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Many years down the line, this will be hailed as the most unique WrestleMania in the history of WWE. And it will be because one man, a crazy genius named Vince McMahon decided to go through with WrestleMania before no fans when the whole world was on lockdown mode.
And all things considered, I would have to say that it was a pretty spectacular showing all around. WrestleMania wasn't a bad show by any stretch of the imagination, and if you want to read my assessment of Day 1, you may do so right here.
What did you think of the show, ladies, and gentlemen? Did you think that when it was all over and done, it felt like a WrestleMania, or did you miss all the pomp and pageantry that goes into the 'Show of Shows'?
Be sure to voice your comments and your thoughts in the section right below.
#1 Best: Otis gets the girl
Hey, the world is a dark and dangerous place right now and we could all do with a smile. Thank you, Otis, Mandy Rose, and WWE for putting a smile on our face with the ultimate 'good guy gets the girl' storyline at WrestleMania 36.
If you want to read my thoughts about the big match, you may do so right here, but suffice to say that it happened just the way that it should have, with Mandy Rose coming in midway through the contest, decking Sonya Deville and hitting Dolph Ziggler in the nether region. Otis and Mandy Rose would go on to celebrate his big victory with a big kiss, and this leads me to the biggest issue I had with the entire event, despite the fact that it was so good.
#1 Worst: No audience to celebrate the big win
I never bought into the idea of Drew McIntyre as a heel even when he was paired with Dolph Ziggler because I had the honor and the privilege to interview the man during a teleconference.
He just comes across as the nicest and the warmest guy that you can find. If you consider his physical attributes, his gift on the microphone, his in-ring prowess and the fact that he exudes charisma, you have to root for the guy to get his due.
Imagine the kind of pop that Drew McIntyre would have received if he had won the Championship before an arena full of people, defeating a man that they believed was absolutely invincible and bulletproof. Imagine the kind of pop that Otis and Mandy Rose would have received if they locked lips before an arena of screaming fans.
Everything about the show was great, but the fact that it happened before an empty arena diluted the entire experience for me.
But in this case, it's not WWE's fault.
#2 Best: Going all through the WWE Performance Center
Many of us have wondered over the years what the WWE Performance Center actually looks like. We had a guided tour of the premises thanks to Edge and Randy Orton who battled one another in a match to the death. I hear your criticism about it going far too long, but honestly speaking, the two men made it work.
I had a chance to interact with Lana some time ago and she told me that the best part about Edge as an actor (having worked together in a movie), is that he opens himself up and allows himself to be vulnerable. That was certainly what I saw from him at WrestleMania because he almost had a tearful look on his face before he won the match. The contest was a roller-coaster of emotion as it should have been and really reminded us of why Edge is such a star to this very day.
It could have been ten minutes shorter but this was quite great nevertheless.
#2 Worst: Rhea Ripley loses to Charlotte Flair
I see what WWE is trying to do by having Charlotte Flair defeat Rhea Ripley. As the NXT Champion, the company plans to use her star power to counter AEW's weekly programming. But at the same time, I wonder if putting the title on her was the right move for NXT.
Charlotte Flair could have been a big deal in NXT even without the Championship. In the same way that Shayna Baszler needed a big win on the big stage but lost to Becky Lynch, Rhea Ripley needed a big win too, but she would succumb to Charlotte Flair. One can even go so far as to say that having Austin Theory and Angel Garza losing to The Street Profits was the third nail in the coffin for NXT.
The Four Horsewomen are already brands in their own right and they could have really created new stars had they lost to these NXT Superstars, but I'm guessing that WWE may have other plans for the said stars over the coming months.
#3 Best/Worst: Was this even a match?
What you need to remember is that your level of intelligence and intellect is far superior to that of the regular wrestling fan. You are a 'smart' fan because you visit Sportskeeda and catch up with a lot of news and rumors behind the scenes. So in wrestling parlance, you are 'smart' to what is happening in the back.
But I just felt that the Firefly Fun House with all of its hidden references and throwback segments was far too intelligent for the regular wrestling fan to comprehend, which is why it is getting so much flak online. I loved every minute of the Firefly Fun House match but I write about pro wrestling for a living and represent a very small section of the audience.
Did any of you catch WWE's shot at AEW when a Vince McMahon puppet said that whatever was happening on his screen was 'good sh**?' If so, did you associate it with Jon Moxley and what did you think about WWE taking the war to their competition in such a manner?
#3 Best/Worst: Decent match with no build
A lot more people tune in to watch WrestleMania than they do when it comes to regular WWE events. And this is because WrestleMania is where all the big guns come out to play. On the other hand, RAW and SmackDown and even NXT are merely pitstops leading up to one such big pay-per-view.
Aleister Black, showing up in a hood and a robe and defeating a man like Bobby Lashley clean in the middle of the ring with the Black Mass was the best outcome for the contest. At the same time, we had no reason to care about it at all because there was no reason for the two men to be fighting as there was no build, no storyline, and definitely no title on the line either.
Like I said at the top of the review, I wonder if years down the line, this pay-per-view will be remembered with fondness or with a sense of derision. I genuinely hope that it is the former because WWE did the best they could, under the circumstances.
