By Jason Powell, ProWrestling.net Editor (@prowrestlingnet)
WWE Raw Hits
CM Punk’s new pipe bomb promo: Punk delivered a show opening gem with strong verbal jabs at Reigns, Ari Emanuel, The Rock, Pat McAfee, and Vince McMahon. We’ve seen plenty of fans ham it up while flashing phony looks of surprise ever since the legitimate reaction of the fan who was stunned by the end of Undertaker’s WrestleMania winning streak. That wasn’t an a problem in this case, as they caught two legitimately surprised female fans covering their mouths after Punk said The Rock was a Hollywood superstar. Punk reminded everyone that he can still spit fire on the microphone in a way that few others can even come close to matching. Punk and Reigns have been entertaining while tearing one another down throughout the build to their WrestleMania match. But with one show remaining, here’s hoping they come up with a way to shift the focus back to the World Heavyweight Championship, which has taken a backseat to their personal rivalry.
Oba Femi and Brock Lesnar: So simple and yet so effective, this match has had the best build of any on the WrestleMania card. WWE has gone overboard with the pull-apart brawls in recent weeks, but the live crowd didn’t seem to mind, as they were red hot for this one. The decision to put Oba vs. Brock in the first hour of night two, meaning it will be simulcast on ESPN, is an interesting decision. Yes, we all know that Lesnar loves to leave as soon as possible, but I thought there was a slight chance that this match might bump the WWE Championship out of the night one main event slot. I like it. Lesnar has mainstream appeal, and the company should want as many eyeballs as possible on what should be a major moment for rising star Oba Femi. Plus, popping a big viewership number on ESPN could lead to similar opportunities.
Penta, Dragon Lee, and Je’Von Evans vs. El Grande Americano, Bravo, and Rayo: The best match of the night. There were only four matches, so that might not be saying much, but the live crowd was really hot for the fast-paced action. The post-match angle with Rey Mysterio announcing that he’ll be in the ladder match at WrestleMania was a pleasant surprise, as there’s no telling whether it will be Rey’s final match on the big stage. Here’s hoping Evans will get more creative attention after WrestleMania. He’s getting consistent television time, but we’re still waiting for his first meaningful main roster program.
LA Knight vs. Austin Theory: The majority of the Hit is for IShowSpeed, who is doing a terrific job. He’s shown some acting chops by pulling off the story that he’s been cursed and keeps stumbling into problems with Knight and The Usos. My only complaint is that viewers have to turn their brains off to buy into the idea that Adam Pearce can book a non-wrestler in a match against their will. If Speed’s character doesn’t want to wrestle, why would he show up at WrestleMania? It seems like an easy enough hole to fill, so it’s disappointing that the creative team didn’t dedicate a few minutes to come up with an explanation.
Rhea Ripley and Iyo Sky vs. B-Fab and Michin: A soft Hit for a decent match, and the post-match angle, which put heat on Jade Cargill, who had B-Fab and Michin hold Ripley while she attacked Sky. Asuka’s promo video later in the show was really well done. It was interesting that Asuka challenged Sky, yet she didn’t mention the idea of the match being held at WrestleMania. WrestleMania night two has one fewer match than night one and only one women’s match on the card, so it feels like there is room for Asuka vs. Sky.
WWE Raw Misses
Bayley vs. Lash Legend: A rough match with a poorly executed finish. Legend set up for a superplex on the ropes and had to wait several seconds for Lyra Valkyria to grab her foot. By the time Valkyria finally arrived, it looked like she merely touched Legend’s foot, which didn’t seem like enough to explain how Bayley fell on top of Legend before pinning her. The build for the WWE Women’s Tag Team Title match has been my least favorite of the WrestleMania matches.
Gunther and Seth Rollins: While I like the way they established that Paul Heyman owes Gunther a favor, the Rollins vs. Gunther match still feels cold. There’s only so much they could with so little time to establish a story out of nowhere. In this case, all you can really hope for is that their in-ring work is strong enough to win over the fans.
(Jason Powell, founder and editor of ProWrestling.net, has covered pro wrestling full-time dating back to 1997. He hosts a weekly podcast, Pro Wrestling Boom, and also appears regularly on the Wade Keller Pro Wrestling Podcast. Reach him via email at dotnetjason@gmail.com and on social media via @prowrestlingnet.bsky.social or x.com/prowrestlingnet. For his full bio and information on this website, click here.)
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