PWP’s coverage of the grandest stage of them all continues with Brian H. Waters covering WrestleMania 28.
April 1, 2012 was the day my life changed forever. I had been a fan of wrestling for 25 years and I always dreamed of attending WrestleMania. On November 5, 2011 I purchased my ticket to WrestleMania XXVIII in Miami Florida. This WrestleMania will always have a special place in my heart, so let me allow you to relive this night through my eyes.
World Heavyweight Championship Match
Sheamus vs. Daniel Bryan (C)
Before I get into the match, I like to take everyone to the hall of fame ceremony the night before. Before the ceremony started, the YES! Chants began to fill the American Airlines Arena. As we got closer to the show, they grew. As I stood up watching Daniel Bryan come to ring side, chanting YES! of course, I got excited, here go, my first WrestleMania match. As AJ Lee stood on the apron to kiss him, I snapped a picture and began to sit down, and I heard the crowd began to cheer and the referee count 1-2…I turned around and 3, and the match was over, Sheamus was the new World Heavyweight Champion…in 18 seconds.
Mr. Main Event’s Thoughts: This match is an example where talent goes over better losing. After this night, the Yes Movement kept growing. This lead to YES! chants being in arenas and stadiums all over the country. Looking at the real winner vs the real loser, Daniel Bryan became a Megastar, where Sheamus title reign was very lackluster and forgettable.
Kane vs. Randy Orton
This match was during Kane’s quest to once again become the monster. Now back in 2012, Kane had returned with a mask (and hair) after losing his mask in the mid 2000s. Randy Orton beat Kane in a street fight during the summer of 2011 and Kane shook his hand. This was a solid match between two veterans. The shock factor was the fact that Kane won. Everyone in that arena just knew Orton would emerge victorious. Orton tried to hit the RKO throughout the match, but he could not. When trying to go for it from the middle ropes, Kane hit Orton with a choke slam off the top rope.
Mr. Main Event’s Thoughts: This was the place on the card for this match. 2nd. This was not a match that you would wan to see much of a fallout from, and these two are too good to be on a preshow, however I do believe they had a rematch on the following Smackdown.
WWE Intercontinental Championship Match
Big Show vs. Cody Rhodes (c)
Heading into this match, Cody Rhodes called Big Show a “WrestleMania Choke Artist.” Big Show was 3-8 heading into this match. And 2 of them were tag matches where he was not the one who scored a pin fall in the match. Rhodes had a great Intercontinental title reign (231 days), and he even restored prestige by bringing back the classic belt during the fall of 2011. But on this night, Big Show was determined not to be embarrassed again. Big Show would use his signature KO punch to defeat Cody Rhodes to become the new Intercontinental Champion.
Mr. Main Event’s Thoughts: When you think of Big Show and WrestleMania, you think about his sumo match at WrestleMania 21, when he lost to Akebono, and you think about his match with Floyd Money Mayweather, the rest are just there, but you are pretty sure he lost. This was a good way for Big Show to restore some credibility to being in WrestleMania. No matter what though, he will always be looked at as the Atlanta Braves of WrestleMania. Also to note, on this night, Big Show added himself to the grand slam list winning his first Intercontinental Championship.
Beth Phoenix & Eve Torres vs. Kelly Kelly & Maria Menounos
The biggest story here was Access Hollywood’s Maria Menounos getting in the ring. She proved her toughness by wrestling with two cracked ribs and two stress fractures in her toes. But it was no secret that she was a lifelong WWE fan, and this was her 3rd match, having appeared on Raw and Tribute to the Troops. There was no way she was missing this match. In the end she rolled up Beth Phoenix to score the pinfall.
Mr. Main Event’s Thoughts: The ladies did their best to entertain, but throughout this match, fans were chanting Daniel Bryan and YES; clearly upset about the results earlier in the night.
After the match, Josh Roberts let fans know that Sun Life Stadium set a new all time attendance Record of 78,363.
Hell in a Cell Match
Undertaker vs Triple H (Shawn Michaels as Special Referee)
Booked as a end of an era match, The Undertaker and Triple H put on a classic. Shawn Michaels, a man who had so many battles throughout the years with both men kept indicating that he had the power in his hand. The Undertaker was putting his WrestleMania record of 19-0 on the line to face Triple H. These two wrestled a year ago, but it was Undertaker who had to be carried out, even though he won the match.
Leading up to the match, Undertaker challenged Triple H every week, but Triple H said he was no longer an in ring competitor, but the dead man would not stop until he got Triple H to accept the match. He even challenged him by saying that Shawn was always better. Now Undertaker had defeated Triple H twice as well as Shawn Michaels at WrestleMania. But this match would be in both men’s playground, the Hell in a Cell. The two combined for 19!
While this was not your attitude era like Hell in a Cell Match, it was still a classic. There was no blood shed, nor any cell exits, but these two men threw everything they had at each other. During the match Triple H delivered multiple chair shots to the Undertaker and as Shawn Michaels tried to get him to stop, Triple H told him if he was so concerned then end it. Undertaker made it very clear to Michaels not to end the match. Michaels tried to remain neutral, but after being bumped around a few times he tune up the band for some sweet chin music. Ultimately he was not involved in the decision and it was the Undertaker hitting the tombstone to defeat Triple H and go 20-0.
Mr. Main Event’s Thoughts: What a match. Every fan needs to see an Undertaker entrance in person. Then there is the Triple H WrestleMania entrance. But no one does special effects like the WWE. When Undertaker took of his hat, the sound of thunder was added to his music. Remember, this is during the time he cut his hair in order to persuade Triple H to accept the match. This was the first time the WWE Universe saw his new hair cut. And then as the cell was lowered, the theme song for the match, Metallica’s Memory Remains played throughout the arena. Talk about sending chills up your spine. And the match lived up to the hype. To think this was in the middle of the night, they could have easily taken away the crowd. I remember sitting there and during every near fall, my heart racing. I was rooting for the Undertaker, My thoughts were, baseball fans have DiMaggio’s streak, basketball fans have the Celtic’s streak and wrestling fans needed the Undertaker’s streak.
12 Man Match to determine the General Manager of Raw and Smackdown
Team Johnny (David Otunga, Mark Henry, Dolph Ziggler, Jack Swagger, The Miz and Drew McIntyre) In their corner, John Laurinaitis, Brie Bella and Vickie Guerrero vs. Team Teddy (Santino Marella, R-Truth, Kofi Kingston, Zack Ryder, The Great Khali, and Booker T) In their corner (Teddy Long, Hornswoggle, Eve Torres and Nikki Bella)
This was one of those matches that I call, the match to earn everyone a WrestleMania paycheck. They work hard every week, so they deserve it.There were a few spots in this match, but I thought it was booked in the perfect spot to get the crowd to calm down and by the time it was calm, the high flying spots came. In the end, it was the Miz who walked away with the win to allow John Laurinaitis to have control of both Raw and Smackdown.
Mr. Main Event’s Thoughts: After the match, Eve Torres, who was Zack Ryder’s crush gave him a devastating low blow and left Ryder…and his career crumbled. We all saw that coming.
WWE Championship Match
Chris Jericho vs. CM Punk (C)
CM Punk dropped an infamous pipe bomb in July 2011 and it elevated him to superstardom. He won the WWE Championship from John Cena and after losing it to Alberto Del Rio at SummerSlam, he regained it at the Survivor Series and took on all comers. Chris Jericho before he left coined the saying, “I am the best in the world at what I do.” CM Punk began telling everyone he was the “Best in the World.” Jericho took exception to Punk, calling him a parody. The two had a classic match. People may have expected a more high impact, high risk, high reward type match, instead they had a classic wrestling match, but in the end CM Punk emerged victorious.
Mr. Main Event’s Thoughts: I enjoyed this match, however, this is a match that many may not have enjoyed if they were not there. Many felt it had a hard time following Undertaker vs Triple H. To me this match was a theatrical performance, a match that was wrestling at its finest and in the end it was CM Punk retaining the title (I did want Jericho to win and then Punk to get the title back).
Once in a Lifetime
John Cena vs. The Rock
The night after WrestleMania 27, history would be made. The Main Event for WrestleMania 28 was announced. Some would say this was not a good idea because the fans would lose interest in the match. However, the money the WWE made from pay-per-view buys tells a different story. Being in Miami for perhaps the biggest main event in the history of the WWE compares to no other feeling in the world.
This may not have been the most technically sound match, but it was able to draw emotion from the crowd. Lets Go Cena, Cena Sucks chants as well as the Rocky & Boots to Asses chants roared for an hour throughout Sun Life Stadium. As John Cena seemed to get the best of The Rock and taunt him by trying to defeat him with his own signature move, the People’s elbow, it was The Rock who popped up and hit the Rock Bottom to defeat Cena one, two, three. That night, the city of Miami rejoiced, as the hometown hero emerged victorious.
Mr. Main Event’s Thoughts: Many who watched this match on television would say that it did not live up to the hype. The audience in Miami would beg to differ. On a night where we witnessed an end of an era match between the Undertaker and Triple H, which took place inside the Hell in a Cell and featured Shawn Michaels as the special guest referee, this match had a lot to live up to. Ten years ago, The Rock defeated Hulk Hogan at WrestleMania 18. That match was not in the main event, and today the main event of that night between Chris Jericho and Triple H is often forgotten. The Rock and John Cena would not be overshadowed. They found a way to keep the crowd invested. This match was a reason that Sun Life Stadium set a new attendance record. This is my favorite wrestling match of all time.