Wrestlemania XXVII (Part II)

Okay show so far. Last year the two title matches and HBK/Taker really delivered, so we'll see if HHH/Taker and the RAW title match can push this thing over the top. HHH's intro starts off with Metallica's "For Whom the Bell Tolls" before Motorhead kicks in. Sweet. On the other hand, I'm not really sure what to think of the Undertaker coming out to Johnny Cash's "Ain't No Grave." Great song, but it doesn't really work as a wrestling entrance theme.

Undertaker vs HHH
Here we go. It's definitely going to be tough for them to top that epic Michael Cole/Jerry Lawler encounter. Brawl to start things off, and it isn't long before they're destroying things at ringside. HHH tackles Taker through the Cole Mine, which probably sounds more impressive than it looked. That would have probably gotten a bigger pop if Cole were actually in it. Interesting spin on last year's HBK/Taker bout, with Hunter taking on the role of, um, hunter, and the aging Undertaker doing everything in his power to survive. HHH brings out the heavy artillery: tables, chairs, Pedigrees (3 of them), the works, but the Undertaker somehow manages to hold on each time. At one point, Taker goes for a goozle, but he's so battered by then that HHH just shrugs him off and Tombstones him. Awesome.



Hunter goes for the sledgehammer when that doesn't get the job done, allowing UT to catch him with the Gogoplata. HHH fights it forever but eventually taps to give Taker win #19 in the streak. Here's the thing: it was a mess and the outcome was never really in doubt, but the drama was nonetheless there and they managed to tell a pretty good story. It can't touch the two HBK matches, but this one was pretty good in its own right. A lot of people will argue that there was no substance with both guys repeatedly throwing their finishers at each other, but the show desperately needed something that would get the fans out of their seats, and this certainly did the trick.

Trish Stratus, Snooki, John Morrison vs Dolph Ziggler, LayCool
We don't get Jersey Shore down here so this would be my first time actually seeing Snooki. Um, I guess she's sort of cute and all, but well...let's just say that I feel like I ordered a medium and ended up with a large instead. Trish is still looking good, though. She and McCool do the bulk of the work here until the the guys get involved (sorta). I guess Morrison was only allowed one move, so he decides to do the most dangerous thing he could possibly think of given the circumstances and Starship Pain himself all the way to the floor. At this point something weird happens, as Snooki turns into this chubby little ninja and starts doing flips all over the arena, pinning McCool in the process. You know, if only Jersey Shore actually featured fat chicks who do too many Grey Goose shots and then proceed to cartwheel all over the club and body splash other women, I might actually be interested in tuning in.

RAW World Title: The Miz vs John Cena
Miz has a pretty cool intro video set to Nas' "Hate Me Now" with old Real World clips and highlights from his wrestling career so far. Not really a big fan of Miz's trench coat + underpants look. Alex Riley is also here in his ring gear for some reason. And maybe I missed something, but why is he still carrying around the briefcase? Just what the hell is in there? Cena's elaborate entrance features gospel singers and an even better video set to DMX's "Prayer III"...never thought we'd see that. Those poor singers must be wondering why they're getting booed. The match itself was...not very good. It ends in a draw after both guys are counted out, thus Miz retains. The Rock doesn't like that, so he restarts the match, Rock Bottoms Cena, and Miz retains anyway. Ok then. The thing is that the match the people really wanted to see was Cena/Rock, and as such, the crowd was completely dead until the Rock got involved.

Overall? Decent. It felt sort of like WM2000 or WMXVIII, with the final match just leaving you with a foul aftertaste. The show wasn't without its high points (Punk/Orton, Cody Rhodes, HHH/Taker), but aside from the Undertaker match, there wasn't particularly much that stood out as a definitive Wrestlemania moment. The main event really should have been the culmination of something, but it was instead used as buildup to next year's WM. Make no mistake, John Cena vs The Rock will be absolutely off the charts, but it did nothing for this year's show.