Recap and Review of WWE Wrestlemania 37: Night Two

After an emotional Night One of WrestleMania, we returned for Night Two where the emotions were real and genuine. There were five title matches on tonight’s card and two fierce rivalries that finally came full steam ahead.

-Randy Orton defeated The Fiend
-Shayna Baszler and Nia Jax defeated Natalya and Tamina to retain the WWE Women’s Tag Team Championships
-Kevin Owens defeated Sami Zayn
-Sheamus defeated Riddle to become the new United States Champion
-Apollo Crews defeated Big E in a Nigerian Drum Fight to become the new Intercontinental Champion
-Rhea Ripley defeated Asuka to become the new Raw Women’s Champion
-Roman Reigns defeated Edge and Daniel Bryan to retain the WWE Universal Championship

The opening match of WrestleMania was between Randy Orton and The Fiend, which is a rivalry that has bridged itself over three years. The Fiend had a pretty epic entrance on the Grandest Stage of Them All, but the match itself was very confusing. It appeared that we got The Fiend back in his original form, but then Alexa Bliss cost him the match. Every time we think we’re going to get a great fun with The Fiend, it just never mounts to anything. Ever since he lost to Goldberg over a year ago his career has gone on a downward spiral. I cannot even tell you what’s next for either man’s career or Alex’s for that matter.

Following that, we had the Women’s Tag Team Championship Match between two formidable teams. Nia Jax and Shayna Baszler took on Natalya and Tamina. I’ve been loving the team of Natalya and Tamina because they represent two bloodlines that I’ve been a big fan of since I was a kid. This was a hard-hitting slugfest that shows the women can be as tough as the men are. Even th ough Natalya and Tamina didn’t capture the titles tonight, I do think they will capture them at some point. Tonight, Nia Jax and Shayna Baszler show that they continue have a stronghold on the tag team division.

If you would have asked me ten years ago if El Generico and Kevin Steen would be facing each other on WrestleMania, I would have called you nuts. However, Sami Zayn is doing some of the best character work of his career over the last several years, while Kevin Owens is having some of the best matches of his career. Real life best friends always bring it in the ring and tonight was another shining example of that. At some point, I would love to see Sami Zayn be the old Sami with the short hair and being a daredevil in the ring every once in a while. Once the match was over, Logan Paul began to celebrate with Kevin Owens, which set Sami Zayn over the edge. Owens eventually left Paul laying with a Stunner

Since the pandemic began a year ago, one of the best performers during that time has been Sheamus. He has had so many great matches with Keith Lee, Drew McIntyre and Bobby Lashley. I personally think Sheamus should have been competing for the WWE Championship at WrestleMania, but tonight he competed for the United States Championship against Riddle. This was a very hard-hitting match, which I knew it would be. Sheamus hit Riddle in mid-air with a Brough Kick that left him bloodied and no longer the United States Champion. With the all the hard work Sheamus has put in over the last year, I am glad to see him be rewarded with something. I have no doubt that Riddle will be wanting the United States Championship back, so look for this feud to continue.

For the first time at WrestleMania, we had a Nigerian Drum Fight for the Intercontinental Championship. Basically, it was another form of a Hardcore Match that was a really solid match between the two competitors. Apollo continued to cement himself as a heel by having someone interfere to help him win the Intercontinental Championship. Big E winning the Intercontinental Championship was a stepping stone for him in the long run. I truly believe he’s working his way toward the WWE or Universal Championship. Apollo Crews will make a great Intercontinental Champion because he’s finally coming into his own. He is showing his full potential like so many others have on this years WrestleMania.

For the longest time we had had no idea who Asuka’s challenger was going to be at WrestleMania, but it was Rhea Ripley who stepped up to the plate. Asuka has carried the Raw Women’s Division ever since Becky Lynch left last spring. She has taken on all comers and one by one they have fallen. Rhea Ripley is no stranger to WrestleMania because last year she faced Charlotte Flair for the NXT Women’s Championship. This was a tough spot to put both women in because Asuka has never won at WrestleMania and Ripley lost last year. Unfortunately, someone had to lose and someone had to win. It ended up being Rhea Ripley that walked out with the Raw Women’s Champion. Ripley has been NXT UK Women’s Champion, NXT Women’s Champion and now Raw Women’s Champion. She is only 24 years old and she’s already competed in two WrestleMania matches.

The Main Event of WrestleMania was for the WWE Universal Championship in a Triple Threat Match between Roman Reigns, Edge, and Daniel Bryan. All of them have had incredible stories that led them to this moment. All three of them have had to forfeit the title due to career ending injuries or illness. Ever since Roman Reigns came back last year summer, he’s been on a whole different level. This is the Roman Reigns we should have gotten all along. Daniel Bryan and Edge are both in the twilight of their careers, but both have shown they can still go. All three of these guys should ruthlessness and mean streaks throughout this entire match. In the end, it was Jey Uso who once again helped Roman Reigns retained the WWE Universal Championship. I will be very curious to see who steps to be Reigns next challenger and I wonder where Bryan and Edge go from here. They both still have a lot left in the tank.

Night Two of WrestleMania was solid but not as great as Night One. I feel like Night Two was missing the emotion and energy that Night One had. The Main Event really carried Night Two, but lack of storytelling and surprises really made Night One the better show. WrestleMania Night Two gets 7 out of 10 from me. With WrestleMania in the books, we move on a new season in WWE essentially. New champions will start their reigns and new rivalries will develop. The Road to next year’s WrestleMania officially begins now.