Home ▸ Other ▸ WrestleMania XXVI

This is day seven of WrestleMania week!  We’ll conclude tomorrow afternoon with a review of WrestleMania XXVII and a special pre-game edition of BWF Radio, but for right now, we’re heading to Glendale, Arizona for a look back at WrestleMania XXVI.  A bit of disclosure.  I’m actually reviewing this immediately after hitting the “schedule” button on the WrestleMania 22 review that you saw on Tuesday.  The main reason is because I’m borrowing this BluRay and I’m supposed to be bringing it back to my friend tomorrow morning, so this will  probably be my last chance to cover this without having to get it some other way.  Anyways, let’s go!

Justin Roberts welcomes us to WrestleMania!  The Blue Angels fly overhead and we’re introduced to Fantasia, who will sing “America The Beautiful.”  I’m sure she does a fantastic job, but I want to get this done, so FFW!

We get our obligatory WrestleMania video package, this one surrounding WrestleMania moments.  FFW!

Our opening contest is for the unified WWE Tag Team Championship!  R-Truth raps his way to the ring, and immediately I see a guy who copied my WrestleMania 24 style and wore a bW0 shirt to WrestleMania.  If I FFW through Truth’s partner’s entrance, he might make it to the ring at a normal rate of speed.  No, it’s not The Undertaker, it’s John Morrison and his slo-mo entrance.  Jerry Lawler, Michael Cole, and Matt Striker are our commentators.  I miss Striker on commentator.  The Unified Tag Team Champions at this point in time – The Big Show, The United States Champion The Miz, better known as ShoMiz.  Hugo and Carlos are introduced, so you know they’ll have no table to sit at in a couple hours.

ShoMiz vs. R-Truth & John Morrison:  Unified WWE Tag Team Championship

Miz & Morrison kick things off and Michael Cole tells us it’s been nine years since any tag team titles have changed hands at WrestleMania.  That’s WrestleMania X-Seven when Edge and Christian won in a triple threat ladder match, FWIW.  There’s a dude who’s dressed like John Morrison in the front row.  If it was a year or so later, I’d swear it was Zack Ryder’s dad.  Anyways, Morrison misses Starship Pain, Show takes out Truth, but Miz can’t capitalize on the fallen Morrison just quite yet.  He goes for the Skull Crushing Finale but Morrison escapes.  Morrison starts to get the advantage, but Show makes a blind tag and knocks Morrison out with the WMD as he’s going for the Chuck Kick on Miz.  Show comes in, makes the cover, and the champs retain.

Winners and still Unified Tag Team Champions:  ShoMiz

We’re shown the happenings of WrestleMania week in a video package.  Skip!

It’s time for a Triple Threat match.  Ted DiBiase and his old theme, “It’s a New Day,” that always sounded suspiciously like Yes’s “Owner of a Lonely Heart” to me are out first.  Cody Rhodes is out next with his original theme, which I had written lyrics for before he got his “Smoke and Mirrors” theme and it’s variations.  And then some guy who hears voices in his head shows up and ruins my suspension of disbelief that either Ted or Cody would possibly win this match.

Randy Orton vs. Cody Rhodes vs. Ted DiBiase

Ted and Cody work together early, or at least appeared that’s what would happen until Cody bailed and left Ted alone in the ring.  He tried to sneak up on Orton, but he got caught.  Finally, Legacy get Orton down and they start working him over.  The crowd is less into this than I am, which says a lot considering Randy Orton is in this match.  Meanwhile, I watch the crowd and see the “Madison 4 Life” sign that I see in a lot of WrestleManias.  I think I notice this sign because that happens to be my daughter’s name too.  You know, I think I’m going to watch this on fast forward and see if it looks like a normal speed wrestling match.  The story becomes that Ted and Cody can’t agree on who is going to pin Orton.  Rhodes hits the Alabama Slam but Ted DiBiase breaks it up.  The two of them start to brawl, leaving Orton all alone in the ring as they spill to the outside.  The duo notice that Orton is getting back to his feet and are cohesive again, or at least they would be, it seems, if Orton didn’t regain his composure and take over the offense in this match.  DiBiase doesn’t let Cody fall victim to an RKO as he pulls Orton out of the ring.  Cody tries a slingshot cross body to the outside, but Orton moves and pulls DiBiase in the way.  Both men try to get back in the ring at the same time, and Orton hits both of them with an elevated DDT – at the same time.  Orton starts pounding the canvas, waiting for Rhodes to get up… but then Orton stands up.   I think he’s hearing voices…  Orton backs into the corner, and punts Orton’s head off.  DiBiase tries to sneak in and hit Dreamstreet, but he found himself dropped with an RKO, and Orton picks up the win.

Winner:  Randy Orton

Orton celebrates in the ring, and a huge video cylinder lowers from the ceiling behind him, which I’m sure is for a cool video effect.

Backstage, Josh Matthews is standing by with Vickie Guerrero, LayCool, Maryse, and Alicia Fox.  Vickie says this WrestleMania will be forever known as Vickie Guerrero’s first WrestleMania match.  Tonight she’ll create a moment that will live in history forever.  She brings in Jillian Hall, who sings “Simply The Best,” to the chagrin of everybody except Vickie.  Everybody leaves except Jillian, and Santino walks in to tell us that WrestleMania is brought to you by Slim Jims.  Anything is possible when you bite into a Slim Jim.  He takes a bite and Jillian turns into Mae Young.  She plants a kiss on Santino, who takes another bite of his Slim Jim, and Mae turns into “Mean Gene” Okerlund (Or as Santino calls him, “Gene Mean!”).  Mean Gene asks who Santino was expecting.  Santino takes another bite, and Okerlund turns into Melina.  Santino and Melina walk off, and we come back to a shot of the Money In The Bank briefcase!

This year’s Money In The Bank participants, in order of entry:  Kofi Kingston, Montel Vontavious Porter (otherwise known as MVP), Evan “Air” Bourne, “The All-American American” Jack Swagger, “The Gold Standard” Shelton Benjamin, Matt Hardy, Dolph Ziggler, the WWE Intercontinental Champion Drew McIntyre, Kane (sporting a black eye), and Captain Charisma, Christian!

Money In The Bank Ladder Match

Ha!  I remember watching this live.  I hear they edited the end of this match for the home video release.  I’ll get to that later on.  Listen, I’ve gotta tell you, there are ten guys in the ring, and all ten of them are capable of doing incredible things in this type of match, so I’m not going to go into a lot of detail here.  Drew McIntyre gets hit with a Twist of Fate by Hardy before MVP boots McIntyre out of the ring.  Four guys try at once to climb, Hardy and Swagger wind up being the only two left, but Kofi Kingston smacks the ladder they’re on with another one and knocks them off.  Christian monkey flips Kofi Kingston into a ladder that’s leaned up against Hardy and Swagger in the corner.  Ziggler hits a Zig Zag on Christian as Christian was halfway up the ladder, but his attempt to climb is then thwarted by MVP.  Benjamin and Kingston work together, and MVP joins in on their assault of Kane, but Kingston gets powerslammed into a ladder by the Big Red Monster.  Benjamin hits paydirt on MVP and finds himself all alone in the ring.  Jack Swagger gets in and spears Benjamin with a ladder.  Evan Bourne takes Swagger down with knees to the face.  Hardy and Christian sandwich Swagger between two ladders while he’s standing under a third.  Christian, Hardy, and Bourne climb on these makeshift platforms Christian and Hardy built.  Swaggger shoves the one Hardy is standing on out from under him.  Bourne avoids a Killswitch, and hits AirBourne from the ladder on Christian.  Hardy hiptosses Bourne from the top of the ladder, but before he can reach the briefcase, Swagger is nipping at his ankles.  Swagger flips Hardy over the ladder, and he crashes spine first onto the other ladder that was set up in the previously alluded to platform.  Benjamin tosses MVP from the ladder, then MVP tries to return the favor, but they both spill to the floor, and the only person stirring is Kane, who drops Benjamin and MVP with a ladder on the outside.  Before Kane can climb the ladder, Dolph Ziggler climbs OVER Kane to the top of the ladder, but Kane tips the ladder and dumps him off.  He tries to spear Ziggler with the ladder, but Ziggler ducks and Kane almost hits the front row.  Ziggler takes a chokeslam on the ladder from Kane, who then sandwiches Ziggler between the two halves of the ladder, breaking the ladder in half.  Kofi takes out Kane, but doesn’t realize that he’s only got half a ladder.  When he finally does, he grabs the other half and uses them as stilts.  He starts climbing up, but Drew McIntyre puts an end to that.  McIntyre is all alone in the ring, he grabs a ladder and gets it set up.  He gets his hand on the briefcase, but Hardy catches up with him.  McIntyre fights Hardy off, but Hardy tips the ladder, sending McIntyre groin first over the top rope.  Hardy heads to the top of the ladder, but Kane is back in.  Christian wrests the ladder away from Kane and battles with Hardy atop the two ladders.  Kane scales the other side, but he can’t chokeslam them off.  Matt & Christian battle at the top of the Ladders, and Hardy wins the exchange with a Twist of Fate from the top of the ladder.  Or at least it would seem that way – Christian is up first and climbing the ladders.  Swagger goes after Christian at the top of the ladder, but Swagger whacks him in the face with the briefcase and he pulls down the briefcase.  If I was watching the PPV broadcast, it would’ve taken him an extra minute – they totally edited it, and I could totally tell where.

Winner:  Jack Swagger

Please DO NOT Try This At Home

Video:  2010 Hall of Fame highlights.  The Fink welcomes the Hall of Famers into the stadium.  In the order they’re introduced:  Stu Hart (represented by the Hart family), Wendi Richter, Mad Dog Vachon, Antonio Inoki, celebrity inductee Bob Uecker, Gorgeous George (represented by his former wife Betty Wagner), and “The Million Dollar Man” Ted DiBiase.

We get the standard pre-match video package for the bout between Triple H and Sheamus

Sheamus makes his way out first  (TOO MANY LIMES!), then Triple H makes his way out.  Other than the green lasers at the beginning of Triple H’s and the fact that they lowered that video cylinder thing again, there’s nothing extraordinary about either entrance.

Triple H vs. Sheamus

Sheamus shoves Triple H and claims to be the future.  Triple H disagrees – with a slap to Sheamus’s face.  He goes for an early Pedigree, but Sheamus doesn’t let that happen.  Not this soon.  I think I accidentally skipped forward about 3 minutes trying to figure out how to get my BluRay player to give me the time remaining instead of the time elapsed.  I honestly don’t think I missed anything.  Well, I figured out how to switch it to Spanish.  Go Hugo and Carlos, go!  I still can’t figure out how to get the time remaining, but I’ll just do the math – I have three hours left.  Oh boy!  Sheamus with a rest hold, and Triple H powers out of it.  Hunter hits a DDT on Sheamus.  They start throwing fists, Triple H Irish whips Sheamus, who telegraphs it and kicks him in the face.  Triple H pulls out a high knee, then a facebuster – which a fan in the audience very audibly calls.  Sheamus escapes the Pedigree and hits a Brogue Kick, but only scores a two count on The Game.  Sheamus pulls Triple H to his feet, but Triple H escapes the high cross and hits a spinebuster for two.  Sheamus rolls to the apron, but when Triple H comes after him, he Brogue Kick’s HHH in the head.  He’s too beat up to really capitalize with a quick pinfall.  He pulls The Game to his feet, but Triple H hits the Pedigree out of nowhere to pick up the victory!

Winner:  Triple H

We get our video package of the build to Rey Mysterio vs. CM Punk, including one of the most awesome moments in WWE history – Punk singing “Happy Birthday” to Mysterio’s daughter.  Punk comes out flanked by Luke Gallows and Serena of the Straight Edge Society.  Punk says that over 70,000 weak minded individuals who think, because they’re so hopped up on hallucinogenic drugs, that Rey Mysterio is a super hero.  Rey won’t make the monster go away.  Punk isn’t a monster, he’s a savior who can lead us all to a better place, because he’s drug free and that makes him better than you.  Mysterio will not have a choice.  Punk will beat him, and he’ll join the Straight Edge society.  One nation under Punk, which integrity and sobriety for all.  Rey Mysterio heads to the ring dressed up as Avatar.  Punk, FWIW, is wearing GI Joe inspired trunks.

Rey Mysterio vs. CM Punk

Gallows and Serena distract Mysterio to start the match off, allowing Punk to take the early advantage.  Punk goes for a baseball slide while Mysterio is in the Tree of Woe, but Mysterio moves and Punk pays.  He drops Rey over the steel steps moments later to regain the offensive.  I dose off early on and wake up in the video package for the next match.  REWIND!  Punk is in control in the ring, but Mysterio starts to battle back, and starts to pick up the pace in the match, but Punk catches him out of mid-air and slams him back to the canvas.  Punk drops Mysterio with a roundhouse kick to the skull, and covers Mysterio four times, making him expend energy with every kickout.  Mysterio finally regains a vertical base, winding up on the top rope and nailing a unique DDT for a two count.  Punk counters the 619, Mysterio counters the GTS, Punk avoids an Eddie Guerrero style frog splash, then hits his running knee, can’t get the bulldog off, Mysterio gets Punk set up for the 619, but Serena prevents him from doing it.  Luke Gallows distracts Mysterio, but Punk can’t capitalize.  Mysterio knocks Gallows down and finally manages to hit Punk with the 619 and a springboard splash for the victory.

Winner:  Rey Mysterio

Video package for Vince McMahon vs. Bret Hart.  FFW!  Bret comes out first.  Vince comes out on the stage and tells Bret that he’s in his ring at his greatest creation, WrestleMania, and Bret deserves a WrestleMania sized screwing.  He shelled out a ton of money, and bought a bunch of lumberjacks and a guest referee.  He wants Bret to remember that Bret screwed Bret, and now Vince screwed Bret.  And Vince and Bret’s entire family screwed Bret.  The Hart family make their way out with Vince, led by the Hart Dynasty.  Bruce is the referee.  Bret says he can’t believe it.  What’s done is done.  The Hart family must’ve gotten paid up front.  If he’s learned anything from the Montreal Screwjob, there’s nothing sweeter than a good double-cross.  The Hart family is stronger than ever.  They told Bret what Vince was trying to do, and at WrestleMania, it’ll be remembered as the night that Bret screwed Vince.

Bret Hart vs. Mr. McMahon

Bret decks McMahon to start the match.  Vince tries to escape, but the Harts all gang up on him, particularly the Hart Dynasty.  This goes on for a while.  FFW!  They finally toss Vince back to Bret, who works over Mr. McMahon’s leg, and Vince tries to escape again, but this time he manages to grab a crowbar from under the ring.  Not to be confused with David Flair’s former partner in WCW.  He doesn’t get to use it as Bret gets to him as soon as he gets back in the ring.  Bret manages to get the crowbar and starts to work over Mr. McMahon with it.  This goes on for a while, then finally Bret signals for the Sharpshooter.  Then he changes his mind when Tyson Kidd gives him the crowbar back.  He hits Vince a couple more times, hands the crowbar back to Kidd, then signals for the Sharpshooter again.  Then he starts kicking Vince repeatedly.  David Hart Smith hands him a chair, and he sits down.  He tells Bruce it’s a time out.  Vince gets back up to his knees, then finally to his feet.  Bret stands up, and cracks Vince across the back with the chair.  Repeatedly.  Matt Striker ponders whether or not it’s 13 chairshots for 13 years of frustration.  I fast forward until Bret puts the chair down, then Bret signals again fro the Sharpshooter, and this time he locks it on.  Vince taps out immediately, but Bret doesn’t let go right away, not that anybody is really trying to get him to.

Winner:  Bret “Hitman” Hart

The Hart’s celebrate, we get the video confirming Atlanta for WrestleMania XXVII, and then we’re told that the attendance tonight is 72,219.  That’s a lot of friggin’ people!  Pyro goes off to celebrate and we get our Edge vs. Chris Jericho video package.

Jericho is out first, followed by Edge, nothing too spectacular about the entrances.  Championship intros, and we’re ready to go.

Edge vs. Chris Jericho:  World Heavyweight Championship

Jericho gets the early advantage, but Edge gets Jericho down and sets up for an early Spear, but Jericho steps out of the ring. Edge goes after him, tossing him back in, but Jericho catches Edge coming back in and kicks him back to the floor.  Edge gets back in, but finds himself guillotined on the bottom rope.  Jericho locks in some variation of a sleeper.  Edge tries to get out of it, but Jericho wrests him right back to the ground.  It’s all Jericho in a slow, methodical match, which goes to say that as soon as Jericho decides he wants to pick up the pace, he misses Edge in the corner, and Edge starts to battle back.  The comeback doesn’t last long as Jericho drapes Edge over the top rope.  Edge manages to knock Jericho back to the outside, then hits a flying clothesline from the apron to the outside.  Back in the ring, Edge hits a facebuster on Jericho from the top rope but only scores a two count.  Jericho tries for the Walls, but Edge fights out of it.  Edge hits a cross body from the top rope, but Jericho rolls through and gets a two count.  Jericho tries for the Walls again, but Edge fights out again.  Edge gets Jericho down for two with a sunset flip, which Jericho turns into a cover of his own, scoring a two of his own.  Jericho stalks Edge, then goes for the Codebreaker, but Edge tosses Jericho into the turnbuckle.  Edge sets up in the corner and goes for the Spear, but Jericho manages to counter it into the Walls of Jericho!  Edge manages to roll through, and roll up Jericho for a two count.  Edge hits the Edge-o-matic for a two count.  Jericho hits a standing enziguri.  Edge hits an incoming Jericho with an impaler DDT.  Edge charges at Jericho, who boots Edge in the face.  He gets Edge down in the corner and gets a sinister smile across his face.  Jericho sets up for the spear, but Edge kicks his head off.  Edge sets up for a spear of his own, but Jericho catches him with the Codebreaker!  Jericho crawls over for the cover, but only gets two.  He tries again and still only gets a two.  Jericho can’t believe it.  He kicks Edge in his injured Achilles’s tendon.  He tries to stomp on it, but Edge avoids it.  Jericho locks in the Walls of Jericho again, and Edge is nowhere near the ropes.  He crawls, he stretches, but Jericho pulls him back into the center of the ring and modifies it into a single leg crab on Edge’s injured leg.  Edge crawls toward the ropes again, and finally manages to get to the ropes.  Jericho pulls Edge by the ankle, but Edge rolls him up for two.  Edge clotheslines Jericho to the outside.  Jericho grabs the title, but Edge thwarts him.  The referee gets knocked down, Jericho uses the title, but only scores a two count, much to his shock.  Jericho nails the Codebreaker, and this time it’s too much for Edge to overcome, and Chris Jericho retains his title.

Winner and still World Heavyweight Champion:  Chris Jericho

After the match, Jericho tries to assault Edge’s injured leg.  Edge doesn’t let that happen.  He lays Jericho out on the Spanish announce table, stands up on the English announce table, and he spears Jericho into the timekeepers area!  Rewind – switch to Spanish commentary… I understand “la mesa.” that means “the table.”  Edge spears Jericho, and I completely understand the Spanish announcers when they scream “OH NO!”  Edge leaves under his own power as the trainers come out to check on Jericho.

We get highlights of a 26 man battle royal that took place earlier in the day.  The winner was Yoshi Tatsu, who eliminated Zack Ryder.

It’s time for a 10 Diva tag team match.  Crap, this is the one where Vickie botches a cover.  Screw this.

Alicia Fox, Vickie Guerrero, Maryse, Layla, and Michelle McCool vs. Kelly Kelly, Beth Phoenix, Gail Kim, Eve, and Mickie James.

Again.  Screw this.

Winners:  Vickie Guerrero’s team

Video package for Batista vs. John Cena.  Batista makes his way out.  This was when he was doing his spotlight entrance, which is what I wish they would’ve given him in WWE ’12.  Cena has cadets from the Air Force Honor Guard drill team twirling rifles before he makes his entrance.  Championship introductions, bell rings…

John Cena vs. Batista:  WWE Championship

My cats decide that they could have a better match and lock up in the middle of the living room as Cena and Batista lock up in the middle of the ring.  The early going is basic wrestling holds.  It’s actually very slow.  I wouldn’t say it’s boring, honestly, but it’s a slow pace.  Cena powers out of a rear chinlock from Batista, but before he can mount any sort of comeback, Batista knees him in the back.  The two start to trade rights, but Batista kicks Cena in the midsection and scores two off of a power move.  Batista goes right back to a reverse headlock, and even the production guys get bored, taking a wide shot of the crowd.  Cena finally starts to build momentum, picking up the pace, nailing Batista with shoulderblocks and the Protobomb.  Cena goes for the five knuckle, but Batista could see him, and drops him with a Spinebuster.  Isn’t that what I said about Triple H in the WrestleMania 22 review?  Anyways, Cena locks in the STF, but Batista manages to get to the ropes, forcing Cena to break the hold.  Batista does what Edge couldn’t do during his match earlier and hits a spear, but he only gets a two count.  Batista sets Cena on the top rope, but Cena won’t let him get the superplex off.  Cena sends Batista crashing to the canvas, and does a top rope Five Knuckle Shuffle!  He goes for the Attitude Adjustment, but Batista counters into a Batista Bomb!  He makes the cover but Cena kicks out at two!  Cena goes for an AA again, Batista counters, Cena counters the counter, and he nails the Attitude Adjustment – a huge one at that – but Batista manages to kick out at two!  Cena goes to the top rope, and he dives directly into a Batista Bomb, which is how Cena injured his neck back at SummerSlam.  Cena rolls through another Batista Bomb attempt, and locks in the STF, far away from the ropes.  Batista tries to power out, but he can’t do it and winds up tapping out.

Winner and NEW WWE Champion:  John Cena

We get an ad for Shawn Michaels:  My Journey, followed by the obligatory video package for the Shawn Michaels/Undertaker match.  HBK makes his way out to the ring first.  No light lowering from the heavens to counter the dark rise from hell this year, just the standard HBK entrance.  The Undertaker gets his entrance, and he does rise up from hell again this year.  Other than that, it’s the typical 8 hour Undertaker entrance.  FFW!

The Undertaker vs. Shawn Michaels:  Streak vs. Career

HBK looks unfazed by the presence of The Undertaker, and in fact taunts Undertaker with his own throat cut signal.  This match starts off at a quicker pace than any of the other matches on this show.  Undertaker goes for old school, but HBK won’t let it happen – well, at first, anyway, as Undertaker manages to hit it after all.  Michaels counters a chokeslam and tries to knot up The Undertaker’s leg, as it appeared Undertaker hurt it on his landing from old school.  HBK counters a tombstone and tries for a crossface, but Undertaker tries for a chokeslam, which HBK counters.  Michaels nearly hits Sweet Chin Music, but Undertaker narrowly avoids it.  HBK notices Undertaker favoring his left leg, and goes straight for it.  Undertaker manages to clothesline Michaels to the floor, buying himself a little time.  He goes for his suicide dive, but Michaels hurries into the ring and takes out the leg again.  He goes for a figure four, but Undertaker counters, sending HBK back to the floor.  Undertaker follows, ramming HBK’s back into the ringpost.  Undertaker hits the guillotine legdrop, but appears to hurt his leg further upon doing so.  Back in the ring, HBK gets a double leg takedown and locks in his version of the figure four leglock.  The Undertaker screams out in pain, if you can believe that, and HBK wrenches back, putting pressure on The Undertaker’s leg, but Undertaker reverses that pressure by flipping over.  Back on their feet, the two start exchanging rights, which Undertaker gets the better of, of course, but Michaels ducks one and starts chopping away on The Undertaker.  Shawn hits the flying forearm and kips up, but The Undertaker was there waiting for him with a chokeslam.  Undertaker goes for the tombstone again, but HBK rolls out of it and locks on an ankle lock.  Undertaker gets close to the ropes, but HBK pulls him back to center and drops down to grapevine the leg.  Undertaker finally gets out of the hold, and soon the action spills to the outside again.  Shawn goes for an Asai moonsault, but Undertaker catches him and tombstones him on the floor!  Both men are down, and the trainer rushes out to check on HBK.  Undertaker tosses the trainer aside and rolls Michaels back into the ring, only scoring a two count before Shawn gets the shoulder up.  Undertaker goes for the Last Ride, but HBK counters, and covers for two.  HBK goes to the top rope, but Undertaker gets the knees up as HBK comes down for the elbow drop.  HBK clutches his ribs, and The Undertaker locks in Hell’s Gate, but HBK flips over and scores a two count, causing The Undertaker to release the hold.  Now both men are hurt and fighting to get to their feet, and when they do, Undertaker goes right back down via Sweet Chin Music out of nowhere, but Michaels can only get a two count.  HBK tunes up the band, but Undertaker counters, then hits the Last Ride, but can only muster a two count.  Undertaker tosses Michaels to the outside, then tears apart the English announce table.  Undertaker tells HBK he’s going to end it, and he goes for the Last Ride through the table, but HBK counters with Sweet Chin Music, leaving Undertaker laid out on the table.  HBK goes to the top rope, and hits a moonsault through the table, right onto Undertaker’s injured leg.  Undertaker pulls himself up on the barricade, but HBK drags him in the other direction, toward the ring.  HBK tosses Undertaker back in and follows him, nailing Sweet Chin Music for the third time in this match, but Undertaker kicks out again!  Both men pull themselves up by the ropes, HBK tunes up the band, but Undertaker sidesteps it and hits a chokeslam.  Undertaker manages to get to his feet with help from the ropes, and he nails another tombstone.  The cover, the count, the two.  Shawn Michaels kicks out, and The Undertaker cannot believe it.  Undertaker pulls himself back to his feet again, HBK is still down, not moving.  The straps come down, and Undertaker stops in the middle of his throat cut taunt as he sees HBK stirring.  He yells at Michaels to stay down, but Michaels pulls himself to his feet using The Undertaker.  Michaels does the taunt again, then slaps The Undertaker across the face.  Undertaker hits another tombstone, possibly the biggest one I’ve ever seen him do, and finally gets the three count, and Shawn Michaels’ career is over.

Winner:  The Undertaker (18-0 at WrestleMania)

What a freakin’ match that was.  Look at the buildup to the match, and look at the execution from Undertaker and Shawn Michaels.  That is how you get fans emotionally invested in a match.  Undertaker poses in the ring as pyro signifies his victory both inside and outside of the University of Phoenix Stadium.  Undertaker stands over HBK, then pulls him to his feet.  He leans HBK against the ropes, and the two shake hands.  Undertaker leaves the ring, giving the floor one last time to the Showstopper, the Icon, the Main Event, Mr. WrestleMania, The Heartbreak Kid Shawn Michaels.  A “thank you Shawn” chant breaks out, as you’d expect.  Michaels drops to his knees, looks up to the heavens and thanks God for his career.  Then he looks out to the crowd and thanks them.  He makes the long walk back up the ramp, stopping along the way to greet fans, and says he’ll drive his kids nuts in three weeks.  The career of arguably – nay, the greatest in ring performer of all time, is over.

My Thoughts:  Somewhere along the way, it was either in 2009 or 2010, they stopped running the highlight packages at the end of pay-per-views.  I guess I’ll figure that out when I go back and review WrestleMania XXV in the next couple of days.  Sad to see HBK go, he was always one of my favorite wrestlers, and I will defend to the death the idea that he is the greatest in ring performer of all time.  Goodnight folks!

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