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Note: This blog ran on April 6, 2014 and is being reposted today so that people can read along as they watch the show today again on ESPN!
The pre-show had Josh Matthews with Booker T, Mick Foley and Shawn Michaels, who did a funny bit about not being prepared because he wasn't supposed to be here. Overall the pre-show was fun. It did a good job of selling the show.
It's not often I say this but the pre-show match was awesome. The first team out were Los Matadors, but not before they hit some big spots and Torito did one too. Swagger put one of them away with The Ankle Lock. Ryback got a lot of big power spots in but got taken out next by the Neutralizer. It came down to the Usos and The Real Americans and they tore it up until the finish, with big spots and near falls. The fans chanted "This is awesome". The finish came when the Usos hit a double splash on Cesaro. They remain tag champs.
After the match, Swagger got in Cesaro's face for taking the pin. The fans chanted for Cesaro but Swagger went to lock on the Angle Lock. Zeb stopped him while Cesaro was fighting him off. Zeb told Swagger to shake Cesaro's hand. He reluctantly went to as the crowd chanted NO. As he reached out, Cesaro feigned shaking and instead nailed him and gave him the Giant Swing. The announcers were selling the team may be done. They looked real done to me.
We are five minutes away and this was a great way to start the show. I have seen some blips so far via my PC when the picture stops for a second, then picks up where it left off. My tablet has stayed in real time.
One more thing, I bought the PPV from Cox as well and their pre-show was all taped stuff. They didn't get the tag match.
The show opened with a cool New Orleans themed package, interlaced with the greatness of WWE and WrestleMania.
Hulk Hogan, our host, comes out to start the show. He refered to New Orleans as being in the SilverDome, a few times. The fans let him know that he, well, f'd up. He stood corrected and said this is what it's all about. 30 years of WrestleMania moments. You never know when.....glass breaks and out comes Stone Cold Steve Austin. The announcers were surprised Austin was here because well, there is no reason.
Jerry Lawler (who is at ringside with Michael Cole) says that arguably two of the biggest stars in WWE history are the ring. Will The Rock make it three? Anyway, Austin faces off with Hogan. He turned and asked the crowd if they are ready for WrestleMania XXX and they yelled hell yeah. He said it was great to be back at the SilverDome. He said when usually comes into the ring, he opens a can a whoop ass on whoever is in the ring. He asked if the people wanted him to do that to Hogan. They said Hell Yeah. He said he thought so. He said Hogan has done a lot and both have been protective of their legacies. He said he respects what Hogan has done for the business. Hogan said can someone give Austin a Hell Yell. They did. Austin said that tonight is the night for all of the current stars to come out and put it all on the line for the fans, like Hogan and Austin did. And remember Austin 3:16 says I just kicked your ass when, as predicted.....Do You Smell......
The Rock made his way out and joined his fellow legends in the ring. Rock finally made his way to the ring and hugged Hogan. He hugged Austin, his buddy. He took the mic as the crowd chanted ROCKY. The fans chanted This is awesome and it is. He said it was a true Mania moment when all five of your senses are on file. You can taste it and you sure can smell it. Finally, the Rock has come back to New Orleans, and WrestleMania. And Finally The Rock, Austin and Hogan have come back to the SuperDome, he had to get one in too. The fans chanted SuperDome, brother. Rock said when he looks across the ring, he doesn't just see two of the biggest legends and icons of all time. Nope, he sees his good buddy Steve Austin and his childhood icon Hulk Hogan. He sees the two unquestioned biggest names in WWE history. He said he has wrestled them both and broke records. He has not only influenced Rock, but people in the back too. He put over Cena, and the crowd booed. My picture locked for a second and when it came back, he said that the YES chants don't happen if Austin hadn't crossed the boss. I am guessing he used Hogan as Cena's trendsetter. He then said that so many babies are born after Mania because people get excited to watch the Rock, and he did it in Rock rhyming fashion. Then he said expect babies in January. He finished his promo with his catchprase. He did a great Rock promo. Austin did his catchline, and Hogan finished with his WHATCHA GONNA DO. They did an Austin beer bash and were having a ball. Cole said that was one of the greatest WrestleMania moments of all time. He's right. It was awesome.
After a video package, we cut to the ring where Stephanie Mac introduces her husband in a extremely glowing terms. The lights go dark and H is on a midevil looking throne (Game of Thrones comes back tonight I guesS). He had some blond hotties. He is wearing a headress and mask. Both his throne chair and mask have his cross symbol on it. They played a generic Game Of Thrones like song. He took of the getup and Time To Play the game hit as he walked to the ring. It was a really cool entrance. Stephanie stood in the ring, proudly presenting her husband until.....
Daniel Bryan's music plays and get gets a massive pop. Stepeh is not happy. H extends his hand after the bell rings. Bryan wants no part of it. Bryan goes in and goes for the rollup and gets a two. H goes to attack but Bryan outquicks him and hits the floor for a powder with Steph, who has stayed at ringside. Bryan then mocked H.
Once H came back in, Bryan worked holds on H. The fans chanted for Bryan. It got stiff really fast as Bryan hit a DDT off of the apron on the floor and then H did a sick slam from the ring into the barricade. They got up and while on the floor, H took him to the announce table to do the Pedigree but Bryan fought back. So H rammed his bad arm across the table instead while Steph screeched YES chants at ringside to mock Bryan. Daniel beat the 10 count to get back in the ring, where H went to work on his arm and shoulder. H methodically went after it, working over Bryan's weakness. The fans started chanting YES as Bryan tried to come back. Bryan got H to the floor and he went for the flying goat but H met him with a right hand. H did a version of a reverse chokeslam on Bryan where he landed back on his back on the apron. Bryan barely beat the ten count, again. H locked on the Crossface and Bryan fought to the rope. Instead of breaking, H held on until the five count, then broke it.
Bryan managed to come back, long enough to hit a flying forearm to the face. He started kicking Bryan but H hit a nut count. Bryan hit two Germans, getting a two. He went for the third and H reversed it. H did a sick German suplex through. It looked nasty. Bryan was laying in the ring as Steph said you will never beat him. But H could only get a two. H put him on the top rope and went for a Superplex. DB blocked it. He started punching HJ. He hit punches and headbutts, and then a Sunset Flip Powerbomb from the top on H. He foolowed with two running kicks to the jaw but on the third one he ran into a Stan Hansen Lariat from H. I am loving this.
Steph was yelling for H to cover him, but H was selling too. He went for the Pedigree but Bryan reversed it into a near fall. Bryan hit a big kick and went to the top. He went for Air Goat but H got his knee up and them put the Crossface on again. My wife, who used to hate Bryan, is now rooting for him. She says this is too tense.
Steph was yelling for H to cover him, but H was selling too. He went for the Pedigree but Bryan reversed it into a near fall. Bryan hit a big kick and went to the top. He went for Air Goat but H got his knee up and them put the Crossface on again. My wife, who used to hate Bryan, is now rooting for him. She says this is too tense. Bryan fought to the rope and as he got close, Bryan rolled him back in the middle. Bryan fought to the other side. The fans are chanting Let's Go Bryan. Bryan reversed it and locked on the crossface himself. He cranked back on H's head and face. H sold it really well. He gets close to the rope and finally grabs it to break the hold. Both men are selling like they are spent, and hell they probably are. H goes to the floor, setting up Bryan for Air Goat tope. And another. On the floor he laid in the kicks. Up to top, he hits a dropkick and both men are now down. Bryan powers up and stars laying in the YES kicks, and the fans are going nuts. He nailed the enzigiri and gets a two. The fans chant this awesome. They are right.
Bryan gets up. He lead the fans in a Yes chant, but runs into a Spinebuster. H hits The Pedigree and Bryan kicks out at two. The place is going nuts now. Both men are selling like they are even more spent now. H falls into a small package, for a two. H dragged Bryan over to the corner and kept laying in punches until the ref stopped him. H went for the Pedigree but Bryan powered it into a near fall. H went for it again but Bryan blocked it. So H threw knees into the head. He went for it again but Bryan was able to kick him in the head. Bryan went to the corner and came back with the Running Knee, 1-2-3. Bryan goes on to the main event and Stephanie is pissed. Bryan uses the good arm to lead the YES chant and the crowd is going nuts. Lawler said that WrestleMania has turned into YesLmania. Then, Steph came in and slapped Bryan. H came in an attacked him. He nailed the shoulder with chairshots again. Steph mocked Bryan as he was stuck in the corner. The fans booed loudly. Now they will sell "Can he wrestle" for the rest of the show, which is exactly what they should have done.
That was one awesome, awesome match. Perfectly done. Both guys were amazing. Triple H may have had his finest Mania moment ever as he TOTALLY made Bryan here. It was great, great stuff.
Click to Page 2 for more thoughts from tonight's show!
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