assault, hitting 3 German suplexes. When Lesnar goes for the F5, Rollins gets out of it, pushes him into the referee and hits a low blow. Rollins then hits 3 Curb Stomps to get the win and become the new Universal Champion. I was surprised at how short it was but it was a pretty decent match and it would be nice to see a full time Champion on RAW.
Winner: Seth Rollins (1 for 5)

Next is AJ Styles taking on Randy Orton. Orton gets the advantage with a thumb to the eye followed by a dropkick. Styles gets back into it and applies the calf crusher but Orton gets to the ropes. Orton manages to hit the RKO but Styles kicked out. In the end, Orton goes for another RKO but Styles stops it and hits a Phemonenal Forearm to get the win. The match was ok, nothing special.
Winner: AJ Styles (1 for 6)

After another pointless Lacey Evans walk on, we get our next match, which is a Fatal 4-Way Match for the Smackdown Tag Team Championship. Champions The Usos facing the challenges of Ricochet and Aleister Black, The Bar and Shinsuke Nakamura and Rusev. Highlights of the match include: Cesaro hitting a giant swing on Ricochet while Sheamus punches the fuck out of everyone else; Ricochet breking up a pin with a shooting star press; and everyone but Black doing a tower of doom and Ricochet managing to survive it. In the end, The Usos hit Sheamus with a double splash to get the win. This was quite a good match with a few cool spots.
Winners: The Usos (2 for 7)

After we see the Hall of Fame Class of 2019, we get a Falls Count Anywhere Match between Hollywood Miz and Shane McMahon.  McMahon gets the early advantage and is about to elbow drop Miz through the announce table when his father gets in the way. McMahon then starts beating him, prompting Miz to defend his father. The fight goes into the crowd and into the row of international announcers. Miz hits the Skull Crushing Finale in the tech area yet Shane kicked out. In the end, Miz suplexes McMahon off the scaffolding, knocking them both out. However, McMahon has his arm on top of Miz and pins him to get the win. The wrestling wasn't great but it was fun enough to keep me entertained.
Winner: Shane McMahon (2 for 8)

The next match is for the Women's Tag Team Championship as the teams of Nia Jax and Tamina, Beth Phoenix and Natalya and The IIonics  challenge Sasha Banks and Bayley in a Fatal 4-Way Match. Tamina beats attacking the other competitors before Sasha Banks is worn down by Billie Kay and Peyton Royce. Other highlights of the match include: Beth Phoenix suplexing the IIonics; Sasha putting Beth in the Banks Statement; Natalya putting both Sasha and Bayley in the Sharpshooter; and Beth getting hit with a Macho Man elbow drop by Bayley followed by a frog splash by Sasha. Beth hits Bayley with a Glam Slam from the top rope. However, she isn't aware that Billie made the tag on her. When Beth goes for the cover, Peyton pulls her off and Billie pins Bayley to get the win. The match was pretty decent and I'm so happy for Billie and Peyton getting the win. They have been  fun to watch since NXT and I can't wait to see how their title reign goes.
Winners: The IIonics (3 for 9)

Next is Kofi Kingston challenging "The New" Daniel Bryan for the WWE Championship. After some back and forth, Bryan avoids a springboard splash to the outside by Kofi and he crashes onto the announce table.  Bryan hits a few running dropkicks in the corner then almost folds Kofi in half with a Boston Crab. Kofi gets back into it and hits the SOS but Bryan applies the LeBell Lock. Bryan goes to the outside and Rowan stops Kofi from going after him. This leads to an altercation between Rowan the rest of The New Day and he is taken out with the Midnight Hour. Back in the ring, Bryan hits the running knee but Kofi kicks out. Bryan again applies the LeBell Lock but Kofi powers out of it. Kofi then hits Trouble in Paradise to get the win. This match was really good and I'm so happy that Kofi won, being the first African wrestler to become WWE Champion.
Winner: Kofi Kingston (4 for 10)

The next match is Rey Mysterio challenging Samoa Joe for the United States Championship. Joe doesn't fuck around at the beginning. However, Msyterio hits a DDT and the 619. Joe then puts Mysterio in the Coquina Clutch and Mysterio passes out, giving Joe the win. This match was less than 5 minutes long, which was a disappointment. Having said that, Mysterio was carrying an injury so I suspect that it would have longer.
Winner: Samoa Joe (5 for 11)

We now get Drew McIntyre taking on Roman Reigns. McIntyre headbutts Reigns to get the advantage. After getting thrown from the top rope, Reigns makes his comeback with punches and kicks. Reigns then hits a Superman punch followed by a spear to get the win. The match was pretty decent.
Winner: Roman Reigns (6 for 12)

After a segment involving Elias and John Cena, we get Batista taking on Triple H in a no holds barred match with Triple H's career on the line. During the match they use a tool box, chains, pilers, a steel chair, the steel steps and a sledeghammer.  Also during the match, Triple H pulls out Batista's nose ring and spears him through the German announce table. Batista manages to hit the Batista Bomb but Triple H kicked out. Triple H powerbombs Batista onto the steel steps followed by a Pedigree, but Batista kicked out. In the end, Ric Flair arrives and gives Triple H another sledgehammer. Triple H then hits Batista with it then hits another Pedigree to get the win. The match was ok and this was the longest match on the show. I really think it could have been shorter, especially when it involves two guys that are round 50.
Winner: Triple H (7 for 13)

We now get the end of an era as Kurt Angle has his farewell match against Baron Corbin. Angle hits a overhead belly-to-belly suplex and 3 German suplexes in the early going. Angle goes for the Angle Slam but Corbin gets out of it and hits Deep Six for 2. Angle hits the Angle Slam but Corbin kicks out. Angle then applies the Ankle Lock but Corbin manages to send him into the corner. Angle goes for the moonsault but misses and Corbin then hits End of Days to get the win. The match was very short but it was quite good.
Winner: Baron Corbin (7 for 14)

The penultimate match is for the Intercontinental Championship as Finn Balor in Demon Mode challenges Bobby Lashley. Balor goes after Lashley before he gets hit with a spine buster. When Balor starts to get back into it, Lio Rush distracts him allowing Lashley to spear him off the apron to the floor. In the end, Balor powerbombs Lashley then hits the Coup de Grace to get the win and become the new Intercontinental Champion. The match was quite good.
Winner: Finn Balor (8 for 15)

After R-Truth and Carmella do a dance break, we finally get our main event. A triple threat match between Ronda Rousey, Charlotte Flair and "The Man" Becky Lynch for both the RAW and Smackdown Women's Championships. Ronda is absolutely dominant to begin with and later on, she has Charlotte in an armbar over the ropes. Becky hits her with a dropkick, and Ronda lands brutally on the floor. Other highlights during the match include: Becky putting Charlotte in the Dis-Arm HerCharlotte hitting a double natural selection on both women; Becky hitting a Bex-ploder from the top rope on Charlotte; and Ronda putting both guys in an armbar. Charlotte manages to put Ronda in the Figure 8 but Becky breaks that up with a leg drop from the top rope. After Charlotte gets throwin onto a table in the corner, Ronda goes to hit Piper's Pit on Becky. However, Becky reverses it into a crucifix pin to get the win even though Ronda's shoulder goes up during the count.

I thought this was a good, fun match although the ending was slightly botched. From what I read, it seemed that it was a mistake on Ronda's part. The fact that WWE didn't make a big deal of it after the match does seem to prove that. As for Becky, I guess she will defend both belts for the foreseeable future.
Winner: Becky Lynch (9 for 16)

I thought that, despite a few surprising results, Wrestlemania was quite a good show. The main criticism of it is that it is far too long. This finished at after half past midnight local time and that's insane to me. I get that it's their biggest event of the year but hopefully they will make it a bit shorter next year.