WWE Wrestlemania XXIII
WWE Wrestlemania XXIII (4/1/2007)- Detroit, MI
MONEY IN THE BANK LADDER MATCH: Edge vs. Matt Hardy vs. Jeff Hardy vs. Randy Orton vs. CM Punk vs. Mr. Kennedy vs. Finlay (w/Hornswoggle) vs. King Booker (w/Queen Sharmell)- 8.75/10
Standard MITB awesomeness, with some great teases towards the end. Edge going through the ladder is, if I remember correctly, the first time that had happened in WWE history, and for many fans (myself included), the first time they had ever seen something like that. I was a huge moment.
KANE vs. THE GREAT KHALI- 4/10
This might have been a good big-man match if Khali knew how to sell at all. He is so horrible at the big-man "you hit me a bunch of times but I'm so tough and strong and big that it hasn't taken me off of my feet, but if you hit me a one more time it might do the trick" wobbly selling thing it's not even funny. Kane tried to carry him, but just couldn't. Kane slamming him got a huge pop though, and JR did a great job of capturing the importance of the moment. It was a nice little shout-out to Hogan vs. Andre twenty years earlier at the last Wrestlemania in Detroit. I didn't like Khali pinning Kane with the foot on the chest.
WWE UNTIED STATES TITLE MATCH: Chris Benoit(c) vs. MVP- 6.5/10
A breakout performance from MVP, but I don’t think Benoit got enough offense in before the end, making MVP look slightly weak.
WORLD HEAVYWEIGHT TITLE MATCH: Batista(c) vs. The Undertaker- 8/10
Awesome match. Great big-man stuff and awesome brawling.
ECW ORIGINALS (Rob Van Dam, The Sandman, Sabu, & Tommy Dreamer) vs. THE NEW BREED (Marcus Cor Von, Elijah Burke, Matt Striker, & Kevin Thorne) (w/Ariel)- 4.5/10
BATTLE OF THE BILLIONAIRES HAIR VS. HAIR MATCH WITH STONE COLD STEVE AUSTIN AS SPECIAL GUEST REFEREE: Bobby Lashley (w/Donald Trump)(hair) vs. Umaga (w/Vince McMahon)(hair) & Armando Alejandro Estrada)- 5.75/10-
This match had a few major flaws. The first of which is that I don't think that anyone thought that Trump was going to shave his head, which effectively killed all of the suspense. The second was that Austin was bumping around like a normal referee. Maybe there is some sort of anti-Stone Cold kryptonite or something in that referee's shirt. That is the best explanation I can come up with. I also didn't like Austin hitting Umaga with a Stunner. Having Lashley overcome the odds on his own would have made him look a lot better.
LUMBERJILL MATCH FOR THE WWE WOMEN'S TITLE: Melina(c) vs. Ashley Massaro- DUD!
I cannot stand it when a gimmick match doesn't not use the gimmick in any way at all, which is why I am giving this a dud rather than being generous and giving it the 1.25 or so that it deserved for the quality of the wrestling itself. The heel wins cleanly, then taunts the babyface a bit, but gets pie-faced for it... and THEN the gimmick matters as the already humiliated heel is tossed back into the ring, and the, for no reason whatsoever, a giant catfight breaks out. Because THAT needed to be on Wrestlemania.
WWE TITLE MATCH: John Cena(c) vs. Shawn Michaels- 8.5/10
Just an awesome match with some great nearfalls.
Wow. For a guy who loves cars so much, Cena is a really crappy driver. Drifting in and out of lanes, even across the yellow line, stopping and starting, speeding…
Overall a very up and down show. The good was awesome, but the bad was terrible. This is the sort of show that you pick up for the good matches and just fast forward through the rest. The chapter menu will be your friend.
MONEY IN THE BANK LADDER MATCH: Edge vs. Matt Hardy vs. Jeff Hardy vs. Randy Orton vs. CM Punk vs. Mr. Kennedy vs. Finlay (w/Hornswoggle) vs. King Booker (w/Queen Sharmell)- 8.75/10
Standard MITB awesomeness, with some great teases towards the end. Edge going through the ladder is, if I remember correctly, the first time that had happened in WWE history, and for many fans (myself included), the first time they had ever seen something like that. I was a huge moment.
KANE vs. THE GREAT KHALI- 4/10
This might have been a good big-man match if Khali knew how to sell at all. He is so horrible at the big-man "you hit me a bunch of times but I'm so tough and strong and big that it hasn't taken me off of my feet, but if you hit me a one more time it might do the trick" wobbly selling thing it's not even funny. Kane tried to carry him, but just couldn't. Kane slamming him got a huge pop though, and JR did a great job of capturing the importance of the moment. It was a nice little shout-out to Hogan vs. Andre twenty years earlier at the last Wrestlemania in Detroit. I didn't like Khali pinning Kane with the foot on the chest.
WWE UNTIED STATES TITLE MATCH: Chris Benoit(c) vs. MVP- 6.5/10
A breakout performance from MVP, but I don’t think Benoit got enough offense in before the end, making MVP look slightly weak.
WORLD HEAVYWEIGHT TITLE MATCH: Batista(c) vs. The Undertaker- 8/10
Awesome match. Great big-man stuff and awesome brawling.
ECW ORIGINALS (Rob Van Dam, The Sandman, Sabu, & Tommy Dreamer) vs. THE NEW BREED (Marcus Cor Von, Elijah Burke, Matt Striker, & Kevin Thorne) (w/Ariel)- 4.5/10
BATTLE OF THE BILLIONAIRES HAIR VS. HAIR MATCH WITH STONE COLD STEVE AUSTIN AS SPECIAL GUEST REFEREE: Bobby Lashley (w/Donald Trump)(hair) vs. Umaga (w/Vince McMahon)(hair) & Armando Alejandro Estrada)- 5.75/10-
This match had a few major flaws. The first of which is that I don't think that anyone thought that Trump was going to shave his head, which effectively killed all of the suspense. The second was that Austin was bumping around like a normal referee. Maybe there is some sort of anti-Stone Cold kryptonite or something in that referee's shirt. That is the best explanation I can come up with. I also didn't like Austin hitting Umaga with a Stunner. Having Lashley overcome the odds on his own would have made him look a lot better.
LUMBERJILL MATCH FOR THE WWE WOMEN'S TITLE: Melina(c) vs. Ashley Massaro- DUD!
I cannot stand it when a gimmick match doesn't not use the gimmick in any way at all, which is why I am giving this a dud rather than being generous and giving it the 1.25 or so that it deserved for the quality of the wrestling itself. The heel wins cleanly, then taunts the babyface a bit, but gets pie-faced for it... and THEN the gimmick matters as the already humiliated heel is tossed back into the ring, and the, for no reason whatsoever, a giant catfight breaks out. Because THAT needed to be on Wrestlemania.
WWE TITLE MATCH: John Cena(c) vs. Shawn Michaels- 8.5/10
Just an awesome match with some great nearfalls.
Wow. For a guy who loves cars so much, Cena is a really crappy driver. Drifting in and out of lanes, even across the yellow line, stopping and starting, speeding…
Overall a very up and down show. The good was awesome, but the bad was terrible. This is the sort of show that you pick up for the good matches and just fast forward through the rest. The chapter menu will be your friend.