Post by Slade on Apr 17, 2021 16:17:22 GMT -5
Date: March 26, 2021
From: Ball Arena in Denver, Colorado
Commentary Team: Michael Cole and Tony Schiavone
Ring Announcer: Howard Finkel
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RICKY STEAMBOAT vs. MARK HENRY : Ricky Steamboat’s speed was of great benefit early on, as he was able to employ a hit-and-run attack on Mark Henry. However, when the World’s Strongest Man finally got a move in edgewise, he was able to slow things down and punish Steamboat with his power. A long bearhug looked like it might be enough to get the win, but Steamboat didn’t pass out and fought out of the move with some karate chops to the forehead and a double ear slap. Steamboat got more momentum going and when he went to the top rope, he went for a diving crossbody. Henry caught him and looked poised to give Steamboat the World’s Strongest Slam, but when he lifted Steamboat to shoulder height, Steamboat elbowed the side of his head and broke free, even managing to take Henry over with an arm drag, then got down behind him and applied a dragon sleeper. Henry tried to power out of it, but he faded before he was able to get to his vertical base. With the World’s Strongest Man incapacitated and unable to respond, the referee called for the bell. (12:08) -- Winner: Ricky Steamboat
When the match ended, Jim Cornette ordered the World’s Greatest Tag Team to attack Steamboat. The Dudley Boyz came to make the save. Steamboat got out of dodge as the Dudley Boys put the fight to WGTT. They got out the tables. However, by this time, Mark Henry had recovered. Upset about losing, he decided to take his anger out on Bubba and D-Von. Just when it seemed like the Dudley Boyz were going to go through tables again, “Limitless” Keith Lee made his return. He ran out and knocked Shelton Benjamin two rows deep with a Pounce. Haas ran in the other direction. Henry met Lee head on, but Lee was a man possessed. He put the fight to Henry. Meanwhile, the Dudley Boyz trapped Haas on the outside and gave him a 3-D through a table. Lee showed an amazing feat of strength by lifting Henry onto his shoulders and dropping him through a table with the Big Bang Catastrophe!
STEVIE RAY vs. THE MIZ : Stevie Ray used his power to great affect. He appeared to be on the verge of victory after executing a big back body drop, a flapjack, and a military press slam. He picked up The Miz and set him up for the slapjack, but The Miz fought his way out of it and executed an inverted facelock backbreaker followed quickly by a DDT. He put Stevie Ray in the figure four. Stevie Ray reversed it, forcing The Miz to have to get to the ropes. Stevie Ray went for an Irish whip, but The Miz reversed it and then executed a Busaiku knee kick on him. As Stevie Ray started to get up, The Miz put him in the full-nelson and executed the Skull Crushing Finale. He pinned him for the win. (8:13) -- Winner: The Miz
Mean Gene Okerlund interviewed Paul Heyman to get his thoughts on tonight’s main event – the WWE Universal Championship Match between Hulk Hogan and John Cena. He asked Heyman whether he and Roman Reigns had a preference of who wins the championship tonight. Heyman said that his client doesn’t care who wins. On the other hand, he holds a victory over John Cena, so that might be viewed as the easier opponent. On the other hand, he clearly showed his superiority over Hulk Hogan at the Elimination Chamber and only took the lost because of the referee’s blatant disregard for following the rules, so one might say that Reigns needs Hogan to win to prove that he can beat the Immortal one. In either case, a victory is as good as assured because this is Roman Reigns we’re talking about. He is his family’s Tribal Chief. He sits at the Heat of the Table. That is his seat because there is no one in the world who is better at what he does. Reigns is superior to everyone else. He is on the precipice of accomplishing the single greatest achievement in sports entertainment today. In just nine days, he will enter the ring with either Hulk Hogan or John Cena, and he will brutalize the champion, and then he will pin them for the 1-2-3 to become the new WWE Universal Champion.
THE RIOTT SQUAD vs. BAYLEY & THE BELLA TWINS : Liv Morgan gave Brie Bella ObLIVion. Nikki Bella gave her the Rack Attack. Sarah Logan hit her with shotgun knee strikes and gave her the final cut. Bayley executed a Bayley-to-Belly on her, but then she received a Riot Kick from Ruby Riott, who pinned her for the win. (13:21) -- Winners: The Riott Squad
Mean Gene was backstage with Rowdy Roddy Piper, who cut a fiery promo about how he has been battered, beaten, bruiser, and bloodied by the Billion Dollar Corporation, but said that he wouldn’t let them get away with it. While they may be four and he is just one, he won’t back down from them, even if it means he gets his ass handed to him week away week. The “Hot Rod” is nothing if he is not tenacious, and when he gets worked up there is no one more dangerous. There could be four of them or there could be four million of them – it doesn’t make a difference, he’ll destroy them all. Piper said he was ready for a fight and challenged any member of the BDC to meet him in the ring on RAW.
2 COLD SCORPIO vs. TRIPLE H : Triple H was taking on 2 Cold Scorpio, during his ongoing quest to embarrass wrestlers in front of their hometowns. 2 Cold Scorpio put up the best challenge of any of Triple H’s opponents in recent weeks. He even did well enough to get to the brink of victory. However, attempt to finish Triple H off with the Scorpio Splash failed when he landed on his knees. A stiff running clothesline, followed by a backbreaker, and running high knee drop preceded the application of a figure four leglock. 2 Cold Scorpio refused to kick out and got to the ropes. Triple H got angry and attacked him with a chopblock before the referee allowed him to continue. The referee tried to stop him, he pushed by and gave Scorpio another chopblock and then mounted Scorpio and kept pummeling him with closed fists. He stopped when the referee threatened to disqualify him. Then, he picked up 2 Cold Scorpio and gave him the Pedigree. (9:25) -- Winner: Triple H
Triple H took a microphone and started to speak, but he barely got two words out before he was cut off by Samoa Joe’s entrance music. Triple H was annoyed but sarcastically thanked Joe for finally showing up. Joe said he’s seen his last string of matches and as impressive as they’ve been, they haven’t shown him that he’s up to the task of taking on the Mash-Up Wrestling World Champion, only that he can walk into any town and beat a local grappler. Triple H told Joe that he has no idea what’s in store for him at Wrestlemania; that stepping into the ring against the King of Kings will be unlike anything he’s ever experienced. Joe said that he’d like to find out what’s in store for him at Wrestlemania, so he suggests they meet next Monday on RAW in the ring. “You pick a partner, I’ll pick a partner, and we’ll dance.”
WWE UNIVERSAL CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH: HULK HOGAN vs. JOHN CENA : They already past the 10-minute mark of this highly anticipated one-on-one contested, which was supposed to be the main event of Wrestlemania, when Hogan reversed an Irish whip into the corner and followed in with a running clothesline. He sent Cena across the ring and gave him another running clothesline in the corner. Hogan climbed to the second turnbuckle and hit Cena with ten punches. When he was done, Cena lifted Hogan off the turnbuckle and gave him an inverted atomic drop. He tried to lift Hogan onto shoulders, but the Hulkster slipped free behind Cena and gave him a bodyslam. He ran to the ropes and came back with a running leg drop, but Cena rolled out of the way. Cena went to pick up Hogan, but he pulled Cena into a small package. 1…2.. kick out! Cena countered a punch attempt with a hip toss attempt, which Hogan in turn countered with his own hip toss and went for a lateral press but Cena kicked out at one. He swept Hogan’s legs and pinned him with an inverted jacknife cover. 1…2… Hogan powered out of it and turned it into a backslide. 1…2… kick out! Hogan went for a running clothesline, but Cena countered with a hurricanrana and covered him. 1…2… kick out!
Cena decided to climb the turnbuckles. He was waiting for Hogan to start to get up before attempting a diving leg drop. Hogan caught him in the air and countered with a spinebuster! He made the pin. 1…2… kick out! Hogan put Cena in a camel clutch. Cena eventually powered his way out and onto his feet. He rammed Hogan’s back into the turnbuckles until he broke free from him and then gave him a vertical suplex. Then, Cena applied the STF. Hogan eventually got to the ropes. When Hogan was back to his feet, their traded punches. They went back-and-forth until Cena started landing multiple shots in succession. Hogan appeared to be reeling for a moment, but suddenly came back to life. He blocked and started puffing his cheeks while waging his finger. Hogan fired back, landing shot and shot until Cena finally went down. Hogan hit Cena with a clothesline and then another one. He scooped him up for a bodyslam. He gave him an atomic drop and then whipped him into the ropes. He hit the big boot. Hogan was feeling it. He circled the ring while Hulking up and then ran to the ropes. Unfathomably, Cena popped up to his feet and lifted Hogan onto his shoulders. Hogan fired elbows at him and broke free. He tried for a clothesline, but Cena countered with a spin-out powerbomb. He gave Hogan another Five Knuckle Shuffle and then picked him up off the mat. Attitude Adjustment! Cena covered Hogan. 1…2… kick out!
Cena looked frustrated, but he didn’t waste much time. He lifted Hogan back onto his shoulders. Hogan immediately slipped free and put Cena in a sleeperhold. Cena wriggled to the side and broke it with a side suplex. Cena was a bit faster to his feet, but when he tried to grab Hogan, he received an inverted atomic drop and then a clothesline over the top rope. Hogan went to the outside to get Cena, but was then sent crashing into the steps with an Irish whip. Cena picked up Hogan and dropped him across the top of the barricade before tossing him back into the ring. Cena went to climb the turnbuckles, but Hogan got up and lunged into the ropes to trip up Cena. Hogan climbed to the top turnbuckle, and after an exchange of punches from both men, executed a superplex. Hogan made the pin, but Cena kicked out at two, so Hogan gave Cena a vertical suplex and then executed the running leg drop. He pinned him. 1…2… kick out!
Hogan looked frustrated, but he didn’t waste much time. He decided to grab Cena by the legs and turned him over into a Boston crab. It took a while, but Cena crawled to the ropes to force a break. Hogan and Cena traded punches until Cena caught him by surprise with a step-up enzuigiri kick. Cena went for an Irish whip. Hogan reversed it. Cena went for a jumping shoulderblock, but Hogan dropped out of the way and Cena’s shoulder slammed into the referee’s face. Cena was checking on the referee when Hogan went over to get him. Much to his surprise, Cena lifted him onto his shoulders and executed the Attitude Adjustment! He made the cover, but the referee was out cold. When a new referee finally arrived, he made the count, but Hogan kicked out.
Cena had to think hard about what to do next. He decided to lift Hogan onto his shoulders and go over to the turnbuckles, where he climbed to the first turnbuckle. As he tried to get to the second one, with Hogan on his shoulders, the Hulkster reached down and grabbed hold of the top rope. He had such a solid grip that Cena couldn’t keep going up. Cena dropped Hogan. He landed on his feet, then grabbed Cena in a waistlock and tried throwing him from the second turnbuckle with a release German suplex, but Cena flipped and landed on his feet. He waited for Hogan to get up and charged at him. Hogan stepped to the side and Cena’s shoulder hit the turnbuckle post. Hogan pulled him out of the corner and whipped him hard into the opposite corner. He followed in with a running clothesline and then took him out of the corner with a running bulldog. Hogan got up, ran to the ropes and executed the running leg drop. He made the pin. 1…2…3! (20:52) -- Winner: Hulk Hogan
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