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KELLER’S WWE WRESTLEMANIA 38 REPORT
APRIL, 2, 2022
DALLAS, TEX. AT AT&T STADIUM
AIRED LIVE ON PEACOCK & PPV
Smackdown Commentators: Michael Cole, Pat McAfee
Raw Commentators: Jimmy Smith, Byron Saxton, Corey Graves
Ring Announcers: Mike Rome
-They opened with a wide shot of the impressive crowd in the stadium. Then ring announcer Mike Rome introduced Bradley Gilbert who performed “America the Beautiful.”
-After pryo blasted, Mark Wahlberg narrated a show-opening video package running down the matches scheduled this night.
-Pyro blasted again as Cole introduced the show as “the most spectacular, astounding, magical, and stupendous event in live entertainment.” He touted a crowd of over 70,000.
-The Dallas Cowboy Cheerleaders danced on the stage.
-They went to ringside where Michael Cole said it’s the 26th time he’s been part of WrestleMania. He introduced Pat McAfee who said it was his first WrestleMania. McAfee said he’ll talk about this weekend on his death bed. He said the global standard in live events has begun.
(1) JIMMY & JEY USO vs. SHINSUKE NAKAMURA & RICK BOOGS – Smackdown Tag Team Titles match
Boogs played electric guitar on the stage. McAfee danced on the announce desk and gushed about how excited he was. Cole and McAfee wondered how it’d affect Roman Reigns if WrestleMania began with a Bloodline loss. McAfee said Boogs might look like a big meathead, but he’s a smart man. Boogs dropped to a knee while vertical suplexing Uso, then stood and pressed him up before dropping back. Boogs sold a knee injury a minute later when Jimmy leaped onto Jey as Boogs was lifting him. Nakamura took over and set up a Kinshasa,m but charged into a Jey superkick. Jey tagged in Jimmy who landed a top rope splash for a near fall. The followed with the One and Done for the win. They showed medics treating Boogs at ringside and helping him up.
WINNERS: The Usos in 7:00 to retain the Smackdown Tag Team Titles. (**)
(Keller’s Analysis: Solid opening. It served its purpose. I’m a fan of easing fans into the event instead of going for a bonkers crazy wild top shelf all-action, emotionally charged opener. But both approaches work fine. I’m not sure if Boogs is legit injured. They did a good job selling it as real if it wasn’t. Everyone, including the Usos afterward, looked concerned for him.) [c]
-They showed an areal shot of Dallas including the WrestleMania and WWE logos projected on the side of the Omni hotel.
-They went to Cole and McAfee who said they’d give an update on Boogs when they hear anything.
Check out my first PWTorch YouTube video proposing a completely different WrestleMania 38 line-up using the same WWE roster. Also, check out other new shows on our channel including the weekly “Fireside Chat” with Zack Heydorn and Tyler Sage and our new PWTorch Daily Newswire with all the latest breaking stories and rumors. SUBSCRIBE
(2) DREW MCINTYRE vs. HAPPY CORBIN (w/Madcap Moss)
Drew went after Corbin aggressively at the bell and clotheslined him to the floor. Corbin took over at ringside and sent Drew into the ringpost. He controlled the action back in the ring. Drew made a comeback. He kipped up and set up a Future Shock DDT, but Corbin blocked it and hit a Deep Six for a two count. A minute later, when Drew signaled for the Claymore, Boss yanked Corbin to the floor. Drew charged at them and flipped over the top rope onto both of them. He gave Madcap Moss an released overhead suplex. He threw Corbin into the ring and then climbed to the top rope. Corbin countered Drew with an End of Days. Cole exclaimed, “This is over!” Drew, though, kicked out. Cole said that’s the first time anyone has kicked out of End of Days. Corbin threw a big fit. Drew came right back with a Future Shock DDT and a Claymore against a distraught Corbin for the win.
WINNER: McIntyre in 8:00. (**1/4)
-After the match, McIntyre grabbed his sword and threatened Moss with it as Moss tried to sneak up on him during his post-match celebration. Moss begged off rather than just jump down from the ring apron. Drew swung the sword down and sliced through the top and middle ropes. That’s it, WrestleMania Saturday is canceled tonight. See everyone tomorrow.
(Keller’s Analysis: Basic match, well executed, but it didn’t seem to aspire to be more than a short basic WWE style match.)
-A video feature aired on Rey Mysterio and his son Dominik, including footage of Dominik in the angle with Eddie Guerrero when he was little. Rey talked about having great partners, but nothing matched teaming with is son.
(3) MIZ & LOGAN PAUL vs. REY & DOMINIK MYSTERIO
The Raw announce team took over for this match.The Mysterios came out first. Then Logan and Miz came out. Logan wore the most expensive Pokemon card around his neck, as noted by Jimmy Smith. Miz opened against Rey. Logan interfered and helped Miz take early control. Miz tagged Logan in a minute into teh match. He punched Rey in the belly a few times. Logan leapfrogged Rey twice and did the splits. Rey kicked him in the head. Logan tagged out to Miz. Rey tagged in Dominik and they double-teamed Miz. Dominik shot himself over the ropes with a corkscrew dive onto Miz. Logan hit Dominik from behind. Miz took over with stomps. Logan tagged back in and powerslammed Dominik for a two count. It was a nice looking running powerslam. Miz and Logan threw a series of Yes Kicks at Dominik’s chest. Graves began talking about how Logan and Miz have so many more followers than the Mysterios.
Dominik eventually hot-tagged in Rey which got a nice crowd pop. He rallied against Miz and scored a two count after a kick to the jaw. Rey scored a near fall with a small package. He followed with a 619 attempt, but Miz countered with a tornado DDT for a two count. Logan tagged in and suplexed Rey three times. He got a ton of heel heat as he climbed to the top rope and gyrated like Eddie Guerrero before landing a frog splash for a near fall. Dominik made the save, then dove through the ropes at Miz at ringside. Dominik chased Logan into the ring. Rey head scissored him into a 619 position. Rey and Dominik landed the double 619 on Logan. Dominik his a frog splash. Rey hit a frog splash. Mi slammed Dominik onto Rey who had Logan covered. Miz then gave Rey the Skull Crushing Finale for the sudden win.
WINNERS: Miz & Logan in 11:00. (**1/2)
(Keller’s Analysis: Good tag match. Logan showed off some good athleticism and didn’t try to do too much. What he did do looked really good. The finishing sequence was clever, making it seem like a feel-good win was imminent.)
-As Miz and Logan celebrated in the ring, Miz surprised Logan with a Skull Crushing Final. “Now I’m really confused,” said a bewildered Saxton. Logan sat up and looked at Miz as Miz gloated at ringside. Graves said there’s only room for one of them in the spotlight. Smith said Miz’s ego knows no bounds. [c]
-Rome introduced Stephanie McMahon. She walked onto the stage all smiles. She thanked the fans and said she’s always blown away by the majesty of WrestleMania. She said people come from all over the world to celebrate something they all love. She said it’s her honor to introduce one of the key members of the next generation of WWE Superstars, Gable Steveson. He ran onto the stage and hugged Stephanie. Saxton said he can’t wait to see him on Monday nights. [c]
-A video package aired on Becky Lynch vs. Bianca Belair.
(4) BECKY LYNCH vs. BIANCA BELAIR – Raw Women’s Title match
Becky made her entrance first with her new haircut and a cool black outfit. Then the Texas Southern University marching band took to the stage to play for Belair as she made her entrance. Belair danced onto the stage in a bright red outfit. Becky glared at her from the ring. Lots of cheers and boos for Becky during ring introductions. Belair smiled and offered a handshake. Becky punched her instead. Belair countered with a KOD attempt. Becky slipped out and chokeslammed Belair for a dramatic near fall. Becky went for a disarm her, but Belair was in the ropes. She instead went for a couple covers and scored a couple two counts. He landed a snap legdrop for another two count. Graves characterized it as an offensive blitz.
Belair came back with some suplexes, but Becky countered with her own and then scored another two count. Belair avoided a top rope moonsault and then applied a Disarm Her on Becky. At ringside, Becky shoved Belair into the ringside steps. Belair fought back and tried to slingshot toward Becky, but Becky kicked her out of mid-air. She then legdropped the back of her head off the ropes for another two count. She applied an armbar mid-ring. Belair flailed and fought it off and leveraged Becky’s shoulders down for a two count. Becky held on. Belair stood. Belair and Becky tumbled over the top rope to the floor.
Smith said Belair wasn’t able to get sustained momentum yet and Becky was tactically superior. Belair suplexed Becky at ringside. Back in the ring, Belair caught Becky’s boot and gave her a gut-buster for a two count. Belair had a swagger as she approached Becky. She landspringed and then went for a powerbomb, but Becky countered into a victory roll. Belair lifted Becky chicken-wing style and slammed her face first. Then she hit a moonsault for a near fall. Becky met Belair on the top rope. They battled for the advantage. Belair lifted Becky onto her shoulders and then leaped off, dropping Becky across the top rope as she fell.
Belair leaped off the second rope with a 450 splash for a near fall. The camerawork here was in tight on Belair which totally undercut the move watching live. The replay showed it from a wider side angle which was much better. Becky snapped Belair’s neck over the top rope as they battle near the apron. Becky kicked Belair and climbed to the top rope. She then somersault kicked Belair in the nose which looked stiff on slo-mo replay, good for a two count. Belair landed a spinebuster a minute later, but Becky lifted her knees to block a moonsault. They continued to counter each other and traded two counts.
Becky gave Belair a Manhandle Slam on the base of the ringside stairs. Belair barely beat the ten count. Becky immediately rolled up Belair for a two count. Belair countered Becky and hit a KOD for the clean win.
WINNER: Belair in 19:00 to capture the Raw Title. (****1/4)
(Keller’s Analysis: Excellent match. Becky dominated so much of the action that it felt like it was giving away ultimately a Belair win. The creative counter moves throughout were really well executed. The facial expressions and body language in between moves took the match to another level. It felt like real redemption for Belair, even if Becky came across as being a notch better than her throughout most of the match.) [c]
-A video package aired on Seth Rollins’ journey to being included on WrestleMania.
(5) SETH ROLLINS vs. CODY RHODES
Seth made his ring entrance with a stage full of people singing his song. He stood in the ring for a long pause. He yelled, “Don’t make me wait. Time is money, let’s go!” He yanked off his robe and threw it. Pyro blasted from the ringposts and on the stage. Then the lights went dark. Then the words blasted: “Wrestling has more than one royal family.” Then Cody’s familiar theme song played. They showed fans reacting with shock. To Seth’s credit, he didn’t act surprised, but just intense. WWE is leaning in on his Cody’s neck tattoo with a logo on the video screen that’s based on the tattoo. Cody then rose from the stage. He still has blonde hair. He looked around at the crowd and then smiled. The big screen said, “American Nightmare.” Not a surprise, but no Brandi Rhodes. “This is surreal!” exclaimed Graves. Saxton said he had chills. “From undesirable to undeniable, the prodigal son has returned.” Smith said he was away from WWE for six years and now he is back. A fan held up a sign that said, “All Rhodes lead to Seth.” A loud “Cody!” chant rang out when his music stopped. They circled each other.
They did a leapfrog, duck under, armdrag sequence. Cody then did a cartwheel and waved his arms. Saxton said it was showboating. Graves said it wasn’t showboating, it was shedding skin and “shrugging off the past and signalling a fresh start.” Cody got the better of Seth on another exchange. Fans at ringside chanted “Cody!” briefly. Seth got up and told Cody it was good to see him. He went for a cheapshot. Cody countered and set up a Crossroads. Seth blocked it and went for a Stomp, but Cody moved. Cody and Seth struggled to suplex each other, and then ended up both tumbling over the top rope to the floor.
Cody settled into some matwork. As Seth hung onto the top rope, Cody kicked him between the legs from behind. Seth came back with an enzuigiri. Seth managed a comeback shortly thereafter. Cody clotheslined Seth over the top rope, then dove through the ropes and speared Seth into the announce desk. Seth flipped over it as the three announcers moved. Back in the ring, Rhodes leaped off the top rope with a turning bodypress for a near fall. The move felt a little off.
Seth rolled to the floor. Cody went after him with a leg scissors, but Seth caught him and landed a running bomb into the barricade. Back in the ring Seth landed a superkick and a Falcon Arrow for a near fall. Seth signaled for a Stomp, but Cody moved. They went into a series of counters leading to a Cody hitting Crossroads for a dramatic near fall. Cody climbed to the top rope, but Seth knocked him off balance. Seth then executed a top rope inverted suplex into a Dragon Sleeper side slam for a believable near fall. Seth climbed to the top rope and went for a Phoenix Splash, but Cody moved. Cody set up a Pedigree. Seth blocked it and leveraged Cody’s shoulders down. They were going to bridge up but couldn’t. Cody then powerbombed Seth while clutching his ribs. He waited for Seth to stand, then landed a leaping Cody Cutter off the second rope for a dramatic near fall. Seth came back with a Pedigree for another dramatic near fall.
They both eventually stood and exchanged strikes. Seth kicked Cody’s injured ribs. Seth yelled it’s his industry, then front kicked Cody’s face rapid-fire. Then he hit him with a forearm to the back of his head. Cody surprised Seth with another Crossroads. Cody held on and lifted Seth and hit a second one in a row. He held on and lifted Seth for a third, but then let go and went into Dusty’s signature sequence with backfists and a Bionic Elbow. He then hit the final Crossroads for the win.
WINNER: Cody in 22:00. (****1/4)
(Keller’s Analysis: Excellent match Cody’s got to be mostly happy with that, even if there might have a spot or two where there was a little sign of rust. I loved him channeling his dad for the winning finishing sequence. The crowd seemed to treat him like a star. It wasn’t clear if it was a mega-star reaction, though. There might be some work to do in that regard.)
-A Hall of Fame video recap aired from last night and then the HOF class came out onto the stage.
-Back at ringside, Cole and McAfee updated the condition of Rick Boogs. They said he suffered a torn quadriceps and a patella injury.
-Rome touted 77,899 fans in attendance.
-A video package hyped the Smackdown Title match.
Be sure to also check out Brandon LeClaire’s thorough WrestleMania 38 report with match analysis also here at PWTorch.com.
(6) CHARLOTTE FLAIR vs. RONDA ROUSEY – Smackdown Title match
Rousey came out first. Then Charlotte. Both ring entrances were close to typical. No big costume changes or extra stuff during their ring entrances. Rousey armdragged Charlotte hard. They battle on the ring apron where Rousey kneed Charlotte. Cole said Charlotte has been a step ahead of all of Rousey’s signature moves so far. Rousey and Charlotte battled on the ring apron where Charlotte drove Rousey into the ring apron and then dropped an elbow on her chest. Cole said Charotte’s confidence was starting to grow. Rousey grabbed Charlotte’s leg, but Charlotte leg-whipped Rousey through the ropes to the floor. Charlotte locked on an inverted chinlock. Rousey escaped and hit a kneelift to the forehead that looked great on replay. Rousey landed a tornado faceplant off the second rope for a two count.
Rousey stood and showed some fire, but Charlotte surprised her with a sudden spear for a near fall. Charlotte gave Rousey a back suplex for a two count. Both were down and slow to get up. Charlotte kipped up. She walked over Rousey’s chest and then gathered herself in the corner before climbing to the top rope. She did her usual thing where she does a moonsault, the opponent moves, and she lands on her feet, but then does a standing moonsault. It’s so predictable now, she should drop that spot entirely. This didn’t end well, as her standing moonsault was clunky and she sort of headbutted Rousey. She still leveraged Rousey’s shoulders down for a two count. The announcers covered well. Rousey and Charlotte exchanged chops. Rousey countered a Charlotte bodyslam with a her own pump handle suplex for a two count.
Charlotte hung Rousey upside down in the corner. She then lifted Rousey by her legs as she sat on the top rope. Rousey sat up and stared at a disbelieving Charlotte. Rousey then elbowed Charlotte and arm dragged her to the mat for a two count. Rousey’s chest was full of red marks from the chops. Rousey lifted Charlotte onto her shoulders and hit the Piper’s Pit. She set up her signature armbar, but as she looked to the crowd, Charlotte pulled away. Flair kicked Rousey, then leaned back against the bottom rope and smiled as she recharged. She went for a figure-four, but Rousey blocked it and then snap slammed Charlotte for a two count. Rousey lifted Charlotte onto her shoulders again, but Rousey rolled out of it and into an anklelock. Charlotte crawled over toward the bottom rope. Instead she rolled into her own anklelock. Rousey leveraged Charlotte with her legs hard face-first into the bottom turnbuckle.
As the ref checked on Charlotte, Rousey got psyched up. Charlotte countered a Rousey armbar with a slam for another two count. Rousey grabbed Charlotte’s arm. Charlotte fought her off, so Rousey shifted into an ankleock. Charlotte yelled out in pain. She teased tapping for a few seconds, but then kicked Rousey to break free. Rousey yanked Charlotte off the ring apron to the mat at ringside. Charlotte caught a charging Rousey and overhead suplexed her into the barricade. Both were slow to get up.
Rousey landed a Piper’s Pit near the corner. The ref counted to three, but Charlotte’s foot was on the bottom rope so he called off the pin. Rousey complained and said he can’t do that. McAfee congratulated the ref for that. Charlotte caught Rousey with a Natural Selection for a near fall. Charlotte looked emotionally spent as she sat up above Rousey, who was out on her back. Charlotte went for a figure-four, but Rousey kicked her off and shoved Charlotte into the ref Charles Robinson. Rousey got Charlotte to tapout, but the ref was down. Rousey let go and tried desperately to revive the ref. Charlotte gave Rousey a running boot from behind to retain the title.
WINNER: Charlotte in 19:00 to retain the Smackdown Title. (****)
(Keller’s Analysis: This wasn’t smooth a lot of the time, but in a way that was oddly compelling because Rousey’s style is so different. Still, it all added up to a dramatic, effective back and forth. The finish was meant to give Charlotte bragging rights for a win, but Rousey two other unofficial wins – a three count in the ropes and the tapout while the ref was down. Overall, a really good performance by both. I wouldn’t say the crowd reacted to Rousey like they were rooting for her passionately. I do think they were intrigued by the match and considered it exciting and were interested in who would ultimately win and how.) [c]
-A Bobby Lashley video package aired.
-Pat McAfee thanked Pitbull for the WrestleMania theme song. Cole and McAfee ran down the WrestleMania Sunday top matches.
-A video package aired on the Roman Reigns vs. Brock Lesnar main event.
-A video hyped WrestleMania 39 in Los Angeles, Calif. next year at SoFi Stadium.
-A video package aired on the hype for the segment with Kevin Owens and Steve Austin that will close out the show.
-THE KO SHOW: Owens came out first. He pretended he was going to apologize for being mean to Texas, but then made it worse and said Texas is worse than he thought. He said he’s going to bring out his guest when he decides to. He said he’s not done telling them how much he despises him. He said he’s the worst role model in WWE history. He said he’s going to bring him and out tell him to his face how much he sucks. He said Austin won’t do a damn thing about it. The glas broke and Steve Austin walked out wearing his simple black t-shirt with “Austin 316” in white lettering. Austin saluted the crowd from the stage, but then turned and left. Graves wondered what was going on. Owens gloated from a chair in the ring. Saxton said he wasn’t sure what to make of it.
Austin drove out in his ATV. He drove a few laps around the ring. Then he entered the ring and saluted the fans. Austin threw the KO Show signage out of the ring. KO said it isn’t Austin’s show, it’s his show. He told the fans not to encourage him. A loud chant of “Austin! Austin!” broke out. KO told Austin, “Take a seat.” He pointed at the chair. Austin stared toward the hard cam like he couldn’t believe what KO was saying. He then turned to KO and stared a hole in him. KO told Austin to calm down. “I’m not here for a fight, so let’s have a nice chat,” he said. They both sat down. KO welcomed him to The KO Show. Austin didn’t look thrilled.
Austin said, “You wanted to bring me out here for a conversation?” He said he has a stupid haircut, has stupid beady eyes, and looks like a jackass. He said he then ran down the state of Texas and called him “a stupid son of a bitch.” KO said he doesn’t know what’s so great about Texas. He said in the summertime, it’s hotter than hell. The land is flat and uninspiring, unlike Canada. He said the people wear these stupid hats and dumbass boots and stupid belt buckles. He said you can look out and tell everyone who is from Texas based on how dumb they look. KO said they can make it better by taking off the hat and boots and move somewhere else. Owens said he would’ve moved to Mexico.
Austin said he’s about to have 75,000 people calling him an asshole. Owens said, “Don’t be like that. Don’t be the stereotypical rude, crass, impolite Texas.” He said he should be more like him, a distinguished, sophisticated French-Canadian. He said he’s going to move past the insults and be a bigger man. He said he invited him onto the KO Show to have another talk, but that’s a lie. He said he had a good reason. He said he tricked him because he doesn’t want to talk. He said even though he has a bad back right now, he’s looking for a fight. Fans cheered. He challenged him to a match. Austin didn’t break his stare. KO said it’s been 19 years since his last match. He said his knees, back, and neck were shot back then, and they’re worse than that now. He said he has no reason not to accept his challenge. He challenged him to a No Holds Barred match “right here, right now.” Fans cheered and chanted, “Yes!”
KO said it appeared Austin couldn’t even talk. He said he can see in his eyes that he’s telling himself he can’t beat him. He told him to get back on his “golf cart” and go back to his stupid little ranch. Austin continued to look at KO like he was shooting lasers at him. He looked to the crowd. They stood and cheered. Austin said, “I had my first match right here in Dallas, Texas. I could have my last match right here in Dallas, Texas.” Fans cheered. He asked the fans if they want him to compete in a match tonight “against this sack of shit, give me a hell yeah.” The crowd complied. He called for a ref. KO threw the mic aside. A ref ran out. KO stood and threw his chair out of the ring. Austin did the same.
(7) “STONE COLD” STEVE AUSTIN vs. KEVIN OWENS – No Holds Barred
Austin turned his back to Owens in the corner, then turned around. The bell rang. Austin approached KO and jawed at him mid-ring. Austin punched KO. KO fired back. They exchanged punches. Austin pummeled KO in the corner. He stomped him over and over as the crowd counted along. He whipped KO into the corner. KO took a flip bump. Austin called for a can of beer. He caught it and drank from it, then tossed it aside. He stomped away at KO more. He threw KO over the top rope to the floor. He drank another beer. Owens reverse-whipped Austin into the ringside barricade, but Austin fired back with a clothesline. Austin dropped KO over the ringside barricade. He raked his eyes. Fans chanted, “You still got it!”
Owens whipped Austin into the ringpost. Then he used a tripod from the KO Show as a weapon. KO celebrated by imitating Austin’s celebration after a successful move. KO pulled a table out from under the ring and leaned it against the ringside barricade. Austin reverse-whipped KO into the table. Austin threw KO over the barricade and into the crowd. They brawled into the corner. KO suplexed Austin on the floor. Austin came back by tossed KO off the barricade onto the announce desk. Austin stood on the announce desk with two beers in hand. He looked around, then swigged two beers. He mounted KO and punched away at him. He had another beer tossed to him. Graves said he was at risk of getting inebriated. KO snapped Austin’s neck over the top rope, then got on the ATV and tried to figure out how to start it. Austin attacked him from behind. Austin started it and drove up the ramp with KO. He beat him up on the stage. KO tried to fight back. Austin gave him a suplex. Austin poked KO in the eye then suplexed him again.
KO swung a chair at Austin, but Austin ducked and the chair bounced into his own face. Austin then gave KO a Stunner and scored the three count.
WINNER: Austin in 13:00.
-Austin celebrated with more beers in the ring as his music played. KO got back to his feet, but was staggered around. Austin gave him another Stunner. He then kicked him out of the ring where two police officers with cowboy hats dragged him up the ramp. Austin said it was good to back in Dallas, Texas “and that’s the bottom line because Stone Cold said so.” Saxton entered the ring and asked for a beer. Austin gave him one. They toasted. Austin then gave him a Stunner. The music recued up and Austin let out a smile. It was good to see him smile at the end there. Austin’s brother joined him in the ring and they drank one more beer together, then hugged.
(Keller’s Analysis: Now you can see why they didn’t want to end the show with anything but that segment. Imagine coming out to follow Austin celebrating his unadvertised return match. The match wasn’t pretty, and Austin didn’t look like he was in his physical prime by any means when he was stomping KO in the corner, but he didn’t embarrass himself either. He worked within the parameters of what KO could bump for. I don’t sense this was a set-up for a return match or anything more than this.)
I loved Night 1. Is that ok to say in these troubling times or is someone going to have an AEW freakout?