Results courtesy of
PWTorch.com (direct link to Keller's 'real-time' report).(1) ASUKA & KAIRI SANE vs. NIKKI CROSS & ALEXA BLISS – WWE Women’s Tag Team Title matchAugmented reality graphics appeared of Asuka’s masks as Gronk and Mojo made noise from their platform. They showed Cole and JBL on the screen. Nothing really hugely different in the set other than a gigantic WrestleMania logo to the left of the stage at ringside. It looks like what they hang from the roof in arenas. After some action at ringside, Kairi and Asuka controlled Nikki in the ring. Bliss tagged in, but Asuka and Kairi worked her over, too. Nikki then got a hot-tag and leaped at Kairi for a two count. Kairi raked the eyes of Nikki as Asuka distracted the ref. (What if the ref saw it? What would happen? A good scolding?) Asuka tagged back in and worked over Nikki with rapid-fire strikes, but Nikki blocked her and gave her a neck breaker. Kairi broke up the pin with a top rope elbow. Asuka put Nikki in a sleeper seconds later. Bliss landed a Twisted Bliss to break it up. Sane then hit Bliss. All four were down. Asuka and Kairi double-teamed Cross on the top rope, leading to Sane hitting Nikki with a flying forearm to knock her off of Asuka’s shoulders for a believable near fall. Asuka and Kairi yelled in frustration. Nikki tagged in Bliss, who landed Twisted Bliss on Kairi’s legs and then scored a three count. Cole said that was Nikki’s best performance yet in a WWE ring.
WINNERS: Bliss & Cross in 15:00 to capture the WWE Women’s Tag Team Titles. (**1/2)
A solid match, though, with good execution and solid pacing. Opening with a title change is probably good. Maybe the match would have been better trimmed by around 3-5 minutes as it’s just tough without a crowd to work the same type of match that would otherwise work in front of a crowd.(2) KING CORBIN vs. ELIASCorbin did some arrogant mic work. Elias came out. C0le acted surprised Elias was cleared to fight. He beat up Corbin at ringside. The ref asked Corbin could go. When Corbin stood, she called for the bell. Cole said some people have compared JBL to Corbin. JBL said he was flattered. Cole listed some bad traits. JBL said he was thinking more about the athleticism. Cole said Corbin is a better athlete than JBL. Corbin took over control shortly into the match. JBL said Elias’s injuries are catching up to him. Corbin complained to the ref about not counting fast enough. She told him to get back to the match and stop complaining. Elias took over until a throat strike. Corbin put a leg on the middle rope to gain illegal leverage. The ref scolded him. As he complained, Elias rolled him up for the three count.
WINNER: Elias in 9:00. (*1/4)
Does Elias win the 24/7 Title by scoring the three count with a roll-up? That was what you’d have expected it to be… unless you were optimistic it’d be really good. Most of energy came from Corbin yelling at the ref over and over. Elias’s rarely heard theme music played after he won. It’s so strange that someone with so much TV time has theme music so unfamiliar to our ears.(3) BECKY LYNCH vs. SHAYNA BASZLER – WWE Raw Women’s Title matchBecky drove up to the venue in her semi-truck. Then Baszler’s ring entrance took place. I was thinking this would be the final match on night one. The bell rang and they circled each other, then they swung at each other and slapping noises could be heard. Baszler quickly went for a Kirafuda Clutch, but Becky jumped through the ropes. Baszler went after he at ringside and rammed her into the ringside steps. Becky took over and landed a flying dropkick. She kicked away at Baszler in the corner. They fought on the ring apron a few minutes in. Becky slammed Baszler onto the ring apron edge. She climbed to the top rope. Baszler kicked Becky off balance and yanked her hard to the mat. Baszler applied a Disarm Her, but Becky rolled out of it. Baszler kneed Becky and scored a two count. She applied a Kirafuda Clutch in the ropes, but had to break right before the five count. Baszler swung Becky by her legs into the ring apron. Then she applied the Kirafuda Clutch in the ring. Becky flipped over and bridged Baszler’s shoulders down for the three count.
WINNER: Lynch in 9:00 to retain the Raw Women’s Title. (**3/4)
I’m not sure this is the setting to crown new babyface champions, but I don’t think it works as much against a heel winning. Curious how they get Baszler going again since that was a pretty clean loss. It was intense and good from the very start.
