Welcome to POST Wrestling’s coverage of the second night of WrestleMania 37 from Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida.
Our WrestleMania 37 POST Show will be LIVE immediately after the show and available to ALL members of the POST Wrestling Café.
RESULTS
*WWE Universal Championship: Roman Reigns (champion) def. Edge and Daniel Bryan in 21:41
*Raw Women’s Championship: Rhea Ripley def. Asuka (champion) in 13:27
*WWE Intercontinental Championship, Nigerian Drum Fight: Apollo Crews def. Big E. (champion) in 6:50
*WWE United States Championship: Sheamus def. Riddle (champion) in 10:51
*Kevin Owens def. Sami Zayn in 9:17
*WWE Women’s Tag Team Championship: Nia Jax & Shayna Baszler (champions) def. Tamina & Natalya in 14:19
*Randy Orton def. The Fiend Bray Wyatt in 5:54
The kickoff show began with the panel Kayla Braxton, Booker T., JBL, Jerry Lawler, and Peter Rosenberg.
They announced that Randy Orton vs. The Fiend will open the show.
When discussing Riddle, Booker T. asked how many people have become world champions working barefoot. JBL noted Antonino Rocca and Kevin Von Erich as successful wrestlers that didn’t wear boots and mentioned UFC. Rosenberg asked if Booker was just being “an old school hater?” Booker denied he was.
The main show began with Ashland Craft performing America the Beautiful.
The exact same video package from the previous night aired.
Titus O’Neil and Hulk Hogan came out as the show’s co-hosts and were dressed as pirates. There were audible boos for Hogan when he spoke just like Saturday only louder for the second night. This was brutal with the “pirate speak” to introduce the show and the opening match.
RANDY ORTON VS THE FIEND
The Fiend walked forward on the screen and morphed his appearance. Alexa Bliss came out first while Orton was in the ring and a giant jack-in-the-box was ringside. Bliss wound the box and The Fiend rose out of the box to his music.
The Fiend incorporated a subtle tribute for Brodie Lee at the start.
The Fiend leaped off the box with a flying clothesline as the bell rang and the red lighting was incorporated for the match.
The Fiend was in control and went for Sister Abigail when Bliss appeared on the box with black goo rushing down her face. Orton capitalized and hit the RKO for the win.
WINNER: Randy Orton at 5:54
The Fiend stood up and was upset with Bliss and the lights went out. That was it.
This was pretty brutal, but it was kept short and no cinematic aspects to it. Very bad regardless.
Hogan and Titus O’Neil were backstage, and Eric Bischoff was with them. Bayley showed up and told Bischoff she was a big fan of his podcast and mentioned her own show, “Ding Dong, Hello”. Bischoff said Sasha Banks and Bianca Belair would be great guests and Bayley downplayed them. This was essentially an ad for 83 Weeks.
NIA JAX & SHAYNA BASZLER VS TAMINA & NATALYA FOR THE WWE WOMEN’S TAG TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP
Jax demands that Tamina is tagged in and had a faceoff. They got the advantage on Baszler after she was brought into the match and executed a slingshot into a superkick from Tamina. Tamina was attacked by Jax with a bodyslam on the floor as Natalya was left on her own for several minutes.
Baszler got control of Natalya and torqued her leg applying pressure on the mat before stomping her ankle. The heels attacked Natalya in their corner. Tamina returned and made the save before receiving the tag.
Natalya saved Tamina from a Samoan drop off the turnbuckle, but both were hit with a double crossbody from Jax. As Jax hovered over Tamina, she yelled, “you ain’t shit” and called herself “King Kong”. Tamina fired back with a scoop slam and a near-fall as Jax kicked out.
Tamina missed with a Superfly Splash.
Baszler made a blind tag as Natalya knocked her to the floor, applied the sharpshooter on Jax but was stopped with Baszler returning and applying the Kirifuda Clutch for the submission.
WINNERS: Nia Jax & Shayna Baszler in 14:19 to retain the Women’s Tag Team Championship
This was given a lot more time than you would expect and I would at over-delivered based on the limited expectations. This was significantly stronger than anything in the Tag Team Turmoil Match and it wasn’t just Natalya and Baszler that were held things down, a lot was done with Tamina and Jax and they did their part as well.
JBL joined Michael Cole and Corey Graves for the next match.
Zayn entered first and introduced Logan Paul, he got a mixed response at best and there were definitely boos for Paul.
SAMI ZAYN VS KEVIN OWENS
Zayn immediately ran at Owens into a pop-up powerbomb and rolled to the floor. Owens attempted an apron bomb that Zayn avoided.
Zayn stopped Owens on the apron and hit a brainbuster on the edge of it. Zayn hit the Michinoku Driver and Graves corrected Cole who called it a Blue Thunder Bomb. Cole thanked Graves and added, “I heard enough of it last night” regarding internet criticism.
Owens headbutted Zayn off the turnbuckle and landed a top rope splash for a two-count. Zayn blocked the package piledriver and hit Owens with an exploder into the corner. Zayn missed with the Helluva Kick, countered the stunner, and hit the Blue Thunder Bomb for a two-count. They are going at a rapid pace.
They exchanged strikes in the corner and saw Owens hit a Fisherman Buster off the turnbuckle. Owens was sent into the corner and blasted with a Helluva Kick, Zayn went for another and ran into a superkick followed by another. Owens hit the stunner and won the match.
WINNER: Kevin Owens in 9:17
This was a total sprint and they didn’t waste a second of their match time. It was a G1 level pace they maintained for an Ishii style of match. This was really great for the time they had.
Logan Paul got into the ring and went to shake hands with Owens, which upset Zayn and he was shoved by Paul. Zayn threw a fit and left.
Paul raised Owens’ arm as the crowd booed, Owens looked confused and they milked it for all it was worth as the audience knew what was coming.
Owens’ wife and kids were in the front row and Owens also gave a hug to Vladimir the superfan. Excellent stuff.
Riddle met The Great Khali and Runjin Singh backstage and checked out his Hall of Fame ring. Riddle pitched him on opening a shop, Rob Van Dam walked in and handed over rolling papers to Riddle.
RIDDLE VS SHEAMUS FOR THE UNITED STATES CHAMPIONSHIP
Sheamus was in control, went to the top and Riddle scaled to the top with a huge overhead belly-to-belly where Riddle essentially did a top rope moonsault while holding onto Sheamus.
Riddle hit the Jackhammer for a two-count but needed two attempts to get him in the air. Riddle did a flip from the apron into the ring like the set up for the Buckshot Lariat and was met with a flying knee for a near-fall.
Riddle ran Sheamus into the turnbuckle post and hit a German suplex on the edge and a Floating Bro inside the ring. Sheamus fought off a rear-naked choke. They battled on the top turnbuckle, Sheamus teased a White Noise off the top but slipped and just held onto Riddle and hit a regular one and a Bombs Away knee drop for the two-count.
Sheamus called for the Brogue Kik, Riddle side-stepped and attempted a quebrada but was met with a Brogue kick upside down in mid-air as Sheamus won the match.
WINNER: Sheamus in 10:51 to win the United States Championship
Other than the slip on the rope for the White Noise, this match was spectacular and a very innovative finish with the Brogue Kick to thwart the quebrada. They worked exceptionally hard and was a very strong match on the card.
A video aired of Paul Levesque presenting a gift of a custom microphone to Bad Bunny and sending him off with a plug for his 2022 tour dates and tickets going on sale soon.
Wale performed “Feel the Power” for Big E. This felt like a superstar-level entrance and was a great decision for the live performance.
BIG E. VS APOLLO CREWS IN A NIGERIAN DRUM FIGHT FOR THE INTERCONTINENTAL TITLE
They began attacking each other with kendo stick shots and Big E. getting the better of it. Big E. speared Crews off the apron to the floor and looked insane.
Crews hit a DVD onto the edge, set up Big E. on the steps on the floor and tried to drill him with another set of steps, but Big E. moved. Crews ran at E and was hit with a Uranage off the apron onto the steps on the floor.
Crews regained control and destroyed Big E. with kendo stick shots, Crews missed with a splash off the top and went through a table. Big E. hit the Big Ending but was attacked by the former Dabba-Kato, who hit a thumb to the throat and a chokeslam allowing Crews to pin Big E. and win the title.
WINNER: Apollo Crews in 6:50 to win the Intercontinental title
Mike Johnson of PWinsider.com reported earlier today that Dabba-Kato would be undergoing a change and is expected to be going by the name “Commander Azeez” or something close to that.
Big E. and Crews worked their asses off and this was very good for the short time they had. It was a hardcore match but done with a lot of intensity and was their best singles match of the program.
The 2021 Hall of Fame was introduced on stage with Rob Van Dam, Molly Holly, Eric Bischoff, The Great Khali, Rich Hering, and Kane appearing on the stage. Ozzy Osbourne was not there. Kane came out to his music and set off the pyro.
ASUKA VS RHEA RIPLEY FOR THE RAW WOMEN’S CHAMPIONSHIP
Ash Costello of New Years Day performed Ripley’s theme, “Brutality”.
Ripley had the advantage from the beginning, Asuka landed a missile dropkick to stop the attack by Ripley. Asuka attacked with strikes including a brutal spin kick to the head and hip attack for a two-count.
Asuka hit a DDT off the edge of the apron sending both to the floor.
Inside the ring, Ripley applied the Inverted cloverleaf, which was countered into an armbar before Ripley broke it.
Ripley flipped over to get out of the Asuka Lock, Asuka attacked with kicks before Ripley caught her with the Riptide out of nowhere for the win.
WINNER: Rhea Ripley in 13:27 to win the Raw Women’s Championship
It was a physical match and it worked well. It was not a case of building towards near-falls but instead a dominant win with the finisher, similar to how Bianca Belair won the night prior.
I can certainly see a series of matches between these two along with Charlotte Flair inserted into the title mix.
Ripley came off as a big star from the entrance, and the reaction to her victory by the audience.
Titus O’Neil and Hulk Hogan were back out for another segment and thanked all the people watching.
Bayley interrupted and demanded she be thanked and received pyro, which went off. Bayley said she’s carried the hosting duties and ran down O’Neil and Hogan until The Bella Twins walked out.
Bayley called them “twin idiots” and said “John Cena isn’t here” as Nikki slapped her and the Bellas beat up Bayley. The segment ended with Titus saying, “Ding Dong, Goodbye” and The Bellas posed with Hogan and O’Neil. The audience clearly wanted Becky Lynch and was a letdown.
They promoted the next pay-per-view as “WrestleMania Backlash” on Sunday, May 16th.
ROMAN REIGNS VS EDGE VS DANIEL BRYAN FOR THE UNIVERSAL CHAMPIONSHIP
Edge received a thunderous reaction. Reigns walked out with Paul Heyman and Jey Uso and did receive boos.
Bryan was sent to the floor, hit with a superkick by Jey Uso and run into the steps. Then, Jey hit Edge with a superkick on the floor. Edge came back sending Jey into the steps and hit an Impaler DDT on the steps. The medical team came down to check on Jey and carry him out.
Edge and Bryan paired up while Reigns sold on the floor. Eventually, Bryan attempted a suicide dive but was caught by Reigns and hit with a belly-to-belly on the floor. Edge countered the Superman Punch and hit an Impaler DDT. Edge set up for the spear but was stopped with the Superman Punch. Each went for a spear and knocked the other down on the mat.
Bryan returned with Yes kicks to Reigns and Edge and caught Edge with the Busaiku knee. Bryan stomped Reigns and applied the Yes Lock, which was broken by Edge.
On the floor, Reigns powerbombed Bryan through the announcer’s desk. Reigns was standing on the steps as he turned and ate a spear from Edge to the floor.
Edge got Reigns into a crossface inside the ring after snapping Reigns’ throat on the top rope. Edge used a broken piece of the chair to apply pressure on the mouth of Reigns. Bryan dove in and grabbed Reigns’ arm and simultaneously applied the Yes Lock and trade head butts with Edge until the submissions were broken.
Bryan drilled Edge with strikes and set up for the Busaiku knee but was met with a spear. Edge ducked and hit Reigns with the spear, he had the match won but Bryan yanked the referee to the floor to stop the count. Edge unloaded with chair shots on both and led to a Conchairto on Bryan.
Jey Uso returned and attacked Edge but took a spear and was hit with chair shots. Reigns recovered and hit Edge with a spear and placed Edge on top of Bryan for the definitive victory.
WINNER: Roman Reigns in 21:41 to retain the Universal Championship
The announcers credited Jey Uso for helping Reigns retain the championship. The finish was probably the least expected especially the decision to pin both men in the fashion he did.
It was a really captivating match but leaves questions as to what comes out of this match.
