Results courtesy of
PWTorch.com (direct link to Caldwell's real-time report)1 -- IC champion BAD NEWS BARRETT vs. DANIEL BRYAN vs. LUKE HARPER vs. R-TRUTH vs. DOLPH ZIGGLER vs. DEAN AMBROSE vs. STARDUST -- seven-man Intercontinental Title ladder match
Chaos early on with wrestlers flying out of the ring. Dean eventually climbed a ladder and splashed everyone except for R-Truth, who entered the ring and tried to conquer his fear of heights, but Barrett cut him off before he could climb. Bryan then entered the ring and landed corner dropkicks on Stardust and Barrett, but Harper smashed him with a ladder. Bryan shook it off moments later and smashed Harper as he hung upside down on a ladder. Stardust then took control, drawing "Cody" chants taunting him. Suddenly, Stardust left the ring and grabbed his own ladder, which was covered in glitter. Barrett proceeded to smash and break the ladder.
Back in the ring, Ambrose and Harper had a ladder war that turned into a fist fight. They were cleared from the ring, then Stardust tried to climb a giant ladder, but Barrett cut him and delivered a superplex from the top of the ladder. Barrett sold great tipping over onto his stomach after executing the move. Suddenly, Bryan, Ziggler, and Ambrose battled on top of the ladder. Ambrose tipped them over, then clotheslined Harper. But, Harper grabbed Ambrose and chucked him over the top rope with a powerbomb through a collapsable ladder down at ringside. The ringside doctor checked on Ambrose as Ziggler returned to the ring. Ziggler climbed on Harper's back as Harper climbed the ladder, then Harper bodyslammed both of them down to the mat below. Reset with bodies everywhere.
Ziggler was the first man up and got his hands on the IC Title belt, but Barrett cut him off. Bullhammers around the horn, but Bryan prevented Barrett from grabbing the ladder. Bryan got his hands on the belt, but Barrett and Ziggler desperately pulled him down. Barrett, frustrated, tossed the ladder out of the way, then turned around and took a running knee from Bryan.
Bryan reset the ladder and started climbing, but Ziggler ran back into the ring to battle Bryan. Big right hand strikes back and forth. Headbutt to Ziggler. Another one. Double headbutt battle, then Bryan got the final headbutt, knocking Ziggler down to the mat. Bryan was left alone on the ladder and he unhooked it for the win. Big crowd reaction and celebration. Cole said they begin Mania the way they ended last year.
WINNER: Bryan at 13:47 to become new IC champion. Good ladder match. WWE protected Bryan not involved in dangerous spots and they kept the focus on a few stories and feuds to build to the finish book-ending the last two WrestleManias. Simple, effective booking and relatively safe match that did not make viewers cringe throughout. Now perhaps WWE can re-focus on the Smackdown brand with Bryan and the IC Title as center of the show. (***1/2)
