(5) BIG E vs. APOLLO CREWS – Nigerian Drum match for the Intercontinental Title
Wale performed Big E’s entrance theme live. Apollo then came out with a giant stick weapon of some sort. There were drums and cymbals at ringside. Cole said this is no holds barred. They each hit each other with kendo sticks to start. Big E dove through the ropes and speared Crews off the ring apron hard to the mat at ringside. He scored a two count back in the ring.
Big E set up the base of the steps at ringside. Crews recovered and gave Big E a Death Valley Driver on the ring apron. He scored a two count. Crews grabbed the top of the ringside steps and brought them onto the ring apron. He threw Big E onto the base of the steps, then lifted the top part and threw them down at Big E, but Big E moved out of the way. Big E then gave Crews a uranage suplex off the ring apron onto the base of the steps.
Big E set up a table in the corner of the ring. Crews returned to the ring and kicked Big E in the face, then battered him with a kendo stick. He went for a top rope splash, but Big E moved and Crews crashed through the table. Big E gave Crews a Big Ending. A big mystery wrestler entered the ring and beat up Big E. He chokeslammed him and put Crews over Big E. The ref counted to three.
WINNER: Crews in 7:00 to capture the IC Title. (**1/2)
It was intense for a while, but ended with a finish that made the action preceding it seem more a formality. That said, in the interest of keeping WrestleMania around three total hours, I understand the decision to pack a lot of intense big spots int0 six minutes and then go to the angle with the new wrestler. The longer the night goes, and the more matches that clock in around 8-11 minutes, the more crazy the 14 minutes allotted to the Women’s Tag Team Title match seems, though.
(6) ASUKA vs. RHEA RIPLEY – Raw Title match
Aah Costello of New Year’s Day performed Ripley’s entrance theme. A ton of pyro and fire shot up on the set for Ripey’s entrance. Ripley looked the part of a big star and the live performance and stage pyro added to her coming across as a big star. Asuka then made her ring entrance. Cole talked about Asuka having a mean streak a mile wide. Cole said Ripley wants to be a different kind of champion, someone who doesn’t fit in because she hates fitting in. Rome did formal ring introductions.
Asuka landed a dropkick seconds into the match. Ripley no-sold it. Asuka fired a barrage of kicks and then rolled up Ripley for a one count. Ripley avoided a charging Asuka and then charged at Asuka, but Asuka moved too. Ripley regrouped at ringside. Asuka kneed Ripley in the face at ringside, then kicked away at her in the ring. She went for a hip attack, but Ripley moved. Ripley took over and applied a body scissors.
A couple minutes later, Asuka countered with a leglock mid-ring. Ripley yelled in pain, but powered up and back suplexed Asuka for a two count. As Ripley methodically attacked Asuka, Cole said this is the pace Ripley wants. Joe said a slow agonizing grind is Ripley’s plan. Ripley dropped Asuka face-first over the edge of the ring apron. The pace here seemed intentionally designed to bring the crowd down before the main event. Asuka came back with a DDT off the ring apron. Ripley beat the count at seven.
Asuka went for a quick cover and got a two count. Asuka applied an armbar. Ripley slung Asuka into the corner to break the hold. Asuka applied it again a minute later, then shifted into an Asuka lock attempt. Ripley twisted Asuka’s shoulders down for a near fall. Asuka threw some kicks at a kneeling Ripley’s chest. Ripley encouraged more, then ducked Asuka’s running knee. She then hit a quick Rip Tide to get the three count.
WINNER: Ripley in 14:00 to capture the Raw Title. (***1/4)
Good match. I want to rate it higher, but the crowd was pretty tepid and the pace was pretty deliberate at times. I think it was slower by design to give the crowd a breather before the big main event. The finish came out of nowhere which sometimes works well, but given the suddenness of this match being booked and thus a lack of build, even Ripley winning felt less special than it could have. This WrestleMania might be remembered as the night when two long-term future pillars of the WWE Women’s Division were crowned champions, though. If Becky Lynch shows up to challenge Ripley, that could cement Ripley as a huge star, but it could also define her down as a transitional champions, too.
(7) ROMAN REIGNS (w/Paul Heyman, Jey Uso) vs. EDGE vs. DANIEL BRYAN – WWE Universal Title match
Bryan came out first. Then Edge, who got a big pop. Before Reigns’s music, after Edge’s music stopped, there were boos. Then the music hit and there were boos and some cheers. Reigns walked onto the stage with Heyman and Jey. Reigns raised his title belt in the air and crazy pryo blastedfor an intense five seconds. Greg Hamilton did forma ring introductions. Edge was introduced first to a polite mix. Bryan got a loud “Yes!” chant and cheers. Then Reigns, who was booed.
Reigns went after Bryan at the bell, surprising him with a running forearm. Edge went after Reigns, but Reigns drove his shoulder into him in the corner. Bryan fought back with some uppercuts against Reigns, but Reigns threw Bryan to the floor where Jey superkicked him. Reigns threw Edge to teh floor where Jey superkicked him too. Reigns and Jey cleared the announce desk. Edge attacked Reigns at ringside. He threw him around ringside and into the ringpost. Edge huffed and puffed. Edge set up the base of the ringside steps and gave Jey a faceplant onto the steps. Medics checked on Jey, helping him to his feet.
With Reigns down at ringside, Bryan and Edge battled. Cole and Graves said this could end without Reigns involved. Edge got a near fall against Bryan. Reigns returned to the ring apron and battled with Edge. Bryan yanked Reigns off the ring apron, then returned to the ring and went after Edge, landing a top rope dropkick. He showed fire. Bryan dove through the ropes at Reigns, but Reigns caught him and gave him an overhead suplex at ringside.
Edge and Reigns battled in the ring. Reigns hit a clothesline. Reigns countered an Edge spear with a Superman punch. Reigns went for a spear, but Edge countered with a faceplant DDT. Edge and Reigns speared each other out of mid-air. Both were down. Bryan entered and landed a diving headbutt on Edge for a two count. Then he hit a diving headbutt on Reigns for a near fall. Everyone was down and slow to get up.
Bryan stood and threw Yes kicks at Edge and Reigns, back and forth. He scored a two count on Reigns. Bryan applied a Yes Lock on Reigns. Heyman looked worried at ringside. Heyman encouraged Edge to break it up. Edge broke it up. Bryan shifted to a Yes Lock on Edge. Edge teased tapping. Reigns broke it up. Reigns powerbombed Bryan onto Edge. At ringside, Reigns stood on the base of the steps and powerbombed Bryan through the table. As Reigns gloated, Edge speared him off the steps and onto the ringside mat.
Back in the ring, they battled over a chair, which fell apart. Edge threw Reigns throat-first into the top rope. Reigns gasped for breath as Edge applied a crossface mid-ring. Edge used the chair piece in Reign’s mouth. Reigns entered to block Reigns from tapping out. Bryan applied a Yes Lock as Edge was holding on. Edge and Bryan then headbutted each other. Reigns looked passed out as Bryan and Edge fought each other. A “This is awesome!” chant broke out. Bryan charged at Edge, but Edge speared Bryan. Edge speared Reigns and had an apparent inevitable win, but Bryan yanked the ref out of the ring before he could hit three. The announcers stressed it was legal. Cole said Edge was about to lose it.
Edge bashed Bryan across the back with a chair. Edge had a crazed look. He entered the ring and bashed Reigns and Bryan with the chair over and over. Fans stood at ringside and enjoyed the brutality. “An unhinged Edge!” said Cole. Edge put Bryan’s head on a chair. Then he put Reigns’s head on a chair. The cheering crowd got more subdued. Edge bashed Bryan across the back of his head. Jey lunged into the ring and blocked Edge from hitting Reigns. Edge speared Jey and bashed him across the back. Reigns got up and speared Edge. Instead of going for the pin, he put a chair under Edge’s head. He then picked up the chair and bashed Edge’s head. He then dragged Edge onto Bryan and then covered both and got the three count. The finish came 17 minutes past the end of the third hour of the show.
WINNER: Reigns to retain the Universal Title. (****1/4)
Edge technically had Bryan covered too. Hmmm. Really good match. This was the match the crowd was waiting for all night. Their reactions made that clear. Edge was mega-over. I think fans are going to want to see a one-on-one match with Edge challenging Reigns.
