Wrestlemania 36 opens with a video package of past Mania crowds - sold out this and record setting that and jam packed whatever.
And then of close up fan reactions in past Manias - crying, screaming, you know what they will show.
And then shots of arenas and stadiums throughout the country - all silent, all empty.
And then we're in the Performance Center. Very, Very quiet.
Wrestlemania 36 comes from the WWF Bubble, in and around Orlando.
Your announcers (none of whom is on site, all remote) are Mauro Ranallo (19th and, as it will be announced during the show, final PPV) Paul Heyman (18th) Samoa Joe (3rd)
For the first time ever, Mania is not on PPV, it is on FOX, with a second screen experience on the Network.
Ranallo sets the scene - this is a Mania unlike any other - WWF does not have 80,000 people in Raymond James stadium in Tampa -- but it does have millions watching on FOX, millions who right now, really could use some entertainment - and WWF looks to give you 4 great hours of professional wrestling.
No stables, no managers, no dark matches, no valets, no special guest referee - there is no one at all at ringside. Each match consists of the wrestlers and a referee.
There will be multiple sets used - the opening match/main event (and probably a couple more) will have the standard pandemic look for WWF (think IRL Pandemic ROH w/ the darkened arena, they'll add the Thunderdome later in the year). The Legends Match and the Ladder match will have a cinematic quality. There will be a match outside, a match in a parking lot, a match somewhere else in the performance center that isn't the ring. There are 12 matches, there should be at least 6 locations. All have a ring, save the legends match, which looks like IRL Boneyard without the music.
The other thing here is there's an opportunity to reach lapsed and non fans here and the broadcast will be pitched to really explain the product in an effort to bring in new eyeballs.
Each match starts with a video package very clearly explaining the story of the match. During each match, Heyman serves to explain the story, Joe serves to talk about the technical aspects of the work
1. BRYAN DANIELSON/KEVIN STEEN d. AJ STYLES/SAMI ZAYN
-there are a couple of reasons to open with this match; the one I'll talk about now is this is the match they want the viewers to see; it's likely to be the best match of the night, they can do a believable looking contest without a lot of bullshit that is easier to see through without fans. It would be good if there were some of the younger guys in the promotion who could get exposure tonight, but for this card this is who they want prospective new fans to see.
-easy story to tell; Danielson used to be the best, he got hurt and AJ became the best, Danielson came back, but couldn't beat AJ and so now he's a bad guy. Steen and Zayn were best friends, Zayn used to wear a mask, like a superhero - and Steen stripped him of it, which, like a super hero, is stripping him of his identity and a diabolical act in this world. Now Zayn's back for revenge.
-the finish is Danielson finally pinning Styles - solidifying the wisdom of the heel turn.
2. BOBBY LASHLEY d. DREW GULAK
-this match being second serves a couple of interests - they can do some grappling and that style where they largely stay in the ring and go hard is the one best suited to an empty building. Also, Lashley's big and there will be some viewers looking for a body guy. And the most important thing - this match allows the announcers to preview the main event, as Lashley and Lesnar were aligned until very recently as members of Shoot Nation. There are a few hours between here and there, they want the viewers to know that Brock Lesnar is fighting for the title tonight. Easy story to tell here - Lashley's part of Shoot Nation, which was Kurt Angle's stable of wrestlers, Gulak's part of Underground, a collection of wrestlers from WWF Developmental and those two groups have been feuding on and off for a year and we'll see more of this feud later tonight in the IC Ladder Match.
-Lashley gets him definitively
3. RHEA RIPLEY d. KAIRI SANE
-wait, there are women? Lapsed fans especially may be surprised how prominant the women's division has been for several years and this match helps catch them up. It also allows to talk about Rousey; since Ripley took her place in the Horsewomen and clips of Rousey may interest casuals. And - they preview the women's title match; since Baszler is also in the Horsewomen and she'll be fighting Asuka, friend of Sane.
-Ripley gets her definitively.
4. CLAUDIO CASTAGNOLI d. ANGEL GARZA
-Claudio had a little cultural penetration a few years prior with the "hey movememt" and he's a good guy again so some casuals will know him (and he gives them the kind of work they want). Gargano can be discussed as Claudio's partner; their connection to Steen/Zayn will mentioned to world build.
-Good 50/50 match that Claudio takes.
5. RANDY ORTON d. JOHN CENA
-Cena's not as famous here as he is IRL, but he's got some level of entertainment career (maybe a reality star, he wears jacket and tie to dinner in his own home, it's quirky) so some casuals might know him and this is his final wrestling match. Easy story to understand - he and Orton came up together; Cena largerly spent a career as a good guy, Orton largely as a bad guy - they came back together at the end and now, in his last match, Cena is trying to drag the viciousness back out of Orton, whose career has stalled since losing to The Fiend (who we will see next).
-We get that vicousness, Orton really sticks it to Cena - no level of friendship demonstrated even post match. Cena will appear on RAW tomorrow and The Fiend will just destroy him; which maybe ends Cena's time in the Counterfactual.
6. BONEYARD LEGENDS MATCH: THE FIEND BRAY WYATT d. THE UNDERTAKER
-Purely a cinematic match, same idea as the IRL Boneyard match save for the finish being a definitive burial, RIP for the long retired Dead Man. The Undertaker used to be King Spooky, no one in WWF history has won more Legends Matches (a longtime Mania staple) than any other man, Wyatt is the new King Spooky and they get all spooky with each other cinematic style.
It's intermission; they're going to show clips of pre-pandemic action, looking to display youth, athleticism, high spots, fast paced, hot, hot crowds - the stuff they don't really get to display tonight (hey, look, Ricochet)
7. FALLS COUNT ANYWHERE: DREW McINTYRE d. KINGSTON d. JIMMY USO
-Here's the match where they fight all over the Peformance Center, just a full on garbage match; Kingston takes some crazy bump, Uso gets hurt, McIntyre goes over; the Hooligans/New Day/Usos are all discussed here to give some exposure to all of that (the Miz, from the Real World, remember - and there are both men and women wrestlers in the same group, interesting). The other thing that happens here is there are stakes to this match; winner gets to enter last in the Number One Contenders Battle Royal to to set the number one contender for the WWF Title - and that allows to plug Summer Slam, which is where that title match will take place.
5 Matches left, 4 of them are Title Matches, they get distinctive graphics and a second taped package that shows each of the matches for those titles in Mania history.
WRESTLEMANIA TAG TITLE HISTORY
1. Tito Santana/Brutus Beefcake take the belts from the Iron Sheik and Nikolai Volkoff
2. The Hart Foundation (Bret/Davey w/Anvil) take the belts from Tito/Beefcake
3. The Hart Foundation keeps the belts over the Rougeaus
4. The Rougeaus (w/the Anvil) keep the belts over Strike Force.
5. The Brainbusters keep the belts over the Rockers
6. Rick Rude/Marty Jannetty take the belts from Roddy Piper/Jake Roberts
7. The Road Warriors keep the belts over Demolition
8. Money Inc keeps the belts over Strike Force
9. The Steiner Brothers keep the belts over Money Inc
10. Lex Luger/Bam Bam Bigelow take the belts from the Rougeaus
11. The Smoking Gunns take the belts from The British Empire (Bulldog/Backlund)
12. Steve Austin/Dustin Rhodes keep the belts over Chris Candido/Savio Vega
13. The Hart Foundation (Bulldog/Owen) keep the belts over Doug Furnas/Phil LaFon
14. The New Age Outlaws take the belts from Cactus Jack/Terry Funk
15. The Hardys take the belts from the Nation of Domination (Rock/DLo)
16. TLC: The Hardys take the belts in a 3 way over Edge/Christian and the Dudleys
17. The Dudley Boys take the belts in a 4 way over the Hardys/ Edge/Christian, Raven/Taz
18. TLC: Chris Jericho/Lance Storm keep the belts over the Hardys, Dudleys (Bubba/Spike)
19. Shawn Michaels/HHH take the belts from Shelton Benjamin/Charlie Haas
20. The Horsemen (Ric Flair/Leviathan Batista) take the belts from Shelton Benjamin/Charlie Haas
21. Randy Orton/John Cena take the belts in a 3 way over Haas/Benjamin and Spreekillers(Chavo/Helms)
22. Dead Men Walking (PAUL/Kane) take the belts in a 3 way over Bradshaw/Booker, LWO (Super Crazy/Psicosis)
23. LWO (Chavo/Carlito) take the belts from Sandman/Dreamer
24. WMD (Cena/Batista) take the belts from HBK/HHH
25. DMW (PAUL/Kane) take the belts in a 3 way over LWO, HHH-M/Miz
26. Young Money (Kingston/Killings) take the belts from Division One (Nemeth/Swagger)
27. Empire (Barrett/Gabriel) take the belts from Defiance (Orton/DiBiase, Jr)
28. Young Money (Kingston/Killings) take the belts from Defiance (Orton/Cody Rhodes)
29. The Shield (Black/Ambrose) take the belts from Empire (Barrett/Ryback)
30. The Shield (Black/Ambrose/Langston) keep the belts over The Usos (Reigns/Jimmy/Jey)
31. The Shield (Black/Ambrose) keep the belts over Division One
32. The Usos (Reigns/Jimmy/Jey) take the belts from New Day (Kingston/Langston/Woods)
33. Ladder: Trash (Claudio/Neville) take the belts from Kevin Steen/El Generico
33. Ladder: Hardys take the belts from Trash
34. The Revival take the belts from The Usos.
35. Shoot Nation (Lesnar/Angle/Benjamin) take the belts from Hooligans (McIntyre/Sheamus/Miz)
8. WWF TAG TITLES: STREET PROFITS d. CLIQUE (EDGE/NITRO)
The Street Profits become the 110th tag champs in WWF history.
Easy story - Street Profits are young, Edge and Nitro are veterans and the Profits take the belts. Everyone's a babyface, let the celebration ensue! Over the next month, Edge/Nitro remain together and a rematch for Summer Slam is set - Edge is stoked, feels great, having the time of his life even despite all the terrible things happening with the virus, really enjoying hanging out with Nitro, looking forward to a long tag run - and then Edge gets attacked in the parking lot by a masked man with a pipe; he wears out Edge's leg - the tag match is off, Edge is gone, who knows if he'll return.
And who was that masked man?
WRESTLEMANIA WOMEN'S TITLE HISTORY
32. Sasha Banks takes the title from Charlotte Flair
33. Becky Lynch takes the title from Sasha Banks
34. Asuka takes the title from Becky Lynch
35. Asuka keeps the title over Ronda Rousey
9. WWF WOMEN'S TITLE: ASUKA d. SHAYNA BASZLER
Asuka was the undefeated champion, monster, monster, monster babyface - but she got beaten down by Baszler's Horsewomen and had to relinquish the belt; Baszler would win it and then end Asuka's undefeated streak at the Rumble? Its a rematch - can Asuka regain what was hers?
She can - they have the best match they can have and Asuka goes over. Let the celebration ensue!
WRESTLEMANIA IC TITLE HISTORY
1. Dog Collar: Roddy Piper takes the belt from Greg Valentine
2. Randy Savage takes the belt from Roddy Piper
3. Randy Savage keeps the belt over Jake Roberts
4. Bret Hart takes the belt from Randy Savage
5. Rick Rude takes the belt from Curt Hennig
6. Bret Hart keeps the belt over Shawn Michaels
7. Bret Hart keeps the belt over Genichiro Tenryu
8. Randy Savage keeps the belt over Roddy Piper
9. Shawn Michaels keeps the belt over Curt Hennig
10. Ladder: Razor Ramon takes the belt from Shawn Michaels
11. Razor Ramon takes the belt from Owen Hart
12. Vader keeps the belt over Undertaker
13. Cactus Jack keeps the belt over Vader
14. Octagon: Ken Shamrock draw Steve Austin
15. Al Snow takes the belt from Steve Austin
16. Eddy Guerrero takes the belt from Chris Jericho
17. Steve Austin takes the belt from Steve Regal
18. RVD keeps over Steve Austin
19. Rey Mysterio keeps the belt over Chavo Guerrero
20. Ladder: Eddy Guerrero takes the belt from Chavo Guerrero
21. Edge keeps the belt over Steve Regal
22. Fit Finlay keeps the belt over Steve Regal
22. HHH-M takes the belt from Fit Finlay
23. Randy Orton takes the belt in a 3 way over Shane Helms, Jeff Hardy
24. MVP keeps over Jamie Noble and Brian Kendrick
25. Rey Mysterio takes the belt from MVP
26. Matt Sydal keeps the belt over Yoshii Tatsu
27. Sheamus takes the belt from Johnny Nitro
28. Sheamus keeps the belt over the Miz
29. Nick Nemeth takes the belt in a 3 way over The Rock and Jack Swagger
30. Ladder: Nick Nemeth takes the belt from Sheamus
31. Bray Wyatt takes the belt from Luke Harper
32. El Generico takes the belt from AJ Styles
33. Brock Lesnar keeps the belt over Chris Jericho
34. Shinsuke Nakamura took the belt from Brock Lesnar in the Title v. Title match.
35. Ricochet takes the belt from Prince Devitt
10. WWF INTERCONTINENTAL TITLE: LADDER MATCH: ANGEL GARZA d ALEISTER BLACK/NICK NEMETH
The 74th IC Champ is Angel Garza.
The first half of the match (I like the industrial look of Sting's first AEW match; no music, I just liked the look) if just Black/Nemeth - easy story to tell; once upon a time, Nemeth led the first version of Underground; time moves on, Nemeth became a good guy with short hair and part of Shoot Nation and over a year ago he was beaten half to death by the new version of Underground, led by Black. So - here we are, hitting each other with ladders.
There's a wrinkle and he appears halfway though - who was supposed to be in this match with them is La Sombra, a masked wrestler, but illness has apparently taken him out of the match, so his manager, Zelina, had the ability to name a replacement.
We expect Carrillo - but it turns out to be Garza, who we saw lose earlier in the evening and he takes advantage of the conditions of Black and Nemeth to slither in and win the match.
We now pause before the final two matches for the In Memorium segment. Notable wrestling deaths since last year's WM.
La Parka II
Rocky Johnson
Rocky Johnson
Atsushi Aoki
Harley Race
Jacques Rougeau, Sr.
Adam McCallum
Max Muscle
Moondog Rex
Paco Alonso
Perro Aguayo Sr
Rene Goulet
Rick Bognar
Silver King
Mr Niebla
John Quinn
It's here where Ranallo says this is his last event; thanks everyone; wishes everyone well.
Long Highlight Package then setting the stage for the Montreal Match, getting over the gravity of the stip and the story of 4-Ground. This match needs some level of stylization - with 4 people legal throughout, it doesn't fit well in the darkened arena.
11. MONTREAL MATCH: SASHA BANKS d. BECKY LYNCH/CHARLOTTE FLAIR/BAYLEY
-the match is a big deal; hence the historical stip - years and years of equity built into this stable and while, probably, this isn't the final chapter, we don't know that either at match time or as of this writing.
-Banks/Lynch/Flair came up together, really creating the modern women's division - they'd go their separate ways and all win the title, always orbiting each other. Bayley was the girl they picked on in developmental, essentially, always on the outside of the cool kids club, but joined the group when they reformed to fight the Horsewomen.
-Ideally, all of the years are evident in this one - with call backs to their many, many matches
-And in the end it's Banks, submitting Lynch. Banks has had a renaissance since joining New Day; she pinned Lynch/Flair in the same match and now submits Lynch, understandably unmoored with the end of the Bullet Club. Banks becomes number one contender, she will meet Asuka at Summer Slam, and so more chance to plug that future show - and Lynch leaves the promotion.
-It should feel heavy; we know historically this stip matters, Bret never really came back, not really; after he lost the original Montreal Match; Jeff's back, hes in the promotion currently, but that decade+ long "Let Them Play" young boys to title holders program with Hardys and E/C really came to an end; and Punk, to this date, has not returned. As these four women look at each other and allow the moment to sit - we do not know if we will ever see Lynch again and what the future holds for this cornerstone group of WWF women. It's heavy, man. It's thick. It's painful.
-Also painful - what happens to Flair as early as tomorrow's RAW - she just gets killed by the Horsewomen, any heat lost with Baszler losing the belt is regained with a full stretcher job to Flair; Lynch is gone and as of as early as tomorrow, so is Flair.
WRESTLEMANIA WWF CHAMPIONSHIP HISTORY
1. Ricky Steamboat keeps the belt over Barry Windham
2. Dynamite Kid takes the belt from Ricky Steamboat
3. Ricky Steamboat takes the belt from Dynamite Kid
4. Dynamite Kid takes the belt from Ricky Steamboat
5. Randy Savage keeps the belt from Bret Hart
6. Curt Hennig keeps the belt over Randy Savage
7. Curt Hennig keeps the belt over Randy Savage
8. Bret Hart takes the belt from Ric Flair
9. Bret Hart keeps the belt from Razor Ramon
10. Owen Hart takes the belt from Bret Hart
11. Bret Hart takes the belt from Shawn Michaels
12. Shawn Michaels takes the belt from Bret Hart
13. Steve Austin takes the belt from Bret Hart
14. Owen Hart keeps the belt over Shawn Michaels
15. Cactus Jack takes the belt from Owen Hart
16. Chris Benoit takes the belt from Cactus Jack
17. Kurt Angle takes the belt from Chris Benoit
18. Kurt Angle keeps the belt over Curt Hennig
19. Kurt Angle keeps the belt over Brock Lesnar
20. Chris Benoit takes the belt from Kurt Angle
21. Eddy Guerrero takes the belt from Chris Benoit
22. Rey Mysterio keeps the belt over Chris Benoit
23. Booker T wins the vacant belt over Bobby Lashley
24. TLC: CM Punk takes the belt over Shelton Benjamin/Johnny Nitro
25. Chris Jericho keeps the belt over Shawn Michaels
26. Chris Jericho keeps the belt over Steve Regal
27. CM Punk takes the belt from Edge
27. Nick Nemeth takes the belt from CM Punk
28. Bryan Danielson keeps the belt over Chris Jericho
29. Brock Lesnar takes the belt from Bryan Danielson
30. Claudio Castagnoli takes the belt from Bryan Danielson
31. Brock Lesnar keeps the belt over Claudio Castagnoli
32. Elimination Chamber: AJ Styles wins the vacant belt over Kevin Steen/Brock Lesnar/Dean Ambrose/Nick Nemeth/Kalisto
33. AJ Styles keeps the belt over Austin Aries
34. Shinsuke Nakamura keeps the belt over Brock Lesnar, title v title
35. AJ Styles takes the belt from Shinsuke Nakamura
35. Tyler Black takes the belt from AJ Styles
12. WWF CHAMPIONSHIP: TYLER BLACK d. BROCK LESNAR
-Tyler Black will enter another year as WWF Champion
-Heres the story; Brock is a monster and Heyman can really humanize him given their relationship; Heyman talking about Lesnar's relationship with Angle and how losing him has brought a new level of emotion to a guy who largely wrestles as a job. We see that in this match, for both better and worse. Heyman, despite how their relationship ended, clearly rooting for Brock here. If Brock wins, it's a record tying 3rd WWF Title (stakes!)
-Black is guy who needs a stable - he went from the Shield to the Bullet Club (and even before, as Joe will give context, back in the Age of the Fall days, Black's a guy who needs that group).
-This is the ultimate solo match, there's no one except for the two wrestlers and the referee, and that's been what Black has been pushing since Lesnar destroyed his stable - this is the match that will prove, definitively, who Tyler Black is. Joe really sells that point, that Black doesn't have the kind of respect in the locker room that a guy with his pedigree should have and it's because of the perception that he's never done it alone. But if he can beat Lesnar 1 on 1 tonight, it totally changes that (stakes).
But in a night of nothing but clean finishes - this one is a screwjob.
There's a ref bump (Lesnar's fault, he's barely containable) and then from under the ring - who emerges?
Danielson and Steen.
They assault Lesnar - the two of them and Black sending him through a table.
The referee revives - Lesnar is able to kick out - he gets a fired up, IRL Hogan style, babyface comeback -- but in the end it's not enough, God's Last Gift -- pinfall.
Danielson and Steen descend - the 3 men taking Lesnar apart; Danielson gleefully putting on a submission hold - the announcers are disgusted. Black never intended to beat Lesnar by himself - it was a swerve, it was all a set up - and the show ends with what is clearly a new stable - a new alliance:
Bryan Danielson. Kevin Steen. And the WWF Champion Tyler Black.
That's it. There will be content in May and June, the Summer Slam preview in July
