WWE WrestleMania 28 Results: 10 Things I Loved About WrestleMania 28

WrestleMania XXVIII has wrapped, and as expected, one year of hype paid off, with a great show that debunked a year of unnecessary complaining from the Internet. 

Cena and the Rock delivered, while (almost) every undercard match featured efforts from hungry competitors looking to steal the show. 

In an event that is expected to break multiple WrestleMania records, WrestleMania XXVIII has to be considered in the top five as one of the greatest WrestleManias of all time. 

From crowd participation to a lack of shenanigans when it came to finishes, WrestleMania XXVIII hit on all cylinders.  Even the bad segments were good!

And for those of you still complaining about Bryan-Sheamus: get over it.  I have four words for you, to be revealed in an upcoming article, and I think you know what they are. 

Who is winning the war of words between John Cena and the Rock?  Tune into B/R Video to find out, and follow Big Nasty on Twitter @ThisIsNasty. 

Pacing of the Pay-Per-View

Yes, this includes the shockingly quick world heavyweight title match, which I don't agree with but understand to some degree. 

This was a show filled with hot matches in the age of social media, and by kicking the show off with a quick finish that favored the babyface, the WWE immediately got WrestleMania trending and set the tone for an action-packed pay-per-view. 

Sure, Daniel Bryan deserved better, but at the end of the day, this was a pay-per-view carried by three matches, none of which were Bryan-Sheamus. 

Bryan and Sheamus would have taken more energy out of the crowd had they stolen the show as some expected, and this in turn would have diminished more anticipated matches on a high-profile card.  Is it fair?  No.  Is it right?  Maybe not.  But these aren't our decisions to make. 

The Bryan-Sheamus feud will continue, and Bryan now has a reason to continue being a jerk to A.J. for "costing" him the match with a pre-match kiss.  The fact that the remainder of the pay-per-view was incredibly strong renders an otherwise questionable finish a forgivable offense in my book. 

Clean Finishes

The only thing that resembled a questionable finish on the card was Eve's involvement in the outcome of Team Johny vs. Team Teddy, but for the most part this card was filled with finality, as every WrestleMania should be. 

Each winner won decisively, with the lack of outside interference adding meaning and depth to every match as well as the entire event itself.  

One way the WWE is going to rebound from its current financial slump is by deciding finishes in the middle of the ring with little to no shenanigans, and they were effective in doing so tonight. 

Jim Ross Returns to the Announce Desk

The addition of Jim Ross to the Undertaker-Triple H match was the only thing that could have made the highly-anticipated match better, and boy did it ever. 

Jim Ross was flawless and in rare form as he took over the controls behind the announce table, with Michael Cole—whose talents were able to be highlighted with no headset bullying—playing an effective number two.

It was a shame that Ross was only used for one match, but given the "End of an Era" theme of this match, it was fitting to have the WWE Hall of Famer and voice of the Attitude Era call what was another instant classic. 

Crowd Reaction of SunLife Stadium

Of the Canadas, Chicagos, New Yorks, and Californias, the state of Florida has overtaken the title of best wrestling crowd after tonight, in my book. 

From start to finish, the crowd reaction was one of the many highlights of a great pay-per-view, as I became tired just watching them involved in everything they were supposed to be hot for and more. 

There were points during this pay-per-view where I simply could not hear the announcing, and this was an outdoor event!

At some points, fans would break out into cheers of anticipation for things that had not even happened yet.  The best pop of the night, arguably the biggest in WWE history, came when the Rock was able to pull out a victory from the jaws of defeat with his historic win over John Cena. 

Triple H vs. the Undertaker

The only thing that surpassed the psychology, storytelling and commentary of the WrestleMania co-main event between the Undertaker and Triple H was the match itself. 

Fans didn't seem to mind the fact that the Undertaker shaved his head (something I had previously feared would take them out of the match), as "Undertaker" chants broke out once he revealed the new haircut. 

This match was perfection, as it personified the "End of an Era" theme with Jim Ross on commentary and icons the Undertaker, Shawn Michaels and Triple H leaving the ring together. 

Shawn Michaels' physical involvement in the match was not overkill, as it was well-explained, with his dilemma of whether or not to end the streak prematurely and his subsequent retaliation to the Undertaker's defiant attack. 

In the end, the right man won as the Undertaker defeated a game Triple H (pun intended) with the Tombstone piledriver.  After a career of WrestleMania disappointments, Triple H put together his second straight masterpiece against the Undertaker. 

Kelly Kelly Impresses Against Beth Phoenix and Eve

With Maria Menounos battling injury and as a non-wrestler to begin with, Kelly Kelly found herself in a rare position as the most talented wrestler on her team, and she rose to the occasion. 

Kelly Kelly was not perfect, but she did a good job using her athleticism to create special spots like the counter of the Glam Slam and an impressive front flip onto the Glamazon. 

Kelly Kelly worked very hard in the biggest match of her career and was able to make an otherwise uninspiring match on paper pass as watchable. 

CM Punk vs. Chris Jericho Steals Our Hearts, but Not the Show

Everybody was drinking the "Jericho-Punk will steal the show" Kool Aid, myself included.  But in the end, a very good match was the third-best overall match on the card, as planned.

The highlight of a true wrestling contest was Jericho's unique counter to the top-rope Hurricanrana with the Walls of Jericho. 

Two pros shined bright in Miami in a WWE Championship match that was placed near the top of the card, and while the crowd seemed to be showing signs of fatigue, they were on their feet and very into this match by the time a strong finish came around. 

The Rock vs. John Cena

It's tough to argue whether or not the Undertaker and Triple H stole the show after such an exhausting match from both a physical and emotional standpoint.

The fans were into every second of the Rock vs. John Cena, as the CeNation mustered their support beneath a hostile environment. 

This was not a technical wrestling clinic, but both men obviously put forth an unparalleled effort in a match that lived up to every tweet of social media hype it received for over one year. 

The finish, while surprising, made sense and kept Cena relatively strong.  Cena was in position to win the match, so much so that he got cocky and lost.  

It'll be interesting where the WWE goes from here, whether it be Rock-Cena, or Rock-Lesnar.  But if we get Rock-Cena II at WrestleMania 29, I will be in the minority of non-hypocritical Internet wrestling critics, as I won't be complaining about a match that will prove to be well worth the wait. 

Michael Cole

Yeah, I said it.  Michael Cole was in serious mode, as the joking, unproductive hack we see every Monday night went away for a worthy cause. 

Michael Cole was concentrated on the action, excitement and spectacle of WrestleMania, as not once did I feel his contribution took away from the event—a true rarity for the Michael Cole brand. 

The ongoing discussion of whether or not Jim Ross should be the WWE's lead announcer will never go away as long as Ross is capable of doing so.  But if Cole was this effective every night, it would certainly lack relevance. 

No Brock Lesnar

Fans seemed to be shocked that Brock Lesnar didn't interfere in the main event of WrestleMania, yet those same fans would have been outraged that the much-promoted main event wasn't kept pure. 

WrestleMania XXVIII didn't need Brock Lesnar, and now that reports continue to surface that Lesnar has signed with the WWE, more interest will spill over to Monday night RAW, as the former WWE Champion could make his return then. 

In a perfect world, the WWE would focus on in-house talent rather than bringing in outsiders to pop a large buyrate that will carry a year of erosion outside of WrestleMania season. 

But with the Cena-Rock main event out of the way and questions surrounding Lesnar's whereabouts, tomorrow night's RAW just became more of a hotbed for ratings.