CONTACTABOUTFACEBOOKTWITTERPODCAST IPHONE APPANDROID APPAMAZON APPRSS
Pro Wrestling Torch
Pro Wrestling Torch Reaches The Most Wrestling Fans Every Week: #1 in iTunes • #1 on iPhone and iPad • #1 on Android • #1 on Kindle
GOT THE PWTORCH APP YET?
iPhone & iPad
Android
Amazon Kindle
Windows Phone
PWTorch Phone App
THE SPECIALISTS
VALENTINO'S MAGIC, MEMORIES & MANIA - Live At WrestleMania 30 Ratings: From a Magical Opening to the Worst Moment in WrestleMania History

Apr 13, 2014 - 11:54:26 AM
PLEASE TAKE A MOMENT TO BOOKMARK US & VISIT US DAILY


WM30HighRes_30.jpg



By Shawn Valentino, PWTorch specialist

WrestleMania is the Grandest Stage of Them All, and this year that stage was the scene of some of the highest highs and lowest lows in wrestling history. There were no real great matches, but there were great moments, which are often just as historic.

I have attended 12 of the last 13 Manias, so I have been fortunate to be there for some of the most memorable moments in WWE history. For me, the Showcase of the Immortals was the high point of a week of wrestling festivities. I was literally behind the scenes staying in the WWE hotel, and it was as surreal as ever. There is nothing like walking out of an elevator and seeing childhood icons like Hulk Hogan and Vince McMahon. I will write an article about that experience, but today I will keep the focus on the ring, and this year’s show contained two of the most shocking moments in all my years of watching Mania as well as the conclusion of a triumphant journey for a grass-roots fan favorite.

OPENING SEGMENT: Hulk Hogan, "Stone Cold" Steve Austin, and The Rock

There are moments that transcend professional wrestling, and take you to a level of extreme escapism that create an out-of-body experience. The WrestleMania return of Hulk Hogan would have been enough to elevate the gravitas and nostalgia of this landmark show. Last year, the first half of WrestleMania was a crowd-killing borefest. This year, Hogan brought all of his charisma and goodwill with the audience to the “Silverdome,” and gave Mania the hot opening to energize the mammoth crowd.

The surprise appearances of "Stone Cold" Steve Austin and The Rock made this not only one of the most exciting moments in wrestling history, but it was one of the great entertainment experiences of my life. All three larger-than-life stars showed they can electrify a crowd with their mere presence. It was a surreal sight, and WWE deserves enormous applause for keeping it a secret and giving the paying fans a chance to see something truly special. (And as a footnote, we must ask would this even have been a surprise if it were not for WWE knowing that many fans would be watching on the Network, and they were not relying solely on cable PPV purchases?) I was corresponding with my good friend and former Dot Net writer Rich Twilling through the night, and we agreed that it was beyond imagination.

The charisma in the ring was off the charts, and it was easy to see why all three crossed over into mainstream superstardom. I also loved how they all played off Hogan’s blunder. As amazing as Stone Cold and the Hulkster are, it was also obvious why The Rock was the one who became the biggest pop culture icon of the three because he really carried the segment, and he showcased the characteristics that have allowed him to become a major mainstream figure and the biggest action movie star in the world.

I am glad WWE did not feel the need to put someone else with them because these three stand head and shoulders above everyone else in iconic status. The opening was a tribute to WrestleMania lore, the WWE/F, and to wrestling fans all over the world. This was one of the greatest things I have ever seen, and it was worth the price of my entire trip to New Orleans.

LIVE EXPERIENCE RATING: 100 out of 10. That is not a misprint, because it was simply off the charts

(1) Triple H vs. Daniel Bryan

Seeing the mythical trio of Superstars was absolutely an impossible act to follow, but when the green lasers crossed the gargantuan stadium crowd, the escapist nature of the festivities continued. Triple H’s entrance, from costuming to music to special effects, was one of the most spectacular sights I have ever seen. For me, it was right up there with Shawn Michaels’s WrestleMania 25 intro as the two greatest WrestleMania entrances in history. At this point, my friend and I, both stunned in the audience, said this is the greatest half-hour in Wrestlemania history, and it felt like we were in the Collosseum for a battle between barbaric gladiators. Whatever you think about The Game, the magnitude of his stage presence, and his grasp on how to create a larger-than-life character is nearly unparalleled. Ultimate Warrior should have been smiling for this one.

The match itself was a very good opening contest, and a perfect example of good versus evil storytelling. Daniel Bryan played the upstart underdog to perfection, and he had the crowd firmly behind him. Let me pause to give the New Orleans audience, largely flown in from around the world, some serious credit in giving all of the shows I attended this weekend a big-show atmosphere.

Triple H was brilliant here as the unrelenting bully, and he showed why he is one of the great heel workers in wrestling history. Stephanie McMahon put on a five-star performance at ringside, from her sexy attire to her sadistic facial expressions, and the way she has played her character in the past month is right up there a notch below Mr. McMahon in his prime. It was a foregone conclusion who would win, but Bryan and The Game created a sense of drama that kept the crowd on high, and I believe the first hour of this show was the greatest opening hour in wrestling history.

LIVE EXPERIENCE RATING: 9 out of 10. I am adding at least a point or two for Hunter’s mind-blowing entrance.

(2) The Shield vs. Kane & New Age Outlaws

The Shield is one of the best acts to come into professional wrestling in years, and provide a sorely missed cool factor to the WWE. They deserved a better spot than this, but this match became a wonderful showcase for each member’s finishing spots, and it was a preview of things to come for three future stars. I also loved their masks, adding an aura to their outsider image.

LIVE EXPERIENCE RATING: 6 out of 10. It was exactly what it needed to be.

(3) Andre the Giant Battle Royal

I absolutely hate Battle Royales because it is nearly impossible to tell a good story with that many people clustered in the ring. My first wrestling show that I attended live was WCW World War 3, which “featured” 60 men in three rings, and it may have been the dumbest match concept in wrestling history. I went to the concessions at the start of this, and thankfully by the time I returned, Cesaro was slamming Big Show over the top rope for the win. At least it ended up potentially elevating a star, but there is a reason the Royal was always part of the pre-show.

LIVE EXPERIENCE RATING: N/A. It made me thankful that the lines were long enough to avoid it.

(4) John Cena vs. Bray Wyatt

I was really worried that we would be subject to another painfully embarrassing John Cena Mania entrance, but mercifully he came into his usual goofy intro. Thankfully, the creative direction was focused on the Wyatt Family’s creepy walk to the ring accompanied by live band that sang their eerie theme song, one of the best in history and an excellent tribute to the alternative rock movement of the '90s.

I thought this was a very good match, and a star-making performance from Wyatt, who may be the best act in wrestling today. Everything about the overall presentation of his character should be a template on how WWE presents future Superstars. It is a necessary transition from the bland acts of recent years, where wrestlers were bland cut-out figures out of underwear ads. The crowd, unsurprisingly, was firmly behind the Wyatt family, and it is assured they will be huge fan favorites, hopefully many years down the line.

I didn't think it made any sense that Cena would get the win here, but at least he sold some fear and inner conflict. One thing I will give him credit for is that through his entire run as the top Superstar of WWE, he has often given the Mania spotlight to more deserving matches. Of course, up in the rafters, we could not see what I am assured were cartoonish facial expressions. Wyatt looked great in defeat, and I loved how he was laughing even when he was being punished, and this only furthered his ascension to main event status.

LIVE EXPERIENCE RATING: 7 out of 10. Good mid-card match with an awesome Wyatt Family entrance.

Hall of Fame Segment

Seeing the new Hall of Fame inductees return to the Grand Stage for a bow adds a classy touch to WrestleMania, and it was nice to see legends like Razor Ramon, Jake the Snake, and especially Ultimate Warrior get one more moment in the spotlight.

LIVE EXPERIENCE RATING: 9 out of 10. This is one of the best things WWE does, and it was amazing to hear Warrior’s music in a stadium setting, something I never thought I would experience.

(5) Undertaker vs. Brock Lesnar

I do not even know how to start here, but let me just state it plainly that this was the worst moment in WrestleMania history. I have been in the audience for every one of Undertaker’s recent string of Mania classics, and they were some of the greatest examples of storytelling in any medium of entertainment. The saga between the Dead Man and HBK and Hunter may have been the finest series of matches in wrestling history, each one playing off the previous encounter to perfection.

This program was a debacle from the very beginning. I will never forget that I was at a café in Maldives Island enjoying a Toberlone milkshake when I saw Undertaker chokeslam Brock through a table. I was confounded at how WWE could have such a backwards start to what should have been a battle for the ages. The entire booking of this feud was a befuddling embarrassment that defied every logical storytelling staple imaginable, and of course the ONLY sensible finale to this was to be Taker defeating Lesnar to continue The Streak.

The match itself was surprisingly mediocre at best, and the horrible build-up really hurt the match because there was little sense of gravitas or stakes that have accompanied recent Taker Mania matches. It was obvious that Undertaker was struggling, but I believe a good build-up that took that into consideration and made us question whether the indestructible monster Brock could defeat the aging legend, then the match would have been more interesting. The crowd was absolutely dead throughout, and we could not even get into the false finishes.

The ending of the match was an utter abomination, and most of us in the audience were shocked but not in a good way. It looked like a botched pin, and much of the audience was staring at the ramp to see if Hogan would come reset the match. This had the feeling of a badly improvised finish to a B-Grade movie with A-List superstars. Sure, it was shocking, but in the way a television suddenly flying out the window is shocking. It is unexpected, but it is utterly ridiculous and defies any sense of logic. I could write about the utter idiocy of this program for an entire book, but let me list some reasons why I believe this is the worst moment in WrestleMania history.

(a) Undertaker’s streak was the most prestigious accomplishment in all of wrestling history, and it added a sense of majesty to every Mania that the WWE Championship has long lost.

(b) The build to the match was utterly atrocious, and did not incorporate any sense of drama or anticipation that it could be Taker’s last match or that Brock was a serious threat.

(c) The match itself was pretty awful, and it did not build to a meaningful, dramatic finale that something monumental such as this deserved.

(d) Lesnar is a part-time wrestler, and I believe at this point that he did not gain much of anything from this. Amazingly, the only real person to benefit from this is Paul Heyman, who is a manager.

(e) The finish was embarrassingly awkward and looked like a mistake, which totally took the crowd out of the entire show. If the decision was made to have Brock win, I believe he should have powered through Undertaker and after some resilience from the Dead Man, it should have ended with a powerful F5 and a strong pinfall clearly establishing his dominance.

(f) Both wrestlers came out looking like plodding, boring guys past their prime and each looked weaker as a result of this.

(g) The entire audience was angry, and not in a way that generates heat for a character, but in a way that makes them question what the logic was behind the finish.

(h) I do not think The Streak should ever end, but this is a fortunate time where there are numerous young full-time wrestlers that really could have tried to run with an unparalleled achievement on their resume. Wyatt, Reigns, Ambrose, and others immediately come to mind.

(i) There are certain things that should remain sacred, and Undertaker’s streak was one of those things that made you proud to be a wrestling fan, and it was a tribute to the industry itself, and to see it end in such a lackluster fashion is a black mark on the wrestling business. What a terrible way to end something that would enhance the prestige of an entertainment medium that has few such mythical tales to be proud of.

LIVE EXPERIENCE RATING: 0 out of 10

(6) Vicki Guerrero Invitational

Following the utterly shocking event that took place before it, this one never had a chance. Truth being told, it did not deserve a chance either. This one could have followed the Rick Martel versus Jake Roberts Blindfold Match disaster, and it still would have been my bathroom break.

LIVE EXPERIENCE RATING: N/A. Most memorable moment here was going through the exit doors of the bathroom to avoid standing in line behind 50 people.

Backstage Segment With WrestleMania 1 Main Eventers

This was an awkward segment, but it was nice to see all of the WrestleMania 1 Main-Eventers come together, even if it was for a backstage comedy skit. I would have preferred to see all of them announced in the center of the ring and given a standing ovation. Nonetheless, with all of the tragedies the industry has seen, it was nice to see all of the key figures of the launch of WrestleMania alive and having fun.

LIVE EXPERIENCE RATING: 6 out of 10. This should have been treated with more respect.

(7) Randy Orton vs. Batista vs. Daniel Bryan - WWE World Hvt. Title match

By the time of the main event, the crowd was still in a daze of confusion over the startling Undertaker loss. The three competitors had an enormous hole to climb out of, but they slowly got the crowd back into the show. I thought this was a very good main event, and each contestant played their role perfectly. I loved how Batista and Orton paid homage to their Evolution past by working together to take out Bryan. The two really do share a great chemistry, and it reminds me why I rate Evolution as the best stable in wrestling history. The stark contrast between their Greek God appearances and Bryan’s every man stature made the story of the match more interesting.

The last ten minutes of the contest featured some amazing spots. I love subtle references to history, and when Batista and Orton looked at each other and decided to slam Bryan through the table, it reminded me of when Triple H and Michaels decided to work together to suplex Chris Benoit through the announcers table in the WrestleMania 20 main event. I have yet to watch the show with commentary, but I am assuming the trio of goofballs did not mention that.

I also loved the usage of The Authority in the contest. Storyline continuity would dictate that they would not allow Bryan to win so it only made sense that the emerging hero would take down the ultimate villains in grand fashion with the sledgehammer. The series of false finishes were brilliantly done, and they achieved the unenviable task of working the dead crowd back into a frenzy. This was a worthy main event to one of the better WrestleManias in history.

LIVE EXPERIENCE RATING: 8 out of 10. I do not like Bryan, and I am being kind here by not taking off a point for that stupid top rope headbutt. He obviously deserved to win, and the only fitting conclusion to Mania was the fans erupting in “Yes!” chants.

OVERALL SHOW RATING

This show had one of the greatest moments I have ever seen in the opening segment with Hogan, Austin, and Rock, as well as the worst in the anti-climactic Undertaker streak finale. Overall, though, it was a very entertaining show that got off to a hot start and was blessed with a rabid crowd that came to enjoy the WWE’s biggest showcase of the year. This was a huge improvement over recent renditions, and I believe it is the best one since WrestleMania 24. One thing everyone can agree on is this show contained numerous unforgettable moments that will take a permanent place in WWE lore, and I was lucky enough to be part of the experience.

LIVE EXPERIENCE RATING: 8 out of 10.

Collage_Wrestlemania_30_.jpg



Please send questions, comments and feedback to valentino.torch@gmail.com and check out my book, "The Showstopper Lifestyle," on Amazon. Feel free to add Shawn Valentino on Facebook.


We suggest these recent related articles...
10/5 WWE Raw Hits & Misses: Natalya vs. Paige, Owens vs. Cara, Stephanie McMahon, Sasha Banks, Xavier Woods
COLLECTIBLES COLUMN: The History of Foam Hands in Pro Wrestling
9/28 WWE Raw Hits & Misses: Kane's Split Personality, Divas Revolution, Heyman & Big Show, Reigns vs. Wyatt
prowrestling.net
CLICK HERE FOR EVEN MORE PW.NET HEADLINES


CLICK TO EMAIL THIS ARTICLE
CLICK HERE TO RETURN TO MAIN LISTING

NEW! SIGN UP FOR FREE PWTORCH BREAKING NEWS EMAIL ALERTS
BECOME A PWTORCH VIP MEMBER
-FORMER MEMBERS LOGIN HERE TO RENEW
-NEW MEMBERS CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP
SELECT BY ARTICLES CATEGORY
SEARCH PWTORCH.COM



CLICK HERE FOR LIST OF UPCOMING PRO WRESTLING EVENTS
MORE HEADLINES AT AFFILIATE SITES
MMATorch
LATEST HEADLINES - CLICK TO READ CLICK HERE FOR MORE MMATORCH HEADLINES


PWTORCH POLL - VOTE NOW!
RAW POLL 10/12: Vote on Monday's show
 
pollcode.com free polls


RAW POLL 10/12: What was the Best Match on Raw?
 
pollcode.com free polls
MCNEILL LIVECAST POLL: TNA will have a 32-person tournament to determine a new Hvt. champion - your thoughts?
 
pollcode.com free polls
CENA POLL: If John Cena takes a year-end break, who should win the U.S. Title from Cena?
 
pollcode.com free polls
VOTE IN OR SEE RESULTS OF PREVIOUS POLLS



LATEST HEADLINES - CLICK TO READ CLICK HERE FOR EVEN MORE INC HEADLINES

_
LATEST FREE AUDIO SHOWS - CLICK TO LISTEN VIEW MORE PWTORCH LIVECAST EPISODES
DOWNLOAD PWTORCH LIVECAST APP
SUBSCRIBE TO PWTORCH LIVECAST IN ITUNES


ABOUT US

THE TORCH REACHES MORE COMBAT ENTERTAINMENT FANS THAN ANY OTHER SOURCE

PWTorch editor Wade Keller has covered pro wrestling full time since 1987 starting with the Pro Wrestling Torch print newsletter. PWTorch.com launched in 1999 and the PWTorch Apps launched in 2008.

He has conducted "Torch Talk" insider interviews with Hulk Hogan, The Rock, Steve Austin, Kevin Nash, Scott Hall, Eric Bischoff, Jesse Ventura, Lou Thesz, Jerry Lawler, Mick Foley, Jim Ross, Paul Heyman, Bruno Sammartino, Goldberg, more.

He has interviewed big-name players in person incluiding Vince McMahon (at WWE Headquarters), Dana White (in Las Vegas), Eric Bischoff (at the first Nitro at Mall of America), Brock Lesnar (after his first UFC win).

He hosted the weekly Pro Wrestling Focus radio show on KFAN in the early 1990s and hosted the Ultimate Insiders DVD series distributed in retail stories internationally in the mid-2000s including interviews filmed in Los Angeles with Vince Russo & Ed Ferrara and Matt & Jeff Hardy. He currently hosts the most listened to pro wrestling audio show in the world, (the PWTorch Livecast, top ranked in iTunes)


REACHING 1 MILLION+ UNIQUE USERS PER MONTH
500 MILLION CLICKS & LISTENS PER YEAR
MILLIONS OF PWTORCH NEWSLETTERS SOLD
PWTORCH STAFF

EDITORS:
Wade Keller, editor
(kellerwade@gmail.com)

James Caldwell, assistant editor
(pwtorch@gmail.com)

STAFF COLUMNISTS:
Bruce Mitchell (since 1990)
Pat McNeill (since 2001)
Greg Parks (since 2007)
Sean Radican (since 2003)

We also have a great team of
TV Reporters
and Specialists and Artists.

PWTORCH VIP MEMBERSHIP

PWTorch offers a VIP membership for $10 a month (or less with an annual sub). It includes nearly 25 years worth of archives from our coverage of pro wrestling dating back to PWTorch Newsletters from the late-'80s filled with insider secrets from every era that are available to VIPers in digital PDF format and Keller's radio show from the early 1990s.

Also, new exclusive top-shelf content every day including a new VIP-exclusive weekly 16 page digital magazine-style (PC and iPad compatible) PDF newsletter packed with exclusive articles and news.

The following features come with a VIP membership which tens of thousands of fans worldwide have enjoyed for many years...

-New Digital PWTorch Newsletter every week
-3 New Digital PDF Back Issues from 5, 10, 20 years ago
-Over 60 new VIP Audio Shows each week
-Ad-free access to all PWTorch.com free articles
-VIP Forum access with daily interaction with PWTorch staff and well-informed fellow wrestling fans
-Tons of archived audio and text articles
-Decades of Torch Talk insider interviews in transcript and audio formats with big name stars.


**SIGN UP FOR VIP ACCESS HERE**

CONTACTABOUTFACEBOOKTWITTERPODCASTIPHONE APPANDROID APPAMAZON APPRSS
VIP SIGN-UP
VIP LOGIN
THE TORCH: #1 IN COMBAT ENTERTAINMENT COVERAGE | © 1999-2013 TDH Communications Inc. • All rights reserved -- PRIVACY POLICY