Wrestlemania 39 concluded after two stadium shows in Los Angeles, and more than anything, despite any criticism or even sluggish ratings, it speaks volumes to the WWE’s drawing power as an entertainment commodity that the organization can draw 75,000 fans on two different nights. Considering that the totality of WM 39 was nearly eight hours of wrestling within two events, I decided to wait until the conclusion of both shows to write the reviews so please make sure to check out the review of night two as well. Each show was given its own review to avoid any specific article from being too lengthy and to allow for the proper context with how the results of both nights impacted the overall presentation.
The show started with Austin Theory defending the US title against John Cena, and other than adding Cena’s notable star power to the card, I’m not sure this bout served much of a purpose. This was definitely a very basic and very safe TV match that was designed to get Cena in the ring to put over the younger guy without the risk of injury that could jeopardize his movie schedule. From strictly a business perspective, it makes sense, as it gives the WWE the chance to advertise John Cena on another WM card, and it allows Cena the assurance that he won’t risk millions of dollars from movies if he gets hurt doing a one-off match. That said, unless Cena can realistically go full speed, was it worth booking him in this spot? The tickets were already sold before he was announced for the match and the buyrates are irrelevant because of the Peacock deal. Those that have already claimed that Cena “passed the torch” are misguided and that notion is almost laughable. Yes, John Cena put Theory over, but there’s a major difference between a star making performance and simply being willing to do the job. Ric Flair made Sting, Cena didn’t make Theory, which isn’t a knock on either of them, but rather to point out that you can’t realistically expect to propel someone’s career with a basic 10-minute opening match. As I’ve said before, I don’t see the hype about Theory, and this match didn’t do anything to change that view point.
The four-way tag team match was all action and very entertaining. It proved just how much in-ring talent is currently on the roster and the structure of the contest showcased each team very well. The problem is that the tag team division as a whole was treated as secondary for so long that you know that even this stellar performance from everyone involved won’t make the tag division more of a priority to the office. In a vacuum, the fans saw how talented these guys are, but given the status of the tag division, The Street Profits victory is moot in the grand scheme of things.
Seth Rollins vs. Logan Paul proved a few things. Most importantly, Seth Rollins is a much better performer than the character he was given, Logan Paul is a good athlete, and Paul’s involvement will have a minimal impact on the WWE business. This isn’t a jab at Rollins, but rather the scripting of the product, what exactly is his character? His theme song is over, but I think the argument could be made that his character isn’t. The fans enjoy singing the song, but who is the character of Seth Rollins? Is he The Joker? Is he an eccentric guy that wears comically big boots? What’s the point? I understand Logan Paul’s involvement for the theoretically pop culture tie-in, but the ratings on Raw didn’t increase when he was booked for the show. WWE didn’t suddenly become more a part of the pop culture conversation because of Paul involvement so it’s possible that his fan base just aren’t the demographic that would watch pro wrestling, which makes you wonder if it’s worth it to book him against a competitor the caliber of Seth Rollins on such a major event. Granted, Rollins made Paul look good, but maybe Seth Rollins could’ve been booked for something more productive than a rather short rivalry against the part-time Youtuber?
The six women tag match was very good, and similar to Smackdown Women’s title match later on the card, as well as the Bianca/Asuka bout on night two, it proved just how much depth is in the women’s division. Trish and Lita looked like they didn’t miss a step and were still very sharp in the ring. This was a return to the ring, but it wasn’t a nostalgia act for either of them. Trish and Lita were there to work an angle that was over with the audience, not just to play the greatest hits. Damage Control are individually and collectively so solid with everything in the ring. Bayley, Dakota, or Io could all be considered legitimate challengers for the championship and have the talent to perform on the bigger spot on the card that those opportunities would bring them. Becky Lynch had some stellar exchanges with Bayley and it would be great to see a few more matches between them.
The Rey vs. Dominik match had good in-ring action, but this segment showed why the narrative is so important in sports entertainment. When Dominik arrived on the scene in WWE, he was put in a tough spot because while he was trained by the underrated legend, Lance Storm, his first matches in the sport were on national television so any inexperience was widely viewed. He didn’t get the chance to make the mistakes on the independent circuit and polish his skills before he landed under the bright lights of Raw. In many ways, as much as the father/son duo made sense on Raw originally, it almost pigeonholed Dominik in the role as just Rey’s son. He was a good athlete, but it was obvious he was only given a WWE contract because of his last name. Granted, nepotism is nothing new in pro wrestling, but it didn’t exactly work out too well for Erik Watts. That being said, this storyline not only gave Dominik his own persona, but it allowed him a meaningful angle to help him progress as a character on the show. The feud against his dad gave him a purpose as a character and he did very well in the role as he’s one of the few heels that can generate legitimate heat from the fans. Despite the defeat, this segment showed that Dominik has the potential to become an established performer aside from his family name.
The Smackdown Women’s title match might’ve been the best match on either night of WM. Charlotte and Rhea Ripley are top-tier performers that delivered a WM main event even if it wasn’t the last match on the card. Everything was solid and crisp. The back and fourth drama allowed for the narrative to get the fans to question who might get the win. As we learned in the main event of night two, you can’t assume anything, despite how logical the choice might be for the winner. However, Ripley getting the win made sense and it allows for another star to be made in the women’s division.
The Pat McAfee appearance was just there to pace the card between the women’s title match and the main event, which is completely fine, but there’s not much to discuss either.
The tag team title match was action packed and the Sami Zayn and Kevin Owens victory allowed for the fans to celebrate for what was essentially the way to send the fans home happy, particularity based on the finish of night two. Sami and Owens getting the win was the major baby face victory for WM 39, even if that wasn’t clear when night one went off the air. While the match was very good, it’s necessary to point out that night one was a very solid show, but it was very clear that it was the “B side” of WM 39. As we’ve discussed the tag titles aren’t viewed as a major priority in WWE, and the angle was probably more important than who won the belts because there’s not an emphasis placed on the tag division.
In many ways, night one was the consolation prize of Wrestlemania 39.
What do you think? Share your thoughts, opinions, feedback, and anything else that was raised on Twitter @PWMania and Facebook.com/PWMania.
Until next week
-Jim LaMotta
E mail [email protected] | You can follow me on Instagram & Facebook @jimlamotta89
