WWE WrestleMania 2016 Results: Biggest Stars of the Night
WrestleMania 32 is in the books. The night so many fans both anticipated and debated for so finally happened Sunday. Though this was believed to be perhaps the worst WrestleMania in years long before it took place, the fact is there was a little something for everyone.
Fans everywhere likely breathed a heavy sigh of relief.
There was serious doubt coming in, and that was to be expected. The company is dealing with a depleted roster, and there were several main event spots that have just not been filled. Could WWE pull this off, and if so, who would shine the brightest on the 'Mania stage?
It's not as if the talent couldn't be trusted to deliver; the lack of faith was more with WWE than the locker room. The booking makes all the difference, and it really always has.
Shane McMahon's return was unexpected, as was his match with Undertaker. Dean Ambrose seemed like a consolation prize for Brock Lesnar when it became apparent Bray Wyatt wouldn't be used. Triple H and Roman Reigns' showdown was predictable and unwanted on many levels.
Maybe fans were actually starting to miss John Cena.
But the company has to move forward at some point, and with every event that's held without Cena, it's evident progress can be made. WWE is filled with hardworking men and women who are looking for an opportunity to shine.
A few of them stood out from the rest at WrestleMania 32.
Zack Ryder
1 of 6
It's hard to single out just one Superstar from the Intercontinental Championship ladder match; in fact, it's nearly impossible.
This is how a pro wrestling event should begin. The curtain-jerk match sets the tone for the rest of the night, which is exactly what this did. Kevin Owens went in at a major disadvantage, and it was obvious a title change was going to take place.
Zack Ryder, Sin Cara, Stardust, Dolph Ziggler, Sami Zayn, The Miz and KO, all put forth herculean efforts. They obviously knew what was at stake and how important this match was in terms of getting the night moving in the right direction. High spots were rampant, and each man handled his fair share. But they did so to advance the match and give fans their money's worth.
But how many of those fans actually had money on Ryder for the win?
Zack Ryder has always been around, but he's been a nonentity for so long it's been easy to forget about him. The guy who once captivated fans with his lighthearted and funny gimmick had been off the radar, and his stint in NXT just wasn't enough.
He was the poster boy for underused talents, the guy who had a brief moment in the sun and then watched it all get taken away. Ryder was a good worker who should've had more, but he just never seemed to find his way.
He's found it now.
This will likely be the feel-good story of WWE going into Monday Night Raw. Ryder worked hard, he waited for his moment and finally got it on the grandest stage of them all. Like Shawn Michaels, Ryder saw his boyhood dream come true, and fans could not be happier about it.
Stone Cold, HBK and Mick Foley
2 of 6
This is what WrestleMania is all about.
The New Day lost to The League of Nations after a good match. The two teams work well together, and it delivered as fans likely thought it would. But it was what happened thereafter that made the crowd go crazy.
King Barrett claimed there was no other three-man team that could compete with them, and that's when Shawn Michaels' music hit.
The moment was as surreal as anything WWE fans have seen in years. The Heartbreak Kid came down the ramp in full gear, ready to perform. The man was believed to be retired, never to return to in-ring action again, and he was on his way to the ring.
He was joined by Mick Foley before the arrival of Stone Cold Steve Austin. Three of WWE's most legendary stars of all time were standing together and ready to tear the house down.
That's exactly what they did.
It was the mix of the old and the new, of two generations coming together for the sake of entertaining the crowd. So many fans have called for a return of legends to WWE, of nostalgia only Vince McMahon's company could provide.
This provided all of that and then some.
The trio took it to The League, and for a brief moment, it looked like the Attitude Era all over again. This was not about three former top names trying to get back in the mix; this was about WWE trying to make fans happy on the biggest night of the year.
The Rock
3 of 6
The Rock was announced for WrestleMania 32 some time ago, but WWE never elaborated on just what he was going to do. Many believed it was going to involve the main event of Roman Reigns vs. Triple H. Would Rocky interfere on Roman's behalf and help him secure the WWE World Heavyweight Championship?
Or would The Rock join The New Day against The League of Nations? Would he host the event, or would he just show up to cut a promo then leave?
The truth is, all he had to do was announce the record WrestleMania attendance of over 101,000 fans. But after that, he captivated the crowd once again.
This is what The Rock is best at. This is what he does better than anyone else. He took a simple spot, and he transformed it into something much more than anyone else could. Bray Wyatt's interruption was unexpected. So was John Cena's return.
Fans will undoubtedly grieve over The Wyatt Family's beatdown, just as they will stress over Cena's scene-stealing comeback.
But the real story here is The Rock. He was asked to deliver a memorable moment, and that's exactly what he did. He reminded fans of just how fun WWE can be and why WrestleMania is so important to its success.
He entertained the WWE Universe, and he made them happy. This is who he is, and no one can do it quite like he can.
Charlotte, Sasha Banks, and Becky Lynch
4 of 6
It's a new day for women's wrestling in WWE.
Charlotte, Becky Lynch, and Sasha Banks have done more to legitimize women's wrestling than anyone in recent memory. Not since the days of Trish Stratus and Lita has the women's division seen such excitement and such focus.
That focus has surprisingly come from WWE, and it's been obvious the company has had a plan to rebuild the division with a new generation of stars.
The void that Trish and others left behind with their departures was filled with good talents over the years, but no one was able to recreate the magic that once existed. Women's wrestling morphed into the Divas division, and it was plagued with problems.
Fans wanted more. For a change, WWE listened.
It only took ambitious stars with the right mindset to do just that. Charlotte, Becky, and Sasha definitely have both. They came in wanting to make a difference, and they turned NXT upside down. But that was NXT, and there was no guarantee the main roster would even welcome them.
But the fans were ready, and so were these women.
The Divas Revolution has come to fruition. This is what WWE apparently wanted from Day 1. Even though Charlotte retained the title at WrestleMania, it was the new Women's Championship she was handed. A new day has dawned for women's wrestling.
These three came in together, and it's only fitting they shared the 'Mania stage together. This is the outcome fans have been wanting for so long, and it's finally happened.
Shane McMahon
5 of 6
Shane McMahon is the daredevil of WWE.
He came in without fear against an opponent stronger than him, the Undertaker. All he had was his fists and his heart and a desire to rebuild what he loves. He knew the odds were against him, but that didn't matter. Nothing was going to keep him from the fight.
But this time, the daredevil did not defeat the punisher.
The Undertaker showed up at WrestleMania and did what he always does: put on a show. He disassembled Shane from the ground up, taking him apart at every turn. Taker was on his game, once again looking like the reaper of old.
He was cold and methodical, giving Shane no quarter at all. The Deadman had a mission, and nothing was going to stop him from completing it.
But Shane McMahon showed up for his Hell in a Cell match in ways no one could expect.
He took a tremendous beating and bumped as if his life depended on it. He made Undertaker look good, showed respect to the business and he did all he could to get the match over. But no one saw the end coming.
Shane McMahon climbed the stricture and jumped off the top, crashing through the announce table right after Undertaker moved out of the way. The spot was breathtaking and scary. Some would say it was unnecessary.
But Shane wanted to give all he had, and that's exactly what he did.
This was not a technical masterpiece, and it was not a legendary match. But it was a serious fight, and Shane McMahon stepped up like he never has before.
Roman Reigns
6 of 6
Roman Reigns has a lot of critics, and those critics did not want see him win the WWE World Heavyweight Championship at WrestleMania.
But that is exactly what happened, and The Big Dog is set to run the yard of WWE. He will have his hands full with The Authority, of course, but that is the nature of the game. Despite what anyone says about him, no one can deny he was ready for WrestleMania.
Roman showed up ready for war.
He looked composed, he looked prepared and, most importantly, he looked good. Roman Reigns knew this was the biggest night of his career, and he knew the gravity of the situation.
Triple H was the last big test for him, and he definitely passed.
Love him or hate him, Roman has become a big-time player. He's more focused than ever, and he's so sharp the crowd doesn't visibly affect him.
He has worked hard to get where he is, and he has the ability to carry the banner of the company perhaps better than anyone else in the locker room.
Roman may always get criticism despite what he does, but there is little doubt WrestleMania 32 was his finest moment. It's a moment he totally owned, and he did it with class, even as the hate rained down on him.
Tom Clark can regularly be found on Bleacher Report. His podcast, Tom Clark's Main Event, is available on iTunes, Google Play, Amazon Android, Windows Phone and online here.
.jpg?w=600 "WWE Raw Results & Grades 🔠")
