WrestleMania 38 is within the books. Let’s have a look again on the highlights from the two-night spectacle at AT&T Stadium in Dallas.
Cody Rhodes is again
The prodigal son has returned.
Cody Rhodes, after six years away, is again in WWE, going from primary big name whilst with AEW to now being a big big name in sports activities leisure in WWE.
Rhodes won the big name remedy in his front (together with the tune he utilized in AEW and at the unbiased scene) after which the target market gave him the big name remedy in go back, byway of an especially certain response.
The fit towards Seth Rollins used to be a powerful method to reintroduce Rhodes to a WWE target market that can have now not been aware of his paintings during the last six years. Now the query for Rhodes is, what subsequent?
Rhodes advised Selection that he considers himself, “the most efficient wrestler on this planet. And to head additional with it, I if truth be told don’t assume there’s a detailed 2nd.”
With that during thoughts, a highway to the WWE Championship shouldn’t be too a long way away.
Stone Chilly! Stone Chilly! Stone Chilly!
For the primary time in 19 years, Stone Chilly Steve Austin participated in a wrestling fit. Earlier than that, his final fit happened at WrestleMania 19, in a shedding effort towards The Rock. He had stayed in and round WWE in that point, dispensing a Stunner from time to time, however there used to be by no means the rest that introduced him again to compete between the bells.
Till April 2, 2022… Stone Chilly got here out of retirement to tackle Marieville, Que., local Kevin Owens.
Owens grew up a large fan of Stone Chilly, so it used to be definitely a thrill of a life-time for him to have a fit with Steve Austin, and that’s now not even citing that it used to be in the primary tournament of WrestleMania on Saturday. The instant can have ended simply within the peripheral description of the fit, nevertheless it used to be so a lot more than that. The fit, from bell-to-bell used to be spectacularly entertaining. Stone Chilly took a couple of noteworthy bumps, reminiscent of a suplex at the concrete. The response that Austin won from the gang when his tune hit used to be as excellent because it’s ever been, and most likely higher.
In the meantime, consider the truth that Owens used to be tasked with collaborating in a first-rate tournament fit of WrestleMania with the most important big name in WWE historical past who used to be popping out his 19-year-retirement. Owens is among the greatest stars in WWE, and that gained’t alternate for years.
The Tribal Leader reigns
Roman Reigns continues to dominate any individual and everybody and is now the brand new, unified WWE and Common Champion after defeating Brock Lesnar in the primary tournament of WrestleMania 38.
The fit had a big-fight really feel because of the 2 behemoth wrestlers with personalities to compare and the stakes concerned. Used to be this fit a complete lot other than their earlier encounters, together with at previous WrestleManias? I’d say most certainly now not however, once more, on account of the stakes and wrestlers concerned, it nonetheless felt recent.
As Michael Cole discussed within the leadup to the fit, when it comes to long identify reigns, Reigns is now in the similar breath because the likes of Hulk Hogan, Bruno Sammartino, Bob Backlund and Pedro Morales. No longer for the reason that overdue 1980’s has a wrestler ruled like Reigns.
Lesnar felt like a sound challenger to Reigns, or even he fell to the Tribal Leader, so who else can problem at this time? May you realistically say that any person else at the WWE roster could be higher served as champion?
I feel it’s Reigns after which an enormous hole to the remainder of the contest. Alternatively, as discussed above, there’s a brand spanking new, white-hot babyface at the roster, whose father simply came about to painting one of the vital biggest underdog tales in wrestling.
Roman Reigns as opposed to Cody Rhodes. It’s a question of when, now not if.
Bianca Belair vs. Becky Lynch used to be the most efficient fit of ‘Mania weekend
Bianca Belair and Becky Lynch delivered an fast vintage.
It used to be a very good little bit of long-term storytelling on WWE’s phase. It used to be both what WWE had drawn up all of the time – humiliation for Belair at SummerSlam in 2021 after shedding to Lynch in mere seconds – or it used to be correcting that mistake from SummerSlam.
No matter it can be, this fit delivered, large time.
Lynch used to be impressive, as soon as once more. Whilst Belair has now conquered three-quarters of the 4 Horsewomen, with wins over Becky, Charlotte and Sasha Banks. All this is left now could be Bayley, who may well be her opponent relying on her well being.
Because of their fantastic paintings with this fit, Belair and Lynch showed their seats at professional wrestling’s head desk.
Sami Zayn is a Jackass
Sami Zayn advised Sportsnet forward of his matchup with Johnny Knoxville that he used to be fired up.
“Our characters performed off every different really well. He makes a idiot of folks and my personality you wish to have to peer get made a idiot of so there’s a herbal connection there. I feel the chemistry used to be excellent, and the reactions had been excellent sufficient to get us thus far which is to stand off at WrestleMania.”
Dwelling as much as his phrase, Zayn used to be made a idiot of, because the characters performed off every different extraordinarily neatly.
The fit used to be completely ridiculous, from begin to end, which integrated Sami getting slammed via a desk flush with mouse traps, Sami taking a bowling ball to the nether-regions, Sami… neatly, you get the speculation.
The last of the fit concerned Sami getting beaten/caught underneath an enormous mouse entice, which if truth be told didn’t paintings correctly. But it surely didn’t topic. The fit felt so naturally entertaining, and it used to be made even higher realizing that Zayn and Knoxville each most probably had a substantial amount of say of learn how to make it really feel similarly herbal and entertaining.
Pat McAfee impresses once more
By no means say that Pat McAfee punts on a chance.
The previous NFL punter has demonstrated that he’s greater than in a position to dealing with himself in a wrestling ring, maximum particularly when he participated in a Struggle Video games fit towards the likes of Adam Cole and the remainder of the Undisputed Technology. McAfee has inspired at each prevent on his professional wrestling escapade up to now, and WrestleMania 38 is solely some other stamp within the passport.
Along with some extremely spectacular athleticism, McAfee proved to be extra over with the gang than most likely perhaps even one of the full-time wrestlers at the WWE roster. It began together with his front when he got here out to The White Stripes’ Seven Country Military, which proved that WWE must be licensing extra precise tune for the reason that target market liked that song. McAfee in the end scored a victory on up-and-coming big name Austin Concept, prior to issues were given wild…
Vince McMahon were given within the ring, the bell rang and unexpectedly, the 76-year-old WWE chairman used to be collaborating in a fit towards McAfee. McMahon would pick out up the win after some (naturally) underhanded techniques however issues were given much more wild…
The glass shattered and out got here Stone Chilly. The gang, who used to be already loving each 2nd of the instant, misplaced their collective minds as Austin walked down the aisle prior to turning in one the best Stunners (or worst, relying on the way you have a look at it) on McMahon prior to playing a pair Damaged Cranium Lagers.
It used to be sheer lunacy, and it used to be improbable.
