The biggest and the best
They claimed it was going to be the biggest. They claimed it was going to be the best. And after watching every Wrestlemania for the better part of two decades, I think I might have to agree.
Wrestlemania XXIV had everything one could hope for from a WWE event and everything one would expect from a Wrestlemania. It was funny. It was dramatic. It was brutal. It was an incredible display of athleticism. It was wildly entertaining. Held in an open-air stadium in front of 75,000 people (an arena record), Wrestlemania XXIV had an atmosphere where you just could tell that something special was going to happen. I wasn’t there live, but even from my seat in the Glorietta cinema, where Jack TV had an exclusive screening, you could sense the excitement.
Sure there were a couple of snoozers, like the Batista versus Umaga brawl and the Divas Tag Team match, where people used the time going to the restrooms and buying more popcorn. Every other match had something special to offer. From the unintentional comedy of Finlay versus JBL to the frenetic and jaw-dropping Money in the Bank Ladder Match to Ric Flair’s retirement match to the two awesome title fights and to the much-hyped Big Show versus Floyd Mayweather Jr. match, the card was just spectacular.
The highlight of the night though was Shawn Michaels against Ric Flair, with Flair’s career on the line. For the past few years, Ric Flair hasn’t shown any wrestling moves apart from hard chops to the chest and his patented figure-four leg lock. On this night, though, Flair turned back the clock and brought it all. The 59-year-old 16-time World Champion was flying from the top rope, hitting body-slams, entertaining the crowd with his array of low blows and eye-gouges and was even able to keep Shawn Michaels in the air for a good five seconds for a standing vertical suplex. It was one of the most memorable matches I’ve seen in my life and it ended with so much emotion that you have to see it for yourself because words won’t suffice.
Another great match, as expected, was the Money in the Bank Ladder Match with Chris Jericho, MVP, Mr. Kennedy, CM Punk, Shelton Benjamin, Carlito and John Morrison. Even if it gets harder and harder to come up with anything fresh for these matches because they keep setting the bar higher and higher, this match featured some moves and moments that made the crowd buzz with “Oooohhhhhs” and “Aaahhhhhhs.” Even with the absence of resident high-risk maven Jeff Hardy, the Ladder Match lived up to everyone’s ridiculously high expectations.
The most hyped battle of the night, Big Show against “Money” Mayweather, was also very entertaining. The Pretty Boy of boxing did not hold anything back in his performance, frequently getting slammed and tossed around by his giant opponent and perpetually getting up for more. This fight proved that Floyd Mayweather isn’t only a great fighter; he’s also a wiling and very capable entertainer.
I wish I could go into more detail regarding the results of the matches, but I wouldn’t want to spoil the experience for those who haven’t seen it yet. I highly suggest that you catch the weekend screenings of Wrestlemania XXIV in selected cinemas. If you’re going to watch one WWE event this year, this is hands-down the one to catch.
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For questions, comments or corrections please e-mail me at carlfrancisramirez@gmail.com.
