WWE WrestleMania 21 (April 2005)

Original Airdate: April 3, 2005

From Los Angeles, California; Your Hosts are Jim Ross, Jerry Lawler, Michael Cole, and Tazz

Opening Match: Eddie Guerrero v Rey Mysterio: Rey and Eddie are co-holders of the WWE Tag Team Title here. Rey's mask seems ill-fitting right from the get-go, which will become important later. Eddie controls with a headlock and an armbar, so Rey starts flip flopping to escape, and shoulderblocks his partner down for two - only to run into a crisp armdrag into an armbar. Test-of-strength goes Eddie's way, so Rey monkeyflips his way into a victory roll for two - only to get sent to the floor with a slingshot, in a crazy bump. Rey avoids a dive and takes the high ground back inside of the ring, and a criss cross ends in Mysterio sending him flying with a monkeyflip, but a charge getting him backdropped over the top - this time Guerrero able to land the dive. Inside, it gets two, and Eddie grounds him with a bow-and-arrow. Rey fights up, so Eddie blocks the escape with a side suplex for two, then grounds him again with a sloppy surfboard, as Rey starts to have mask troubles. STF follows, as the crowd starts to get a bit restless with all the mat work. Rey speeds things up by escaping with an armdrag to put Guerrero on the floor, and he follows with a baseball slide to setup a corkscrew plancha. Springboard seated senton on the way back in builds momentum, so Eddie cuts him off with a backelbow, and adds the three-alarm rolling vertical suplex - Rey countering into a cradle after the first alarm, all while desperately fighting to keep his mask on. Guerrero punishes him with a modified backbreaker for two, then delivers another two alarms of the suplex, but a death valley driver gets countered into the 619 - Eddie countering back into a tilt-a-whirl backbreaker for two. More rolling vertical suplexes set up the Frogsplash, but Rey rolls out of the way at the very last possible second, and hooks a magistral cradle for two - reversed by Eddie for two. Rey keeps coming with the 619 to setup the West Coast Pop, but Eddie's ready with a powerbomb for two. Finish comes out of nowhere from there, as Eddie tries another tilt-a-whirl, but gets countered with a rana into a cradle at 12:39. Yeah, so, pretty much everyone (including Rey and Eddie) was disappointed with this one back in 2005, and while it certainly fell well below expectations, it was still a fast, crisp, well worked match. And while it's easy to blame it on Mysterio's mask troubles throughout, honestly, they just didn't look like they were feeling it out there, and even if the mask was a perfect fit, I doubt this would have lived up to the expectations people had for this going in. ** ½

Money in the Bank Ladder Match: Edge v Chris Jericho v Christian v Shelton Benjamin v Kane v Chris Benoit: And yes, this is the very first ever Money in the Bank match, which along with Elimination Chamber, is one of the few gimmick matches created over the last fifteen years of any lasting significance. Everyone attack's Kane in the aisle during his entrance, but he easily fights all five guys off. He heads to the ring for a ladder, but gets overwhelmed fighting a five front war, and suplexed on the floor by Benjamin and Benoit. Christian seizes the opportunity to go for a ladder himself, but gets it seesawed into his face by Jericho, and Chris follows up by bulldogging Shelton, then springboard dropkicking Benoit to the floor, followed with a plancha on Edge. Christian dog piles onto them with a springboard bodypress, followed by Shelton adding a somersault plancha, and Kane joining the party with a flying clothesline onto everyone to complete the dog pile sequence. Kane brings a ladder in, so everyone dives at him from the top rope, but get swatted out of the air with the ladder - until Jericho is able to missile dropkick it away from him. He uses the ladder to repel Edge and Shelton, but gets grabbed from behind with a release German suplex from Benoit before he can climb. Benoit climbs, so Kane goes to chokeslam him down off the ladder, but Benoit counters into the Crippler Crossface. Edge breaks it up, so Benoit slaps one on him instead, but Kane saves, and destroys Benoit's arm with the ladder to try and neutralize the hold for the future. Edge shows his appreciation by spearing Kane, as Christian joins us with a second ladder to conchairto Kane with. The reunion is busted up with a springboard clothesline from Shelton, and he flapjacks Edge onto a ladder, followed by a cross corner splash against the ladder to put Edge on the floor. Shelton climbs, but is met atop the ladder by Jericho, but additional ladders are set up, and the sequence ends with five guys (all but Kane) slugging it out at the top of the ladders until everyone ends up down via various forms of ladder modified finishers. Jericho gets the best of it, and climbs, but gets knocked down by Shelton in an awesome spot that sees Benjamin run up a second ladder that's leaned up against the one Jericho is climbing, and clothesline him off. That was some Casino Royale shit right there. Shelton climbs, so Christian strips it down and simply uses a second ladder to knock him off, but Kane shows up to kill them both anyway. That brings Tyson Tomko in to big boot Kane and try and help Christian up the ladder, but Kane puts a stop to it, and tips the ladder over - Christian falling all the way to the floor off of it. Kane climbs, but Jericho meets him at the top for a slugfest, and both guys go crashing down as a result. Benoit's back with his own ladder to hit an insane flying headbutt onto Kane off of, that ends up busting him over hard way in the process. That was cringe worthy then, and significantly moreso now. Benoit climbs (making sure to sell the arm all the while), but Kane follows him up the ladder, so Benoit knocks him off with a series of headbutts - in a spot that Daniel Bryan would lift at WrestleMania 31. Unfortunately for him, no one wins with a headbutt, and Edge shoves him off the ladder, then grabs the briefcase for the win at 15:20. Man, that's 3-0 in WrestleMania ladder matches for him. Crazy fun spotfest here, with no downtime, lots of eye-popping spots, and which got one of the only original gimmick matches from this era off to a strong start. ****

The Undertaker v Randy Orton: We're already over an hour into this show, and only two matches deep. Randy sticks and moves in the early going, but gets caught in a standing side-headlock by EmoTaker. Orton escapes with a nice dropkick for two, and he backdrops him, but loses a criss cross to a closed fist. Undertaker unloads in the corner, but misses a charge, and gets schoolboyed for two. RKO, but Undertaker blocks by dropping him over the top to the floor, then hits a guillotine legdrop across the apron. Back in, Undertaker hits a sloppy ropewalk forearm (looked to be Randy's fault there), but misses a cross corner big boot, and Orton dropkicks him into the rail. In, Randy goes to work with some closed fists of his own, and hits a lariat for two, but gets caught with a jumping DDT for two. Undertaker with a sidewalk slam for two, and the snake-eyes set up a big boot, but Randy blocks with a backelbow for two. Nice sequence there. The resulting slugfest goes Undertaker's way with a clothesline for two, and he slaps on a dragon sleeper that looks super awkward coming from him. Like, his execution keeps making you think he's setting up an impact move, which never comes. Randy escapes, and grabs a chinlock (which the announcers keep referring to as a 'rear naked choke,' illustrating the influence UFCs surging popularity was having at the time), but Undertaker side suplexes his way out, and big boots him. Randy turns the tide with a quick powerslam for two, but stupidly tries a ten-punch in the corner, which is predictably countered into the Last Ride. Orton counters back to the RKO, but Undertaker counters again back to the Ride, so Randy's dad Bob Orton runs in and nails Undertaker with his (still) cast-covered arm. Wow, he should really see a doctor. It gets a dramatic two count, so Bob tries again, but this time Undertaker reverses Randy into it. Chokeslam, but Randy counters into the RKO for another dramatic two count. Randy decides to get cute and finish him with a Tombstone, but he can barely lift Undertaker up for it, and gets reversed for the pin at 14:16 – making Undertaker 13-0 at WrestleMania. Not a great match by any means, but they did a terrific job of building drama for the near falls, and the crowd was totally buying into it. And that's all you need, really. * ½  

WWE Women's Title Match: Trish Stratus v Christy Hemme: Trish's suspender outfit is a nice thing. She offers Hemme a free cover at the bell, but Christy is too smart to try it, so Trish responds by blitzing her both inside and outside the ring. Chick Kick, but Hemme blocks with a punt to the vag (Cunt Kick?) for two. Trish shrugs her off, but gets distracted jawing with Lita on the floor, and cradled for two. Trish shrugs her off again with a spear, and stops to get physical with Lita, so Christy schoolgirls her for two. This time she's able to mount some offense with a series of kicks and turnbuckle smashes, followed by the Twist of Fate for two. Rollup gets two, but Trish is sick of her, and kills her with the Chick Kick out of nowhere to retain at 4:43. I've seen better matches on Total Divas. Not good, but quick. ¼*

Shawn Michaels v Kurt Angle: This one, on the other hand, should be very good, and hopefully not too quick. I believe this is also the official switch to Shawn's ugly leather pants getup, as opposed to the infinitely superior broken heart tights. Intense start with both guys staring each other down, so Shawn breaks the tension by slapping him across the face. That earns him some schooling on the mat, until he hides in the ropes to get away from a rabid Angle. Shawn's 'okay, you're pretty good,' expression on the break is a thing of beauty. With Kurt calmed a bit, Shawn is able to take him down in a side-headlock, and works a few pinfall attempts with it, as he tenaciously fights Angle's escape attempts off. Kurt's finally able to escape by using the ropes, and tries a waistlock, but Shawn reverses, then shifts right back into the headlock. Annoyed and frustrated, Kurt goes for the hair to escape, but loses a criss cross to a hiptoss, and Shawn grounds him again with a short-armscissors. Give it to 'em, they're getting this mat stuff over really well for a modern audience. Kurt powers out of the hold, so Shawn throws a sunset flip for two, followed by a backslide for two. That disorients Kurt enough that Shawn can reapply the mat-based headlock, so Kurt starts throwing closed fists to escape, but Michaels doesn't back down - responding in kind. The referee is eventually forced to physically intervene, which allows Angle to take a cheap shot with a forearm to the back of the head, and he immediately capitalizes with the Anklelock! It's early enough into the match that Shawn is able to shake him off, and a Cactus clothesline puts them both on the outside. Kurt tries a vertical suplex through the announce table out there, but Shawn blocks, so Angle changes gears and delivers a brutal Olympic Slam INTO the post instead. Nasty! Kurt goes right after the back, and inside he snap suplexes Michaels for a pair of two counts. Love it when guys go for multiple pin attempts like that! Kurt slaps on a bodyscissors next, but Shawn won't give, so Angle cross corner whips him to setup a pair of release overhead suplexes for two. Onto a reverse chinlock to keep after the back, but Shawn chops his way free to trigger a slugfest. Once again, HBK makes the mistake of disrespecting Kurt with a slap, however, and Angle kills him with a lariat for two, then punishes him with European uppercuts in the corner before trying an overhead superplex - blocked by Michaels into a flying elbowdrop, which Kurt dodges! Angle pulls down the straps as he tries another Olympic Slam, but Shawn counters with an armdrag, and backdrops baldie over the top, then follows him out with a flying bodypress. Shawn tries a moonsault off of the apron next, but Kurt is right on his ass - literally - with an attempt to German suplex him off the apron. Michaels is able to utilize a mulekick to block, and he follows with a springboard bodypress onto the announce table - which fails to break. Well, Shawn weighed about the equivalent of a quarter of a chicken here, so that's not all that surprising. Both guys are bleeding from the mouth hard way at this point, but both manage to beat the count back in for a slugfest - won by Shawn with a diving forearm. Inverted atomic drop and a bodyslam setup a flying elbowdrop, but the Superkick is countered into another Anklelock. Shawn tries the same counter he used to escape earlier, but Kurt has learned from it, and keeps the hold firmly applied. Kurt's bleeding from the mouth at this point adds a nice visual touch, giving him the appearance of a rabid dog foaming at the mouth as he tries to break Shawn's leg. Michaels makes the ropes, so Kurt tries another Olympic Slam, but Shawn counters with a sunset flip, so Kurt counters right back to the Anklelock again! Great sequence! Shawn counters into a victory cradle for two, and tries for the Superkick, but gets countered into an Olympic Slam for two. This is edge of your seat stuff here, and the crowd is digging it! Kurt pulls his straps back up just so that he can have the pleasure of pulling them down again before trying for a rafter-kissing flying moonsault - only for Shawn to roll out of the way. Shawn tries his own high risk maneuver, but he takes too long scaling the ropes, and Kurt pops up with an Olympic SuperSlam for two. Kurt's good an pissed now, but as he barks threats at Michaels, he's left stunned with a Superkick out of nowhere. Shawn's still battered though, and by the time he can cover it's only worth a super-close two. As Shawn pulls himself off of Kurt's carcass, Angle is able to grab him in another Anklelock - far away from the ropes. Shawn thrashes around as he tries to find a counter, but Kurt has it firmly applied. More thrashing puts him closer to the ropes, so Kurt drops down to grapevine the leg in the hold - wrenching it on until Shawn finally submits at 27:27. Wow, I'm pretty sure everyone thought the Money in the Bank match was stealing this show, but never count Shawn Michaels and Kurt Angle out of a show stealing race. Wonderful match, given plenty of time to tell their story, loaded with drama, loaded with crisp sequences, realistic, and keeping a breakneck pace for a full half hour - even during the mat stuff in the early going. Consider this show stolen. **** ¼

Sumo Match: Big Show v Akebono: The ropes have been removed for this. Lots of posturing and squaring off, until Akebono easily knocks him out of the circle at 1:03. This was fine, in a special attraction kind of way. Still, DUD

WWE Title Match: John Bradshaw Layfield v John Cena: Yes kids, Bradshaw once headlined a WrestleMania. Cena wins an early criss cross with a jumping shoulderblock, but misses a charge in the corner, and takes a shoulderblock from the champ. Bradshaw hammers him with forearms, and executes a pair of swinging neckbreakers for two. Slingshot across the middle rope knocks the wind out of John-boy, but he still manages to fight back through a slugfest, so Bradshaw drops him with a spinebuster for two. Straightjacket neckbreaker gets two, and a cross corner clothesline leads to a short-clothesline for two. This is really dull so far, and the crowd doesn't particularly care. But, it's a necessary booking evil, I suppose. Bradshaw with a sleeper, but Cena side suplexes his way out, so Bradshaw dumps him to the outside for another swinging neckbreaker - this time on the floor. Inside, that gets two. Why's Bradshaw rushing him back in, anyway? Go for the countout, champ! Bradshaw with a superplex for two, but a flying clothesline is countered with a powerslam. Cena mounts a comeback by throwing clotheslines, and a backdrop leads to a hiptoss. Modified side suplex sets up the Five Knuckle Shuffle, so Bradshaw desperately throws the Clothesline from Wall Street, but gets caught in the FU at 11:27. And that's how you know Bradshaw was finished as a character - not even being allowed a single finisher kickout in a WrestleMania main event might as well be a pink slip. As noted, the match was dull and basic, but was well booked to make Cena's big crowning moment seem as epic as possible with a boring incumbent champion. This is also the last appearance of the Undisputed belt design that originated in 2002, as Cena introduced the God awful Spinner the next week, which somehow lasted nearly a full decade before the Big Logo replaced it in 2013. *

Main Event: World Heavyweight Title Match: Triple H v Batista: Power showdown to start as they fight to a stalemate over a lockup. Batista overpowers him through a second lockup, so HHH tries a headlock, but gets knocked on his ass with a shoulderblock. Batista tries that again, but HHH reverses, and goes right for the Pedigree, but gets countered into a sloppy press-slam. Batista unloads in the corner, and hits a backdrop, but ends up on the floor after running into a high knee. Ric Flair distracts him out there to allow HHH to add a shot into the steps, and the champ adds a flying elbowdrop on the way back in. Hunter channels his inner Big Poppa Pump as he drops a few slow elbowdrops to the back while flexing, then goes back to form by using the knee to inflict some more damage to the back. Vertical suplex for two, and a backbreaker follows, as the pace slows down to what JR might call 'methodical.' Spinebuster is worth a series of three two counts, and a neckbreaker is worth two. Pedigree, but Batista counters with a backdrop, so HHH quickly cuts off the comeback with a kneeling facebuster for two. Flying axehandle, but Batista is ready with a clothesline to knock him out of the air, and he adds a sidewalk slam for two. Corner whip sends Hunter flying out over the top, but a whip into the steps out there is promptly reversed. Pedigree onto the steps, but again Batista is able to avoid it - this time with a slingshot into the post that busts the champ open. That sounded cooler in theory, as both guys' immense size made it look awkward. Batista bounces Hunter's head off the steps a few times before bringing it back in and working the cut with a series of closed fists. Batista with a front-powerslam for two, so Hunter bails for a chair, but the referee intervenes. That brings Flair in for a sneak attack, and while he runs into a spinebuster from the challenger, his sacrifice allows HHH to bash him with the title belt for two. No one was buying that as the finish. Batista keeps coming with a spinebuster to setup the Batista Bomb, so HHH goes low to block, but still can't execute the Pedigree - Batista countering again, this time with a backdrop driver. Batista Bomb finishes at 21:34. This was okay, but felt like every other pay per view main event, without much to really make it standout and feel unique. Still, solid for the most part, though Triple H trying to play Flair to Batista's Luger, while also trying to play the aggressor and the powerhouse hurt it a bit. * ¾

BUExperience: While not a contender for the greatest WrestleMania of all time, it’s a fun WrestleMania nonetheless, with two matches at four stars or higher, and lots of good energy throughout.

It’s also got a lot of historical significance going for it, with the first Money in the Bank match, Cena and Batista’s rise to the top of the card, and, for the first time in years, no big Golden Age stars like Hulk Hogan or Ric Flair wrestling, and no big Attitude Era stars like Steve Austin, The Rock, or Mick Foley wrestling – allowing this new crop of stars to carry the show on their own. Well, except for Triple H. But him we’ll never get rid of.

Had the two headlining matches been a bit stronger, this would likely be remembered as one of the all time great WrestleMania’s, but even as is it’s a card worthy of the biggest show of the year, and well worth checking out.

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