WrestleMania XXXVIII - 4/2 & 4/3/2022

[Cobra Commander]

It's possible I forgot something but did Austin/Owens have a single nearfall before the finish aside from the Owens Stunner?

It seems like any 2022 match with so few nearfalls is sorta working against the norm set by a bunch of other matches and would have the potential to really stick out.

Now, I don't know how a match between 2022 regulars with no nearfalls or just one nearfall would go over because they could just work a complete spotfest that would be amazing the first time or two but would get just as old as nearfall-fests if done too much.

But if a bunch of people do it one way, and you do it another way and the match is good, it'll stick out in a good way.

[Kang]

Matches were shorter like last year. Only Rhodes vs Rollins went upwards of around 22 mins.

[The Natural]

Feel for New Day, Sheamus and Ridge Holland getting cut. Speaking of feeling for someone, Rick Boogs injury which is getting reported as a torn quadriceps muscle. Get well soon.

[Curt McGirt]

Show of hands, how many here knew that End of Days was protected? 

Edited April 3, 2022 by Curt McGirt

[Shartnado]

4 minutes ago, Curt McGirt said:

Show of hands, how many here knew that End of Days was protected? 

Well, I didn't NOT know it. I knew no one kicked out it in NXT and I didn't recall anyone kicking out of it in WWE, although I would have assumed that Roman would have, at some point prior to this.

[Kang]

I did.

[Super Ape]

Only really watched Austin/Owens, and I’m glad I did. In an era where many main events are micromanaged and look way too polished and choreographed, that match had enough grittiness and (controlled, of course) chaos to serve as one last swan song both for Austin’s career and the Attitude Era he flourished in.

What’s more; the fact that Kevin Owens worked his ass off carrying this feud by himself for a month and got rewarded by being his idol’s last opponent, and got to do a motherfucking STUNNER to him just goes to show how much trust that place has in him.

I have never tried to hide my feelings on WWE as a company, but I’m not above pointing out when they do good things, and this was a case of them underpromising (we thought Austin was gonna merk KO and that would be that) and overdelivering (a fucking MATCH), and good for them.

[Ace]

6 hours of television, yet they couldn't fit in all their scheduled matches? Are you fucking kidding me?

 

[James F'n X]

4 minutes ago, Curt McGirt said:

Show of hands, how many here knew that End of Days was protected? 

I was aware of it. The most protected move in wrestling finally busted.

Unlike Cross Rhodes, which was busted night one back.

Becky/Bianca was great, easy MotN, a little sloppy at times, but in a good way for the most part. Charlotte/Rousey felt sloppy and awkward throughout, which, Rousey's only been back for a little bit and is still really green.

Logan Paul could be really good at this wrestling thing if he ever wanted to do it more than once a year. Just wildly charismatic and pretty decent for a first showing. The Three Amigos/Frog Splash section was fantastic.

Kevin Owens is a goddamned treasure, bumping like a maniac for Austin and making this a real main event worthy moment. Austin looked damn good for being out of the game nearly 20 years. A worthy sendoff for the Rattlesnake.

Cody Rhodes's entrance was a starmaker, but then the bell rang and it's Cody Rhodes and Seth Rollins working WWE main event style and... it was fine. I don't care for it, but it was fine.

[hobo joe]

1 hour ago, The Natural said:

WWE has to get it right with Cody Rhodes as he's the first AEW wrestler to jump to WWE, the money paid for him and bigger still AEW wrestlers looking on as prospective signings.

Agreed, and I have zero faith that they won't fuck it up

[The Natural]

38 minutes ago, Curt McGirt said:

Show of hands, how many here knew that End of Days was protected? 

I did.

13 minutes ago, hobo joe said:

Agreed, and I have zero faith that they won't fuck it up

Agreed.

[Johnny Sorrow]

That was a fun fucking show.

[hammerva]

For the 3rd year in a row the Night 1 show was good bordering on great.  Now they just need a good 2nd night besides just the main.  

I really can't tell if Rousey has a bunch of new moves tonight or is just so sloppy it makes it look interesting 

[Cobra Commander]

Baron Corbin is sorta the wrestling equivalent of the bald Wooly Willy, so I could understand how people didn’t catch on that he had a super protected finisher despite everything else.

[hammerva]

2 hours ago, The Natural said:

I chuckled.

At least he only got kicked in the dick once this time

[John from Cincinnati]

2 hours ago, Blue Dragon said:

https://variety.com/2022/tv/news/cody-rhodes-wwe-wrestlemania-38-interview-1235221061/

Quote

You’ve been gone for almost six years. Do you feel as though you’re a completely different performer than when you left? 

I told Vince McMahon, Bruce Prichard and Nick Khan — this very small circle of individuals — I told them what I truly believe and it’s that I’m the best wrestler in the world. And to go further with it, I actually don’t think there’s a close second. But with that said, the opportunity now exists to prove it, and that’s what I’m most excited about.

[The Natural]

1 hour ago, The Natural said:

Feel for New Day, Sheamus and Ridge Holland getting cut. Speaking of feeling for someone, Rick Boogs injury which is getting reported as a torn quadriceps muscle. Get well soon.

New Day vs. Sheamus/Ridge Holland moved to WWE WrestleMania XXXVIII Night Two.

[The Natural]

 

 

 

[Hail Sabin]

I know Becky was going for a Molly-GO-Round but a Liger Kick worked out much better for the match they were having. 

[Cristobal]

This show was good and I was pondering why, given what unwatchable dreck their TV shows have been leading up to this, and I'm thinking it's because I haven't been watching those shows.

Instead of weeks and months of terrible scripted promos, nonsensical BS angles, and the same people wrestling each other seventeen times on the "Road to Wrestlemania", I just dropped in to watch the wrestlers wrestle matches and it turns out WWE's roster is by and large pretty good at that.

[zendragon]

1 hour ago, The Natural said:

 

 

 

That is a really, really good promo by Cody. If he bring this to the table instead of what ever the fuck he was trying to do in the AEW Codyverse he can be a top star

[peterien]

I am 100% happy for Cody, any man that makes the right decision money wise for his family is a good man.

But part of me can’t get over the fact that this is all about Cody’s ego and him going back to the ex-lover whos name he dragged through the mud for 6 years is still hard to believe. 

That said his entrance and match performance was great but then he cuts the same old long winded promo as above^.
 

[The Natural]

From the little WWE I've seen this year, Becky Lynch vs. Bianca Belair is my WWE MOTY. Great match with the callbacks to SummerSlam and the pace both went at.

[Ziggy]

6 hours ago, The Natural said:

This meant something as the End of Days is such a protected finisher.

I knew once it was brought to their attention a few months ago when Corbin tweeted about it that it wouldn't be long before it happened. With the level of that feud and it being Wrestlemania I just it makes sense but it wasn't like a main event level program. It was a decent match, I'm a big fan of Drew and Corbin say what you will he can be lead to good matches.

[Casey]

I'll give Cody this - the music, the way he wrestles, the robe, all of that stuff definitely fits in better with WWE's presentation than it does AEW. It's still weird that he's back with WWE given how much shit he talked about them and founding AEW, but Vince probably loved all of that because he's a weird old man. I find it really funny that they let him use that song too, given that it's basically a big fuck you to WWE with shitty lyrics. But whatever, get paid man, good for him. Oh and I guess the match was good too, I'll need to rewatch it since I was at work watching, but I was burned out by the time Cody made his entrance (I stupidly chose to tune in right when the preshow started, thinking they'd actually have some matches - silly me). But anyway, while we're at it - can they poach Chris Jericho and MJF too so I can finally fully enjoy an AEW show? That'd be swell.

I remember liking Becky/Bianca. Absolutely did not care about much else on the show, but I was surprisingly impressed by Logan Paul. I'll add Becky/Bianca, Rollins/Cody and Charlotte/Ronda to my watch list for the coming week, along with a shitload of indie matches from this weekend.

Not sure I needed Stone Cold to wrestle a "match", if you want to call it that, but whatever. Gotta sell those tickets, I guess. That said - probably a pretty cool thing for an Austin fan like KO to be his first match since 2003, and in the main event. Good for him!