On April 1, 2023, WWE kicked off its biggest annual show of the year, wrestling. This year, which is the 39th installment of the show, it will take place at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California. As in the last 3 years, the showcase of immortals It is now a 2-night event, which puts the performers on the first night under a lot of pressure as they have to maintain their strength, while the company saves the big world title fight for night 2.
However, this didn’t stop Triple H from loading the night with some prominent names, including John Cena, Becky Lynch, Charlotte, and Seth Rollins, just to name a few. While some of the 8 matches on the card blew out of the park, some unfortunately couldn’t. With that, let’s take a look at how each match performed at the Hollywood-themed event.
8 Pat McAfee vs. The Miz
Before the main event of the night, The Miz, in a segment with Snoop Dog, issued an open challenge. This was answered by a returning Pat McAfee.
The two then had a 3-minute brawl, which the former NFL star won after an assist from George Kittle, who was in the crowd. While it was a fun respite for the live audience, this shouldn’t have been a Mania match.
7 Austin Theory (c) Vs John Cena – United States Championship
In the opening match of the night, John Cena had what was his first big stage ring fight since WrestleMania 34 when he challenged Austin Theory for the United States Championship. While the two stars barely interacted throughout the Road to WrestleMania, those segments were more than enough to get fans engaged.
The match was insanely hot, with the crowd completely behind veteran Cena and booing Theory out of the stadium. The young champion ultimately retained after a match that didn’t feel WrestleMania worthy, but Theory retaining after a low blow was the right call. The party had a purpose; to make Austin a star, and it certainly did.
6 Trish Stratus, Lita and Becky Lynch against Damage CTRL (Bayley, Dakota Kai and IYO SKY)
This match, while not the best in terms of in-ring action, certainly surprised a lot of fans. This is because even though Lita and Trish, who retired from wrestling full-time a long time ago, not only were they able to hang out with the current generation of wrestlers, but they were also able to have an engaging match.
The match, although relatively short, had the fans in the palm of their hands as the crowd packed out hugely for the team of Becky and the two legends, who ultimately came out on top. The only question here is the pool of Damage CTRL, who has had loss after loss in this 4 month long rivalry.
5 The Street Profits Vs Braun Strowman & Ricochet Vs Alpha Academy Vs The Viking Raiders (Erik and Ivar)
The WrestleMania Showcase matches announced by WWE were perhaps the only matches criticized online, as the matches lacked a proper structure or story. However, the men’s match between the Street Profits, Braun Strowman and Ricochet, Alpha Academy and The Viking Raiders certainly showed why management wanted this on the big card.
The match was a 2000s PWG-themed multi-man feud, with each team getting their own spots to shine. The Street Profits ultimately won it all, with Montez Ford, Chad Gable and Ricochet winning over the crowd in massive numbers.
4 Dominik Mysterio vs. Rey Mysterio
The eventual father vs. son showdown between Rey and Dominik Mysterio was simply a perfectly told story from start to finish. Dom’s entrance with the police, while Rey had an Eddie Guerrero tribute entrance was just a striking contrast of what the two characters stood for.
The match relied more on bits of story than in-ring action, which was a clever way to hide Dom’s inexperience that could have been exposed on such a big stage. After a series of ringside interactions between the Mysterio family and Judgment Day, Rey won after Bad Bunny, who was the guest Spanish-language announcer, stopped Dom from using the chain. This was a very satisfying conclusion to the story while also making the young star look like a major villain for years to come.
3 Seth Rollins vs. Logan Paul
Like all of his previous outings, this match was once again solid proof that Logan Paul really does belong in the wrestling business. After both stars made their extravagant entrances, they put on quite a high-paced display in the ring.
The ending was unique but fun, where KSI was revealed to be the mascot of Prime Energy Drink. KSI was eventually paralyzed by Logan’s frog splash before Seth won with a stomp and huge reaction. Once again, this was a perfect mix of mainstream catering and WWE pro wrestling.
2 The Usos (c) Vs Sami Zayn & Kevin Owens – WWE Undisputed Tag Team Championship
The main event of the night was the development of a long-term storyline, in which Sami Zayn, who is perhaps the hottest act in all of WWE today, finally got his revenge on Bloodline and ended Jimmy’s record-breaking reign. . and Jey Uso. The match had it all, from jaw-dropping action to an attention-to-detail story, and most importantly, a satisfying climax.
However, a few things keep this match from being the match of the night, such as the crowd apparently being tired and not as rowdy as previous matches. Also, towards the end, the nearby falls became too numerous, something that could have been prevented.
1 Charlotte Flair (c) Vs Rhea Ripely – SmackDown Women’s Championship
SmackDown Women’s Champion Charlotte Flair and 2023 Women’s Royal Rumble Match winner Rhea Ripley apparently came into this match with a huge point to prove, and both spoke openly over the weekend about how they feel they deserve the venue for the main event of Night 1. .
This match was simply amazing from start to finish, telling the story of the speed of the champion against the power of the challenger. Additionally, callbacks to his match from Mania 36 provided additional context as the match progressed. Ripely ultimately won after hitting Flair with the Riptide from the top rope, setting off what was the biggest outcry of the night. In fact, Rhea cemented herself as the face of women’s wrestling in WWE through this match.