Wrestlemania XXI Re-Do Review

Wrestlemania XXI Re-Do Review



I've always thought this this was one of the better Wrestlemania shows. Let's see if I still keep that opinion. (By the way, I cannot wait to watch HBK/Angle again! Seems like ages have passed since I last watched it) Alright let's get started. I hope you know the drill by now.





Lillian Garcia does another fantastic job of America the Beautiful .


(As usual she kills it. Might be her best performance of the song actually)


The movie parodies by the superstars are shown . I hope they can do this again , as it was done brilliantly in my opinion . They show the Stone Cold Steve Austin one in full . This one was pretty good . Here we go !


(Yeah just about all of them were really enjoyable. Loved the Booker T/Eddie Guerrero Pulp Fiction parody and the Basic Instinct parody as well)


Eddie Guerrero vs Rey Mysterio
These guys always had amazing matches together . This was no different . What a way to open up a Wrestlemania . They were tag team champions at the time and this was to prove who was better . The crowd applauds the great start to the match . Good to see there is a great , respectful crowd tonight . Amazing corkscrew crossbody to Eddie on the outside . What a match this has been . Mysterio gets the 3-count out of nowhere with a hurricarana . Great opener for 'Mania . ***1/2


(I've noticed that I always say the same thing with Eddie/Rey matches: I always mention their other great matches. Need to stop doing that. Anyway this was a great choice for the opener and probably the best choice. I think they were going for a repeat of the Halloween Havoc classic, but thanks to Rey's malfunctioning mask, they weren't able to do that. That doesn't stop it from being a great match though. It had it's slow moments, but it also has it's great moments. The great thing is that they both looked equal during the contest, and it took a lucky pin for Mysterio to get the victory, thus continuing their feud. Still  ***1/2 to me)




Money In The Bank
The first ever MITB match . And we've had so many great ones since this one , but none have had the same impact or have been as good as this one . Can't beat the original . Kane enters but all the other participants come out to attack him . Kane takes out just about everyone with a flying clothesline to the outside . Benoit gives Jericho a german suplex while holding a ladder ! Kane attempts to break Benoit's arm . E&C team up once again . So many great moments in this match . I won't try and list them all . T-Bone off the ladder ! Shelton runs up a ladder and clothelines Jericho ! Absolutely amazing . Benoit diving headbutt from a ladder ! Edge takes advantage of Benoit's injured arm and takes the briefcase . What a classic . ****1/2


(It could be argued that this match is just as innovative as the TLC matches that came before it, as the MITB is one of the most anticipated shows/matches of the year due to their excitement and unpredictability. This is still the best of the bunch in my opinion. Everyone brought something to this match, whether it be Shelton's crazy spots or Benoit's arm psychology. Maybe there should be another MITB with just six guys. Anyway it's still a classic ladder match and a classic Mania match to boot. Raising this rating to  ****3/4)



Eugene comes out . Well this can't be good . Mohammed Hassan comes out to attack Eugene . Out comes Hulk Hogan to protect America from evil foreigners . Hogan cleans house and everything is once again good in the world .


(Only just realised his name is spelt 'Muhammed'. My bad. Anyway the Eugene stuff sucks, but it was cool to see Hulk Hogan, even if soon after this he would continue his burying spree. Although that also led to a very good HBK/Hogan match at Summerslam. Nice cool down after the awesome ladder match. 


Undertaker vs Randy Orton
I believe this was the first time the Streak was really referenced . Thankfully they turned Orton heel again because his babyface thing sucked . This match was pretty good though . Druids surround the ring . Undertaker floats down to the arena . Orton is looking impressive in this match . The ref gets knocked out , and Bob Orton interferes to hit Taker with the cast . Only a 2 ! Orton turns a chokeslam into an RKO ! Again only a 2 ! Taker tombstones Orton to pick up the win and go 13-0 . Great match . ***1/2


(This is quite the under-appreciated match in my opinion. It seems forgotten among the Undertaker's Mania classics. It's not as good as them, but it still deserves a mention. It's actually quite historical, since it was the first match that used The Streak as part of the storyline and, obviously, it's been used a lot since then and has become bigger than any title in the company. At the time, this was Taker's best match since his WWE Title match with Kurt Angle in 2003. Still a great match with a great finish and I'm keeping the rating at  ***1/2)



Trish Stratus vs Christy Hemme
Wasn't Lita healthy enough to wrestle here ? If she was this could have been the best Wrestlemania ever . Instead we get this . At least Christy's great to look at . Well this is pretty sloppy . By ' this '  i mean Hemme . Trish wins with the Chick kick . 1/2*


(Christy definitely wasn't ready for a match this big yet. I think it was originally meant to be Lita because they'd been building it for a while, but she was injured. Christy was great to look at at least. Trish definitely carried this one. Keeping this at  1/2*. At least Trish would have a much better match the next year)


Shawn Michaels vs Kurt Angle
This is a huge dream match . It was expected to deliver a great match , but gave us much more . Here we go ! These guys stare each other down , in what is a true Wrestlemania moment . The idiotic ' You screwed Bret' chants start . Amazing mat wrestling at the start with dueling chants from the crowd . Both guys get into a fist fight . HBK takes an angle slam into the ring post . HBK gives Angle a crossbody but HBK's knee hit Angle in the face . HBK leaps from the ring to Angle on the announce table ! Unbelievable . Angle bleeding from the mouth . Sweet chin music turned into an angle lock ! Everyone is on their feet . Angle slam off the top ! Only 2 ! Sweet Chin music ! A 2 count ! Angle lock ! Shawn taps . An absolute classic . *****


(When thinking about this match, I started thinking that maybe it wasn't the five star classic I remembered. After watching it again today, I call myself an idiot for even daring to think that. Still the absolute classic match I remember. Nothing much else to say, as everything good under the sun has been said about this contest, much like the HBK/Taker match from Mania 25. Match of the Night, and that's saying something with the MITB being a near five star clash. Without a doubt, still  *****)


(I think I need a fifteen minute breather after that one. Just wow)



Piper's Pit now . Piper calls Stone Cold a rebel and then calls it bullshit . Austin comes down and Piper slaps him in the face . Austin slaps back . They have a good back & forth conversation . Carlito comes down for some reason . Piper and Austin take out Carlito . Austin stuns Piper and leaves . Fun little segment


(I used to think that there was no point for this to be on a Mania card, but now I realise that it was just to give the whole crowd one big breather)


The Big Show vs Akebono : Sumo Match
This was pretty unique but i'll give it a DUD .

(Yep still a DUD. It only really served as ammunition for Cody Rhodes seven years later)



John Cena vs JBL
This match wasn't very good but it is historical . This was Cena's first WWE Championship win and would go on to win around 10 more . This was a lot like the Cena/Big Show opener from WM 20 . I think people were expecting a bit more from it though . It's been all JBL so far . Finally Cena gets his offence in . Cena gets the win with the F-U . I'll give it *1/4 . A great moment .


(Yes the match pretty sucked, but it FINALLY got the Title off of JBL after what felt like an eternity of a title reign. Most of all it led to the huge rise of the future Superman and Cenation leader, John Cena. While it was a bad match, so was Hogan/Andre, but both have big reasons to be known as historical contests. Obviously Hogan/Andre was much better but you know what I mean. JBL being on offense most of the match was just boring, but Cena getting the win at the end is the only interesting part. Lowering it to  *)



The 2005 Hall of Fame is shown . A great class here with Paul Orndorff , Hulk Hogan , Roddy Piper , Bob Orton ,Jimmy Hart , Nikolai Volkoff and The Iron Sheik . Got to give it Bob for continuing to sell his bruises from earlier .

Batista vs Triple H
This is the same as the last match , in that it is important historically . Although this is the better match and the better storyline with Evolution imploding . Motorhead are here to play HHH to the ring . I think Lemmy may have forgotten the words . Here we go . The main event of a fantastic Wrestlemania . Overall i'll give the match **3/4 .


(Quite an anti-climactic match, but like the previous match, it made a rising star out of Batista. At least this match was better than the WWE Title match. Still got the same opinion on this one and keeping it at  **3/4)


8.5/10 . This was a fantastic event that just didn't end very well . Watch for 2 great matches , 1 amazing match and 1 absolute classic . Highly recommended .



(Yeah still keeping this at 8.5/10. Could have been one of the best ever had the World Championship matches delivered. The sumo and divas match don't help either. But fantastic MITB match, a five star classic in HBK/Angle, two great matches in Eddie/Rey and Orton/Taker, and the rise of two future stars in John Cena and Batista. Still a highly recommended show in my eyes)