WWE WrestleMania 33: Match Performance Evaluations

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United States Title Match: Chris Jericho (c) vs Kevin Owens

Yes, everyone knew this match would be good.  And yes, there are a ton of rumors out there that Jericho will be taking an extended absence after Mania so the result of the match was never really in doubt.  But the fact is, is that Owens and Jericho still needed to go out there and get the job done.  And that they did, in a major way.

There aren’t too many guys in the company who are as good portraying their emotions inside the ring like these two.  This very quickly turned into a bitter, personal feud between two former friends who both felt they were wronged by the other.  The narrative shined through exponentially Sunday night, as the two men tore through each other with reckless abandon and sheer disregard for their own safety.  It was a beautiful blend of mat wrestling mixed with unadulterated hatred that played out like a movie script over the course of 16-plus minutes.

In the end, it was Owens with the belt and now a Triple Crown winner just like Jericho, his former best friend.  The ending was done right too.  A clean pin from “KO” that still leaves the door open for these two to mix it up again when “Y2J” returns.  Great, great stuff from two guys who probably should’ve been battling for a world championship as opposed to a secondary one.

Verdict: Exceeded Expectations