WWE WrestleMania XL review: The story is finished, as a new era officially begins…

Now, I have missed the last two WWE PLE reviews, because life can really get in the way sometimes, but to summarise, Royal Rumble 2024 was fine but rather disappointing considering the immense hype going in, and came with the first of many gut punches on this hectic Road to WrestleMania as returning CM Punk suffered an injury. Elimination Chamber 2024 from Perth, Australia was a better show, despite a very slim card and endless adverts!!!

So, now we are up to date and WrestleMania XL looms large. The Road to the show of shows this year has been filled with drama (#WeWantCody), pivots (Heel Rock and the best Rock we’ve had for 20 years consequently) and some unfortunate twists of fate, not to mention the industry shift driven by the removal of a certain mentally-depraved billionaire. So, with Triple H (forgive me I’m still struggling using his real name) being fully in charge now, and a new era being promised, what did WrestleMania XL bring to the table?

The world’s biggest tag team match, lengthy title runs challenged, major returns, and a story we have been threatening to finish for some time now. So, did Philadelphia get a showcase of immortals, or was the atmosphere as chilly in Philly as the weather (god, we heard a fair bit about that this weekend!) 

NIGHT ONE – WRESTLEMANIA SATURDAY

We have a brand new Then. Now. Forever video, that looks pretty great.

Coco Jones sings “America the Beautiful”.

Meek Mill does the opening package about Philadelphia and whatnot, all looks very fancy with the neon. Bit Torn meets Blade Runner.

Triple H heads to the ring and welcomes everyone to WrestleMania XL.

1. Women’s World Championship Match

Rhea Ripley (c) vs. Becky Lynch

Commentary team Michael Cole, Pat McAffee and Corey Graves inform us that Becky Lynch was coming into this match ill, with strep throat and a fever of 102 at one point this week. Probably covering just in case anything was off. Well, they needn’t have worried because defending champ Rhea Ripley and Becky put on a hell of a show. Both had grand entrances, Becky’s focusing on her bestselling autobiography, and Ripley being played to the ring by Motionless In White. This match was brilliant, a hard hitting, evenly matched battle, with a tremendous outside the ring Electric Chair spot, and a few near falls in this battle of sheer will power. In the end though mami was on top again with a vicious Riptide to the turnbuckle and another in the centre of the ring for the hard fought win. You could not tell anyone was not 100% here. Fantastic opener and one of my favourite matches of the night. 

Pretty Deadly preview all the contestants of the ladder match, which was rather entertaining and make their intentions to go after the champions.

2. Undisputed WWE Tag Team Championship Six-Pack Ladder Match

#DIY (Johnny Gargano and Tommaso Ciampa) vs. The Judgment Day (Damian Priest and Finn Balor) (c) vs. The New Day (Xavier Woods and Kofi Kingston) vs. New Catch Republic (Tyler Bate and Pete Dunne) vs. The Awesome Truth (The Miz and R-Truth) vs. A-Town Down Under (Austin Theory and Grayson Waller)

You can always rely on a ladder match at WrestleMania to show off some people and this jam-packed affair was no different. Particularly enjoyed Damian Priest and Finn Balor’s masked entrances (with Graves’ Scarecrow Batman gag) with masks designed by “The Fiend” Bray Wyatt genius Jason Baker, and also had a chuckle at Cole calling out a production gaff jokingly (this commentary run post-Vince has really been the making of Michael Cole, it really has, the man sounds so happy). Anyway back to the match, this was not always neat and tidy with bent ladders and slip ups but it was full-on and very entertaining. I was truly shocked, despite the crowded field, to see that everyone got a moment to be properly used here. There were some daring spots, as well as some funny ones (the ageless R-Truth’s hot tag and pinfall “win”, and #DIY playing the roles of DX to appease R-Truth’s confusion), and it was fun to see the added stipulation that each set of belts were up for grabs (ala the Triple Threat European Intercontinental Championship match way back at WrestleMania 2000), well tonight reigning champs Balor/Priest – despite JD McDonagh’s interference – would play the part of Kurt Angle because they lost all the gold. First Grayson Waller and Austin Theory scored the Smackdown Tag Titles before Waller was taken out with a ladder breaking bump! Then, in a feel good moment of the night, R-Truth would secure the Raw Tag Team Titles, breaking his 0-7 WrestleMania losing streak and winning it for his team. Great chaotic fun. Glad the belts are separate again.

3. Andrade and Rey Mysterio w/ Carlito, Cruz Del Toro, Joaquin Wilde, and Zelina Vega vs. Dominik Mysterio and Santos Escobar w/ Angel, Berto, and Elektra Lopez

This was what it was, despite Rey Mysterio’s swapping partner, this did still very much have the vibes of a television match but an enjoyable enough one. Rey and Dominik Mysterio’s second clash at WrestleMania did not measure up to their first last year. Still, this was diverting enough, with the accompanying players getting involved with some high flying. Two huge guys in masks got involved at the end to help Rey and Andrade get the win. And I was none the wiser who they were when they took the masks off. Apparently NFL players for the Philadelphia Eagles. Not my thing but the crowd seemed to get a kick out of it.

4. Jimmy Uso vs. Jey Uso

Well, what can I say? Sometimes stuff does not work out. This match was hotly anticipated, planned by both men since being kids and the feud and promo package told a worthwhile story but when the bell rang…oh dear. This was the worst match of the whole weekend, despite a pre-match flurry of energy, with Jey Uso launching attack, once this started officially the energy was sucked out of the air, even more so due to the fact the Philly crowd on this first night were not as vocal all evening, maybe down to the body-freezing weather we kept hearing endlessly about all night (that’s summer here in Britain!!). Anyway, this match was repetitive, badly worked and never clicked at all, with an unconvincing Jimmy Uso fakeout and flat 11-minute deflating trudge. Jey is over as hell but Jimmy’s solo career is not igniting, and I couldn’t believe the lacking chemistry from the brothers when on opposing sides. Jey Uso thankfully scored the win in a very disappointing encounter.

5. Six-Woman Tag Team Match

Damage Ctrl (Dakota Kai, Asuke and Kairi Sane) vs. Bianca Belair, Naomi and Jade Cargill

This match had some heavy hitters involved but the story was unmistakably about rising star Jade Cargill and how she would do on the grandest stage. Despite great entrances by both teams and undeniable talent from all involved, this match was only really here to showcase Cargill in the closing stretch and on those grounds succeeded. Everyone still got their shots in and some moments (that sickening hair whip from Bianca Belair to Asuke) but Cargill was the focus and there is undeniable big star energy here if they get this right. She got the win for her team in dominant fashion.

6. WWE Intercontinental Championship Match

Gunther (c) vs. Sami Zayn

The smart money, once The Beast was out, was that Chad Gable would be the one to face Gunther for the gold, the story was there already but who can begrudge Sami Zayn the shot? In a story befitting of Rocky, or rather a blend of Rocky III and Rocky IV, Sami Zayn faced an uphill battle in a machine-like champion and truth be told, I didn’t expect a title change on this night at all. But, colour me shocked, because clearly this cold night in Philly (tired of hearing that yet? We certainly were), a bit of unexpected magic happened. Assisted by Gable’s training, who before the match gave Sami that last minute confidence boost, as did his friend Kevin Owens and family, Sami pulled a movie finish off, by ending Gunther’s titanic record-breaking reign at 666 Days. These two told a great story, and while I am not sure I’d have pulled this trigger quite yet, Gunther is world title bound surely because this was a fantastic drama-filled match. Containing genuine emotion, well-relayed story and immense physicality, I may not have seen this coming but they sold me on it, as Sami even dusted off a top rope brain buster before two Helluva Kicks to end a mighty impressive all-timer IC Title run from a once a generation talent. A feel good moment for Sami.

Adam Pearce and Nick Aldis announce the packed attendance of 72,543 for Night One in the ring. 

7. If The Bloodline Win Night Two’s main event is Bloodline Rules, if they don’t, The Bloodline is banned from ringside!

The Rock and Roman Reigns vs. Seth “Freakin” Rollins and Cody Rhodes

We get to the main event and a match that could well have gone a number of ways, the stakes were high, the hype was real and The Rock on this heel run has turned disaster on its head and created something great out of it. But the bell had to ring, so did this work out? Well, pending what would happen on Night Two, it did. Smartly booked to keep The Rock healthy and looking good, this 45-minute tag team match was a good match that managed to rouse the crowd, and despite my misgivings about the match, I was happy to be mistaken as pertains to what The Rock could do. “The Final Boss” probably got the entrance of the night here and this felt like a massive deal, because it really was. The result directly affected not only the main event of night two but Seth Rollins’ title match with Drew McIntyre, and they all put in a shift, keeping things largely engaging for the epic (if maybe overlong for some tastes) duration and despite the result being potentially inevitable for the sake of the story, this really had you guessing at points that it could go numerous ways. 

In the end though The Final Boss would lay out Cody Rhodes for the win, after using his board member power to bend the rules in favour of The Bloodline all match long. A wild main event that’s success would depend on Night Two’s match but left things on a good cliffhanger. Seth was banged up and threw himself into it, Cody was facing impossible odds, Rock proved he could still go and Roman (despite a tease in there when he missed a spear and hit Rock) showed he has all the momentum heading into Sunday. As a side note: The commentary was excellent here, selling the story and this match’s importance, and special plaudits to ring announcer Samantha Irvin who was amazing with those intros, and in fact was awesome all weekend. 

Overall, WrestleMania XL Night One was not perfect, the Usos match was a shockingly large letdown, and some of the undercard tag matches did the basic requirements but a fun scrappy ladder match, and two fantastic title bouts and a main event that delivered as advertised raised the show’s profile considerably. Wish the aura had have been more present though, as the crowd seemed a bit off. Also, I am still really getting used to this match sponsorship stuff, I mean call me old fashioned but a heated feud sponsored by wet wipes is a jarring visual to take in. Still, back on point, this was a decent show but hopes were high that Night Two would raise the ante, and – for the first time since WrestleMania split into two nights – would surpass Night One. 

NIGHT TWO – WRESTLEMANIA SUNDAY

Meek Mill does the opening video prioritising finishing the story.

The War and Treaty Sang “God Bless America”.

Stephanie McMahon opened the show and welcomed everyone to the Paul Levesque (Triple H) era.

8. WWE World Heavyweight Championship Match

Seth “Freakin” Rollins (c) vs. Drew McIntyre

CM Punk joined commentary for this match, and I wish he had stayed for the whole night, as he was phenomenal. Anyway back to the spectacle, and from the off, Night 2 had that Mania aura, a way more invested crowd (who must have thawed out from yesterday’s much hyped ice age) and started red hot out the gate. The Ulster Scottish Pipe Band played a rather familiar tune in the late great Roddy Piper’s theme, as Punk proclaimed “sacrilege” on commentary, this was naturally for Drew McIntyre’s piper-filled, sword raising entrance. Not one to be outdone, the beaten up champion Rollins made his entrance. And my word, this made his half-opened Quality Street attire from Night One look tame by comparison. Words do not exist that can adequately describe his entrance gear and entrance, but it was like No Way Jose and Adam Rose on steroids, as Rollins entered and Punk hilariously said, “look at this goof” and “Liberace is rolling in his grave right now, look at this! What am I supposed to do with this?”. Anyway, onto the match and McIntyre hit a claymore straight out the gate for a super false finish start. 

What followed was a Brock Lesnar/Goldberg-esque finisher hitter, prioritising big moves and high impact. But it worked a treat, playing into the story of Rollins risking it all for the sake of the industry last night and suffering the consequences, and Drew wondering if he can ever beat Seth as the champ would not give in. It kept going and going but Drew was the obvious choice to dethrone our hard working champion, and did so with a final definitive claymore (the fourth of the match I believe). As a tearful, battered, Rollins looked on nodding to Drew in approval as he limped away. Drew finally got his title win in front of a live crowd and his wife for a long overdue emotional moment, rewarding this sensational run he has been on right now…

9. WWE World Heavyweight Championship Money in the Bank cash-in Match

Drew McIntyre (c) vs. Damian Priest

…But Drew could not help but rub the victory in Punk’s face, crotch chop taunting Punk and holding the title in his face atop the announcer’s table and talking some serious smack. As a result, Punk hit a leg sweep and took the Scotsman down, took off his protective arm brace and bashed Drew in the face with it. And then, the music hit! Out came Senior Money in the Bank Damian Priest!!! Swiftly cashing in his contract and one chokeslam later Damian Priest was our new champion. As Punk smirkingly applauded and the Judgment Day celebrated with Priest on the stage. This was a genuine shock and while heartbreaking for Drew, he will assuredly get that gold back (we have a PLE in Scotland in June don’t we? Hmmm), and I do not begrudge the hard working Priest this moment and win. This all started the show off scorching hot and showed just how big a money feud the Punk/McIntyre saga is and will be!

10. Six-Man Tag Philadelphia Street Fight Match

The Final Testament (Karrion Kross and Authors Of Pain (Akam and Rezar) w/ Scarlett and Paul Ellering vs. The Pride (Bobby Lashley and The Street Profits (Montez Ford and Angelo Dawkins) w/ B-Fab

Hall Of Famer Snoop Dogg joined commentary for this one, and had self-admittedly had a few Gin & Juice’s (the match sponsorship this weekend was out of hand, I really am still getting used to this), which added to the barmy atmosphere. As did Bubba Ray Dudley being made special guest referee for this Philadelphia Street Fight, a random surprise which the ECW proud crowd dug. Now, I know this is not an opinion others share but I love The Final Testament, Karrion Kross deserves so much more than he is being given on TV and this faction with Authors of Pain, Scarlett and the legendary Legion of Doom mastermind Paul Ellering has delivered something different for me. I think it’s great. So, truth be told, I was initially rather miffed to see them lose here to Bobby Lashley and The Street Profits. Despite starting dominant, in this cane, trash can and table filled brawl, eventually Kross got in Bubba’s face and the tide turned as AOP were taken out, Scarlett and B-Fab took each other through a table and Kross was left to be downed by the babyface team. The wrong team went over here and on the night it irked me a lot but in reflection, this was fun anarchy and got the crowd on side, and it was nice to see Kross, Scarlett and – surprisingly – Ellering, finally make it to a WrestleMania. Snoop, Bubba and The Pride all celebrated together after the match. Hope the Final Testament get something after this, and rebuild some momentum.  

Backstage Paul Heyman guarantees victory under Bloodline Rules for the Tribal Chief tonight.

11. LA Knight vs. AJ Styles

AJ Styles and LA Knight have quietly had a nice little feud together on the run up to WrestleMania and here they had a good old school match together. Styles came out with new theme music to match his change in attitude and Knight was as over as ever. This match was awash in Slim Jim sponsorship (jeez man), mind you at least it makes more sense here, as Knight is their new frontman from WWE doing Macho Man Randy Savage proud. These two went at it straight off the bat and dropped some of their big moves as they took it to each other. The match progressed nicely, going constantly back and forth, before the action went to the outside. And there was even a real throwback uncovering of the ringside concrete floor, as Knight went to piledrive or power bomb AJ on it but was backdropped onto it himself. Nice! You don’t see this spot much nowadays. Back in the ring some signature moves and finishers were swapped and dropped and reversed for a fun closing sequence, as Knight hit the BFT for the pinfall victory. Great little match this, and a fantastic win for Knight. “Yeah!”  

We had a video package recap of this year’s 2024 Hall of Fame Ceremony. And back in the arena, on the stage were the inductees, US Express, aka Mike Rotunda and Barry Windham (both in Bray Wyatt shirts, paying a further awesome tribute to the late great star), Thunderbolt Patterson (accompanied by Gerald Brisco), Bull Nakano, the late Lia Maivia (represented by her daughter), the late Muhammad Ali (who had no in person representative, but was shown on screen in the stadium) and Paul Heyman (coming out to the old ECW theme and a huge pop).

12. WWE United States Championship Triple Threat Match

Logan Paul (c) vs. Randy Orton vs. Kevin Owens

I was initially of the opinion here that this would have been better suited as a singles match between champion Logan Paul and either Kevin Owens (after the two stole the show at Royal Rumble) or Randy Orton. But I am happy to be mistaken because in terms of ring work, this was one of the best matches of a very consistently excellent night! Paul entered riding a huge Prime (more sponsorship, mind you even the mat had that logo on all weekend, the Vince era is truly dead!) truck to the stage, along with a Prime bottle mascot (another viral star in disguise methinks). Owens, in a callback to night one had a nice moment with Sami Zayn before entering on stage (the way they are shooting the show and delivering the camera and stuff is so fresh and smooth, this really is a new era). Owens then used the golf cart he stole on Smackdown and, as Orton made his entrance, there was a fun moment where backs up to give Orton a speedy lift to ring (Orton even looked like “crikey slow down Kev”, haha).

Once the match started Owens and Orton (who would make a kick ass team actually) pretty much relished in taking turns whooping Logan, starting off as essentially a handicap match, this soon came to a three way with the first pin attempt, as KO and Orton said, “ok shall we just do it now” and started fighting furiously. From here on this played out in gripping fashion, with all three looking on the verge of victory, none more so than Paul who used the trusty William Regal brass knuckles to knockout Orton, or so we thought, as he kicked out! Orton came back before mascot got involved, revealed to be video game streamer IShowSpeed (god knows who that is), who got in Orton’s face and the Viper unleashed hell! Hitting him with damn stiff RKO on the announce table! Back in the ring Owens nearly got the win with a pop up power bomb on Paul and stunner on Randy, before Randy countered the pop up power bomb into an RKO, in a beautiful counter but Logan tossed him out and got the win on a floored Owens with a frog splash. This was great, energetic and all three men worked superbly together.

13. WWE Women’s Championship Match

Bayley vs. Iyo Sky (c)

Bayley came out with a re-jigged theme and an ancient Egypt themed entrance that was rather unexpected, ready for this big match and moment for her. And this match thankfully delivered on a personal feud, as Bayley and Iyo Sky made great use of their fifteen minutes here and delivered a well-wrestled match, that saw the champion look excellent and the challenger really work her way back to former glory against her best friend turned bitter enemy. In a great closing sequence Sky forward somersaulted out of a Rose Plant before Bayley caught her with a Back Suplex and Top Rope Elbow, hitting a sickeningly sold Rose Plant for the pinfall win. This was a feel good win and long time coming return to the title picture for Bayley and the crowd was really into this excellent match and story but absolutely popped for the finish. More darn good stuff on this blinding Night 2.

The Philadelphia Eagles cheerleaders and Snoop Dogg announce Night Two’s attendance of 72,755, and a two day total of 145,298. Though I recall Snoop Dogg saying a different number, too much Gin & Juice perhaps!!

Bloodline Rules Match for the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship

Roman Reigns (c) w/ Paul Heyman vs. Cody Rhodes

Talk about a big fight feel, we arrive at the main event. Bloodline Rules. A story over a year in the making and a story aiming to be finished that was in the making for Cody’s whole life and career. Both men were given fantastic entrances. Cody entered with wife Brandi, wearing a skull mask to match his American Nightmare logo (more great mask work by Jason Baker), while Roman made his entrance with a live orchestra. And we were away and despite promising early to lean into the hardcore-nature of the rules, with a table tease and some kendo stick shots, and a small arena brawl (evoking the Night One tag match stuff), the action soon went back to the ring, and frankly the in-ring work was greater than anything else. This main event escalated and escalated, with Roman’s taunting and joking soon turning to rattled surprise, then desperation, while Cody kept surviving his best shots, just as Roman pulled through his. We were building to big stuff after the Spear and Cross Rhodes kick-outs, but frankly none of us could ever fathom just how big this would get. 

Walking a fine line between spectacle and overbooking, this match was a testament to pro wrestling, the power of storytelling and the grand history of WrestleMania. And after a table spot and Spear/Cross Rhodes, ‘ol sneakers came out, as Jimmy Uso interfered with a superkick, but no sooner than that out came Jey, and the two fought up the ramp, taking each other out with a tumble off the stage. This spot was better than their whole match the night before. What followed was perhaps one of the greatest 15-minute match sequences in WrestleMania. Reigns almost got the win off that distraction but Cody endured, as Solo Sikoa came out repeating the closing sequence from last year but this time Cody kicked out, they even double-teamed but again Cody would not die. And then John Cena’s music hit, as he evened the playing field, hitting Reigns with an Attitude Adjustment, and putting the man (who took him out at Crown Jewel) Solo through the announce table with one too. 

And then, “If Ya Smell” filled the airwaves, out came The Rock, who had a hair raising stare down with Cena, levelling him with the Rock Bottom. Getting ready to lash Cody with that “Mama Rhodes” weight belt again, in front of Mrs. Rhodes again, suddenly The Shield’s theme kicked in, now I can’t be the only one that thought a certain someone was coming for a split second (as illogical as that was), but as Rock looked round, out came Rollins with a chair in Shield attire and dyed blonde hair (the dedication man! He has been tremendously invested all weekend here. A true asset to this company.) but before he could nail The Rock, an exhausted Roman hit a Superman Punch to take him out and himself too. As everyone was down, The Rock looked to get back to business with that belt before – GONG. Lights out, crowd erupted. Seriously the pop was deafening. Cole even shouted “holy christ”. Lights back and the freaking Undertaker is here!! The Rock turns round and is face to face with The Deadman, who hits a choekeslam on The final Boss to show him who the REAL final boss is, especially at WrestleMania! Lights went out again and when they came back on, both guys were gone. This moment lifted me from my chair at home, what a nod to the year’s of history between Taker and generation’s of this family from Yokozuna to The Rock to Roman himself. In fact Taker and Rock are the only two guys to main event WrestleMania in four different decades we were told on Night One. What a feat. 

Anyway, Taker levelled the match, but Reigns now had the chair, and so faced a choice. Both Seth was struggling to his feet, as was Cody. Did Roman potentially win the match outright and hit Cody, or did he repay Seth for that chairshot Shield betrayal ten years ago. Well, he made his choice, he whacked Rollins, and in doing so left himself open to having his Spear countered and being hit with three straight Cross Rhodes’ for the historic win. This was absolutely incredible. So many years of storytelling (both longterm and short) finalised but that final moment especially was so well told. In repaying an act of betrayal Roman has never been able to let go of, he cost himself the chance to attain his own victory. Seth said at the beginning of this build up he was specifically suited to be Cody’s Shield and on this night, he literally was. Perfectly written and even better delivered.

Blinding storytelling throughout, that just made this match so much more special. As a match it was fantastic and surpassed last year, but as a piece of generationally layered in-ring storytelling, this was phenomenal. Reigns’ legendary modern era title reign was over, the story was finished and Cody Rhodes went from undesirable to undeniable to undisputed. After the match, in a moment befitting of the occasion, Cody was joined by many stars like LA Knight, CM Punk, John Cena and so many more, as Rollins shook hands with Cody knowing he had lost so much but helped initiate the change and a new era was truly upon us, as Rhodes even hugged an emotional Michael Cole. And Samantha Irvin fought back the tears as she announced Rhodes as the winner. Other WWE executives and guests came out, including Triple H who joined Cody in the ring, as did his family to close out an emotional evening of exceptional WrestleMania action. What. A. Moment! 

Overall, WrestleMania XL Night One was messy in parts but enjoyable overall but WrestleMania XL Night Two was unprecedented entertainment. Top to bottom the card was a 5-star affair, recalling the likes of WrestleMania 31 in its all roundedness. This night truly felt like the start of a new era in WWE and had the WrestleMania magic in buckets. Mesmerising, with a main event that rewarded fans old and new like, feeling like WWE’s answer to the portals sequence in Avengers Endgame. There are so many things that can come next, and I look forward to seeing it play out.

So there we have it, WrestleMania XL! Had it not been for a few big – predominantly Night One – setbacks (a real letdown of an Usos match, some filler that did only their job and little more, and some heavy handed jarring promotion at points over the weekend), this year’s WrestleMania would have been flawless. Yet, it was still extremely brilliant overall, with the select flaws of Night One not derailing things after a magical Night Two, in fact Night Two delivered so much, that it actually made some elements of the first night (like the tag match main event) even better. Finally a Night Two has surpassed, a Night One, and through any major ups and minor downs, this is a weekend we won’t soon forget, and a Sunday we frankly never will.  

Next up, we will head to Lyon, France for WWE Backlash, it has some big shoes to fill. Though Backlash traditionally has often delivered.