Review for WWE Wrestlemania 26

It's the granddaddy of them all, the superbowl of... yaddayaddayadda... This year Wrestlemania's card has been phenomenal, the hype and the build of the feuds could have been better, but this was certainly not a bad show.

WWE Unified Tag Championship

ShoMiz vs. R-Truth and John Morrison

I love how Cole mentions the titles haven't changed hands at Mania in nine years... I'm trying to recall the last time it was defended (I'm thinking Wrestlemania 20... surely that can't be right?). This was a good match. A little too quick for my liking, but still if they wanted to show ShoMiz as a dominant team, this was the match to do it.

Damn Axxess looks fun. I have to get to Mania some point before I die.

Triple Threat

Ted Dibiase vs. Cody Rhodes vs. Randy Orton

I was surprised that it would be this low on the card, and I know what this match is missing: A title. If Orton had been a champion, this would have had a little more of a buzz behind it, instead it felt a little flat. This match is what it is and I can't comment any further. This match existed.

Josh Matthews... Someone give him a 'Best Announcer Award'. Couple his introduction of CG with his 'vintage Skip Sheffield' comment and he could coast the rest of the year as far as I'm concerned. The fact that VG can listen to Jillian is just wonderful... the Santino skit? All this really did was show that TNA hadn't hired Mean Gene yet!

Question 1: Why show this scene and then not have that match?

Money in the Bank

Kofi Kingston vs. Kane vs. Christian vs. Evan Bourne vs. MVP vs. Jack Swagger vs. Shelton Benjamin vs. Matt Hardy vs. Dolph Ziggler vs. Drew McIntyre

Question 2: Was that a Kurt Angle-esque outfit Jack Swagger was wearing?

I loved the action of this match. The multiple people running up the ladder could have looked ridiculous, but was actually very fluid and skilfully done. Although I believe that ten might have been far too many people in this match, I can't argue with what these guys were able to do and it was filmed in a way that we didn't spend half the match going 'Why is he just sitting over there?' However, anyone else think that Kofi's stilt walk was a little bit too far-fetched?

I will not comment on the outcome. I simply cannot!

Question 3: Was that Inoki's catchphrase then?

Although this was a nice class, I have to say that it does seem to be one big star to bring people in and then a few who no one has any idea or knowledge of.

Sheamus vs. Triple H

This match was ok in parts, I just can't decide whether it's a Wrestlemania match or not. And I will not comment on the finish. All I can say is I am stunned. I just don't understand it and need someone to explain what it achieved? Or who it benefited?

Question 4: Matt Stryker says 'You have to wonder what's next for Triple H?' Is this a tease for Goldberg?

CM Punk vs. Rey Mysterio

Question 5: Wait? Rey has a daughter? Wasn't Rey impotent? Hence the whole Eddie/Dominick angle?

Thank God Michael Cole identified Rey's costume as Avatar as I seriously wouldn't have got that reference. Man, how hot is Sarita with a shaved head. I know I've said this before, but just DYAM! This was a great match and CM Punk is such a wonderful heel. This felt almost like an X-Division match and was so good to watch and even the interference by the Straight Edge Society was handled well.

Bret 'Hitman' Hart vs. Mr McMahon

I love the build to this match. I actually do not think a match has been built up as well as this match. Not just the whole Montreal part, but the actual build was so perfectly done. I'm a little confused by the use of the Hart Family? The double/double cross was good, but a little laboured and maybe should have come later. This was a good way of showing some action as it was still doubtful just how much Bret could actually do, but it did go on a little longer than it should have. Still a great moment seeing McMahon tap to the sharpshooter.

Question 6: How do they come up with that number of tickets to sell? I will assume that Mania was sold out and so why sell 72,219 tickets? Very strange?

World Heavyweight Championship

Chris Jericho vs. Edge

How is this not the main event? Or did I black out during Cena/Batista? No. This, the Royal Rumble winners match is not the main event. Bizarre! Definitely match of the night so far and one of the best matches I've seen in a long time.

Question 7: Again, how was this not the main event?

Question 8: How satisfying would it have been for Christian to have come down now to cash his Money in The Bank? Nevermind!

Michelle McCool, Layla, Maryse, Alicia Fox and Vickie Guerrero vs. Mickie James, Kelly Kelly, Eve Torres, Gail Kim and Beth Phoenix

Dear god this was horrible. I'm so glad to see that the Divas are being treated as well as they always were and who booked that finish? Seriously!

WWE Championship

Batista vs. John Cena

Now this made me curious. Seriously, did I stroke out and miss the Taker/HBK match?

This match exists... let's just leave it there. As much as they are popular I just hated everything about this match and again what did it achieve?

Question 9: Did Cena not notice that the fans on the front row had 'We hate Cena' T-shirts? Or was he trying to be ironic?

Undertaker vs. Shawn Michaels

As with last year, this was a great match. A wonderful match full of some great moments. The Hells Gate counter into a pin I had my hand in my mouth as I honestly thought the streak was over then. A wonderful, wonderful match. Though, to be honest as emotional as the ending was I expected a bit more, maybe everyone to come out to celebrate with him as the last few minutes seemed more like the backstage footage that would come with the DVD and should have ended with the handshake, the clapping to the crowd and the straight to the recap. A great match, but I feel that last years was a bit better.

Extras-wise the obvious Hall of Fame ceremony, which was highlighted by the induction of The Million Dollar Man Ted Dibiase, the 26-man Battle Royal that came before the PPV which I wish they would start showing in the PPV as it is actually pretty good. What is odd is the inclusion of random matches and segments regarding the Hall of Fame inductees, mostly because of their inclusion on the second disk and not on the actual third disk which included the ceremony. If you weren't to know, you'd think someone went crazy and decided to add a Mad Dog Vachon match for no apparent reason. The short featurette for Stu Hart is fascinating and certainly makes me even more eager to watch the Hart Family documentary soon to be released. Also included is the great Ted Dibiase vs. Jake Roberts match from Wrestlemania VI which I always enjoyed, though I thought maybe something from his feud with Hogan or Savage would have been better to show just how good a heel he really was. However, as much as I enjoyed these, the fact is nothing is included regarding Wrestlemania 26, there are no behind the scenes with Cena or Shawn Michaels. There isn't even anything to highlight the fact that this was (supposedly) Michaels last ever match and a little five minute interview, him in the back or a career montage would have been nice. (Though this is rectified in the Blu-ray edition.)
Wrestlemania 26 was a good event, but certainly not the best one that there has ever been. I do wish that there would be more focus on the event in the DVD as the inclusion of just the dark match and the Hall of Fame is starting to get a little boring. That being said, for wrestling fans this is still one of the best PPVs WWE have had in a long time and will probably be the best one of the year.