The Rock has made his long-awaited return to professional wrestling, serving to cousin Roman Reigns prevail over Cody Rhodes and Seth Rollins within the evening one fundamental occasion of WrestleMania XL (40).
Concerned in his first true match since WrestleMania 29 some 11 years in the past, the 51-year-old was in unimaginable bodily situation as anticipated, although fittingly his in-ring return additionally featured a return to the type of matches within the Angle Period – which had been usually a lot slower and closely featured brawling out and in of the ring.
The open-air stadium – Philadelphia’s Lincoln Monetary Area, dwelling of the NFL’s Eagles – as all the time impacted the group noise and ambiance. The match lasted some 40 minutes.
The Rock pinned Rhodes after a shot from a weight belt, a spear by Reigns, after which a Rock Backside and Folks’s Elbow by Rock.
With the win, the percentages have been stacked additional towards Rhodes, who will battle Reigns for the world title on Monday morning (AEST) underneath ‘Bloodline Guidelines’ – ie, no disqualifications, that means run-ins from the heel group will happen. The tag match was additionally successfully a no DQ match as a result of The Rock was threatening to fireplace the referee if he dominated towards him.
Watch WWE WrestleMania XL (40) on Sunday April 7 and Monday April 8 from 9am AEDT, completely on Foxtel, Kayo and Binge. New to Kayo? Begin Your Free Trial >
Whereas the part-timer pinning the highest babyface within the firm is considerably jarring, the consequence was as anticipated. It each units up a future match between Rhodes and Rock, as has been closely constructed in the direction of over the previous two months, and ensures Rhodes because the babyface should overcome the best odds to lastly cease Reigns and win the title. Rhodes would subsequently ‘get his win again’ on evening two.
Earlier within the present, Sydney’s Grayson Waller capped off a implausible 24 hours for Australian wrestlers by claiming the Smackdown tag workforce championships with associate Austin Principle.
Each units of tag titles had been on the road in a six-way ladder match and Waller introduced down the Smackdown belts, with The Miz and R-Fact profitable the Uncooked titles.
It adopted Rhea Ripley’s profitable defence of the ladies’s world championship towards Becky Lynch, together with Adelaide’s Bronson Reed profitable the Andre the Big Memorial Battle Royal on the pre-WrestleMania version of Smackdown.
Reed seems in line to problem new Intercontinental champion Sami Zayn for the belt Zayn gained from Gunther within the semi-main occasion of Sunday (AEST)’s present.
The present displayed the brand new period of WWE when it comes to a heavy dosage of mid-match promoting. An vitality drink was printed on the ring mat and turnbuckle pads, with bottles of the drink featured throughout matches together with the primary occasion itself, whereas different manufacturers had been showcased on the digital boards surrounding the ring and with adverts popping up on display.
The large quantity of promoting has been sparked by the merger between UFC and WWE, creating the corporate TKO, with the professional wrestling model now borrowing closely from the blended martial arts chief’s technique of heavy model integration.
WRESTLEMANIA 40 NIGHT ONE RESULTS
Girls’s World Championship: Rhea Ripley (c) pinned Becky Lynch
WWE Tag Crew Titles: Austin Principle and Grayson Waller (new Smackdown champions) and The Miz and R-Fact (new Uncooked champions) def Finn Balor and Damian Priest (c), Johnny Gargano and Tommaso Ciampa, Kofi Kingston and Xavier Woods, Pete Dunne and Tyler Bate in a six-pack ladder match
Rey Mysterio and Andrade pinned Santos Escobar and Dom Mysterio
Jey Uso pinned Jimmy Uso
Bianca Belair, Jade Cargill and Naomi def Dakota Kai, Asuka and Kairi Sane when Cargill pinned Kai
Intercontinental Championship: Sami Zayn pinned Gunther (c)
The Rock and Roman Reigns def Cody Rhodes and Seth Rollins when Rock pinned Rhodes
WRESTLEMANIA 40 NIGHT TWO CARD
Sunday April 7 US time – Monday April 8 from 9am AEDT
Undisputed WWE Common Championship: Roman Reigns (c) vs Cody Rhodes
WWE World Heavyweight Championship: Seth Rollins (c) vs Drew McIntyre
WWE Girls’s Championship: Iyo Sky (c) vs Bayley
WWE United States Championship: Logan Paul (c) vs Kevin Owens vs Randy Orton
LA Knight vs AJ Types
Bobby Lashley, Montez Ford & Angelo Dawkins vs Karrion Kross, Akam & Rezar (Philadelphia Avenue Combat)