WrestleMania 36 Review: Night One

Given the current situation of the world, WrestleMania 36 is bound to stand out as the most unique version of the 'Show of Shows'. The company didn't rest on its laurels to be just unique. Providing a mix of some classic hard-hitting action, with some cinematic individuality and aesthetics, this show, at least night one could go down as a classic.

Coming in with an air of mystique, the card filled itself with eight matches across a smartly booked three-plus hours and one kickoff warm up, with WWE having space, time and agency to tell its stories quickly but effectively.

It's hard to tell if night two will live up to a similar trajectory, but as Mojo Rawley and good pal Rob Gronkowski would say, "get hyped!", because the hype is real. WrestleMania moments were made, but how did each match fare on night one? Well, let's find out!

Kickoff: Warming Up

Cesaro picks up a head of steam for the Artist Collective

Drew Gulak vs. Cesaro

Announced earlier in the day, as an extension of the Bryan/Gulak vs. Artist Collective (Sami Zayn, Shinsuke Nakamura, and Cesaro) feud, WWE could have gone all out in warming up its TV audience with a wrestling clinic. The company smartly kept this short and minimalistic, to let the rest of the night showcase their experimental chops with no audience at WrestleMania.

Even then, being as they are both Gulak and Cesaro, put on a smooth sprint to give us a better than average TV match up. Bryan's push for Gulak has given the technical master quite a rise in the company, in just a few short months.

Unafraid of swaying any crowd reaction, the match allowed Cesaro to pull off some old tricks that would have got a wild pop. Gulak tried to hit hard, but Cesaro countered the Gu-Lock to put away his opponent in style with the airplane spin, sans any hands.

Result: Cesaro beats Drew Gulak in short order to win.

Rating:

Bliss Cross, Applesauce

Bliss Cross are now the only two time WWE Women's Tag Team Champions!

WWE Women's Tag Team Championship: Kabuki Warriors (Asuka and Kairi Sane) (c) vs. Alexa Bliss and Nikki Cross

Surprisingly the curtain raiser of the night, the women of the understated tag team division provided a fun-filled outing. The tag team battle featured the Kabuki Warriors at their manic best, Alexa Bliss as the surprising glue of the contest. Most importantly, however, this was a showcase for the crazy character work of Nikki Cross. As JBL put it perfectly on commentary, Cross not only put in a hell of an effort en route to victory but she also made the most of her WrestleMania moment.

As we are aware, many of the matches if not all were taped before the broadcast tonight. WWE's efficient editing team did a clerical job in covering the mistakes, to give a gratifying opener.

It helped that both teams were on top form, with two outstanding sequences of top rope moves to save the day. At the same time, a perfect working of classic tag team wrestling with hot tags that didn't need a crowd to get the thrill on.

Result: Alexa Bliss pins Kairi Sane to win the match, making Bliss Cross the first two time and NEW WWE Women's Tag Team Champions!

Rating:

Mugging for Nobody

Baron Corbin vs. Elias

Pitting Corbin and Elias might have been a mistake on any given night but this was particularly true for a night with no fans. The two players despite what many may say, play better off to a crowd. Neither one, particularly Corbin was willing to adjust to this making a dull effort seem lifeless.

Though Elias's unusually angry resilience provided some mid-match entertainment, it wasn't enough for a contest ending in shenanigans. Baron Corbin obnoxiously battled with the referee and commentators to no effect and no crowd to play with.

Ironically, the two men wrestled in the Performance Center, where the future of the business comes to improve every day. A lack of psychology, a misunderstanding of their situation created the only dark spot, on a bright card. This is one contest that seemed perfectly poised to involve Gronk, that it failed to do so is unfortunate, considering his use later on in a tepid moment with R Truth, Mojo Rawley, and the 24/7 championship. Much more memorable than this snooze-fest.

Result: Elias rolls up Baron Corbin, grabbing deep on the tights to pick up a shock win!

Rating:

The Man Rolls On!

WWE RAW Women's Championship: Becky Lynch (c) vs. Shayna Baszler

Fittingly stiff from the word go, Lynch and Baszler brought some form of excitement to their usually clinical but savage routine. While never reaching the rough and tumble heights of last year's main event, they gave it their all, in utilizing the acoustics of the empty Performance Center.

A fighting sprint, Lynch played brawler perfectly well in a story told to not only boost her arrogance but also call into question her stubborn tactics. Similarily Baszler picked at Lynch's game in the right moments besides the end. This is where the match in isolation falls apart, leaving the question of how deep a Baszler will sink.

Meanwhile, Lynch continues a hot streak as champion. Reminiscent of NJPW's booking of Kazuchika Okada in 2018, when and whoever breaks Lynch's bubble will end up giving rise to one hell of an arc for The Man. A rematch, some revenge and maybe even a Rowdy One might be on the way.

Result: Becky Lynch ekes out a win with a rollup to retain the WWE RAW Women's Championship!

Rating:

Clinical Start, Cliche End

WWE Intercontinental Championship: Sami Zayn (c)/w Shinsuke Nakamura and Cesaro vs. Daniel Bryan/w Drew Gulak

With the infuriating nature of the Great Liberator, one had to expect this to start with antics. Unfortunately, it is unclear how healthy Sami Zayn truly is; limiting a match of the night contender to just below a notch. Surprisingly Gulak's early takedown of Zayn's boys allowed for an explosive middle portion.

The workhorse title deserved better from two workhorse talents. Even then in this day and age, a Daniel Bryan match is a boon for wrestling fans. Not exactly a clinic, but a thorough dismantling in epic Bryan fashion. Sami Zayn if not competitive, at least plays his part to perfection in needling that Bryan out.

Similarily the shine given to Gulak was a highlight, as he pushed Bryan to work his best as well as getting praise from the man. He also proved to be the distraction taken out by Zayn's cohorts, allowing him to sneak in a Helluva Kick to finish the dirty job. Not the most preferable result, considering the previous two matches.

Result: Sami Zayn with a win on Daniel Bryan to retain the WWE Intercontinental Championship!

Rating:

Banter Blast!

Ladder Match for the WWE Smackdown Tag Team Championships: John Morrison (c) vs. Jimmy Uso vs. Kofi Kingston

Beautifully turning the tables (or ladders) on an odd three-way singles match for tag team titles, WWE brought their A-Game. This goes doubly for the three men involved, diving deep into their reserves in a contest that demands audience adulation.

Despite the lack of vocal support, each man put their talents to the test while smashing and setting violently noisy ladders. John Morrison comes back to WrestleMania with a refined game. Kofi Kingston brought some of last years heart to the fore. Meanwhile, Jimmy Uso provided the much-needed voice, in a brilliant banter match, with insults to his opponents hitting as hard as the ladders.

The athleticism of the trio gave us crash and burns of a different kind. This particularly held through to the exhilarating and intelligently booked end sequence. All three men yanked the prized titles only for Morrison to fall with them in his imitable style, to steal one. This left a puzzled Kofi and Jimmy blaming each other, a comedically gold moment.

Result: John Morrison wins and Miz and Morrison retain the WWE SmackDown Tag Team Championships!

Rating:

Soundscape of Violence

Seth Rollins vs. Kevin Owens

The two men opened the match with a fury unlike ever seen in quite a while, taking to their storyline's hatred and differences. A role reversal from their 2016 rivalry, this time around the chemistry and alignment is perfect.

It allowed Seth Rollins to try to snake his way out of this one, despite the display of arrogant bravado. Similarily Kevin Owens used the lack of a reaction to mouth off at an equally verbose Rollins, in an entertaining fashion. Once the structure changed after Rollins' disqualification, into No DQ, the two men just went into overdrive.

Utilizing the empty arena to perfection, both men made the brutal weaponed shots ring hard and echo with vicious fury. At the end of it all, Owens sunk deep to make his WrestleMania moment leaping off the marquee title set to burn it down. It gave way to the almost crumbling, haunting moans of Rollins and the merciless kill to end the Messiah's winning ways. WWE proved once again to be adaptable with a pitch-perfect use of sound, in a cinematically harsh slobber knocker.

Result: Kevin Owens hits the stunner on a panting Seth Rollins to pick up the win and a WrestleMania moment!

Rating:

Better Late than Never

WWE Universal Championship: Goldberg (c) vs. Braun Strowman

Last-minute changes to this match may have hampered Goldberg; who isn't good on the fly. Strowman came in like a raging bull, surprisingly hinting at his more heelish ruthless persona in a short sprint. The two men were there to spam finishers and thankfully did not dare tease Goldberg going for a Jackhammer.

WWE pulled the swerve, even though they struck while the iron was already bitter cold for Strowman. He might not be at the height of popularity from two years ago, but Braun truly got a deserving moment to be crowned champion.

Hopefully, this last-minute change spells good fortune for the 'Monster among Men'. As for Goldberg, it might be better for him to head to RAW, where Paul Heyman could book him to perfection. Strowman meanwhile could see a reunion with a fiendish old master of his, only time will tell.

Result: Braun Strowman hits a fourth running power slam to down Goldberg and wins, becoming the NEW WWE Universal Champion!

Rating:

3 stars out of 5! (A half a star extra for finally giving Braun his moment!)

Ashes to Ashes, Dust to Dust

Boneyard Match: The Undertaker vs. AJ Styles

A shout out to WWE pulling off one hell of a magic trick, finally making the movie-style match work that they've been trying to since the Boiler Room brawl between Undertaker and Mankind nearly three decades ago.

Not only did the two men involved (as well as Karl Anderson and Luke Gallows) bring it, so did the production team (particularly the cinematographer and editor) and especially Jeremy Borash. Creating a madcap genre-bending masterpiece, that will remain the pinnacle of the most unique night of WrestleMania history.

The match went from the grungy highs of a grindhouse horror film to the epic of an old western tale of the last stand of a cowboy. The Undertaker brought his all with the help of a game AJ Styles, in a fiery clash that bled into the meta depths of his failures and his haunting aura. Every set piece escalated the tension with a sinister score, towards the climactic high. The Undertaker rose from his own grave right behind AJ to bring this personal contest to a phenomenal end.

Result: The Undertaker buries AJ Styles in his grave, to win a cinematic masterpiece!

Rating:

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