Post by jrozz34 on Nov 25, 2012 21:00:46 GMT -5
Wrestlemania XXIV: Biggest Show Under the Sun
March 30, 2008
Citrus Bowl
Orlando, FL
Attendance: 74,635
Announcers: Jim Ross, Jerry Lawler, Michael Cole, Jonathan Coachman, Joey Styles & Tazz
Dark Match
Kane (Glen Jacobs) wins an Interpromotional Battle Royal to earn an ECW Title match later in the show
Participants
Kane, Mark Henry, Elijah Burke, Lance Cade, Deuce, Domino, Tommy Dreamer, Jim Duggan, Festus, The Great Khali, Hardcore Holly, Jesse, Brian Kendrick, Kofi Kingston, The Miz, Shannon Moore, Trevor Murdoch, Jamie Noble, Chuck Palumbo, Cody Rhodes, Snitsky, Stevie Richards, Val Venis and Jimmy Wang Yang
Pay Per View
Fun Fact: This is the Sunshine State's twelfthth PPV, and first in Orlando since Armageddon 2003. Unbelievably, for all the big shows in Florida and Vince's affinity for being there in the winter and spring, this is the state's first Wrestlemania.
1) John Bradshaw Layfield defeats Finlay in a Belfast Brawl with a Clothesline from Hell at 8:35
Fun Fact: On 2/18, Mr. McMahon forced Hornswoggle to face him in a steel cage match. Finlay tried to help out, but JBL got involved and slammed the cage door onto Finlay’s head and then cuffed him to the ropes. He proceeded to beat down both Finlay and Hornswoggle as McMahon looked on. The next week, McMahon chastised JBL, reminding him that he was solely supposed to restrain Finlay and not assault his son. JBL then shocked the world by announcing that he had discovered that Hornswoggle was Finlay’s son and not a McMahon. JBL claimed that only Finlay knew and vowed to produce the evidence. On 3/3, McMahon confronted Finlay and Finlay admitted to the ruse and was proud to be Hornswoggle’s father. JBL then joined the fray via satellite from Hornswoggle’s hospital room. After he was able to talk Finlay into a Wrestlemania match, JBL smacked Hornswoggle in the head. He would then turn the lights off and we were treated to the sound of smashing, yelling and a flat heart monitor as Finlay looked on in tears from the ring.
Scott: Our opener was one that I was expecting to be an awesome throw-down bar fight between two of the greatest brawlers in wrestling, including the eccentric and arrogant JBL, who got this match by destroying Hornswoggle inside the steel cage in February. It was an awesome beatdown as the little guy got tossed all over the ring and into the steel cage walls. So Hornswoggle’s real father, the Belfast Bruiser, gets his match against JBL. I was easily anticipating a “bowling shoe ugly” fist fight between two strikers, and there were no rules. For it being the Sunshine State the sky was unusually overcast, which kind of casts a gray pall over the stadium, but the crowd was certainly into it. I love outdoor Wrestlemanias. They feel so special with the big crowd and the open skies and they always remind me of Summerslam 1992 in London. The match was good early as both guys went right to the weapons and creamed each other, particularly with garbage cans and lids. The match went back and forth with each guy hitting a big strike, followed by counterstrikes. I fully expected Finlay to win this match and defend the honor of his little buddy. JBL gets distracted and Finlay cracks him with the shillelagh. JBL was out cold and Finlay throws him back in the ring. Finlay grabs a table and looks to put the Texas Blueblood away but they avoid the table for a bit while consistently pounding on each other. For some reason I really expected more from this match with more violence and a smoother flow. I feel like they took too long in between spots and didn’t follow up some of the bigger moves. One good spot was Finlay going for a plancha but JBL smacks him in mid-air with a garbage can lid. Finlay crushes JBL with consistent lid shots but instead of going for the pin he finally uses the table he brought in and threw JBL into it, but surprisingly JBL kicked out. That was a shocker, and then when he went for a steel steps shot JBL used a kendo stick and the Clothesline from Hell to get the upset win. The match was fun but I was expected just a little bit more. Grade: 3
Justin: Right off the bat I am awestruck by this amazing set and arena. This truly feels like a Wrestlemania and the open-air sky and massive crowd adds to the pageantry. I was really looking forward to this opener, expecting a wild garbage brawl with two of the best. The Hornswoggle angle has taken an interesting twist, as JBL got involved and outed Finlay as his father after brutally assaulting the little guy inside a cage and then in the hospital room afterwards. Hornswoggle makes his return here, heading to the ring with his dad, looking for some revenge. Things started on the floor and the heavy strikes came unleashed immediately as expected. JBL landed the first big blow with a garbage can shot to the skull. The tin shots continued as both men used cookie sheets and trash cans to bash each others brains out. JBL would grab the shillelagh but before he could use it, Hornswoggle ran some interference, allowing his old man to recover and wipe JBL out. Finlay controlled from there, really snapping after JBL smacked his son in the head. He made a crucial mistake, however, when he dove out of the ring and JBL met him with a trash can lid to the head. Finlay battled back and put JBL through a table for a near fall. I am enjoying this brawl but I was hoping for more weapons and some blood too. This was a hot feud and could have used more violence. JBL would dodge Finlay and then catch him with a crushing CFH to pick up the surprising win. I thought for sure Finlay would get the win and revenge here, so this is a bit of an odd decision. Again, this was a fun opener but maybe I just had my hopes too high, so I was a bit disappointed. Still, it was stiff, aggressive and angry so that counts for something. JBL gets the Mania win and the Finlay boys are left to lick their wounds and regroup. Grade: 2.5
2) CM Punk (Phil Brooks) wins Money in the Bank at 13:55
Participants
CM Punk, Shelton Benjamin, Chris Jericho, Carlito, Mr. Kennedy, MVP, John Morrison
Fun Fact: On 2/18, Jeff Hardy defeated Umaga to earn a MITB spot. However, the wrestling world was shaken up on 3/10 when it was revealed that Hardy had failed a drug test. He dropped his IC title to Chris Jericho and then hit the sidelines for sixty days. Hardy was the favorite to win the briefcase here and finally cash in and win a World title later in the year.
Fun Fact II: On 2/18, Mr. Kennedy defeated Val Venis to qualify and later that week on Smackdown, Shelton Benjamin defeated Jimmy Wang Yang to earn his slot. On a 3/8 house show, MVP defeated Jamie Noble to qualify. The next week on Raw, Chris Jericho earned entry after defeating Jeff Hardy. The next night on ECW, CM Punk entered the fray by defeating Big Daddy V. A week later, Carlito qualified by knocking off Cody Rhodes and on the 3/14 Smackdown, John Morrison defeated his tag partner The Miz to earn a slot. Finally, on 3/28, CM Punk defeated John Morrison and Chris Jericho defeated MVP in MITB Showcase matches.
Fun Fact III: This would mark the final PPV appearance for Ken Kennedy. After this show, he would go film Behind Enemy Lines: Columbia and returned to TV on April 28th, beginning a feud with then GM and King of the Ring winner William Regal. Kennedy would end Regal's GM run on the 5/18 RAW in a Loser Gets Fired match. Kennedy would be drafted to Smackdown on the 6/23 draft edition of RAW and would compete in the upper mid card before dislocating his shoulder in a match with Shelton Benjamin at an August 4th house show. Kennedy returned to TV on the 11/24 RAW and the 11/28 Smackdown promoting the BEL sequel and would also appear at the Slammy awards. Kennedy would be drafted back to RAW in the first pick of the 2009 Supplemental Draft on April 15th, and after a small stint in FCW, returned to action on the 5/25 RAW, competing in a ten man tag. Four days later, Kennedy would be released from the company. Rumors have ranged from heat with Randy Orton and John Cena to being too injury prone in the ring led to his release. There were even reports that he injured his wrist during his return, speculating that was the last straw, but a few days after his release, he posted a video on YouTube showing his wrist was fine. He would begin competing using his real name Mr. Anderson on the indy circuit before hooking up with TNA at the beginning of 2010, where he still competes to this day. His final PPV record is an even 8-8, going 0-2 at the Rumble, 1-1 at WrestleMania, 0-1 at SummerSlam, 1-1 at the Survivor Series, and 6-3 at other events. A disappointing record for the man that many people compared to The Rock.
Scott: The minute I saw these seven guys, I immediately knew we were in for another awesome MITB match. Last year’s match was surprisingly good and here, despite no one named Hardy in the match, there was some great talent in there. Speaking of, I know why Jeff Hardy wasn’t in the match, but why didn’t they just stick someone else to make it an even eight? Shelton Benjamin was in the first one in 2005 and did the first of his infamous “run along the ladder bridge” move that he will also bust out here. Kennedy was looking to be the first to win back-to-back briefcases and maybe actually cash it in this time. My only gripe about the participants is that both secondary title holders, MVP and Jericho, are in the match, which means the show is stiffed of two more title matches. Morrison gets the spotfest started with a somersault over the top while holding a ladder, taking out about four guys. CM Punk was maybe a year away at Wrestlemania XXIII when he made his MITB debut, but he was definitely my favorite here, coming off a very impressive ECW Title run. Awesome move #2 was a double powerbomb off the ladder by Shelton Benjamin to Kennedy and Jericho. Punk was about to climb the ladder, but Kennedy grabs him and hits his finisher on a prone ladder. Awesome move #3 was Jericho putting the Walls of Jericho in reverse on Morrison right on top of the ladder. Now we get our double ladders set up under the briefcases and guys punching each other down to stay alive. Awesome move #4 was Carlito doing the Backstabber on Jericho off a ladder. MVP was all alone about to grab the briefcase when the first big pop of the night comes as Matt Hardy comes out of nowhere to give MVP the Twist of Fate off the ladder. Hardy had not been seen since January when a knee injury from MVP put him on the shelf and Randy Orton punted him out of action for good afterwards. After some more tosses off the ladder, CM Punk stops Kennedy from getting back to back wins with a ladder shot to the face. Punk and Jericho then battle on the ladder, but Punk hooks Jericho’s leg in the rungs and all alone, he grabs the briefcase and begins the next chapter of his career. The fans’ favorite gets the big moment, and now the time has come for maybe the most talented on the roster to make it to the main event. Once again an incredible MITB as seven guys pummel each other, and again the most deserving guy wins. Grade: 4
Justin: For the fourth year in a row, Wrestlemania brings us another highly anticipated Money in the Bank ladder war. We have some new faces and a few very familiar ones as well. There wasn’t much build heading in here, but we did get some cool qualifying matches for it. We have had loaded fields in the past, but this may be the most athletic group overall since the match was invented. And if Jeff Hardy didn’t get busted for drugs, he could helped up the crazy quotient as well. I liked how outside of Jericho, the match is made up of young up and comers looking to bust through and elevate to the main event level. The crowd seemed to pretty balanced through the entrances but I would have to say they seemed to be backing Jericho and Punk the most. MVP had the best strategy early as he just stood in the center of the ring and fended guys off with a ladder. Things got off to a slow start with isolated battles in the ring as the rest convalesced on the floor. The first big move came courtesy of Shelton, who landed a sunset flip powerbomb off the ladder on Kennedy, who suplexed Morrison at the same time. And with that, the car crash was on. As usual with these matches, no man had a true advantage as they just rotated in teases and big moves off the main ladder. Shelton took the nastiest bump to this point, somersaulting off a ladder, over the top rope and onto another ladder that was draped from the ring apron to the barricade, bending the steel in half. Carlito tried to top that one by taking Jericho off the ladder with a Backstabber. Ouch. As his six opponents were wiped out cold, MVP stood alone in the ring. He slowly climbed the ladder and looked to be a lock to grab the contract, but Matt Hardy made his surprise return and snapped MVP off the ladder with the Twist of Fate. The crowd popped huge for that and it was good to see Hardy back in the fold after MVP had put him on the sidelines. After a flurry of teases, Punk got some revenge on Kennedy from last year, jabbing him off the ladder to prevent him from winning. Punk and Jericho would battle from there, beating on each other relentlessly as they both climbed the ladder. The atmosphere was awesome here, as the sky was getting darker as the match went on. As the two battled, Jericho slipped and got hooked in the ladder, allowing Punk to grab the contract and win the match. This is a huge win for Punk and completely reestablishes him after he dropped the ECW title back in January. This was very good as all MITB matches are, but there wasn’t much of a story or flow like we have seen in the past. I will never criticize these matches because the bumps and risks are bananas and I want to credit the guys for doing this batshit insanity, but I think it is fair to say it doesn’t measure up to previous years’ editions. Punk has the briefcase and the question stands: who will he challenge? Grade: 4
*** Howard Finkel introduces the Hall of Fame Class of 2008: Jack & Gerry Brisco, Gordon Solie, Rocky Johnson, Peter Maivia, Eddie Graham, Mae Young and Ric Flair. ***
3) Batista defeats Umaga (Eddie Fatu) with a Batistabomb at 7:06
Fun Fact: On 3/3, Raw GM William Regal revealed that Umaga would battle Batista in a Battle of the Brands Wrestlemania bout. The next week, Batista got the best of Umaga in a quick brawl. That week on Smackdown, Umaga cost Batista a match with MVP. They would brawl again on 3/24.
Scott: I’m sure Batista deep down wasn’t thrilled to be in somewhat of a throwaway mid-card match after being in the double main event a year ago. But, as things would be over the next few years the main eventers would rotate so everybody got a shot. After a 2007 in which we would be in the World Title match for every single PPV except for No Way Out, he gives others a chance and would defend his Smackdown brand against, as GM William Regal called him, Umanga. Either way, this was going to be an ugly brawl. Umaga would dominate the action early with a brutal kick to the face and other big strikes. Batista was a candidate for wrestler of the year and part of the feud of the year with Undertaker, but I was curious if he really was going to take a back seat for all of 2008 on Smackdown. I guess it depends on how our World Title match will go later in the evening. Umaga would honor past Wrestlemania star and family member Yokozuna with a nerve pinch hold. Umaga really dominated the action until Batista blocked the Samoan Spike, and the Animal came back with the Spinebuster and Batistabomb finish to win the match and defend Smackdown’s honor. The match was pretty standard but after just missing against Undertaker a year ago, Batista gets back in the Wrestlemania win column. Grade: 2.5
Justin: Our next match is a brand supremacy showdown as each GM has chosen a combatant to represent their brands in this big matchup. Batista is representing the blue team and his great entrance was flanked by a warm pop from the fans. And his opponent, repping William Regan and Raw was the Samoan Bulldozer, Umaga, or Youmanga as Regal called him. Umaga has slowly started to regain his cache since taking a couple of steps back last fall. His style had slowly started turn him face by proxy, but he still remained on the heel side of the slate. These two horses took their time early, feeling each other out. Umaga landed the first big blow and then started to work over the Animal’s back, which Cole lauded as a smart move as it would sap Batista’s power. Batista got zero offense in since the bell at this point as Umaga was just working him over methodically. Even when he got an opening, the back would weaken him and allow Umaga to stay in control. I have always been a fan of Umaga’s power offense, but this crowd just didn’t seem to be feeling it and didn’t really rally Batista much. The Animal was able to block the Spike and follow up with a spinebuster, which woke the crowd up a bit. And just like that, Batista landed an impressive Batistabomb and got the win. The finisher was really cool as Batista stumbled back due to Umaga’s weight but man, this was a really weird match as Umaga literally dominated all but the final minute and Batista getting no offense in until the final two moves. It made Umaga look good but it didn’t allow for much heat via the comeback, as there was really no build to a climax. Batista gets the win, but this was disappointing for what I know these two could deliver if given a better situation. Grade: 2
4) Kane (Glen Jacobs) defeats Chavo Guerrero for ECW Title with a Chokeslam at :11
Fun Fact: Through the help of his connections with Edge and Vicki Guerrero, Chavo Guerrero has maintained his grasp on the ECW title. It was determined that he would face the winner of the pre-show battle royal for the title here. Kane won that match.
Scott: After upsetting CM Punk to win the ECW Title, Chavo has been using the Smackdown hierarchy to keep his title, but this is easily his toughest battle to date against the Big Red Machine, who won this shot in the pre-show battle royal. However, in the quickie joke match of the night, Chavo walks into a chokeslam, and three seconds later Kane now adds the ECW Title to his career resume. For a guy who’s Wrestlemania history includes two losses to the Undertaker, it was nice to see Kane get a Wrestlemania moment of his own.
Justin: Since upsetting CM Punk on TV, Chavo Guerrero hasn’t exactly been a dominant champ, but he struts in here with the gold still locked around his waist. Kane was the unlikely battle royal winner, so he gets the shot here and you really wonder how Chavo will be able to escape this one. Joey Styles informs us that this is the first time the ECW Title will be defended at a Wrestlemania. As Chavo awaited his opponent, Kane snuck in from behind under the red lights, hooks the champ with a chokeslam and quickly takes the gold in record time. Chavo’s unexpected title reign is dead and the Big Red Machine is now the man on Tuesday nights. I like the way they did this. Chavo got his courtesy reign, but him holding the title meant little, so they end his run in a memorable way and the dominant monster will now rule the Land of Extreme, which should make for some interesting matches. Grade: .5
5) Shawn Michaels (Michael Hickenbottom) defeats Ric Flair (Richard Fleihr) in a Career Threatening Match with Sweet Chin Music at 20:23
Fun Fact: On 2/18, Shawn Michaels announced that Ric Flair would become the first active wrestler to be enshrined in the Hall of Fame on Wrestlemania weekend. The next week, Flair thanked Michaels and challenged him to a Wrestlemania match. Michaels was honored by the offer but refused the challenge because he did not want to be the man that cost Flair his career. Flair claimed that all of Shawn’s heartfelt words the week before would mean nothing if Michaels didn’t accept the challenge. Michaels backed down and accepted the match and said it would be an honor. On 3/3, Michaels and Flair defeated Cade & Murdoch but after the match Michaels told Flair that he could not accept the Mania challenge because he couldn’t stomach being the one to end Flair’s career. He told Flair that there is no doubt his career would end if they battled. The next week, they chatted again and Flair made his request one more time, asking Michaels to commit 100% to the match and said if he could defeat Michaels at Mania, he could go on forever. Michaels finally caved and once again accepted the match. On 3/17, Flair kept his career alive by defeating Vince McMahon in a street fight. Finally, the next week, Flair teamed with Michaels, John Cena and Triple H to defeat Randy Orton, JBL, Umaga and Big Show. Flair got the victory by forcing Orton to submit to the figure four. That would end up being Flair’s final Raw match.
Fun Fact II: This is Ric Flair’s final WWE PPV match. He would be given a hero’s sendoff the following night on Raw with a memorable farewell ceremony. He would remain on good terms with the company, appearing on and off over the next year, leading up to Wrestlemania XXV. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame the evening before this show. His final PPV record is 20-18, including his first run from 1991-93. He went 4-4 at the Rumble, 1-4 at WrestleMania, 1-0 at the KOTR, 2-0 at SummerSlam, 2-2 at the Survivor Series and 10-8 at other events. His best years were 2003 where he went 3-0 and 2006 with a record of 5-3.
Scott: Well, here we are. The match I was looking forward to most, and not looking forward to at the same time. Two of the greatest wrestlers in history, bar none. One past his prime, one in his second prime. However, with all the hoopla and all the histrionics, I knew that Ric Flair was going to put on his best WWE match since probably 1992. He wouldn’t want Shawn Michaels standing in front of him and proceed to put on a stinker. No way in hell. Neither man would allow it. The reason I love Shawn in this role, besides that it would be at least a very good match, is that he can handle the boos even as a babyface, and he can handle the drama and the delicacy that this storyline and match needed to have. This match needed to feel like the World Title was on the line, that this was the last match. In essence, the main event. Was it? That’s up to one’s interpretation. Shawn cracked Flair across the face and busted his lip, just adding to the psychology and the build. Shawn had the momentum early until, after tossing Flair outside, when going for a somersault plancha off the second rope and crashed into the announce table, the front piece crushing his midsection. Flair, the fan favorite but dictating the pace like the old awesome heel he was, works Shawn’s midsection and ribs over with various maneuvers. Shawn’s bringing everything to the table here, as he hits a moonsault off the top rope to Flair who’s on the floor. Charles Robinson is refereeing the match in his Smackdown shirt, even though this is a Raw match. Why? How could “Little Natch” not referee this match? At one point, Shawn starts tuning up the band, but he stops halfway, not being able to pull the trigger, and Flair cranks up the Figure Four. Awesome psychology there, as Michaels realized he would have retired The Man. Instead Flair took advantage but Shawn reverses it and Flair breaks the hold. Flair tries again later to make Shawn submit to the Figure Four but he makes the ropes. Flair gets back to dominating the action and working Michaels over, until Flair started strutting and walked right into Sweet Chin Music. I started getting nervous, feeling the end was near, until Flair kicked out! Wow! I was stunned but Shawn can’t stand after all the work Flair did on his knee. Now the drama started setting in as Flair was taking quite a while to get up while Shawn kept tuning the band. Shawn comes over, and in classic Flair fashion, Natch hits the low blow. Flair goes for the pin but Shawn kicks out at two. This is Flair’s best WWE match in quite a while. Now Shawn hooks the Figure Four and Flair’s battling, and while the ref isn’t looking, Flair hits a thumb to the eye. At one point we get an awesome chopfest as both men are just creaming each other. Then, Michaels hits Sweet Chin Music out of nowhere. I thought again it was over. Instead of going for the pin, Shawn wants to tune the band again, but now Shawn starts to feel the guilt. He knows he could end it but he doesn’t want to. Then, in the defining moment of the match, as Flair gets to his feet, Shawn says “I’m sorry…I love you.” One more kick and…three seconds later, it’s over. Yeah, it’s over. I knew it was coming, and I still can’t believe it. The end of easily, and debate me if you want, the greatest wrestling career anyone has ever put together. All those Starrcades, all those main events, all those reigns as WORLD HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPION. In front of 75,000 in a state he wrestled in thousands of times, he wrestles his last match. Shawn talks in his ear, and leaves. He gives The Man one more moment in the spotlight alone. I knew it had to happen, but it’s still a tough pill to swallow. The following night on Raw, he would get the sendoff as only one “greatest of all time” deserved to get. Farewell, champ. I will always defend you as number one, the greatest wrestler to ever lace up a pair of boots. Shawn Michaels gave Ric Flair his best match in sixteen years. Once again, Mr. Wrestlemania shined, even at the expense of my favorite of all time. The show could have ended here for me and I’d be fine with it. Thanks, Ric. Thanks for establishing my fandom way back in 1983 at the first Starrcade, and never stopping. There won’t be another one like him, ever. Grade: 4.5
Justin: And now the moment is upon us. Not only was this going to be a great match, but the stakes were huge as Ric Flair’s legendary career is on the line on the biggest stage of the wrestling world. This angle started back in November thanks to Mr. McMahon and since, Flair has survived each challenge that has been thrown at him. However, after being inducted into the HOF the night before, and the overall tone of the build, it was pretty clear where this was all headed. Still, Flair was defiant in the build, vowing to upset Mr. Wrestlemania and keep his career alive. Flair broke out a brand new robe for this one, really going all out for the pageantry. That robe would actually end up in the Smithsonian years later. Both men get huge pops from the massive crowd and you could really feel the electricity in the air as Flair strutted down the aisle. That buzz continued as the bell sounded and the two worked a chain sequence to slowly build the story of the match. I am glad Jim Ross is calling this one, as Flair deserves that level of call for his final bout. The calm pace quickly took a sharp turn as the two legends traded stiff chops in the corner to the delight of the crowd. In an early highlight, Flair climbed to the top and landed a cross body, paying off decades of build. Things spilled out to the floor and Michaels landed his first crazy bump of the match as Flair was leaning against the announce table. Shawn stood on the apron, leapt up and attempted a springboard moonsault, but Flair dodged it and Michaels wiped out on the table. It was pretty nasty and looked to me like Shawn legit busted up his ribs as he was clearly in a ton of pain from there on out. It was a nutty risk and probably not the smartest one to take that early in the match. Flair pounced and worked Shawn’s midsection with precision, sensing his chance for an upset. Shawn battled back and knocked Flair to the floor again, and again Shawn took a wild risk. He would climb the top rope and unleash another moonsault. This one grazed Flair, but Shawn still crashed hard on the mat. I am surprised he can even walk at this point. Back inside, the contest continued to ebb and flow. With Flair down, Shawn lined up SCM, but hesitated before he could land the kick and that opening allowed Flair to stay alive and hook the figure four to a massive pop. Michaels would escape and both men would become desperate, angling for as many pin attempts as they could muster. Flair would lock the figure four in again, but Shawn was able to reach the ropes. The fans have completely swung behind Flair now. As Michaels recouped in the corner, Flair staggered over but walked right into SCM. Luckily for Natch, Shawn was too tired to cover immediately and Flair was able to kick out. Shawn started to tune up the band again, but Flair was unable to get to his feet. As Shawn hoisted him up, Flair landed his classic mule kick to the nuts for a great near fall. Natch continued to bust out all his tricks as this match wore on, but he just couldn’t keep Shawn down. Shawn landed another SCM, but instead of covering, he stood in the corner, sullen and emotional. As Flair staggered to his feet, Shawn muttered “I’m Sorry, I Love You” and then drilled him with one final Superkick for the win. After a quick embrace of the prone Flair, Shawn did the right thing and quickly left the ring to allow Flair his final moment. The crowd gave him a tremendous ovation as Flair wept and said goodbye as a competitor one last time. This was pretty epic Wrestlemania moment for sure. The match was great as the drama built and built and built and the finish was well executed and emotionally fulfilling. Plus, they let loose and really went all out. There was a pretty heavy debate at the time, with many fans feeling that a young up and comer should end Flair’s career, someone that could benefit from such a huge win. In theory that is a great idea, however I never had faith that the creative team could handle the follow up properly and thought the weight of expectations for the man that did could eventually crush them. So, why not go with a guy that you knew could deliver a great match and use the win properly going forward. Now, with Flair’s career in the books, not many fans expected Natch to really call it a day, but the angle was so well done and this moment was so touching you wanted to believe it. Plus, when you factor in the amazing ceremony that would go down the next night on Raw, many hoped Flair would do the right thing and finally walk away. We will see how things play out but for now the Nature Boy has walked that aisle for the very last time. Grade: 4.5
6) Beth Phoenix (Elizabeth Carolan) & Melina defeat Maria & Ashley Massaro in a Playboy Bunny Lumberjill Match when Phoenix pins Maria with a Fisherman’s Suplex at 5:56
Fun Fact: Rap legend Snoop Doggy Dogg was the Master of Ceremonies for the match. He drove down to the ring in a pimped out golf cart and rapped all the Lumberjills to the ring.
Fun Fact II: On 2/18, Santino Marella announced that according to small print on her contract, Maria needed to defeat Beth Phoenix to earn the right to pose in Playboy. Thanks to an assist from Candice Michelle, Maria picked up the win to the hidden disgust of Marella. A week later it was revealed that Maria would team with Candice to face Beth and Melina at Wrestlemania and that the Playboy cover would be unveiled the following week. On 3/3, Melina pulled the curtain away to unveil the cover, but pictures of Santino’s face blocked her naughty parts. Marella hit the ring and got into an argument with Maria, eventually grabbing her arm. That led to Jerry Lawler leaping up to make the save and knock Marella to the floor. The next week, Melina defeated Maria thanks to a distraction from Marella. On 3/17, Maria and Candice defeated Victoria and Jillian, but the highlight happened outside the ring. Before the math, special guest Jared Fogle gave Lawler a Subway sandwich and drink as a present. During the bout, Santino smacked the drink at Lawler and stole his sandwich, which he proudly crowed about as he power walked to the back. The next week, it was announced that Candice reinjured her clavicle and was forced out of Wrestlemania. As Maria was wrestling Melina, Beth Phoenix got involved. The two beat down Maria until Ashley made a surprise return to make the save. That led to a six-person match that saw Melina, Beth and Santino defeat Ashley, Maria and Lawler when Santino pinned Maria. It was announced that Ashley would take Candice’s slot at Mania.
Scott: This is a typical Wrestlemania gimmick match. After the emotion that was sapped out of me in the last match, I really didn’t care much for this. Snoop Dogg added some juice but really this match couldn’t have been placed in a better spot. This gives the crowd a chance to take in what they just watched before the last three matches. I knew the action would be shit, and the crowd really didn’t care, but hey the girls tried. I did like Snoop’s throne outside the ring. I think the power going out during the match was probably the highlight. Pretty funny to be honest. The Women’s Champ mercifully ends this mess with a suplex, a bloody mouth and a three count. Grade: 1
Justin: And how do you follow one of the most emotional Wrestlemania matches of all time? With a Diva match and a celebrity, of course. The one and only Snoop Dogg rides to the ring in a pimped golf cart, leading the Lumberjills down to the ring for this tag team showdown. Just in case you were worried about cleansing the palette, Snoop delivers the longest ring entrance in Mania history. Although, the crowd is pretty into Snoop and he does a nice job announcing the match for whatever that is worth. Maria was something special here, fresh off her Playboy pictorial and looking quite hot. Ashley was back after a serious injury but was a last minute replacement for the oft-injured Candice. The real treat was the arrival of Santino Marella, who leads Melina and Beth to the ring in a fairly glamorous entrance. Santino has really developed into a tremendously funny heel, as he was aloof and over the top in the best way possible. I can’t say I saw it coming, but he has been fantastic. Beth used her strength early but Maria and Ashley double teamed to turn the tide. From there, it was the usual Diva fare mixed in with the usual lumberjack match tropes as Snoop looked on astutely. Beth and Melina really stood out the most to me in this one as Ashley looked lost as usual and Maria tried but just wasn’t quite there yet. In a pretty fitting moment, the lights blew out in the stadium as this match wore on. After half a minute in complete darkness, the Divas continued to battle under a few spotlights. Santino would get involved late, breaking up a Maria cover, but that drew Jerry Lawler into the fray, wiping out Marella with a right hand. Back in the ring, Beth dropped Maria with her Fisherman’s Suplex for the much-appreciated win. After the bout, Snoop dropped Santino with a clothesline and tended to Maria. I was happy Beth and Melina got the victory here. They looked the like the stars in the match and Santino was hotter than all of them at this point, so it made sense to have his side go over. The match was nothing, but it was short enough and served its purpose. Grade: 1
7) Randy Orton defeats John Cena and Triple H (Paul Levesque) to retain WWE Title after punting Triple H at 14:09
Fun Fact: The 2/18 Raw opened with a showdown between Triple H and Randy Orton that was interrupted by John Cena. Cena claimed he was screwed the night before when Orton got himself intentionally disqualified. GM Regal agreed and told Cena that if he could beat Orton in a non-title match, he would be inserted into the Mania title situation and the match would become a three-way. He also announced that Triple H would officiate the bout. Hunter would call the match down the middle and Cena would win with the FU, officially getting back into the title picture. Hunter would wipe out both guys after the bout. The next week opened with another three-way face off, and this one ended with Orton dropping both with an RKO. The show ended with Cena & Hunter defeating Orton & Kennedy. Over the next three weeks, each participant was granted the chance to run Raw for a night. Cena ruled the roost on 3/3 and forced Orton and Hunter to square off. Cena interfered in the match, but Orton stood tall at the end once again. The next week, Orton was in charge and forced Cena to wrestle Shawn Michaels. Orton got involved, but Cena dropped him with an FU. On 3/17, Hunter was the GM and he went a bit overboard, forcing Cena and Orton to take on seventeen other men in an elimination match and decreed that if either walked out of the challenge, they would be removed from the Mania match. The two were valiant and actually ended up winning thanks to a mass DQ at the end. Finally, on 3/24, Hunter and Cena teamed with Ric Flair and Michaels to defeat Orton, Umaga, JBL and Big Show.
Scott: First off, Cena coming in with a high school band? Wow that was hideous. The crowd had no idea what the hell they were playing. Plus his Titantron video started later than the music did. I did like the Cena football jersey he was wearing. I was up in the air about who was going to win this actually. They’ve done it before where both titles changed hands at a Wrestlemania. That was in 2005. I didn’t think either Cena or Triple H winning would overshadow what was a foregone conclusion later in the night. The match was typical Triple Threat style, as guys would pair off every few minutes and work each other over. The crowd was hot to see Cena lose and really for Triple H to win, it’s nice to see the regular masses actually root for my guy for once. Now, here’s where the whole booking from No Way Out became a mess. Why need a Triple Threat here? Why not just have Orton/Triple H here, and have Hunter get screwed and lose, or win by DQ? I would actually have put Cena maybe in Money in the Bank or some other option. That’s if you do the stupid move of having Cena cash in his Wrestlemania shot in Feburary, which they did. I would have not done the Chambers in February, have Triple H win Money in the Bank, and then Orton defeats Cena in the title match, then have Cena take him out, and Hunter cashes in. That would have taken the Taker/Edge match out of the main event, but that’s fine. In any event I really didn’t feel any juice for this match when I first watched it, mainly because I didn’t think Triple H was going to win here. The end of the match is pretty lame, as Hunter smacks Cena with the Pedigree, but as he’s getting the pin Orton punts him in the head and steals the pin. Not the most ingenious pin, in fact the match overall seemed very un-Wrestlemania-like. The Game must wait another day, and Orton survives. Grade: 2.5
Justin: We have already gotten into all the reasons why John Cena should have received his title match here instead of No Way Out, so we will skip over that and talk about what is at hand. These three were arguably the biggest names in the company at this point and it is a really big match, so it was odd to see it somewhat buried on the card here. We haven’t heard much about it throughout the night and it is third from the top. I still believe they should have run Cena/Orton here to finally blow off their feud or had Hunter defeat Orton for the belt at No Way Out and ran the Cena/Hunter rematch from 2006. This three way feels a bit forced, especially since Cena had already blown his shot in February. Regardless, here we are with the gold on the line. Cena makes an epic entrance as the University of Miami marching band plays him down to the ring. I thought this was damn awesome and a really creative idea. It was cool hearing the band play his theme as Cena charged to the ring in a custom-made football jersey. Hunter’s entrance was a bit more simple but equally impressive thanks to the atmosphere and lighting. Orton entered last in a nice touch and this was really his chance for a crowning moment, a chance to stamp what has been a title reign that has legitimized him as an established star. During the introductions it seemed that Hunter was the slight favorite amongst the live crowd, but no surprise there. Early on, we had a great pace with all three beating on each other in and out of the ring. Hunter busted up an early FU attempt with a kick to the groin, taking Cena out of the action for a few minutes. Orton took over from there, knowing the fate of his title was out of his hands in this type of match. We got a few neat three man spots mixed in with Cena showing off his freakish strength, including dead lifting Orton off the mat and up onto his shoulders. In another cool spot, Orton snapped off a double hanging DDT, slamming both challengers down to the mat. The boos really cranked up once Cena took over, slamming Orton on to a prone Hunter and then working the champ over with his usual offense. Orton was able to land a desperation RKO on Hunter, but he rolled to the floor so the match continued on. Cena followed that with the STFU but Hunter broke things up before Orton could tap. From here it became a game of one-ups-man-ship, with each guy trying to top the previous hold. Hunter would break another STFU by hooking Cena in the crossface. With Orton recovering on the floor, we finally had Cena vs. Hunter one-on-one and the crowd got fired up as they traded heavy blows. As I watch this segment, I believe even more that they blew a chance at a red-hot rematch between these two. Hunter slipped out of an FU and Cena countered a Pedigree as the match ebbed and flowed. After taking out Orton again, Hunter finally nailed the Pedigree. However, while Hunter was covering Cena, Orton charged in and punted Hunter in the dome, covered Cena and picked up the upset win. I definitely didn’t expect Orton to retain here, but it was a career-defining win for him to beat Cena and Triple H in a Wrestlemania title match. It also played right into his character. The match was fine, but these guys are better suited for solo bouts and building big heat segments rather than a fast paced triple threat that needs constant offense and tricks to make it effective. I was hoping for more, but this was still entertaining enough. Orton is still the man on Raw, firmly establishing his legacy as a top WWE star. Grade: 3
8) Floyd Mayweather defeats Big Show (Paul Wight) in a No Disqualification match after punching him in the face with a brass knuckles chain at 11:36
Fun Fact: Floyd Mayweather grew amongst a family of boxers and knew he would be involved in the sweet science from a very young age. After a tough upbringing, Mayweather saw great success in the amateur game, winning three Golden Gloves titles and an Olympic bronze medal. Following the Atlanta Olympiad, Floyd went pro, making his debut in October 1996. Within two years, he won his first world championship. He would go on to become a dominant force in the world of boxing, earned millions and building what amounted to a heel persona which made him seem like a natural fit for the world of wrestling. Things came together here in 2008 when he showed up at No Way Out and slugged the Big Show in the jaw.
Fun Fact II: At No Way Out, Floyd Mayweather was ringside as a guest of Rey Mysterio. After hopping in the ring to save his friend from Big Show, he ended up cracking Show in the face and busting his nose open. The next night, Big Show hit the ring as he was forced to make a public apology to Mayweather. Floyd and his entourage joined him As Floyd talked about his of publicity and wrestling, the crowd quickly turned on him and nearly booed him out of the building. After Show apologized, Floyd left the ring, but Show baited him back, taunting him and challenging him to a match. Floyd returned, accepted the challenge and got Show to flinch with a pump fake punch. Later that week on Smackdown, Show viciously assaulted Mysterio and put him on the sidelines with an injury. The next week it was announced that the match was officially on for Wrestlemania and we saw highlights of the press conference. On 3/3, Show wrestled someone comparable to Mayweather, made quick work and then got into a pretty good verbal sparring session with Floyd, who was via satellite. The next week, Show and Mayweather weighed in, with Show posting a 300-pound advantage. After another verbal throwdown, Show grabbed Mayweather, pressed him over his head and chucked him over the top rope and down onto a group of bystanders at ringside. That would be Mayweather’s final Raw appearance as over the final two weeks, the match was sold via promos from Show and video packages. Also, throughout the entire time, Show had been appearing on Smackdown and showing off his boxing skills against smaller opponents.
Scott: This was the mainstream portion of the show. This was the match that brings the casual wrestling fan, or not even a fan of wrestling at all to pay for the show. I think the best part of this whole package is that we’re not sure who the face and who the heel is. I know it was programmed that Mayweather was the face here, but if you are a traditional wrestling fan, you don’t want so see this snotty little shit come in and mock the business for money. Yet, Big Show comes off as the heel, based on how he acted at No Way Out before Mayweather came to the ring. I think it all comes down to who you like more. The makeup of the match is great, as Mayweather did a lot of dancing around the ring and a couple of shots here and there but once Show took control it was literally putting it through the meat grinder. However the crowd gets pissed when Mayweather’s entourage grabs him from the ring and leaves. Show follows them and throws them all over the place. He grabs Money and continues to bludgeon him. This was a very well put together match as the psychology is well placed and the drama builds to a crescendo as we’re not sure whether Mayweather would do the “job” or not. Well eventually Mayweather grabs one of his boys’ brass knucks and clocks Show with them and gets the KO win. The crowd turned on Mayweather pretty quickly but honestly this is how the match should have gone. He’s the outsider no matter how you spin it. Big Show isn’t totally out, but he just misses beating the ten count. Overall it’s a well put together match, and even though Show should have won the match is one of the most memorable from this show. Grade: 3
Justin: There have been some interesting celebrity matches at Wrestlemania, but this may be the best built and best hyped one of them all. Floyd Mayweather is a legit mainstream superstar and an easy heat magnet and guaranteed draw. Big Show is fresh again after his yearlong hiatus and was in fantastic shape thanks to boxing training. Also, it helped that he was well spoken and intelligent, so he carried himself nicely in all of publicity work building to this one. The size difference and history of boxer/wrestler matches throughout history made this matchup a no-brainer. It was rumored that Rey Mysterio was supposed to be involved here, likely as Mayweather’s corner man, but his injury knocked him off the card. Show had been phenomenal on WWE TV over the last handful of weeks, completely carrying this feud and working double duty to reestablish himself as a beast. The only real criticism I have is that Mayweather should have been the heel, because he was treated like one by the fans throughout this whole ordeal and he just came off as a natural heat missile. Regardless, the hype and anticipation was there so I can’t nitpick too much. The standoff between the match was great, really establishing the size difference out of the gate. Show looked tremendous here, slim, healthy and quick. He hasn’t looked this good since his rookie year in WCW. Floyd ducked and dodged early, avoiding Show’s reach advantage. Smartly, they didn’t let that go too long to avoid losing the crowd, so Floyd started landing some quick jabs where he could. In a funny spot, Mayweather took a break and drank from a chalice, but Show angrily charged and beat down a couple of members of Floyd’s entourage. Show finally caught Floyd, grasped his hands and tried to stomp on them, but Floyd slipped away at the last second. Floyd avoided further disaster and was able to land on Show’s back and hook in a sleeper. That looked to work for a minute, but Show shook it off and finally was able to stomp on Floyd’s left hand. The reaction of Floyd’s handlers and manager was great, really selling the severity of the move. Show followed that with his vintage chops to the chest, truly welcoming Floyd to the world of wrestling. This match is awesome as Show is just doing basic big man moves and Floyd is selling them like death. After a resounding side slam, Show just grinned, knowing he had this one wrapped up. Just when I thought all his heat may turn Floyd face, the crowd rallied Show as he played to them a bit. That gave Floyd’s entourage the chance to drag him from the ring and walk him down the aisle, trying to escape. Show chased after them, knocked them all down and dragged Floyd back to the ring to continue the beating. I think at this point, they threw all face/heel lines out the window and just decided to deliver a wild fight. Back inside, Show had Floyd up for a chokeslam, but one of his boys hopped in and smacked Show with a chair. Show dropped that guy with a chokeslam, allowing Floyd to start using the chair. Show withstood a few shots, but Floyd hit a low blow and started bashing Show in the head with the chair. He then yanked the blinged out brass knuckles chain from one of his boys, wrapped it around his fist and drilled Show in the head with it. The referee counted and Show couldn’t recover, giving Mayweather the KO win. The crowd did not like that at all, but whatever, this was great and Floyd was a tremendous heel. The finish still made Show look strong and proved that Floyd could only win by using a weapon. Floyd looked good too, surviving the beating of a lifetime. I know I am overrating this, but I don’t care. This is my favorite celebrity match of all time as Floyd went all in, worked hard and sold every single blow like he was fighting for his life. Show was great in his role as well, playing the unbeatable giant character about as perfect as you will see. The build was great and the match delivered. My hope now is that Show builds momentum from here after delivering one of the best performances of his career. Grade: 4
