March 29, 2023 / By mobanmarket
Date: March 27, 2023
Location: Footprint Center in Phoenix, AZ
Show Recap —
Kevin Patrick welcomed us to a sold-out Footprint Center in Phoenix. The announcers ran down tonight’s card, which now also includes Rey Mysterio against Damian Priest and a Gunther match.
Miz TV with Becky Lynch, Lita and Trish Stratus
Miz introduced Trish Stratus and the Women’s tag champs Becky Lynch and Lita, who all received a big reaction. Miz asked Lynch about needing to call for help against Damage CTRL despite always wanting to work alone. She was “the Man” after all.
Lynch said she was The Man, while Miz was just a man — an insecure man with tiny balls. Miz said he had massive balls and Maryse has verified this. Lynch said it must be nice to know that Maryse didn’t get around much before meeting him.
Miz asked why Lita and Stratus returned simply to play backup to Lynch. Lita reminded him that she was one-half of the tag champs.
Damage CTRL interrupted. Bayley was pissed that their upcoming WrestleMania match was just a match to them but this meant everything to Damage CTRL. Bayley said Lita and Stratus were last relevant 20 years ago but Stratus also reminded her that Lita was a tag champion now. This would have been a dream match for Bayley 20 years ago but her dream now was to end them.
Lynch cut Bayley off and went on a rant in her face about how she wasted two of the best of NXT in Dakota Kai and IYO SKY because now they were doing nothing. Lynch thought their feud was over so many times since SummerSlam but it was finally time to end this at WrestleMania.
The two sides argued as they went to break.
Tag Team Champion Becky Lynch (w/Lita & Trish Stratus) defeated IYO SKY (w/Bayley & Dakota Kai) (11:30)
This was a fun back-and-forth match with a clean finish despite all the outside parties.
Two of the bigger spots happened during a break – SKY hit Lynch with a springboard dropkick and Lynch came back with a superplex. SKY hit consecutive German suplexes after the break for two. Lynch hit an exploder but SKY dropkicked her off the top rope and hit a springboard moonsault for two. The crowd chanted “this is awesome.”
Lynch dodged a moonsault in the ring and hit a Man-handle slam for the pinfall win.
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Solo Sikoa, The Usos and Paul Heyman walked through the back.
There was a big Asuka video package highlighting her successes in NXT and on the main roster with comments from Corey Graves, Zelina Vega, Kevin Owens, Lita, Molly Holly, Charlotte Flair, and MVP.
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Cathy Kelley interviewed Seth Rollins. She asked about Logan Paul sucker-punching him for a second time. Rollins appeared annoyed at the question and even more annoyed upon seeing Mustafa Ali who interrupted them.
Mustafa suggested Rollins think more “positiv-Ali” (positively). Rollins laughed and suggested Ali make a t-shirt out of that. Rollins recalled Ali repeatedly bugging him for a match months ago so he suggested they do the match tonight. Ali tried to go back on his previous demand but Rollins just laughed at him and left. (The match was made official.)
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Seth Rollins defeated Mustafa Ali (2:06)
They let the crowd sing Rollins’ song for a while before starting the match. Ali did not get an entrance.
Rollins stomped Ali’s face as he was trapped upside down in the turnbuckle and followed with another stomp in the middle of the ring for the quick pinfall win. The crowd was happy.
— After the match, Rollins said he would finally get his hands on Logan Paul on night one of WrestleMania. Paul had a history of making a joke out of himself but “if I can’t beat Logan Paul at WrestleMania, he’s not the joke — I am.”
Paul threw him out of the Royal Rumble, cost him the Elimination Chamber and cheap-shotted him twice. Rollins would turn things around on Paul and noted it was Paul’s birthday on April 1st. The crowd would be singing but it wouldn’t be ‘happy birthday.’ The crowd sang Rollins’ song before Rollins told Paul, “I’ll see you at WrestleMania.”
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Baron Corbin complained sincerely to Adam Pearce about not having a match at WrestleMania despite doing all of the signings and appearances for it. Pearce appreciated his sentiment but they were interrupted by Chelsea Green who was less sincere with her complaint. She wanted in the tag turmoil match despite not having a partner. Sonya Deville showed up at that moment so he put them together in a qualifying match tonight. Corbin was baffled.
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[SECOND HOUR]
Brock Lesnar and Omos weigh-in
Omos and MVP entered first. MVP spoke about Brock Lesnar’s past wins at WrestleMania over the likes of Kurt Angle, Goldberg and Roman Reigns — not to mention ending the Undertaker’s streak. However, unlike those men, Lesnar cannot F5 or suplex Omos and cannot beat him at WrestleMania. Omos stepped on the scale and weighed in at 410 lbs.
Lesnar entered. Lesnar was all business as he entered and he went right after Omos. He couldn’t knock down Omos who only stumbled back into the turnbuckle. Lesnar grabbed the scale and was going to use it as a weapon but Omos booted him out of the ring and grabbed the scale.
The crowd chanted “Suplex City” but Lesnar remained outside the ring, once again showing self-doubt.
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Rhea Ripley interview
There was a Charlotte Flair video package.
Byron Saxton interviewed Rhea Ripley. Ripley knew Charlotte’s accomplishments but didn’t need to be reminded every week that she was a 14-time champion. Ripley said she must beat Charlotte, she must be the best and she must be the biggest star in the industry — and needed Charlotte’s title to do so. It was Ripley’s destiny against Charlotte’s legacy and she planned on winning the Smackdown Women’s title at Mania. (This was certainly an improvement over her promo last week.)
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There was a good Finn Bálor pre-taped promo. Bálor invited Edge to go to his dark place, to use candles or whatever he needed to summon it, but Bálor didn’t need to summon his demon because it was always there — you just need to look closely. (His demon face paint appeared at the end.) The production on this was way better than that Edge thing last week.
Eight-man tag match: The Street Profits, Ricochet & Braun Strowman defeated Alpha Academy & The Viking Raiders (w/Valhalla) (11:22)
The good guys won a pretty fun match. Angelo Dawkins ran wild on a hot tag, Strowman ran over everyone outside the ring, Ricochet did a Swanton bomb off Strowman’s shoulders and Montez Ford hit an insane frog splash, flying way over Strowman’s head while turning in mid-air, on Erik for the pinfall win.
(Maxxine Dupri was shown watching in the back.)
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Cody Rhodes interview
Cathy Kelley interviewed Cody Rhodes. She wondered if Rhodes was putting himself in a vulnerable position. Rhodes loved being in this position but he knew how dangerous Solo Sikoa was.
If Paul Heyman was there, Rhodes might ask him why he was facing Heyman’s enforcer — and Heyman always had an enforcer — six days before the big one. They wanted to know if Rhodes had earned it but the fire in him didn’t start recently, it started long ago. Sikoa would find out he isn’t ready and Rhodes would go on to beat Reigns for the title at Mania.
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There was a Bianca Belair video package with comments from Liv Morgan, Graves, Montez Ford, Molly Holly, Beth Phoenix, Rhodes and Owens. Morgan said they knew Belair would be special the day she showed up at the Performance Center and Owens called Belair vs. Asuka a must-see match.
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Austin Theory promo
Austin Theory cut an in-ring promo in the empty area before the show. Theory had a message for John Cena. He cut this promo in the empty arena to show that he didn’t do this for the fans or for the person who wanted to be the next Austin Theory — he did this for himself. Theory wasn’t letting Cena go down as the hero. People looked up to Cena but Cena would be looking up at him after their match. At WrestleMania, the fans would believe in Theory and stop believing in Cena.
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For the second time tonight, while promoting WrestleMania, the announcers encouraged fans attending the show to leave early to arrive at the show on time.
Stacy Keibler was announced for the 2023 Hall of Fame.
Sonya Deville & Chelsea Green defeated Candice LeRae & Michin Mia Yim (2:58)
Green distracted the referee while Deville hit Yim with a cheap shot and Green followed with an Unprettier for the pinfall win. Green and Deville are now in the fatal four-way tag match at Mania.
The crowd has been into everything tonight but they were quiet for this.
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Damian Priest and Dominik Mysterio entered ahead of a break.
[THIRD HOUR]
They aired clips from the first WrestleMania in 1985.
Paul Heyman interview
Kelley interviewed Paul Heyman. Heyman said Rhodes didn’t show fear because he was not ready. Facing Sikoa mattered because Sikoa was ready — ready to weaken Rhodes for his match against Reigns. Rhodes would not be 100% against Reigns.
Heyman didn’t care if people thought that was unfair because the Tribal Chief was ready to stoop to those levels. That was the difference between Rhodes and Reigns. This was why Reigns stopped being the “Big Dog” and became the Tribal Chief.
Heyman said Rhodes has never been ready. He wasn’t ready to fill the shoes of Dusty Rhodes, or be the man, or beat Reigns. The only thing Rhodes would be ready for on Sunday was to lose to Reigns. Heyman implored Rhodes to be ready for his greatest moment: when he disappointed the fans, be ready to acknowledge Roman Reigns.
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Dominik Mysterio promo
Dominik had a mic and was booed. He called Rey Mysterio a low-life for hitting his own son. He said he would humiliate Rey at Mania and everyone would find out what a failure of a father he was. Dom had them show a replay of Rey decking him on Smackdown.
Dom spoke angrily in Spanish as the crowd booed and told him that he sucked. Dom said, “What kind of father hits his own son? What kind of mother sits there and does nothing?” Dom wished he told his mother to shut up a long time ago.
Dom said, “Dad, I’ve never said this out loud but I wish Eddie was my real father.” Dom wished that Rey never existed because their entire family was a disgrace to the Mysterio name — but that name would be his after WrestleMania.
Dom was awesome here.
Rey Mysterio defeated Damian Priest (w/Dominik Mysterio) via disqualification (3:09)
Rey set up for a 619 but Priest decked him with a clothesline for two. Rey brought Priest down from the top with a leg scissors takedown and hit a 619 but Dom dropped him from the top rope for the DQ.
Dom hammered away at Rey as the crowd booed. Priest held Rey as Dom continued to hit blows until Legado Del Fantasma ran out. Dom and Priest bailed as the crowd loudly chanted “you suck.”
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They plugged the Andre The Giant battle royal on this Friday’s Smackdown.
Backstage, Johnny Gargano, Luke Gallows and Karl Anderson were all excited to be in the battle royal and Gargano mentioned that it was a particularly busy weekend for him. Rick Boogs and Elias were both pumped to be in the battle royal as well. Elias called himself a lock to win, which drew the ire of the nearby Dexter Lumis, Bronson Reed and Bobby Lashley.
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Kevin Owens & Sami Zayn promo
Zayn and Owens cut a backstage promo. Zayn said it was significant that they were getting their tag title match in Los Angeles. Everybody knew that they came up from nothing together in Montreal but they really got their big break in LA. Zayn called this the biggest tag title match of all-time and Owens said he was right.
Owens said the Usos were the best team in WWE up until a week ago. Now, Owens and Zayn would show the world what they can do together in the city where they got their break. Owens said they would achieve the biggest thing they can achieve together and that was winning the undisputed tag titles at WrestleMania.
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Intercontinental Champion Gunther (w/Imperium) defeated Dolph Ziggler in a non-title match (5:49)
Gunther blocked a superkick and dropped Ziggler with a chop. Ziggler hit a fameasser after a break for two. Ziggler tried a Stinger splash but Gunther chopped him out of mid-air. Gunther followed with a powerbomb and Last Symphony for the pinfall win.
— After the match, Gunther said it was a disgrace that he had to defend the IC title in a triple threat but he told Sheamus and Drew McIntyre to take a look at Ziggler because that’s what was awaiting them at WrestleMania.
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Cody Rhodes defeated Solo Sikoa (w/Paul Heyman) (12:53)
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Rhodes was briefly in control until Sikoa hit a Samoan drop. Rhodes responded by driving Sikoa into the steel steps before wrapping his leg around the ring post. (Sikoa wore a brace on his left knee.)
Rhodes tried a Disaster kick but Sikoa caught him and hit a suplex. Rhodes came back with punches but Sikoa caught his suicide dive attempt and drove him into the announce table. Sikoa hit a Uranage onto the announce table ahead of a break.
Sikoa remained in control until Rhodes came back with a forearm, snap powerslam, Disaster kick, Cody cutter, and Cross Rhodes but Sikoa got his foot on the rope to break up the pin (it looked like Rhodes told Sikoa to get closer to the ropes moments before, so he did).
Rhodes tried a moonsault but was momentarily distracted by Heyman and Sikoa moved. Sikoa set up for a Samoan Spike but Rhodes hit another Cody Cutter.
The Usos entered to their music and the distraction allowed Sikoa to hit a superkick and Spinning Solo for a nearfall.
Zayn and Owens ran out (to Zayn’s music) to attack the Usos and take them to the back.
Sikoa blocked a Cody cutter but Rhodes ducked a Samoan Spike and hit Cross Rhodes for the pinfall win.
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