WWE is the biggest pro wrestling organization in the world.Their yearly big hurrah “Wrestlemania” outperforms all competition in showmanship. The 39th consecutive Wrestlmania, held in the Sofi Stadium on April 1-2, boasted many ups and downs over its two night card. Did the show deliver on its high expectations?

Night one opened with a battle between John Cena and reigning United States champion Austin Theory. The build to this match was Austin Theory arrogantly claiming he would be the next John Cena, and the now part-timer, John Cena, returned with hopes to put the young rising star in his place. The match, while entertaining, did not live up to the expected quality that the face of the WWE is known for. It ended with the younger Austin Theory retaining, which was the expected outcome, and was a decent appetizer for the matches to come. 

Afterward, was the faster paced match between teams “the Street Profits,” the “Viking Raiders,” “Alpha Academy,” and the duo of Braun Strowman and Ricochet. The match would be a short,exciting, intense, chaotic, bouncing off the wall action that was needed after the much more slow paced curtain jerker before it. 

Grudge match between Seth Rollins and celebrity rookie Logan Paul also stunned fans with its high pace and energetic action. The social media star has continued to prove himself in his matches. Although he lost the match, it remained a show highlight.

We also saw a matchup between a rebellious son, Dominick Mysterio, and his hall of fame inductee father, Rey Mysterio. The rivalry, with Dominick betraying his father to join faction “The Judgement Day” last year, was an intense one. Dominick had even brought his mother and sister into the family quarrel, arguing with them as they sat ringside. Rey, known for his high flying lucha-libre style, bested his son, much to the joy of fans who had watched him berate his father in the weeks beforehand. 

Another member of the Judgement Day stable, Rhea Ripley, would see time under the lights where she battled reigning Smackdown women’s champion, Charlotte Flair. This match was by far the best technical match of the night, showcasing both of the womens’ intensity and grit. At one time it was a technical fight, while at another it was a plain,simple brawl. The brutal matchup would end with Rhea the victor, becoming the first to hold every woman’s championship that WWE has to offer. 

The main event of night one would see tag team Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn face off against the undisputed tag team champions the Usos, representing the faction “The Bloodline”. Sami, a fan favorite, was a part of The Bloodline faction, but betrayed them to aid his real longtime friend Kevin Owens. This match was the culmination of a year long tension and buildup that would end with the feel good moment of Kevin and Sami standing tall, ending one of the longest tag team championship reigns the WWE has seen. 

Night two continued with the highlights. Triple threat match between Intercontinental Champion Gunther and frenemies Sheamus and Drew Mcintyre showcased sheer barbarism and bare-knuckle fighting that all three are known for. Sheamus and Gunther had fought before, and resulted in the match of the year in 2022, therefore, this match had high expectations and it  delivered. Beaten and battered, it would end with Gunther, one of the longest reigning Intercontinental Champions, standing tall once again. 

However, night two had more low-lights than night one. Many matches were fraught with injury and had to be cut short. Four out of the seven matches, including a surprise match between Shane McMahon and The Miz, would see injuries that resulted in them ending prematurely. This  required the show host, Snoop Dogg,to step in after McMahon tore his quad all of 10 seconds into his fight. However, Snoop took his place in an admittedly entertaining moment and salvaged what he could. 

Celebrity involvement has always been an aspect of Wrestlmania. In fact, one night football players Pat McCafey and George Kittle would dispatch the Miz during the  surprise match up. In addition, the host Snoop Dogg would make appearances throughout the event. 

The main event, seeing the leader of The Bloodline, nearly 3 year reigning undisputed champion Roman Reigns fighting the returning Cody Rhodes was a battle for the ages. The storytelling, technical wrestling, and drama were all expertly crafted. Roman would walk out continuing his historic reign after an interference would cost Cody the victory. This does set up a rematch in the near future. 

All in all, celebrity involvement, injuries, and nonstop action made this year’s Wrestlemania the biggest of all time. Highest grossing, most watched, and was branded as the “most successful,” despite its equal share of low-lights. As insane as it was at times, it was definitely one to remember for both hardcore WWE fans and average viewers.