Wrestlemania 37 Week

[forameus]

I think it's probably the best decision.  Bryan winning would've been nice, Edge winning would've been nice, but I'm not sure there's as good a story in that as Reigns retaining.  He has been so good in the role that it would really set him back to be beaten.  I'd have him run through absolutely everyone, and build up to something really big for next year.  Maybe that's Brock, maybe it's Big E, maybe it's the Rock.  Go all in on the guy.

[TheGoon]

Night 1 defo the stronger of the two. I’m sure the novelty aspect helped it, but it also didn’t feature the first two matches that tonight did. Two excellent main events though, real star making/enhancing performances for both and I’m really interested to see where they go going forward. Be a bit shit going back to the Thunderdome after this weekend though, hopefully it isn’t for too long.  

[cdhafc1874]

Cesaro vs Reigns please.

[Lyle Lanley]

Roman v Cena, Roman v Rock is my predictions for the next 2 mania’s. 

[Ira Gaines]

Just keep the belt on Reigns forever. Absolutely nobody is going to have the sort of run of PPV matches that this guy has in this title reign.

[mrpaddyx]

I ended up falling asleep just before the main event started, finished it off this morning.

Certainly not the worst Wrestlemania but no where near the best. There would have been a decent card if they had kept it to one night and got just put in the better matches.

[stumigoo]

I’ve hardly watched any wrestling since last year, and for the novelty of just seeing fans and the full stage/pyro setup it was a reasonable enough couple of nights.

Four, maybe five decent matches that held my interest but a huge amount of fairy bog standard, pretty boring, stuff in between.

Forgot how much I like Cesaro and Zayn, two of my favourites in recent years (delighted for Cesaro on night one).

With Raw and Smackdown back to just virtual crowds (and them maybe still holding back on any big returns or surprises) I’m not sure how much I might watch in the next few months. Having a crowd (even a terrible one) and a full stage makes the whole thing so much better and for that alone, Wrestlemania this year gets a pass from me.

[Guest bernardblack]

Surely Edge pinned Bryan?

[Ira Gaines]

1 minute ago, bernardblack said:

Surely Edge pinned Bryan?

No.

[forameus]

Given the card, one thing we can be really glad of is that it was two nights.  Had we just put on those 12 matches in some configuration - particularly with some of those night 2 ones - it would have been a significantly worse show.  If they do this from now on, and I think they should, then all they need to do is look at making sure each night is similar in quality, a bit on pacing, and actually book some Wrestlemania worthy stars.  Instead though I suspect we'll be back to a 5 hour plus show next year.

In the cold, bleary-eyed light of day, it was a unique show.  Nowhere near the best of WM, but nowhere near the worst.  It'll go down as an important one in WWE's history for many reasons.

[Ira Gaines]

I'd say there was enough good stuff to put it on the high end of the Mania scale. Two outstanding main events, and all sorts of reasonable midcard stuff, with the odd disaster.

EDIT: Worth noting, that Zayn/Owens was a LOT like their PWG Battle of Los Angeles final from the first part of the 2010s. Loads of playing on their past, with a stunning pace. It really did feel like one of their more heated indy matches.

Edited April 12, 2021 by Andre Drazen

[FifeArab]

Turned off during the women’s tag and thankfully i did, didn’t seem like a show worth staying up for.

Skimmed through it this morning and expected something to happen and it just never.

[forameus]

Yeah, I think that was the one big difference this year.  When was the last time the main event actually delivered?  30 and 31?  It's nice to actually have the show build towards two matches that everyone wanted to see, and then pretty much deliver on it.

[NotThePars]

8 hours ago, forameus said:

I think it's probably the best decision.  Bryan winning would've been nice, Edge winning would've been nice, but I'm not sure there's as good a story in that as Reigns retaining.  He has been so good in the role that it would really set him back to be beaten.  I'd have him run through absolutely everyone, and build up to something really big for next year.  Maybe that's Brock, maybe it's Big E, maybe it's the Rock.  Go all in on the guy.

 

8 hours ago, cdisaaccie said:

Cesaro vs Reigns please.

There's a few good choices for people to build towards next year which is why it should be Roman especially since you can slot in people like Cesaro, Big E and even Drew over the next 12 months alongside Bryan, Edge and Owens. If none of them are working out then they can slot in a mega star. Wouldn't be the same if it wasn't Reigns I don't think and he's more than earned the ability to carry the better show for the next 12 months. 

Think I just want to hear big Drew and his daft accent telling reigns he's "going to kick his flipping head off!"

[#Gary]

Just watched night 2. Outside of the main event it barely felt like a PPV let alone a Wrestlemania.

[diamond_for_life]

Bray Wyatt has been my favourite character since I first saw the family in NXT. I could look past most of the stupid shit booking of the past and even the majority of this stupid story with Orton as I had every faith last night would be a cinematic style match and we would see a monster return and look better than ever. The returning without the burnt suit had me excited as that’s how the feind should look. His intro with Bliss I actually liked and thought it was setting up something good.  Now though after that and after watching the ending I hope the character just fucks off altogether as it’s an absolute waste in WWE and always will be I have gave up hope and optimism. Never felt so disappointed and underwhelmed with a character and their ending. He is done though there is nothing to salvage. 

Even Bliss is a ridiculous character who should be up there in the women’s division still wrestling but for months she has done nothing in terms of matches other than job out at the Rumble and I’m fed up with her character now too. 

I hated Reigns for so long but he is their top man by a long way and I have to say the last few months I’ve been converted to understand he was always up there it was again the WWE wasting a man full of potential. 

I hated mania overall as personally for me there was far more to dislike than like. There was some good matches don’t get me wrong but the 2 nights as whole wasn’t a wrestlemania worthy PPV and there wasn’t a “moment” for me either other than the main event of night 1. 
 

 

[Ludo*1]

I only watched night two, but as has been said above, outside the main event, it didn't have the feel of a Wrestlemania with some absolutely turgid matches. Even the main event felt like a B show filler and not the end to Wrestlemania. It delivered and interesting enough, but I preferred last year's Mania (largely due to the two cinematic matches tbf).

The thing that obviously elevates this year's is the crowd. Amazing to have a real crowd back but there was far too much shite on night 2 and as such has to be one of the lower end Mania's for me. Will reassess after watching night 1 which is where the quality seems to have shone through. Watched clips of the Banks vs Belair match and whilst I've never been the biggest fan of women's wrestling, that seems like it is a brilliant match with an engaging story! Looking forward to watching that fully.

[GiGi]

Just catching up on night 2 now. Skipped most of the first night, only really watched 3 matches in full.

Alexa Bliss is the most talented person in the whole of the WWE and Bray Wyatt has been the worst booked wrestler in history. Damien Sandow and Wade Barratt step aside. Utterly pointless.

[Sherrif John Bunnell]

Adnan seems perfectly fine. I'll give it about an hour before he is sick of Vince bawling in his ear.

[Sherrif John Bunnell]

Christ, I forgot about these two.