Well, WrestleMania weekend has come and gone with the world sitting back in reflection. The months of speculation and rumors about who would leave with the belt, who would interfere and who would be victorious have all come to a close. Now that the show is over we can start to ask why, how and what if.
All the hype surrounding this weekend started off with NXT Takeover Dallas, which certainly played up to expectations. It was a show that had it all from classic crowd interaction to heart pounding action that never seemed to let up. The next night was a time for reflection as we paid homage to the greats of the past as they took their rightful place within the wrestling HOF. In my eyes, one of the best parts of WrestleMania weekend, even if we don’t always agree with the selections (ugh, Snoop Dogg.)
After the prestige of honorary members and eloquent speeches, we move on to the granddaddy of them all, WrestleMania 32. Obviously, this is the main attraction and the Super Bowl of Sports Entertainment. It was, as always a star-studded affair that left everyone talking. The outcomes don’t always leave us feeling satisfied, but the work put into making it a spectacle that was covered on SportsCenter cannot be underestimated.
While reflecting on this weekend’s events I have been left with many thoughts. Instead of labeling an article as a recap or “X Things that Went Wrong……,” I instead decided to elaborate on things that stood out to me and how what their underlying impacts may be for the near future.
* The Women’s Division is even Stronger than Imagined…….
After witnessing a heart stopping contest between Bayley and Asuka, I thought NXT was going to outduel the Triple Threat match between Charlotte, Sasha and Becky. Hours after the new WWE Women’s belt was unveiled, the above three women took over Texas with an electric array of athleticism that I have never seen. With that being said, I still disagree with the ending of the match involving Ric Flair, as I feel it tarnished the rebranding of a title and performance of a true super athlete. Obviously, I think the title should be around The Boss, but after that match all three women deserve their own scripted run in the near future.
* NXT Takeover Dallas outshines WM 32……….
Sami Zayn and Shinsuke Nakamura outright stole the show, Bayley/Asuka outshined each other in their own respective ways, and American Alpha showed why they are more than the second coming of Haas and Benjamin. NXT has established a presence some thought may never happen. It is a product and brand within itself that continues to take the WWE to new heights.
Finn Balor and Samoa Joe put on a great match that involved some involuntary suspense with the Rocky style cut above Joe’s eye that only looked to keep getting worse as the match went on. In the end, Balor retained his title which tells me his call up will not be happening anytime soon. Either way the Texas Chainsaw inspired entrance was something that give the closest comparison to that of the Deadman.
* Undertaker/Shane Started off Slow, but ended with a Bang…….
This is one I can’t explain, nor did I imagine. For weeks, I thought there was no way The Undertaker would lose cleanly with Shane would get some help in staking his claim to Monday Night Raw. As we seen, Undertaker was victorious and has cemented his spot for WrestleMania 33. Shane showed to the world that he may very well be the toughest and most fearless man to ever step into the ring. The reckless abandonment that he displayed for 100k+that included his children is nothing short of magnificent. I still feel there is a swerve coming tonight and we may soon find out about what’s in that special black box.
* Roman Reigns will Never be Over with the Crowd………
As Roman Reigns and Triple H performed in a match that no one wanted to see, I couldn’t help but wonder why they just don’t make him a heel. Why not ride the wave of popularity instead of forcing a character down the throats of the audience with minimal chance of approval?
Aside from the fantastic entrance of The Champ himself, this match really didn’t do anything for me in the way of OMG moments or memorable spots. Finn Balor/Samoa Joe would have served better as the main event in even a non-title format. The only thing to come out of this match was the Roman Empire has started and now the build of Ambrose, Reigns and Rollins (once healthy) will become the centerpiece of the product going forward.
* The Wrestling World is Starting to get Tired of The Rock…..
Does anyone else feel that the Rock has received a lackluster reception as of late? Is it a coincidence that they paired him up with another stale character in Mr. Cena? When The Rock came out talking about breaking records and doing his best impersonation of Kurt Russell in Backdraft, I couldn’t help but to keep asking when the segment would be over. The only thing that could have made the segment better, would have seen Cena turn on The Rock ala HBK/Hulk Hogan and lead us into the new John Cena character. Looks like it’s back to “Never Give Up” and the company line for many weeks to come.
* Final Few Thoughts……..(Just my opinions)
Chris Jericho will be out of action for a while and so will Brock Lesnar. HBK is in phenomenal shape and looks like he could steal the show at WrestleMania once again. Bayley is set to debut on the main roster as she comes out and rekindles a feud with Sasha Banks. I think this leaves Charlotte more time to shine until she eventually loses the belt to Becky Lynch. Lastly, Baron Corbin looks to capitalize on a freak injury to Luke Harper. He fits right in with the Wyatt Family and could takeover that spot right away.
I am sure these aren’t the only fallout points from this weekends’ events, but they are the things that first stood out to me. It still leaves me scratching my head to see how the Shane/Vince sage will end or continue to play out. The Monday Night Raw following mania was and always will be a symbolic show that starts a new agenda, while wiping the previous slate clear. Will the Bullet Club make their eventual debut? Will John Cena now feud with AJ Styles? What will the Road to WM 33 bring?
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