Wrestling Discussion Thread

What a Wrestlemania that was! My head is still spinning about the undertaker result, I keep thinking "where will this go?" as it's a type finish where you expect to see more but we all know Taker is done & in all honesty should've end many mania's ago.

It's not the streak ending that gets me to me at all its how that it just seemed go out with a wimper.

Great show. Quickly running through it, the opening hour was immense; The Shield looked sharp for the five minutes they were out there; the Battle Royal was good fun with a logical result (desperately wanted somebody under 30 to win), Cena/Wyatt wasn't the psychological masterpiece I think tried to book it as but wasn't too bad all the same; the Divas match was as poor as predicted; and the main event was really enjoyable, within the context of the match itself...

...but nobody will be talking about that stuff.

I don't think I've ever been so shocked by anything (scripted) in pro wrestling. Thinking about it, Undertaker losing to Lesnar was more unbelievable than Foley falling off the top of Hell In A Cell, or Bret Hart and Shawn Michaels shaking hands in the middle of the ring, or even Hogan turning heel at Bash at the Beach. Just shocking. Utterly stunned when it happened - who could have seen it coming?  

At the time, I got the feeling that they called an audible in the ring - I just didn't see there being any way that if they knew Undertaker was going out after this that it wouldn't be the last match on. Thinking back, what with the graphic of '21-1' coming up on the screen right away, it's only really hitting me now that, yeah, that's really it. Perhaps what's added to the shock and outpouring of emotion over it was the way in which the streak ended: that was a slow, uninteresting, plodding match, and certainly not of the caliber I expected of The Undertaker at WrestleMania. Two streaks came to an end: the undefeated one, and Undertaker's WM 'Match of the Night' one that had been running since, in my opinion, 2007).

Strangely, it still feels like such a loss. I personally expected The Streak to be unblemished forever, as a mark of respect for an absolute legend in wrestling. Seven hours on, I've got one overriding feeling about it: much like after WWF turned Austin heel in the main event of WM 17, I feel this a decision they're going to bitterly regret in years to come.

Phenominal. Utterly phenominal.

I couldn't name a weak match or segment. Everyone looked great. New talent was put over. The best worker in the company today has the title. And the streak ends in the most unpredictable way possible. Yes that match wasn't great especially after his clashes with HBK / HHH / Punk, but the ending worked. Everyone was gobsmacked and I believe the opposite of you Cappuccino, that when the dust settles and the knee-jerk "mah streak" stuff has passed, people will be fine with it. If it didn't end people would always want "one more match" and if he had a "you lose you quit" match it'd be obvious he was going. I see it as representing the end of one era and the beginning of a new one in WWE, and I'm the most excited and invested in the product since Summer of Punk.

Really great Mania, bordering on the best.

Triple H vs D-Bry was cracking. There was never any real doubt of the result, but it was exactly what it needed to be - Bryan getting put over clean in the middle in a solid match.

The Shield vs Team 1998, again, was what it needed to be. The Shield looked great squashing them. I still wish the Shield had a better match at Mania after the year they've had, but ah well.

Loved the Battle Royal. It was a bit clusterfucky at the beginning as all battle royals are, but once the field cleared out it was a brilliant spectacle. Cesaro slamming the Giant in front of 80000 Real Americans was a great visual.

Wyatt vs Cena was a great bit of storytelling. For a moment I genuinely was wondering if Cena was going to lose it and let his hatred flow through him and join the Dark Side, but that hug at the end proved why that can never happen. The loss doesn't hurt Wyatt much either - he looked amazing, the crowd waving and singing with him was eerie and I guarantee the post-Mania Raw crowd will cement him as a star tonight.

Taker vs Lesnar - shocking. Shocking as in how ploddingly paced and ultimately bad it was, but more shocking because we've witnessed the end to the biggest thing in professional wrestling. I've read all the pros and cons of the move, and I imagine you have as well, so I won't go into them. I'm still thinking about it though, which is a testament to how legitimately shocking it was.

Divas clusterfuck. Eh, it happened. At least AJ retained.

The triple threat. Great match. I was concerned that the crowd would be too shocked to properly get hype for the title match, but eventually - probably around that crazy Batista Bomb RKO table spot - they perked up. Bryan winning wasn't in any real jeopardy after the Streak ending, but it was a brilliant sight nonetheless.

All in all, a truly unforgettable night.

So I wasn't sure to watch or not, I'm glad I did but maybe for the wrong reasons.

Pleased to see Stone Cold at the start, then what a way to kick the show off with Byran v HHH, best match of the night worth watching for that.

The 6-man tag was a none event really, 10 mins of the shield cleaning house.

The battle royal was decent, I'm getting bored of the Kofi stuff. The end was fitting and this can only help push Cesaro.

Cena V Bray, wanted bray to win loved his entrance. Also did think they might finally heel turn Cena but the end showed why they can't.

Now the shocker, I looked at the betting before hand Taker I think was 1/16. So no one saw the lose coming, I don't mind the streak ending and on 30th year seems more fitting then 32nd. But it's who it was to is my problem a part-timer (yes so is taker) with no real build up. I would of sooner saw Cena much as I hate him end it to cemented his legacy, Punk maybe last year or the dream Sting ending it. The last one was the least likely and none of those will never happen now as that can only be the end of Taker. So HOF2015 Taker much be a shoe-in, to me the main inductee. Also now makes me wonder about matches for WM31 and the future as there's always been a Taker match and now with only one world title seems a lot to feel with things like the battle royal. And what are WWE going to do with Sting now apart from the rumored GM role which seems a waste. Also if I was Punk I would be rather pissed of and would not be coming back.

I did joke at the time about TNA's rating going to be high on Thursday to then see tweets from MVP saying watch impact on Thursday night right after that match, I wouldn't be surprised if it did go up now.

Diva's match didn't see much off as I was ranting on twitter, but glad AJ won and didn't get screwed because of Punk but that's going to be the problem now as when she does lose there's going to be backlash about how she got screwed because of Punk.

The world title match took awhile to get going because of the crowd was still in shock, but when it did after the RKOBomb on Bryan it did. I thought the medical team was coming down for randy after landing on a monitor awkwardly but then it was all a work for bryan. Over the moon he's won but do feel a bit sorry for him as he now has the whole company on his shoulders and maybe for the wrong reasons now.

So I'm glad I watched for the historic factor but still pissed about it.

So Paige did make her debut and won the Divas title, I did think at one point it was going to be tag title to change hands but nope. Am I right in thinking Mickie James won the title on her debut. Also AJ with the best Diva in the world CM Punk pop, I can't think anyone can say she got screwed last night though.

No Goodbye as yet but if Taker is in hospital, you can understand why.

No title for Cesaro but putting Heyman with him can only be a good thing.

Well still no Sting, will it happen. We did get a return of RVD.

The fans were loud all night, also next PPV fatal four way for world title maybe or some big 8-man tag coming up

That was magic. It felt sort of like the RAW after WrestleMania XIV - a "changing of the guard"/"fresh bluuuuuuuuuuuuud is coming in" kind of way. There's much to discuss that was (or was at least presented as) new. Good stuff all around.

Even more so that against the Wyatts or (in my fantasy booking land) the NWO, The Shield Vs. Evolution could be the biggest feud in years if they roll with it. Cannot wait for the eventual confrontation. Bryan, Kane and everyone else involved was great too.

Cesaro is the f**king man. Adding Heyman to his act is a masterstroke. This could be everything that the Curtis Axel push was not. I can genuinely see Cesaro in the main event mix now.

He's going to do WONDERS for Cesaro.

Heyman being Cesaro's new manager is awesome, as was his promo with Lesnar. Crowd were on top form the whole night. Cool to see Barrett wrestling again. Wyatt-Cena looks like its going the distance, and the main event scene is a hotbed right now.

Not all good news though. Rusev looks distinctly meh. The random burial of the Usos was pointless. And RVD returning is cool but where the heck is he gonna fit on a now burgeoning program. Same for the other inbound NXT talent like Dallas and Rose (because Emma and Xavier are doing so well...)

And that Divas segment. Gah. I don't watch NXT, but even I knew after last night Paige had to debut tonight, and that bit was just weird. Paige being totally submissive, a match consisting of a few hits into Black Widow countered into botch finisher. It devalued Paige, it devalued AJ, and it devalued the title and division. I know great things will happen in the future with these two, and I'm happy Paige has the belt, I just wish they'd been allowed to actually wrestle for 5 minutes. Sigh.

I don't think it devalued AJ or Paige at all, this is just the beginning to their story and unlike any other diva "feud" it could seriously go for a good while which is what the division has been truly missing.

Also show me your papers

Loving that Cesaro is now a Heyman guy, it was a genuine disbelief moment for me and that ending was brilliant, honestly didn't see Shield going this way.