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
Torch Feedback
WM31 REAX #2: Int'l perspective on WrestleMania, including chief criticisms

Mar 30, 2015 - 10:56:53 AM
PLEASE TAKE A MOMENT TO BOOKMARK US & VISIT US DAILY


ReignsRoman_TB516_33.png



WrestleMania 31 Reax

- Michael from the Netherlands (8.0): Best Match: Brock Lesnar vs. Roman Reigns. The main event felt major and was laid out really well. They have made Lesnar such a sight to behold. I would have preferred to see Brock pin Reigns after the final F5 because he makes such an awesome champion, but the Seth Rollins cash-in was a nice moment nevertheless... Undertaker looked better and did more than I expected he would have... I thought the ladder match kicked things off nicely, after a surprisingly well-booked and entertaining battle royal on the pre-show.

The only disappointment to me was the Sting vs Triple H match. I guess Hunter's entrance was a sign that things were about to get ridiculous. If they were going to go with WCW vs WWE (which they shouldn't have), I don't know why they did not build that up more, as they clearly moved away from it last week with Sting's promo. JBL's commentary throughout this match and the entire show was atrocious. Although it was cool to see the Original NWO walk down the ramp, it made no narrative sense. The finish and subsequent handshake just made Sting look weak. Even in 2015 a former WCW guy cannot be put over, I guess. Finally, I felt the daylight setting made some of the matches look less special than they were. Overall, this show was better than I expected, though.

- Nick in Australia (9.0): I've watched every WrestleMania since 23 live on TV. In the past, many times I would look back and feel a slight disappointment at something. This year felt very different. I watched the whole build and read people saying WrestleMania was doom and gloom, and while the build wasn't the best, the show delivered in spades! The best match of the night was Lesnar vs. Reigns for sure. I'm a huge Reigns fan, a huge Lesnar fan, and dare I say, a huge Rollins fan. I think the big-fight feel was insane and the finish was nuts. Everyone looked totally badass and strong coming out of it... Cena vs. Rusev exceeded expectations, so did the ladder match, and Wyatt vs. Taker was good - great to see Taker with some hair! ... I wasn't expecting too much from Triple H and Sting, so pulling out all the bells and whistles didn't bother me and I thought it was a fun match. And...that RKO from Orton! Great show and can't wait for the follow-up! But, I deducted a point for the musical performance. Where's Saliva, Limp Bizkit, and Drowning Pool, man!

- Kyle in Ontario, Canada (3.0): Best Match: Main Event/Rollins cash-in. I seem to be in the minority, but I felt this was one of the weakest WrestleManias in the last two decades. I had low expectations going into this event, and WWE couldn't even meet them... I've grown tired of the several competitor ladder matches. It really seemed like a way just to get as many people on the card as possible instead of focusing on putting on a solid match to push the IC Title... They gave the Divas six minutes to have A.J. knocked off the apron twice and then score with the submission. On the undercard, Orton vs. Rollins was a good singles match. Both guys worked hard.

Sting vs. Triple H felt like it was booked by Vince Russo. The reliance on a pile of past superstars, no DQ, and weapons was a complete overbooked mess that accomplished nothing and overshadowed any reason why these two are ring icons... I felt John Cena vs. Rusev was a step down from their match at Fastlane, and a letdown from the attacks and brawls we saw between them building up to them match. Maybe too much interaction on TV hurt the match... Why bother having Undertaker vs. Wyatt? The build was excellent (which was all Bray), but the match itself felt slow-paced, safe, and very formula. Going into the match, you knew Bray had no chance of winning, and throughout the match we were given no reason to expect otherwise. Some will see it as Bray getting a rub from a vet, I see it as another big time loss Bray will need to recover from.... The main event was excellent. Polar opposite from the rest of the show. Lesnar was amazing in his role, and Roman Reigns was protected the best he could be. Rollins's cash-in was perfect, deserved, and closed the show on a high note for me.

- Sean in Dublin, Ireland (7.0): Best: Orton vs. Seth. Worst: Taker vs. wyatt. This year's show has gotten much more positive feedback than I expected. This just didn't live up to what WrestleMania is supposed to be for me. Daniel Bryan holding the IC belt might bring credibility back to it, so I'm glad he won the ladder spotfest. Orton vs. Rollins was a good match and the RKO at the end was fantastic... The whole DX vs. NWO thing would have been cool 10 years ago, but no amount of smoke and mirrors hides the fact that it was a group of old men struggling around ringside. They did what they could, but it just didn't feel right to me. That said, it could have been worse.

The Divas match was, fine, and Cena proved how great America is. This gives Cena something to do before inevitably passing Flair's record of 16 World Titles... Rock and Hunter dragged out a ridiculous 25 minute promo to let it get dark for Taker's match. At least I hope that's why it took so long because taking that much time for a promo at your biggest show of the year is unacceptable. Ronda Rousey getting involved was cool, but obviously they weren't gonna go over the top with it... Taker vs. Bray annoyed me. Taker was slow, which is expected, but why should the audience accept that he can beat a young guy coming into his prime with such ease? Next year is expected to be Taker's final match but at that stage it might feel like putting an old dog out of its misery.

The main event was WWE forced to give the fans what they want. Brock annihilated Roman after being cut a couple times early on. Surely any plans for putting the title on Reigns will be put on hold for a while. He was made to look weak until a flurry at the end. There was a shot were you could see a cameraman looking up the ramp, so you knew Rollins's music was about to hit, but I'm glad he ended the night with the belt as it was the only way to keep WWE and the fans happy. What I take from this year's show is hope. With Bryan as IC champ and Super Cena with the U.S belt, maybe they'll be given more value as titles.

Did you watch WrestleMania? Send your Reax, 0-10 Score, and Best/Worst Match to pwtorch@gmail.com.

[Torch art credit Travis Beaven (c) PWTorch.com]


We suggest these recent related articles...
WWE PPV REAX #1: "I wanted the biggest event of the summer to end with an exclamation point; it ended with a semicolon and a question"
WWE PPV REAX #1: Battleground finish generates mixed reactions...
WWE PPV REAX #2: In-Person Battleground Report on overall show, reactions, more
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



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