Finally, WrestleMania XXX is here. Follow along with the SLAM! Wrestling staff, including our writers and photographers in New Orleans, as it all goes down. We’re hoping for a Yes! finish, how about you?
If you haven’t already, go check out our stellar reports and photos from the various events in New Orleans from our hard-working staff.
Matt Bishop (6:34 p.m.): WrestleMania is underway with the fatal four-way elimination match for the WWE Tag Team Championship. The stadium looks incredible.
Matt Bishop (6:39 p.m.): Jack Swagger eliminates Los Matadores with the ankle lock. Unfortunately, at this point, my WWE Network stream freezes again for a long period of time. Great start.
Bob Kapur, in the SuperDome (6:43 p.m.): If the crowd can maintain their intensity for the Uso match for the duration of the show, the “Yes” chants will be deafening in this building.
Matt Bishop (6:46 p.m.): Cesaro catches Ryback with an uppercut and finishes him with the Neutralizer, much to the delight of the crowd. We’re down to the Real Americans and the Usos.
Matt Bishop (6:49 p.m.): The Usos have defended the titles after finishing Cesaro with a double super kick followed by a double Superfly splash. The crowd liked the Usos, but like Cesaro more, with Swiss flags and “Cesaro Section” signs everywhere on camera. Great match to kick off the show.
Dale Plummer, in the SuperDome (6:50 p.m.): That was a hell of a match.
John Powell (6:51 p.m.): Great opening match but a predictable face turn by Cesaro. So glad to see The Usos retain. It has been a long time since the WWE has seen such an energetic tag team. Very promising start to the show and thus far, a fantastic crowd.
Matt Bishop (7:00 p.m.): Well, here we go! WrestleMania is underway (well, I’m assuming it is, my WWE network stream is currently frozen)
Matt Bishop (7:08 p.m.): The host of WrestleMania, Hulk Hogan, is in the ring to get the night started!
Matt Bishop (7:10 p.m.): No way! Stone Cold Steve Austin comes out as Hogan is making his opening remarks (where he twice referred to the Superdome as the Silverdome.
Matt Bishop (7:14 p.m.): You’ve got to be kidding me. Now none other than THE ROCK has joined Hogan and Austin in the ring.
Bob Kapur, in the SuperDome (7:25 p.m.): Rock’s entrance is why this show is 4 hours long. May rival Lita’s HoF speech.
Matt Bishop (7:26 p.m.): Folks, sign up for the WWE Network if you haven’t and watch this opening segment. The best WrestleMania segment ever, by far. And guess what? Opening up WrestleMania will be Daniel Bryan vs. Triple H.
Matt Bishop (7:34 p.m.): Triple H out with an elaborate entrance, in ways similar to his at WrestleMania 22. But here comes Daniel Bryan with 75,000 people chanting YES. A huge smile on Bryan’s face as he hits the ramp. “WrestleMania has turned into YEStleMania,” Jerry Lawler says.
Matt Bishop (7:43 p.m.): Hot start for Bryan, and he comes off the apron with a tornado DDT on the floor and then follows with a big flip dive. He goes to the top, but Triple H crotches him. They go to the outside and Triple clears off the announce table and wants a Pedigree, but Bryan escapes only to have Triple H snap Bryan’s bad shoulder on the table.
John Powell (7:50 p.m.): I love Daniel’s tribute to Bruiser Brody. Love those boots. 🙂
John Powell (7:55 p.m.): I see Steph raided her closet. I remember those shorts…20 years ago. 🙂
Matt Bishop (8:03 p.m.): YES! Daniel Bryan has defeated Triple H. In a great match, Bryan spun out of a Pedigree, then a back duplex, and leveled Triple H with the flying knee to get the pin. After the match, Stephanie McMahon got in the ring and started slapping Bryan around. He just laughed when Triple H came from behind and attacked him. Running the bad shoulder into the post and then hitting it with a chair against the post.
John Powell (8:05 p.m.): One of the biggest upsets in WrestleMania history? Well, that is stretching things but kudos to the WWE for taking the fight to the limit and infusing some believability. Why do I get the feeling, we haven’t seen the last of HHH and Stephanie tonight? Could be curious how this plays out.
Matt Bishop (8:11 p.m.): We’ve got the New Age Outlaws and Kane taking on The Shield right now. Everyone’s hitting their signature moves right off the bat, so I have a feeling this one won’t last long.
John Powell (8:12 p.m.): Ambrose always reminds me of Heath Ledger as The Joker. That same manic look in his eyes. I wonder if Pete Rose will do a run-in?
Matt Bishop (8:13 p.m.): Well, that didn’t last long. The Shield destroys them.
Matt Bishop (8:15 p.m.): We get our goofy legends segment. Hacksaw Duggan and Sgt. Slaughter are playing with action figures with DANNY DAVIS officiating. Then Ricky Steamboat comes in before they are interrupted after finding out The Million Dollar Man purchased it.
John Powell (8:16 p.m.): Wow. The New (Old) Age Outlaws looked really, really weak in that match. A waste of The Sheild at WrestleMania. Ricky Steamboat. The Million Dollar Man. Two of the greatest of all time. Those Slam City cartoons are pretty amusing.
Matt Bishop (8:17 p.m.): It’s time for the Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal. Only Big Show and Sheamus get entrances. And there are no surprise entrants. That’s unfortunate. I like Cesaro to win this.
John Powell (8:20 p.m.): The Battle Royal. My pick: Rey Mysterio. A little man winning the Big Man’s match.
Matt Bishop (8:25 p.m.): We’re down to Big Show, Sheamus, Del Rio, Ziggler, Cesaro and Kingston.
Matt Bishop (8:28 p.m.): It all comes down to Cesaro and Show after Del Rio and Sheamus eliminate each other. Cesaro hangs on on the apron. He goes up to the top and gets chopped out of the air. Show grabs Cesaro, but Cesaro slips out, scoops up Big Show and body slams Show out of the ring! Holy cow!
John Powell (8:31 p.m.): One thing this battle royal proves, the WWE has a lot — a lot — of under-utilized talent. To think what they could have done with some of these guys. Fandango beating Jericho as the greatest upset in WrestleMania history? Someone sell JBL a clue. More times than not, JBL talks out of posterior and he really needs to decide if he is the heel or face mouthpiece at the desk. Cesaro slammed Big Show. Holy crap.
John Powell (8:38 p.m.): Next up…John Cena versus Max Cady. I mean, Bray Wyatt. Hey look, Bray Wyatt has his own band…and a ball of excitement they are.
John Powell (8:48 p.m.): Ah, I remember when the WWE used to push heels hard, no matter what the fan reaction was. I mean, Wyatt is the bad guy, right? My least favourite match as this is just awkward booking. If Wyatt is gonna be the fearsome baddie he is, the next Jake The Snake in his “Prince of Darkness” days, let him be portrayed that way and tear down the overwhelming fan favourites; not John Cena. This just doesn’t work. They better have another agenda, as in Cena starts crossing the line here and there, or this is really for naught.
Matt Bishop (8:54 p.m.): Bray Wyatt currently taking extreme pleasure in playing mind games with Cena. This is fun.
Matt Bishop (8:58 p.m.): Cena, in an interesting decision, decides to hit a flying cross body onto Luke Harper and Erick Rowan on the floor instead of hitting Wyatt in the ring.
John Powell (8:59 p.m.): Weakest match of the night. From Wyatt’s track pant wrestling attire to John Cena being freaked out by a bridge of all things, this is a clusterfudge. This journey into the heart of darkness for John Cena is just too clumsy mostly because the crowd sees Wyatt as the face, which ruins the whole effect and the character. Painful to watch. The WWE can make up for this easily, bring out Sting.
Matt Bishop (9:03 p.m.): Unlike John, I like this match. Getting to the meat and potatoes here. Cena has hit the AA and the STF, with Wyatt escaping both. Wyatt hit Sister Abigail, but Cena kicked out.
Matt Bishop (9:06 p.m.): John Cena tops Bray Wyatt, finishing him with the AA in a good match.
Matthew Asher (9:08 p.m. – live in New Orleans): So glad that we had a voodoo entrance for Wyatt, since we’re here in N’Awlins. The beginning of Bray taunting John to beat down a helpless man was great. I missed the next several minutes because Sgt. Slaughter decided to stop by the media section and who doesn’t want to shake the hand and talk to a WWE Hall of Famer. Earlier in the week I saw a hilarious internet meme: If Cena wins, we Wyatt. You knew going into this match that Bray would be taunting Cena to turn to the darkside and unleash his inner monster. From telling Eric Rowan and Luke Harper to stay out of the match, to giving John a steel chair to finish him off, it was great. The crowd was chanting “We’ve got the whole world in his hand” as they swayed back and forth. While the ending wasn’t what the WWE Universe wanted, it was a great match. John was tempted to play dirty and rather than cheapshot Bray, he took his frustrations out on Rowan and Harper.
John Powell (9:09 p.m.): This would have been better against Sheamus or Rey Mysterio, someone who was a transparent face. They should have left this for Raw, not WrestleMania. Failed psychology. Failed angle. And worst of all, failed match. It really did nothing for either participant.
Matt Bishop (9:10 p.m.): It’s time to bring out the 2014 Hall of Fame inductees.
Matthew Asher (9:14 p.m. – live from New Orleans): In case you didn’t see the ceremony last night on the WWE Network, we’re given a quick recap and then the inductees take the stage. Jake gets a huge pop when he’s announced, as does Paul Bearer and Lita. Razor gets a nice reception, but of course once Warrior’s music hits, the crowd reacts just like when he was an active wrestler, the loudest pop. A nice moment of reflection before we get to our next match.
Matthew Asher (9:21 p.m. – live from New Orleans): Brock’s music hits, no pop until he walks out, but it’s not a huge reaction either. Brock looks more ripped than I’ve ever seen. He’s been training for this match for sure. While Brock walks to the ring, the stage is being set with 21 or 22 caskets as the Deadman prepares to enter. This will be good.
John Powell (9:22 p.m.): Brock Lesnar versus The Undertaker. Gotta say, Brock has come a long way since I saw him in a exhibition match at Fan Axxess at WrestleMania 18. I just wish he wasn’t a part-timer. Wrestling fans deserve better. Every legendary manager from Bobby Heenan to Jimmy Hart has gotta be proud of what Paul Heyman has accomplished in keeping their memories alive. The days when managers were an intrical part of the business. Miss those times and glad Heymen is representing. Good on him.
Matthew Asher (9:28 p.m. – live from New Orleans): Taker’s gong hits again and here comes the Phenom. The crowd is very silent as ‘Taker slowly makes his way to the ring. Even when the Deadman turns on the lights, there isn’t a big reaction. Brock looks focused.
John Powell (9:29 p.m.): Great little segment. Taker stares at Brock Lesnar’s coffin, the lid opens and with another look, sets it on fire. Knowing Mark and Brock, this one is gonna be painful to watch, as in they will just pummel the living hell out of each other. They rarely hold anything back and won’t start now. As the late, great Gorilla Monsoon would say, this one is gonna be a slobberknocker.
Matt Bishop (9:29 p.m.): Does it get much better than an Undertaker entrance at WrestleMania? This one was no different, and now the Dead Man has a hell of a challenge on his hands.
Matthew Asher (9:30 p.m. – live from New Orleans): The crowd is really dead for the start. For an Undertaker ‘Mania match, this should not be happening. Nobody still seems to be into this at all.
Matthew Asher (9:34 p.m. – live from New Orleans): There’s a little reaction when Taker goes for Old School, but still, this is way too silent for an Undertaker WrestleMania match. Finally when the Phenom does the leg drop off the apron, the crowd starts to awake, but not much.
Matthew Asher (9:39 p.m. – live from New Orleans): We finally start getting an “Undertaker” with clapping chant, but it dies quickly. Boos for Brock as he methodically takes apart the Deadman. A small “Undertaker” clap chant starts again, but like before, it goes away.
Matthew Asher (9:43 p.m. – live from New Orleans): Small pop for the Phenom when he hits the DDT on Brock. A small flurry of offense finally starts to awake the crowd as he hits Snake Eyes and the Big Boot. We finally get our first chokeslam, but not a big reaction. Brock hits the F-5 and the crowd gets a little more vocal.
Matthew Asher (9:47 p.m. – live from New Orleans): Hell’s Gate is applied. Brock gets out of it. Finally some clapping from the audience as the submission is locked in again and once Brock breaks the hold and the crowd goes dead again.
Greg Oliver, finally chiming in from home (9:49 p.m.): This Taker-Lesnar match is boring me, making want to fast-forward. Bring on the Divas popcorn match!
Matthew Asher (9:50 p.m. – live from New Orleans): Old School attempt and the crowd FINALLY wakes up. Great counter by Brock into a second F-5 but ‘Taker kicks out.
Matthew Asher (9:55 p.m. – live from New Orleans): Brock wins after F-5 number 3? YOU’VE GOT TO BE KIDDING ME!
Greg Oliver (9:55 p.m.): There’s your holy sh– moment!
John Powell (9:58 p.m.): This match is way too methodical, not enough high spots. It should have been brutal as the matches both men had against Triple H at WrestleMania. WrestleMania is not the time to grind it out. Not the way anyone wanted The Streak to go out. Wow. WWE dropped the ball BIG TIME after pushing this angle for years. This could go down as their biggest failing…ever.
Matt Bishop (9:58 p.m.): I have been a pro wrestling fan for more than 20 years. I have never been more stunned than I was when Brock Lesnar pinned The Undertaker. I’ve never seen a crowd as stunned as what I just saw. Unbelievable. Wow.
Matthew Asher (9:59 p.m. – live from New Orleans): The crowd is stunned. Brock’s music doesn’t hit for a while. I’m stunned. Taker is still down.
Greg Oliver (10:01 p.m.): The announcers applauding ‘Taker too was a bit much, really. And the greatest streak in sports history, JBL? Whatever. Ask Glenn Hall what makes up a REAL streak.
Matthew Asher (10:03 p.m. – live from New Orleans): Taker gets up slowly. Crowd applauds. Says “Thank you Taker”. Now we finally hear the crowd come alive as they clap in unison.
Matthew Asher (10:05 p.m. – live from New Orleans): The crowd still can’t believe this. As we’re reminded that March 25th next year will be ‘Mania 31. The crowd is still booing this finish. I still can’t believe what just happened.
Greg Oliver (10:06 p.m.): Ha. AJ Lee is the only one who gets to come to the ring with her music. Apparently this is the first time the Divas title has ever been defended on Mania. That should tell you something about its importance.
Matthew Asher (10:07 p.m. – live from New Orleans): Cooldown match for the Divas title. All the Divas except AJ are in the ring. She comes in, skipping per usual. I feel sorry for these women having to follow the Streak match. Vicky cackles and the crowd is not happy to see her.
Matthew Asher (10:08 p.m. – live from New Orleans): Crowd still chanting for Undertaker as the Divas match goes on. #WrestleMania30 is now the top trend on Twitter now.
Bob Kapur (10:08 p.m. – live from New Orleans): Well, good thing the Divas’ match will cheer everyone up.
John Powell (10:12 p.m.): The Undertaker’s streak ends with a whimper and not a bang. WWE. Ultimate. Fail. The post-match chatter by the announcers seems to suggest that The Undertaker will be retiring. Not taking anything away from Brock Lesnar. Always been a huge fan but I would rather Taker go out on a high with a spectacular match and not something like this. What a letdown. Mark Calaway deserved better. Divas match? Whatever.
Matthew Asher (10:14 p.m. – live from New Orleans): Crowd is having none of the Divas match until the Bellas do a double suicide dive. Finally the action starts to pick up as each Diva gets their own shot in. Crowd is still silent as this match continues.
Greg Oliver (10:14 p.m.): AJ Lee wins. It all seemed way too rehearsed.
Matt Bishop (10:14 p.m.): Good to see AJ retain the Divas Championship. This was less of a train wreck than I’d imagined. We even saw the Bella Twins hit stereo suicide dives! Not bad.
Matthew Asher (10:16 p.m. – live from New Orleans): AJ gets a brilliant win. While Naomi is in the Black Widow, AJ grabs Naomi’s hand and physically makes her tap. The ref doesn’t see it and Vickie is furious with the results.
Greg Oliver (10:18 p.m.): Fun segment with Mean Gene Okerlund, Hulk Hogan, Roddy Piper and Paul Orndorff — who has been noticeably absent from WWE for a while. Naturally, Mr. T arrives, and all hug it out 30 years after the first WrestleMania main event.
Matt Bishop (10:18 p.m.): Mr. Wonderful Paul Orndorff on my TV screen in 2014. That’s right up there with Lesnar breaking the streak in things I never thought I’d see. Hilarious to see Roddy Piper reluctantly shake hands with Mr. T. A fun little segment before we get down to serious business and our main event.
John Powell (10:18 p.m.): Mr. Wonderful! Never forget when he clotheslined Hogan in one of the biggest swerves of all time and when he fought Hogan at the outdoor CNE Stadium here in Toronto. Wow. They just introduced legends at ringside, Sammartino, Race, Hart, Dusty, Backlund and not much of a reaction, except for maybe the Hitman. At home, it sounds like the air has been let out of the arena.
Bob Kapur (10:18 p.m. – live from New Orleans): Ric Flair was seen in the building earlier – strange he wasn’t seated with the other HoF legends they showed.
Greg Oliver (10:18 p.m.): Main event time. Why does the WWE World champion come out first?
Matthew Asher (10:19 p.m. – live from New Orleans): Bruno Sanmartino, Harley Race, Mr. Bob Backlund, Dusty Rhodes and Bret Hart are all at ringside. Crowd gives them their due respect.
Matthew Asher (10:20 p.m. – live from New Orleans): Orton has his theme song played live. This is nothing like Motorhead playing in Triple H at 21. Crowd is dead as the Champ makes his way to the ring.
Bob Kapur (10:21 p.m. – live from New Orleans): Ugh. Even Orton’s band is boring. The voices in the lead singer’s head should tell him to give up singing and find a new job.
Matthew Asher (10:22 p.m. – live from New Orleans): Orton doesn’t get a reaction. Boo-tista comes out and of course we get some booing, but not as much as you’d expect.
Matthew Asher (10:25 p.m. – live from New Orleans): Crowd still has to be in shock of The Streak ending. Bryan doesn’t get nearly the pop he did in his first match.
John Powell (10:33 p.m.): Who is dressing Batista these days? Cyndi Lauper? Nice glow-in-the-dark boots, dude.
John Powell (10:36 p.m.): A number of Twitter posts have already designated this WrestleMania as “The New Orleans Screwjob” Interesting that.
Matthew Asher (10:37 p.m. – live from New Orleans): Hunter has decided to interfere. Brad Armstrong comes as the new ref so screw Dan and Batista goes for the Batista Bomb. Bryan kicks out and NOW the YES! Movement has awoken.
Matthew Asher (10:38 p.m. – live from New Orleans): Bryan kicks Armstrong in the head and then suicide dives onto Armstrong, Hunter AND Stephanie. Wow. Out comes Hunter’s sledgehammer. Bryan takes it away and gives Hunter a taste of his own medicine. Orton breaks up the schoolboy pin by Bryan on Batista.
Matthew Asher (10:40 p.m. – live from New Orleans): Orton and Batista start double-teaming Bryan. They rip off his shoulder wrap. Stephanie and Hunter are escorted out as they both limp away. Crowd chants the Na Na Na Na song. Bryan takes a steel step to the shoulder.
Greg Oliver (10:42 p.m.): Batista Bomb on the announcers table on Daniel Bryan morphing into an RKO was a pretty cool moment, though Orton got hurt in the process. He’s cut on the back.
Matthew Asher (10:43 p.m. – live from New Orleans): More double team work by Evolution. On the announce tables, Batista loads Bryan up for a Batista Bomb and Orton finishes the move into an RKO. A holy s*** moment indeed. Orton’s back fell right on an announce table during the move. Orton’s back is cut and he is bleeding. Daniel hasn’t moved. Batista is the only one moving.
Matthew Asher (10:44 p.m. – live from New Orleans): A stretcher comes out as a neck brace is placed on Bryan. Batista now starts to pick apart Orton outside of the ring. The crowd is silent. Bryan doesn’t look good. Bryan is on the gurney and being taken back to the ramp. Crowd isn’t happy. Orton now has the momentum and nails Batista with the DDT on the floor.
Matthew Asher (10:46 p.m. – live from New Orleans): Remember Mankind in Hell in the Cell? Bryan gets off the gurney, removes the neckbrace and Orton shoves him into the steel steps for his effort. Daniel Bryan chants now fill the arena.
Matthew Asher (10:47 p.m. – live from New Orleans): Orton gets ready for an RKO, Bryan gets the YES! Lock. Batista breaks it up but Bryan locks Batista up for his troubles, Orton breaks that up.
Matthew Asher (10:49 p.m. – live from New Orleans): Big Dave goes for a spear on Orton, but Orton sidesteps it and Bryan gets hit with it. Orton goes for an RKO on Batista and gets a 2.99 count.
Matthew Asher (10:50 p.m. – live from New Orleans): Who’s ready for a punt? Not Bryan who hits Orton with a running knee. Dave goes to cover Randy but he kicks out.
Greg Oliver (10:50 p.m.): Bryan wins with a Yes! Lock on Batista!
Matthew Asher (10:50 p.m. – live from New Orleans): Batista goes for another bomb on Orton, but Bryan catches him with a running knee. BATISTA TAPS OUT TO THE YES LOCK! YES! YES! YES!
Matthew Asher (10:54 p.m. – live from New Orleans): Mania attendance announced — 75,167 people, the fifth most ever for WrestleMania.
Matthew Asher (10:55 p.m. – live from New Orleans): A cathartic mood after Bryan FINALLY gets his WrestleMania Moment. JBL even gives Bryan his due.
Greg Oliver (11:09 p.m.): That wraps up our live coverage for another year. In the morning, check in to see some amazing photography from our own Mike Mastrandrea from the Superdome, as well as all the fallout. For me personally, I find myself going back to WrestleMania 22 in Chicago where on the Friday night I saw ROH World champion Daniel Bryan go almost 60 minutes with Roderick Strong. And now here is that little guy, a lot older and much, much hairier as the WWE World champion. Wow. Don’t give up the dream, folks. And safe travels to our crew in New Orleans!
RELATED LINKS
https://slamwrestling.net/index.php/2014/04/06/mat-matters-thoughts-on-wrestlemania-xxx-from-the-superdome/
https://slamwrestling.net/index.php/2014/04/06/wrestlemania-xxx-brings-the-beginning-and-end-of-eras/
