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WWE WRESTLEMANIA 39 KICKOFF SHOW REPORT – NIGHT TWO
APRIL 2, 2023
YOUTUBE STREAMING SERVICE
REPORT BY MIKE F. MEYERS, PWTORCH CONTRIBUTOR
Kickoff Panel: Wade Barrett, Booker T, Kayla Braxton, Kevin Patrick, Peter Rosenberg
Video package: Sheamus vs. McIntyre vs. Gunther
Barrett said he had been in the ring with Sheamus and McIntyre many times, and that they’re the hardest-hitting opponents he’s faced, and he added that Gunther may hit harder than either of them. Booker called Gunther “an anomaly, a perfect storm,” and suggested that Gunther would thrive off of the challenge of facing these opponents.
Peter Rosenberg was shown backstage. Liv Morgan arrived on a golf cart and said she and Raquel Rodriguez have “finessed their way onto the card.” Morgan left, and Pete said he was going to walk us to Gorilla Position. When he arrived, he explained that the area is named for Gorilla Monsoon who used to reside there. The camera followed him out onto the stage and gave viewers the vantage of wrestlers entering the arena. He said the ramp to the ring is 80 yards long. The mini tour and scope of the stadium were impressive.
Booker described the feelings of anticipation when performing in an arena of this size, and said you have to “get the butterflies in a line, and get them to fly straight.”
Video package: History and statistics of WrestleMania
Video replay: John Cena / Make a Wish entrance from WrestleMania 39 night one
Peter joined the Kickoff panel as Kayla pivoted to the women’s showcase tag match. Barrett said that Rousey and Baszler were admitted into this match without qualification, but said this is Hollywood and sometimes stars get treated differently. Booker mentioned the experience that Natalya brings to her team with Shotzi, and Barrett said that she’ll have to keep Shotzi reeled in, and that not even Shotzi knows what she’s going to do when she hits the ring tonight.
Cathy Kelley was joined backstage by Paul Heyman, who was pacing uncomfortably. Cathy mentioned the Uso’s loss last night to Zayn and Owens and asked what it meant for Roman Reigns. Heyman said a direct question merits a direct answer. He said, “Tonight is his night.” He reminisced about being at Starrcade and meeting Dusty Rhodes backstage. He did a Dusty impression: “Paul E. Dangerously, that was a good promo, but where’s the money?” Bringing it to present day, Heyman said that the money is Roman Reigns, “and it ain’t Cody Rhodes.”
Video package: Edge vs. Balor
Peter claimed that the strength of Finn Balor with Judgment Day will result in the strongest version of the Demon we’ve ever seen. Booker said that Edge is walking into a battlezone that he’s not prepared for, and added, “I might be wrong, but I’m usually not in situations like this.” Kevin favored Edge to win, and Peter called him out for not aligning with a fellow Irishman in Balor.
Video replay: Logan Paul entrance from WrestleMania 39 night one
Greg Miller, host of “This is Awesome,” joined the panel. Greg said his favorite moment from night one is Rhea Ripley winning the women’s championship with Charlotte Flair smiling on the floor. Regarding Dominik’s entrance, Greg said, “Dominik has spent as much time in jail as I’ve spent in the gym, and he still rode with it like that. I love it.” Greg cut a mini promo for Cody Rhodes and said we’d have to acknowledge him. An “Eddie” chant broke out in the crowd behind the panel. Greg said that after Rhodes vs. Reigns, he was most looking forward to the Edge vs. Balor Hell in a Cell match.
The panel promoted the mobile app Snapchat and its new WWE Superstar filters, and the broadcast applied the filters to members of the crowd and panel members: Miz, Roman Reigns, Cody Rhodes, and Asuka. This was genuinely amusing and slightly disconcerting.
Video replay: Seth Rollins entrance from WrestleMania 39 night one
Video package: Omos vs. Lesnar
Booker said that Lesnar is normally the biggest and strongest in any matchup, but tonight is different with Omos in the ring. Peter said he’s never seen fear on Lesnar’s face until the night Omos clotheslined him over the top rope. Kevin wondered how much of a factor MVP has played in Omos’s development leading to WrestleMania. A “Yeah / What” battle chant rang briefly in the crowd behind the panel. Kayla wondered what would happen to Lesnar were he to lose to Omos tonight. Kevin poked fun at himself for calling the scale a “weighing machine” during the Omos / Lesnar weigh-in. “Have you ever just forgotten a word!?”
Video package: 2023 Hall of Fame ceremony highlights
Video replay: Bobby Lashley winning Andre the Giant Battle Royal
George Kittle, of San Francisco 49ers fame, joined the panel. A video was shown from night one where Kittle clotheslined Miz as part of Miz’s loss to Pat McAfee. Barrett said that Kittle’s had a taste of WWE action and asked if there would be more. Kittle said he’d always answer those phone calls.
Video package: Asuka vs. Belaire
Peter said that Belair is an incredible person and champion, but wondered if the pressure of her long reign may get to her against Asuka. Barrett said that Belair is so good that you never see her unnerved – until Asuka arrived. “It was like an alien life form landed in front of Belair.” ALF was an American television sitcom that aired on NBC from 1986 to 1990. Barrett said that some wrestlers use face paint to hide their lack of substance, but beneath Asuka’s paint is a bona fide champion. Kayla flipped Asuka’s tagline and asked if Asuka is ready for Belair. Booker said that Belair didn’t get here by slipping on a banana peel or via osmosis – she’s earned the position she’s in.
Video replay: Rey Mysterio / Snoop Dogg entrance from WrestleMania 39 night one
Video package: Cody Rhodes vs. Roman Reigns
Peter said there’s a lot of confidence between both Rhodes and Reigns. Barrett said the world is expecting Rhodes to finish his story tonight in a positive way – but that is a lot of pressure for Rhodes’s first WrestleMania main event. Kevin asked what makes Rhodes different from Reigns’s prior challengers. Booker said that Rhodes has proven that he is “dedicated to this game.” Kayla wondered if the Uso’s loss on night one would affect Reigns at all. Booker indicated that this was the Shucky Ducky Quack! Quack! moment of the night. Kevin said that Rhodes is the only man who could leave Reigns speechless in their recent in-ring encounter. Barrett said that Rhodes needs to pin or submit Reigns, and that both are unthinkable.
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