(1) BROCK LESNAR (w/Paul Heyman) vs. SETH ROLLINS – WWE Universal Title match
As soon as Seth stepped onto the ring apron, Lesnar charged with a knee to knock him to the floor. Lesnar bashed him on the floor and tackled him into the ringside barricade.
Lesnar then gave Set an F5 at ringside. Lesnar stayed on Seth, throwing him hard into the side of the ring next. Graves noted the match hadn’t officially started yet. He threw him into the German announce table. Then he threw Seth into announce table. Lesnar threw Seth into the ring and the ref checked on him to see if he could start. Lesnar hovered over the ref, who told him to back away. Lesnar stepped in and threw Seth over the top rope to the floor and then into the German announcers again. Then he threw him into the tabletop that was leaning against the announce table. Cole wondered if Seth would be able to continue. Lesnar threw Seth into the ring again. The ref checked on Seth again.
The ref called for the match to start as Seth nodded yes. Lesnar charged with a knee to the ribs and then shoulder drove into his abdomen a few times. Then he delivered a German suplex and yelled out “Suplex City.” He set up an F5, but Seth slipped out and shoved Lesnar, who knocked the ref down. Seth then gave Lesnar a low blow. Cole said that’s just like Monday night on Raw. Seth superkicked Lesnar in the face, then delivered three Stomps in a row. He scored the pin – 1-2-3. Cole called it one of the most shocking moments in WrestleMania history. Heyman got bug-eyed in the background as the ref counted three. Seth swung the belt over his head on the stage in celebration. Lesnar sat up with Heyman next to him and looked up in shock.
WINNER: Seth Rollins in 2:30 to capture the Universal Title.
Not much of a match at all, which is always disappointing. The story worked, though, in popping the crowd early. Fans were happy not so much with the match, but I think with the possible end of the Universal Title being around the waist of someone who they have been swayed to believe doesn’t want to be there. In the 2019 landscape, that’s not a productive type of heel heat.
(2) A.J. STYLES vs. RANDY ORTON
Orton swung and missed early. Styles chopped away at him in the corner. Orton thumbed Styles in the eye and then dropped him with a dropkick. He then stomped away at Styles’s ankle. Styles came back with a high dropkick. Orton rolled to the floor. Orton knocked Styles hard off the ring apron and Styles flew into the barricade. Fans chanted “A.J. Styles!” Orton scored a two count back in the ring, then settled into his obligatory mid-match chinlock. Lawler said Randy threatened to run away from home once and his parents told him to put it in writing. Styles came back and set up a piledriver. Orton escaped and went for an RKO. Styles blocked it, but Styles then hit a snap powerslam for a two count. Orton set up a DDT off the middle rope. Styles blocked it and rolled up Orton into a Calf Crusher. Orton reached the bottom rope. Styles teased a Phenomenal Forearm. Orton teased an RKO, but Styles held up and Orton landed hard. Styles then landed a springboard 450 for a near fall. Orton came back with a backbreaker a minute later to take over. Orton gave Styles an uppercut and knocked him to the ring apron.
Orton then delivered a superplex. He crawled over and scored a one count. Orton then delivered a DDT off the middle rope. He looked to the crowd and raised his arms. He got a nice pop from a lot of fans. He circled the ring called for the RKO. Then he turned and stomped the mat, but Styles recovered and took Orton down with an enzuigiri. Styles rolled up Orton for a two count, but Orton popped up and hit the RKO for a near fall. Lawler said, “It’s over” just before the kickout. Orton set up a superplex next again. He shifted into position for an RKO off the middle rope. Styles dropped down and landed an enzuigiri. Orton fell to the floor. Styles then landed a flying Phenomenal Forearm off the top rope. He threw Orton back into the ring and went for a Phenomenal Forearm, but Orton blocked it. Styles knocked Orton throat-first over the top rope and then landed the Phenomenal Forearm for the win.
WINNER: Styles in 16:00. (***)
Good match. Of course, three stars. Orton, the B- Player, landed right at three stars here with Styles. It was fine.
