NXT star Bianca Belair has made some main roster appearances in recent weeks and she has now officially confirmed her call up to the main roster on Raw.
This week’s episode of Monday Night Raw saw the team of Angel Garza and Austin Theory with Zelina Vega challenging the RAW Tag Team Champions The Street Profits in a rematch from night two of WrestleMania 36.
The match ended in the same fashion as their match at Mania and the heels were disqualified after Zelina Vega interfered in their favor.
Vega attacked Montez Ford once again but Belair made the
save for her husband, as she had done during the same spot at the Show Of Shows
as well.
Though what’s interesting to note here is that after the match was over, Bianca announced her official call up to the main roster and the NXT star confirmed that she is now part of the Raw roster alongside The Street Profits.
After this announcement, the now-former NXT star faced Vega in a singles match. However, the two teams got involved again and the bout was then converted into a 6 person mixed tag match.
The team of Bianca Belair and the Raw Tag Team Champions picked up the victory in this match after the female star used the KOD on Zelina Vega and pinned her for the win.
This week’s episode of Raw saw Nia Jax making her in ring return but the former Women’s Champion wasn’t the only superstar who made her return to the show tonight.
During the episode, Aleister Black came out for a match and
then Apollo Crews, who was a part of the SmackDown roster made his way to the
ring.
Tom Phillips then revealed the reason behind this brand switch and he mentioned that Crews has been drafted back to Raw from the SmackDown roster due to the draft picks that were going to expire.
The former NXT star went on to have a lengthy match with
Black and the bout was won by the former NXT Champion after he pinned Crews
with a Black Mass.
Apollo Crews was originally brought up to the main roster as part of the Raw brand in April 2016 but he was drafted to SmackDown not very long after this in July the same year.
He was moved to the Red Brand once again during the 2017 drafts. After this move, the former NXT star joined Titus Worldwide but this storyline didn’t go anywhere.
He was moved a fourth time when Apollo Crews was drafted
back to SmackDown during the Superstar Shakeup in 2019 and it would be
interesting to see if the company has a plan for him this time.
WWE RAW aired from the Performance Center in Orlando. It was the first episode of RAW following WrestleMania 36.
WWE RAW Results (4/6)
Asuka def. Liv Morgan
Street Profits & Bianca Belair def. Garza, Theory, and Zelina Vega
Aleister Black def. Apollo Crews
Cedric Alexander & Ricochet def. Danny Burch & Oney Lorcan
Seth Rollins def. Denzel Dejournette
Nia Jax def. Deonna Purrazzo
Humberto Carrillo def. Brendan Vink
Drew McIntyre def. Big Show to retain the WWE Championship
Here are 6 takeaways from the show:
Asuka Got Back On Track With A Win
Asuka. Image Credit: WWE.com
Asuka squared off against Liv Morgan in the first match of the night. Morgan defeated Natalya last night on the WrestleMania Kickoff Show. Asuka and Kairi Sane dropped the Women’s Tag Team Championships to Alexa Bliss and Nikki Cross at WrestleMania 36.
Match Recap: Morgan tried to roll Asuka up but she blocked it and stomped on Liv’s midsection. Asuka connected with the Hip Attack and went for a kick but Liv ducked and rolled Asuka up for a near fall. Liv hit Asuka with a Dropkick that sent her out of the ring.
Morgan followed her out there and Asuka sent her into the apron. Asuka knocked Morgan to the floor outside the ring as RAW went to a commercial break. When RAW returned, Asuka was still in control as the action had returned to the ring. Liv battled back and hit Double Knees to Asuka’s face.
Asuka planted Morgan with a German Suplex and followed it up with a Shining Wizard. Asuka went for the cover but Liv Morgan got her foot on the bottom rope to break it up. Asuka then applied the Asuka Lock for the submission victory.
Street Profits defended their RAW Tag Team Championships against Angel Garza & Austin Theory in a WrestleMania rematch. Zelina Vega was ringside for the match in her wrestling gear.
Match Recap: Austin Theory and Angelo Dawkins started the match off. Dawkins connected with a shoulder tackle and quickly tagged in Ford. Montez leveled Austin with a Dropkick and delivered a Back Body Drop to Angel Garza when he hopped in the ring. Street Profits then Dropkicked Garza and Theory to the outside as RAW went to a break.
When RAW returned, Dawkins had Theory in an Arm Bar. Theory escaped and hit Dawkins with a Dropkick. Angel Garza tagged in and continued to beat Angelo down in the corner. Theory tagged in and Dawkins battled back with a Side Slam. Ford and Garza tagged in and Montez hit a Crossbody. Ford followed it up with a Dropkick and then a DDT. Zelina Vega hopped up on the ring apron and the referee stopped the match.
Garza and Theory attacked Montez Ford and Bianca Belair rushed the ring. Belair knocked Zelina out of the ring and grabbed a microphone. Bianca told Vega to get in the ring or she will have to come and get her. Belair then battled Zelina Vega with Street Profits, Garza, and Austin Theory ringside.
Vega slapped Bianca in the face and tried to run away but Belair caught her. Bianca launched Zelina across the ring a few times as Street Profits cheered her on. Belair charged at Zelina but she got out of the way and Bianca went flying into the ring post. Zelina hit a DDT and went for the cover but Belair kicked out at two.
Bianca connected with a Suplex and then caught Vega when she went for a Crossbody. Belair lifted her above her head and dropped Vega to the canvas. Austin hopped on the apron and Montez Ford beat him down. The referee then threw the match out again. Montez grabbed the microphone and said his brother and wife is here (Bianca Belair). Ford then suggested a 6-person tag match as RAW went to a break.
Ford and Theory started it off and Montez hit a Dropkick. Garza hit Ford with a cheap shot while the referee was distracted. Theory capitalized with a Clothesline for a near fall. Belair tagged in and connected with a Backbreaker on Vega. Belair hit Moonsault but Garza broke up the cover. Ford chased Garza around the ring and wound up getting a Superkick to the face from Theory. Dawkins took out Garza and then chased Theory to the back. Belair then hit the KOD on Vega for the pinfall victory.
Aleister Black Defeated Apollo Crews In A Great Match
Apollo Crews is now on the RAW roster as well and battled Aleister Black tonight. Tom Phillips said that Crews was picked up via a draft pick that was about to expire.
Match Recap: Crews applied a Headlock to start the match off. Aleister escaped and got Apollo in a Headlock of his own. Black sent Crews out of the ring as RAW went to a break. When RAW returned, Aleister was in control and had Crews in an Arm Bar. Crews escaped and knocked Black out of the ring with a Dropkick.
Crews followed it up with a Suplex on the floor outside the ring. Apollo connected with a Moonsault off the apron as RAW went to another break. When RAW returned, Crews planted Black with a Powerbomb for a near fall. Apollo shrugged off a kick to the face and connected with a Clothesline.
Apollo went for a Splash but Aleister got out of the way. Aleister locked in a Knee Bar in the middle of the ring. Apollo fought through the pain and reached the bottom rope to break the hold. Crews avoided Black Mass and hit an Enziguri that knocked Aleister out of the ring.
Back from another break, Aleister connected with a Moonsault for a two count. Apollo hit another Dropkick to give himself some time to regroup. Crews sold his knee injury and hobbled over to Aleister. Crews drove Black to the corner but Aleister booted Apollo in the knee. Apollo perched Black up on the top turnbuckle and hit a Superplex for a two count.
Crews followed it up with a Powerbomb and went for a cover but Aleister kicked out at the last moment. Apollo hit a Standing Moonsault and followed it up with a Standing Shooting Star Press for another near fall. Crews climbed to the top rope but Black caught him with a boot to the face.
Apollo sent Black to the canvas and then leaped towards him but Aleister hit a knee to the face. Aleister then hit Black Mass for the pinfall victory.
Opinion: I was expecting this to be a quick win for Aleister Black but instead we got a very good match that lasted multiple segments. Apollo Crews has always been excellent in the ring but hasn’t been featured much on the main roster. I don’t really understand the “expiring draft pick” that sent him from SmackDown to RAW but hopefully he finally gets a chance to perform every week.
Match Recap: Burch and Lorcan dominated early and isolated Cedric in the corner. Ricochet tagged in and hit Burch with a Dropkick. Alexander tagged in and hit Lorcan with an Atomic Drop. Ricochet hit Lorcan with a Standing Shooting Star Press and tagged back in. Alexander took out Burch with a Suicide Dive and Ricochet connected with the Recoil on Lorcan for the pinfall victory.
Match Recap: Jax shoved Deonna to the corner and followed it up with a massive Clothesline. Nia grabbed Deonna by the hair and dragged her around the ring. Jax hit another Clothesline and then another one while taunting Deonna.
Jax planted Deonna with a Samoan Drop but didn’t go for the cover. Jax followed it up with a Cradle DDT for the pinfall victory.
Drew McIntyre Defeated The Big Show To Retain The WWE Championship
WWE Champion Drew McIntyre
Footage was shown of Drew McIntyre after his victory over Brock Lesnar at WrestleMania. Drew was interviewed in the ring and said the magnitude of what he has accomplished hasn’t hit him yet.
McIntyre added that he doesn’t believe this real but was able to get the plates changed on the title. Drew thanked Paul Heyman because he said during the match that he will stay down if Brock keeps getting back up. Drew stated that he has fought his entire life and he stopped getting hurt after an F5, he started getting angry.
The Big Show interrupted and came down to the ring with a referee. Big Show said McIntyre was no giant and challenged him to a match. Drew told Big Show that he is not fighting right now because he just beat Brock Lesnar. Big Show claimed that McIntyre is afraid of him and slapped Drew in the face. Drew then defended his WWE Championship against Big Show.
Match Recap: Big Show dominated the match early and beat McIntyre down. Big Show went for a Chokeslam but McIntyre escaped and planted Big Show with a Body Slam. Big Show hit a Chokeslam and went for the cover but McIntyre kicked out. Big Show went for the KO Punch but Drew ducked and hit the Claymore Kick for the pinfall victory.
Opinion: Big Show’s Netflix sitcom came out today so this was just done to promote it. Still, it was ridiculous to see Big Show in a WWE Championship match in 2020. I also found it hilarious that Big Show was a face when he returned for the Fist Fight in January and was now a heel tonight. Big Show’s absurd amount of heel turns has been a running joke for a while and WWE even capitalized the word “TURNED” in the tweet above. Overall, after I briefly lost my mind because Big Show was going to win the title to promote his show, it was just a forgettable match. There were a several of those tonight with Black versus Crews being the exception.
Jax did so on Monday’s episode of RAW by beating NXT’s Deonna Purrazzo in Orlando, Florida at the WWE Performance Center on the USA Network. It was a dominating performance.
The former WWE RAW Women’s Champion had been out of action since last April when she suffered ACL tears on both of her knees that forced her to require surgery to repair them.
At the time of her injury, the expected timeframe for her return was nine months. Just last month it was reported that she was ready to return at any time, which is now.
While on the sidelines, she had been keeping fans updated with her status through social media by sharing photos and videos of her working out.
Over the weekend, Jax fired back after Killer Kross’ comment about Liv Morgan’s WrestleMania gear on Twitter which got fans talking.
It all started when a fan stated that Morgan was wearing gear inspired by Scarlett Bordeaux, who happens to be Kross’s girlfriend.
This didn’t sit well with Jax, who responded with, “You better take a f**ken seat real quick dude.”
It appears that WWE won’t take a break but rather is moving forward will live broadcasts of RAW and SmackDown.
In fact, it’s looking like WWE could return to airing live episodes of their weekly television shows as soon as later this week. It’s known that Monday’s episode of RAW, as well as Wednesday’s WWE NXT episode, are already taped as WWE did film the shows several weeks ago.
With the outbreak of the coronavirus, there was some speculation that WWE could have an off-season if they can’t tape new episodes of these shows.
It turns out that WWE plans to air Friday’s SmackDown and next Monday’s RAW live from the WWE Performance Center in Orlando, according to @Wrestlevotes
Over the past few weeks, WWE had taped these shows in addition to both nights of WrestleMania 36. The belief is that the Performance Center will still likely be a closed set for the live episodes.
Friday’s SmackDown on FOX could be the first live TV show since early March.
It should be noted that these changes have not been confirmed by WWE. As of this writing, there’s no word yet on how the stay-at-home order in Florida will impact WWE’s plans.
There have also been reports that WWE could film Friday’s SmackDown from a secret location in a shutdown state. There’s still no word yet on where the location is.
After two straight nights of WrestleMania 36, WWE is back with another episode of RAW.
With the biggest event of the year for the company in the rearview, it’s time to look ahead starting with tonight’s episode of Monday Night RAW.
As of this writing, the company has yet to announce any matches for this show. WWE has released some articles looking at some teasers for the show as part of the fallout from WrestleMania.
The company taped this show several days ago. Brock Lesnar, who dropped the WWE Title to Drew McIntyre in the headliner of WrestleMania 36 – Night 2, is not advertised for the show.
WWE holds this show in Orlando, Florida at the WWE Performance Center. It will be interesting to see if WWE airs any matches from WrestleMania 36 on this broadcast considering it is a taped show.
WWE is advertising the following items for tonight’s broadcast:
What’s next for WWE Champion Drew McIntyre?
Will Edge continue his comeback run?
Will Shayna Baszler make another run at Becky Lynch’s RAW Women’s Title?
Did Kevin Owens end Seth Rollins’ crusade?
Join us here later tonight for our post-show WWE RAW Results and Takeaways feature.
This year has been tumultuous for everyone, especially WWE and this year’s WrestleMania. Due to the current coronavirus pandemic, companies and sports leagues all around the world have been forced to cease operations. However, a select few, such as the UFC and WWE, have decided that the show must go on.
WrestleMania 36 was initially scheduled to go down just like any other year on Sunday, April 5 yesterday from the Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida. It was expected that the event would attract over 70,000 people.
Due to the the coronavirus outbreak, WWE was forced to move WrestleMania to their own Performance Center in Orlando, Florida, making WrestleMania. For the first time ever, a closed-door event with no fans. The matches were all pre-taped ahead of time and aired on two separate nights over the weekend. With all that being said, Tampa missed out on the economic boom a WrestleMania weekend would have brought to its city.
Now, according to a report from the WrestleVotes Twitter account, Tampa may get another WrestleMania hosting opportunity fairly quickly. Tampa is actually in the running to host “The Show Of Shows” in 2022. The report adds that the initial legwork is already done, and the city is still very eager to host the event. As for whether or not Tampa actually gets the nod, only time will tell.
Now that the weekend that “was to be” has passed, I can say that Tampa Bay will be in the running to host #Wrestlemania? ? 38 in 2022.
All the initial legwork is obviously done, with the city still very much eager to host the event. Might be a shoe in. Time will tell.
There was a questionable spot during the Edge vs. Randy Orton Last Man Standing match at WrestleMania 36 that many found disturbing.
The match featured Edge and Orton doing battle all over the WWE Performance Center. Once the fight hit the gym, Randy Orton used a weight cable to choke Edge, reminiscent the method Chris Benoit used to killed himself back in 2007. There was immediate criticism for the incident on social media.
According to Dave Meltzer of the Wrestling Observer, some people in WWE were troubled by the visual. Everybody is WWE familiar with the details of the Chris Benoit situation. Especially with Benoit back in the headlines from the excellent Dark Side of the Ring episode covering the murders, many people made the connection and it was seen as a ‘questionable’ decision at best.
Aside from the criticism the match received for the choking spot, its duration was also criticized. The 40-minute Edge vs. Orton match is now the second-longest bout in WrestleMania history, right behind Shawn Michaels vs. Bret Hart from WrestleMania 12, which was an Iron Man match that lasted over an hour.
Edge eventually defeated Orton in their match with a conchairto. Orton was unable to answer the 10 count after Edge crushed his skull with a steel chair. It was “The Rated-R Superstar’s” first singles match in nine years.
Edge Comments On His Return At WrestleMania, Praises Randy Orton
Longtime WWE commentator Michael Cole has reportedly received a promotion within WWE, and it comes with a new corporate title. Cole has officially been promoted to WWE’s Vice President of Announcing.
Michael Cole has been a staple in the WWE’s announcing department for over 20 years now. He got his start with the company back in 1997, where he began as a backstage interviewer. When SmackDown launched in 1999, Cole was selected to be the program’s play-by-play announcer.
He’d go on to form iconic pairings with the likes of Tazz and WWE Hall Of Famer JBL. Over the years, Cole has established himself as “the voice of WWE” and climbed the ladder backstage. He now hires, mentors, and produces other announcers within the company.
Aside from his work at the commentary table, Cole has very much been a team player, even getting involved inside the ring. Cole has taken bumps, played a part in angles, and even participated in matches.
Michael Cole owns a WrestleMania victory over Jerry “The King” Lawler from their match at WrestleMania 27 back in 2011. He won the match via disqualification. After a few more matches, Cole has remained comfortably behind the announce desk and now finds himself as WWE’s new Vice President of Announcing.
WWE Hall of Famer Edge made his triumphant return to singles action at Sunday’s WrestleMania 36 pay-per-view. Edge was victorious in his return bout, defeating Randy Orton in a Last Man Standing match. It was Edge’s first match in 9 years.
The Rated R Superstar posted a lengthy statement on Instagram talking about what the match means to him. Edge revealed the 40-minute brawl was actually filmed two weeks ago. He is now out of self quarantine and back to being a husband and father.
Edge praised Randy Orton for getting such a strong performance out of him. Edge called Orton “the most naturally talented person in the industry” and is proud of what they created together.
“I have a feeling we haven’t seen the last of each other, and for that I’m strangely thankful,” Edge wrote. “He pulled me to a 40 minute fight after being retired for 9 years. Wasn’t sure I had that in me. Now I know. He pushed me.”
Edge acknowledged the strange circumstances surrounding this year’s WrestleMania, which took place on a closed set due to the ongoing Coronavirus pandemic.
For all of you, hopefully you watched WrestleMania and were able to get lost in it and try to forget about our current reality, even if only for a few hours.”
Edge thanked the team behind the WWE 24 documentary on his return that aired on the WWE Network after WrestleMania. He also thanked everyone that helped him on his path to being an active pro wrestler once again. He said he’s humbled by the position he is currently in and urged everyone to stay safe.
You can read Edge’s full statement on his Instagram page.
Major League Wrestling presented another episode of Fusion this weekend on BeIN Sports and YouTube. The show was headlined by a loser-leaves-town empty arena match between Maxwell Jacob Friedman and Mance Warner.
The full episode can be viewed in the player below:
MLW Fusion 4/4/20 Quick Results:
Douglas James defeated Septimo Dragon via submission
Loser Leaves Town Empty Arena Match Mance Warner defeated MJF
Maxwell Jacob Friedman Forced To Leave The Territory
The rivalry between the Southern Psychopath and Maxwell Jacob Friedman all came down to this. After the Dynasty attacked him at the pay window recently, Warner put everything on the line in order to get revenge. MJF cut a passionate promo before the match informing “O’l Mancer” that he’s not the only one who can go psycho in MLW. In the end, however, MJF would try every trick in the book to get away from the Southern Psychopath during the match. At one point, the Dynasty member even attempted to call a taxi to make his escape.
MJF attempted to take the advantage late in the match with a thumb to the eye but Warner countered with a headbutt and a big-time lariat and got the 3-count. With the loss, MJF is gone from MLW.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman had quite the run with the promotion, having won both the middleweight title and the tag titles (with Richard Holliday). After his final booking with MLW, MJF sent the following out on Twitter:
While my time with @MLW is over I can assure you the Dynasty will live on….forever.
Vignettes have been airing in recent weeks promoting Pagano’s arrival to the territory. Pagano is a decorated luchador, most notably in AAA. He is a former AAA World Tag Team champion with El Mesias. He also won the Copa Antonio Pena tournament in 2018.
Injury Updates On Brian Pillman Jr. and Killer Kross
Back to Back Rookie of the Year!!! Wish me luck as I plan to do the same in 2020!!! pic.twitter.com/8F4oTJKYKK
Fans were given injury updates on both Killer Kross and Brian Pillman Jr. this week. After being attacked in the back by King Mo and Team Filthy, doctors recommend that Kross have no contact in the ring or in training for 180 days unless a waiver is signed. Kross offered to sign the waiver but his employers located in Stamford would not allow it.
As for Pillman, he suffered a fractured mandible and a dislocated temporomandibular joint due to the recent attack by Injustice. The trio has been suspended and fined by the league. There is currently no timetable for Pillman’s return.
In the opener this week, it looked as though Septimo Dragon had Douglas James right where he wanted him. Ultimately, however, James was able to make the luchador submit to a guillotine choke. Dragon had just hit a driver when he went to the top looking for a double foot-stomp. He missed the top-rope move and it allowed James to land a knee to the face, a superkick, and then a death valley driver into the corner before locking in the submission. With the win, James should move closer to a top-10 ranking in the promotion.
MLW Top-10 Rankings Via PWI
MLW presented a segment this week dedicated to counting down the top-10 rankings in the promotion via Pro Wrestling Illustrated:
MLW World Champion: Jacob Fatu
Alexander Hammerstone (National Openweight Champion)
Coming up in MLW, the promotion heads back to Mexico. The next few episodes of Fusion will feature the “Super Series” between MLW and AAA. This series is set to focus the best of both promotions as the relationship between AAA and MLW deepens. The show took place in Tijuana and featured multiple title matches for belts from both promotions.
The boneyard match from night one of WrestleMania 36 created a lot of buzz and then WWE presented another similar cinematic match in form of the Firefly Fun House match on night two of the mega event.
The match was bizarre and full of references and it seems that the fans loved this one of a kind bout between long time rivals John Cena and Bray Wyatt.
Dave Meltzer talked about the bout on the latest episode of Wrestling Observer Radio and provided some updates on the production of the match. According to report, SmackDown Executive Producer Bruce Prichard and Bray Wyatt were primarily responsible for the creative direction of the match. John Cena was also involved, but his ideas were said to be hit and miss.
There is no word yet on what kind of changes the 16 Time
World Champion made but it’s said that the altercations he came up with were
for the better.
Whether John Cena will be sticking around after his loss in the bout is not known either, but with all the shooting schedules being halted at the moment, it won’t be a surprise if he continues his stint.
What did you think about the Firefly Fun House match between John Cena and Bray Wyatt? Let us know your thoughts in the comment section.
Bayley won a 5-way elimination match at WrestleMania 36 to retain her Smackdown women’s championship. The deck had been stacked against the champion by Paige, who announced Bayley’s WrestleMania challengers on a recent episode of Smackdown.
Following her victory last night, Bayley told WWE.com she has a message for Paige.
“Go get Paige right now, pull her up on the Titantron, go Skype her,” Bayley said backstage. “Go face-time her because that’s the only way she likes to communicate, right? Paige, I don’t care what match she has to make. I thought you (Kayla Braxton) were going to be in the match, where’s Renee Young, huh? It’s an open invitation, I would have whooped you too Kayla, tell Paige that.”
“There’s a lot going on, I had to face 4 other women and there’s only 1 of me, if you didn’t notice, including my best friend. That’s like a hundred people versus me. That’s a lot, it’s a lot of stress, I’ve had a big year.”
“How long have I been champion again? I’ve lost count, there’s so many days,” Bayley continued.
Bayley’s Championship Stats
Bayley’s current reign with the title is at 178 days. It is the longest single-reign in the title’s lineage. Her 318+ combined days with the belt is also a record for the title. Bayley also once held the RAW Women’s Championship for 76 days.
Bayley’s backstage interview can be viewed in the player below:
The Queen Charlotte Flair managed to beat the now former NXT Women’s Champion Rhea Ripley for her title at the second night of WrestleMania 36.
Her championship win excited fans but it also left them wondering on what the future holds for the new champion and if the title win means that she is now part of the NXT roster.
Dave Meltzer talked about the event on the latest episode of Wrestling Observer Radio and confirmed that Flair will indeed start appearing on the NXT television in the months ahead. However, this doesn’t mean that she will be leaving Raw. The current plan is for her to work both the shows each week.
The reason Charlotte is being sent to NXT is the competition
from AEW and WWE is hoping that her appearances will help NXT in the rating war
with Dynamite.
There is no word yet on how this arrangement will work after
the company resumes their live event schedule which would make it impossible
for Charlotte Flair to work events of both brands.
However, it shouldn’t be an issue with the current limited schedule and it would be interesting to see if Flair’s appearances help the brand’s ratings as the company intends.
Drew McIntyre hasn’t even been WWE Champion for 24 hours but he already has challengers lining up for a shot at his title.
McIntyre spoke with Talk Sport after footage of him winning the title had aired and set-up a possible title defense against heavyweight boxing champion Tyson Fury.
“I know Tyson Fury is on the show today, as well. I need to bring up Fury because he was talking trash about me, so I know he’s coming on the show,” McIntyre said.
Fury is no stranger to facing top WWE stars. He defeated current Universal Champion Braun Strowman at Crown Jewel via count-out. Fury was also rumored to be in line to face Brock Lesnar at WrestleMania this year as well.
“Tell him ‘I saw what you said about me.’ He didn’t care who won the match [between Lesnar and I], he thought I was going to win and thinks he can smash me,” the new champion continued. “Just let him know ‘Fury I’ve won the championship, now I’m paying attention to you’.”
Fury, not one to stay quiet when another fighter is dropping his name, accepted McIntyre’s challenge. He even has an idea about where this bout could take place.
“Drew McIntyre has called me out after his WWE Wrestlemania 36 victory. First, I say congratulations and what a fantastic job. Secondly, I accept his challenge: any time, any place, anywhere. Europe/London.”
dmcintyrewwe has call me out after his @wwe Wrestlemania 36 victory, first I say congratulations and what a fantastic job. Secondly I accept his challenge, anytime any place, anywhere.???? @ Europe/London https://t.co/klmwMnq88c
The third bout between Deontay Wilder and Tyson Fury has been postponed. Originally scheduled for July 18th, the bout is now being targetting for October.
Drew McIntyre Championship Statistics
Drew McIntyre reached the ‘top of the mountain’ Sunday night by dethroning Brock Lesnar to become WWE Champion. It’s his first World Championship in WWE, but the 34-year-old stud has held a lot of gold during his 19 years in the pro wrestling industry.
The following is a breakdown of Drew McIntyre’s career championship history:
WWE Champion (1x, Current)
WWE Intercontinental Champion (1x)
NXT Champion (1x)
WWE Tag Team Champion (2x) w/ Cody Rhodes (1x) & Dolph Ziggler (1x)
Impact Grand Champion (1x)
TNA World Heavyweight Champion (1x)
ICW World Heavyweight Champion (2x)
FCW World Heavyweight Champion (1x)
Evolve Champion (1x)
Evolve Tag Team Champion (2x) w/ Johnny Gargano (1x) and w/ Chuck Taylor (1x)
One of the most talked-about matches of WrestleMania 36 was the FireFly Fun House match between John Cena and Bray Wyatt. Many have drawn comparisons between the cinematic elements of the FireFly Fun House match, the previous night’s Boneyard match, and the Broken Universe of Matt Hardy’s.
Hardy posted a congratulatory message on Twitter after the match aired. Posting a photo of himself with former tag team partner Bray Wyatt from a past WrestleMania, Hardy wrote, “Congratulations, my COMPEER.”
Fresh off his win over John Cena at WrestleMania, Bray Wyatt responded to Hardy with a series of black hearts.
Hardy also Tweeted about the Boneyard Match from WrestleMania 36 night 1:
“My twitter feed exploded. Thanks for all the love, folks.. I’m truly honored. Cinematic matches 100% work with the right characters, scenario & fanbase – I envisioned them as a new branch of pro wrestling years ago. Much like TLC did, The #BROKEN Universe will leave its mark.”
John Cena’s Greatest Fears Felt Inside The FireFly Fun House
John Cena appeared in the FireFly Fun House only briefly before exiting through a door with a sign reading “Abandon all hope ye who exit here.” The line is originally from Dante’s Divine Comedy. It is meant to convey the entrance to hell.
The match then featured Cena going through various fears he’d had throughout his career. His rookie year on Smackdown when he was almost fired, a heel turn that never happened, and his match against Wyatt at WM30 were all featured during the match in addition to other periods of his career.
Former WWE Superstar Enzo Amore/nZo recently appeared on the Chris Van Vliet podcast. The former Cruiserweight Champion would appear to answer a litany of questions from fans about his time in WWE, the independent scene and his religious beliefs.
During the interview Enzo was asked about his tag team partner Big Cass/Caz XL. Cass has had battles with depression over the past couple of years and Enzo has been with the former WWE Superstar throughout.
“We live in a world where you’re manipulated by a feeling”
Enzo Amore
Enzo Amore on Big Cass
“Oh, he’s been doing better. He’s doing so good” Enzo Amore began. “He’s killing it, he’s killing it. He just, he’s smart. Listen, Moses needed to walk away from the pharaohs of Egypt for 40 days before he came back. All right? To get the pharaoh out of his brain. And what do I mean by the ‘pharaoh out of his brain?’ We live in a world where you’re manipulated by a feeling. You know? Where people are literally subscribing to the notion that they need to feel some type of way, based on their environment, and their environment is constantly thrown in their face.”
New Podcast
Enzo Amore. Image Credit: WWE.com
Enzo Amore then revealed that he will be launching a new podcast soon via the Triller platform. “If you want to hear real? You can tune into my podcasts, which we’ll be launching very soon. I’ll take the free opportunity to advertise on your platform Chris!”
Amore confirmed that the new Triller based podcast will be called ‘How You Doin?’ A play off of his and Big Cass’ biggest catchphrase whilst in WWE. Amore has not confirmed any of the logistics of the podcast, although it is likely that he will be commenting on current events in professional wrestling. Enzo did also speak about the NWA brand during the Chris Van Vliet podcast; however, it is not confirmed if he has any official affiliation with the promotion.
The boneyard match between Undertaker and AJ Styles was the highlight of night 1 of WrestleMania 36 and its production received praise from the fans. Whatculture has a new report on the bout and it reveals some interesting details behind the production of this first-ever match between the two wrestling veterans.
Some photos of the match’s production have surfaced online as well which you can check out below.
The chosen location was in Florida, but it was reportedly not anywhere near the performance center. The company hired an outside production unit to build the set. It took five days to complete the whole thing and eight hours to shoot the match.
Triple H and Michael Hayes were in charge of the production. The set was originally intended to be used for a promo but the quality impressed the WWE executives when they arrived and the concept for the unique bout was born.
Using Metallica’s ‘Now That We’re Dead’ song was always the plan but the set up for Undertaker’s entrance was changed.
The original plans for his entrance included an abandoned ditch and a bridge as well but the production crew warned them that it was city property and the company did not have enough time to get the shooting permit.
Undertaker & Styles Improvised
Interestingly, the trash talk between the two stars which many believe added a layer to the match wasn’t part of the original script and it was improvised after both Taker and Styles requested for it.
Triple H happily obliged to this request and after seeing the results, the Game eventually encouraged the participants to do as much talking as they felt they should.
The Undertaker made the decision to re-shoot his window attack on AJ Styles from a different angle. However, he ended up smashing the glass in the process. Both the breaking of the glass and the blood spike from the Dead Man’s arm were unintentional.
The final moments of the match also had an improvised spot. AJ Styles’ hand that was coming out of the grave after Taker buried him was a prop that Triple H and Michael Hayes had spotted earlier and they wanted to use it in the match.
However, the Executives couldn’t figure out what to do with it until the end and this is where Undertaker stepped in. He suggested the use of the hand, which was a call back to his own desperate bid for survival back at In Your House: Buried Alive in October 1996.
It seems that the improvisations in this match worked out in the favor of the involving stars as it made the match more interesting and the bout has been receiving high praise from the fans and WWE stars alike.
After years of hard work, Drew McIntyre finally realized his life long dream when he beat Brock Lesnar for the WWE Championship at WrestleMania 36.
The former NXT Champion had gone from getting an early push in the company to becoming a jobber with 3MB and finally getting released in 2014 after failing to capitalize on his early success in the promotion.
Though he didn’t quit and the Scottish star worked hard to reinvent himself in the independent circuit. McIntyre then returned to the company with a revitalized work ethic in 2017 when he joined the NXT brand once again.
He had been on a journey to reclaim his place on the WWE
roster ever since and the former Intercontinental Champion faced his biggest
challenge yet when he went up against The Beast in the main event of
WrestleMania 36.
Though he overcame this challenge as well and Drew McIntyre finally became the WWE Champion after beating Brock Lesnar with not one but four Claymore kicks.
The newly crowned world champion made his first comments on his victory on Twitter. He quoted his old theme song and dedicated his win over Lesnar to the fans, saying that he made his broken dreams come true for them:
It’s not known what WWE is planning for Drew McIntyre after this championship win but we should get an idea about his first challenger on this week’s episode of Monday Night Raw.
Drew McIntyre has dethroned “The Beast” Brock Lesnar to capture the WWE Championship in dramatic fashion.
McIntyre did so at night 2 of this year’s WWE WrestleMania pay-per-view event from Orlando, Florida. This mark’s McIntyre’s first reign as a World Champion in WWE.
The match was all about finishers. In a short match, Lesnar hit three F5’s while McIntyre connected with four Claymore Kicks to win the title.
This comes after McIntyre won the 2020 Men’s Royal Rumble Match at the pay-per-view event in Houston, Texas. In fact, with the help of Ricochet, McIntyre eliminated “The Beast” from the contest.
As a result of that victory, McIntyre cashed in his ticket to challenge Lesnar for the strap at the biggest event of the year for WWE.
Lesnar’s reign as WWE Champion started on October 4, 2019 when he beat Kofi Kingston for it on Friday Night SmackDown. This show marked the first episode on FOX and the 20 Anniversary Show.
In recent months, McIntyre has turned into a big babyface for the company. With this win, it only solidified his position in the company going forward as the face of the red brand.
What are your thoughts on Drew McIntyre winning the WWE Title from Brock Lesnar? Was this the right call by WWE officials?
John Cena vs. Bray Wyatt in a rematch at WWE’s biggest event of the year was one of the more unique segments to take place under the WWE banner.
There wasn’t a clear cut winner but it appears that Wyatt got his revenge by apparently beating the former WWE Champion.
They did a time warp where Cena reenacted his WWE debut in his old gear where he was supposed to slap Wyatt just like he did Kurt Angle in 2002 but Cena failed to do so. They did an old school Saturday Night’s Main Event skit where they were bodybuilders.
The next trip was Cena bringing back his rapper gimmick where he did some rhymes and Wyatt cut a promo about how Cena is a bully and will do anything for fame. Wyatt laid him out with a chain.
Wyatt then dressed up as his old gimmick and cut a promo about Cena was supposed to be a man of the people. He was in a barn-like structure. Wyatt wanted Cena to hit him with a chair because he didn’t do it at WrestleMania 30. Cena swung and Wyatt disappeared.
This led to Wyatt dressing up as Eric Bischoff and Cena dressed in NWO gear while acting like Hulk Hogan. Cena finally attacked him until Wyatt disappeared and came out dressed as The Fiend. He hit Sister Abigail then choked him out with the Mandible Claw to end the match. There was never the sound of the bell.
This comes after Cena beat Wyatt at WrestleMania 30 in 2014 from the Mercedes-Benz Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana. At the time, many fans thought Wyatt should’ve gone over in the contest. Years later, they finally got their wish granted.
Wyatt vs. Roman Reigns and Cena vs. Elias were reportedly scheduled for the show but plans changed when the decision to have Wyatt drop the Universal Title to Goldberg at Super ShowDown.
The reign as WWE SmackDown Women’s Champion Bayley has been extended.
Bayley successfully retained at the WWE WrestleMania 36 pay-per-view event on Sunday night. A five-pack challenge match was booked with Bayley, Banks, Lacey Evans, Tamina, and Naomi.
Tamina was the first to be eliminated after a reunion with Team Bad. Banks eliminated Naomi after making her tap out. Evans eliminated Banks with the Women’s Right. Banks came back down to the ring and hit the back stabber that allowed Bayley to pin Evans to win the match.
While fans had hoped to finally see a one-on-one encounter between Bayley and Banks after all of these years, WWE had a different plan in mind.
WWE had Paige make an appearance via Skype on the March 20th episode of Friday Night SmackDown. This is where she did a segment with Bayley and Banks.
It was announced that Bayley would defend her title in the contest. Originally, Dana Brooke was supposed to be in the contest. However, she was ill and quarantined. Thus, she was pulled from the championship match.
What are your thoughts on Bayley retaining the WWE SmackDown Women’s Title? Was this the right call by WWE officials? Sound off in the comment section.
After months of building, Edge vs. Randy Orton took place.
It happened at the WWE WrestleMania 36 pay-per-view event in Orlando, Florida in a Last Man Standing Match that saw the WWE Hall of Famer go over.
The two stars fought all over the training facility. From the backstage area to the weight room. Orton at one point hit a DDT on the back of a truck. Edge jumped off a structure to send Orton through a table after hitting an elbow drop.
At one point, they climbed up onto an equipment truck where Edge hit a spear. Moments later, Orton hit an RKO on top of the truck. The finish saw Edge place a chair pinned under Orton’s head and then smashing it with another chair. The match went for nearly 40 minutes.
The Edge vs. Randy Orton feud kicked off when Edge competed in the Men’s Royal Rumble Match from the Minute Maid Park in Houston, Texas back in January. He entered at #21 and made it to the final three but was eliminated after nearly 25-minutes.
The following night on Monday Night RAW, the former WWE Champion was attacked by Orton. This led to Edge being off TV for several weeks after receiving the beatdown.
What are your thoughts on Edge going over Randy Orton? Was this the right call by WWE officials? Sound off in the comment section.
It turns out that it wasn’t the night of WWE NXT Women’s Champion Rhea Ripley as she was dethroned by Flair.
Ripley dropped the title to the former RAW and SmackDown Women’s Champion at the WWE WrestleMania 36 pay-per-view event in Orlando, Florida.
This marks the second time that Flair has held the NXT Women’s Title. It was a back and forth affair that opened the show.
It all started back on the February 3rd episode of RAW when Flair came out for the second straight week to reveal who she would be challenging at WrestleMania 36.
Ripley interrupted by walking out to the ring. Ripley cut a promo about how Flair has beaten many top stars but never defeated her. In fact, Ripley brought up how she holds a win over Flair.
Flair won the 30-Woman Royal Rumble Match at the WWE Royal Rumble pay-per-view event in Houston, Texas at the Minute Maid Park. As a result, she had the right to challenge for any title in WWE such as the RAW, SmackDown, and NXT Women’s Championship.
Ripley retained the title over Bianca Belair at the WWE NXT TakeOver: Portland event from the Moda Center in Portland, Oregon. Post-match, Flair made her way through the crowd and attacked Belair. She cut a promo about how she would see Ripley at Mania.
Night 2 of WrestleMania 36 aired from the Performance Center in Orlando. Brock Lesnar defended his WWE Championship against Drew McIntyre in the main event.
WWE WrestleMania 36 Night 2 Results
Liv Morgan def. Natalya (Kickoff Show)
Charlotte Flair def. Rhea Ripley to become NXT Women’s Champion
Aleister Black def. Bobby Lashley
Otis def. Dolph Ziggler
Edge def. Randy Orton
Gronk won the 24/7 Championship
Street Profits def. Angel Garza & Austin Theory to retain the RAW Tag Titles
Bayley def. Sasha Banks, Naomi, Tamina, Lacey Evans to retain the SmackDown Women’s Championship
The Fiend def. John Cena
Drew McIntyre def. Brock Lesnar to win the WWE Championship
Here are 8 takeaways from WrestleMania 36 (Night 2)
Charlotte Flair Is The New NXT Women’s Champion
Rhea Ripley defended her NXT Women’s Championship against Charlotte Flair tonight at WrestleMania.
Match Recap: Charlotte took Rhea down and mocked her by shouting “this is our NXT Champion”. Ripley got up but Flair tripped her up once again. Rhea booted Charlotte away and Flair laughed in the corner.
The two superstars locked up in the middle of the ring and then started trash talking. Flair unloaded a couple of chops but Rhea battled back with a boot to the face. Rhea hit Riptide out of nowhere and went for the cover but Flair kicked out at two. Charlotte rolled out of the ring to regroup as Ripley began taunting her.
Ripley chased Flair around the ring and back inside. Charlotte stomped away on Ripley’s ribs on the apron before Rhea grabbed a hold of Flair’s hair. Ripley dragged Charlotte to the outside and hit her with a Cannonball off the steel steps.
Back in the ring, Ripley hit a Dropkick and drove her shoulder into Flair’s ribs in the corner. Ripley bashed Charlotte’s face off the canvas and followed it up with a Suplex for a near fall. Ripley sent Flair to the apron and went for a big boot but Flair dodged it. Charlotte ripped at Ripley’s leg dangling on the top rope and began focusing her attack on it.
Charlotte stomped away on Ripley’s leg as she yelled in pain. Ripley hit a punch but Charlotte knocked her back down with a kick to the knee. Flair slammed Ripley’s knee into the post and tried to do it again but Rhea countered and sent Charlotte into the steel. Flair hobbled back in the ring and knocked Ripley back down with a chop block.
Ripley went for a roll-up but Flair kicked out at one. Ripley slammed Flair to the canvas and bought herself some time. Charlotte booted Rhea in the again and went for chop but Ripley blocked it. Ripley unloaded some knees to the face and followed it up with a kick to the side of Charlotte’s head.
Rhea hit Flair with a Dropkick and three Clotheslines in a row. Flair sent Ripley to the apron and booted her in the knee. Ripley crashed to the floor as Charlotte had a grin on her face. Flair was about to go for her Moonsault but Ripley hopped up and slammed her to the canvas for a near fall.
Charlotte hit Ripley with a right hand but Rhea battled back with an elbow to the face. Ripley hit a Dropkick off the top rope and went for the cover but Charlotte kicked out at two. Flair dodged a big boot and hit Ripley with a chop block. Charlotte went back to work on Ripley’s left knee and was trying to lock in the Figure Four but Rhea countered into a Standing Cloverleaf in the middle of the ring.
Flair crawled across the ring and reached for the ropes but Ripley brought her back to the center. Charlotte escaped and went for the Figure Four but Rhea booted her in the face. Flair then locked in a Boston Crab in the middle of the ring. Ripley countered into a roll-up for two count to break the hold.
Ripley beat Flair down in the corner before perching her up on the top turnbuckle. Rhea went for a Superplex but Charlotte held onto the ropes and sent Ripley to the mat. Charlotte went for a Moonsault but Ripley got her knees up. Flair hit a Spear out of nowhere and went for the cover but Ripley kicked out at the last moment and the match continued. Charlotte locked in the Figure Four in the middle of the ring and bridged into the Figure Eight for the submission victory.
Opinion: I thought this was an excellent match. Flair focused on the knee and Ripley did all she could but in the end it was not enough. I would have preferred to see Ripley keep the title and get the big win but maybe she is going to become sent to RAW or SmackDown after tonight. Either way, not liking the outcome shouldn’t take away from the terrific match that this was.
Aleister Black squared off against Bobby Lashley at WrestleMania 36. Lana was ringside for the match.
Match Recap: Lashley controlled the action early and beat Black down against the ropes. Aleister knocked Lashley out of the ring and made his way to the top rope. Black went for a Moonsault but Lashley got out of the way and planted Aleister with a Belly to Back Suplex.
Bobby sent Black into the barricade before rolling him back in the ring. Lashley went for a Suplex but Aleister escaped to the ring apron. Black connected with a kick but Lashley shrugged it off and hit a Powerslam for a near fall. Black connected with a Moonsault but Lashley quickly battled back and hit a Crossbody.
Lana climbed up on the steel steps and demanded that Lashley hit the Spear. Aleister countered with a Black Mass for the pinfall victory. Lashley and Lana glared at each other after the match.
Dolph Ziggler battled Otis at WrestleMania 36. Sonya Deville accompanied Dolph to the ring.
Match Recap: Ziggler avoided Otis before leveling him with a Superkick that knocked the big man out of the ring. Ziggler slammed Otis into the ring post and rolled him back into the ring. Dolph went for a cover but Otis kicked out at one.
Dolph connected with a Dropkick for another one count. Ziggler hit Otis with an Elbow Drop and then trapped Otis in a Headlock. Otis escaped and launched Dolph into the turnbuckle. Otis hit Dolph with a Clothesline and followed it up with a Body Slam.
Otis threw Ziggler out of the ring and then into the barricade. Otis went for the Caterpillar but Sonya Deville hopped on the apron for a distraction. Ziggler capitalized with a low blow and Otis collapsed to the canvas.
Mandy Rose marched down the entrance ramp and attacked Sonya Deville. Rose got in the ring and hit Dolph with a low blow as the referee was distracted. Otis hit the Caterpillar Elbow for the pinfall victory. After the match, Mandy gave Otis a hug and raised his hand. Otis then picked up Mandy and they kissed to end the match.
Opinion: The crowd reaction would have been epic during this moment. The match itself was forgettable but Otis finally getting the girl was great. I’ve enjoyed this storyline and I still want to know who was the masked man that revealed the truth.
Orton bashed Edge over the head with the camera and he tumbled over the barricade. Randy brought Edge to the gym area in the Performance Center and continued to beat him down.
Edge battled back with a kick to the face and set him up on a computer chair. Edge swung off a weight machine and landed on Orton. Randy and Edge traded punches to the face before exiting the gym.
Orton and Edge battled in the production area. Edge slammed Orton into a garage door but Randy got out at the count of four. Orton launched Edge off the stage and into the barricade but Edge got up at nine.
Randy brought Edge to the office areas in the Performance Center and slammed him into a wall. Edge and Orton battled on top of a gigantic steel table. Edge scaled a fence that was randomly on the ceiling and hit an Elbow Drop.
Orton sent Edge into a wall and Edge accidentally knocked the camera man down. Randy slammed Edge on a storage cart and followed it up with some punches to the face. Edge beat Orton down and set him up on a table. Edge climbed up a ladder and hit Orton with an Elbow Drop through the table.
They then climbed on top of a storage truck and Orton set up for an RKO. Edge blocked it and hit Orton with a Spear. Orton got up at nine and planted Edge with an RKO. Orton climbed down as Edge was able to get up at the last second.
Orton brought a couple of chairs on top of the truck that were laying around next to possibly the largest ladder in the world. Randy tried to hit Edge as the referee shouted “he has family!” but Edge got out of the way. Edge choked out Randy and put his head on top of a steel chair. Edge started crying before hitting Orton with the Con-Chair-To for the victory.
Opinion: This was the match I was looking forward to the most at this year’s WrestleMania. Unfortunately, I thought it dragged on and didn’t live up to expectations. Byron Saxon and Tom Phillips must have called this match next to a sleeping baby or something because they brought zero energy. It became enraging to listen to them call this like a golf tournament. I’m glad Edge is back and hopefully he has better moments and matches moving forward. Orton and Edge tried their ass off but it just didn’t work in my opinion.
Street Profits Retained & Bianca Belair Made Her WrestleMania Debut
Street Profits defended their RAW Tag Team Championships against Austin Theory and Angel Garza. Zelina was ringside for the match.
Match Recap: Angelo Dawkins hit Theory with a shoulder tackle to start it off. Montez Ford tagged in and hit Theory with a Dropkick. Angel Garza came into the ring and got a Dropkick to the face as well.
Theory and Garza battled back and isolated Dawkins in the corner. Montez eventually got the tag and hit Garza with a Standing Moonsault for a near fall. Ford planted Angel with a DDT and went for the cover but Austin broke it up at two.
Ford knocked Theory out of the ring and Montez flipped onto him and his own partner. Angel Garza climbed to the top rope and Moonsaulted onto the Street Profits. Back in the ring, Theory connected with the TKO on Dawkins. Ford flew off the top rope and hit Austin with a Frog Splash. Angelo then pinned Theory to retain the titles.
After the match, Garza, Theory, and Zelina Vega attacked Street Profits. Bianca Belair came down to the ring for the save and planted Vega with the KO.
Bayley put her SmackDown Women’s Championship on the line against Sasha Banks, Naomi, Tamina, and Lacey Evans in a Fatal 5-Way Elimination match.
Match Recap: Tamina dominated early even though everyone tried to beat her down. Tamina got knocked out of the ring and Bayley & Banks attacked Lacey in the corner. Naomi and Lacey then teamed out and knocked Banks and Bayley down with a couple of Dropkicks.
Tamina got back in the ring and once again dominated. Team B.A.D. reunited for a moment before Tamina hit Banks with a Superkick. Naomi hit Tamina with a Stunner and Lacey Evans followed it up with a Moonsault for a two count. Everyone hopped on top of Tamina to pin her.
Bayley stomped on Naomi in the corner of the ring and shoved her boot in her face. Naomi connected with a Stunner on Bayley and then the Rear View on Banks. Naomi applied a submission hold to Banks but Bayley broke it up. Sasha applied the Bank Statement and Naomi tapped out.
We were now down to Banks, Bayley, and Lacey Evans. Banks and Bayley Powerbombed Evans and went for a cover but Lacey kicked out at two. Bayley tried to hit Lacey with a knee to the face but accidentally hit Sasha. Bayley then caught Lacey with a knee to the face for a near fall.
Sasha Banks got into the ring and got in Bayley’s face. Bayley said it was a mistake and Evans caught Sasha with the Woman’s Right for the pinfall elimination. Bayley watched the elimination and didn’t try and break it up. Lacey hit Bayley with three Clotheslines in a row and followed it up with a Neckbreaker.
Bayley launched Lacey into the ring post and went for the cover but Evans kicked out at two. Evans knocked Bayley down and saluted on the middle rope. Evans hopped on to the top rope and hit a Moonsault but Bayley kicked out at two.
Sasha hopped in the ring and hit Evans with a Backstabber. Bayley then hit the Rose Plant for the pinfall victory. Bayley is still the SmackDown Women’s Champion. Sasha Banks put the title on her and raised her hand after the match.
John Cena faced Bray Wyatt in a Firefly Fun House match. Cena came to the entrance ramp was about to say “welcome to WrestleMania!” but was interrupted by Bray Wyatt. Bray then opened the door and when he closed it Cena was in the Fun House.
Cena opened the door and stepped into a dark room. The Vince McMahon puppet appeared and started poking Cena. The puppet asked John if he has enough ruthless aggression to succeed in this company and demanded that he show him or he is fired.
Bray Wyatt then did a Kurt Angle impression and challenged anyone in the locker room to come down to the ring. John Cena came down to the ring in his old gear and stood across from Wyatt. Bray asked Cena what makes him think he has what it takes to face him and Cena shouted “ruthless aggression!”.
Wyatt ducked and sang Nikki Bella’s theme. McMahon puppet “Mr. McBossman” and Mercy the Buzzard were then on commentary for Saturday Night’s Main Event. Muscle Man Wyatt appeared with Cena and they cut a promo together. John did so many curls until he couldn’t lift his arms anymore.
Bray asked Cena “whatcha gonna do brother when you realize egomania has been running wild on you?”. John transitioned into the Dr. of Thuganomics and rapped a diss about Husky Harris. Cena added that Bray is a slut for opportunity and is blowing every chance.
Wyatt stated he has heard everything in life and still they are taking. Bray said Cena is the golden goose and gets unlimited chance. He claimed Cena was a bully and a horrible person. Cena threw a packet of nuts at Bray’s face and charged at him. Bray wrapped a steel chain around his fist and punched him in the face.
Bray brought up the fans wanting him at WrestleMania 30 and that it was supposed to be prophecy fulfilled but instead is his grandest failure. Wyatt added that it was time to re-write his own story and tried to hit Cena with the Sister Abigail. Wyatt handed Cena a chair and dared him to swing. Cena obliged and Bray disappeared.
All of the sudden, we were in an episode of WCW Nitro and Wyatt was in a NWO shirt and a leather jacket. Wyatt did a Bischoff impression and introduced John. Cena came down to the ring like Hollywood Hogan and the McMahon puppet said this was such good shit. Cena tacked Wyatt and beat him down but The Fiend then appeared behind John. The Fiend locked in the Mandible Claw as Cena’s own quote from SmackDown where he called Wyatt over-hyped. The Fiend hit the Sister Abigail and applied the Mandible Claw once again. Bray appeared and counted to three to end the match.
Opinion: I enjoyed the hell out of this. The McMahon puppet saying “this is such good shit” was absolutely hilarious. I’m sure there are people that hate creative things like this in wrestling but I’m not one of them. I hope WWE continues to do different segments like this from time to time.
Drew McIntyre ConqueredLesnar To Become WWE Champion
Brock Lesnar defended the WWE Championship in the main event of WrestleMania 36. Paul Heyman was ringside for the match.
Match Recap: Lesnar ran at McIntyre and Drew hit him with a Claymore Kick right away. Drew went for the cover but Lesnar kicked out at two. Drew went for another Claymore but Brock avoided it and took McIntyre to Suplex City.
Lesnar connected with an F5 but McIntyre kicked out at one. Brock hit another F5 and this time McIntyre kicked out at two. Lesnar hit a third F5 and went for a cover but McIntyre kicked out again.
Heyman shouted at Lesnar to keep doing it because eventually McIntyre will stay down. Lesnar lifted McIntyre up for another F5 but Drew escaped. McIntyre hit Lesnar with three Claymore Kicks in a row for the pinfall victory. Drew McIntyre is the new WWE Champion. WrestleMania 36 went off the air with McIntyre saying everyone is here with him tonight while posing with the title on the turnbuckle.
Opinion: This was a great moment for Drew McIntyre and it sucked that it happened with no crowd. McIntyre has worked so hard to get to this spot and it was awesome to see him rewarded for it. Overall, I enjoyed Night 1 more than Night 2 but there were still some entertaining moments tonight.
