WWE Wrestlemania 30: Great Moments from Historic Night
WrestleMania 30 is in the books, ladies and gentlemen, and what a night it was!
What did the WWE Universe get out of all this merriment?
A night of surprises, cheers and celebration. Not to mention the upsets!
There was a record crowd of 75,167 at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome and millions more fans watching across the world.
In a nutshell, WrestleMania XXX was a complete success.
For some people however, the night ended in shock and sadness.
The biggest news of all? The end of The Streak, courtesy of the beast incarnate Brock Lesnar.
Here is a recap of the show's finest moments.
Icons Bid Fans Welcome to WrestleMania
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The Immortal Hulk Hogan made his WWE return a little while back and announced he was to be the host of WrestleMania 30 in New Orleans.
This news made great sense, considering he was featured in the very first WrestleMania main event back in 1985.
It was nice to see him come home, so to speak.
The funny part was, he was somewhat stuck in 1987 for just a second as he welcomed fans to the Silverdome.
A dome is a dome, right?
Realizing he had made a slight error, he stumbled a bit in his opening before the awkward silence was shattered by the sound of breaking glass!
Thank heavens for that, he must have thought.
Enter Stone Cold Steve Austin!
The Texas Rattlesnake entered the ring, going right into his shtick and saving the day.
It woke up the entire crowd when both asked to give a "Hell Yeah!" to the other. Things couldn't get any better...or could they?
"If you smeeeeell...what The Rock is cookin'!"
Out comes the most electrifying superstar of all time, The Rock. As if two legends weren't enough, the world got three!
He arrived, hugged and saluted his fellow icons and informed the universe that finally he had come back to WrestleMania.
Insert the Silverdome joke, much to Stone Cold's pleasure and the crowd was instantly energized for a long, full four-hour extravaganza.
This gathering of icons will probably not be seen again and it was a perfect way to open the show.
Well done gentlemen, the WWE Universe thanks you for everything.
Daniel Bryan Pins the C.O.O and Moves to the Title Match
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Daniel Bryan vs. The Authority has been the story of the year.
Not many people were able to stand up to the powers that be and manage to get everything they wanted: a match against the boss and the opportunity to face the champion in the main event of WrestleMania.
Hunter was out to make an example of Daniel Bryan and eliminate him altogether, but it was not meant to be, as the leader of the "Yes" movement would not accept defeat.
Even Stephanie McMahon's lovely yet distracting presence could not help her husband as she watched him get pinned 1-2-3 in the center of the ring.
That victory came at a great cost, however. The fans stood up in cheers but for a brief minute as the queen of WWE slapped the face of the victor only to have him being assaulted seconds later by a furious "Cerebral Assassin."
Daniel Bryan may have won the battle, but he was left battered and bruised, perhaps unable to continue his quest.
The Shield Annihilate Their Foe and Stand United
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As predicted in my most recent article, The Shield dispatched their enemies in one swift stroke and proved a point: Believe in them or be destroyed.
No one crosses Ambrose and company.
The Outlaws and Kane tried in vain as The Shield had their number from the beginning, and it was a triple power bomb that proved the hounds of justice right.
Now the future looks bright for them, as every member of The Authority has been met and defeated.
What lies ahead for Roman Reigns, whose devastating spears dispelled all doubt as to whether he is a powerhouse to be feared.
Will Seth Rollins continue to amaze the crowd with moves from outer space?
How much longer will Dean Ambrose hold his precious—yet irrelevant—United States Championship?
No matter what the answers are, the winners that night meshed quite well together.
The Shield are united as one.
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Cesaro Is a Lean, Mean, Powerful Machine!
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Cesaro overcame 29 other superstars to walk away with the larger-than-life "Andre the Giant Memorial" trophy.
Not only did he uppercut his way to the top, but he picked up and disposed of this era's giant, the Big Show.
What an impressive feat that was!
The man is on his way to becoming one of the best characters this company has to offer, and the fans are definitely behind him now.
All he needed was to separate himself from his partner, Jack Swagger, and his very opinionated manager, Zeb Colter.
He's already had a run with a singles title and was part of the Elimination Chamber this past February.
Can a WWE World Heavyweight title match be in the distant future? What does it mean for him to be the winner tonight?
Cesaro in on his way up, and people should start to rally behind this guy because it won't be long before this awesome powerhouse stands tall, holding a championship once more.
A notable shout-out to the last combatants in the ring: Dolph Ziggler, Sheamus, Alberto Del Rio and Big Show.
It could have gone any possible direction at various points.
No sign of Alexander Rusev though.
The Light Can Never Be Extinguished
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John Cena was tempted to darkness but he has passed the test...or has he?
Bray Wyatt gave the WWE Universe a stellar performance, and though he wasn't successful in defeating the mighty John Cena, seeds of impending shadow may have been sown.
Say what you want about the face of the company; he prevailed and it was a good thing.
Did you notice how the crowd followed the will of Bray Wyatt?
It was almost biblical, an omen of some sort. They say the devil will come as someone beloved of the masses, and they will follow him and be counted as grains of sand on a beach.
It was actually scary to see the people rallying behind a dark figure.
Though he was almost losing his grip on his emotions and rage, SuperCena pulled it off and repelled his opponent for the time being.
Somewhere down the line, a rematch will occur.
Will the outcome be the same, or will John Cena succumb to the evil that may have surfaced tonight?
This match told a great story and it was definitely amazing from beginning to end.
Both wrestlers benefited from this performance.
Thank You!
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To all the legends who made their way into the Hall of Fame this year, allow me to speak on behalf of all fans of the WWE Universe.
Thank you for all you have contributed to this industry, and for all the moments we will never forget.
Jake "The Snake" Roberts, Mr. T, Paul Bearer, Lita, Carlos Colon, Scott Hall (as Razor Ramon) and the Ultimate Warrior were all inducted into the 2014 class.
The OMG! Moment of the Year, Hands Down
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The Streak is over. Undertaker was pinned by Brock Lesnar and is now 21-1 at WrestleMania.
It was likely hours before many jaws were able to close afterward.
Yes, there was punishment and agony all throughout the match. However, is it just me or were there many factors justifying the eventual result?
First off, this match seemed slow and unlike previous Streak matches.
When the camera zoomed on the Undertaker, he seemed thinner, older-looking and tired. It was as if he knew the end was nigh.
Even his entrance lacked the awesomeness previous years.
This is just an assumption of course, and no one will ever take away all the magic this legendary character has given over the years.
21-1 is probably still hard to digest for everyone, but it will be very interesting to see where WWE goes from here.
Brock Lesnar is now the most powerful being in WWE and Paul Heyman, the genius, the greatest manager of all time.
They did win the night, but the eternal winner is The Undertaker.
Nothing and no one can ever replace him or tell a story like he did.
AJ Does It Again!
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In New Orleans, the Divas Championship was defended at a WrestleMania for the very first time.
AJ Lee is the longest-reigning champion to date and she was pitted against the entire ladies' roster—an act of vengeance courtesy of SmackDown General Manager Vickie Guerrero.
It did her no good in the end, as the Black Widow caught the very athletic Naomi in her submission finisher and caused the Funkadactyl to tap out, much to the horror of the GM.
This is probably best for business, as AJ has practically breathed life back into a sick division. She will most likely pass the year mark in her reign and it will hopefully be someone from the outside who will provide the upset.
No matter how you see it, every woman involved in that match won, because they made it on the show and did their best to distract people from the previous match's upsetting result.
Well done ladies, and well done AJ—you have earned your moment in the spotlight.
The WWE Universe Unites and Stands as One Under Daniel Bryan
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There is a new WWE World Heavyweight Champion, ladies and gentlemen, and his name is Daniel Bryan.
Finally, the voice of the people has been heard and the underdog triumphed over his oppressors.
The deck was stacked against him, but he did it by making Batista "The Animal" tap out at long last.
The highlight of the match was the amazing Batista-Bomb-into-an-RKO on the table that saw Bryan knocked out and Orton bloodied.
Wow!
People really hate Batista, but somehow there were cheers for Orton, as if there was a small chance he would retain and turn to better ways.
Alright, perhaps not. The night belonged to the "Goat Man" and leader of the "Yes" movement.
Unfortunately for him, the war is far from over. The Authority may have been knocked down, but it will get back up and retaliate.
Daniel's opponents will come for revenge, and Brock Lesnar will come for him eventually. Lesnar made it clear he wants that championship, and his defeat of "The Phenom" pretty much guaranteed a future title match.
Heaven have mercy on the American Dragon.
Despite everything, there is a new champion in town and he is beloved by millions.
What a Night!
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It always seems surreal once an immense event like this comes and goes.
This show was a complete success and fun to watch from beginning to end.
Time flies when you are having fun, and there is a whole year to wait before the next extravaganza.
What will it be like without the Undertaker's streak?
Monday Night Raw might be the most-watched episode in years, as the fallout will be incredible.
What are your thoughts on all this, WWE Universe? Has WrestleMania 30 satiated your taste for excitement? Did it exceed your expectations?
This marquee event has come and gone, but the memory of it will last forever.
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