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Leonard Tripodi of Kenilworth, N.J. (8.0): Best: Michaels vs. Flair. Worst: Batista vs. Umaga. The biggest PPV of them all turned out to be a surprisingly entertaining and solid show. My expectations were lower than in past years due to the predictability of the matches and mediocre hype up until the last two weeks. I will be forgiving of the Kane squash over Chavo to capture the ECW Title because I felt like Kane needed that push very badly. They can utilize him more efficiently on ECW with all of the awkward big men to feud with. Batista has taken two steps back from a year ago when he faced Undertaker. He was lumbering and sloppy in his execution. I have lost interest in him for now. Mayweather-Show was much better than expected. The booking was standard fare for a gimmick match, but Mayweather was actually selling and playing his role as the underdog well. It dragged a bit in the beginning, but really became entertaining, thanks largely in part to Show's increased mobility and charisma. The finish felt flat for me, for the simple reason that Show took three chairshots to the head along with a brass knuckles punch and didn't bleed or look legitimately hurt, except maybe his pride. The opening brawl, BunnyMania, and even MITB were fair to very good, but nothing new in the way of creativity. We've seen all of this before in different variations. MITB was a typical, but entertaining spotfest which had two elements of surprise; one of which was Matt Hardy's return and interference while the other was Punk winning the damn thing. I hope they don't waste his opportunity to cash in for a shot at the ECW Title, but instead, one of the big two. Ashley needs to go away or find another career. She just doesn't have it. On the other hand, doesn't it seem like Beth is playing with a bunch of girls out there? Note to WWE: push Mickie again! Michaels-Flair was somewhat amazing and memorable on many levels, but the ending was truly climatic and emotional. Both men should be highly commended for their effort and professionalism. Speaking of which, Undertaker-Edge was also very solid and full of suspense. The showmanship in their match was also remarkable. The three-way for the WWE Title was nothing to brag about, although I was mildly shocked when Orton won. But when you think about it, if Triple H would have captured the WWE Title, I'm sure he would have been posing and celebrating at 10:50 p.m instead of Taker. Mania was a solid all-around effort, but still lacking in certain areas. Definitely worth the money and time, but it was due largely in part to Flair-Michaels and the main event. Let's see where all of this leads, starting with Raw..
Tim Romines of Kingston, TN: (9.5) Best Match: Tough, but I'll go with Flair/Michaels. Worst: ECW Title "Match." This is what WrestleMania should be. Not just a spectacle, but a card with real substance. I'll get the lesser elements out of the way first. The Chavo-Kane squash was sad on the basis that it basically made anyone who has lost to Chavo lately look very weak since Chavo himself came off as a total dolt. In fact, if not for this match, I probably would've scored this show a 10. Nice rub for Kane, though. He gets a reward for his loyalty without having to carry Raw or Smackdown. BunnyMania was what it was and at least nobody was crippled. Batista-Umaga was weak and, at times, ugly. Big Dave simply must be carried if he has a chance at a good match. The Belfast Brawl was a nice opener and served its purpose well. JBL had tons of heat and Finlay looked tough and tenacious. Now on to the greatness. Money in the Bank was a wonderful spotfest as usual and Punk going over was a nice surprise and looks to be a vote of confidence from the brass. Morrison also looked sharp and the Matt Hardy run-in was pitch perfect. I must admit, Mayweather-Big Show caught me off guard. It turned out to be a well told story. And who would have expected Mayweather to sell that well? The finish was strong in that Show proved that without the no-DQ stip, Mayweather would've never stood a chance and Show almost answering the count saved his character nicely. I mean, c'mon, it took several chairshots and a solid shot with brass knucks to put Show down. The Triple Threat was a very pleasant surprise as all three guys elevated their games and seemed to really be throwing everything they had at this match. I'll be the first to admit this - I popped like a third grade mark when Randy Orton went over. It was a great WHAT?!? moment and got over the fact that anything could happen at Mania. Taker-Edge was just great as the Triple Threat had planted a seed of doubt that maybe, just maybe, the streak was actually in danger, something that WWE hasn't done before. Edge cemented himself as the real deal and for guy in his forties and performing on his 16th Mania, Taker put a lot of guys half his age to shame. Finally, what can I say about Flair vs. Michaels? One word. Excellence. I cannot remember the last time I was able to just forget about "The Business" and just be a fan. This match was everything I love about pro wrestling and I watched with awe and admiration as two of the finest ever did what they do best. It was a privilege to watch and I can honestly say, I will never forget the match or the men. I don't care that this was a work, it felt more "real" to me than anything I've seen in ages. Congratulations Ric, thank you, God bless, and good luck.
Mat La Vore of West Palm Beach, Fla. (7.5) Best Match: Shawn Michaels-Ric Flair, Worst Match: Batista-Umaga. I wasn't all that excited about the actual matches or storylines for this year's WrestleMania, but I always enjoy the spectacle of the show and the effort the performers put in in the ring. So for what I ordered the show for I wasn't disappointed. As for the drama of the matches and the stories? Nothing all that special. Everything unfolded in a pretty predictable fashion with the one (somewhat) surprise of the night being Orton retaining the title. Ric Flair and Michaels had a solid match that Flair can be proud to call his final in-ring performance. It wasn't five stars in my book, but it was a solid match, just a step up from Undertaker-Edge. Speaking of which, Undertaker is an amazing performer who just gets better and better every year. I know a lot of guys like to talk themselves up (Michaels, Triple H, Cena, etc.) but Undertaker is the true backbone of WWE. The triple threat match was okay, but nothing special. I just don't think many people cared whether Triple H or Cena won yet another title match. Orton retaining was nice. Money in the Bank was an entertaining match that filled its niche well and provided some good action. Batista-Umaga was a big letdown, as both guys have shown they can turn it on when motivated. But I guess you can't blame them too much since they only had seven minutes. That extended nerve hold wasn't the best way to fill some of those seven minutes though. All-in-all, it was a nice spectacle and a solid, entertaining show, but nothing new or exciting to talk about coming out of WrestleMania this year. No big incentive to tune into Raw tomorrow night. Jeff Hardy's absence was really felt on this show. Looks like WWE will continue to tread water for a while longer.
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