In our second ‘In Review’ we look at WrestleMania 21: Goes Hollywood. Yes, this year WWE is going Hollywood again but let’s look back at the original that was a night of barnburner matches and some questionable choices. You can find Craig’s ‘In Review’ of WrestleMania 2000 here.
WrestleMania 21: In Review
We are going to Hollywood tonight for WrestleMania 21, which includes a very funny video package of the stars of WWE taking on some of the most well-known movies. It’s great but let’s get down to the matches at the show of the immortals.
In the first match, we see Eddie Guerrero and Rey Mysterio face off, they are the tag team champions at this time but this is a competition between two friends who love to fight. These two have a lot of history and it shows in the way the two counter one another. A great opening match that will sow the seeds for their SummerSlam match later on in the year. [5/5]
Next up is the Money in the Bank match which includes Chris Jericho, Chris Benoit, Christian, Shelton Benjamin, who is the IC champion, Edge and Kane. This match is full of some great spots and with these six in the ring you know it’s going to be a fantastic ladder match. This is a star-making performance for Shelton Benjamin who always delivers in these high-energy matches, maybe he should have won here but he doesn’t. This is the year Edge wins the Money In The Bank briefcase. [4.5/5]
Randy Orton looks to defeat The Undertaker’s streak but will he do it? This was Orton’s Legend Killer run, which was amazing, this is the version of him I personally really love, it’s him at his most brutal and statistic, at this point. He does get darker later on in his career but this era of Orton is still spoken about to this day. It’s a bit of a slog and that’s not all on Orton, The Undertaker, for me, has always been more about his look than his in-ring work. It’s not the best. [3/5]
Trish Stratus Vs Christy Hamme only gets four minutes, four minutes for a women’s match and to be honest, it’s the most this division seems to get for a long time. Oh let me also add that this is also for the Woman’s Championship. This also feels like the transition back into just something to look at, I always think about how Lita and Trish elevated the division to the main event of RAW and how it all disappeared once they were gone. [1/5]
Kurt Angle Vs Shawn Michels is the pallet cleanser we need after that disastrous Women’s Championship match and oh it goes above and beyond to make you forget about the two matches that came before. It was always bound to deliver when you have such incredible athletes inside the squared circle like Kurt Angle and Shawn Michels. It is just a masterclass and low-key one of the best matches in WrestleMania history. [5/5]
Do you need a laugh and some second-hand embarrassment before the last two matches of the night? You do, well let me present to you Akebono Vs Big Show. It’s wild and weird but also really strangely entertaining while giving a huge platform to Sumo Wrestling. [1.5/5]
John Cena Vs JBL is for the WWE World Championship and it is really good. I know a lot of people don’t rate JBL and his title reign but it might just be one of the best runs of his career, character and match-wise. Only second, in my opinion, to his run as Bradshaw in the APA. If you like strong hard hitting brawls with great technical prowess and a hint of entertainment this is the match for you. Oh and the strength of Cena with his crowning moment. This was definitely his time. [5/5]
The storyline between Batista and Triple H was a masterclass in what pro wrestling or ‘sports entertainment’ could be. It’s one of the hottest feuds coming into this year’s event, as it should be it’s the main event for the World Heavyweight Championship and Batista won the Royal Rumble, but can it outshine JBL Vs John Cena? It tries and really rivals the last match, but for me, I preferred the former. But let’s talk about this match, it’s hard-hitting and brutal, full of blood and interference from the dirtiest player in the game, Ric Flair, but all of that was no match for Batista and his crowning moment. [4.75/5]
Match of the Night: Eddie Guerrero and Rey Mysterio | Kurt Angle Vs Shawn Michels | John Cena Vs JBL
Match To Avoid: Trish Stratus Vs Christy Hamme
Score: 29.75/40
