-- WWE WrestleMania 28 PPV Reax

Jon Gargis of Marietta, Ga. (6.5): Best Match: Undertaker-Triple H. Worst Match: Bryan-Sheamus. I think there are four possible reasons why Bryan-Sheamus went quickly - either someone’s in the doghouse, there’s an injury, someone at HQ doesn’t have faith in the pair’s wrestling ability, or HQ wanted to show that “anything can happen at WrestleMania” playing into Bryan's TV story/character. If it’s the latter, then pushing that wisdom came at the expense of showing some of the company’s talent. Who knows what the rest of 2012 holds for Orton and Kane, but both need some fresh feuds to push them back up the ladder. Show-Rhodes was okay, but I think Rhodes has the better upside at this point, and perhaps losing one title will lead to his chase of a bigger one. The Streak stays alive as it should, but if Taker stays in the game (no pun intended), I think he should face Cena before his last ride (pun intended) out of the building. Speaking of Cena, losing to The Rock was the right call, and if the cards are played right, the match could lead to a long-overdue turn for Cena in the near future. But, since he’s one of the current faces of the WWE’s anti-bullying movement and a mover of merchandise, a slow-burn heel turn is seemingly the best course of action and could play out much better than an immediate turn. Only time will tell if WWE will pull the trigger on a new chapter for their company man.

Juan Aceves, 32, in L.A. (9.5): The show was amazing live. I gave it a 9.5 only because I thought the musical acts sucked. The one match that did have the crowd running for the aisles was, of course, the Divas tag match. I came to Miami from Los Angeles and it was totally worth it.

John Elezovic of Astoria, N.Y. (5.0): Best Match: Punk-Jericho. Worst Match: Sheamus-Bryan. No, this wasn't a good WrestleMania due to three decent matches. I would love to be a fly on the wall post-Bryan-Sheamus to see if a possible panic set in the back. That was insulting to all parties. The crowd was hyped for what could have been a great match and got the life sucked out of them, and it took a near four-star match out of Hunter-Taker to get them going again... Jericho-Punk was solid, but Jericho coming back to lose the Rumble and now this is a bit of a head-scratcher... Rock-Cena actually surprised me, and now I'm very interested to see if Cena turns Monday night. If not, what was the point of him losing to The Rock? Was it to get WWE out of the corner they painted themselves in by booking Mania in the Rock's hometown, then thinking they could get a 50/50 crowd split? WWE has been painting by numbers since having the best possible situation post-MITB last year, and the results have been mediocre at best. And, if a WrestleMania is anything less than a 7.0, it might as well be a 0.0.

Dave Harlequin of Charlotte, N.C. (9.8): Best Match: Undertaker-Triple H. Worst Match: Celebrity Divas Tag. Now that was a fantastic WrestleMania! I didn't even mind the typical celebrity match or the ridiculous Brodus Clay segment, as they were both great bathroom & snack breaks. The Punk-Jericho match was excellent, as was Rock-Cena, but the Undertaker-Triple H match really stole the show for me. If this really was Taker's last match - what a way to go out! Also, I can't believe Cena actually lost a match clean, with no "out" or anything - it's about time! It'll be interesting to see where they go with from here. I'll definitely be tuning into Raw for the fall-out. I hope it delivers!

***

We welcome your 0-10 score and comments on this show for a "WWE PPV Reax" feature in the Torch Feedback section of PWTorch.com. Just to add a twist to this feature, include not just your hometown, but also your occupation (mechanic, lawyer, stay-at-home-dad, college student, etc.) so readers get a flavor for what everyone does as "day jobs." To contribute your thoughts on the PPV, click here or email us at pwtorch@gmail.com.

[Torch art credit Travis Beaven (c) PWTorch.com]

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