Childs

I thought Taker looked cosmetically strong but absolutely dreadful in the ring. He moved like what he is -- a beat-up 53-year-old man. And his timing was amateurish. A hot 10-minute sprint would have been fine, even ideal. But this was a big letdown after all that booking effort. I appreciate Cena's humility and willingness to try something different. But it was weird to see him portrayed as such a stooge on a show where the announcers were proclaining him the best ever. This just didn't work, and as stated above, it was the negative turning point for the entire show.

I don't know how you can give ***1/2 to such an obviously ineffective match. Was there good stuff in it? Sure. But it was a structural mess that diminished both guys involved and ended the biggest show of the year on a sour note.

They were having a good match, but then they killed it dead with the three straight F-5 kickouts. Was the layout that killed the beast.

RAW opens with Nicholas grinning beside craft-service table. Roman explodes from off camera and spears him through the selection of deli meats. Bang. New direction.

You know that's how he's looking at it.

So, not the greatest Mania of all time.

Wow. I mean, wow.

I liked the beginning of the match, but the layout has gone super lazy.

Braun should have powerslammed him after the celebration. Stone Cold should have come out, forced a beer down his throat and stunned him. Wrestlemania moment.

Hey, they turned the crowd off.

Well, at least he's not failing remedial independent research.

It is currently 36 degrees in New York.

Is Nicholas on RAW tomorrow?

Nicholas looks profoundly uncomfortable.

I actually like them trying to do something to shoot life into Nakamura's run. I don't mind the idea of a more hate-filled rematch.

Problem is that the whole "dream match" was overstated considering they already had a main event match at the Tokyo Dome, when Nak was younger, less banged up and working a way harder style. Ditto AJ. So it couldn't reach the same quality anyway in this context. Honestly, I thought that match was also very good rather than great.

They've done some very cool stuff in this match, but it's not connecting at the highest level. Feels like something that might look a lot better in hindsight.

I'm not complaining. Alexa's control segment has been great. The women have owned this night.

The James massacre was pretty great.

Jesus, Paige. Worrisome.

That match actually ended more quickly and simply than I expected. But Bryan looked like Bryan, and that was enough.

Suddenly, the Rousey match feels like a very long time ago.

I liked the start to the match but please no stretcher job.

Oh I hate this new Bryan intro.

No. No they did not.