Credit: Joseph Barbour & Pwinsider.com
I was at NOC, live at Toyota Center in Houston. These are my notes as to what I experienced and felt during the show live in person, as well as my opinion on crowd experience. This may differ from what came across on TV, but I am sure that happens.
Legit sellout. No tarp. Full house.
Live, folks LOVE Neville.
Naturally, a Houston crowd booed the hell out of the Wrestlemania promo because it’s in Dallas.
They have an HD monitor that sits over over one side of the apron, facing the hard camera. Instead of an apron, it’s a rectangular HD monitor.
Live, boos for Ryback and cheers for KO. Cheers for KO at the pin fall. Hey Vince, that dude is over.
Dolph/Rusev had a big “We Want Lana” chant.
The New Day are one of the most over acts on the show. Oh, and Xavier Woods is carrying a Bach 42BO Stradivarius trombone. It’s a $3000 instrument. I’m a trombone player. They mic’d it. The trombone helps them get over big time. A funny “Rufio” chant started up. The DQ finish did not go over well, but the table spot kind of made up for it.
Nikki can lose the title by pinfal, submission, count out or disqualification. Why doesn’t Paige or Becky just go clock Charlotte really good and hard, they disqualify Nikki, and now Charlotte is the champ? The finish came quick. But, satisfying.
When the Wyatts came out, I could read a book by all the cell phone lights in the place. Even with the house lights down, it was pretty bright in thee with all the phones.
Some douche in black with his fists taped up jumped in the ring before Jericho’s entrance. He was taken down quick. They took him up the aisle to the back. Believe it or not, HHH got in the dude’s face before HPD hauled him away.
BIG POP for Jericho and his entrance.
So is Braun Stroman just going to be something Reigns/Ambrose will have to “overcome on their own?” Boos when Jericho pushed Ambrose.
Small “Eddie” chant after the frog splash. Cena won the U.S. title and the kids loved it. I sat behind 6 members of Cena’s target audience. They loved him.
The main was what it was. I’m not sure what to make of Sting collapsing. They went to the finish shortly thereafter which tells me it wasn’t planned. But, I could be wrong. If this was Sting’s last match, then I’m happy. He’s an icon, a legend.
Pop when Sheamus tried to cash in.
Decent pop for the demon Kane.
Sheamus crawled away after Kane choke slammed him. At this point, I was not sure if the show was off the air or not. Rollins still was selling the pile driver and Sheamus just walked off up the aisle with the briefcase. Folks were yelling at him to cash in. This is another obvious Mack-truck-like potholes in the night. Even the kids in front of me were yelling at him to cash in. Jim Cornette is right. They need a person who makes sure it all makes sense.
Rollins cut a “I’m the best of all time” promo to close it all out after the show went off the air.
That was the show for me. I am glad I went. I am glad I got to see an icon in person. I enjoyed my evening.
