Here, as a reminder, is the upper card:
TITLE VS. TITLE: SHINSUKE NAKAMURA V. BROCK LESNAR (W/HEYMAN)
BEST WRESTLER IN THE WORLD: AJ STYLES V. BRYAN DANIELSON
MASK VS. MASK: EL GENERICO V. KID CANADA (SPECIAL GUEST REFEREE-REY MYSTERIO)
WWF WOMEN’S CHAMPIONSHIP: LUMBERJACK MATCH: BECKY LYNCH V. ASUKA
WWF TAG TITLES: USOS (JIMMY/JEY) V. THE REVIVAL (DASH/DAWSON, W/ AA AND RIC FLAIR)
And here's the remainder:
PRINCE DEVITT V. CEDRIC ALEXANDER (W/TOZAWA)
MONEY IN THE BANK: CLAUDIO CASTAGNOLI (W/GARGANO) V. TYLER BLACK V. ROMAN REIGNS-USO V. BOBBY ROODE (W/STRONG) V. BRAY WYATT (W/HARPER) V. APOLLO CREWS (W/KALISTO)
KURT ANGLE/CHAD GABLE (W/BENJAMIN) V. BULLET CLUB (ANDERSON/GALLOWS)
FINAL DELETION: NICK NEMETH V. BROKEN MATT HARDY
LEGEND'S MATCH: SPECIAL MMA ATTRACTION: RONDA ROUSEY VS. SONJA DEVILLE
FULL CIRCLE (ORTON/CENA) V. NEW DAY (KINGSTON/LANGSTON W/WOODS) V. SHEAMUS/MIZ V. GODS OF CARNAGE (RUSEV/STROWMAN)
-in addition, there will be a special appearance by WWF Legend Shawn Michaels
-a special appearance from Dark Ride Wrestling
-and a tribute to the retiring Howard Finkel
PRINCE DEVITT V. CEDRIC ALEXANDER (W/TOZAWA)
Let's return to the night after the Rumble, recall, the Bullet Club is devastated - Devitt's devastation is embarrassment - he was eliminated from the Rumble match by British comedy wrestler Jack Gallagher (that was actually foreshadowed in the build). On the episode of Dark Ride after the Rumble, Devitt gets his revenge.
Gallagher's in what is supposed to be the middle match of the hour, just some random match with anyone at all - when Devitt/Anderson/Gallows hit the ring and they kill him dead. It's not a normal Bullet Club beatdown - the Bullet Club does its beatings with a smirk, they're having a good time -- there's no good time here; Devitt is angry - the beating is merciless - Gallagher can be out six months after this attack. This is a message - do not fuck with the Bullet Club as they head to Wrestlemania.
Devitt spits on the Dark Ride mat - the program goes to black - the WWF Network goes to black for the rest of the hour.
There are ramifications. In a subsequent Dark Ride there's a hard hitting three way among Dunne/Bate/Seven - following the match Regal and Nigel unexpectedly come to the ring. They say the British wrestlers have been tremendous since coming to Dark Ride, they've had great matches - and Nigel and Regal hope to see them competing against each other for titles at Wrestlemanias in the future.
But right now - they need to come together. They saw what happened to Gallagher - it's time that this group, right here, becomes a squad. And going forward - Nigel is going to stay with them to make sure that happens.
The other consequence is a real anger from Cedric Alexander - Alexander convenes a meeting of all of the families, all of the various factions in Dark Ride - he says the Bullet Club disrespected their house, and they have to pay.
At a subsequent RAW, Devitt wins some singles match - and then a dozen members of the Dark Ride roster, led by Blood Warriors International (Alexander/Tozawa) hit the ring.
They surround Devitt - Alexander takes the mic - tells Devitt they could end him right now, they could spit on his ring - they could bury him in a flag. But instead of that - Alexander's going hit him where it really hurts - Alexander's going to beat him 1:1 at Wrestlemania.
And that's the match. There's a subsequent promo where Devitt is with Anderson and Gallows and he intimates that maybe he won't be coming alone. Alexander cuts a response promo with Tozawa and says he won't be coming alone....and he's not just talking about Tozawa.
MONEY IN THE BANK: CLAUDIO CASTAGNOLI (W/GARGANO) V. TYLER BLACK V. ROMAN REIGNS-USO V. BOBBY ROODE (W/STRONG) V. BRAY WYATT (W/HARPER) V. APOLLO CREWS (W/KALISTO)
There's been one Money in the Bank match in WWF history - Nemeth won and cashed in on Punk later that same night to win the WWF Title. So - that's a selling point for the match, the winner will have one year, through WM35, to cash in - and you have to think that cash in has a great chance to be successful. Another selling point is there are multiple rivalries that have been built up that feed in here. And really, the main selling point is it's going to be a car wreck - the seconds might get involved, there might be multiple ladders, who knows what crazy spots will occur - that's the match.
Claudio is a past WWF Champion, he's half of Trash with Gargano. Claudio still doesn't speak any English, he'll speak in any other language and Gargano will translate.
Claudio's been feuding with Roode, that came out of a long Strong/Gargano feud (Roode and Strong are Horsemen) Gargano has failed multiple times to win the Dark Ride title, he comes so, so close and can't quite win - driving him further and further into the disenchanted babyface role abdicated by Pac/Neville.
Black's turn on his longtime partner Ambrose to join the Bullet Club is one of the signature moments of the wrestling year; he was the final elimination in the Rumble match, so close to the WWF Title he can feel the belt around his waist -- he's been feuding with another heel, Reigns. They've always been on opposite sides - Black with the Shield, Reigns with the Usos - now, Reigns is 1/3 of the tag champions, and in the build to the Usos vs. Anderson/Gallows title match at the Rumble, Black and Reigns were brought into that program and each got pinfalls on the other. Reigns got the "guy who gets multiple eliminations" spot in the Rumble match.
Crews got the "guy who stays in the Rumble match forever" spot - and he and Kalisto can feud against Bray and Harper, all of them babyfaces, in the build here.
Plenty of combo work can be done with all the guys, all their seconds, with special guest cameos from the Usos and Anderson/Gallows. In the go home week there's a full on wild brawl (a spot I like) - it's a 6 on 6 match:
Claudio/Black/Reigns/Gargano/Anderson/Jey
v.
Roode/Crews/Bray/Strong/Harper/Kalisto
....Claudio gets the fall on Harper...and then it all breaks down, Black and Reigns start to brawl, Gallows and Jimmy run in to join their partners - and that brings out their WM opponents (Revival and Angle/Gable) to join in. Gargano attacks Strong - that brings in Roode and Claudio - - Harper/Bray start going at it with Crews/Kalisto -- someone gets a ladder, someone takes a big bump - they go off the air in the middle of the brawl.
KURT ANGLE/CHAD GABLE (W/BENJAMIN) V. BULLET CLUB (ANDERSON/GALLOWS)
Back to the night after the Rumble - Anderson/Gallows lost their tag title shot, they take on longtime rivals American Alpha, who lost their number one contender match against the Revival. Anderson/Gallows have the same angry attitude that Devitt will display at Dark Ride - they go over in a stiff match, Gable is knocked out on the outside - and Anderson/Gallows kill Jordan, burying him under the Bullet Club flag. About a month later there's a promo from Gable, in his first appearance since that match. He's with Benjamin, whose arm is in a sling selling his IC loss to Brock at the Rumble (Benjamin trained with Alpha in the build to the Rumble). Gable is angry - the Bullet Club has taken out his partner, maybe ended his career - Jordan may never return to the ring. Gable challenges Anderson and Gallows to a Mania match.
Anderson and Gallows come to the ring. A month has passed, so that post Rumble anger has dissipated and they're again smirking Bullet Club heels - they're laughing about this challenge. Gable and one armed Benjamin at Wrestlemania?
Gable says no - not Gable and one armed Benjamin. Gable and this guy....
...and then Kurt Angle's music hits.
Angle's considered the greatest WWF Champion in modern history; he returned a year ago as a special guest referee - returned to the ring at Survivor Series where he lost to Brock - and now here he is again. Kurt Angle comes to the ring - Anderson and Gallows fully sell the shock of that - and when Kurt hits the ring they bail out. Angle/Gable/Benjamin stand in the ring - Angle is intense - he's in the singlet, he takes out his mouthguard so he can yell at Anderson/Gallows. Kurt Angle is returning to Wrestlemania.
Angle doesn't wrestle in the build - Gable does singles matches against both Anderson and Gallows with Benjamin in his corner - beats one, loses to the other. There are sports based video packages for the Angle/Gable team - working out, grappling - the idea being to get Gable as much of an Angle rub as is possible.
FINAL DELETION: NICK NEMETH V. BROKEN MATT HARDY
The Hardys, coming off their hot IRL Impact/ROH runs returned to WWF last year, in the Broken gimmicks, and won the tag titles. They spent the summer doing taped pieces to build the broken universe for the WWF fans, lost the belts at Summer Slam and took most of the rest of the year off. Matt returned via taped pieces in the Rumble build, visited by the ghosts of Hardy past/present/future - one of those pieces was commented on by Nemeth, from the building during a RAW - "why is this old man showing us his home movies - either come here and fight or go away" - at the Rumble match, Hardy ran in from the crowd to eliminate Nemeth.
In this build - Nemeth appears at the Hardy compound; he sets fire to the Hardys old backyard ring - if Matt's going to come to his house, Nemeth's coming to his.
Matt does taped response - Nemeth has defiled the Hardy Sanctuary, Nemeth must be deleted -- it's going to be a Final Deletion match, as the Hardys did in IRL Impact, it's sold as a never before seen/never will be seen again type of Wrestlemania match; it will take place at the Hardy Compound, one of these two men, Nick Nemeth and Broken Matt Hardy, will receive his Final Deletion.
LEGEND'S MATCH: SPECIAL MMA ATTRACTION: RONDA ROUSEY VS. SONJA DEVILLE
Right after the holidays, the announcement is made that MMA great Ronda Rousey would be appearing at Wrestlemania. It's sold as a shoot fight (it is not a shoot fight) it will be in a cage, Deville has never been seen on WWF TV and is said to be a young shootfighter; it will be in a cage; the plan is it's a one off - Rousey's swan song.
Ronda does not do a single live event; she does sports interviews, she does entertainment interviews - she was a great fan of President McMahon (Linda) and developed a relationship with the family over the past couple of years, and as she's left UFC now, this seems like a fitting way to end her fighting career.
Ronda's only WWF hit is a walk through at Titan Tower where she's treated as a visiting dignitary, Hunter/Stephanie/Skip are all there, outside of Asuka and Becky, all the main members of the women's roster are there, really as fans - taking pictures with Ronda, clearly all starstruck. Hunter says Ronda's an all time combat sports legend so it makes sense that her match at Mania is the Legend's Match.
There's one critical interview - someone (whomever we can plant a question with) asks if Ronda would ever consider wrestling with the WWF - maybe trying to be women's champion? Ronda laughs it off - "they seem like nice girls, but we don't really do the same thing."
There's no wrestling hype to the match - Sonya is strictly enhancement talent, we see some shots of her sparring, and maybe someone predicts her to win "hungry, eye of the tiger, Rousey's not a fighter anymore, she's a celebrity" - but it's sold entirely, 100% like it is a shootfight and in no way a springboard to anything else.
FULL CIRCLE (ORTON/CENA) V. NEW DAY (KINGSTON/LANGSTON W/WOODS) V. SHEAMUS/MIZ V. GODS OF CARNAGE (RUSEV/STROWMAN w/LANA)
We started with Full Circle (the reunited Orton and Cena) feuding with the mismatched babyfaces Sheamus/Miz. We then added the New Day - and at the Rumble all of those teams were wiped out by the debuting Gods of Carnage - Rusev and Strowman. We only see them in squash matches in this build - the other three teams continue their program, Gods of Carnage doesn't really mix with them at all - when we see GoC it's just to kill somebody.
That's the show...
Over on Dark Ride, Kenta/Hero feuds with GDI (Cole/O'Reilly, Fish is injured) and in the go home show Strong puts his belt up against anyone in the world - and he loses it to the debuting Ricochet.
So - at Wrestlemania 34 - we are promised some type of Dark Ride Wrestling segment, an appearance from Shawn Michaels - this is the 125th WWF PPV, for all of them, the ring announcer has been Howard Finkel, he is the one constant through 34 years - but this will be his last event, he's retiring, and there will be a tribute. Also, we have our traditional In Memorium segment, celebrating those who have passed away since WM 33.
Finally, in the build for Mania, the network airs programming based on this: the greatest Wrestlemania matches ever
Finally, in the build for Mania, the network airs programming based on this: the greatest Wrestlemania matches ever
And the full card:
TITLE VS. TITLE: SHINSUKE NAKAMURA V. BROCK LESNAR (W/HEYMAN)
-Nakamura won the WWF Title at the Rumble; he faces the IC Champion Lesnar, who has been proclaimed as the "Real World's Champion" for over a year.
BEST WRESTLER IN THE WORLD: AJ STYLES V. BRYAN DANIELSON
-Danielson's return to the ring after a 3 year absence; he faces his primary antagonist for much of the last two of those years, AJ Styles, who has been calling himself the new "best wrestler in the world"
MASK VS. MASK: EL GENERICO V. KID CANADA (SPECIAL GUEST REFEREE-REY MYSTERIO)
-Kevin Steen has been looking for a way to get El Generico to remove his mask for years; in his persona of masked luchador Kid Canada, he has a chance. The Legendary Mysterio is making his return to the WWF, and he's the guest referee here.
WWF WOMEN’S CHAMPIONSHIP: LUMBERJACK MATCH: BECKY LYNCH V. ASUKA
-Lynch has been women's champion for a year - she faces the undefeated Asuka with the full women's roster surrounding the ring.
WWF TAG TITLES: USOS (JIMMY/JEY) V. THE REVIVAL (DASH/DAWSON, W/ AA AND RIC FLAIR)
-the Usos are two time tag champs, they bring their superkicks against the throwback Revival, managed by Arn Anderson, throw in the first WWF appearance by Ric Flair since he nearly died and that's your upper card.
FINAL DELETION: NICK NEMETH V. BROKEN MATT HARDY
-a match unlike any in Wrestlemania history; Nemeth and Hardy at the Hardy Compound, for the first and apparently, final time.
PRINCE DEVITT V. CEDRIC ALEXANDER (W/TOZAWA)
-two of the best wrestlers alive go 1 on 1.
MONEY IN THE BANK: CLAUDIO CASTAGNOLI (W/GARGANO) V. TYLER BLACK V. ROMAN REIGNS-USO V. BOBBY ROODE (W/STRONG) V. BRAY WYATT (W/HARPER) V. APOLLO CREWS (W/KALISTO)
-winner gets the briefcase, it's going to be a car wreck
KURT ANGLE/CHAD GABLE (W/BENJAMIN) V. BULLET CLUB (ANDERSON/GALLOWS)
-arguably the greatest WWF Champion of all time, Kurt Angle returns to Wrestlemania
FULL CIRCLE (ORTON/CENA) V. NEW DAY (KINGSTON/LANGSTON W/WOODS) V. SHEAMUS/MIZ V. GODS OF CARNAGE (RUSEV/STROWMAN)
-the opening tag, it's an elimination match
LEGEND'S MATCH: SPECIAL MMA ATTRACTION: RONDA ROUSEY VS. SONJA DEVILLE
-combat sports superstar Ronda Rousey makes her debut in a WWF ring.
It's Wrestlemania 34. Call your cable company
