Bradley

Just finished the first match, I would appreciate it if no-one posts spoilers like I CAN'T BELIEVE ______ WON!11!!

'Mania's on the other page, I highly recommend that you should read it...

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DH

Legend, you are the man. That show was absolutely amazing.

I'll have a review up eventually. Just ... wow.

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CM Dealer

I'll try to get a review up, although it will take a long time.

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MADERAS
AIRAI
MALAKAI
WHATEVER THE SHIT TEAM IN ALL-STARS WAS

Richie

That was amazing.







Best match of the night - Shane/Orton OR the Triple threat match.

Just amazing.

Kames

The show looks amazing Legend! I've never really followed your thread before, or even read a show, but i'm going to read WrestleMania, or try to, as i've already started on it. I will try to get you some comments up for it, but it will probably be two or so weeks before i get the whole show read. It looks really great. Your the man.

PatMan

WRESTLEMANIA TWENTY-TWO FEEDBACK~!

Awesome video package to start the show, the narration was so cool. The usual shots and clips and sound bites of each major superstar were expected but it still blended together very well. The hype from the commentators only made me MORE excited for the show. Joey Styles joining Cole and Tazz? Sounds good to me. Let’s get the action underway!

United States Championship Match
Awesome choice to kick off the show. A feud that has been going for a long time but not too big of a match that it needs to be later in the show. Rey is focused as hell and that is good to see … we have seen enough of him just playing to the crowd. Booker holding up the pinkie? King Booker on the way, imo. Glad to see that the match got going right away … no use in wasting time with staredowns and circling the ring. Good action to start, with both men getting in some nice moves. Booker starts the isolate the knee and that is what he continue to do throughout the match, making Rey a little less explosive. Very good use of finishing/high impact moves in the latter stages of the match, I loved Rey hitting the Scissors Kick! Booker and Rey both kick out of some impressive moves and they head outside the ring, where Booker tries to get counter out … but Rey won’t have it! I thought Rey was done after the spinebuster but He kicks out! Awesome match to this point and Booker is looking for the kill, going for the Scissors Kick … but Rey moves and snaps off a hurricarana … Rey gets the win!! Awesome ending to the match that made the fans happy with the Rey win and also makes Booker look strong. Rey’s celebration was very good and I like how Booker T is showing a little bit of psychotic symptoms … hardcore heel from now on? Great way to start the show and if this is an indication for the rest of the night … we are in for a treat. ***1/2

Orton is the greatest character in this thread, imo. He has a huge match with Shane tonight and I know that win or lose, something big is going down for Orton.

Cena as the bad-ass focuser is so much better than what WWE does. Cena is ready … but he ain’t getting the title quite yet.

Money in the Bank Ladder Match
I almost forgot about the news that you posted that said Buffer was coming to WM22 and the interaction with KENNEDY was so worth having Buffer in the ring. KK owns the announcing legend and it was funny how he “innocently” let Buffer get back to the center of the stage. No surpsie that this match starts with some CRAZY action, MITB matches never disappoint, tbh. Chavo looked strong as hell in the beginning and then we didn’t really see one man in command for a long period of time for the rest of the match. Some crazy moves off and onto the ladders as some of the best were when Chavo hit the Frog Splash, KK hit the Green Bay Plunge, and Hardy’s numerous high impact moves from the top. Finlay definetly got the worst of the match, but that isn’t very surprising. Finlay does whatever he can to make the officials happy and it was good to see him take such a beating. Chavo and Matt are the two on the ladder and they look set to battle it out … but CARLITO jumps onto the ladder~! Chavo falls down to the mat below! Apple into the face of Matt … and down he goes! Carlito reaches up … and ‘Lito is the SECOND EVER MITB WINNER~!!~!! Huge shock in this match, imo … I was sure that either Hardy or KK would get the win. I am assuming that Carly will have a MITB “reign” similar to Edge’s IRL … he needs a very long time to develop into the main event. Very good match, awesome to see the mid-card guys get the attention. ***3/4

Spirit Squad have been OWNING since they came into the thread. Kenny will split from the group first, that much is obvious, the man has talent on the mic and in the ring. Awesome lines and I like how it was just like the Todd Grisham promo from a few weeks ago. I don’t see the SS retaining however. WGTT to hold the belts for a month or two.

World Tag Team Championship Match
I love how the WGTT came out with the old school tracksuits … purely awesome, tbh. The SS mimicking Haas and Benjamin is also very clever … shows just how great they are. Good choices to have Johnny and Kenny get the nod … clearly the best two members of the five-man squad. Very good action early on, with Kenny taking center stage and trying to prove to everyone how great he is. Some awesome counters and near falls to start the match but it is only a matter of time before the SS make their presence known on the outside, cheating to help Johnny and Kenny. Great back and forth action throughout and some of the moves that were pulled off were simply phenomenal. Haas hitting a moonsault to break up the pinfall was probably my favorite … UNTIL YOU DEBUTED THE RK-DOANE~! That is the coolest name for a move and I hope that Kenny continues using it … could make him even better. I thought the SS had the match won on several occasions, as it seemed like all the outside interference would help them (I’m disappointed that Coach didn’t get involved ), but the WGTT never gave up heading into the home stretch. Awesome sequence and we could have seen the beginning of the end for the cheerleaders, as Kenny nails Johnny on accident with the huge leg drop. Haas locks in the Haas of Pain and just when it looked like the SS would retain … CHARLIE AND SHELTON ARE THE NEW TAG CHAMPS!! Much better match than I ever could have imagined from these two and it was great to see the reunited team hold the gold again. Should have a nice run as champs, probably for about one-two months, before the feud between them begins. Hope the SS stay together but I could easily see Kenny leaving the group. ***1/2

Punk on Friday nights? Smackdown! just got that much better. Slow, easy push plz.

Rey won his title … now he tells Noble without words to go out there and take his own. Noble has built for this for some time and I love how everyone is encouraging him, should be an awesome contest.

Cruiserweight Championship Match
Probably one of the best CW Title feuds in BTB history, right up there with Mac’s feud between Mysterio and Daniels, as well as Wolfy’s feud between London and Kidman. The build has been phenomenal, let’s just hope that the match can live up to the expectations. I like the way that Noble showed he is the bigger man, trying to get the handshake … but Kash was his usual badass self … slapping Noble across the face! These two have such awesome chemistry together I love how well their characters blend as well. Both are prototypical faces/heels and they really showed that during this match. Nothing really big happened the first ten minutes or so of this match, as both men kick out of pin attempts relatively quickly. Kash really dominated the middle portion of the match, hitting some big moves for nearfalls, while Noble is really only able to barely stay alive and get some rollups. Northern Lights suplex from Kash to Noble sounded sick … but Jamie got the shoulder up! Kash uses his feet on the ropes for extra leverage … but the referee sees the CW Champion and stops the count! Money Maker Piledriver … this should do it … Noble gets the shoulder up! The submission was what I thought would do Noble in … but he continues to fight … and gets out of it! Tiger Driver off the top rope … NOBLE WINS THE CW TITLE!! Noble finally overcomes Kash and the power has shifted dramatically in the CW division. The celebration by Noble and the other wrestlers at the end was a great “feel good” moment for the new champ. This feud still has one match left, imo … I hope it is as good as the one we just witnessed. ****1/4

Awkward situation ensuing between ‘Lito and Masters, imo. I know you said in my thread that you don’t like the feud between the two so you won’t be going that way … would you? Interested to see how CCC handles holding MITB.

Mickie seems to be in one of those moods. I DO see her calling the match down the middle, as she won’t be turning heel quite yet. No Mac reference? You gotta get back at him for the all Beth stuff!

Women’s Championship Match
Not sure at all what is going to happen with Mickie as the referee. She could go either way () and I think she will determine the winner. Should be an awesome match with a nice twist. Cool start to the match with Victoria as the cocky challenger and that hurts her as Trish pops her in the mouth! Victoria throwing Trish over the barricade and into the front row was pretty awesome, gotta love a woman with power. Victoria gets in control and hits some pretty good moves for near falls, with Mickie not tipping her cap yet as to which side she is one. The knee the face sounded WICKED, tbh. Sit-out powerbomb could have gotten the job done but Victoria has dominated TOO much for the match to end, with Trish getting the shoulder out. Widow’s Peak … and Trish kicks out! Very surprised to see that and Trish gets in her only real big move of the match, taking Victoria down out of nowhere with the awesome move known as the Chick Kick. Trish retains the belt, not really all that surprised … never saw Victoria as the champion while Mickie/Trish was going on. Mick Kick to Trish~! Mickie takes down both Champion and challenger and has Lillian announce her as the champ, nice touch. Mickie steals the belt? Obvious that we are getting Mickie vs. Trish in some sort of match at Backlash … probably just throw Victoria in for the hell of it. Awesome way to continue the women’s feud. ***

Heyman is awesome as Lashley’s representative … but ‘Taker is keeping the streak intact … we all know that. Gotta say that young Bobby has been built beautifully the past few months. Kudos.

WWE Tag Team Championship Match
While the match between the SS and the WGTT was very good … I gotta think that with the build this match has been given, it is going to be a classic. All three teams have played their roles perfectly, MNM are the arrogant champions, the Hooligans are the underdog challengers that everyone loves, and the Bluebloods are an awesome heel team that can beat the shit outta anyone. I like the rules of having only two people in the ring at once … would be very tough to write otherwise. Hooligans played an awesome face team in the opening minutes, taking down the champions with everything they got. Some crazy near falls with all three teams in it and the move from Nitro to London, with Burchill adding in the dropkick was awesome … but why would Paul break it up? I know you said out of instinct but that seemed a little shady. Powerbomb and inverted Sliced Bread #2 to Nitro! MNM IS THE FIRST TEAM ELIMINATED! WE ARE GUARANTEED NEW CHAMPIONS~!!~!! Sad to see the Hollywood duo go out but now we get some awesome action between the two challenging teams. Burchill and Regal showed some awesome heel tactics during this stretch, I loved Burchill choking London in the corner, tbh. London keeps fighting after all the vicious moves by the Bluebloods and I think this will lead to L&K getting the win … gotta give it to them. Regal takes Kendrick down with a wicked title shot to the back! C-4~!! GREATEST MOVE IN THE MATCH! Burchill makes the cover … HIM AND REGAL ARE THE NEW CHAMPS!!! Very shocked to see this happen, figured that they’d be the first team out, tbh and now they are holding the belts. This was so much better than I could have ever hoped for … 27 is an awesome amount of time to give a tag title match. Don’t know where you go from here. MNM will obviously get their rematch before Hooligans and Bluebloods feud for a while. Should be an interesting few months with Burchill and Regal on top. ****1/4

JBL going at it alone? Awesome to hear because this means too things. I don’t see us getting a clusterfuck with every interfering for JBL and second, it means that the Cabinet should break apart soon. JBL needs to realize that they are useless.

No Holds Barred Match
Video package was well done and I love how it didn’t have a ton of dialogue … that’s not what Orton and Shane had been about for the past month, tbh. Of course Shane is going to go right at Orton before the bell is even rung … THE MAN IS PISSED OFF!! Not wasting too much time as Orton just slams Shane’s head into the steel after reversing Shane’s attempt. Orton dominates for a good five minutes before making his first cover and it is not looking good for Shane … he may be in over his head, tbh. Orton is the most psychotic guy on the roster and what he did with the electrical cord was just SICK. Shane is always good at tasking a beating and that is exactly what Orton is giving him … is Shane gonna get in ANY offense? Now Orton is getting pissed off and that will make him wanna do even more to Shane, imo. Knew Shane was gonna get out of the RKO and he is finally beginning to show some signs of life … maybe he can make a match of this. Shane hitting the elbow drop through the table and all the shit sounded SICK and that is why Shane-O-Mac is so great in these No DQ matches. Shane dominates for a little while before Orton hits the DDT onto the chair, putting him at the advantage once again. COAST TO COAST~! Gotta mark for that move every time I read it, tbh … makes Shane so damn awesome. Shane misses the second Coast to Coast!! Orton has this match in the bag, without a doubt. Orton stops just short of the Punt?? BRET ‘THE HITMAN’ HART~!!~!! OH MY GOD~! Bret saves the McMahon legacy … as Shane ROLLS UP ORTON FROM BEHIND FOR THE WIN!! Shocked as hell to see Shane get the win … but Bret Hart? Where does Orton go from here? Taking out the referee shows just how pissed he really is. I know that Orton is heading to Raw but will he be feuding with Hart? So many possibilities … I know this whole thing is far from over. Bravo. Match was awesome but we’ll add ½ point for the appearance by The Hitman. ****1/2

Awesome Hall of Fame recognition … no Hitman? Weird. Eddie getting honored by Chavo, Vickie, and Rey was pretty awesome. R.I.P. Latino Heat.

JBL vs. Ric Flair
Another awesome VP … did its job perfectly, tbh. Interview from Flair was like the one at WM24 … the man gets the point across. Bradshaw is awesome and him slapping the taste out of Flair’s mouth to start the match was just perfect … JBL is the heat GOD. Flair goes through some of the only offense he has left … chops and hip tosses until he breaks you down enough. Bradshaw starts to gain the advantage, hitting some wicked neckbreakers to get near falls … no way that is gonna do enough to keep Naitch down. Fall away slam is an awesome move and JBL goes for the Clothesline From Hell … but Flair ducks underneath and rolls him up … but it’s only for a two count. Flair starts to show some signs of life and he gets a few near falls, with JBL JUST kicking out in time. JBL hits the Clothesline From Hell!! He makes the cover … OJ knocks Flair’s hand off the ropes!! RIC FLAIR MUST RETIRE!! JBL and the Cabinet have just screwed Naitch into retirement!! The referee’s discuss and the match is gonna continue!! Legend, you sly dog .. just like the match between ‘Taker and Cena in Mac’s thread. JBL flips a shit and that ends up costing him … FIGURE FOUR!! JBL does all he can but he has no choice but to TAP OUT!! NAITCH WINS IT~! This match was very good, not nearly as good as some of the other matches you have had tonight … but good nonetheless. JBL and Flair will probably split after this … I don’t see a rematch unless you have a draft soon and have one man go to the other’s show. Awesome way to end the feud is it really is over … best promo-filled feud on the show, imo. ***1/2

Lashley vs. Undertaker
Awesome V.P. to start this awesome match. Lashley has been built to beat ‘Taker better than anyone else who has faced him at ‘Mania. Can’t wait for this match. Lashley si more pumped than I have ever seen him and it will be interesting to see how he handles facing The Deadman. Lashley goes right after Undertaker~! Undertaker tries to weather to storm early but Lashley is just WAY too powerful for any man to stop and he just flat-out dominates in the opening minutes. Throwing ‘Taker over the top with a clothesline and also whipping him into the steps is unheard of for an opponent of ‘Taker … especially this early in the match. Lashley gets the first few near falls with some just BRUTAL offense, taking ‘Taker down time and time again for a two count. Undertaker finally gets back on his feet and takes Lashley down, good to see the match start to level. ‘Taker jumps over the top rope and looks for a plancha … but Lashley moves and UT hits the announce table~! Never seen that happen to ‘Taker … nice touch. Lashley almost gets the win after a plancha of his own … ‘Taker is really looking worse for wear. Undertaker kicks out of the Running Powerslam and Lashley kicks out of the Chokeslam … awesome kickouts always happen at WM. ‘Taker kicks out of the Dominator~! TOMBSTONE PILEDRIVER~!!~!! Undertaker gets the huge win! This was an awesome amtch and I really want to see this feud continue. Lashley is an awesome heel and he needs to beat ‘Taker at least once, imo. Great power match that got some good time. ****1/4

Weird state of mind that Edge is in, tbh. Can’t wait to see how he is able to perform against ‘Tista.

HBK is ready, as he is at all WMs. Triple Threat will be the sex.

Street Fight
Amazing V.P. for this match and I love the song that was chosen. Worked perfectly, imo. Motorhead playing H’s entrance music was awesome and I love the big-time feel that this match has. Should be brutal and awesome to say the least. Not wasting anytime having these two go at and RVD takes both men into the crowd! RVD has the advantage early, throwing Triple H into the wall and then coming back again with a twisting leg drop onto the back of the neck of H. Triple H begins to use the weapons and that makes Van Dam bleed … glad to see we aren’t wasting any time getting the brutality to a maximum. Rolling Thunder onto the chair was a move that I could see RVD doing all the time because he isn’t afraid to take the punishment when using a weapon. Now Triple H is busted wide open after the steel chair shot with the kick. Awesome way to make The Game BLEED. Spinebuster through the table sounded sick and I love how this match hasn’t seen one man in control for a very long time … way to keep the match exciting. DDT to Van Dam and then the ridiculous sunset flip powerbomb were both awesome and the kick outs kept the match going. Van Dam survives the Pedigree~!!~!! Can’t believe that RVD would really kick out of that but that keeps the match going. Van Dam hits the Van Daminator but H gets the shoulder up. RVD uses the sledgehammer!! Van Dam going to the top … FIVE-STAR FROG SPLASH~!!~!!~!! Van Dam hooks the leg … and gets the three count~! RVD getting the win was huge and I am not really sure if this feud will continue. I could see either man moving into the main event scene and that would be awesome. This entire feud was done perfectly and the match delivered. Well done. ****1/2

Backlash looks to be awesome … main event scene should be awesome, no matter who wins the belt tonight.

World Heavyweight Championship Match
Of course Batista is the clear favorite in the phone vote … the man beat down Edge on Friday and he hasn’t lost the belt for an entire year. Awesome video package that really spans back an entire year, as WM21 was the start point for both men. Great entrances from both men and I am surprised to see Lita not with Edge … guess you don’t want anyone getting involved in the main event for SD!. Edge is very confident ahead of this match and he talk trash despite being the challenger and the man who got his ass handed to him only two nights ago. Edge is getting frustrated very early, with Batista using his strength and wrestling intelligence to beat down Edge and move out of the way of his big move attempts. Batista makes the first big move of the match and sends Edge out of the ring. Batista tries to keep the momentum going but Edge reverses the momentum and throws the champ into the ringpost! Batista isn’t down and out for long, as he grabs Edge in mid-air and drive him into the steel ring post … sounded awesome, tbh. Batista is just too strong for Edge, kicking out at one and then nailing him with a wicked lariat. They trade near falls before Batista begins to really have the advantage, pinning Edge a few times with the challenger barely keeping his title hopes alive. Batista hits the Spear … but Edge gets the shoulder up!! Super Edge-o-Cution … but Batista gets the shoulder up!! Batista kicks out of the Spear and then nails the Spinebuster … but Edge also kicks out!! Never good when the referee is knocked down and Edge takes advantage by nailing ‘Tista with MITB and busting the champion WIDE open. Batista hits the BATISTA BOMB … but the referee is still down … and then EDGE KICKS OUT~!! Second Spear … KICK OUT!! Edge is pissed beyond belief and he now goes for the THIRD SPEAR … AND HITS IT!!! Edge is the new WORLD HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPION~!!~!! Such a long time coming for the Rated R Superstar, imo. Awesome to see him get the win and I’m sure we will get a rematch between these two before Edge’s reign really gets going. Awesome match that really showed the strengths of both men. ****

WWE Championship Match
Easily the most hyped and most exciting match on the card. Angle is the defending champion, Cena is the guy who overcame everything to win the RR and get the main event back, and Michaels is the bad ass who got himself into the match. As I have said all night, the V.P. for the match was great and really represented what this feud is all about. Loved the old school feel that this match and Edge/Batista had with the introductions after the entrance … this is what the main event of WM is all about. The dueling chants were awesome and it was very cool to see Michaels as the odd man out as Cena and Angle go after the ShowStopper … getting back at Michaels for all he has done to them in the past few months. Loved the early one-on-one between Angle and Cena and after Michaels get taken down, Cena strikes the first blow and gets the first near fall. Angle gets his own near falls before Michaels hits the AWESOME moonsault onto Angle on the outside! Cena gets two quick near falls but then Angle hits the awesome DOUBLE German suplex to both challengers … that’s what makes Angle awesome, imo. Angle gets out of the pin from Michaels and locks in the ANKLE LOCK~! Cena breaks that up and I love how this match has gone so far … neither man has been able to do much damage. Tower of Doom was so awesome and Angle gets into the driver’s seat for a short while. Cena hits a wicked powerbomb on Michaels … gotta get a little one-on-one between these two. Cena kicks out of the Olympic Slam and then … SWEET CHIN MUSIC … but Cena breaks up the count! Angle gets the Ankle Lock again and Cena breaks it up again. F-U TO ANGLE~! Michaels breaks up the pin and this match and Angle’s reign will continue. STF-U … but Angle breaks it up again! Cena gets taken over the top rope with the Olympic Slam~! Angle gets the ANKLE LOCK on HBK once again … and he has no choice but to finally … TAP OUT~!!~!! Angle retains the belt and I truly believe that this was the best choice. Let Michaels and Cena finish their feud before Cena gets his one-on-one rematch with Angle. SSlam in Cena’s hometown, imo. Awesome match to finish the night, Legend … bravo. *****

Video package to end the show was well done … did its job perfectly, tbh.

Final Analysis: This was easily one of … if not THE most anticipated show in the history of BTB. While this thread has only lasted for three months in thread time, you have shown that you are in the upper 1% of BTB writers. This was so anticipated by me and I loved the entire show … great job. All the matches were built perfectly and they all delivered. The only problem I had was the match times. I counted a total of over four hours of wrestling time. Even if this were a five-hour show … it wouldn’t work out. That was the only thing that knocked points off the total. You have produced a show that will go down in history with Wolfy’s WM22 and Mac’s WM23 as the best. Great job and I can’t wait to see what happens next. 97/100

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AS LONG AS IT MAY TAKE ... NOT REMOVING UNTIL
THE CHICAGO CUBS WIN THE WORLD SERIES

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Bradley

Bradley's Wrestlemania Review

The Video Package was well written. We have the normal 'Mania moments like Hogan slamming Andre and Austin bleeding but I love how it was incorporated with your current feuds. It made them seem very important as well by including them, not something seen in other opening packages so kudos for that. The last few lines were truly spine tingling.

Not a massive fan of Coach at 'Mania but Cole/Styles is a mega win for me. On to Mysterio/Booker, this could be an intriguing and entertaining opening bout. I would have chosen WGTT vs. Spirit Squad but w/e... it's your 'Mania anyway.

Rey Mysterio vs. Booker T
Can I just say, normally, a heel Booker T (not King) doesn't cut it for me but you have made him very readable in this thread and I like that. The verbal confrontation was a nice touch and straight away you highlight Mysterio's strategy which was a good move and he seems very intense and focused, a new Mysterio perhaps? A clothesline to the back of the head always seems very awkward to me, I would have much preferred a clean punch or a forearm to the back of the head otherwise that move seems a little to rigid. It's good that you have got a solid story flowing in the opening paragraphs, many elite bookers use this as a solid foundation and you are no different. Booker trying to keep Mysterio from flying has been done before. I thought it was Droppin' not Pickin' the Dime, unless it was changed recently. A nasty shot from Sharmell, not too original but it needed to be done to further the story of the match on with Booker being extremely physical with Mysterio. I love the psychology in this match; best I have seen in a while if I am honest. A nice, basic story which has been expanded in different ways and Booker's work on the knee with the half Boston Crab was superb. I can see WHY Booker tried to put Mysterio in the Figure Four but I can't see WHY, if you catch my drift. He doesn't use it and didn't need to, he could have used a sharpshooter or something like that, why not but the Figure Four was playing too much on Flair for my liking. Booker working on the knee is great by the way, the way you emphasise it happening again and again was perfect and, may I just say, you utilise capitals and pauses extremely well. I wouldn't have put a seemingly bad botch in to a match like this with their heads smacking together. I also thought the pins came thick and fast but a bit too quickly at the end and it seemed slightly rushed. That being said, I did enjoy the end paragraphs and it was all very exciting. A slight typo, instead of feeling you wrote feelis, nothing much and a minor blemish. The ending was superb and I honestly thought Booker had it won with the spinebuster, then I scrolled down... Did Booker stay up for his scissors kick or did he go all the way down? Still a good ending and it doesn't make Booker look awful. A fantastic match with a few minor mistakes. A good match to set the pace for what should be a tremendous night. **** The recognition from Styles at the end added to it, as this is an alternate reality, Mysterio never won that World Title so the only way is up IMO. Booker will become a mega star with those last words, probably a divorce in the works.

A nice little interlude, nothing was said but it spoke a thousand words. Shame for the lame texting on who will win... it all adds to the realism though!

Money in the Bank
Call my cynical but I wouldn't have had Kennedy come out for that. Sure it was entertaining, very entertaining at that, but it puts the spotlight on Kennedy, suddenly he is the main guy when it should be 6 equals. The match started off well with cagey enthusiasm as I like to call it. A little generic with the baseball slide to the ladder but I'll let it slide for now (groan...) An amazing spot next, it was around the perfect time to do that spot to stretch the match out a bit. I like you characterising Carlito as the sneaky little bugger but I loved that little section. The rungs, although done before, are a nice addition. I haven't commented on them before but they really add to the match and the realism of it all, step by step. Apart from an awe inspiring Matt Hardy spot Chavo has been the MAN in this match. I have noted that he is undefeated and that just shows how a spot of good booking can make anyone look good. I know you and Mac have a thing for Chavo and I honestly hope you push him to the moon as he is a fantastic talent. Back to the match, the momentum stopper was very clever and well thought out. I thought Kennedy hadn't been involved too much and there is always a danger of leaving people out in matches like these. This is non stop action, I am absolutely glued to my laptop screen here. This is how it should be done, absolutely immense. The Nightmare on Helms Street would have been an insane spot. Maybe only one or two ladder spots from the top should be attempted in a MITB match as, for my liking, too many is overkill as you can be creative on the ground. I am a little concerned we have had 2 massive spots already, I hope you can keep up the pace. I feel this is becoming a spotfest without too much psychology. I would have liked to have seen a little more interaction but there were a few times were it seemed spot after spot and Matt Hardy is hardly a youngster anymore, wrestling in the 'E for more than 10 years (8 your time). A sick spot with Helms and Finlay but did you mean Helms crashed back in to Finlay's ladder as that was a little hard to understand from my point of view. The Green Bay Plunge from the top of the ladder, I'm a little uneasy with another big spot as there should only really be one BIG one per MITB match and there have been several big spots. I loved the exclamation the GAWWWWD, it added to it, the emotion, the feeling and the spectacle that is WrestleMania. Kennedy got owned, I really don't know who is going to win and I am disappointed with the lack of Helms but other than that the match is going really well. A big leg drop but later on we see a Twist of Fate from the ladder and Frog Splash from the ladder as well. It was all a bit TOO much. It was VERY entertaining but it was a bit of overkill. The Carlito springboard spot was nicked from 'Mania 22 and probably every other ladder match ever but I can't mark you down for that because of the fact the WWE put on the same spots match after match anyway. I don't know how Carlito got that apple and still managed to land on the ladder but a good ending. Overall I expected more as it was all a bit too spotty for me but it was VERY ENTERTAINING and if there is one thing I can take from that match is that I thoroughly enjoyed it and it would have been an epic match to watch live but it seemed to be a list of spots being played out before my eyes. Solid but not amazing, like the opener. ***1/2

World Tag Team Championship Match:
It's good to see, what looks like, the 03 WGTT back in action and in full steam going in to this event. I am loving how you are putting the spotlight on Kenny, call me hypocritical because of what I said about Kennedy earlier but Kenny deserves the praise over his team mates. The first paragraph set the tone and Kenny will go on to bigger and better things. Another chop? I don't recall Benjamin ever using a chop, maybe a forearm or an amateurish paintbrush move a la Kurt Angle wouldn't have gone amiss. I am liking the dirty tactics from Kenny so far and a great counter with the thumb in the eye. The SS tagging in quickly during the opening minutes is great strategy on their part and it keeps the match carefully ticking along. Again, the chops are a bit of overkill, surely? Haas' wrestling expertise was really shown there and I could feel the change in pace, rhythym and tempo from when Benjamin was in the ring and from when Haas was in the ring just by reading it. You seem to have your flow completely spot on in my opinion. When I am reading it I FEEL the counters and the impact of the moves which is delightful for me. I can't quite picture a Front Facelock to a lift, in fact I can't even picture the Facelock, do you mean a Crippler Crossface? Just when it looks like SS gain the upper hand they are done over again by Haas and Benjamin and I would have felt this match would have been more solid if SS had dominated for a longer period in the earlier going but it seems you missed your chance. A fantastic moment with Nicky (was he the one who was owned by Michaels at Vengeance 06?) stopping Haas from making Kenny tap and, despite there being a degree of chaos, it is all organised. A lesser booker would have made this in to a clusterfuck right now. The bit of SS domination is really great, utilising the steel steps. The fan interaction really added to the match as well and it helps me get to know what is going on and I know what is the larger picture rather than being forced to be fixated on just what is going on in the ring. I don't think there is any point in having the Spirit Squad CONSTANTLY interfere, you are timing it at good intervals but I'd rather focus on the wrestling and now an all out brawl. I loved the tension building up to that one big moment where Charlie Haas finally reverses the move in to a shattering German! That moonsault counter was absolutely insane and reeked of desperation but couldn't he have just ran in and collapsed on to them? I think, when Kenny missed the leg drop, it would have been better if we weren't aware of it as the camera wouldn't have shown it until the last second and it would have been more shocking. A very intense ending, a very good match and it was a fantastic WRESTLING contest ***3/4

Punk's coming to Smackdown? If Kash loses, Punk/Kash plz.

A very emotional promo here, it has been building up for a while and this is it, it seems very haunting.

Cruiserweight Championship Match:
The way you described the atmosphere to start the match was absolutely amazing, this has been building up for the last, what, 3 months? This should be definitely worth it. The opening was immense. Kash was a REAL bad ass and this is the ultimate good vs. evil match, a good story set out from the off. Kash trying to slow the match down is a good idea from him. The stalemate was the perfect way to show they are yin and yang and the counters were unbelievable in the fast paced sections and it flowed magnificently. This is turning in to an amazingly fast paced contest but a really physical encounter as well, I can honestly feel the intensity and hatred radiating off of the page when I read it. This oozes drama. The German Suplex off of the apron was a fantastic spot but it shows just how FAR they will go to get the win and it really shows off Kash's heel persona as that wouldn't have worked as well or as been as effective if that was Noble doing that move. The methodical pacing after Kash hit that German Suplex was probably the best pacing and psychology I have EVER seen from you and anyone else on this forum. He was methodically picking apart his body piece by piece, like a murderer if you will. Noble's valiant and brief comebacks further highlighted Kash's intent for domination and his personality. He is a control freak and he wants to control Noble in the ring. I don't know if that is the direction you are going in but that is the way I interpret it, that's what is good about BTB people interpret things in totally different ways. Noble acting out of desperation with constant roll ups just adds to the tension, it builds towards something big, (if you have ever seen Zidane: A 21st Century Portrait then you will know what I mean) and I am going to love this climax! I LOVE the way Kash still looks smug despite going through this battle, this truly epic battle. You are truly showing Noble's heart in this match and it is an emotional battle. The Noble come back is on! I would have had him make the comeback a little earlier but this shows he still has fight. There have been a lot of pinfalls, I have noted that and a CW match isn't a CW match without a flurry of pinfalls. The match dragged briefly towards the end but I feel that was because you showed how tired both men were after the struggle. I can't believe Noble kicked out from that Piledriver, I am feeling this match. The paragraph stating how Noble got to the ropes was magical, a thing of damn beauty right there and I'm going OTT but the long pause as he went to the ropes send a million words for me and I can just picture his struggle in my head, a hallmark of a great booker (something I'll say countless times tonight, I'm sure) There were false finishes right to the very end and Noble wins it in the most spectacular way possible, I would have been content with a roll up as that move must have killed him physically but I couldn't care less! You made the CW something that is rarely seen nowadays in BTB, credible. INcredible infact and I thought I was watching a World title match as the emotion was all there, you can probably see from my waffling I don't pay too close attention to the moves but everything was there. MOTN so far and an absolutely phenomenal contest, a true tribute to your match writing skills. ****3/4 You didn't get ***** because you support Tottenham!!! The CW's coming out at the end was touching but I can't see how you better this... EPIC. I'll give you ***** for that in all honesty.

Carlito vs. Masters would end in a rather awesome contest at Backlash judging by the quality of the matches so far.


Women’s Championship Match
Mickie as referee really adds to this match and this could, if treated well, could be a great contest as I see no reason why you can't write better with men than with women as it always a misconception in BTB and in actual wrestling. Surprised to see women actually getting in to a BRAWL to start things off but this doesn't seem to be focused too much on the match, judging from the build up it all seems to be about Mickie. A slow start transforms in to an absorbing contest which is good. AWFUL realism with people leaping back when Stratus fell in front of them. Same old same old so far, I'm rather unfortunately getting flashbacks to every other Vickie/Trish encounter. THERE! RIGHT THERE! Taking this match to the next level, once again, you always seem to get the hang of the match, as if you are there and participating in the match with the knee, the feeling, the emotion Victoria goes extremely psycho on Trish now with the constant kneeing to the face and I can almost feel the knees to the face, it seems crippling. Trish's resilience was really well shown here and your description of Victoria was spot on for this point in the match. (I have never liked people saying that they shouldn't do a certain thing, it's your thread.) Some absolutely amazing action, you made that almost unmissable, it was frenetic in pace but superb in quality at the same time. The ending was a little cliched but it was a fun ending and I loved the use of capitals and pauses, Mickie was more or less straight down the middle, a good, fun match to give us a let down from the absolute classic which was before this, maybe that was your intention, maybe not. The aftermath overshadowed the match, I don't like that but it was controversial, it was 'Mania and it was well written and I absolutely loved it. New champion? I am extremely liking that but I don't know where it will go from here. ***

A rather amazing promo from Paul Heyman with the little gestures and the like. I would like to think Lashley will win tonight but it's not very likely. The build has been great though and I am eagerly anticipating that match.

WWE Tag Team Championship Match
You were certainly right in labeling the No Way Out encounter a classic because that is what it was; a classic. This has the potential and, most importantly, the build to top that and reach the level of the CW match from earlier on, you sure do like your Smackdown titles! There were quite a few back body drops early on but that seems to typify the frenetic pace you have your matches at. I liked the fact you went for the Hooligans and MNM to start things off from the outset because it would have been a lot less eventful with William Regal and Paul Burchill in the ring, that's for sure. Regal being dominated as soon as he entered the ring was a stupid move in my opinion as you said before that they are very dominant and they need to look like they can be dominant and not being dominated by someone who is around 225. Now here comes the domination from the Bluebloods, another back body drop though, surely you know a few more moves than that!? Burchill getting a few minutes in the ring helped me whet my appetite for him when he comes in later on and makes me get a feel for what he is like, very physical and imposing. The teams tagging in other teams and your descriptions of their reactions are entertaining to say the least. I would have liked to have seen some more pinfalls as it should be a quick encounter for the most part and we didn't see that. We finally got a smattering of pinfalls but Kendrick was being absolutely dominated and he was made to look weak here for whatever reason. It did give us a nice build up to Spanky's comeback though and that would have garnered a considerable pop. There were some nice moves being utilised but I was confused by Paul Burchill hitting the Missile Dropkick and then Nitro following it up with a German? It sounds very complicated and unorthodox and even the very best couldn't pull that off and Burchill breaking up the pin sounds a bit dubious, maybe because he thought back to when MNM beat the Bluebloods? That's the only explanation I can think of at this current time. Nitro's moonsault on London must have been wicked but is Burchill deranged or does he actually want to lose by breaking up another pinfall that wasn't his team involved? London and Kendrick got up damn quickly from the SnapShot it seems but that was a very fun ending for MNM. The Powerbomb/Sliced Bread must have been awe inspiring to see. I honestly don't know who is going to win but it is a nice clash of styles. I thought it would have been a good way to end with the pinfall from Burchill after MNM's attack but never mind. Good description from the announcer's table and I can fully imagine what they would say, good writing. I loved the Englishmen dominating and when Londrick attempted to come back in to the match they were constantly denied. The segment which showed London being dominated was pure class, a really highlight of the match and the struggle was clearly evident and it was well written and showed glimpses of the CW match from earlier. Nice experience shown from the veteran Regal and I have a feeling the Hooligans will turn heel sooner or later as things just aren't going their way in this enthralling match. The Hooligans must be so pissed after trying so hard but they were screwed over in the end in an amazing and very entertaining match, the 3rd best match of the evening so far and slightly better than the other tag titles match. ****

I would just like to say that I would consider that the least exciting half of the PPV on PAPER but that exceeded my expectations and I can't imagine what is going to happen in what should be a blockbuster of a conclusion.

Shane McMahon vs. Randy Orton:
Just to say the video package was VERY emotional and well written, you actually made me see the wider picture other than just wrestling. The opening was really intense with a flurry of punches, I didn't think it would break in to all out war quite so quickly. Damn, I don't think I would have had a Piledriver so early in the match, even if he didn't hit it. I know he was signaling his intent but it would have been better if Orton had tried a move as malicious. A great brawl is taking place and thankfully you have Orton dominating the first moments as he is obviously the better wrestler and you also didn't rush to the massive spots and you are obviously building this up damn well. Your description of Shane McMahon being brutalised is sadistic, in a good way. A nice move having the pinfall quite a way through the match as this match is a lot more methodical than quick witted match so that was good to see. By the way a dropkick should never be followed by a pin, it seems to weak and has no impact. Orton is the man at the moment and you really having him lead the way and you are making him too look really strong as Shane isn't much of a star in wrestling terms. I love how Orton's pacing is slow and, again, methodical. The pacing is completely spot on from my view and it is a brutal brawl, much like HBK/Jericho's various street fights and the like. I love how you are building up (sorry I keep saying I love things but I can't think of anything else) to a big moment and it seems like it is going to happen soon as Orton is dominating, maybe a little TOO much but the comeback will be all the sweeter. The electric cable segment was, well, electric. Very well written and I pleasure to read, I could feel the atmosphere and the emotion radiating with the crowd's reaction and Orton's reaction and it adds a new dimension to the match. I think Shane should at least get SOME offence in, I know what you are doing but at least make this a competitive match and not a complete squash at 'Mania. THERE IT IS! I called it, the reversal was very little yet something so big, was the table actually meant to break though? Yet again a nice description. (My reviews are getting rather monotonous by now as they are just full of praise) OH MY F***ING GOD! That was a huge spot... it reeked of desperation but a Shane match must always have a big spot and, if I'm honest, the whole match before this spot completely pales in comparison to this as that was INSANE! Feck me, that chair shot was even more insane and brutal, I loved that spot as it personified the match, an absolute brutal rollercoaster ride full of awesomesauce descriptions and non stop action. A nice (Although I have seen it before) touch with the red for the blood. I would have used the punt instead of the DDT and Shane O Mac would have dodged it but the fight and courage shown is phenomenal. FUCCKKKKKK!!! Excuse my language but this is getting better and better, this is a completely different animal to any other Street Fight I have ever seen, if anyone betters a hardcore match than this then I have yet to see it. I need to wrap this review up, we were always going to see a Coast to Coast but the miss was really intuitive and fun to read and it would be awesome to see. The punt seemed inevitable but he stops? A nice little promo midway through but OHHHHHHH MYYYYYYYYY GODDDDDDDDDD!!! I was hoping he would actually come down but he saved Shane and Shane wins, Shane wins! An awesome match, fan-fecking-tastic brawl and a surprising finish which would actually go down in 'Mania history on all those Video Packages just like WM 3 and WM 13. I can't give this less than ****1/2 and no more because it can't touch the execution of the CW Match. An awful review from me though, I did waffle on a bit. I don't know how Orton is going to achieve a lot now, maybe a feud with Hart which leads in to a gimmick match which gives him the chance to win some titlez~!

JBL/Flair
Loving the video package, especially focusing on the history of Flair and how it could all end in an instant. Loving Shinedown btw, just thought I would add that to add to the increasing amount of words in this review... The words actually do fit in with the match though. Promo of the Year! Seriously. I loved it, anything I have to.... sounds so cool and it reminded me of 80's Flair. Good job. You have built this so well it seems a ***** match is a given with you JBL slapping the taste out of Naitch's mouth was a good touch and you made JBL seem so evil here it's unreal. JBL dominating early on was a good touch and, much like the match prior, included elements of domination and it was again very methodical which I liked. JBL slowing the match down added to the feeling. My one major gripe about this match is that it won't be extremely exciting JBL and Flair's movelists aren't exactly expansive and you haven't got a lot to work with, as shown in the early parts here. Flair getting in his trademark chops early was nice to see. One thing I really liked was it was basically Vintage Flair and this was engaging and it is basically a step through time and the dirty or more underhand tactics work a lot better on a big heel guy like JBL and even I was spurring on someone in a piece of fictional writing, I haven't done that since the innocent days of Harry Potter and here I am comparing Legend to JK Rowling all those years on This match is becoming more old school by the minute, definitely not a bad thing and it seems a role reveral as JBL seems like Flair in the 80's and Flair seems to be the old Nature Boy (who's name has slipped me by but he was retired by Flair... Bundy maybe?) The controlling aspect made this match all the more enthralling, it was a nice slow read and I liked that and I sometimes can mellow out and enjoy a technical masterpiece. I am not saying this is perfect as it did get quite slow in places and the flow was a little choppy, sometimes a fullstop is better than a comma for the longer sentences. JBL slows the match down again to Flair takes a risk, he goes to the top rope?! This is the moment that takes this match from average to phenomenal, this is the meaning of 'Mania and the crowd willing him on just adding to the moment. So many historic moments on this night and you really are a crafter of not just matches but stories. The 'end' was very well written, the pauses, the reversals and the explosion of heat as JBL 'wins' when I first read it (OK skimmed through) the ending shocked me but I read the whole match and I can appreciate it and, IMO, that was a bad decision not to end it there. The whole reversal of the decision was dubious and never happens for Dusty Finishes so that seemed a bit stupid but, hey, it's 'Mania rit? The dirty tactics, the trademark Figure Four and JBL loses and Flair wins. I can understand the whole match, I appreciate it, it wasn't the most exciting but give me a call when Flair starts chain wrestling with JBL. About as solid as that match could have got ***3/4

Lashley/Undertaker:
This has been built up so well, as with the other 11 matches on the card but you actually have made Lashley look credible and he COULD actually beat the Phenom here. Nice VP to start things off, very poetic rather than the generic crap which is normally spewed for a 'Taker match at 'Mania. Lashley signals his intent already and what a great and frenetic start. Fantastic booking making Lashley look so dominant in the early going and the crowd's reaction added to it. I thought it was going to be a squash for a moment but Undertaker fought back, maybe a little late for my liking though but this is a different breed of match other than the old 'Taker stuff we're used to. You're taking the rule book and ripping it up left, right and center. I have NEVER seen Snake Eyes being reversed straight after being hit like that, it takes the momentum out of 'Taker and makes the match flow so well. I thought the spot through the announce table was a little too unrealistic as that would have caused serious injury for such a big guy like Mark and I don't see how he could 'deflect' it, sidestep, yes but deflect, no. A nice touch and an added element to the match with Lashley wanting to beat the Undertaker legitimately and put himself over in the process and a countout means he was never pinned at 'Mania. Lashley really is the Real Deal (nice moniker by the way) but the missed spear was a bit generic and I really did see that coming as it was building up but Lashley battles back again? The intensity and physicality of this match is unreal and a pleasure to behold. The Old School reversal would have been a bit hard to imagine, maybe a Spear would have had a lot more effect in my eyes but the match has been amazing so far. The psychology, working on the back it seems of the Undertaker to make him immobile has been terrific and just the fact that I feel Lashley can match The Undertaker makes this match all the more exciting. The crowd interaction with the chanting was really well incorporated and perfectly slotted in to the situation and, yet again, added something more to the match that only the elite can comprehend and achieve with ease. HA! Loved the segment with the countered Last Ride to spear which ended with the sitting up of the Undertaker. Probably the biggest mark out moment of the night so far and the fact Lashley backed away made me think that no-one can beat the Undertaker and that was a good signal as both men now look insanely strong in this match as we head down the final straight... Good to see Undertaker follow up with the Chokeslam and not get countered again because that would seriously interrupt the flow of the match and would deter the rating. I think you have overwhored the spear ever so slightly but at least he followed up with the Dominator (which I am not sure is even possible on a guy 'Taker's size) another big kickout which lead in to the enthralling ending, despite using the Spear again, and Undertaker wins in this epic match . ****1/2 for the amazing effort and the true showcase of your writing skills. Lashley needs a win at Backlash to get him over in a gimmick match and send 'Taker away on his annual summer break. I can't believe you got such a phenomenal match out of those two, let alone decent.

Edge seems a little... erratic, it will be awesome though, surprise Lita run in???

'Aitch Bee Kay!

HHH/RVD:
That VP was probably the best of the night so far, probably because I has Peace playing in the background at the time of reading this. An intense beginning, probably set for this match and it really did set the tone. One last thing on the VP, I would have preferred a little more insight on how the feud really came to be as this is a dream match for me. I know (or think) Mac did a match very similar to this with HHH/Rock but I won't make comparisons. An awesome pace straight away, one quick action after the other coming right at me, it's amazing. RVD actually got the first pinfall attempt, I am surprised about this but w/e. Non stop action so far and I am loving this match, full marks for entertainment and full marks for absolutely owning Van Dam with the steel chair there. I can clearly see Triple H is malicious because RVD is bleeding after what, 2 minutes? Triple H is really bringing his A Game (as am I with my amazing puns ) and we go for a big spot straight away, inevitable to see RVD fight out of it there. Just a small realism issue, I doubt Van Dam would be able to go for the pin straight after hitting the Rolling Thunder on the chair, just saying... AHHHHH what a spinebuster. My sentiments exactly right there with the expletives, tend not to overuse that because some people might be offended, not I though Mark out moment number 323 for the night in a spot that reminded me of Foley/HHH in 02 for the HIAC encounter. HHH is extremely malicious and RVD just won't stay down, excellent premise and executed more swiftly than Saddam. The DDT segment got a little confusing and it seemed a little rushed and panicky as you wanted to much to go on to the next part of the match, and why wouldn't you? A little realism issue once again, HHH is a little on the heavy side and I don't see him being able to take a powerbomb like that over the ropes, even a sunset flip one as he isn't the most flexible on the roster. The Pedigree was uncharacteristic of you, not too much detail but maybe that was because he rushed his own pedigree? HHH is sadistic but RVD always seems to be coming back for more and that is what makes the match so entertaining and a pleasure to read, much like this event as a whole. The Sledgehammer spot, was Van Dam on the floor because to regain a vertical base after a spinning heel kick to enzuiguri is extremely difficult and it would be an incredulous act to witness. The ending was pure markout and the crowd reaction personified my feelings when reading the last bit, the giant falls but I feel Hunter needed this win, despite RVD only returning at the Rumble. I must say I loved this match, not a dull paragraph in sight and it was fun non stop and it wasn't just spot after spot like MITB so it automatically gets a higher rating than that. A few iffy and unrealistic spots but it was so much fun I overlooked that, not my longest review but I can't repeat the same sentence over and over again 'I loved it...' would be a brief summary. ****1/4 It didn't break the level of Shane/Orton as I loved that too much but this, if it were real, would be a match I can watch again and again without getting bored (See: HBK/Vince WM 22 or Undertaker/Edge SS HIAC)

Edge/Batista:
Shocking maths for the phone vote! A great video package, as I have fully come to expect from you. I doubt either man would be overawed by the occasion, Edge must have been used to that by now... I like Batista physically outmaneuvering Edge in the early going, it adds some spice to the match instead of being a boring opening. I feel just too many of the matches tonight have gone to the outside of the ring when it doesn't need to. I would honestly say this match needs that because it would become monotonous but other matches didn't need to go to the outside as much, matches like the CW match. A real, quality wrestling contest that is taking place here and a very fun opening for such a match as it is normally very cagey. I doubt Edge could pull off a DDT after a spinebuster in to the steel post just moments earlier, the desperate kicks, was Edge on the floor when he kicked Dave? I could use a little more description there. I love your description of Batista's pure, unadulterated power. I like Edge actually getting a decent amount of offence again against more muscular men, I have seen matches where Edge is getting basically squashed so at least it is back and forth. A few quick pinfalls and this is a really engaging match so far. The referee being knocked out is never good but I liked Edge's underhand tactics. Edge is about to steal the damn thing at WrestleMania, not this damn way! It took 3 spears to keep Batista down, he is looking extremely strong and I am extremely tired at the moment so I'll keep this short and sweet. This was very solid but just seemed to be overshadowed by several matches on the card and I thought this was around the same level as JBL/Flair but I'll bump the rating up because of, in my opinion, the best finish at the night.

WWE Championship Match:
Probably the best video package I have ever seen, I must warn you as well that this review will be about as short as the last review (Edge/Batista) as I am absolutely shattered at the moment. I love how the crowd was mixed from the offset, the most split match ever at 'Mania since Rock/Hogan and even this could be more split from your reaction. This reminds me immensely of Taboo Tuesday but with it reversed as HBK being the guy getting owned this time. A very energetic start to the match, everyone going for their respective finishers and it's a shame you couldn't keep up with that. Once again another finisher exchange and going to the outside... once again. This is entertainment personified. You really added a lot of character which I could see in their moves, actions and reactions. Angle REALLY was a wrestling machine and Cena would never quit and Michaels was just Michaels. The emotion going in to this match is phenomenal, a great piece of art if I ever did see one. Try not to completely over use the belly to belly, although it is a focal point of Angle's repertoire. The crowd interaction really added to the match once again and I can clearly tell how split the crowd is. Awesome, if unoriginal, move from Angle with the double German . Out of everyone I feel he is the stronger man at this point in the match. Cena's stoppage of Angle's ankle lock was extremely clever and would have been a joy to see live, a great moment. I feel the Angle Slam has been made to look extremely weak over the years and that's not a huge surprise to see him kick out of that as you try and make me believe. Terrific segment when HBK looks like he is about to tap out and he 'scratches and claws' to the bottom rope, real intensity there. The ending was, I know I have already said this, but the best of the night. The real story unfolded and I didn't know who was going to win but the last couple of paragraphs told the story of the night. Terrific and complete non stop to the end. *****

Summary: A lovely show, sorry it got a bit half assed towards the end of the whole review but I am mentally shattered but I loved the whole event, probably my favourite match is in here and this is my favourite show of all time. The CW match was the clear highlight of the show, a lot of extremely solid matches, some standout matches and a true classic to end the show. One for the ages and this review was so long because I loved it so much, easily my longest review ever at 7,000 words. Kudos, bravo... a true Legend.

97/100

Feel free to split the review in to sizable paragraphs.

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Stojy

hey Legend i just thought i would let you know that i am still working on a review for your Wrestlemania 22 and i am not sure when i will have it up because it is a massive show but i just thought i would let you know that a review is coming.

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DDMac

FINALLY -- THE WM REVIEW
United States Title Match:
Nice choice of match to kick off the show, as I expect Booker and Mysterio to put on a fast-paced (but yet important enough) match to start Mania. Right off the bat in the opening few minutes, Mysterio’s character contradicts the way he was just a couple of days ago. Maybe I was reading it wrong, but I thought he was a broken man? He’s definitely not coming across that way here in the opening. The match begins to pan out just about how one would expect a match to involving Mysterio and an appreciably larger competitor - with Rey Rey using his speed and high-flying ability to keep him in the game. Booker looking for a Figure Four? Go fuck yourself, BT. Booker working over the leg in general? We’ll buy that. Bookend from the second turnbuckle is fucking sick, but Mysterio kicking out was rather disgusting. Must we start the superhuman effort this early in the contest (especially for a twat like Rey )? Lmao at Rey Rey hitting a Scissors Kick. Nice. After a quick sequence, Booker looks to heel it up … but instead ends up getting pinned by Mysterio. I would’ve liked for the match to have followed the storyline of the feud a bit more, but I can’t argue with this as an opener. Fast paced, feel-good beginning to the show, title change and a feud ender (plus an enjoyable contest). Off to a good start. ***1/4

Money in the Bank Ladder Match:
NIIIIIICE. Kennedy/Buffer face off at WrestleMania. Doesn’t get much more epic than that. Usually I’d want Michael to end up on the receiving end of some violence, but we’ll settle for the awesome pieface. Onto the match… Chavito comes out last, and then has the first sustained offense of the contest - We’re big on Mr. Charisma, aren’t we? Wow, wasting no time pulling out the big guns as Helms rips an epic move from Shelly Benjamin. Gotta love that spot. Then a Side Effect off the ladder? This match is just a string of highspots thrown together so far … but hey, it’s MITB match. And it’s fun shit. Can’t ask for much more than that. The match definitely seems to be a vehicle for Guerrero and Kennedy so far, as Chavo has easily had the longest continued offense, while KK’s “feud” with Buffer is stealing the show. All right, Helms, Hardy and Finlay all manage to get in a spot from the top of the ladder. This match is being booked much differently than mine. While everyone is involved in this one (various degrees, but still), mine was a vehicle for a couple of people and a couple of feuds. SOTM - Plunge off the ladder. Okay, scratch thre sentences ago, and then scratch the one after that. This is officially the Matt Hardy Show. I always thought that if it wasn’t gonna be Kennedy leaving with the gold, it’d be Hardy, and Matt is making me look like a genius with two awesome spots. Win or lose, his stock has shot up. Carlito!? Carlito!? You kiddin’ me? Carlito? Didn’t see that one coming at all? Not a fan of Carly, and I’d much rather it gone to KK, but there are lots of possibilities with ‘lito as champion, not the last of which is a feud Chavo and his continued ‘relationship’ with Masters. As for MITB … fun spotfest. ***1/2

When did Kristal Marshall get here?

World Tag Team Championship Match:
Oh, the subtlety. We noticed the little glance that Haas gave Benjamin when he lifted the IC belt up. Can’t wait for that feud to get back on track, especially if it continues to take the baby steps that it has so far. Nice job with the WGTT going old school for one night. I almost marked. The opening minutes of the match just flowed together perfectly, and despite the two matches previous to this one, this match has actually read the most fluidly with the story unfolding; The Spirit Squad are good athletes, but are simply superior in every category… except numbers. I know that the ref has been on Shelton’s case, but to have him stand there after Haas was drilled with the title belt made him look like a moron. Omg, the SS own. Screaming knee drop = ratings. When the SS took over again, the match understandably took a slower, more methodical pace until Haas’ comeback, the false tag to Shelton. Shelly Benjamin has looked like Superman throughout this matchup, taking out all the members of the Squad simultaneously on more than one occasion. Not sure if that’s by design to show that Benji is the superior wrestler in the match (being the Intercontinental Champion), or simply because his offensive maneuvers lends him to that kind of role. Hectic finishing minutes with everybody seemingly getting into the Shelton way of doing things - throwing complete BOMBS. Haas with a moonsault? Nice. Bodies fly every which way until Haas gets the win with the Haas of Pain. Not sure what to make of this move. The SS were picking up quite a bit of momentum as a team since Kenny effectively took over as the leader of the stable, while Haas and Benjamin seem to be on a collission course over the title. Definitely gonna need to take a wait and see approach with this move, since it could definitely lead to some interesting situation with both sides. Great match, with Benjamin and Haas coming out of it smelling like a million bucks. ***1/2

Hey, Punk.

Cruiserweight Championship Match:
Alright, here we go. What I expect to be the first real MOTN contender, Kash and Noble, especially if it manages to contend with their NWO confrontation. I’m barely finished with the second paragraph and im already disappointed that Kash is gonna lose the belt. His character has really started developing in the last few weeks, and his two lines here in the opening were epic, as was the slap. The opening of the match sets the scenario up perfectly, continuing the commentary. Both are talented, rather evenly matched, but Noble just has the number of Kash, getting an ever so slight one up on him at the end of every exchange. This match definitely has a different feel to it than the first three matches, not just in the pace, but in the style it’s being written. It very much reminds me of an RoH style match up. Everything comes off crisp, and one move simply floats into another. A couple of big “holy shit” spots out of absolutely nowhere, first with the dive, and then with the German onto the floor. At first, I thought it might’ve just been used just to get them in, but now I see its been used as a way for Kid to get solidly back into control of Noble. Slingshot hurricanrana from Kash? I know he’s gonna lose the belt, but he needs a MAJOR role on SD regardless of whether he remains the top challenger. He’s almost too awesome for words. You’ve just about whored out that Leg Lariat of Noble, don’t cha think? Lol. Heading into the finishing sequence it would seem, and we’ve gotta get the major kick out of one of the major moves … and we did when Noble kicked out of the Money Maker Piledriver. No real big deal for Kash, he’s got about 25 finishing moves. Wow, Noble is being built up as fucking indestructible here. He got to the ropes while in the K.O.D.? Man’s man. Lol @ me typing out that line before Noble makes it out of another one of Kash’s finishers - the double jump moonsault. No doubt that Noble is taking it now, though there wasn’t much in the first place. Exciting finishing sequence that, I would guess, is merely to keep Kash looking strong heading into the future. TREMENDOUS match up, almost too tremendous actually. Twenty five minutes for a cruiserweight match is a lot. Not too much in and of itself, but considering you do have a finite amount of time at WrestleMania, and several big money matches left on the card, I thought you could’ve shaved ten or so off of it. The match itself I have absolutely no qualms with as it was easily the best match on the card so far, and one of the best matches you’ve ever written. The aftermath was nicely done too, with Kash coming off almost as an evil ruler who’s finally been dethroned … Kash Komeback plz. See what I did there? ****1/2

Women’s Championship Match:
And away we go. More than likely this’ll be the shortest match up on the card… but Mickie isn’t technically in the match, so I’m okay with it. The opening panned out pretty much how I expected it would, with a power vs. skill approach being laid out between Victoria and Stratus. Omg, Mickie just gave us the line of the night: “I AM THE LAW!” Maybe, just maybe, Victoria can be the champion in the ring that I wanted Kash to be out of it. I just love her offense. The way it moves from a athletic extreme, such as the slingshot leg drop, to a vicious extreme, like her stiff knees to the face. It’s like someone combined Shelton Benjamin with Big Dave and just added a pretty face & a nice set of tits. LMAO, “I AM THE LAW!” I love her. Ooooo, super sit-out power bomb? I don’t remember Vickie using that maneuver, though I’m sure she has. Nice spot. Wow, that finish came out of nowhere, it didn’t even really feel like we were heading down the finishing stretch. Definitely disappointed that Stratus is leaving with the belt, and not Vickie, but that was a damned impressive performance from ‘toria. Good match. ***
Double turn? FUCK ‘EM BOTH~! I love it, and I love the crowd reaction equally, reminiscent of the actual crowd reaction at WM22. You’ve done a fine job of adding your own twist to this Mickie-Trish(-Vickie) storyline, and I expect it to now take on a life of it’s own. Just solid stuff. Mickie for champ PLZ.

WWE Tag Team Championship Match:
No telling how this match is gonna go. No doubt it’ll be good no matter which route it takes, but I can see this either being a fast-paced, borderline spotfest, or a match of technical wizardry, or maybe a mixture of both. From the opening paragraph, I’m expecting a lot of epicness from Lord Regal tonight. Wow, lightning quick start to the match up with the Hooligans (Kendrick especially) lighting up MNM. Lol, just picturing Regal’s facial expressions makes me laugh. I’m gonna take a shot in the dark, and say you’re a Spanky fan, because he’s just completely dominating each and every person he comes in to contact with - Nitro, Mercury, Burchill, Regal, it just doesn’t matter at this point. And of course, to make me look like an idiot, as soon as I say that, Kendrick takes quite the sustained beating. I guess it’s no real shocker to see the match essentially revolve around the only face team in the contest. After the hot tags are made, the match breaks down, and the spotfest begins~! Move get hit every which way. Burchill with a diving head butt? Meh, I guess it’s far enough away from the Haas-Moonsault spot to garner a big enough reaction. A couple of nice false finishes in this match up so far but… holy shit! MNM is the first team eliminated? Amazing, and now the match is a complete tossup. I had the Hooligans winning … but I figured it’d be down to the two NWO teams. Lmao @ poor Regal. The rugged offense of Regal and Burchill is just so much fun to read. The kicks, and elbows, and shoulder breakers, and boots all make for great fun. I kind of want them to take it now, though my money is still on L&K. REF BUMP~ and here… we… go… Holy crap, Regal and Burchill?? I knew you liked the Bluebloods (Regal especially), but not more than the Hooligans. A bit of a shock… a good shock. Damn near 30 minutes though. Rapidly running out of time on this PPV, but hey, you’ll pull it off methinks. Strong contest. Not quite as good as the CW Title match, but great nevertheless. Should be quite the ride with Regal as a champion. ****1/4

Legend vs. Legend Killer:
Hopefully, Shane gets his ass kicked for ten minutes, Orton drops him with an RKO, and then Randy takes over the entire company … but I think you’ve got something a bit more complicated and complex than that. The first few minutes, however, did exactly what I suggested, and exactly what it needed to; establish Orton as the dominant, top-flight, championship-level WWE superstar. And it did so by completely obliterating the bitchy son of Vinnie Mac. Orton’s choke with the electrical cable was epic shit, just vicious. Hell of a way to get Shane-O back into the mat, with the counter to the RKO, and then the mammoth elbow drop spot. Shocked to see that Randy was actually the first person busted open in this matchup, but it was done properly. Just one big hope spot, which allows Orton to even this thing up. The Legend Killer makes his comeback, because he’s simply a superior competitor, and it’s only a matter of time before Shane is busted open. Ah, fuck you, McMahon! Stay the fuck down. Gotta love the fact that Shane’s only offensive maneuvers come after Orton mistakes, as was the case with the coast to coast. lmao @ the dumb fuck going for it again. OWNED. Bret Hart? I am confused. Easily the biggest shocker of the night, and not nearly what I was expecting from a realism nut such as yourself. Better have a damn good explanation for this one, cowboy. ****

Flair vs. JBL:
Alright, probably the match I’m most apprehensive about. Naitch to stay plz. I expect this to be one of the least spectacular matches on the card tonight, with two old school type workers going at it. In fact, I think that’s the reason its been placed in this spot on the card, right after the electrifying Shane/Orton match up. As I expected, the match started very slowly, a significant step slower than the matches which preceded it. It finally picks up when Naitch hit’s the back suplex… and then an underhook suplex? Flair could barely get Michaels over at WM24, and now he’s gonna take someone 70 pounds heavier over? I think not. Lol. When Flair hit’s the double axe handle from the top rope you know it’s a big night. Naitch works over the leg a bit, before hooking in the Figure Four Leg Lock. Layfield gets out and hit’s the Clothesline From Hell. Sorry for the play-by-play, but I needed a bridge to my next point. I thought you overdid a bit, with the Michael Cole-like prophecy “IT’S OVER!”, knowing full well that Flair would kick out … but he didn’t. Just perfectly done, and a nice swerve for the reader. The false finish was done well enough (not sure why OJ wasn’t out there from the beginning though), before it was eventually restarted, and of course - THANKFULLY - Naitch wins! Scared me for a minute or two, but I’m more than happy that you did the right thing. The match was okay, probably hurt a bit by what it had to follow. ***1/4

Lashley vs. Undertaker:
Looking forward to the match. Absolutely dreading the result. Lashley has been built up perfectly in the role of executioner of Undertaker’s streak, and has actually given me a glimmer of hope that maybe… just maybe… nah. I don’t know if its because I have a strong dislike for The Undertaker or what, but I couldn’t get enough of the opening of this match. Like two bulls, Taker and Lashley go at it, with Lashley DOMINATING, but never hitting a knockout blow on the Deadman. The clothesline over the top rope from Lashley, followed by the death stare from Taker is simply one of the most epic visuals ever. Big Bobby is just ripping Taker limb from limb to kick things off. Don’t know how long that’ll last, however. Ignore my bulls analogy from earlier - it’s more like Terminator 2. Y’know, where the new terminator just kept comin’ and comin’, but Schwarzenegger just wouldn’t cave in. these two just continuously drpo bombs on one another, but it’s not enough. Undertaker through the table. One of my more favored spots involving the Deadman. NOOOO~! TAKE THE FUCKING COUNT OUT, LASHLEY!!! That’s gonna cost him. DAMN IT! Taker kicking out of the epic counter into the power slam reminded me very much of the WM21 match, where Orton countered into the RKO. Once that happened, you knew it was only a matter of time… This match has ended up a lot more “fun” than I thought it would be. Taker and Lashley are both solid workers, but I didn’t expect it to be this good. You’ve used quite a few entertaining sequences, and the counter from the Last Ride into the spear and then into Taker’s sit up & chokeslam was another. Didn’t like Taker kicking out of the Dominator. After giving Taker all he has, his finisher should’ve kept its credibility. Let Taker grab the ropes or something. Taker gets the win, as expected, and poor B-Lash misses his big break. :[ Another tremendous match up, however, and Lashley definitely comes out of this match retaining most of the momentum he had going in. Wasn’t the best of the night, that still belongs to Kash and Noble, but might just be my favorite, despite the winner. ****1/4

Hunter vs. Van Dam:
My boy vs. your boy. Starting this thing on the outside and in the crowd? Well, there ya go then. Storyline-driven matches are always a good thing. Hunter and Van Dam hate each other, it’s a No Holds Barred, it’s only natural that the two of them would try to kill each other right of the bat. PSYCHOLOGY~ 101. Epic. Not sure if it’s irony or planning, but how awesome is it that within a minute of RVD and Trips getting back into the ring, Hunter completely obliterates him and busts him wide open? Owned. The contrast between Triple H and RVD is just immensely apparent whenever the momentum switches from one to the other. H is methodical, calculating in his approach, while every time Van Dam gets a little bit of energy on his side, he looks for something high-risk. Ah shit, now H is busted open. Nice spot with the spine buster through the table. Not sure if I’ve ever seen Hunter pull that one out in reality or not, but it certainly works well in this environment. Can’t really see Hunter going for a power bomb of any sorts. Just doesn’t strike me as that type of guy. That’s a move that’s based on Raw power, while H is someone who does ‘regular’ moves with a little extra oomph. I was about to say that H doesn’t seem the type to much give a crap about using trash can lids and the like, but I see it was just a setup for the massive sunset power bomb spot. Van Dam pulling out the big guns for this match up. And while this match up involves weapons like Orton/Shane, let me just say that it seems to be much more grounded in realism. After the Pedigree and that huge Van Dam spot, the two hitting each other with weak trash can lids made me laugh. Van Daminator was a nice spot though. That was quite the fun, satisfying finish, with Van Dam getting revenge on H and the hammer. The aftermath was nicely done as well, though the commentary was a bit much, all but spelling out the reason for the match and what’s to happen in recent months. While this match wasn’t as violent as Shane/Orton, it was laid out better and accomplished more in the end. Another job well done. ****

World Heavyweight Championship Match:
Simple but effective start to the match: Edge is in trouble. Batista is bigger, stronger, more explosive, and Edge isn’t exactly gonna outwrestle him to an incredible extent. As a Big Dave fan, I loved it. Is the Edge in your thread a fucking moron or just crazy? He gets his first opening of the match, and then looks like he was ready to get himself DQ’d. Pretty stupid to wait a year for your title shot, and then throw it away by getting disqualified. I was wondering how, with this epic booking of an unstoppable Big Dave, how Edge would manage to get into control of the matchup, and the arm seems to be the opening. I never really realized it, but Edge’s offense is somewhat uninspiring in reality (and BTB for that matter). I love how Batista just shakes his hand loose, and it’s fine. This man is an epic human being (and so are you for booking him in such a way). Poor Edge. I’ve never seen someone who I was certain was going to take the title take a beating like Dave is handing out. Makes complete sense though. Batista has reigned as champion for a year now, while Edge has relatively few big wins to his credit recently. The Animal is simply superior. Omg, the spear as the counter to the spear? Love it. The sequence ending in the super Edgecution was fast and furious, perfectly illustrating Edge’s scrappiness, for the lack of a better term. Wow, Edge is all over the place in this match. He seems ready to get DQ’d again, but then moments later, he’s smart enough to set Batista up, looking for a second spear. Very odd. The ref goes down, and here we go. After Big Dave got busted open, you just knew the end was near, but you did a good job of adding a little bit of doubt about the winner. From the missed conchairto, to the Batista Bomb, and then the kickout of the spear, there always seemed to be a glimmer of hope for Big Dave… but it wasn’t to be. Batista goes down after a third spear, and we’ve got a new champion. Well, it did just about everything it set out to do; Edge is the champion, and Batista continues to look damn near indestructible. As I said earlier, a couple of Edge’s decision were really …goofy but overall, the match told a strong story. ***1/2

WWE Championship Match:
Heart attack! “As serious as a HEART ATTACK, not a heartbeat!” Stop butchering U.S. slang plz. The first few paragraphs were a Rhetoric-in-Booking course. Nice description of the environment, emotions, etc etc. I know triple threat matches with the face-heel-face dynamic usually start the way you did it, but with the hatred you’ve stated that each man has for one another, it just seemed odd to see Angle and Cena work together, no matter what the reason or opponent. Thankfully, it didn’t last long, and we get right to the “actual” triple threat match. Michaels still being used as a sacrificial lamb for the two faces here, but that’s just to illustrate their intensity methinks. Won’t last much longer. SPINEBUSTER! All right, nooooowww the fun begins. I kinda wanna see whom you book as the stronger of the two faces. Wow, that was a nice moment with Cena really going at Michaels. Loved that, really showing the hatred Cena has and should have for HBK. HBK always pulls out the big moonsault at WrestleMania, but it was quite the pleasant surprise to see Cena go all out as well with a top rope maneuver. Double German spot. Last time I saw it was WM22 when Rey was one of the competitors. Is Angle strong enough to get both Michaels and Cena over? I’m loving this Angle. Just a complete and utter badass, as expressed by those nasty head butts to Michaels. HBK’s been getting his ass kicked left and right. He needs some offense and needs it quick, however. How would Cena nail Angle with the leg drop if Kurt is standing upright? I guess he was leaning over Michaels a bit… Finally, some semblance of life from HBK. Five moves of DOOM~ coming right up. Or maybe not. Lmao, gotta get the tower of doom spot in, right? incredibly innovative turnbuckle power bomb spot, at least the set up for it was. Very well done. The brawl between Angle and Cena reminded me a lot of the brawls Austin and Rock had at the end of 2000 and beginning of 2001, when both were still faces. Evenly matched, physical, but still managing to have a mini-conclusion of sorts. Sweet Chin Music caught me completely off guard, as I was completely immersed in the Angle-Cena clash, as you wanted. Pretty awesome counter by Cena, followed by one by Michaels. Angle is a BEAST! It’s been pretty evenly matched throughout, but if I had to give somebody a decided advantage, I’d say Angle has been the most dominant so far, and that Ankle Lock spot on both Cena and Michaels merely solidifies it. Match doesn’t end there, and I have a bit of a problem with the way Cena “performs” here. The FU is fine, but then he not only manages to catch Michaels in mid-air, but toss him onto his shoulders? Improbable at best, imo. Meh, I’m probably just nitpicking now. Wow, what a finish. Distinctly set up to make Angle look like a monster, and clearly the best in the business. Michaels easily comes out of this match looking like the weakest of the three, since Cena had a couple of big-time moments toward the end, and Angle dominated & won. Match of the night, and easily worthy of WM main event status. As for the fallout, I expect either Van Dam or Hunter to be next on Angle’s list of opponents, while Michaels and Cena move onto their spat. But that’ll be then, this is now. EPIC. ****¾

I don’t want to sound too complimentary (I think I’ve gushed over you enough throughout), but this was easily one of the top PPVs I’ve ever read. Every match from top to bottom did what it needed to do, with several matches going far above and beyond (see: main event). The only qualm I really had with this show was the exceptionally long runtime it had, which someone (Pat, I think) has already mentioned, so I won’t harp on it. Reading through some of these matches has actually motivated me to write a few of my own. Just epic stuff from one of the best around.

Stojy

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