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Music Video for Wrestlemania 22 kicks off the show
Jim Ross welcomes the viewers to All State Arena in Chicago for Wrestlemania 22.
*Match 1: Rey Mysterio vs. Booker T (US Title)*
Rey Mysterio is introduced first to a big pop from the crowd. The United States Champion Booker T is introduced to a loud chorus of boos. A very excellent way to start off the show which saw Booker retain after nailing Mysterio with the US Title while Mysterio attempted to land the West Coast Pop.
Winner and STILL U.S. Champion: Booker T
****
Samoa Joe delivers a good promo backstage hyping his interpromotional match with The Big Show. The main point here was that The Big Show has never faced someone who was this well rounded and dangerous.
*Match 2: Samoa Joe vs. The Big Show (Interpromotional Match)*
Samoa Joe is introduced first to a definite mixed reaction, partly because of his ROH roots and Chicago being a ROH regular stop. The Big Show comes out next to another mixed reaction. Probably the best Big Show match you will ever see. These two work well together and it showed and surpringsly Joe didn't have to carry Show. The story here was Joe not being able to pick Show up for the Muscle Buster. Joe managed to beat down Show and pin him with an STO.
Winner: Samoa Joe
*** 3/4
Christopher Daniels is interviewed backstage about his upcoming 2 out of 3 falls title match with AJ Styles. Solid mic work done by Daniels getting over the fact that he has AJ's number and that it will be two falls and done.
*Match 3: AJ Styles vs. Christopher Daniels (Best 2 out of 3 falls for the Cruiserweight Title)*
AJ is out first to a superstar reaction. Daniels, the champ, follows to big heat. An excellent match, but nothing you wouldn't already expect. Daniels took the first fall with Angel's Wings, Styles took the second fall with a Spiral Tap, and then in an exciting finishing sequence, Daniels reversed a Styles Clash which was reveresed by Styles into a cradle to win the third fall and the Cruiserweight title to a HUGE pop.
Winner and NEW Cruiserweight Champion: A.J. Styles
**** 1/4
Eddie Guerrero is backstage preparing for tonights title match. Chris Benoit comes in a psyches up Eddie talking about being a two time World Champion and how it would be an honor to cash in the Money in the Bank opportunity against his best friend.
Next up is the 30 man interpromotional Battle Royal.
*Match 4: 30 Man Interpromotional Battle Royal (Winner gets Brand's Title Shot this week)*
Unlike the Royal Rumble, all 30 men start in the ring. It consists of 15 Raw guys and 15 Smackdown guys where the winner will get a shot at their brand's World Title this week on Raw or Smackdown.
This was a fun battle royal for what is was. Here were the order of eliminations and who eliminated them.
1. Psicosis (Bryan Danielson)
2. Kid Kash (D'lo Brown)
3. Eugene (Snitsky)
4. James Gibson (Kane)
5. Rob Conway (Lashley)
6. Raven (CM Punk)
7. Abyss (Lashley)
8. Juventud (Tomko)
9. Joey Mercury (Rhyno)
10. Jushin Lyger (Tomko)
11. Stevie Richards (O'Haire)
12. D'lo Brown (Benjamin)
13. Renee Dupree (Kane)
14. Colt Cabana (O'Haire)
15. Muhammad Hassan (Lashley)
16. Gregory Helms (Snitsky)
17. Super Crazy (Punk)
18. Chris Sabin (Regal)
19. Snitsky (O'Haire)
20. Johnny Nitro (Kane)
21. William Regal (Lashley)
22. Bryan Danielson (Tomko)
23. CM Punk (Kane)
24. Rhyno (Christian)
25. Christian (Kane)
26. Lashley (O'Haire)
27. Shelton Benjamin (Kane)
28. Sean O'Haire (Kane)
29. Kane (Tomko)
Christian used Heel 101 Psychology by staying under the ring most of the match. He came in long enough to eliminate Rhyno, but then was quickly dumped out by Kane. It was down to Kane vs. Shelton, O'Haire, and Tomko. Kane manhandled Shelton and it came down to Kane, Sean O'Haire, and Tomko. Kane managed to get rid of Of O'Haire and was about to dump Tomko when Christian distracted Kane long enough for Tomko to toss Kane to win much to the shock of the fans. Tomko will now get a shot at the WWE Champion tomorrow night on Raw.
Winner: Tomko
** 3/4
Backstage, Steve Corino cut a decent promo on RVD talking about their time in ECW and how RVD represented ECW and Corino represents WWE's tradition.
*Match 5: Steve Corino vs. Rob Van Dam (Intercontinental Title)*
Steve Corino is introduced first to a mild reaction. RVD comes out next to a HUGE oviation. An excellent match by all aspects and the crowd is white hot for RVD. The fans although haven't taken to Corino like the WWE hoped they would. RVD goes over with the Five Star to potentially kill off the feud.
Winner and STILL Intercontinetal Champion: Rob Van Dam
**** 1/3
Kurt Angle talks about becoming Money In The Bank and how he will add that to his already long list of accomplishments. Angle dropped a hint that he would even cash in his opportunity later tonight.
*Match 6: Matt Hardy vs. Carlito vs. JBL vs. Jeff Hardy vs. Kurt Angle vs. Chris Benoit (Money In The Bank Ladder Match)*
Match of the Night so far, probably of the night. Everyone was on their game tonight and the crowd was hot from start to finish. JBL was taken out 10 minutes into it thanks to a Swanton Bomb through three tables. Highlight spots included a Backcracker off the ladder, a Twist of Fate off the top of the ladder, and an Angle Slam off the ladder through a table. The finish came when a masked man came and shoved Benoit off a ladder which allowed Kurt Angle to climb up and grap the briefcase.
Winner and the 2006 Money In The Bank: Kurt Angle
**** 3/4
The Dudley Boys cut a promo about being the greatest tag team in history and how Wrestlemania is the perfect place show the World why.
*Match 7: America's Most Wanted vs. London and Kendrick vs. The Briscoes vs. The Dudleys (World Tag Team Titles)*
They had a tough act to follow, the crowd seemed pretty dead for the most part minus a few high spots from London and Kendrick. A good, solid match that had a little bit of everything. They did an interesting finish where Bubba Ray had Jay Briscoe pinned before Jack Doan counted 3, London landed on Bubba and Jay with a London Calling at the same time Doan counted the 3. The Dudleys thought they won the match, but Jack Doan awarded the match and the titles to London and Kendrick due to London landing on Bubba and Jay before the actual three count took place. The crowd popped for the title change.
Winners and NEW WWE Tag Team Champions: Paul London and Brian Kendrick
****
Randy Orton talks about the upcoming World Title match and about how he's waited almost two years for the opportunity to regain the title. And that tonight he is going to kill two more legends.
*Match 8: Eddie Guerrero vs. Randy Orton vs. Batista (World Heavyweight Title)*
Lex Lu...errrr Randy Orton must've been fighting for his job moreso the World Title tonight as he was more fired up than usual. What was suppose to be Orton winning the title here turned into more of a punishment match for Orton. After showing up late to the Hall Of Fame last night, the company decided to not put the title on Orton. They probably would've fired or suspended him immediately if it was for him being one of the main events. Hard work from all three guys with Batista retaining the title after pinning Orton with a Spinebuster. Batista has now held the title for a year now.
Winner and STILL World Heavyweight Champion: Batista
**** 1/2
HBK hypes his match with Edge, he gets over the point that Edge may be the future but HBK is still the present. Great interview and showed that HBK still had more passion in him than most of the roster combined.
*Match 9: Edge vs. Shawn Michaels*
Where the MITB match relied on gimmicks and high spots to get over, this match only needed old school psychology. There was no gimmicks, no high spots, just good old school wrestling. The crowd was hot coming off the heels of an excellent World Title match and it showed that Edge and HBK are the two top workers in the company. Edge wins clean with the Spear in what MAY be considered as a "passing of the torch" of sorts. Let's just hope Edge losses a bit of the ego, right now he is worse than HBK was in the mid-late 90's. That's bad.
Winner: Edge
*****
Mr. McMahon is shown getting ready for his Hardcore match with Mick Foley.
*Match 10: Mick Foley vs. Mr. McMahon (Hardcore Match)*
This match was more of a let down than anything. Foley and McMahon didn't seem to gel out there especially considering it was a brawl which is what Foley excels at and McMahon can hold his own at. The crowd helped pull this match to above average with Foley getting the win with the help of Socko.
Winner: Mick Foley
*** 3/4
Mr. Kennedy promo talking about the end of one streak and the start of another. The end of The Undertaker's Wrestlemania streak and the start of Mr. Kennedy's Wrestlemania streak. Kennedy tells Taker to not Rest in Peace, but to Rest in Pain.
*Match 11: Mr. Kennedy vs. The Undertaker (Casket Match)*
Taker's streak is safe, but you probably weren't expecting anything less. This was probably one of Taker's better casket matches, but that's not saying much. Taker held Kennedy's hand through most of the match, but Kennedy didn't stink up the joint or anything.
Winner: The Undertaker
*** 1/2
*Match 12: Mickie James vs. Trish (Women's Title)*
The crowd tried to get into it, but you could tell they were tiring out and they still had the WWE Title match left to go. Mickie ends Trish's long reign as champion with the leaping DDT.
Winner and NEW Women's Champion: Mickie James
***
A video plays hyping Cena/HHH.
*Macth 13: Triple H vs. John Cena (WWE Title)*
Not as good as people hoped it would be, but still a great match. The crowd was pro-Triple H, but Cena still had his fans. Finsih saw Cena reversing the Pedigree into the FU and then locked in the STFU to get the tap out.
Winner and STILL WWE Champion: John Cena
****
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