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WWE WRESTLEMANIA 39 NIGHT ONE KICKOFF SHOW REPORT
APRIL 1, 2023
YOUTUBE STREAMING SERVICE
REPORT BY MIKE F. MEYERS, PWTORCH CONTRIBUTOR
Kickoff Panel: Wade Barrett, Booker T, Kayla Braxton, Peter Rosenberg
Video package: Rhea Ripley vs. Charlotte Flair
Kayla asked the panel if Ripley was ready for tonight’s match against Charlotte Flair. Peter said Ripley was a completely different person back in the Performance Center days, but that everything is connecting for her now. Kayla asked if Dominik Mysterio would be a distraction for Ripley tonight. Barrett said he will be a non-factor: “They can canoodle afterward.” Kayla asked what was Ripley’s biggest growth since NXT. Booker, not answering the question, said that tonight was going to be a spectacle. Barrett said that Judgment Day has changed Ripley. Peter said that Flair is always looking to improve, and often asks for feedback on her performance.
Video package: History and statistics of WrestleMania
The panel mentioned Rey Mysterio’s Hall of Fame induction, and added that it was hard to be in Los Angeles and not think of Eddie Guerrero. Barrett said that the wrestlers are used to 15,000-seat arenas, and that everything changes when you get into 60,000-seat arenas. He blamed that change for why he never won a single match at WrestleMania – the panel was amused.
Video package: John Cena vs. Austin Theory
Funnyman Gabriel Iglesias joined the panel. Kayla asked if Theory had a place to be in the ring with John Cena. Gabriel said that the new generation needs to remember how everything got started. He said Theory challenged the right person, but may be getting more than he bargained for. Peter compared Theory to a young Cena who called out Kurt Angle 18 years ago. Gabriel said it was emotional to see Rey Mysterio be inducted last night, and called out the disrespect of Dominik to walk out of ceremony.
Video package: 2023 Hall of Fame ceremony highlights
Maria Menounos joined the panel. She told a story of how she once cut a promo as Dusty Rhodes to Ric Flair, and now anytime she encounters Flair, he implores her to repeat the impression for any onlookers. Maria did the impression for the panel – it was respectable. She comes off as a legitimate fan and reacted in real time to the crowd behind the panel.
Video package: Dominik Mysterio vs. Rey Mysterio
Actor Rafael Amaya joined the panel and generally disrupted any flow the Kickoff show has. He turned his back to the panel and addressed the crowd from the stage. Peter had to get up and corral Rafael back to the desk. Rafael seemed unprepared, a bit frantic, and easily distracted by the crowd. The panel laughed nervously throughout this strange segment.
Video package: Cody Rhodes vs. Roman Reigns
ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith joined the panel. Stephen said he’s watched wrestling since he was a kid, and that Goldberg is one of his favorites – the crowd booed this choice. Stephen said, “I’m allergic to scrubs. I don’t waste my time with small-time events. If I’m here, it’s because it’s big time. That’s why I’m here.” Booker asked if Stephen would consider getting in the ring one time. Stephen replied, “Never. There’s not a snowball’s chance in hell.” He said if he thinks about doing something for WWE, it would be as a bad-guy manager, citing Bobby Heenan.
Kayla pivoted to the men’s Showcase tag match. Booker said the Street Profits need the win more than anyone. Barrett said that the Viking Raiders will bring the fury and wrath of the gods tonight. Booker said that Ricochet has always been looking for that one thing to get him over the top, and suggested that it could be his tag partner Braun Strowman.
Cathey Kelly was shown backstage with Johnny Knoxville. He said he can’t stand looking at Sami Zayn, and called him a “wolf in creep’s clothing.” He said that Kevin Owens was going to get pulled down by Sami Zayn. He predicted that the Usos were going to bang on Sami like the bottom of a bottle of Heinz 57, “and I’m here for it.”
Video package: Six-woman tag match
Video package: Bobby Lashley
After an ad for WWE action figures, Kayla asked what it was like to have your own. Barrett said when he broke through with WWE, there were three things he was looking forward to: Getting his own tee-shirt, being in the video game, and being an action figure.
Video package: Logan Paul vs. Seth Rollins
Boxer Ryan Garcia joined the panel. He said Rey Mysterio is his favorite wrestler and he hopes to meet him today. Booker asked about Garcia’s upcoming fight against Gervonta Davis. Garcia said he’s ready to leave it all in the ring. Peter asked Garcia what it’s like coming out of the locker room for a big match. Garcia said it tests everything about you, and that you have to focus to remember your techniques. Garcia managed to transition his comments on Paul vs. Rollins into a total promo for his own upcoming match – impressive.
Byron Saxton was backstage and introduced represntatives from three Los Angeles non-profit groups: Urban Scholar Academy, Downtown Women’s Center, and U.S. Vets – Inglewood. He announced that WWE, in conjunction with C4, is going to provide grants to all three organizations to revamp their community centers.
Miz and Maryse performed in a pretaped song-and-dance number, culminating with Miz recounting famous WrestleMania moments in the style of “We Didn’t Start the Fire” by William Joel. The performance and editing was strong, but Barrett wondered afterward how much autotune was required for Miz’s singing.
Video package: Zayn / Owens vs. Usos
Kayla called the Zayn / Owens / Usos match one of the most emotional events in the past several years. Peter said he never picks against the Bloodline because he fears for his life. He said that Owens and Zayn have struggled over the years with both their friendship and business relationships. Booker took a dig at Peter’s bow tie, and how it’s slowly been getting more and more crooked through the Kickoff show. Peter claimed that Corey Graves tied it for him.
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