The underlying meaning behind labeling CM Punk an old man is that he isn’t built to carry the company anymore. There’s a level of stamina required to do this thing at the highest level that Roman Reigns believed Punk lacked. When the time came, Roman saw Punk collapsing under the pressure.
That’s exactly what happened in their WrestleMania main event.
This match
was what one might call an “epic.” Both men kicked out of finishers and ate moves that usually finish off others. But this wasn’t the “cinema” which WWE became known for in recent years. It didn’t become the typical Roman Reigns match. No, this was a simple wrestling match between two cats who hate each other. And after neither man succumbed to the other’s biggest shots, it became a battle of endurance. Sadly, that was never a fight Punk could win.
During a weekend filled with matches more suitable for weeknights than big weekends, the main event delivered like an 80 lb. baby. Once we got past the entrances, the opening foreshadowed what to expect when the two men talked trash to each other in the middle of the ring before even locking up. That escalated the already higher than a kite tension, which kept rising the longer the match went. Thankfully, unlike many Mania matches, these two got a lot of time to tell a basic wrestling story of one man just having more fight left in him than his older opponent.
At times, both wrestlers let their egos get them into trouble. Punk mocked Roman often but it cost him momentum at least once. Roman spent too much time preening to the crowd for acknowledgement while Punk played possum, which meant the Tribal Chief caught a knee to the face while setting up a Spear attempt. Those are the traits each talked about in the weeks leading up to this bout; Roman’s desire for adulation and Punk’s pathological need to disrespect. Punk also pushed himself and pulled out every single stop, which brilliantly illustrated the chip on his shoulder for having a harder time to the top than Roman. It wasn’t just about beating Roman as much as it was proving to everyone, including Roman, that he belonged in the same spot despite the hardships getting there.
That’s why he never quit despite several Spears, a Superman Punch, and a Guillotine. He even bounced up from the second to last Spear Roman delivered because his hatred just couldn’t let him rest despite his body giving out moments earlier. That metaphorical weight the OTC referenced? It became literal when Punk nailed the challenger with a kick to the head but it was the champ who dropped to his knees. Roman bounced off the ropes and right onto Punk’s shoulders. That’s prime GTS positioning! But Punk’s body gave out. In one of the best symbolism moments of the weekend, Punk literally collapsed under Roman’s weight. The lineage, the championship success, the box office success, and everything that comes with it is a part of Roman’s legacy. That’s the essence of what Punk was up against and his body couldn’t handle all of that.
Roman, for his part, had more than enough hatred and stamina to fuel him. Like I said, he took every big blow and like a good goonie, never said die. He backed up everything he said. While I know a Roman reign—pun intended—isn’t the most exciting thing for some, I’m very curious how this one differs from the last. It’s a very different landscape than the last time Roman held gold. What’s the story and how do they tell it in a way that feels fresh? One thing I always give Roman props for is never wanting to repeat himself. This match was part of that mindset and hopefully his time on top is an extension of it.
But back to what was the match of the weekend. One man’s hatred carried him to the finish line while the other went out on his shield like a grizzled gunslinger, despite having more than enough hatred running through his veins. The spirit was willing but the flesh was weak. The other man, the new champion, had no such issues.
Hell of a story, hell of a main event, and a hell of a way to cap a much improved night of WWE wrestling.
B-Sides
- THE BRINGER OF WAR! Oba Femi ate an F5 like it was a fly annoying him at a picnic. He truly was the thing incapable of conquering, which Brock Lesnar learned the hard way. The territory did the right thing in making this quick and emphatic. Brock got in offense but mostly to show how it only briefly delayed the inevitable. This was, as a former president put it, a shellacking. Oba ate the F5, popped up, Choke Slammed Brock, then prepped him for the Fall From Grace. Brock sold beautifully for the man Michael Cole called “the next big thing.” Strap a rocket to this man now and don’t overthink it.
- Which brings us to the former next big thing. Brock sold the Fall From Grace like a sniper shot as he remained on his back for mad long. When he sat up, he unlaced his boots, took off his gloves, and said his goodbyes to the crowd. He and Paul E. tearfully embraced and that seems like it for The Beast. I say “seems” because WWE’s social account framed this as a question about Brock’s future rather than a statement. Is he truly done? Is this all prep for something down the road? Only time will tell. But if this is it, Brock went out in the best way possible. If I had one criticism, it’s that it happened so soon after Oba’s win. Rather than purely talking about The Ruler’s dominance, the conversation is now about Brock’s future. I’d say wrestling fans, observers, and journalists can talk about both things but I’ve lived too many years on
this planet to truly believe that. - I have no issue with Trick Williams winning the United States Championship. That was the right call and Trick is the future and his connection with the audience is undeniable. BUT the match ended as soon as it started! Seriously, it was maybe seven minutes? It felt like we got more time on Trick’s entrance than the match. And that was a long entrance because it made me endure more Lil’ Yachty than I ever planned to endure in my life. Timing aside, much Sami Zayn and Trick did exactly what they needed to do. Sami worked heel and got really aggressive with Trick Willy. Repeatedly banging the man’s head into the ring post right in front of his parents is particularly foul. Sami also assaulted Yachty, which I know is supposed to be a heel move but it actually made me like him more. That’s a me thing that I’m working through. Yachty got his revenge stopping Sami from hitting the Helluva Kick, which gave Trick the opening eventually hit the Trick Knee and grab his first title on the main roster.
- I’m going to sound old here, but I remember when WWE’s street fights actually used the whole environment. They didn’t always go to an actual street but they often spilled into the audience or backstage. The idea being that the ring and all of the plunder ringside just wasn’t enough to contain the combatants hatred. For a street fight involving a demon, that type of fight felt appropriate. However we got something no different than a street fight on Raw or SmackDown. Finn Balor as the Demon hit a nasty move where he trapped Dom’s head between the chair, stood him up, then hit him with that shotgun dropkick he loves. Dirty Dom’s neck snapped back on impact as soon as he hit the turnbuckle. That was a very dope moment in an otherwise perfectly fine match that never rose beyond Monday or Tuesday night.
- The WWE Women’s Championship match had a lot happening, but it all added to the match. Yes, it was yet another match way too short for my liking, but I’m a broken record about that at this point. Jade Cargill definitely looked improved in what was her biggest match yet in WWE. I even dug her One Winged Angel. This whole thing’s been about Jade not being able to defeat Rhea on her own. If the odds were even, Rhea knew she’d come out on top because that’s what mami does. Well, that’s what happened. IYO SKY neutralized Michin & B-Fab, which left Jade all by her lonesome. Rhea took care of business and celebrated the title win with her best friend.
- Penta retained his Intercontinental Championship in an incredible 15 minute ladder match. I’m highlighting the time because it’s insane the competitors did all of that in that time span. Everyone got a nice spot to shine, including Je’Von Evans, who made his Mania debut. It was organized chaos, if that makes any sense. Penta was the right call to retain since his reign is still so young, but any one of these guys, including Rey Mysterio, would make a good Intercontinental champ.
- Danhausen is great. That is all.
The tale of two nights. This was a serious improvement on night one for the main event alone. Despite the matches still being short and still getting more ads than wrestling at times, it felt better sequenced and better laid out. It helped that we got Oba shocking the world early. That set the tone for the rest of the night and it delivered on that crowd pleasing aspect. WWE’s new season begins and while things aren’t looking up quite as high as last year or the year before, there’s potential there for some creative endeavors. Oba already called out the new champ and predicts pain by the end of the year. Who else is shooting their shot?
What say you, Cagesiders?
