Opening Segment
Edge cuts a promo counteracting Daniel Bryan's about loving THIS BUSINESS. Edge says he comes back because he loves THIS BUSINESS. Daniel Bryan says he doesn't know how many WrestleManias he has left, so he went into business for himself. Edge having a problem with how Daniel Bryan "went about this" but not having a problem with how Roman Reigns went about defending his title doesn't make a lot of sense to me. The promo material for Edge in 2021 is way, way below where it was when he was doing elite level stuff in 2020. Not even close.
Jey Uso is talking with Edge, and Edge tries to do the same thing others have, talk sense into Jey. Nope. Been there, done that.
Later on, Roman Reigns says he won't sign the contract. Daniel Bryan goads him into it by calling himself the head of the table, which is something. Jey Uso gets mad at Daniel Bryan and wants to be special enforcer. Edge comes out and challenges Jey instead for next week. Winner is special enforcer. Cool.
Street Profits & Mysterios defeated Dirty Dawgs & Alpha Academy
6/10
Why the shit would Otis team with Dolph Ziggler? They really should have explained that besides "Otis is a meanie now." WWE is really giving Dawkins the opportunity to work a lot more of these matches of late than he had before. He's doing the lion's share of the work. Dominik has a small slip up, but recovers well for a tornado DDT that Roode sells dead. I can't believe this Rey Mysterio is the same one we saw in 2013 and 2014. Give me all the stem cells Montez Ford pins Roode with an incredible 180 Frog Splash. Montez showed little Dominik how to do it. Some incredible wrestling and pacing in this match.
Other Stuff
Is Reginald Nia Jax's sugar baby? PLEASE!!!!!!!!!! This is good. Nia Jax takes Reginald out shopping to cheer him out. He tries on outfits.
Cesaro defeated Buddy Murphy via DQ
5/10
Seth Rollins says he's done with Cesaro. Cesaro dominates Buddy Murphy, but Seth Rollins comes in and kicks the living shit out of Cesaro. This was a really good beat down. I don't know why we really needed a Murphy/Cesaro rematch, but I'm not complaining. I'm complaining about the shitty camera work though. Woof.
Tamina & Natalya defeated Bianca Belair & Sasha Banks
4/10
Kevin Owens says it's been a trying few months for him, but he's back. Bianca and Sasha go back and forth a bit, but nothing ground breaking.
I need to photoshop the "Vontae Mack no matter what" scene from Draft Day to say "Sasha and Bianca main event a night of WrestleMania no matter what." Nia, Shayna and Reginald come out for this match.
The best way to hype me for a Bianca/Sasha match is to have them get pinned a whole lot leading up to their title matches. That's what happens here. How stupid is this? They've booked Bianca Belair and Sasha Banks to go winless in all four of their tag team matches, so I'm not sure how it makes sense that they're in a tag title match. This doesn't include the 6-person match where Reginald scored the pin.
Sasha refuses to take the responsibility for getting distracted and calls Bianca a rookie. Sasha Banks and Bianca Belair making chicken salad out of chicken shit with a good backstage segment. If they really want to tease the dissension angle, Adam Pearce should take the title match away from them and award it to Tamina and Natalya.
WWE Intercontinetnal Title
Big E (c) defeated Sami Zayn
5.5/10
Big E returns. He teased being hurt, but he took all his bandages off. He says that he's going to bulldoze and end Apollo, and beating him just isn't enough. This is an unbelievable promo. Big E calls out Apollo Crews, who doesn't come out. He extends an open challenge.
King Corbin is dressed in a suit and is about to accept the challenge, but Sami Zayn does it first. This is outright amazing. Zayn and Corbin are having an interesting rivalry without wrestling each other at all. Big E and Sami Zayn wrestle through a commercial. Big E Red Rovers Sami and wins with the Big Ending.
Apollo comes out and attacks Big E with a couple of Olympic Slams
Rating Guide
10- Perfect, 9- MOTY Territory, 8- Excellent, 7- Great, 6- Good, 5- Average to above average, 4- Slightly below average, 3 or below: Poor
Each match starts at a 5 and slides up and down based on entertainment, execution, time, environment, reaction and stakes. The ratings are in no way an indication of a "star rating," which is a completely different system. A standard, non-offensive "TV match" lands at a 5. The gap between 5.75-6 is generally the largest, with anything reaching 6 being recommended viewing.
These are opinions, and incredibly inconsistent ones that may change upon a second viewing, or sitting on the match for a period of time. Don't take them too seriously, and have (and share) your own!
