WRESTLEMANIA WEEKEND [Every Match/Event Ranked]: Holy Shit! Holy Shit!

“Monsignor” Travis Moody
@TravMoody

WrestleMania Weekend. Essentially the Super Bowl for smarks, this super-sized weekend offers fans the ultimate celebration in all that is professional wrestling. Whether it’s witnessing a flat-out war to the near-literal death between a tenacious Bro and a resilient Oscutter, two wrestling brands joining forces in the midst of trying to find their own identity, catching fans walking the line on Bourbon Street with WWE’s own “Drifter”, or the sight of a legendary “King” spewing flame onto the goods of wrestling’s Notorious D.O.N.G., Thursday-Sunday certainly didn’t go without its share of memorable moments down in New Orleans.

I reviewed 17 wrestling events this week, chiefly because I need an intervention (is a wrestling addiction worse than a drug one? Eh, probably), I need a job, and I just love the smell of napalm in the morning (you can read my reviews for WrestleMania 34 here and for every other promotion here). And if it wasn’t for PROGRESS using “hotel WiFi” as the reason why the blazing British wrestling promotions’s pair of highly anticipated #NOLA Chapters are not available for viewing pleasure, your boy would have had EVERY significant professional wrestling match this past weekend reviewed and ranked. Where’s my damn pancake?

Mystery Vortex…

(Note: Since WrestleMania Axxess is a fairly new concept and something akin to Comic-Con, where its intent is strictly for its live attendance, the show gets a pass for not being readily available; kinda…; I also decided not to include Beyond’s “Lit Up” show, an entire evening full of intergender matches, fun.. but.. yeah, or the Kaiju Big Battel because it’s called the Kaiju Big Battel.)



Every WrestleMania Weekend Match Ranked:

1. Unsanctioned Match: Johnny Gargano vs. Tommaso Ciampa – 5/5 (NXT TakeOver: New Orleans)
2. North American Championship Ladder Match: Adam Cole vs. EC3 vs. Killian Dain vs. Lars Sullivan vs. Ricochet vs. Velveteen Dream – 4.75/5 (NXT TakeOver: N.O.)
3. EVOLVE Championship: Will Ospreay vs. Matt Riddle – 4.5/5 (WWN Supershow: Mercury Rising)
4. Kurt Angle & Ronda Rousey vs. Triple H & Stephanie McMahon – 4.5/5 (WrestleMania 34)
5. NXT Championship: Andrade Almas vs. Aleister Black – 4.5/5 (NXT TakeOver: N.O.)

How the F did we wind up the THIRD best match on the card?

6. Flamita & Bandito vs. Rey Fenix & Ray Horus – 4.25/5 (WrestleCon Super Show)
7. RINGKAMPF (WALTER & Timothy Thatcher) vs. Daisuke Sekimoto & Munenori Sawa – 4.25/5 (EVOLVE 102)
8. 6-Man Tag: CHAOS (Will Ospreay, Rocky Romero & Chuck Taylor) vs. Kota Ibushi, Flip Gordon & Shane Strickland – 4.25/5 (RevPro “Live in New Orleans”)
9. RevPro Undisputed British Heavyweight Championship: Zack Sabre Jr. vs. Tomohiro Ishii – 4.25/5 (RevPro)
10. Pierre Carl Ouellet vs. WALTER – 4.25/5 (Joey Janella’s Spring Break 2)

I’m getting my ass handed to me by a Quebecer?

11. Smackdown Women’s Championship: Charlotte vs. Asuka – 4.25/5 (WrestleMania 34)
12. Kota Ibushi vs. Adam Page – 4/5 (ROH Supercard of Honor)
13. EVOLVE Championship: Zack Sabre Jr. vs. Matt Riddle – 4/5 (EVOLVE 102)
14. AR Fox vs. Will Ospreay – 4/5 (EVOLVE 102)
15. Jeff Cobb vs. Tomohiro Ishii – 4/5 (WrestleCon Super Show)
16. Fatal 4-Way: Will Ospreay vs. Adam Brooks vs. Sammy Guevara vs. Shane Strickland – 4/5 (WrestleCon Super Show)
17. Munenori Sawa vs. Zack Sabre Jr. – 4/5 (WWN Supershow)
18. NXT Women’s Championship: Ember Moon vs. Shayna Baszler – 4/5 (NXT TakeOver: N.O.)
19. Ladder Match – Six-Man Tag Team Title Championship: So Cal Uncensored vs. Flip Gordon & The Young Bucks – 4/5 (ROH SCoH)
20. Will Ospreay vs. Dezmond Xavier – 4/5 (CZW “Welcome to the Combat Zone”)
21. Triple Threat Ladder – AAW Tag Team & PWR Tag Team Championships: Besties In The World vs. Aussie Open vs. The Rascalz – 4/5 (AAW/PWR “Pancakes & Piledrivers 2”)
22. Minoru Suzuki vs. Matt Riddle – 3.75/5 (Matt Riddle’s Bloodsport)
23. WWE Championship: AJ Styles vs. Shinsuke Nakamura – 3.75/5 (WrestleMania 34)
24. EVOLVE Championship: Matt Riddle vs. Daisuke Sekimoto – 3.75/5 (EVOLVE 103)
25. Triple Threat: Pentagon Jr. vs. Austin Aires vs. Fenix – 3.75/5 (IMPACT! vs. Lucha Underground)

It’s already happening again, people.

26. Brian Cage vs. Willie Mack vs. Sami Callihan – 3.75/5 (The Crash WrestleCon)
27. WWE Intercontinental Championship: Seth Rollins vs. The Miz vs. Finn Balor – 3.75/5 (WrestleMania 34)
28. Tracy Williams vs. WALTER – 3.75/5 (EVOLVE 103)
29. Daisuke Sekimoto vs. Keith Lee – 3.75/5 (WWN Supershow)
30. King Cuerno, Drago, & Aerostar vs. Andrew Everett, Dezmond Xavier, & DJZ – 3.75/5 (IMPACT! vs. L.U.)
31. Deonna Purrazzo vs. Madison Eagles – 3.75/5 (SHIMMER 100)
32. Jeff Cobb vs. Minoru Suzuki – 3.75/5 (RevPro)
33. Tag Team Championship: LAX vs. Killshot & The Mack – 3.75/5 (IMPACT! vs. L.U.)
34. NXT Tag Team Championship: Undisputed Era vs. Authors of Pain vs. Pete Dunne & Roderick Strong – 3.75/5 (NXT TakeOver: N.O.)
35. Tom Lawlor vs. WALTER – 3.5/5 (Bloodsport)
36. Penta El 0M vs. Austin Aries – 3.5/5 (The Crash WrestleCon)
37. EVOLVE Tag Team Championship: RINGKAMPF vs. Catch Point – 3.5/5 (WWN Supershow)
38. Tomohiro Ishii vs. Punishment Martinez – 3.5/5 (ROH SCoH)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hKD6M1kyCw8

39. Penta El 0M vs. Joey Janella – 3.5/5 (WrestleCon Super Show)
40. Munenori Sawa vs. Jaka – 3.5/5 (EVOLVE 103)
41. AR Fox, DJ Z & Trey Miguel vs. Austin Theory, Travis Banks & Zachary Wentz – 3.5/5 (WWN Supershow)
42. 6-Man Scramble: Eli Everfly vs. DJZ vs. Tony Deppen vs. Gringo Loco vs. KTB vs. Teddy Hart – 3.5/5 (Spring Break 2)
43. Fatal 4-Way Tag: Scarlet And Graves vs. oVe vs. Black Diamond & Aeroboy vs. Jason Cade & Curt Stallion – 3.5/5 (The Crash WrestleCon)
44. Heart of SHIMMER Championship: Tessa Blanchard vs. Shazza Mckenzie – 3.5/5 (SHIMMER 100)
45. Adam Brooks vs. Brian Cage – 3.5/5 (RevPro)
46. Mixed Tag: Janelope vs. Joey Ryan & Laura James – 3.5/5 (CZW Welcome…)
47. Triple Threat – Twitch TV Championship: Willie Mack vs. Alex Reynolds vs. Sami Callihan – 3.5/5 (House of Hardcore 40)
48. Style Battle Final: Anthony Henry vs. Matt Riddle – 3.5/5 (WWN Style Battle)
49. Juice Robinson vs. David Starr – 3.5/5 (CZW Welcome…)
50. Cody vs. Kenny Omega – 3.5/5 (ROH SCoH)

Had to be the biggest letdown of Mania Weekend.

51. SHIMMER Championship: Nicole Savoy vs. Mercedes Martinez – 3.5/5 (SHIMMER 100)
52. Triple Threat – Fight Club Pro: Jessicka Havok vs. Meiko Satomura vs. Kimber Lee – 3.25/5 (AAW/PWR “Pancakes & Piledrivers 2”)
53. Austin Aries vs. Brian Cage – 3.25/5 (HOH40)
54. Jeff Cobb vs. Shane Strickland – 3.25/5 (AAW/PWR “Pancakes & Piledrivers 2”)
55. Golden Lovers vs. Chuckie T & Flip Gordon – 3.25/5 (WrestleCon Super Show)
56. Nick Gage vs. Timothy Thatcher – 3.25/5 (Bloodsport)
57. Fatal 4-Way: Zachary Wentz vs. Ace Romero vs. Jason Cade vs. Adam Brooks – 3.25/5 (CZW Welcome…)
58. Sami Callihan, Juice & Tanahashi vs. David Starr, Brian Cage & Minoru Suzuki – 3.25/5 (WrestleCon Super Show)
59. Triple Threat: Flip Gordon vs. Laredo Kid vs. Rey Horus – 3.25/5 (The Crash WrestleCon)
60. 6-Man Tornado Tag: OI4K vs. Brian Cage, AR Fox & Joey Janela – 3.25/5 (AAW/PWR “Pancakes & Piledrivers 2”)
61. Shane McMahon & Daniel Bryan vs. Sami Zayn & Kevin Owens – 3.25/5 (WrestleMania 34)
62. Toni Storm vs. Nicole Matthews – 3.25/5 (SHIMMER 100)

Toni certainly wasn’t singin’ the blues.

63. Intergender 10-Person Tag: Tenille Dashwood, Nicole Savoy, Tessa Blanchard, Shazza McKenzie & Penelope Ford vs. Trevor Lee, Caleb Konley, MJF, Zane Riley & Jake Manning – 3.25/5 (WrestleCon Super Show)
64. David Starr vs. Mike Quackenbush – 3.25/5 (Spring Break 2)
65. Hiroshi Tanahashi & Juice Robinson vs. Aussie Open – 3.25/5 (RevPro)
66. Keith Lee vs. Darby Allin – 3.25/5 (EVOLVE 102)
67. Joey Janela vs. The Great Sasuke – 3.25/5 (Spring Break 2)
68. Martin Stone vs. David Starr – 3.25/5 (RevPro)
69. Chuckie T vs. Jonathan Gresham – 3.25/5 (ROH SCoH)
70. WWE Cruiserweight Championship: Cedric Alexander vs. Mustafa Ali – 3.25/5 (WrestleMania 34)
71. Knockouts Championship: Taya Valkyrie vs. Allie – 3.25/5 (IMPACT! vs. L.U.)
72. Universal Championship Match: Brock Lesnar vs. Roman Reigns – 3.25/5 (WrestleMania 34)
73. Chris Dickinson vs. Dan Severn – 3/5 (Bloodsport)
74. DJZ vs. Jason Kincaid vs. AR Fox vs. Chris Brookes – 3/5 (EVOLVE 103)
75. Joey Ryan vs. Teddy Hart – 3/5 (HOH40)

Hate ’em or love ’em, these guys were everywhere (and we mean EVERYWHERE).

76. Rey Fenix vs. La Flamita – 3/5 (The Crash WrestleCon)
77. GCW Championship: Penta El 0M vs. Nick Gage – 3/5 (Spring Break 2)
78. Joe Gacy vs. Jeff Cobb – 3/5 (CZW Welcome…)
79. Austin Theory vs. DJZ – 3/5 (EVOLVE 102)
80. Tag Team Triple Threat: Myron Reed & Trey Miguel vs. Flamita & Bandito vs. OVE – 3/5 (CZW Welcome…)
81. Mia Yim, Kay Lee Ray, & Rhia O’Reilly vs. Kellyannne, Veda Scott, & Zoe Lucas – 3/5 (SHIMMER 100)
82. The Lucha Brothers vs. Teddy Hart & Jack Evans – 3/5 (AAW/PWR “Pancakes & Piledrivers 2”)
83. ROH World Championship: Marty Scurll vs. Dalton Castle – 3/5 (ROH SCoH)
84. Eddie Kingston vs. Juice Robinson – 3/5 (AAW/PWR “Pancakes & Piledrivers 2”)
85. Daga vs. El Bandido – 3/5 (The Crash WrestleCon)
86. WWN vs. FIP World Hvy Championship: Keith Lee vs. Austin Theory – 3/5 (EVOLVE 103)
87. Eddie Kingston vs. Tracy Williams – 3/5 (Bloodsport)
88. Cheerleader Melissa vs. Shotzi Blackheart – 2.75/5 (SHIMMER 100)
89. CZW World Heavyweight Championship: Rickey Shane Page vs. Ethan Page – 2.75/5 (CZW Welcome…)
90. Open Invitational – PWR Scramble Championship: Matt Palmer vs. Ace Romero vs. Jake Manning vs. Maxwell Jacob Friedman vs. Trey Miguel – 2.75/5 (AAW/PWR “Pancakes & Piledrivers 2”)

91. Tag Team Championship: The Briscoes vs. Jay Lethal & Hiroshi Tanahashi – 2.75/5 (ROH SCoH)
92. Fatal 4-Way Mixed Tag: Joey Ryan & Barbi Hayden vs. Black Danger & Lacey Lane vs. Douglas James & Thunder Rosa vs. Angel Fashion & Christi Jaynes – 2.75/5 (The Crash WrestleCon)
93. 10-Man Tag: Peter Avalon, Stevie Fierce, Suede Thompson, Matt Knicks & Douglas James vs. Dan Barry, Ace Austin, Kit Osborne, Dan Ohare & Josh Briggs – 2.75/5 (CZW Welcome…)
94. Style Battle 1st Round: Tracer X vs. AR Fox – 2.75/5 (WWN Style Battle)
95. Style Battle 1st Round: Anthony Henry vs. Jason Kincaid – 2.75/5 (WWN Style Battle)
96. WWE United States Championship: Jinder Mahal vs. Randy Orton vs. Bobby Roode vs. Rusev – 2.75/5 (WrestleMania 34)
97. Moose vs. Matt Sydal vs. MATANZA vs. Caleb Konley vs. Jack Evans vs. Chavo Guerrero Jr. – 2.75/5 (IMPACT! vs. L.U.)
98. Eli Drake vs. Brian Cage – 2.75/5 (IMPACT! vs. L.U.)
99. Street Fight: Catch Point vs. James Drake & Anthony Henry vs. The End – 2.75/5 (WWN Supershow)
100. Style Battle Semifinals: AR Fox vs. Anthony Henry – 2.75/5 (WWN Style Battle)
101. Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal: Matt Hardy – 2.75/5 (WrestleMania 34)

102. Champion vs. Champion: James Ellsworth vs. Matt Riddle – 2.5/5 (Spring Break 2)
103. Style Battle 1st Round: Snoop Strikes vs. Matt Riddle – 2.5/5 (WWN Style Battle)
104. MVP vs. Carlito – 2.5/5 (HOH 40)
105. RAW Women’s Championship: Nia Jax vs. Champion Alexa Bliss – 2.5/5 (WrestleMania 34)
106. Twitch TV Title Semifinal: Willie Mack vs. Killer Kross – 2.5/5 (HOH40)
107. Clusterfuck!!!!!!2.5/5 (Spring Break 2)
108. Chris Dickinson vs. Mark Haskins – 2.5/5 (EVOLVE 103)
109. I Quit Match: Eddie Edwards vs. Jeremiah Crane – 2.5/5 (IMPACT! vs. L.U.)
110. Samantha Heights vs. Kimber Lee – 2.5/5 (SHIMMER 100)
111. Smackdown Tag Team Championship: The Bludgeon Brothers vs. New Day vs. The Usos – 2.5/5 (WrestleMania 34)
112. WrestleMania Women’s Battle Royal: Naomi – 2.5/5 (WrestleMania 34)
113. AAW Heavyweight Championship: ACH vs. Trevor Lee – 2.5/5 (AAW/PWR “Pancakes & Piledrivers 2”)
114. Undertaker vs. John Cena – 2.5/5 (WrestleMania 34)

When the Hulkster isn’t available…

115. Tag Team Scramble: The End vs. James Drake & Anthony Henry vs. Dominic Garrini & Tracy Williams vs. Chris Dickinson & Jaka – 2.25/5 (EVOLVE 102)
116. Chelsea Green & Britt Baker vs. Charli Evans & Jessica Troy – 2.25/5 (SHIMMER 100)
117. Last Man Standing – TV Championship: Kenny King vs. Silas Young – 2.25/5 (ROH SCoH)
118. Fatal 5-Way: Super Crazy vs. Clayton Gainz vs. Ace Romero vs. Trey Miguel vs. Myron Reed – 2.25/5 (HOH40)
119. Timothy Thatcher vs. Dominic Garrini – 2.25/5 (EVOLVE 103)
120. Chico el Luchador & The Mexicools vs. Matt Classic, Jason Cade & Teddy Hart – 2.25/5 (WrestleCon Super Show)
121. Killer Elite Squad vs. Tommy Dreamer & Billy Gunn – 2.25/5 (HOH40)
122. Scott Steiner & Teddy Hart vs. OVE – 2.25/5 (IMPACT! vs. L.U.)
123. Style Battle 1st Round: Keith Lee vs. Nick Gage – 2.25/5 (WWN Style Battle)
124. The Rock ‘n’ Roll Express & Hurricane Helms vs. The Spirit Squad – 2/5 (HOH40)
125. LA Park, Nicho El Millonario & Damian 666 vs. Bestia 666, Garza Jr & Mr. 450 – 2/5 (The Crash WrestleCon)

LWO!!!

126. Women of Honor Championship: Kelly Klein vs. Sumie Sakai – 2/5 (ROH SCoH)
127. Tag Team Championship: Leva Bates & Delilah Doom vs. Lufisto & Hudson Envy – 2/5 (SHIMMER 100)
128. “Wildcard”J Spade vs. “Outlaw” Matt Lancie – 2/5 (HOH40)
129. Marty The Moth vs. Trevor Lee – 2/5 (IMPACT! vs. L.U.)
130. MJF vs. KTB – 2/5 (CZW Welcome…)
131. Mixed Tag: Colt Cabana & Marty DeRosa vs. Joey Ryan & Session Moth Martina – 1.75/5 (AAW/PWR “Pancakes & Piledrivers 2”)
132. Twitch TV Title Semifinal: Alex Reynolds vs. Swoggle – 1.75/5 (HOH40)
133. Logan Creed vs. Joey Ozbourne vs. Francisco Ciatso vs. Andrew Jackson vs. Blanco Loco – 1.5/5 (WWN Style Battle)
134. Martin Stone vs. MASADA – 1.5/5 (Bloodsport)
135. WWA4 Wrestling School Scramble Thing1.25/5 (WWN Style Battle)
136. Curt Matthews & Jared Wayne vs. Matt Knicks & Stevie Fierce vs. Chance Champion & Omar Amir vs. Purple Haze & Blake Wilder vs. Crazy Boy & Aero Boy vs. Jimmy Lloyd & Tony Deppen – 1/5 (WWN Style Battle)
137. Dominic Garrini vs. KTB – 1/5 (Bloodsport)
138. Cheeseburger & Bully Ray vs. The Dawgs – 1/5 (ROH SCoH)
139. RAW Tag Team Championship: Braun Strowman & Nicolas the Kid Fan vs. The Bar – 0.5/5 (WrestleMania 34)
140. Every match from these 3 shows – N/A/5 (WrestleMania AxxessPROGRESS Chapter 66 & 67)

Get These Hands!


Every WrestleMania Weekend Show Ranked:

1. NXT TakeOver: New Orleans4.5/5
2. WWN Supershow: Mercury Rising3.75/5
3. RevPro “Live in New Orleans”3.75/5
4. WrestleCon Super Show3.75/5
5. EVOLVE 1023.5/5
6. Joey Janella’s Spring Break 23.25/5
7. IMPACT! vs. Lucha Underground3.25/5
8. WrestleMania 343/5
9. ROH Supercard of Honor3/5
10. EVOLVE 1033/5
11. AAW/PWR “Pancakes & Piledrivers 2”3/5
12. The Crash WrestleCon3/5
13. SHIMMER 1003/5
14. CZW “Welcome to the Combat Zone”3/5
15. GCW Presents… Matt Riddle’s Bloodsport2.75/5
16. House of Hardcore 402.5/5
17. WWN Style Battle2/5
18. WrestleMania Axxess, Days 1-4N/A/5
19. PROGRESS Chapter 66N/A/5
20. PROGRESS Chapter 67N/A/5

Until next year in Metropolis!

-Travis Moody