It has become somewhat of a tradition for go-home shows to be underwhelming. True to form, the show before the biggest pay-per-view of the year- WrestleMania, was a pretty sad and lukewarm affair.
With so many part-timers on the actual Wrestlemania card, there was very little actual development on this week’s episode of Raw. In fact, we could have gone straight to Wrestlemania and we would not have missed anything at all.
Oh, WWE certainly did try to make the show feel big but did not succeed in their attempts. In any case, we proudly present the best and worst of Wrestlemania.
#1 Worst: Weakest looking spear in professional wrestling history
Remember how we complained about AJ Styles having to sell Shane McMahon’s punches? Brock Lesnar had to sell for a spear from Goldberg that had absolutely no power behind it. Remember, this is a man who has defeated pretty much every other performer in the full-time roster of WWE, and is known to be one of the most dangerous men in combat sports, even inside the Octagon.
The set-up was actually quite perfect, with Goldberg saying he was bringing Wrestlemania to Raw for the fans in there. Sadly, the spear that followed from Goldberg was completely abysmal in execution.
#1 Best: People care about Lesnar vs. Goldberg
Despite what the hardcore wrestling fans think about part-timers like Goldberg and Brock Lesnar taking all the top spots in WrestleMania, both men have gotten the crowd invested, like none of the other performers have.
There were dual chants of ‘Goldberg’ and 'Brock Lesnar’ during the match, and a crowd that had been noticeably quiet except for the Undertaker segment came alive for this one. Sadly, this speaks about how few full-time performers are really 'over’ in the eyes of the WWE crowd.
#2 Worst: A weak start to the show
The opening segment usually sets the tone for the rest of the show, and this show had a weak one. Bayley, Charlotte, Sasha and Nia Jax traded smack talk on the microphone, but their delivery was underwhelming, to say the least.
So much so, that the crowd started their ‘CM Punk’ chants this week too. The match that followed was not bad at all, but the promos were absolutely horrendous indeed. Hey, let’s look at the bright side and thank our stars that it wasn’t a 20-minute long Stephanie promo though. That would have been a nightmare indeed.
#2 Best: Kevin Owens vs. Sami Zayn, once again
We have seen this match a million times across different promotions, but these two men have great chemistry especially when wrestling against one another. There was a spot where Zayn slipped on the barricade, attempting to deliver his signature manoeuvre- the moonsault from the barricade.
Owens took advantage of this and pushed him into the crowd. Despite the many interferences at the end of the match, all in all, it was a solid affair indeed. The stipulation of 'do or die' for Sami Zayn made it all the more interesting, despite the fact that most fans wanted him to get fired and move to Smackdown.
#3 Worst: Stupid company regulations
The Undertaker is a legend in the business, who plays an undead zombie that takes souls and digs holes. Sometimes, he fights for his yard too. But when he does, he has to fight according to company guidelines.
We couldn’t believe our ears when we heard The Undertaker use the phrase- ‘the ultimate thrill ride’ this week on Raw. Similarly, Seth Rollins who was selling a leg injury had to get up hobbling and point to the Wrestlemania sign, during his in-ring segment with Triple H.
A hard sell isn’t always the best way to sell tickets, guys. Let the performers please stay in character at all times.
#3 Best: The dark, spooky vignettes
Everything that the WWE does, that is not in a live environment is almost always very well executed. These vignettes were scattered through the show and created excitement for the eventual reveal that was to follow.
Much in the same vein, the promos for the WrestleMania matches too were well made. When WWE gets things right, they get things right
.#4 Worst: Cruiserweights moved to kick-off show
Stephanie McMahon recently called WrestleMania WWE's version of The Oscars or The Grammys. So much so, that actual wrestling is moved off the show to make way for musicians and celebrity guests.
We think it's a shame indeed that Samoa Joe doesn’t have a featured match for Wrestlemania, but Pitbull has a guaranteed segment on the show.
#4 Best: Charly Caruso is gorgeous
The only reason to tune into Raw weekly.
