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MAIN EVENT TIME, BAD BUNNY HAS THE BEST WRESTLEMANIA DEBUT I CAN EVER REMEMBER, BAD BUNNY AND DAMIEN PRIEST TRY TO NEUTER THE BUNNY WANNABES,SHANE AND BRAUN GO IN THE CAGE, CAN AJ AND OMOS GET THE JB DONE, COME ON TAMPA AT LEAST PUT ON YOUR DAMN MASKS, ROLLINS-CESARO CAN GET US BACK GOING, TAG TEAM TURMOIL, THE RAIN IS OVER, WE ARE OPENING WITH.....A RAIN DELAY, THE FANS ARE LIVE: FULL WRESTLEMANIA NIGHT ONE BLOG

Here we are, night one in Tampa.  They had some rain earlier today, some more may come later.  Those are the chances you take.  While listening to the pre-game show, the crowd sounds live.  It’s great that fans are back in the building.

I was super happy to see Mike Johnson’s brother from another mother Vladimir named WWE’s first ever Super Fan.  That dude deserves it.  I know both he and Mike are psyched.

We are opening up with Vince McMahon and all of the wrestlers on the stage.  Vince is paying tribute to the fans.  He thanked them and welcomed them to WrestleMania.  The wrestlers looked really happy, and I bet they are.  The crowds mean the world to them.  I wouldn’t be there at this point in the pandemic but I am glad that they are all there having fun.

The set looks nice.  Bebe Rexha is here to sing America The Beautiful.  Sasha Banks, of all the people, looks really, really happy.  That’s cool.  Good job Bebe.

Seven matches tonight and one I am looking forward to, the opener with Bobby Lashley defending the WWE Title against Drew McIntyre. Time to do this.

We got to ringside where Michael Cole is joined by Byron Saxton and Samoa Joe.  And, we find out we are in a weather delay.  Who would have thought running a show outside in Florida in April could run into weather issues.  All of the people behind the announcers are still standing there.  I guess if they aren’t afraid of COVID, they aren’t afraid of lightning.  Hopefully this won’t go too long.  We are going to interviews in the back.  Sara’s with Shano Mac.  He knows a thing or two about moisture.  He is psyched.

Well, they have some time to kill.  They are moving the crowd to shelter.  Sweet Jesus.

Well, at least we are getting some fun interviews that aren’t totally scripted.  That is something different.

As I said, the off the cuff promos were so much better than what creative scripts. I hope they learn from that. Well they won’t but I can hope. 

Hulk Hogan and Titus O’Neil came out to warm up the crowd. Nice moment. They announce the competitors. Lashley gets booed. McIntyre gets cheered. Drew is out first to a big pop. I am glad they sent him out first as he worked his ass off this year and he deserved to be the first wrestler to come out for a match. He got pyro too. He is loving it. You can tell. Given the way they booked Lashley over the last month, they should change the Title here. Start off the night with a big pop for the fans. 

They are starting off by throwing some hands.  They went to the floor, where Lashley took control  He brought Drew back in the ring and started working him over.  But Drew came back and went for the arm bar.  Bobby is a shooter though and knew how to get out.

The announcers are standing.  I wonder if their seats are wet.

They kept going back and forth.  Drew pulled Bobby off of the top and went for the Claymore, but Lashley nuked him.  But Drew kipped right up and now they are throwing hands.  Drew hit the Future Shock, then another, then a third.  He went for the cover, two count only.  I like that he did three, knowing what a beast Bobby is.  Good stuff.  On cue, the fans chant this is awesome.  It’s great.

Drew was ready to Claymore but Lashley went to the floor.  So Drew did a flip over the top and wiped out the Champ and MVP.  Drew jumped off the top but Bobby went for the Hurt Lock.  He couldn’t get it so he dumped Drew on his head.  When he did get up, Hurt Lock!  Drew broke it by running Lashley into the post.  Drew locked on the Kimura.  He’s cranking it but Lashley got to the ropes.  This is great.

No, they are just throwing hands.  Drew missed a Claymore when MVP distracted him.  Hurt Lock is on.  Can Drew get out.  He went down, but now he is powering up.  He pushed off the turnbuckle but Bobby held on.  Drew passed out and the ref called for the bell.

So here we are, in match one, exemplary work, betrayed by horrible booking.  Had Bobby not been booked like a baby, trying to get out of fighting Drew, he should have won.  But, they didn’t do that.  They could have blown the roof off with a Drew win.  Instead?  Well, Vince was Vince.

And speaking of the fans, I don’t see much social distancing.  I hope it’s not a super spreader event.

The NWO and Titus are in the back when should have had a match Bayley came in.  She wants some Too Sweet.  Nash blew her off.  XPac gave her some love.  Scott Hall may have too.  I can’t rewind so I can’t say. I just found out Hall did give her a too sweet.

The Riott Squad (Ruby Riott and Liv Morgan) vs. Lana and Naomi vs. Tamina and Natalya vs. Mandy Rose and Dana Brooke vs. Carmella and Billie Kay in a Number One Contender Match is next.  Corey Graves is on commentary.  We are starting out with Lana and Naomi vs Carmella and Kaye.  Lana missed a big kick and somehow Kaye got a pin.  I think. I can’t rewind and there a distraction.  Riott Squad is next.

Ruby pinned Billie.  Carmella was ticked and kicked Liv.  So rather than run down to the ring and take advantage, Mandy Rose and Dana took their time getting down to the ring.  Corey said they were wise, even though Ruby is by herself.  Dana hit a blockbuster but Liv came from out of nowhere and broke it up.

Liv rolled up Dana to advance.  The announcer messed it up.  DOH.  Out come Natalya and Tamina.

They are selling that Liv is destroyed.  They are trying to add to that destruction.  Ruby came in and immediately tagged Liv back in.  Why?  She was getting killed.  Oh well, she tagged her again.  Natalya came in and was going to do a Sharpshooter but instead tagged in Tamina, who did a Superfly Splash on Ruby for the win.  They take on the champs tomorrow.  They all tried but it was not even close to being decent.  It was pretty bad.  They all just seemed off.

I just watched a mask commercial, after seeing tons of fans in the crowd not wearing them and being way too close together.

Joe Average from Old Spice wants to regain the 24-7 Title.  Typical silliness.  Oh, there will be a finale to this on YouTube.

Seth Rollins vs. Cesaro is next.  I hope they can wipe the taste of the last match out of my mouth.  Seth got pyro.  He should lose.  Well, he should anyway given how much a heel he was and how Cesaro needs the win and he doesn’t.  Hopefully they do the right thing.  Cesaro is starting strong.

Oh yeah, Graves is calling with Cole.  Looks like no Tom Phillips tonight.

They are going back and forth now.  These guys are so both so good that it’s totally fluid.  Cesaro went for the swing but Rollins kept countering it.  I don’t blame him, who wants that?  He missed a stomp and it’s swing time.  He hit 9 or 10 then sold the arm Seth hurt earlier.  Cesaro did a Sharpshooter but Seth got the ropes.  The fans want more swings.  Seth has other ideas and gets a two with a sweet corkscrew splash.  You know, the spin doesn’t make it hurt more, but it still looks cool.  The story is that Seth knows Cesaro is good so he is bringing out new stuff.  Neutralizer gets Cesaro a two.  Pedigree gets Seth a two.  Good stuff, back and forth.

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