WWE WrestleMania: Comparing WrestleMania 30 vs. WrestleMania 31

Credit: WWE.com

Grading WrestleMania 31

Intercontinental Championship Ladder Match

This match included a lot of talent like Daniel Bryan, Dean Ambrose, Dolph Ziggler, Bad News Barrett, Luke Harper, R-Truth, and Stardust.  That is not the only reason why this match worked, it was also due to the number of entertaining spots throughout.

I sound like a hypocrite for loving this match, but hating other matches that have this many participants, but this match was just different.  It had a great mix of athleticism, strength, and brutality.

Ambrose took a cringe worthy bump when he was powerbombed out of the ring by Harper through a ladder while landing on his head and neck.  Thankfully Ambrose was okay, but effort and sacrifice to that extent deserves a tip of the cap.

Finally the end to the match saw heavy fan favorites Bryan and Ziggler in a head-butt contest at the top of the ladder that saw Bryan come out victorious and retrieve the championship.  A fast pace, heavy spot match is exactly what fans needed to get WrestleMania 31 started.

Rating 8/10

Randy Orton vs. Seth Rollins

This is the most prototypical Randy Orton match that I can think of.  It was a very clean match, that almost seemed effortless due to Orton’s great timing and positioning.

Sometimes Orton’s matches do not translate well to the WWE Universe because everything is just solid.  Rollins on the other hand was appearing in his first WrestleMania as a singles star, and gave the added athleticism that Orton needed to end the match with a bang.

As Rollins went for a second Curb Stomp, he was shot up into the air and dropped right into Orton’s arms for a match ending RKO.  This is definitely the most over the top finish I have seen to a match at WrestleMania, and because of it I’ll give an extra point boost to my grading of it.

Rating 7/10

Triple H vs. Sting

Remember my ridiculously high rating of The Rock, Stone Cold, and Hulk Hogan segment from WrestleMania 30?  I used a lot more of that criteria for this match, because Sting vs. Triple H was more about shock and nostalgia than it was about pure wrestling.

The hype was possibly bigger for this match than even the main event due to the impact of Sting’s arrival to WWE.  The Stinger was best known for his time in WCW, but was also known for competing almost everywhere except WWE.

The story between these two legends revolved around WWE and WCW, as well as both superstar’s signature weapons.  Both elements were brilliantly used to disguise the fact that one superstar was in his mid 40’s while the other in his mid 50’s.

The appearance of DX brought cheers, but then so did the appearance of the NWO.  Just when we thought all the surprise appearances were done it was Shawn Michaels who blindsided Sting with a Sweet Chin Music.

Ultimately the match came down to Triple H intercepting a Stinger Splash with the use of his sledge hammer.  The end of the match treated fans to a great moment when Triple H and Sting shook hands as the former WCW and WWE factions watched from opposing corners.

Sting vs. Triple H was the match for wrestling fan’s to put their harsh critiques away and get swept up in the 90’s nostalgia.

Rating 8/10

AJ Lee & Paige vs. The Bellas

An improvement from the previous year’s women’s match, while still before the Women’s Revolution this was a step in the right direction.  On one hand AJ Lee and Paige represented the new direction women’s wrestling was headed, while The Bellas represented a bit more of the older WWE model of female superstars.

In reality these were four of the most deserving women to earn the WrestleMania spot.  The women’s division which was still referred to as the “Diva’s division” was not given the proper time for this match to be a huge success.

The Bellas displayed heel tactics throughout, but in the end AJ would secure the submission victory with the Black Widow.  I wish there was more to comment on, but this is why what is going on currently in the women’s division is so important.

Overall the lack of congestion, and increase in storyline leading into this match was why I doubled the score from the year prior’s match.

Rating 5/10

John Cena vs. Rusev

A classic American vs. insert country name here match.  What was interesting was WWE thought that Rusev being from Bulgaria was not considered “evil” enough, so of course they turned him Russian.

Not only have we seen this story before in Rocky 4, but pretty much over and over with Hulk Hogan and a number of “foreign bad guys”.  The idea to this feud was silly and outdated as the Cold War had been over for decades.

The match itself had ups and downs.  Both superstars have muscular physiques and explosive moves, but in this instance were unable to wrestle a consistently fast paced match.

The best way to describe this match is the moves were like a pull back toy car.  There were moves that were explosive similar to how a pull back car shoots forward when you set it on the ground, but then it stops and you have to pull the car back again.  That is how this match was, explosive move, and stop.

This match told a basic story, but couldn’t seem to ever get into a high gear, but it did have arguably the biggest draw on the show involved in Cena.

Rating 5.5/10

 Ronda Rousey Helps The Rock

Following a handshake displaying Triple H’s respect for Sting, The Game obviously had to ruin it by gloating to the Bay Area crowd, right?  The arrogance by WWE’s power couple would lead to an interruption by The Rock.

After exchanged insults by The Rock and Triple H, Stephanie would slap The Rock.  Stephanie continued to remind The Rock that he could not hit a woman and demanded that he leave.

A quick side note, my dad who does not usually watch wrestling has watched this part of WrestleMania before and he was begging for a woman to come out and beat up Stephanie.  It just shows how smug Stephanie came across that she could illicit that type of response.

Fans were aware of Ronda Rousey sitting in the front row thanks to a camera shot earlier in the day, so immediately the “Ronda” and “Ronda Rousey” chants started.  When The Rock brought Ronda into the ring, it just took a few back and forth insults before the real action started.

Credit: WWE.com

The chaos was finished with Ronda wrenching back Stephanie’s arm almost if she were asking Stephanie to scream “uncle”.  This segment was great from the way Stephanie and Triple H played their part as the smug heels to The Rock and Ronda coming in to shut them up.

Rating 9/10

The Undertaker vs. Bray Wyatt

It had been a year since we saw The Deadman, but when he appeared at WrestleMania 31 it was like a new Undertaker.  The Undertaker looked to have been in better physical shape entering this match than the year prior, as well as growing his hair again as opposed to the mohawk.

Bray Wyatt did a lot of carrying of the storyline as he tried to bring The Undertaker out of hiding.  But once The Undertaker showed up at WrestleMania it was all about the Grim Reaper of the WWE.

The Undertaker handled every offensive move that Wyatt threw at him, and looked more like The Deadman of old.  The Undertaker’s second Tombstone Piledriver would be the one that would keep the Eater of World down for good.

This was far from a classic, but the return of The Undertaker combined with the relief that it would not be his last match gives this a slight bump of a point.

Rating 6/10

Brock Lesnar vs. Roman Reigns

The main event of WrestleMania 31 had a big fight feel to it as WWE’s top two heavyweights collided for the WWE Championship.  Anxiety was present that night as most fans felt that the outcome of the main event would be a predictable Roman Reigns’ triumph.  Boy were we wrong!

Brock Lesnar took the fight to Reigns early, but the Big Dog would fight back.  There are a few points in this match where you can see how stiff some of the shots each superstar withstood.

Following consecutive spears, blood, and a bunch of F5’s both superstars were down.  That is when Rollins’ music hit and The Architect raced to the ring to cash in his Money in the Bank, and turn the main event into a triple threat match.

Just when it looked like maybe Rollins made a mistake as Lesnar attempted an F5, it was Reigns who saved Rollins with a Spear.  With Lesnar out of the picture Rollins pounced with a Curb Stomp to his already worn down former Shield brother.

And just like that the Seth Rollins’ era had started.  WrestleMania 31 came to a close with Rollins at the top of the stage swinging the WWE Championship around like a mad man.  Rollins with one cash in turned what appeared to be a predictable main event into a shocking close to Wrestling’s Super Bowl.

Rating 8.5/10

Average WrestleMania 31 Segment Rating 7.1/10