The Top 100 Matches in WWF PPV History (Part 1)

Over the past two summers, I posted star ratings for every WWF PPV   Here is the ranking of 100-51.  Feel free to watch them on the Network. You may have some free time.  Only WWF PPV matches included

    

     100. WM18 Unified Tags: TLC3: Chris Jericho/Lance Storm (w/Stacy) d. Hardys, Bubba/Spike (switch) 4 1/4  

      -In front of a Toronto crowd, Jericho and Storm retained the tag titles (WWF/ECW/NWA belts were all active and unified at the time) in the third ever TLC match.  

     99. WM24 WWF/NWA/ECW Titles: TLC CM Punk (w/Maria) d. Johnny Nitro, Shelton Benjamin 4 ¼

      -The catalyzing event of modern WWF history was Punk's winning the title at Survivor Series '06, throwing down the belt, and launching the era of GDI. A year and a half later, this was the match to unify the 3 world titles (Floyd Mayweather brought a new Undisputed Championship belt to the ring) Punk came in with the ECW belt, Nitro the NWA and Benjamin the WWF. Following Punk's win he was attacked by Matt Hardy, who had been gone for a year after beating Edge at the main event at WM23.

98. WM34 Mask v. Mask: El Generico d. Kid Canada (Kevin Steen) (Rey Mysterio, special guest referee) 4 1/4  - Steen was on a quest to rid his longtime friend Generico of his mask (theoretically for Generico's benefit) and created an entire masked man personna in order to do it.  He lost the match, but took Generico's mask anyway.  That's a result Mysterio could not live with and he excised Steen from the locker room and the promotion.  

     97. Survivor Series 2018: WWF Title: Shinsuke Nakamura d. Claudio Castagnoli  4 1/4 - Claudio was once beloved WWF Champion, leader of the "hey movement" Nakamura was once member of the global wrestling heel stable The Bullet Club, but as they came into this one, Nakamura was babyface world champion and Claudio was sneering anti-American heel.  Postmatch, Tyler Black was seemingly poised to cash in his MITB briefcase when he was laid out by his longtime partner Dean Ambrose.

     96. WM4 IC: Bret Hart d. Randy Savage (w/Liz) (switch) 4 ¼

      -An all babyface match; Randy had the IC for two years when he dropped here to Bret.  

     95. Royal Rumble ’06: Shawn Michaels d. Kurt Angle (w/Benjamin) 4 ¼

      -The blowoff to the long Team Angle v. Clique feud; Michaels gets his first ever singles win against Angle when Benjamin turns on his mentor.  Benajmin leaves Angle laying postmatch; also laying is Michaels, taken out by Edge.

     94. Royal Rumble ’04: WWF/NWA/ECW Titles: Kurt Angle d. Eddy Guerrero 4 ¼ (switch)

     -Kurt's two year long babyface reign as WWF Champ ended in his relinquishing the title due to injury - as it turns out, that injury was a little overplayed; the wear and tear of having to defend the belt began Angle's transformation from Your Olympic Hero to the Vic Mackey like leader of Team Angle; that transformation is just starting here, he regains the title with chicanery.  

     93. Survivor Series ’87: WWF Title: Ricky Steamboat d. Dynamite Kid 4 ¼

     -The first Survivor Series; Steamboat/Dynamite was the top of the card feud that drove the early days of the Mania era, Steamboat kept in this one.

     92.  WM3 WWF Title: Ricky Steamboat d. Dynamite Kid (switch) 4 ¼

     -Steamboat lost the belt at WM 2, chased for a year and became the promotion's first 2 time champ since Bob Backlund.  Wrestlemania 2 ended with Bret/Davey Boy/Savage/Dynamite all holding their title belts aloft in the ring.  

     91. WM32: WWF Title: Elimination Chamber: AJ Styles d. Kevin Steen, Nick Nemeth, Dean Ambrose, Kalisto, Brock Lesnar 4 ¼ (switch)

      -The first ever WWF Elimination Chamber match was the main event at WM32 - the belt had been vacated as a consequence of the destruction caused by the arriving Bullet Club at the Rumble, this is the Mania debut of Styles, he came into the night as IC Champ - lost that belt - but left as WWF Champ.  

      90. Survivor Series ’04: WWF/NWA/ECW: Chris Benoit draw Eddy Guerrero  4 1/4 

       -Benoit and Eddy came to the WWF together; left together; returned together as members of the Four Horsemen; then split; then once again reunited and both are babyfaces here, albeit with tension mounting between them, in this time limit draw.

      

      89. Survivor Series ’16: Claudio Castagnoli/TJ Perkins d. Kevin Steen/El Generico 4 ¼
      -What was to be the first PPV meeting of Trash and Steen/Generico (Trash was Neville and Claudio split from Steen/Generico) required Perkins to sub in for a seemingly injured Neville..who turned out to be miraculously healthy when his run in led to the fall.

      88. WM16: Dean Malenko d. Taka Michinoku 4 ¼
      -Benoit/Eddy/Saturn - and Malenko arrived as an invading force from the NWA in the build - and all 4 men won singles matches at WM 16 in 2000; Dean beating Taka in a pure workrate matchup.

87.  Summer Slam ’16: WWF Title: AJ Styles d. Kevin Steen 4 ¼ 
      -Steen didn't really lose his WWF Title; it was vacated at the Rumble when the Bullet Club invaded; AJ pinned Steen to win the belt in the Elimination Chamber, and then the two men squared off at Summer Slam - AJ keeping the strap.  

86. Summer Slam '17: WWF Title: Samoa Joe (w/Horsemen) d. AJ Styles (switch) 4 1/4 
      -Samoa Joe had the longest World Title reign in both ROH and TNA; his feud with AJ was the signature program in TNA history - he came to the WWF, started Dark Ride Wrestling, reformed the Four Horsemen, and took his old rival's belt.  

     85. Royal Rumble '05 Paul London d. Rey Mysterio 4 ½
       -Young London was a member of the Clique; he beat Mysterio in a high flying all babyface match back at Rumble 2005.  
    
     84. Royal Rumble '18: Number One Contenders: 2 of 3 Falls: The Revival (Dash/Dawson with AA) d. American Alpha (Gable/Jordan) 4 1/2 - Two young tag teams who feuded all the way through the WWF developmental system; Revival established themselves as superior here, with a show of respect postmatch.

     83. Royal Rumble '03 Tags Titles: Charlie Haas/Shelton Benjamin d. Chris Benoit/Eddie Guerrero (w/Horsemen) (switch) 4 ½    -Rookie babyfaces Haas and Benjamin upset the veteran legends Benoit and Guerrero here; postmatch saw Benoit seem to split from the Horsemen.  

82. Royal Rumble '00 IC Title: Cage: Chris Jericho d. HHH 4 ½
      -Jericho arrived in '99, took the IC Title from Waltman, and then kept it here in a bloody MSG war against Hunter in a steel cage.  

81. Royal Rumble '99 WWF Title: Barbed Wire: Owen Hart d. Cactus Jack (switch) 4 ½
      -It's a 90's Cactus Jack death match; it's fire and thumbtacks and barbed wire and total war; heavy color for both men, an appearance by Steve Austin to hit the Stunner on Cactus on the ramp - and it's Owen winning his record tying third WWF Title.

80. Summer Slam '96 WWF Title: Shawn Michaels d. Owen Hart 4 ½
       -HBK and Owen were almost always positioned at exactly the same level; Shawn kept his belt over his rival here, Pillman and Austin brawled on the outside in this one.  

79. Summer Slam '99 WWF Title: Career vs. Career: Cactus Jack d. Steve Austin (Guest referee-HBK)  4 ½
       -Austin and Cactus were rivals throughout their WWF careers but never met in a singles PPV match until one of them had to hand over the power to control his career to the other - with HBK, who had been gone for a year, returning as guest referee - the star power was out of this world; Cactus keeping his title.  

78. Royal Rumble '95 WWF Title: No DQ: Shawn Michaels d. Diesel 4 ½   
      -They were good friends, but they were better enemies - Michaels kept his strap in a pretty wild brawl involving Mad Dog Vachon's prosthetic leg.  

77. Royal Rumble '10 Cage: Christian d. CM Punk (w/Maria) 4 ½
-     -The main event of Bret Hart Appreciation Night; Christian inadvertently shoot punched Maria at Summer Slam, a mysterious third party, believed to be Matt Hardy, sent text messages that further amplified matters; postmatch Edge appeared after a blackout to spear Maria while Punk was handcuffed to the bottom rope. Matt and Edge buried their long feud in celebration. One of my very favorite moments in Counterfactual history.  

76. Royal Rumble '89 IC: Curt Hennig (w/Brain and Rude) d. Bret Hart 4 ½ (switch)
      -Unbeaten Hennig wins his first WWF title at the first Rumble, getting Bobby Heenan his first singles gold.  

 75. Survivor Series '14 Tags: TLC 2 out of 3 : The Shield (Black/Ambrose/Langston) d. The Usos 4 ½
-     -It had been over a decade since the last TLC tag match; this is a 6 man match, 3 tag title belts hang above the ring, the first team to snag two is the winner; The Shield became the longest reigning tag champs in promotion history with this one; Bret and Neidhart, the surviving members of previous record holders the Hart Foundation, shook their hands postmatch.  

74. Survivor Series '95 WWF Title: Bret Hart d. Davey Boy Smith 4 ½
      -Bret keeps his belt over his former Hart Foundation partner. Owen knocks his brother out postmatch as Bret was attempting to break the Bulldog's ankle.  

73.  Summer Slam '05 IC Tournament: Kurt Angle d. Shawn Michaels 4 ½
      -With Benjamin and London brawling on the outside; the war between Team Angle and The Clique continued here; Angle moving a step from an IC win and the Triple Crown.  

72.  Royal Rumble '16 Mask v Mask: Kalisto d. Pac 4 ½
     -Pac and Kalisto had traded hard fought wins; at Steen's urging, Pac put up his mask - and lost it and his identity. The next time we'd see him, he was Neville, forming Trash with Claudio.  

      71. Royal Rumble '19: WWF Title: Shinsuke Nakamura d. Kenta 4 1/2 
-    -Kenta had downshifted to veteran babyface, backbone of Dark Ride Wrestling; he began to support WWF Champion Nakamura, bridging the historic gap separating the Japanese promotions that nurtured them.  Kenta turned on Nakamura, leading to this match, likely the last ever Kenta match on WWF PPV.  

     70, Summer Slam '05 IC Tournament: Chris Benoit d. Chris Jericho 4 ½
      -Jericho was at his most burned out in his Lizard King phase; Benoit felt as if he had let him down - as the de facto leader of the Hart Foundation, Benoit's devotion to his own craft often overwhelmed his ability to manage the well being of others.  Benoit, like Angle, moved one step away from the Triple Crown in this IC Tournament.

    69.  Summer Slam '89 Tags: Rockers d. Brainbusters (switch) 4 ½
      -Blow off to a violent feud based on the veteran Brainbusters taking the young Rockers to the learning tree - the Rockers finally go over here, winning their first tag belts and causing a rift between Arn and Tully that never gets resolved.  

    68. WMXX  Falls Count Anywhere: HBK d. HHH 4 ½
      -Hunter's jealousy over Michaels trainees London and Kendrick led him to break Kendrick's arm, postmatch saw Edge return after a year and a half absence, Christian return after being thrown off the top of the Cell by Jericho earlier in the night, and along with London, they formed a new version of the Clique in an all time electrifying moment.

67. WM25 WWF Title: Chris Jericho d. Shawn Michaels 4 ½
      -Babyface Jericho keeps his belt over "The Messiah" Shawn Michaels in the main at Mania Silver.  

66. WM7  WWF Title: Curt Hennig (w/Bobby) d. Randy Savage 4 ½ 
       -Savage is forced to retire (albeit, not for long) with one more loss to Hennig; Savage and Liz, estranged, made up postmatch.  

65. Summer Slam '89 WWF Title: Randy Savage (w/Liz) d. Bret Hart 4 ½
      -Bret was still unable to leap the hurdle of Savage in '89 in his attempt to capture the WWF Title. Savage was the bar that Bret had to clear to become the ace of the promotion.

64. Royal Rumble '15 WWF Title: Brock Lesnar (w/Heyman and Kenta) d. Claudio Castagnoli 4 ½ (switch) 
-     -Claudio was the most popular babyface in the promotion, the "Hey Movement" sweeping into popular culture - but couldn't withstand Lesnar, who won his 2nd WWF Title.  Postmatch saw a confrontation between Kenta and Danielson which led to their WM main event.

     63. Royal Rumble '19: Loser Leaves Town: Tyler Black d. Dean Ambrose - from their time in developmental through a 2+ year title reign as 2/3 of the Shield, Ambrose and Black were inseparable - until they were separated when Black joined the Bullet Club.  The town wasn't big enough for both of them and it was Ambrose who was forced to leave, his wife Renee Young joining Black and the Bullet Club postmatch.

     62.  Royal Rumble '03 WWF/NWA/ECW Titles: Kurt Angle d. Shawn Michaels 4 ½
      -An exhausted Kurt Angle kept the Undisputed Title in an epic match against Michaels; postmatch, Lesnar/Haas/Benjamin all turned on Kurt.  

     61. Survivor Series '03 WWF/ECW/NWA Titles: Eddy Guerrero d. Brock Lesnar, Kurt Angle, Chris Benoit 4 ½
      -A fun mix of friends and rivals and friends turned rivals and uneasy friends about to be rivals - Eddy came in and left with the belt, getting the fall on Brock.  

      60. Summer Slam '02 WWF/NWA/ECW Titles: Kurt Angle d. Rey Mysterio 4 ½
      -The last ECW Title holder before that promotion closed its doors was RVD; when he came to the WWF, he lost that belt in his first match to WWF Champ Angle.  That same fate happened to the NWA's final champion as well, as Angle took Mysterio's belt (the secondary belts and the tag belts also had lineal continuity).  

59. WMXX   Hell in a Cell: Chris Jericho d. Christian 4 ½
      -Harts/Clique is the Hatfields/McCoys of the promotion; another chapter was written here, Trish turned on Christian to begin her Sid and Nancy relationship with Jericho -  Jericho threw Christian off the top of the Cell (this was the second ever Cell match).  

      58. WM35: WWF Title: AJ Styles d. Shinsuke Nakamura 4 1/2 (switch)
    -Styles and Nakamura feuded in New Japan, aligned when they arrived at WWF together, feuded throughout their mutual time in the Bullet Club and now meet here, both as babyfaces. Styles took from Nakamura, winning his second WWF Title - before immediately relinquishing it to Tyler Black, who cashed in the MITB briefcase to return the belt to the Bullet Club

57. WM12 WWF Title: Iron Man: Shawn Michaels d. Bret Hart (switch) 4 ½
      -Shawn's boyhood dream came true.  

 56. Summer Slam '17 Loser Leaves Town: Kevin Steen (w/Generico) d. Neville (w/Claudio/Gargano) 4 1/2 
      -They once were stablemates, confidants, friends - but after a year at war, one of them had to leave town.  It turned out to be Neville.  

 55 Survivor Series '00 Eddy Guerrero d. Dean Malenko 4 ½
      -They had great matches in ECW and the NWA - and in their only meeting in WWF, Eddy and Dean burned it down.  

      54. Summer Slam '95 IC: Ladder Shawn Michaels d. Razor Ramon (w/Waltman/HHH) (switch) 4 ½
      -Michaels became the first 3 time IC champ, taking the belt from former stablemate Ramon. 


     53. Summer Slam '00 Tags: TLC2: Edge/Christian (w/Trish) d. Hardys (w/Lita) d. Dudleys (w/Stevie) 4 ½ -Edge and Christian win their first tag belts here, aided by Clique stablemates Helmsley and Waltman.

      52.  WM5  WWF Title: Randy Savage (w/Liz) d. Bret Hart 4 ½
     -All babyface match, Savage holding off Bret's attempt to win the WWF title; postmatch the Heenan Family (Hennig, Rude, Arn, Tully) attacked Savage - they were fought off by Bret and the Rockers.

      51. Royal Rumble '05 WWF/NWA/ECW: Chris Benoit d. Shawn Michaels 4 ½ 

-BBenoit keeps the belt with the sharpshooter; postmatch are a couple of wild brawls, Team Angle against the Clique and Eddy against Benoit. 

        Back next month with the top top 50 matches in WWF PPV history.

     

        

Wrestlemania 35

Here's the build.

Wrestlemania 35, the 129th WWF PPV, comes to you on PPV from East Rutherford

(Dark: British Strong Style (Dunne/Bate/Seven) d. GDI (Cole/O’Reilly/Fish)
            The Clique (Riddle/Lee) d. Blood Warriors International (Alexander/Tozawa)
            Gargano d. Velveteen Dream)

The announcers are Ranallo (his 15th PPV, Heyman for the first half of the show, it’s his 14th, and Nigel for the second half, it’s his 11th)

The show opens with a taped package.  Now, that’s normal, except this year it’s not – this year it’s been a cold open on Rousey for each PPV to subliminally express that she’s apart from the promotion – maybe even that she’s above the promotion. But not anymore, she doesn’t need more building up, there’s no more need to sell Rousey, if you’re watching, you’ve bought, and now it’s time to re-establish that there’s nothing as important as Wrestlemania.

The taped package opens with the first WWF appearance of a babyfaced Kurt Angle, 20 years ago, at Wrestlemania 15, walking onto the ramp for the first time – our first time seeing him on WWF television. And then a shot of SummerSlam ’96, even further back, for the first Hardys dark match; Owen Hart’s young boys Matt and Jeff coming to the ring.  Then a clip, courtesy of Ring of Honor, of Samoa Joe and Bryan Danielson, squaring off in 2002.  Then Charlotte Flair and Becky Lynch, working in a WWFU ring in 2013.  Then Prince Devitt and Ricochet squaring off in 2013, courtesy of Revolution Pro. AJ Styles in WCW in 2001. Rey Mysterio at the ECW Arena. Brock Lesnar and Shelton Benjamin on Kurt Angle’s reality competition show, Camp Angle. Sheamus and McIntyre tagging in WWFU in 2007. Ronda Rousey at the 2008 Olympics. Shinsuke Nakamura in a shootfight against Daniel Gracie in 2002. And then quick action shots of all of them from present day – ending with a tape dated from just a couple of hours prior – it’s Kurt Angle arriving at the building, getting out of his car with his bag, waving to some fans, shaking hands with security, entering the building for the final time as a WWF wrestler.

Fade out – and then in on Jeremy Borash, WWF ring announcer, it is the first ever Wrestlemania without Howard Finkel – and he introduces the first match:

1. MUSTAFA ALI/MASCARA DORADA d. HARDYS (MATT/JEFF)
-The Hardys returned in the Broken persona two years prior, but it has been 17 years since they wrestled in the WWF together as Matt and Jeff Hardy; this is a solid match really designed to get in some old Hardy stuff for nostalgia and put Ali and Dorada over as the better workers currently.  Matt takes the fall – postmatch there’s a clip package of the Hardys Wrestlemania careers:

WM15: Hardys take the straps from Rock/DLo, their first ever tag titles, 20 years ago
WM: 16: Hardys regain the belts in the first ever TLC match, beating the Dudleys and Edge/Christian
WM: 17: Hardys were one of the losing teams in a tag title match with the Dudleys, Edge/Christian, Raven/Taz
WM: 18: Hardys one of the losing teams in another TLC title match, with Jericho/Storm and Bubba/Spike
WM 19: Matt went over RVD
WM 20: RVD beat Matt in a tables match
WM 22: Matt beat Flair
WM 23: Matt beat Edge in the main event; a Cell match that had been signed at the prior year’s Mania.
WM 24: Matt attacked Punk after the main event, held the WWF title belt aloft as the show ended
WM 25: Ten years ago Matt sent Jeff out of the WWF in a Montreal Match that also included Edge and Christian
WM 26: Edge and Matt beat Punk and Christian, Edge turning on Matt postmatch
WM 33: The Broken Hardys return, taking the title belts from Trash
WM 34: Matt lost to Nemeth in the Final Deletion match.

And then there’s a hand held cam from the dark match at WM14, Edge and Christian, their fellow Young Boys, leading the crowd in a “Let them Play” chant prior to Matt and Jeff squaring off.  We get a shot of a very young E/C, Matt and Jeff all standing together in the ring – 21 years ago.

And then Edge and Christian’s music hits – and they’re here.  Edge and Christian make their way to the ring, 21 years later, the four men recreating their pose from WM 14, they accept the crowd applause and exit the ring together, perhaps, we’re told, for the final time.


2. MIXED TAG: HORSEMEN (ROODE/FLAIR w/STRONG) d. BULLET CLUB (ANDERSON/LYNCH w/GALLOWS)

- 4-Ground came out of WWFU and dominated the women’s division under the guidance of Ric Flair. Paige won the title first, but Charlotte decided she was bigger than the group, took the strap via chicanery and left the group.  She and Banks had a long program, exchanged titles, Lynch alongside her friend Banks – but Lynch then joined the Bullet Club, took the belt and held it for a year, losing it last year to Asuka at WM34.  This year saw the rise of Ronda Rousey and the Horsewomen, taking the women’s division apart and leading to a reuniting (if only momentarily) of 4-Ground (with Bayley taking Paige’s spot).  This defrosting between Lynch and Flair doesn’t seem to have taken however, and they meet here in the first mixed tag match in Wrestlemania history.  Flair does a couple of double team spots with Roode; Flair’s tough guy rep was really strengthened during her two losses to Rousey; she’s had a couple of physical encounters over the course of the year with Bray Wyatt that went in her favor, and this match is designed to add to that a little bit.  Roode gets the fall on Anderson, it would appear that this feud between Flair and Lynch is far from over.

3. TYLER BLACK (w/RENEE) d. CLAUDIO CASTAGNOLI (w/GARGANO)
-It may have caught your attention that Tyler Black, who has been at the top of the card for a long time, coming off a huge Loser Leaves Town win over Ambrose at the Rumble, wound up in a heel v heel match without a lot of heat.  Sure, it’s a good match, Claudio doesn’t have bad matches, but it’s like 14 minutes long and more like a really good TV match than something special.  Black goes over and that’s it.  Curious.

4. USOS (JIMMY/JEY) d. REVIVAL (DASH/DAWSON) (w/special guest referee Sami Zayn)
-Best match of the night to this point; this is really just a “I’m better than you” feud that began a year prior; the Usos had been cocky heels, but now are largely just good, cocky wrestlers and they go over here in what is an excellent match.  The frosting to this one is the return of Zayn; the former El Generico has been gone for a year; this is his first appearance as himself.  The crowd starts the Ole’ chant, but Zayn shakes his head in disapproval. All four wrestlers pay respect to Zayn as they enter, he seems embarrassed…maybe even irritated by the attention.  What we don’t know yet is that Zayn is not just a special guest referee – Zayn is now a WWF official; he moves to full time work tomorrow night.  He doesn’t cut a promo, he’s not in any angle; he just becomes a referee.  Note, he never works a Kevin Steen match.  The Reigns illness had not been part of the story, but it had been talked about on the various chat programs on the Network, so most of the fans understand what’s up when Roman appears postmatch, comes down to the ring and celebrates with Jimmy and Jey.

5. UNDERGROUND (ALEISTER BLACK/BUDDY MURPHY w/REGAL) d. SHOOT NATION (GABLE/LASHLEY)
-The new crop from Underground announced its presence with authority by taking Nemeth apart prior to the Rumble; Shoot Nation attempts revenge here, but Gable and Lashley cant quite get it done, Murphy gets the fall on Lashley; the rest of Underground (AoP, Gulak, Lorcan) hit the ring postmatch for the show of force/celebration.

6. CAGE MATCH: KINGSTON (w/LANGSTON&WOODS) d. RUSEV (w/STROWMAN&LANA)
-A year+ later this feud ends. It’s big man/little man stuff; Rusev throws Kingston around, Kingston gets color, Kingston fights from underneath, does some high flying stuff, gets the clean pinfall.  Outside, there had been some type of power spot from Langston on Strowman, and some type of Woods using his crutches to distract Lana spot – it’s a full victory for the New Day and they celebrate in the cage postmatch


Halfway point of the card; it’s the promised announcement by Heyman of his newest talent acquisition.  Heyman comes to the ring, says he’s managed wrestlers now for over a quarter of a century – but now, he’s acquired his very best.  A man without peer.  The next big thing.

Walter.

Walter enters – it’s his first WWF appearance; he comes to the ring in a Paul Heyman Guy t-shirt; shakes Heyman’s hand.  Heyman says very, very soon – Walter will take any title belt he wants.
(in fact, that will happen; Wednesday, at Dark Ride, Walter and Heyman appear, challenge Kushida, Walter goes over in a devastating match and takes the belt).  That ends Heyman’s portion of the show, Nigel is with Ranallo to finish the card.

7. REY MYSTERIO/La SOMBRA w/ZELINA d. KALISTO/APOLLO CREWS
-Rey is the Godfather, the locker room leader, his sway over all the masked wrestlers in the promotion has drawn the irritation of Crews, given that he and Kalisto are longtime partners. In the key moment in this match, Sombra is injured on the outside; the official throws up the X. Rey and Kalisto go outside to aid him, it appears for a moment the match will just be stopped – but Crews is not having it, he attacks Rey and yells at Kalisto to get his head in the game. Kalisto shakes his head no and aids Zelina in helping Sombra from ringside.  Rey and Crews continue, the match now just between the two of them, and Rey gets the fall. Postmatch, Crews attacks, it’s clearly a heel turn; Crews wearing out Rey – when a fan hurdles the barricade and hits the ring and goes after Crews.  The fan gets the better of Crews, cleaning house.  Rey is startled – and then more so when the fan removes some prosthetic on his face to evidence that he is Kevin Steen (we learned in the build that Steen, who was driven out of the promotion by Rey) had been attending WWF events incognito as a fan.  Steen exits the ring, goes back through the crowd.

8. WWF TAG TEAM TITLES: SHOOT NATION (LESNAR/ANGLE/BENJAMIN) d. HOOLIGANS (SHEAMUS/McINTYRE/MIZ)

-It’s Kurt Angle’s final professional wrestling match; pre-match is the clip package of his Wrestlemania career:

WM 15: Angle stops Jeff Jarrett from burning an American flag
WM 16: Angle beats Taz
WM 17: Angle beats Benoit to win the WWF Title
WM 18: Angle keeps the WWF Title over Hennig
WM 19: Angle beats Lesnar to keep the Undisputed Title
WM 20: Benoit takes the title from Angle
WM 21: Angle beats Christian
WM 22: Benjamin beats Angle, it’s his final WWF match before headed to TNA
WM 33: Angle’s return to the WWF as the special guest referee in the Styles/Aries main event
WM 34: Angle and Gable beat Anderson/Gallows

-Lesnar gets the fall here on Sheamus; Shoot Nation becomes the 107th WWF tag team champions; it’s Benjamin’s 4th title run, putting him (I think) in the group behind only Tony Garea for most tag title runs. And – as the three men from Shoot Nation celebrate, both their win and Angle’s final match – the video wall makes clear that something else has happened – Brock Lesnar has won the Triple Crown (Angle points this out to Brock, he has to explain what that is.  Lesnar digs it -and we see the shots of all the prior winners, as is tradition:

PEDRO MORALES

BRET HART

SHAWN MICHAELS

OWEN HART

STEVE AUSTIN

CACTUS JACK

EDDY GUERRERO

REY MYSTERIO

CHRIS BENOIT

CHRIS JERICHO

EDGE

NICK NEMETH

AJ STYLES 

And as the name Brock Lesnar is added to the list; the shot on the video wall is from 2002; it’s Brock/Angle/Benajmin all standing together in the ring on Camp Angle 17 years prior.  And here they are again – reunited, holding the WWF tag team titles as Kurt retires from the sport.  Quite a Wrestlemania moment (or Kurt could have lost to Baron Corbin..I mean, either way)

9. WOMEN’S TITLE: ASUKA d. RONDA ROUSEY (w/HORSEWOMEN)
Asuka’s undefeated – they do the full IRL Goldberg thing with her, the walk from the back, the security guards, the fireworks, the chants, the signs – she ran through Dark Ride Wrestling, she ran through the division, took Lynch’s title a year ago.  And now she runs into shoot fighter Rousey, she and the Horsewomen have smashed the promotion to bits for a year.

This is a big match – immovable object and irresistible force.  They give it every possible drop they have to make it a classic – Asuka beats Rousey clean as a sheet in the middle of the ring.  Postmatch, Rousey stops Asuka’s celebration – for a second we think they might go – but Rousey extends her hand and the two women shake.

Tomorrow’s RAW opens with Rousey’s music – she comes to the ring with the Horsewomen, thanks the fans, says she had a helluva time and who knows, maybe she’ll come back someday.  Baszler says no she won’t – because Rousey showed just like she showed with Holly Holm that when all the chips are in the middle, she can’t get it done.  Rousey and Baszler go nose to nose and then Duke and Shafir attack Ronda – the Horsewomen beating Rousey down – Asuka runs into the back for the save; Asuka and Rousey get an advantage but then Baszler grabs a chair and lays them both out.  The Horsewomen stomp out Asuka and Rousey to end that segment.  It's going to seriously injure Asuka enough that she will be forced to relinquish the belt.

We don’t know about any of that yet, that’s tomorrow.  For now it a nice moment – Asuka and Rousey shake hands – Asuka remains undefeated.

The lights go out and then dim for the In Memorium package; an Oscar’s-like clip package of those prominent in the sport who have died subsequent to last year’s Wrestlemania:

DYNAMITE KID
VADER
PEDRO MORALES
ANNETTE PALMER
ARKANGEL
BIG BULLY BUSICK
SALVATORE BELLOMO
BRIAN LAWLER
BRICKHOUSE BROWN
CHRIS CHAMPION
ROCKIN’ REBEL
DIRTY DICK SLATER
EL PICUDO
DOC DEAN
DON LEO JONATHAN
FRANK ANDERSSON
JOSE LOTHARIO
BELLADONNA
LARRY THE AX HENNIG
THE DESTROYER DICK BEYER
UNIVERSO 2000
VILLANO III
LIN BRYON
MASA SAITO
MATT CAPPOTELLI
LES THORNTON
LUSCIOUS JOHNNY VALIANT
KOJI KITAO
RAYO de JALISCO
PAUL JONES
KING KONG BUNDY
NIKOLAI VOLKOFF
JIM THE ANVIL NEIDHART
MEAN GENE OKERLUND
BRUNO SAMMARTINO

The lights go out again, there’s a three bell count, and then they are back on.
So, so far, it’s really a show more about moment than work; both the Usos/Revival and Asuka/Rousey feel like four star matches, but not all time classics – really what stands out is the Hardys, Edge and Christian, and Angle/Lesnar/Benjamin and Steen and Rey, and Reigns and Zayn.  The workrate success of the show really depends on the 3 upper card matches hitting hard; the goal for the top of this card is pure match quality.

10. THE AMERICAN DRAGON BRYAN DANIELSON d. SAMOA JOE
-I don’t know how many years ago it was, but it was a long, long time ago, when I talked about the ideal GDI arc leading to Danielson against Joe at Mania.  Here we are.  Joe left ROH, went to TNA to become one of the cornerstones of that promotion.  Danielson came to WWF, took over as leader of GDI, won the WWF title a couple of times.  Danielson became WWF Commissioner; Joe came to WWF and started Dark Ride Wrestling.  Joe’s won the WWF Title and with Danielson coming out of retirement, we’re here.  Danielson beat Joe at Survivor Series; Joe beat Danielson at the Rumble.

Joe’s a babyface, but really he’s just Joe – grumpy, ass kicking Joe.  Danielson has been total white meat his entire WWF run…but this year…inch by inch…not so much.  We see that in this one as well, although it’s a little subtle, no overtly heel actions as we’ve seen by Danielson in the first two matches of the series – but Danielson does wrestle as the heel in this one; the addition here is Danielson’s refusal to break (happens once) and he (not in an over the top way, just matter of fact) says “I have til 5, referee”.  You never know if this chance ever happens again, so they give it all they have – and Danielson is going to submit Joe in the middle.

Now a highlight package – every IC Title match in WM history:
WM1 – Piper takes the IC from Valentine in a dog collar match
WM2 – Savage takes the IC from Piper
WM3 – Savage keeps the belt over Jake
WM4 – Bret takes the belt from Savage
WM5 – Rude takes the belt from Hennig
WM6 – Bret keeps over Shawn
WM7 – Bret keeps over Tenryu
WM8 – Savage keeps over Piper in a parking lot brawl
WM9 – Shawn keeps over Hennig
WM10-Razor took Shawn’s belt in the ladder match
WM11 – Razor regained the belt, beating Owen
WM12-Vader kept over Undertaker
WM13-Cactus kept over Vader
WM14-Shamrock and Austin fought to a draw in the Octagon with Mike Tyson as the referee
WM15-Al Snow took Austin’s belt in a falls count anywhere match
WM16-Eddy took Jericho’s belt
WM17-Austin regained the belt from Regal in a falls count anywhere
WM18-RVD kept over Austin
WM19-Rey kept over Chavo
WM20-Eddy took from Chavo in a ladder match
WM21-Edge kept over Regal
WM22-Fit kept the belt over Regal but then dropped it to Hunter
WM23-Orton took the belt in a 3 way over Jeff and Helms
WM24-MVP kept his belt in a 3 ay over Kendrick and Noble
WM25-Rey regained the belt in a Mask v Title over MVP
WM26-Sydal kept over Tatsu
WM27-Sheamus took from Nitro
WM28-The Rock took from Sheamus
WM29-Nemeth took the belt in a 3 way over Rock and Swagger
WM30-Nemeth regained the belt in a ladder match over Sheamus
WM31-Bray took from Luke Harper
WM32-Generico took from Styles
WM33-Brock kept over Jericho
WM34-Nakamura took from Lesnar in a title v title match

11. IC TITLE: RICOCHET (w/BWI) d. PRINCE DEVITT (w/Kushida)
-Devitt and Ricochet just need to burn it down like it’s the finals of the Super Juniors; it’s a year long program, Devitt taking on all of Dark Ride Wrestling with Blood Warriors International on the front line.  Ricochet had to relinquish the Dark Ride title to accept this match (the title was then won by Kushida, who was revealed to be part of the Bullet Club, giving Devitt the thing he always promised – control of Dark Ride Wrestling) Devitt comes to the ring carrying both the IC belt and the Dark Ride belt to shove it one last time in the faces of that entire imprint. But – its Ricochet who takes the IC here; going over Devitt with the 630.  Big celebration in the ring as the big players in Dark Ride all emerge from the back to celebrate – there’s the Clique, and GDI and British Strong Style and even Gargano – all there in a moment of unity to celebrate with Ricochet as they vanquish Prince Devitt.  Ricochet becomes the 72nd Intercontinental Champion

A clip package of every WM WWF Title match…

WM1-Steamboat kept his belt over Windham
WM2-Dynamite takes from Steamboat
WM3-Steamboat retakes from Dynamite
WM4-Dynamite retakes from Steamboat
WM5-Savage keeps the belt over Bret
WM6-Hennig keeps the belt over Savage
WM7-Hennig keeps again over Savage, forcing Randy to retire (albeit, not really)
WM8-Bret takes the title from Flair
WM9-Bret kept the title over Razor
WM10-Owen took the title from Bret; Savage and Perfect, bitter, bitter rivals, shake hands postmatch
WM11-Bret regains the belt, beating Shawn
WM12-Shawn regains from Bret in the Iron Man match
WM13-Austin takes the title from Bret
WM14-Owen keeps the belt over Shawn
WM15-Cactus regains the belt, beating Owen in a pure wrestling match
WM16-Benoit takes the title from Cactus
WM17-Angle takes from Benoit
WM18-Angle keeps over Hennig
WM19-Angle keeps over Lesnar
WM20-Benoit regains the belt from Angle, he and Eddy celebrate postmatch
WM21 – Eddy took from Benoit in an Iron Man match
WM22-Rey kept over Benoit (this is Benoit’s last match)
WM23-Booker beat Lashley to win the vacant title
WM24-Punk took in a TLC over Benjamin and Nitro
WM25-Jericho kept over Michaels
WM26-Jericho kept over Regal
WM27-Punk took the title from Edge…and then immediately lost it to Nemeth
WM28-Danielson kept over Jericho
WM29-Lesnar took from Danielson when Punk threw in the towel
WM30-Claudio took from Danielson
WM31-Brock kept from Claudio
WM32-AJ won the vacant belt in the Elimination Chamber
WM33-AJ kept over Aries
WM34-Nakamura kept over Lesnar in the title v title


12. WWF TITLE: AJ STYLES d. SHINSUKE NAKAMURA
-AJ Styles regains the belt, becoming the 58th WWF Champion. It’s a main event style match; long (needs to be long, needs to feel grueling, needs to have all the epic trappings) all the big spots, the hot finishing sequence, all the nearfalls – it’s a 30+ minute epic and it ends with a Styles Clash.

AJ is exhausted postmatch; Nakamura disappears and AJ stands alone when..appearing on the ramp is his old stablemate/rival Prince Devitt.  Devitt lost in the prior match – and now he stands on the ramp, facing off against AJ Styles – what’s going to happen – are they going to go – are they going to ---

And then Styles is hit in the back of the head…

….by a briefcase….


…swung by Tyler Black….

AJ is out – out cold on the mat – Black, who had emerged from underneath the ring (he went under in the In Memorium blackout) hits AJ with the Money in the Bank briefcase won at last year’s Mania (the stip was he could cash it in through this year’s Mania, go ahead and check) and then hands it to the official – the timekeeper rings the bell.

13. WWF TITLE: TYLER BLACK d. AJ STYLES
And Tyler Black pins AJ Styles to win the WWF Title.

Why did Black move into a very minor program following his win over Ambrose? Why haven’t we seen the briefcase since Survivor Series?  Just an attempt to hide in plain sight, so at least some fans would be surprised at this turn of events.

The Bullet Club lost the mixed tag – they lost the IC – but none of that matters now as they all hit the ring – Anderson/Gallows/Lynch/Kushida/Renee and Devitt all join Tyler Black in the ring; the night began with Nakamura as WWF Champion…but now it is Tyler Black….the Bullet Club…once again in control of the World Wrestling Federation Championship as the show ends.

Back next month to start a countdown of the 100 greatest matches in WWF history (PPV only).

And then the wrestling year begins anew.  One assumes it will be perfectly normal, run of the mill, no weird cataclysms threatening the entire globe. It starts here.