WWE WrestleMania 36 Part 2: An Unforgettable Show Ushers In A New Era

Two other matches from WrestleMania 36 will stay with me. Edge’s WrestleMania return was bittersweet; while it was great to see the legend back in the ring, it’s a shame the deafening cheers of the fans didn’t accompany this incredible moment. Still, the Rated R Superstar and Randy Orton put on an excellent Last Man Standing Match that was packed with superb subtleties and fantastic moments. First, Orton, disguised as a cameraman, attacked Edge from behind during his entrance. From the get-go, this match hooked its viewers. Then, as the fight spilled into the gym section of the Performance Center, Edge used gym equipment to brutalize Orton. Watching Edge weaponize equipment that’s similar to what he probably used along his road to getting back into ring shape was powerful; this touch itself told an unspoken story. Similarly, at one point, Orton slammed Edge’s head into WWE pay-per-view posters from the time window in which Edge was unable to compete. That, too, subtly added to the narrative of the match. By the end of the match, it was somewhat dragging, but the finale reeled even the most tired viewers back in. With tears streaming down his face, Edge hit Orton with a Con-Chair-To to win the match. Watching Edge the character cry for the emotional pain Orton had caused him, and seeing Adam Copeland cry for the years of his career that had been stolen from him, for this imperfect triumphant return that lacked a live audience, was an incredible experience. As someone whose first WrestleMania as a fan came in 2008, when Edge was a main event player on SmackDown, this match took me back to those early days when I simply loved wrestling.

Every main event match was serious, one way or another; from Edge’s heated rivalry with Orton to Wyatt’s lengthy feud with Cena, these matches carried a lot of stakes. Maybe that’s why the pay-off of Otis kissing Mandy Rose will be just as memorable as these other moments. Otis has been the most fun character on SmackDown in recent months. His love story with Rose captured the hearts of many fans, but it lost some stem when Ziggler was added to the picture. But WWE gave the people what they wanted here; Rose betrayed Ziggler and Sonya Deville, helped Otis win the match and kissed him after the bell. What more could you ask for? WrestleMania is all about fun moments like this, and WWE nailed it.

rob gronkowski — Photo Credit: WWE Network

Quick Thoughts From The Rest Of The Card And The Whole Show

The SmackDown Women’s Championship Fatal 5-Way Match somewhat set up a feud between Bayley and Sasha Banks. Bayley indirectly cost Banks the match, and the friends argued. But The Boss helped Bayley retain the title. While a more blatant angle may have been more satisfying, it’s still easy to tell where these performers are going.
For a thrown-together team, Angel Garza and Austin Theory looked pretty good together. Their match with The Street Profits was forgettable on a show with some instant classics, but the champions made the most of their first WrestleMania moment.
Rob Gronkowski is the new WWE 24/7 Champion. Most fans saw this title change coming after Mojo Rawley foiled Gronkowski’s championship exploits on Saturday. Is the former NFL star sticking around or will he become just another celebrity who temporarily held the belt? Time will tell, but WWE will generate some headlines by giving Gronk the title.
The match between Bobby Lashley and Aleister Black seemed destined to be an easy victory for Black. Instead, Lashley dominated most of the bout. Black only won because Lana inadvertently cost her boyfriend the match. This booking protects Lashley, but it alsocheapens the impact of Black’s first win at WrestleMania.
Charlotte Flair is the new NXT Women’s Champion. Going forward, The Queen will be a regular player on Wednesday nights. It’s easy to predict she’ll face Bianca Belair and other stars from NXT’s loaded women’s division. But, by losing Flair as a full-time player, RAW’s thin women’s division is losing one of its top stars.
Both parts of WrestleMania 36 had at least one common theme: they ushered in the future and said goodbye to the past. The Undertaker rode off into the sunset, John Cena literally disappeared when he lost to Bray Wyatt and Drew McIntyre cleanly defeated Brock Lesnar. After many fans blasted WWE for putting Goldberg over Wyatt at WWE Super ShowDown, we can all be glad to see WWE giving several of its younger stars a chance.
On a similar note, it might be a good time for The Undertaker to call it a career. It’ll be hard for him to surpass his performance in the Boneyard Match; many fans may be happy to have their last memory of the Deadman as an active performer as the awesome biker we saw on Saturday.
As of this writing, it’s unclear what the short-term future holds for WWE. Due to the COVI-19 pandemic, there’s no way to know what happens next week, let alone next month. Whatever happens, we can all commend WWE for giving us a diversion from the real world; WrestleMania 36 was an entertaining show, from start to finish.