Want more wrestling news, rumors, and results? Be sure to visit PWInsider.com and PWInsiderXtra.com.
Backstage, Randy Orton was getting ready for his match. Ted DiBiase and Cody Rhodes were with him, although no one spoke.
Intercontinental Champion JBL vs. Rey Mysterio.
JBL walked out with a microphone in his hand. JBL said this would be the "greatest day" in his life. JBL said he was like Ceasar, returning to Rome a conquering hero, saying he was returning to Texas, a champion. JBL said the Houston fans needed "hope" and "along comes your hero, JBL." JBL said he was going to have the most dominant victory in Wrestlemania history, then return to New York City on his private jet, still their hero. Rey Mysterio came out in an outfit derived from The Joker. Rey's comic book themed outfits at Wrestlemania returns. Rey gave out playing cards to fans as he came to the ring. They did the "big fight" style introductions for the match.
JBL kicked Rey in the head as the referee was giving instructions, then pounded Rey down in a corner. JBL screamed to ring the bell, but the referee made sure Rey could continue first. The bell rang, JBL swung a right hand, Rey ducked and hit an enzugiri. JBL fell in 619 position. Rey hit the 619, then a splash off the top rope and got the pin in under a minute, easily.
Winner and new Intercontinental Champion: Rey Mysterio.
They announced the time of the match as 21 seconds. I guess that's the fastest Intercontinental title change in Wrestlemania history.
Rey left, and JBL slowly got up, shocked. JBL got on the mic and announced he had something to say. He screamed "I Quit" to an ovation. The fans sang "Nah Nah Hey Hey Goodbye" as JBL left.
Cark Edwards of NASCAR was shown in the crowd.
A video package on The Undertaker vs. Shawn Michaels was shown.
The Undertaker vs. Shawn Michaels.
Shawn had an "Undertaker-like" entrance in all white, coming in on a giant lift, which lowered him to the stage, where he emerged from a cloud of smoke in his HBK gear, with his usual theme music. Undertaker came up on a lift through the stage (get it, Taker came up from hell, Shawn down from heaven) and made his entrance. No druids this year.
The crowd was buzzing before the bell rang. They circled each other and Taker swung and missed. Shawn hit a chop, then a few of them in a corner, then moved away. Taker kept stalking Michaels, who dodged a punch and hit a series of shots in a corner. Michaels went for a whip, but Taker reversed and Michaels dodged a clothesline. Taker caught a Michaels punch and threw him over the top rope, but Michaels landed on the apron. Michaels got on the middle rope and gave Taker a DX crotch chop. Michaels leapfrogged Taker, pretended his knee hurt, then jumped on Taker and delivered punched. Taker threw Shawn into a corner and began pounding him. They traded shots, and the crowd is really loud. Taker threw Shawn into a corner, and he flipped upside down. Undertaker backdropped Michaels, then pressed him over his head and slammed him to the mat. Undertaker hit an elbowdrop for a two count. Undertaker grabbed Michaels' arm and hit a short arm shoulderblock, then a second.
Undertaker went for Old School, walking the ropes and hitting a forearm. Undertaker missed a boot in the corner and crashed into the buckles. Shawn hit a shinbreaker and then a chopblock to the leg. Michaels hit Taker with an enzugiri and he knelt on the mat. Michaels went for a reverse figure four, but Undertaker blocked it. Michaels stomped Undertaker and locked in the hold. Undertaker struggled in the hold, then sat up and punched Michaels in the head to break out of it. Michaels dropkicked Taker's leg out from under him, but then ran into an Undertaker bearhug. Taker rammed Michaels into a corner and worked him over with punches. Undertaker whipped Michaels across the ring, then hit a splash. Taker was limping, but hit another splash, then delivered Snake Eyes and a running boot to the face. Undertaker hit a legdrop for a two count.
Undertaker called for a chokeslam, but Michaels blocked it and locked in a Crossface. Taker rolled it into a pinning position for a two count, but Michaels rolled back and maintained the hold. Undertaker stood up in the Crossface and delivered a side slam to break it and get a two count. Undertaker and Michaels punched it out, then Michaels kicked away a backdrop attempt and Undertaker just glared at Michaels. Michaels delivered a flurry of chops, then a flying forearm. Michaels kipped up, then gave Taker a reverse atomic drop and a chop. Another reverse atomic drop, another chop and a clothesline brought Undertaker down. Michaels went to the top rope, but Undertaker sat up and caught Michaels by the throat as he came off. Undertaker went for the chokeslam, Michaels floated out and went for a superkick. Taker dropped down to avoid the kick, and Michaels grabbed his legs for a figure four. As Michaels bent over to complete the move, Taker grabbed his head and applied Devil's Gate. Michaels reached the ropes with his feet to force a break, then rolled to the floor.
Undertaker rammed Michaels into the ringsteps, then placed him on the apron and kicked him in the head. Undertaker went for the ring apron legdrop, but Michaels moved out of the way and Taker crashed on the apron. Michaels hit a baseball slide kick, then went to the top rope and moonsaulted to the floor. Undertaker sidestepped it and Michaels crashed to the floor. Undertaker rolled into the ring, then sat up, while the referee was checking on Michaels. Undertaker went for a dive over the top rope, but Michaels shoved the referee and pulled a camera man in front of him, and Taker crashed into the camera man. Undertaker, Michaels, the camera man and the referee are all down mat ringside. Taker's landing on the floor was scary.
Michaels crawled into the ring and surveyed the scene. A second referee came out to check on Undertaker as Shawn revived the referee and called for him to end the match. The referee began to count Undertaker out. The second referee disappeared. Undertaker slowly got up, and Shawn seemed to be hoping for the countout. Undertaker rolled in just before ten. Michaels looked angry, and got ready for a superkick. Undertaker got to his feet, and Michaels went for the kick, but Undertaker dodged it and hit a chokeslam for a two count. Undertaker went for a tombstone, but Michaels floated out of it. Michaels went for the superkick, but Undertaker caught it. Undertaker went for his throat, but Michaels knocked his hands away and nailed the superkick for a two count.
Both men were down, and Michaels kipped up. Michaels went to pick Undertaker up off the mat, and Taker reached up and grabbed him by the throat. Taker kicked him in the gut and went for the Last Ride, but Michaels went over him into a sunset flip. Taker reached down, picked up Michaels by the throat to block the sunset flip, and planted Michaels with a Last Ride powerbomb for a two count. Undertaker went to the top rope and went for a flying elbowsmash, but Michaels rolled out of the way. Both men were slow to get up, and when they did, Michaels charged Undertaker. Undertaker threw Michaels over the top rope. Michaels held on and went to skin the cat. Undertaker was near the ropes and Michaels tried to grab a headscissors, but Undertaker pulled Michaels off the ropes and hit a tombstone. Michaels got his shoulder up at the two count, and a wide-eyed Undertaker was stunned.
Undertaker got to his feet and pulled down the straps on his outfit. Undertaker made the throat slashing gesture. Undertaker lifted Shawn Michaels for another tombstone, but Michaels floated around him and hit a DDT. Michaels pulled himself up on the ropes and climbed to the top. Michaels hit a top rope elbow, then pulled himself up in a corner. Undertaker slowly started to get up. Michaels started to stomp. Michaels nailed the superkick and crawled onto the Undertaker. Undertaker got his shoulder up before the three.
Shawn and Undertaker crawled towards each other and got to their feet scrapping. Shawn hit a chop, and Taker responded with a punch. They went back and forth with shots, barely standing. Taker threw a standing kick right to Shawn's face. Undertaker went for a tombstone, but Michaels elbowed out of it. Michaels hit a series of chops, then went for a whip. Undertaker reversed it, but ran into a Michaels boot to the face. Michaels climbed to the top rope for a moonsault onto a standing Undertaker. Undertaker caught it and hit a tombstone for the pin at the 31 minute mark. 17-0.
Winner: The Undertaker.
They showed a ton of replays from the match, then Undertaker posed in the ring. I normally refrain from commentary in these reports, and save my thoughts for columns. However, this was an incredible match, that more than lived up to the hype.
Coverage continued on the next page.
If you enjoy PWInsider.com you can check out the AD-FREE PWInsider Elite section, which features exclusive audio updates, news, our critically acclaimed podcasts, interviews and more by clicking here!
Bang On Casino
