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I don't know what to think of the first night of WrestleMania. Considering the circumstances, it was a very good show, but did it feel like WrestleMania to you, dear reader?
I mean I understand the circumstances that led to WrestleMania being held in the Performance Center and at the Boneyard this year, but I have to wonder if it was the right decision to go ahead with the event. That said, the best thing I liked about the show was how it did not drag on, and the decision to split it into 2 days was a big component of the same.
Let me focus on what I liked from the show and what I did not. Be sure to leave a comment and let me know your thoughts and your views as well.
Let's get a conversation going and talk about this historic show.
#1 Best: Brand new WWE Universal Champion crowned
It was certainly the right move to get the title off Goldberg's waist considering he is only a part-time performer and a full-timer needed to shine at WrestleMania 36. Initially, it was assumed that the man for the role would be none other than Roman Reigns, which would have been a great move in its own right.
But the fact that Braun Strowman finally got his WrestleMania moment is a heart-warming moment for anyone who has followed his journey to the top. One could even say that it's come far too late and he should have been the face of either RAW or SmackDown a long time ago.
I loved the match between Goldberg and Braun Strowman because it featured two bulls just performing their power moves on each other to take the other man out. It was exactly what it needed to be at the perfect spot in the card.
#1 Worst: JBL's microphone
John "Bradshaw' Layfield or JBL was a welcome addition to the desk next to Michael Cole. Cole has been the heart and soul of the company for many years but it was no easy task to call all of the SmackDown matches all on his own.
But then, there was a huge audio botch from WWE, where JBL was not audible at all, as compared to Cole. One had to be baffled by something of this nature, considering the high level of production in the rest of the show.
And this was even worse than Cole calling all of the action on his own because the audience was forced to strain their ears to hear what was happening with JBL. It was a distraction that took away from the action that was happening in the ring.
The funniest thing about the whole episode was that it was a taped show and hence, it could have been corrected and rectified before airing. This is a botch one would expect from a smaller promotion, not WWE.
#2 Best: The Boneyard Match
How insulting must it be for Matt Hardy that WWE did a match of this nature so soon after he quit the company for good? I mean this is a style that he pioneered with the matches in the Hardy Compound both in Impact Wrestling and in WWE. In any case, credit where it is due because WWE did a very commendable job with the Boneyard Match between AJ Styles and The Undertaker at WrestleMania.
Even though The Undertaker returned in his biker persona, he would show supernatural traits, especially when pyro exploded from out of nowhere during the match and also, when he appeared out of nowhere behind AJ Styles. If this is the future of professional wrestling, please sign me up.
Kudos to Gallows and Anderson who also played a prominent part in this match for adding an extra layer of drama to the overall proceedings that made it special. I can only imagine how good the contest between John Cena and The Fiend in the Firefly Fun House will be, ladies and gentlemen.
#2 Worst: Not taking a chance with Shayna Baszler
I know that Becky Lynch has a legion of devoted fans and hence, a lot of people on the internet will undoubtedly pounce upon me when I say that I think that she should have dropped the title. And I say this as a fan of hers and not a detractor.
A champion is only as strong as the champions he/she faces, in the world of scripted entertainment. Superman needs Lex Luthor and Rick Grimes needs Negan and The Governor to be taken seriously, for the audience to be invested in the heroes they adore.
WWE had an opportunity to build a great antagonist, who continues to steamroll through the roster as she did during the Elimination Chamber pay-per-view by choking Becky Lynch out but refused to do so, having Becky Lynch win the match. Maybe they just don't believe in Shayna Baszler as we do and don't think she's ready to be the face of the RAW Women's Division at this point in time, at least.
#3 Best: Kevin Owens performs an incredible move
When Seth Rollins vs. Kevin Owens ended with a DQ, I was ready to slot it in the 'worst' section of this article, and then Kevin Owens cut a passionate promo. He huffed and panted as he let Seth Rollins know what he thought of him, in words that cannot be repeated on this family-friendly site, pushing the match into the next gear.
I don't need to describe the spot that Kevin Owens performed from atop the WrestleMania sign on Seth Rollins to you because you have all seen it already. It was one of the most incredible moments from WrestleMania this year and I am sure that your jaw hit the floor when you saw it.
No, Shane McMahon wasn't on this week's show but it seems that Kevin Owens has picked up a trick or two from his adversary after feuding with him for so very long. It narrowly edged out the amazing John Morrison spot as the moment of the night for me.
#3 Best/worst: Alexa Bliss and Nikki Cross pick up a very historic win
So, let me begin by saying that I think that it's a wonderful thing that Alexa Bliss and Nikki Cross are the Women's Tag Team Champions after WrestleMania. The Kabuki Warriors are great but they really hadn't set the world on fire as the Women's Tag Team Champions, which can also be attributed to the way that they had been booked.
But I think that the Twisted Bliss that Alexa Bliss hit was a little botched and that just left a bad taste in everyone's mouth. Had it been delivered perfectly, it would have been the perfect match and there wouldn't have been a single complaint with the contest.
All in all, WrestleMania was a real mixed bag, and I don't know whether I can call it a good event or a weak affair, all said and done. Well, maybe Night 2 will swing my way in one direction or the other, based on how things go through the course of the night.
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