37 Thoughts on Wrestlemania 37 Night One
- The weather at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa had the whole place buzzing ahead of the first bell. Huge thunderstorms rolled through and made fans evacuate for a while before the 7 pm start.
WWE tells fans to seek shelter and prepare for severe weather including lighting at #WrestleMania
(via @stellar_jl319)pic.twitter.com/cWR0FLcZwo
— B/R Wrestling (@BRWrestling) April 10, 2021
2. The Pirate Ship set was incredible. It made me miss Kairi Sane, but it still was an incredible visual.
3. Seeing fans in the crowd once again was a welcome sight. While the pandemic is nowhere near done, it was great to get crowd reactions once again. Even if lots of those reactions were CM Punk chants. Lots of fans also still hadn’t got the handle of “the mask goes over the nose” part yet.
4. Vince McMahon opened the show proper with the roster behind him. A great moment welcoming fans back.
.@WWEUniverse, we're so happy to see you!
Welcome to, #WrestleMania!!!!! pic.twitter.com/Ippyz41mNX
— WWE (@WWE) April 11, 2021
5. During the singing of America The Beautiful by Bebe Rexha, the camera panned to the roster and Rhea Ripley had tears in her eyes. It was representative of all of us being so happy to see a bastion of normalcy in the return of Wrestlemania.
Same, @RheaRipley_WWE, same 😭🥺#WrestleMania pic.twitter.com/EgBhmL9Of1
— WWE on BT Sport (@btsportwwe) April 11, 2021
6. Before the first match could start, we had a weather delay due to lightning. Better safe than sorry, but still smart to keep the fans and wrestlers safe. Instead they threw to some interviews backstage, and all involved did an amazing job. A confrontation between McIntyre and Lashley was a particular highlight, and Kevin Owens cut a fantastic promo on his match with Sami Zayn tomorrow night.
7. Titus O’Neil and a racist grandpa opened the show. O’Neil could’ve done this on his own, or with literally anyone else. Big ups to O’Neil for his energy starting the show.
Titus O’Neil Gets An Amazing Pop.
Hulk Hogan is Getting Booed.
Classic. #WrestleMania pic.twitter.com/1FBVX8e9ah
— TheElitist (@TheElitistonYT2) April 11, 2021
Bobby Lashley (c) def. Drew McIntyre by submission to retain the WWE Championship
8. Our first match in front of fans in 1 year, 1 month and 1 day. The fans were in it to off the hop with both McIntyre & Lashley getting cheers.
9. Commentary was stuck standing because their chairs were soaked from the rain delay. They looked like the guys from King of the Hill hanging out with some beers.
Commentary standing for the rest of #Wrestlemania pic.twitter.com/CTUjcJgMAb
— Full Press Wrestling (@FPC_Wrestling) April 11, 2021
10. This match was an absolute slugfest. McIntyre hit a trifecta of Future Shock DDTs and Lashley kicked out in the first big nearfall of the night. What a way to make Lashley look like a million bucks.
THREE Future Shock DDTs, and @fightbobby STILL kicked out!
What does @DMcIntyreWWE have to do to become #WWEChampion tonight?! #WrestleMania
▶️ https://t.co/Wp5S57WLnr pic.twitter.com/UnpiC6Wpxh
— WWE (@WWE) April 11, 2021
11. Lashley avoided a big Claymore thanks to a heads up from MVP. After that, he locked in a Hurt Lock and McIntyre tried to escape but passed out. A big win for Lashley defending the WWE Championship, and both men looked strong.
#AndSTILL the ALL MIGHTY!#WrestleMania #WWETitle @fightbobby @The305MVP pic.twitter.com/hEFgRTaoL2
— WWE (@WWE) April 11, 2021
12. Bayley ended up in a backstage skit with NWO and Titus O’Neil, and I’m not sure what the purpose was. However we did get to see this incredible outfit from Bayley. She looked like a librarian from another dimension.
Should @itsBayleyWWE be an honorary member of The #nWo?
Absolutely. #WrestleMania pic.twitter.com/FrusG3Qiz8
— WWE (@WWE) April 11, 2021
Natalya & Tamina win the Tag Team Turmoil Match
- Carmella & Billie Kay eliminate Naomi & Lana
- Riott Squad eliminate Carmella & Billie Kay
- Riott Squad eliminate Mandy Rose & Dana Brooke
- Natalya & Tamina eliminate Riott Squad
13. Billie & Carmella eliminated Naomi & Lana with an assisted roll-up first. They tried to do it one more time, but were caught by the referees. That allowed the Riott Squad to pick up the elimination instead.
14. Mandy Rose fell on the entrance ramp. It was bound to happen to someone with the rain, and Mandy was the unfortunate winner of the sweepstakes. Time for the Mandy Memes!
Mandy Rose doing a Titus #Wrestlemania pic.twitter.com/Hgb7p6Nz3E
— Alastair McKenzie🏴 (@mckenzieas93V2) April 11, 2021
15. Natalya & Tamina will get the title shot on night two, but it was the effort of Liv Morgan & Ruby Riott that really stole the show. These two put in a great effort in a rather sloppy match and looked to have it locked up. Nattie & Tamina were just too fresh, and will present a pretty good matchup against the champs Shayna Baszler and Nia Jax on night two.
Cesaro def. Seth Rollins
16. Rollins gear had a riff on the old Obama “Hope” posters on it. This man is one of the best delusional wrestlers in recent memory.
Embrace THIS Vision!@WWERollins battles @WWECesaro RIGHT NOW at #WrestleMania! pic.twitter.com/QcJgfOD2QS
— WWE (@WWE) April 11, 2021
17. Rollins just might be the new Mr. Wrestlemania. He pulled out some old favorites like the Superplex-Falcon Arrow, but also brought new stuff. Looking at you, corkscrew frog splash.
UN. BE. LIEVABLE! 🔥#WrestleMania @WWERollins pic.twitter.com/ORRjoyL2GZ
— WWE (@WWE) April 11, 2021
18. Cesaro had some tricks of his own. He whipped out the UFO after reversing Rollins, and it got a huge reaction. Cesaro got a massive 23 round swing on Rollins, hit the Neutralizer and won the match. A big win for Cesaro in his first singles Wrestlemania match ever.
🛸🛸🛸🛸🛸#WrestleMania @WWECesaro pic.twitter.com/I211PYqL9p
— WWE (@WWE) April 11, 2021
A.J. Styles & Omos def. The New Day (c) to win the Raw Tag Team Championships
19. New Day always brings the style for Wrestlemania, especially the hair game. This time Woods & Kingston killed it again.
NEW. DAY. ROCKS. NEW. DAY. ROCKS. NEW. DAY. ROCKS. NEW. DAY. ROCKS.
⠀
Always a pleasure to see the boys reunited once again. I miss seeing them together so much. The New Day rules.#wrestlemania pic.twitter.com/FM9M3sKzGc— Authors of Wrestling (@authofwrestling) April 11, 2021
20. Omos wrestled his first match in slack and a sleeveless vest. When you’re that big, you can wrestle in whatever you want I guess.
Still can’t believe this isn’t Photoshopped. #WrestleMania pic.twitter.com/SNW89akpj9
— WWE on FOX (@WWEonFOX) April 11, 2021
21. The match was built around Omos getting the hot tag, and when he did he didn’t disappoint. Omos looked like an absolute monster and manhandled both members of New Day. WWE has big faith in the 7 footer, and now he’s a champion in his first ever match.
Finally.
(via @WWE)pic.twitter.com/Iq0ZpVOvTJ
— B/R Wrestling (@BRWrestling) April 11, 2021
22. Omos is so big that he makes Styles look like Nicholas when he won the tag titles with Strowman. That’s how big this man is. A legit 7 footer that makes a wrestler star like Styles look like a middle schooler.
23. We got a quick advertisement for WWE 2K22 on the show. What are odds we get a game breaking glitch or two with this game again?
#WWE2K22. It Hits Different 👊💥 More info soon… stay tuned. pic.twitter.com/ZvM7SV1aZ1
— #WWE2K22 (@WWEgames) April 11, 2021
Braun Strowman def. Shane McMahon in a Steel Cage Match
24. This was only the second-ever steel cage match in Wrestlemania history. See if you can remember the first before scrolling down to find out.
This match between @shanemcmahon and @BraunStrowman is the second Cage Match in #WrestleMania history. The first was more than three decades ago, when @HulkHogan defeated King Kong Bundy in the main event of @WrestleMania 2.
— WWE Stats & Info (@WWEStats) April 11, 2021
25. Strowman got attacked by Elias & Jaxson Ryker before the match started with a steel chair. McMahon also got a chair and used it to cut Strowman down to size in the ring. The story for the match was Mcmahon using weapons to take out the big man’s legs.
26. Shane had weapons hidden in bags up at the corners of the cage. He hit him with a toolbox and was getting down the other side of the cage when Strowman grabbed his hand through the cage and ripped the side of the cage off. Strowman is best when WWE gives him impressive strength moments instead of long technical matches, and this definitely counted as one of those.
WHAT IS HAPPENING?!?!#WrestleMania #SteelCage @BraunStrowman @shanemcmahon pic.twitter.com/6AxadEmWuI
— WWE (@WWE) April 11, 2021
27. Shane and Strowman ended up on top of the cage and Strowman tossed him off the top onto the canvas. It wasn’t Shane jumping off of the pirate ship, but it’ll do.
Braun Strowman just threw Shane McMahon off the top of the cage.
Happy landing Shane! #Wrestlemania pic.twitter.com/AlxEbAwg8Y
— Wrestle Critic (@WrestleCritic) April 11, 2021
Bad Bunny & Damian Priest def. Miz & Morrison
28. This match started with a bunch of bunny costumes coming out to lead Miz & Morrison out to the ring. It was.. Not good.
What in the world… ??? 🐰#WrestleMania pic.twitter.com/I5DWwVoP90
— WWE (@WWE) April 11, 2021
29. Bad Bunny also got a great Wrestlemania entrance, arriving on the roof of a big rig after cruising through Tampa Bay. It’s no Rusev Tank, but it was a cool way to get the celeb to the show.
30. Bad Bunny even took the tag to start the match against The Miz. Bunny connected with some big rights and had The Miz shook to start. He even hit some arm drags and a head scissors!
GO AHEAD, BAD BUNNY!!!#WrestleMania @sanbenito @mikethemiz pic.twitter.com/ZmFUcqgHO7
— WWE (@WWE) April 11, 2021
31. Bunny sold his ass off in this match. He did lots of the selling for his team and hit some impressive moves like a tornado DDT. Bunny got the hot tag to Priest and he cleaned house. The duo hit stereo Falcon Arrows but both Miz & Morrison kicked out.
bAd BuNnY dOeSn’T dEsErVe To Be In A wReStLiNg RiNg
Bad Bunny:
(via @WWE) pic.twitter.com/tfjUsQOBXL
— WWE on FOX (@WWEonFOX) April 11, 2021
32. Bad Bunny hit a Canadian Destroyer. Are you kidding me?!
BUNNY DESTROYER!! 😱😱😱#WrestleMania @sanbenito pic.twitter.com/Ot1EE2tSuO
— WWE (@WWE) April 11, 2021
Bianca Belair def. Sasha Banks (c) to win the SmackDown Women’s Championship
33. WWE keeps using the term drip to talk about Seth Rollins outfits. They should’ve saved that for the gear rocked by Belair & Banks in the main event. These two looked incredible as they became the first females to main event Wrestlemania in a 1-1 match.
.@WWEUniverse, It's BOSS TIME! @SashaBanksWWE #WrestleMania pic.twitter.com/J65tWkfmqc
— WWE (@WWE) April 11, 2021
The #ESTofWWE on The GrandEST Stage of Them All! @BiancaBelairWWE #WrestleMania pic.twitter.com/Gc4KSPg3df
— WWE (@WWE) April 11, 2021
34. Belair was on the verge of tears after the introductions, and for good reason. This was a historic moment for women, especially black women, and for the WWE.
History in the making!#WrestleMania @SashaBanksWWE @BiancaBelairWWE pic.twitter.com/YHPwGHvp7Y
— WWE (@WWE) April 11, 2021
35. Power moves! Power moves everywhere from Belair. A roll through of a suicide dive that led to Belair pressing Banks into the ring? Delayed suplexes? Belair did it all.
The POWER of @BiancaBelairWWE!!! #StrongEST#WrestleMania @SashaBanksWWE pic.twitter.com/36eOGRRoVv
— WWE (@WWE) April 11, 2021
36. An incredible back and forth match closed the show. It took one of the loudest hair whips I’ve ever heard (seriously, that thing hurt my ears) and a K.O.D. for Belair to put away Banks and become the new SmackDown Women’s Champion. Unfortunately, the call was botched by Michael Cole who said Banks kicked out. That lead to a bit of confusion, but didn’t dull the excitement of Belair winning the big one.
.@BiancaBelairWWE's time is now!!#WrestleMania pic.twitter.com/n0kV0Zwuft
— WWE (@WWE) April 11, 2021
37. Even with the rain delay, this was a cathartic Wrestlemania experience. We’re all glad to have something that feels like normal back in the wrestling world, and it’s all setting up for an amazing night two.
