WRESTLEMANIA XL - 4/6 & 4/7/2024

[Andrew POE!]

Crowd was a lot hotter for this tonight. Drew McIntyre/Seth Rollins was a great match. I dug the finish and the cash-in (although I wonder if the belt got permanently devalued by McIntyre losing the title that quickly).

6 man tag match was a big bit of 'eh,' Styles/Knight was decent but forgettable, US title triple threat is probably Logan Paul's best match he's ever done (he actually did a lot of selling and he seems to let Orton/KO dictate the match and kept the ladder/table spots out), and Bayley/Sky was iffy at start but turned into a great match by the end.

Reigns/Rhodes was fine until Reigns took over on offense and it lost me. The finish was a giant bit of sports entertainment (I legitimately thought that Jon Moxley was going to come out and attack Reigns) but it's fine that Cody Rhodes won I guess.

I loved the part at the end where Cody Rhodes was hugging everyone he saw (even camera crew!). I was surprised that The Rock didn't turn on Reigns and Rock Bottom him for Cody but it's fine what they did.

[The Natural]

I'd love for Cody Rhodes to bring back the Winged Eagle like he brought back a version of the classic Intercontinental Championship at Hell in a Cell 2011. Babyface move for life there.

[The Natural]

Just now, Octopus said:

Loved the weird sexy crawl across the announcers table by Drew

As Drew McIntyre would say, "Pervert!"

[EVA]

The first 5 matches were just kinda there, but Bayley/Iyo was great and Cody/Roman was a fun dog-and-pony show, as expected and appropriate.

[Octopus]

Loved the cash in. Starting the new season with the Judgement Day on top should be interesting. 

[Cobra Commander]

I honestly don't remember all the successful cash-ins... Priest cashing in on Drew isn't technically the first time a heel cashed in on a heel, is it? I'm sure there's something obvious you're about to tell me

[For Great Justice]

Hey man we gotta talk about the absolute geek of the millennium Seth Rollins though. Between the build up, the tag match last night, his own match, his big main event run-in being a comedy bit non-starter where he didn’t even get a move in.

Holy moly. My man Seth is down bad.

[Log]

I don’t think I’d ever heard Cody’s full song until tonight. Holy shit is it bad. I’m shocked at how over he is. He’s just such a dork, but hey, it’s working for him. 
 

That main was big and dumb, but it was well-done big and dumb. 

[Octopus]

I love that Drew can continue to talk about being screwed and his same character he’s been killing it with. If Punk is actually healthy, they can feud away from the belt. 

[The Natural]

Cody Rhodes vs. Roman Reigns went 33:25 according to Cagematch. Last year 34:35.

[Just Dave]

4 hours ago, jaedmc said:

Definitely put people on ignore.

Life's too short and it makes our job easier.

It drives me nuts that the same people on this board have been bickering with each other for so long. In some cases it's been years. The same fight for years.

 

Hey, I was minding my own business, and that burlap sack full of unwashed dicks came back after six months to talk shit. 

[The Natural]

2 minutes ago, Cobra Commander said:

I honestly don't remember all the successful cash-ins... Priest cashing in on Drew isn't technically the first time a heel cashed in on a heel, is it? I'm sure there's something obvious you're about to tell me

Jack Swagger on Chris Jericho.

Seth Rollins on Brock Lesnar.

[Just Dave]

5 minutes ago, Cobra Commander said:

I honestly don't remember all the successful cash-ins... Priest cashing in on Drew isn't technically the first time a heel cashed in on a heel, is it? I'm sure there's something obvious you're about to tell me

Baron Corbin on Jinder Mahal

[For Great Justice]

Sorry, one last thought: it was also so cool and satisfying to see Drew and Bayley get their big moments in front of fans, finally, four years later, after carrying the company on their backs in 2020. The latter especially. 

[The Natural]

Rare time Night 2 is better than Night 1.

[Cobra Commander]

22 hours ago, Cobra Commander said:

gonna try estimating the matchtimes for Night 2

• Rollins/McIntyre: 25 minutes
• Six Man Philly Street Fight: 10 minutes
• Knight/Styles: 15 minutes
• Paul/Orton/Owens: 20 minutes
• Iyo/Bayley: 15 minutes
• Roman/Cody: 35 minutes

• Seth/Drew 10:30
• Street fight 8:35
• Knight/Styles 12:25
• Paul/Orton/Owens 17:40
• Bayley/Iyo 14:20
• Main event 33:05

So I went over on every match. Oops.

[Cobra Commander]

2 minutes ago, Just Dave said:

Baron Corbin on Jinder Mahal

yeah ain't no chance I was gonna remember either of them having a major title reign without help.. although I guess I remember the Jinder reign for the amount of internet irony it generated

[Eivion]

Seth/Drew was good. Dug that it was a bombfest, and it was good to see Drew get the big win. The post match celebration and confrontation with Punk costing Drew the belt via Priest and the briefcase was perfect.

Lashley/Profits vs. Kross/AOP was fun. Dug Snoop on commentary way more than expected, and Bubba as ref worked out well. 

AJ/Knight was shockingly good. Thought this was one of Knight's better matches in WWE with the two having way more chemistry than expected.

Owens/Orton/Paul was good and super fun all around. Dug Orton and KO keeping up the friendship for so long and even breaking it down in an understandable way where both get it. Paul was the athletic, sneaky bastard you expect with his cheap shot and early attempts to get KO and Orton to fight each other. Paul continues to surprise with how good he is and keeps getting.

Bayley/Io built into a pretty darn good match. Was glad to see the crowd behind Bayley and Io play to that. I would have preferred Io retain, but it was neat to see Bayley finally get the big heroic qwin on her own.

Cody/Roman II was great. The first half was good with great trash talk from Reigns and some nice action all around. The overbooking from the second half provide a nice bit of extra drama and was damn near perfect in execution. I only wish we got Austin instead of Taker. I loved the finish with Reigns finally getting proper vengeance on Seth for the Shield breakup only for that to be what cost him the belt.

Night 2 was so much damn better than Night 1. Every match delivered and surpassed what was necessary. This was a wonderful way to end the weekend. Can't wait to see how they follow up on Raw and Smackdown this week.

[The Natural]

1 minute ago, For Great Justice said:

Sorry, one last thought: it was also so cool and satisfying to see Drew and Bayley get their big moments in front of fans, finally, four years later, after carrying the company on their backs in 2020. The latter especially. 

This especially Bayley. Her booking's been mostly bad since returning from her ACL tear at SummerSlam 2022. The Golden Role Models with Sasha Banks were great.

[Octopus]

What’s the Taker-Cody connection?

[Cobra Commander]

8 minutes ago, For Great Justice said:

Hey man we gotta talk about the absolute geek of the millennium Seth Rollins though. Between the build up, the tag match last night, his own match, his big main event run-in being a comedy bit non-starter where he didn’t even get a move in.

Holy moly. My man Seth is down bad.

yeah that almost would have been better if they had brought out a Fake Roman Reigns in Shield gear to fight Roman Reigns

[The Natural]

Laughed at Roman Reigns shit talk about Cross Rhodes when he didn't get the three using Cody Rhodes own finisher.

[Just Adam Bay Bay]

Just now, Octopus said:

What’s the Taker-Cody connection?

Taker beating Dusty in his WWF debut match?

[jaedmc]

6 minutes ago, Octopus said:

Loved the weird sexy crawl across the announcers table by Drew

It was like an 80's hair metal band video but Tawny Kitaen had a beard.

 

[ChesterCopperpot]