WWE WrestleMania 35 Live Results, Highlights, and Grades

No Holds Barred Match: Triple H vs. Batista

It was then time for one of the night’s most personal matches as Batista prepared to face Triple H in a No Holds Barred Match. We saw Batista make his way to the ring first, being driven out on stage in a fleet of SUVs and surrounded by security. He slid out of one of the vehicles in time to do his signature machine gun pyro display at the top of the ramp.

Batista made his way to the ring, walking around it after arriving and staring down special guest commentator Shawn Michaels for a few moments, even staring down Triple H’s parents at ringside. Then it was time for Triple H to come to the ring, and he did so with a quite ridiculous Mad Max inspired entrance. A long video played, and Triple H was driven to the ring in a crazy skull car straight out of Mad Max.

Things got off to a fast start as the bell rang with Batista going on the offensive. Both men fought back and forth and things immediately spilled to the outside, where Batista sent Triple H flying over the announce table into Shawn Michaels. He followed it by sending Triple H over a barricade into the timekeeper’s area.

Triple H emerged from that area with a toolbox that he slammed into Batista. He then pulled a huge steel chain out of the box, whipping it into the back of Batista twice in a row. He then grabbed a pair of channellocks from the toolbox, going to Batista and snapping them onto Batista’s fingers and wrenching back, even stomping on them against the steel stairs.

Batista tried to escape to the ring, but Triple H followed him into the ring with a steel chair and a pair of needlenose pliers. Triple H used the chair to pin Batista against the ring, then taking the pliers and terrifyingly using them to tear out Batista’s nose ring in the most cringeworthy moment of the entire contest.

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It was a good start, but the match really started to drag from this point. Both men were clearly not in peak condition, and really started to feel the effects of the contest. The action spilled back to the outside where Batista grabbed Triple H and dropped him back-first onto the announce table. He followed it moments later by dropping him on a second table before sending him into the barricade.

Back in the ring, Triple H went tried to regain control and attempted a Pedigree, but Batista countered. Things spilled back to the outside, where Batista slammed steel steps into Triple H. He then positioned steps on a table, attempting to Batista Bomb Triple H off one table into another, but Triple H countered and backdropped him on the table.

Things slowly made their way back to the ring, where Triple H brought his trusty sledgehammer from under the ring with him. He attempted to use it, but Batista dodged it and was able to plant a Batista Bomb, but Triple H kicked out. Batista followed it up by bringing steps into the ring and looking to send Triple H into them, but Triple H slipped out and powerbombed him on them, following it with a Pedigree, but somehow Batista still kicked out.

Things looked dire for both sides, and suddenly we saw Ric Flair appear at ringside, handing Triple H a sledgehammer. This gave the opening as Batista had one of his own, turning to use it only for Triple H to use the stairs a launchpad to leap into the air and drive the sledgehammer into Batista, hit a Pedigree after, and finally finish things off for the win.

Grade: B-, This started strong and finished strong, but lasted about twice as long as it needed to. Both men were struggling at times, and things started to drag, but we still got some great moments and a good final outing for Batista.