Who will rise and who will fall, on the grandest stage of them all? (thanks Adam!)
Opens up with Lillian Garcia announcing John Legend who is singing “America the Beautiful”. They’ve got a dome-type mesh tent over the ring – to protect the wrestlers from the rain?
Video cut – Wrestlers talking about WrestlaMania and the importance of it.
Back to the event with some serious fireworks.
Match #1: Belfast Brawl – win by submission or pinfall
JBL vs Finlay
JBL Enters in a white limo.
Finlay comes down to the ring with Hornswaggle.
The action starts right off, with JBL going after Finlay before he gets into the ring. Bell finally rings after they’ve been wrestling for a minute. Finlay brings in some trash cans and kendo sticks into the ring. JBL smashes Finlay right in the forehead. The stairs come into the ring thanks to JBL. Finlay backdropped JBL off the stairs in the middle of the ring. They’ve got a cookie sheet in the ring – wonder if they went to the local Wal-Mart before the match! JBL grabs the shalleligh but Hornswaggle stops him with the kendo stick. Finlay brings out a table.
JBL throws Hornwaggle to the floor and Finlay retaliates by hitting JBL’s head against the announcer’s table. Finlay dives under the top rope after JBL on the outside, who takes him down with a garbage can lid in midair – OUCH! JBL throws garbage can at Hornswaggle who is outside the ring and goes for Finlay. Finlay fights back – gets JBL into a rolling fireman’s carry. Slams JBL into the table that was propped up in the corner! JBL clotheslines Finlay with the Clothesline from Hell and he’s down for the count!
WINNER: JBL (WTF?! HUGE upset here…)
Kim Kardashian – guest hostess – announcing what is going on with the money in the bank match. Mr. Kennedy comes out and says he’ll be the only one to win it twice.
Match #2: Money in the bank ladder match
John Morrison vs. Carlito vs. Shelton Benjamin vs. CM Punk vs. Mr. Kennedy vs. MVP vs. Chris Jericho
Bell rings and they’re all scattering to get the ladders. MVP taking them all down with a ladder until Jericho comes in with a bigger ladder and takes him down. Morrison moonsaults off the corner rope while holding onto a ladder, taking down Benjamin, CM Punk, Carlito, and MVP – NICE! Kennedy in the middle going for the briefcase, Jericho stops him. Morrison, Kennedy and Benjamin going at it on ladders in the middle of the ring. Complete pandemonium. Shelton Benjamin falls off the ladder in the middle of the ring onto a ladder on the outside of the ring – OUCH! Jericho and Morrison on top of a ladder – Jericho giving Morrison a domino stretch on the top of the ladder while Kennedy climbs up another ladder and takes advantage. Jericho and Kennedy going against each other on two ladders. CM Punk and Carlito jump from the rops onto the ladders. Kennedy CM Punk and Carlito down. Carlito gives Jericho backstabber off the ladders – Carlito looks like he hurt his hand.
MVP is the only one up and goes for the briefcase. Matt Hardy comes from nowhere!!! Takes MVP down with a twist of fate off of the ladder!!! Wrestlers are getting back up – Jericho and Carlito going at it. John Morrison gets tipped off of the ladder and lands mid-crotch on the ropes. Carlito goes after Jericho and spits apple in his face. Jericho and CM Punk in the middle going at it, CM Punk won’t give up. Jericho gets hung up on the ladder and can’t get out. CM Punk gets the briefcase!!!
WINNER: CM PUNK!
Video cut – Hall of Fame Ceremony
Howard Finkel announces the class of 2008, who all line up at the top of the entrance.
Snoop Dogg says that he and Festus see “eye-to-eye”, that they’re the same kind of people. Santino Marella tells Snoop Dogg that he will be there during the match. Snoop rings a bell and Festus goes after Santino. Dogg says that he got the bell from a friend – Mick Foley! Foley comes out for a minute and shows Mr. Socko.
Freddie Prinz Jr. in the match.
Match #3: Brand Supremacy Match
Batista vs. Umaga (or, as William Regal says, Umanga)
Spinning heel kick by Umanga with some serious air. Umaga kick right to Batista’s head. Umaga dominating the match, throwing Batista into the turnbuckle and doing some nerve holds. Match fairly boring. Batista gets the upper hand and does a huge Batista Bomb - eventually gets the pinfall.
WINNER: Batista
Showed the “tale of the tape” for Big Show vs. Floyd Money Mayweather.
Shows the 24 man match to see who wins for the right to go against Chavo. Winner is KANE.
Match #4: ECW Championship
Chavo Guerrero Vs Kane
Kane enters from the back of the ring and surprises Chavo. He immediately slams and pins Chavo!!!
WINNER: KANE!
Raven Symone is in the middle of the ring to help the WWE grant wishes for the Make-A-Wish foundation. 50 kids from 50 states, all at WrestleMania.
Video cut – Ric Flair highlights
Interview with Ric Flair.
Match #5: Career Threatening Match
Ric Flair VS HBK
After a long entrance from Flair, we’re off. Michaels is faster, Flair more experienced. HBK bitch slapping Ric flair and there’s blood from Flair already! HBK “You wanted it, you got it – you can leave now.” Flair – “First blood brother”. Back and forth chest chest chopping. Flair knee to the head of HBK. Falir tosses HBK off the top turnbuckle ontot he mat and climbs the mat himself, cross-body on top of HBK. Flair outside of the ring and Michaels moonsaults onto the RAW announcer’s table!
Flair and HBK going at it in the middle of the ring. Perfect standing vertical suplex on HBK. Flair tries to cover, gets to 2 count. Flair gets tossed over the top rope ontot he ground and Michaels moonsaults, only hitting Flair a bit and mostly nailing the floor! OUCH! Both back in the ring before the 10 count is done. Both down in the middle of the ring after some wrestling. Michaels drops and elbow off the top rope! Michaels is tuning up but doesn’t superkick him!! Flair gets him into the figure four! HBK’s hesitation gave Falir the chance to put the move on him. Michaels reversed it and got out.
More chops to the chest. The two going at it – at one point Michaels tries to bridge out but his ribs won’t let him. Flair takes HBK’s knee down with his shoulder and HBK is down. Flair goes for the figure four but HBK twists him out. Figure four back on! HBK gets to the ropes and Flair starts kicking him. Michaels gives him some sweet chin music!! One, two, KICK OUT!!! Flair still in it!
Michaels tuning up again, but Flair isn’t getting up. HBK picks him up and flair kicks back and nails HBK in the nuts. HBK put the inverted figure four on Ric Flair, who gets to the ropes, but he pulled the padding off of the turnbuckle – pokes HBK in the eye!! Tries to roll up Michaels, but it didn’t work. HBK in the corner, ready to bring the sweet chin music. He looks at Flair, who mouths “bring it”, and HBK says “I’m sorry”.
WINNER: Shawn Michaels
Michaels kisses flair on the forehead and leaves the ring. Flair Retires.
Flair crying in the middle of the ring, on his knees. His children are in the audience crying as well. He’s getting a standing ovation from the fans. Flair climbs out of the ring and hugs his children. Flair walks up the ramp with a smile on his face and gives a final salute to his fans.
Interview with Edge, who says that he’ll win the match against the Undertaker.
Match #6: Playboy Bunnymania Match (Lumberjack Match)
Snoop Dogg comes down to the ring in a specially decorated cart. All the WWE Divas surround the ring.
Ashley and Maria Vs. Melina and Beth Pheonix w/ Santino Marella
Ashley against Beth Phoenix to start. Tags Maria in and Beth tags Meliona in. The Divas go after Melina, who is thrown out of the ring, and toss her back in. Maria gives Melina the bronco buster. Ashley back in and Maria out. Ashley tossed out and the Divas beating her up before tossing her back in. Melina tosses Ashley right into Beth Phoenix for a bear hug. Beth drops Melina from her shoulders onto Ashley. Beth and Maria at it – lights go out! Technical difficulties?> Spotlight in the ring and Maria gets to the top of thering and takes her down. Double arm chicken wing on Maria who gets out of it and almost pins Beth. Maria bulldogged Beth, Santino pulled Maria off of Beth before she gets the pin. Jerry is pissed and knocks down Santino! Beth, however, gets Maria up in the Fisherman’s suplex and gets the pin.
WINNER: Beth Phoenix and Melina
Snoop dog in the ring and clotheslines Santino!!! Helps Maria up and gives her a big old kiss right in the middle of the ring!!
Video cut – the background on the triple threat match.
Jones marching band is on the ramp, heralding Cena’s arrival. Cena comes out with a new jersey that has his college football numbers.
Match #6 – Triple Threat Match for the WWE Title
John Cena Vs. HHH Vs. Randy Orton
Orton uses the belt on HHH when the bell rings and its Orton and Cena going at it. HHH goes after Orton on the Spanish announcers table. HHH has the sleeper on Orton and Cena picks them both up before HHH falls off. Cena picks up Orton who tries to roll him up. Two choke slams from Orton. Orton has both HHH and Cena on the ropes and rops them with a double DDT onto the mat. Can’t cover either of them. Orton lined up for an RKO and Cena picks him up and throws him on HHH!!! Cena on the top rope and does a flying leg drop on Orton. Orton outside of the ring and runs from Cena before he tosses them into the corner post.
Orton and HHH after each other now. Orton has his knee hurt and HHH is capitalizing on that. Orton gets an RKO on HHH and he’s still in pain. Cena has the STFU on Orton! HHH helps Orton get the ring and hits them both in the head. Cena’s down, Game gets the Indian death lock on Orton. Cena gets HHH out of the ring and gets the STFU on Orton again. HHH back and gets a crossface on Cena, who lets go of Orton. (Looks just like Benoit’s Crippler Crossface!!! WTF?) Cena gets to the ropes. Orton and HHH trading punches in the middle of the ring. Five knuckle shuffle onto HHH and hits the FU, but HHH gets out and goes for a pedigree, which is reversed and both are broken up. HHH gets the upper hand and goes after Orton’s leg again, giving Cena a minute to get up – he tries for an FU and HHH reverses into a pedigree! Orton sneaks into the ring, kicks HHH away and pins the pedigree’d Cena!
WINNER: Randy Orton
Video cut – Backlash
Video cut – Road to Floyd Mayweather and Big Show
Match #7: Anything Goes – win by pinfall, submission, or KO
Big Show Vs. Floyd “Money” Mayweather
Money is falling out of the sky when Mayweather comes down to the ring – same as they did with Donald Trump.
Mayweather running around Big Show, pushing him whenever he can. Mayweather’s handler gets taken down by Big Show for making it a mockery. Big Show finally gets a hold of Mayweather and tries to stomp on his hand, but he rolls away. Catches him again and picks him up with one hand. he jumps on Big Show’s back and tries to choke him out – Big Show goes down to one knee (just like Rock II), but Big Show gets back up and stomps on Mayweather’s left hand!! Big Show asks for quiet from the audience has he slaps Floyd on his chest. Ouch!!! Big Show stands on Mayweather, who is screaming like a little girl. Manager keeps screaming “he can’t do that…he can’t do that”. Big Show is smiling. Mayweather kicks Show, but Show grabs him and does a beautiful side slam. He actually stands on the tiny little boxer! Elbow to Mayweather and the crowd asks for another one. Mayweather’s crew pulls him out of the ring before Show can give him another one and walk off with him.
Show follows them back and starts taking out his posse, they go down like dominos. The ref keeps some of the other crew back while Show gets him back to the ring. He tosses him back into the ring and tries for a choke slam, but one of his crew members stops Show with a chair to the back. After Show takes care of him, Mayweather has the chair and hits Show with it in the stomach and the back. Show grabs him again but Mayweather gets the chair again and goes for Show’s head! He takes the brass knuckles off of his posse’s necklace and goes for Show, right in the jaw!!!
Show is coming around and Mayweather is ready to nail him again, but he passes out on the rops!
WINNER: Floyd “Money” Mayweather
Video Cut – WRESTLEMANIA 25 will be in AUSTIN , TX!!! April 5, 2009 at the Reliant Stadium.
Kim Kardashian, guest hostess, gets some in-ring time. Attendance record is 74,635 people!!
Video Cut – road to Undertaker VS Edge
Match #8: World Heavyweight Championship Match
Undertaker Vs. Edge
Match starts pretty slowly. Edge tries to get the upper hand but Taker quickly disabuses him of that notion. Match seems to be going pretty slowly. Edge climbs to the top of the turnbuckle and the Undertaker knocks him to the hard mat. Taker bounces off the other side and flies over the top rope right onto Edge on the floor. Edge is hanging off the edge of the ring and Taker applies a beautiful leg drop right onto his head. Edge picks up Undertaker and drops him over the barrier and into the fans! Edge gets Taker back into the ring and tries for a roll up but no go. Edge gets taker in a half boston crab to torture the lower back of Taker. Undertaker counters and gets out.
The two trade insults – Taker drops Edge off the top rope and Edge has a beautiful leg drop. Edge climbs op the rope but Taker grabs him. Edge grabs him for the choke slam but Edge gets the DDT instead. Taker gets a choke slam, but Edge kicks out!
Taker goes to the top rope but falls down onto his jewels on the turnbuckle. Edge superplex off the top rope! Taker tries for a last ride but Edge drops down and evades him yet again! Taker finally gets him in the last ride and goes for the cover, but Edge kicks out!
Taker gives the sign and grabs Edge, but Edge counters once again. Taker walks the rope and takes Edge to school. He tries to kick Edge but kicks the ref! Edge drops Taker and the taker is down, but so is the ref! Edge was standing over Undertaker taunting him, and Taker grabs his neck and stands up! Edge kicks Taker right into the avacados and walks off for the camera, bringing it into the ring and nailing taker in the head.
Taker sits up and edge gives the cut-throat sign. Taker goes for the tombstone and nails it! New ref running down from the back, but Edge kicks out. Edge’s Edgeheads come down to the ring and Taker deals swiftly with them, but it gave Edge a chance to spear and try for the roll up. Edge, however, kicks out.
Edge spears Taker again, but Taker gets the Indian Deathlock on Edge. EDGE TAPS!!!!
WINNER: UNDERTAKER – New Champion and now he is 16 - 0
Overall I’m not too impressed and don’t think it was worth the price paid for it. There were a few good things - money in th bank match was the best overall match by far for action and moving, and there was some humor with Snoop Dogg and hte bunnies. Flair match wasn’t bad, but I wish it wasn’t HBK that took him out. The Big Show match wasn’t as bad as I thought it would be, and Mayweather made it out in one piece, surprisingly enough. Triple threat match could’ve been much better.
At WrestleMania, every match should be worthy of WrestleMania and should be as high end as it can, but there were definitely a lot of forgettable matches. What do you think?
