What do you want from a WrestleMania?
– You want to see things you have never seen before.
– You want to see professional Wrestling worthy- contests be associated with a brand like Mania.
– You want to see new stars being made, while old stars showcase why they still deserve your attention.
Thankfully, this is exactly what we got, up and down the card, when WrestleMania 21 went Hollywood in 2005.
Rey Mysterio def. Eddie Guerrero:
In another first for WrestleMania history, WWE Tag Team Champions clashed against each other in what many consider a disappointing outing for these two legendary competitors. In retrospect, I have no idea what those people are talking about! Despite an unfortunate wardrobe malfunction with Rey’s mask, neither man lost a beat and I couldn’t think of a better way to open to this great WrestleMania. On a side note, it’s crazy to think that by the end of 2005, Eddie Guerrero would no longer be with us…
Money in the Bank Ladder Match:
Edge def. Chris Benoit, Chris Jericho, Christian, Shelton Benjamin & Kane
With expectation levels at an all time high, six of WWE’s most polished performers went beyond the call of duty in setting the bar almost unbaribly high when it came to WWE Ladder matches. Wether it was the never-say-die attitude of an injured Benoit, the killer instinct of a World Championship-hungry Edge, or the deathdefying risk taking of Shelton Benjamin, the first ever MITB Ladder match sold us on the importance of holding that breifcase. The first of MANY “WrestleMania Moments” to come in Los Angeles that night.
The Undertaker def. Randy Orton
The high-profile matches just kept on coming! Looking back, this was one of the rare times that The Undertaker’s WrestleMania streak felt legitmately at stake, thanks to the career ascension and “legend Killer” gimmick of Randy Orton in 2005. While this match didn’t exactly compare to other stellar matches on this show, Orton still came out the other side of this encounter looking more like WWE’s future. An RKO out of an attempted Undertaker Chokeslam was one of many brilliant spots that enforced this point!!
Women’s Championship: Trish Stratus (c) def. Christy Hemme (with Lita)
The string of WrestleMania-worthy matches unfortunately ends here. Considering where this bout was positioned on the card and the lacklustre skill level of Hemme, it was going to be near-impossible for these ladies to hang with the big boys. Thankfuly, this one was short and the right woman won in Trish Stratus: the most impressive WWE Diva of the modern era.
Kurt Angle def. Shawn Michaels
Out of all the encounters on this show, Michaels and Angle had the most to prove. Unsurprisingly, in a buildup focused on credentials and alcolades, both delivered on every level imaginable. An incredible in-ring story from bell to bell, action so expertly paced Ric Flair and Ricky Steamboat might of learned a thing or two from it and a finish that encapsulated the definition of a “WrestleMania Moment”.
Sumo Match: Akebono def. The Big Show
If you look back on the history of WrestleMania, there are countless examples of celebrities of all kinds interacting with WWE on their grandest stage. Some are impactful like, Lawrence Taylor at WrestleMania 11 and Mike Tyson at Wrestlemania 14. Others, like Big Show vs Akebono….are completely forgettable jokes. Yes, this moribly grotesque encounter is definitely a spectacle, but for all the wrong reasons. The only thing that can be taken from this one is…POOR BIG SHOW! The man has had a career full of publicly embarrassing moments at WrestleMania!
WWE Championship:
John Cena def. JBL (c)
(NEW CHAMPION)
He still had a way to go before he reached his ultimate prime, but there was no doubt that John Cena was being thrusted into a megastar-making environment in 2005. JBL as “the longest reigning WWE Champion of the last 10 years” was the perfect foil for Cena to slay in order to earn World Title Number 1 out of 14. The match is historically remembered for its short length and rushed action and after a second viewing, its hard to argue with these critiques. But as a moment in WrestleMania history, it has and will forever be known as John Cena’s first step towards immortality.
World Heavyweight Championship:
Batista def. Triple H (c) (With Ric Flair) (NEW CHAMPION)
With one Batista Bomb on a bloody Triple H, Batista accomplished two things. First, he capped off one of the best told WrestleMania storylines since Hulk Hogan vs Randy Savage at WrestleMania 5. Secondly, he joined John Cena as one half of Vince McMahon’s new age A-Team. Like Cena, Batista showed plenty of room for growth in his Mania Main Event. Like Cena, “Big Dave” would have many better matches – especially against Triple H – in the years to come. But there was no denying a changing-of-the-guard aura surrounding the closing images of WrestleMania 21. For that reason, 2005’s version of the “Grandaddy of Them All” stands as living proof that WWE DOES have the foresight to pick long-term, money-making flag bearers.