Still shaking off the cobwebs after this veritable feast of wrestling entertainment and still shaking my head thinking about the sheer audacity, bravery and guts shown by these superstars last night.
Recap:
Undercard - The Great Khali pinned Kane (after a choke slam). Chris Benoit defeated MVP to retain the US Championship (flying headbutt from the top rope to get the fall). The ECW Originals beat The New Breed in the 8 man tag match (Rob Van Dam pinning Matt Striker following the 5 Star Frog Splash). Melina rolled up Ashley to retain the Women’s Title but all hell broke out with 15 divas battering each other after it ended!
Mr Kennedy won the Money In The Bank match against 7 other competitors to guarantee himself a shot at the World Title at a time and venue of his choosing over the next 365 days. This match was notable for the injuries sustained by Jeff Hardy and Edge. Hardy was climbing the ladder to claim the MITB when his brother Matt urged him to stop and do a leaping leg drop on Edge, who was lying prone across another ladder on the outside of the ring. Hardy dropped 20 feet through the air on Edge with such force that the ladder shattered and both men were literally in bits. At one stage I thought Edge might die like the late Owen Hart as medics frantically worked on him and I haven’t heard how either man is since. But the show had to go on. Fighting Irishman, Finlay, with the help of his leprechaun, Little Bastard, nearly did the business before Kennedy claimed the spoils.
Undertaker defeated Batista in a classic to claim the World Heavyweight Championship and bring his Big Dance record to 15-0. The ferocity of this encounter was awe-inspiring - Batista doing a running power slam on The Phenom through one of the commentary tables on the outside. 'Taker kicked out after The Animal got him with the Batista Bomb and Batista kicked out of the Last Ride. Finally, The Deadman finished it with the Tombstone Piledriver to prove his immortality.
Mr McMahon had his head shaved by Donald Trump and Bobby Lashley after Lashley pinned the Samoan Bulldozer, Umaga. Stone Cold Steve Austin was superb as the guest referee, dragging the two lads around the ring when they ignored his instructions. Umaga hit him with a Samoan Spike in return and McMahon’s son, Shane, came in and attacked Lashley with Umaga. He ripped off his T-Shirt to reveal a ref’s uniform and began a 1-2-3 count before Stone Cold roused himself, disrupted the count and battered Shane. Umaga went to get him with another Spike but Austin ducked and then delivered a Stone Cold Stunner. As Umaga rocked back Lashley bounced off the ropes and buried him with a Spear to get the W. Then Trump clotheslined McMahon on the outside! And Austin delivered a Stone Cold Stunner to the chairman before the bhoys shaved his head! Stone Cold, Lashley and Trump celebrated by cracking open some beers in the ring before Austin gave the Donald a Stone Cold Stunner too! A vintage Wrestlemania moment.
In the main event The Champ, John Cena, and the Heart Break Kid, Shawn Michaels, fought for 40 minutes in one of the greatest bouts I have ever seen. Both men delivered their full array of moves on each other and still they couldn’t be separated. Michaels with his Super Kick, elbow from the top rope, even a piledriver into the concrete floor on the outside that drew blood from Cena’s head. Momentum changed when Michaels cracked his head off the ring pole and split himself open but he somehow managed to kick out of the pin after Cena’s trade mark FU finishing move. He then dragged himself to the ropes to force a break after Cena had his submission hold, the STFU. in place. After another 5-10 minutes of awesome action from these two men, both literally out on their feet, Cena managed to lock in the STFU in the centre of the ring and The Show Stopper had nowhere to go. Like Triple H last year, he tapped out and Cena retained his title and the two legends lay batterred and bloodied in the centre of the ring as the curtain came down on what I consider to be one of the best Wrestlemanias of all time.
What a night. It was off the chain. Off the hook. Sensational.
