WrestleMania 2013: Another star-studded disappointment

The matches were predictable, the stars didn't shine and the event had the fans sulking in disappointment.

WrestleMania featured movie stars, pop idols, rock stars and of course the World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) superstars. It had everything it needed to be the grandest stage, but did it deliver?

The following review will elaborate on the highlights of the night and will contain spoilers and opinion based perspectives.

Team Hell No vs Ziggler and Big E

Mid-carders are wrestlers who aren’t involved in the main event. They comprise rising stars and soon to be glorified jobbers. Highlights from these talents included a great tag team match between team Hell No and Dolph Ziggler and Big E. The match got great ovation from the crowd as the internet favourites, Daniel Bryan and Dolph Ziggler, were the participants.



The intercontinental title changed hands in a decent bout between rising star Wade Barrett and the former reality TV star The Miz. The match, however, received a few “boring” chants and the crowd was behind the Barrett Barrage that failed to deliver.

Hopefully, after their losses, both Ziggler and Barrett will move on to the main event picture.

The Undertaker vs CM Punk

The Undertaker’s streak has now become a tradition and is synonymous with WrestleMania. This year our table is filled with megastars, and who better to face The Undertaker than the crowd favourite bad boy, CM Punk.

It’s been an interesting year for Punk; he had a WWE title match with The Rock and now he faces another attitude era pioneer for the Holy Grail. The Undertaker’s streak is the most prestigious thing in the WWE and its influence exceeds the two main World Championships.



The match took place with a lot of back and forth, and for a moment, we honestly believed Punk was the one in 20-1. A hard fought victory by the Undertaker, who never disappoints, had to utilise everything in his arsenal. Unlike Triple H, Punk didn’t tap out to the Hell’s Gate. Unlike Jake the Snake, he didn’t lose to one Tombstone Piledriver -- he lost to the second.

The chemistry between the two stars was brilliant and, as usual, The Undertaker didn’t have any ring rust. The audience was on their feet and this match received the biggest cheer of the night. Not only did the match steal the show, it saved it.

Triple H against Brock Lesnar

Triple H emerged victorious over Brock Lesnar in a brutal battle of egos. Backstage heat had been around since Lesnar first started feuds with the likes of the Hardys and Rob Van Dam in the early 2000s. These two had never faced each other till the last Summer Slam and this rematch was waiting to happen.

In an odd turn of events, Triple H did what he could not do last year and heroically took out the monster that is Brock Lesnar. It seems that when one has his career on the line, motivation comes naturally.



There is no doubt the biggest ego behind the scenes, Triple H, can deliver a solid match, however, the thrill that the fans experienced when Punk and Taker took the stage had already left all of us exhausted.

The match had its predictable moments (hint: the ending) but it was entertaining. Finishers were thrown everywhere and submissions were locked, this wasn’t mixed martial arts, this was wrestling. However, it failed to top The Undertaker versus Punk.

Twice in a lifetime: The Rock takes on John Cena:

Last year’s disappointment haunts us again.

Two showmen attempted to wrestle high speed exchanges and dull manoeuvres. The crowd had no reaction to the WWE top draws and fatigue wasn’t the case this time. They had a long enough break during the No Holds Barred match between Triple H and Lesnar.

This was the first WrestleMania that had the crowd silent at the beginning and throughout the end of the match. Not only was it badly executed in terms of wrestling, the match seemed like it was being choked down our throats. The WWE planned on making this a passing of the torch where The Rock would consider Cena to be a viable candidate for the company’s face (can you say WrestleMania X8?)

Unlike WrestleMania X8, the WWE Universe demanded The Rock to face Hulk Hogan and then it became arguably the greatest moment in The Rock’s career when he was passed the torch. They were both loved by the audience whether they were old school or new to the attitude era.



John Cena is no Hulk Hogan, the Rock or Steve Austin. Cena and his baby-face antics have been forced in our faces for over 10 years now (a wrestler changes his gimmick to stay fresh, that’s why the Rock, Undertaker, Austin, Orton, Edge, Flair, Hogan all made it!) this has caused Cena to remain predictable, stale and boring for older audiences.

It was nice to see “Mr WrestleMania” Shawn Michaels show up and deliver his patent Sweet Chin Music on Paul Heyman (he didn’t have a good night). There was a lot of back-and-forth in this match but a lack of fan reaction.



The concluding event of the matches was as ‘forced’ as the matches themselves. It was an unexciting, lacklustre event – a waste of air time, if you will. WWE blew it last year and they did the same this year.

The event had a lot of mega star power but it failed to perform. The night was stolen by the traditional streak match, and just like last year Cena and The Rock disappointed. Furthermore, P Diddy and Living Colour gave noteworthy performances for their particular moments while the rest of the media stars didn’t shine so bright.

Displeased as I am with the event overall, I’m going to have to go shred some paper now; my therapist says it will help with my anger management, till the next time.

PHOTOS: PUBLICITY

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