-- WWE WrestleMania 28 PPV Reax

Frank of Anaheim, Calif. (9.5): Best: Rock vs. Cena and HIAC. Worst: Bryan vs. Sheamus. WrestleMania lived up to its expectations. Bryan losing in 18 seconds was my cue to get the soda and chips. Big Show got his moment. HIAC was the proper way for Hunter, Taker, and HBK to leave WWE. Growing up watching these three brought so much memories and I'm truly going to miss them. It honestly brought tears to my eyes when they were together on the stage. Punk beating Jericho was clean. It was typical that Team Johnny would win. Rock vs. Cena lived up to the hype. I always imagined them facing each other and I saw it. It was worth paying $59.95.

Benj, office worker (7.0): Best: Punk-Jericho. Worst: Taker-Triple H. Now, I know this is controversial, but please hear me out. Was Taker-Hunter really a good match? Or, was it just the participants that made us think it was good? Yes, the overall four-year story was great, but when you break it down, it really wasn't. There was no need to have the Cell. They didn't do anything interesting with it. Taker looked really slow, there was hardly any wrestling, and the multiple chair shots reminded me of Hart-McMahon. It was incredibly slow and with the entrances almost took an hour! So, not only was it slow, it also took away from Bryan-Sheamus. On the flip side, the Jericho-Punk match was everything a classic Mania match should be. Did it reach the heights many thought it would? Probably not, but they still went all out. It also really enhanced the story with me wanting to see more. As amazing as Taker was in the past, after Mania, I never want to see him in a ring again.

Chris Thomas of Los Angeles, Calif., telemarketing (8.0): Best: Taker-Triple H. Worst: Bryan-Sheamus. Punk vs. Jericho was a close second best, as they delivered authenticity in the action.
I was emotional after seeing my personal favorite (Trips, second only to Bret) lose so decisively. I'd been watching my DVDs and you could see the build-up for 15 years, but I was happy with the pay-off. I was also happy The Rock won, not only because I strongly dislike Cena, but I believe it validated the socially questionable things that the Attitude Era did to survive changes in the business, being that The Rock helped carry the company back then. Side note, the biggest shocker is Orton didn't even get off one RKO!

Mario Robles of New York City, DJ (9.0): Best: Taker-Hunter. Worst: Divas tag. I thought WrestleMania was sensational this year and flew above my expectations. I almost didn't order it this year, and I'm glad I changed my mind. I'd like to address the two main critiques I'm seeing regarding the World Title match and Rock winning. Firstly, the point of Sheamus-Bryan was the angle. This is obviously meant to add a new twist to the Bryan/A.J. dynamic. So, the people suggesting that other segments could've been shorter to allow more time for that match are missing the point. Adding 5-10 minutes would have made the outcome much less memorable and surprising. Secondly, people upset about Rock beating Cena are missing the point. I think it's abundantly obvious that this is supposed to push Cena in a new direction. Not necessarily a heel, or anything conventional like that, but this could be the start to a whole new level of depth for their most important character. It wasn't an accident that he spent the last few weeks saying he "needed" to win, only to lose clean because of his own showboating. It was deliberate and I think (or hope) that there is an appropriate angle lined up now that will make Cena grow and actually appeal to some (if not all) of his "Super Cena" detractors. Having him humbled and humanized by Rock could turn out to be the smartest thing WWE has done in quite some time. As for the rest of the card, I'm onboard with the general consensus on how the undercard played out - good, not great. But, Taker-Hunter was an instant classic, and Punk-Jericho was a wrestling fan's dream. The only thing I missed this year was MITB. The show could've used a crazy showcase like that.

Paul Chamberlin of Allentown, Pa., 30, pest control technician (8.0): Best: HIAC. Worst: Divas. So many people are commenting that Bryan-Sheamus was a waste. If the booking was for Bryan to lose after being distracted by A.J., then they added impact by having happen so fast. It seems like they have faith in Bryan, so hopefully he isn't on the road to burial... HIAC was just ridiculous. Great action, nods to last year, and the powerbomb out of Hell's Gate. The shot of Shawn slumped in the corner with Triple H and Taker lying on the mat was stunning. It really conveyed the emotion. I really hope this the end for them both, because it was an epic... I was hoping for Rock to win, and Cena proved why Monday night. First, he switched merch AGAIN. But, the main problem I had was at the end of the match. After the splash/roll-through/deadlift/AA combo nearfall (impressive as it was), Cena started playfully bantering with the ref, ruining the serious tone the match should have had. (Once in a lifetime, right?) Then, I jumped out of my seat when I saw Rock pop up during the People's Elbow attempt. Overall, great show with some weak moments, but the high points were classic.

David Miller of Oaktown, Ind. (9.5): Best: Undertaker vs. Triple H. Worst: Divas tag. The show started on the right note with Lilian Garcia's superb rendition of "America, the Beautiful." I'm not upset at all with the Bryan vs. Sheamus match. I know a lot of people are seeing it as being disrespectful to a great worker like Bryan, but I think it was a good surprise in the context of the storyline and the crowd popped for it. The Divas match gets my pick for worst of the night due to WWE's insufferable insistence on putting celebrities in wrestling matches when they should get their clocks cleaned by the wrestlers. It just makes it look like anybody can get in there and beat a wrestler... Undertaker vs. Triple H was absolutely brutal and told a great story. They could have gone the lazy route and just made it about Shawn Michaels being a biased referee, but instead they made it so much more... Punk vs. Jericho, while not being a five-star match, was very PPV worthy and had a very dramatic finish... Rock vs. Cena really surpassed my expectations. Rock sold being beaten and exhausted to the point where I was sure he would lose and was genuinely surprised when Cena put Rock over clean in the middle of the ring... I could have done without the silly Brodus Clay segment and the rappers, but the other matches were fine for what they were. Not every match has to be a five-star match to make it a great WrestleMania. Good pacing and proper match placement, along with three epic matches, made this a WrestleMania to remember and worth every dollar.

***

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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