411’s WWE WrestleMania 36 Night 1 Report

Welcome to 411’s WWE WrestleMania 36 Night 1 Report. We are LIVE in beautiful Orlando, Florida. Tonight’s Kickoff Show hosts are Corey Graves and Peter Rosenberg. They quickly run down the entire card before heading to a video package for Kevin Owens vs. Seth Rollins. They follow up with discussions of The Kabuki Warriors vs. Alexa Bliss & Nikki Cross as well as Goldberg vs. Braun Strowman. Next up is Miz & Morrison’s Hey Hey music video and a discussion of the triple threat ladder match between John Morrison vs. Kofi Kingston vs. Jimmy Uso. Graves and Rosenberg move on to a discussion of Sami Zayn vs. Daniel Bryan before heading to the Kickoff Show Match.

Kickoff Show Match
Drew Gulak vs. Cesaro

Gulak charges toward Cesaro to start and takes him down with an arm bar. Cesaro fights back to his feet and catches Gulak with a tilt-a-whirl backbreaker for a two count. Gulak goes back to the arm, but Cesaro gets his feet under him and lifts Gulak into a powerbomb. Gulak catches Cesaro in a crossface, but Cesaro gets a boot on the ropes to break the hold. Gulak dumps Cesaro to the outside and tries to whip him into the ring steps, but Cesaro blocks and rolls Gulak back into the ring. Gulak clotheslines Cesaro to the outside and dives off the apron, but Cesaro catches him in mid-air and goes for the Neutralizer, but Gulak counters into an arm drag takedown. Gulak rolls Cesaro back into the ring and heads up top. Gulak dives toward Cesaro, but Cesaro catches him with a mid-air uppercut. Gulak rolls up Cesaro for a two count and then goes for dragon sleeper, but Cesaro counters into a slam. Cesaro connects with an uppercut and follows up with a no-hands airplane spin slam for the three count.

Match Result: Cesaro defeats Drew Gulak with a no-hands airplane spin slam.
Match Length: 4:35
Slimmer’s Rating: **¼

Next up on the Kickoff Show is a video package for Elias vs. King Corbin. Renee Young, Booker T, and Mark Henry then join the Kickoff Show to break down Becky Lynch vs. Shayna Baszler. Graves and Rosenberg run down the card for Night 1 one more time before discussing The Undertaker vs. AJ Styles to finish the Kickoff Show.

Stephanie McMahon welcomes us WrestleMania before heading to a montage of America the Beautiful being performed at past WrestleManias. Gronk welcomes us to WrestleMania, and Mojo Rawley joins him to get the party started. The hard camera for the show is facing the stage to make the lack of an audience a bit less noticeable.

WWE Women’s Tag Team Championship Match
The Kabuki Warriors (Champions) vs. Alexa Bliss & Nikki Cross

Asuka and Bliss start the match, and Asuka taunts Bliss before making the quick tag to Sane. Sane shoves Bliss to the mat and continues to taunt her, so Bliss slaps Sane across the face. Bliss slams Sane to the mat and hits double knees to the gut before making the tag to Cross. Cross locks in a sleeper, but Sane makes it to the corner so that Asuka can make the tag. Bliss gets the tag from Cross, and they dump both Kabuki Warriors to the outside. Bliss and Cross work over the Kabuki Warriors on the outside before Bliss rolls Asuka back into the ring for a two count. Cross and Sane get the tags, but Cross dumps Sane to the outside. Bliss and Asuka join the action on the outside, but Sane and Asuka end up double teaming Cross. Sane rolls Cross back into the ring and makes the tag to Asuka. Asuka works over Cross and makes the quick tag back to Sane. Cross lands a kick to Sane to create distance and finally makes the hot tag to Bliss. Bliss sends Sane to the apron and starts to head up top, but Asuka helps Sane tie up Bliss in a modified tree of woe. Sane heads up top and hits a diving double stomp right to Bliss’ face. Sane drags Bliss to the corner and makes the tag to Asuka. Asuka uses her boot to choke Bliss on the apron and the distracts the referee while Sane follows up with a few cheap shots. Asuka locks in an arm bar and follows up with a hip attack in the corner. Asuka goes for a second hip attack, but Bliss gets her knees up to block. Asuka makes the tag to Sane just as Bliss FINALLY makes the tag to Cross. Cross heads up top and connects with a diving crossbody for a long two count. Sane rakes the eyes and makes the tag to Asuka. Cross catches Asuka with a swinging neck breaker, but Sane breaks up the pin with the Insane Elbow from the top. Asuka locks in the Asuka Lock, but Bliss breaks it up with Twisted Bliss from the top. Asuka hits a Code Breaker and makes the tag to Sane. Sane heads up top, but heads up top with her. Asuka and Sane hit an Insane Elbow / Powerbomb version of the Doomsday Device for a two count. Asuka accidently posts herself in the corner as Cross drops Sane with a swinging neck breaker. Bliss gets the tag and hits Twisted Bliss from the top for the three count.

Match Result: Alexa Bliss defeats Kairi Sane with Twisted Bliss.
Match Length: 15:04
Slimmer’s Rating: ***¼

Elias vs. King Corbin

Corbin is shocked that Elias even made it to WrestleMania. Corbin tries to attack Elias on the ramp before the match begins, but Elias drops Corbin before whipping him into the barricade and the ring apron. Elias rolls Corbin into the ring, and the match officially begins. Elias is firmly in control as the match begins due to his pre-match assault on Corbin. Elias uses his boot to choke Corbin on the apron and then hits a neck breaker for a two count. Corbin dumps Elias to the outside and uses the referee’s count to regroup in the ring. Elias beats the count back into the ring, but Corbin takes control and levels Elias with a clothesline for a two count. Corbin drives his elbow into Elias’ injured shoulder, but Elias fights back to his feet. Corbin posts Elias in the corner, and now both of Elias’ shoulders are in rough shape. Corbin continues to drive his elbow into Elias’ right shoulder and tries to whip Elias to the corner, but Elias puts on the brakes and instead posts Corbin in the corner. Elias hits a mule kick from the corner and then works over Corbin in the opposite corner. Elias heads up top and dives at Corbin, but Corbin rolls out of the way. Corbin hits Deep Six, but Elias kicks out at two. Elias ducks a clothesline and connects with a leaping knee to the face. Corbin rolls up Elias, but the referee stops the count when she notices Corbin’s feet on the ropes. Elias rolls up Corbin with a handful of tights and gets the three count.

Match Result: Elias defeats Corbin with a rollup pin.
Match Length: 8:50
Slimmer’s Rating: **

Raw Women’s Championship Match
Becky Lynch (Champion) vs. Shayna Baszler

Lynch and Baszler circle each other to start and then slug it out in the middle of the ring. Baszler goes for the Kirifuda Clutch, but Lynch rolls out of the ring. Baszler follows Lynch to the outside, but Lynch takes control and rolls Baszler back into the ring. Lynch works over Baszler in the corner, but Baszler hits a knee strike to regain control. Lynch goes for the Dis-Arm-Her, but Baszler tries to counter into the Kirifuda Clutch, but Lynch blocks. Lynch and Baszler brawl on the apron, but Lynch hits a uranage on the apron and gets a two count. Lynch heads up top, but Baszler catches her and slams her down to the mat. Baszler locks in an arm bar, but Lynch rolls Baszler into a pinning predicament for a two count. Baszler locks in the Dis-Arm-Her and follows up with a stiff knee shot for a two count. Lynch drops Baszler neck-first onto the top rope and goes for a rope assisted Dis-Arm-Her, but Baszler counters into a rope assisted Kirifuda Clutch. Lynch tumbles to the outside, and Baszler swings her head-first into the announce table. Baszler rolls Lynch back into the ring and locks in the Kirifuda Clutch, but Lynch flips backward into a pinning predicament and gets the three count.

Match Result: Becky Lynch defeats Shayna Baszler with a pin while in the Kirifuda Clutch.
Match Length: 8:42
Slimmer’s Rating: ***¼

Intercontinental Championship Match
Sami Zayn (Champion) w/ Cesaro and Shinsuke Nakamura vs. Daniel Bryan w/ Drew Gulak

Zayn heads to the outside as soon as the match begins, but Bryan calmly waits for him to get back in the ring. Zayn obliges but immediately hops back to the outside. Zayn quickly heads in and back out of the ring, but this time Bryan gives chase. Bryan chases Zayn around the ring, but Cesaro cuts him off. Bryan chases Zayn back into the ring and again to the outside, but this time Nakamura cuts him off. Gulak hits a diving shoulder block off the apron and levels both Cesaro and Nakamura. Gulak tosses Cesaro and Nakamura over the barricade as Zayn considers taking a count-out loss. Bryan tells Zayn that he’s fine with letting Zayn head to the back, but when Zayn turns his back, Bryan catches him from behind and rolls him back into the ring. Bryan goes to work with the ground and pound offense before tossing Zayn out of the ring and hitting a suicide dive. Bryan rolls Zayn back into the ring and connects with a diving missile drop kick from the top. Bryan traps Zayn in the corner and goes to work with a volley of slaps and kicks. Bryan connects with two knee shots to the face, but Zayn fights back and levels Bryan with a running clothesline. Zayn goes to work with chops but eats a running clothesline from Bryan. Bryan goes to work with the Yes! Kicks and then repeatedly stomps on Zayn’s face. Bryan heads up top and dives toward Zayn, but Zayn hits a mid-air Helluva Kick for the three count.

Match Result: Sami Zayn defeats Daniel Bryan with a Helluva Kick.
Match Length: 9:17
Slimmer’s Rating: **½

Triple Threat Ladder Match for the SmackDown Tag Team Championship
John Morrison (Champion) vs. Kofi Kingston vs. Jimmy Uso

Uso goes for a super kick to start, but Morrison ducks. All three men head to the outside and bring three ladders back into the ring. They set up all three ladders in the middle of the ring and all begin to climb. Uso’s ladder gets tipped over as Morrison and Kingston continue to brawl on the ladders. Uso may have injured his knee when he fell off the ladder. Uso pulls Morrison back down to the mat, and Kingston connects with a diving crossbody from the ladder onto Uso. Kingston goes for Trouble in Paradise, but Morrison ducks. Uso and Kingston climb a ladder, but Kingston head butts Uso back down to the mat. Morrison climbs and knocks Kingston back down to the mat. Uso grabs Morrison’s leg and pulls him back down to the mat as well. Morrison and Uso slug it out in the middle of the ring, but Kingston goes for a springboard double drop kick through the ladder, but Morrison and Uso catch him and dump him over the top rope. Morrison tips a ladder onto Uso and sets a ladder on the second rope in the corner. Morrison heads up top with Uso, but Morrison dumps Uso onto the ladder on the second rope and then hits a modified Starship Pain from the top of the ring post. Kingston dumps Uso to the outside and then dives over the top rope onto Morrison. Uso runs across the top of the barricade toward Kingston, but Kingston throws a ladder into Uso’s face to stop him. Kingston uses a ladder to bridge the ring apron and the barricade. Kingston puts Uso on the bridging ladder and then trips up Morrison up top. Kingston heads up top in the adjacent corner… AND MORRISON TIGHT ROPE WALKS ACROSS THE ENTIRE LENGTH OF THE TOP ROPE FROM ONE CORNER TO THE OTHER! Morrison meets Kingston up top, but Kingston catches him with a Spanish Fly from the top. Uso and Kingston both climb a ladder, but Uso knocks Kingston back down to the mat. Kingston climbs the inside of the ladder and kicks Uso back to down to the mat. Kingston and Morrison both head to the top of the ladder and brawl up top. Kingston knocks Morrison back down to the mat and connects with a double stomp from the ladder. Uso uses a ladder to bridge the ladder in the middle of the ring and the middle rope. Uso slams Kingston face-first into the bridging ladder and then hits Morrison with a super kick. Uso puts Morrison on the bridging ladder and climbs a ladder in the corner, but Morrison gets back to his feet and tips Uso’s ladder, sending Uso tumbling all the way to the floor. Morrison climbs a ladder and gets his hands on the titles, but Kingston climbs and meets him up top. Uso sets up a second ladder next to them and climbs it. All three men brawl at the top of the ladders and pull down the clip that is holding the titles. They all grabs the titles and brawl, but Morrison gets knocked off the ladders onto the bridging ladders. Morrison grabs both titles on his way down, which gives him the win.

Match Result: John Morrison wins the match.
Match Length: 18:57
Slimmer’s Rating: ****¼

Kevin Owens vs. Seth Rollins

The action spills to the outside early. Rollins goes for the Stomp when Owens tries to get back into the ring, but Owens evades. Owens hits two sentons and sets up for a cannonball, but Rollins rolls out of the ring. Owens joins Rollins on the outside and whips him into the barricade. Owens rolls Rollins onto the apron and goes for a piledriver on the apron, but Rollins counters into a back body drop on the apron. Rollins follows up with a Falcon Arrow on the apron and then connects with a suicide dive. Rollins hits a second suicide dive and sends Owens crashing into the barricade. Rollins goes for a third suicide dive, but this time Owens catches him with a stiff punch between the ropes. Owens finally heads back into the ring, but Rollins connects with the Sling Blade. Owens rights back with a super kick followed by a cannonball in the corner. Owens heads up top and hits a senton bomb for a two count. Owens goes for the pop-up powerbomb, but Rollins floats over and lands on his feet. Rollins blocks a stunner and hits an enzuigiri, but Owens bounces off the ropes and levels Rollins with a clothesline. Rollins and Owens head up top and Rollins goes for a sunset bomb, but Owens blocks, but Rollins pulls Owens off the ropes and runs across the ring to hit a buckle bomb. Rollins charges at Owens, but Owens catches him with a pop-up powerbomb for a two count. Owens chases Rollins to the outside, but Rollins grabs the ring bell and slams it into Owens’ face for the disqualification. The match has ended, but Owens grabs a microphone and begs Rollins to re-start the match with no disqualifications. Rollins takes the bait, heads back into the ring, and drops Owens with a running knee to the face. Rollins dumps Owens to the outside and whips him into the barricade. Rollins grabs the ring steps and slams them into Owens’ head. Rollins grabs a steel chair and lands several chair shots to Owens’ back. Owens grabs the ring bells and slams it into Rollins’ head to regain control. Rollins ends up on the announce table after the shot from the ring bell, and Owens climbs to the top of the WrestleMania sign. Owens dives off the WrestleMania sign and lands on Rollins, destroying the announce table. Owens drags Rollins back into the ring and hits a stunner for the three count.

Match Result: Kevin Owens defeats Seth Rollins with a stunner.
Match Length: 15:56
Slimmer’s Rating: ***½

R-Truth joins Gronk and Mojo Rawley, trying to find somewhere he can rest for a while. Gronk levels Truth and goes for the pin, but Rawley breaks up the pin and then pins Truth himself to win the 24/7 Championship.

Universal Championship Match
Goldberg (Champion) vs. Braun Strowman

Goldberg lands a kick to the gut and hits three consecutive spears. Goldberg covers Strowman, but Strowman kicks out at two. Goldberg hits a fourth spear and goes for the Jackhammer, but Strowman counters into a power slam. Strowman hits a second power slam and follows up with a third power slam. Strowman hits a running power slam, and that’s enough for the three count.

Match Result: Braun Strowman defeats Goldberg with a running power slam.
Match Length: 2:13
Slimmer’s Rating: *

Boneyard Match
The Undertaker vs. AJ Styles

The Boneyard Match is going to take place in a cemetery. A hearse pulls up and a casket is pulled from the back… but AJ Styles is inside. A motorcycle drives up to the cemetery… THE AMERICAN BADASS IS BACK!!! Styles grabs a rock, but Take levels him with a single punch. Taker slams Styles into the casket and picks up a steel spike. Taker swings the spike at Styles, but Styles moves out of the way, and Taker’s hand breaks through the window of the hearse. Taker’s arm gets cut by the broken glass, but he still manages to toss Styles onto the hood of the hearse. Styles regains control and connects with several punches. Taker fights back and dumps Styles into an open grave. Take turns and sees Gallows and Anderson. An army of hooded druids burst through the wall of a barn and surround Taker. The druids beat Taker to the ground, and then Gallows and Anderson take over. Anderson grabs a shovel but eats a big boot from Taker. Taker grabs the shovel and levels both Gallows and Anderson. Taker sets up for another shovel shot… BUT STYLES BREAKS A TOMBSTONE OVER TAKER’S HEAD! Styles goes to work with mounted punches, waits for Taker to get back to his feet, and then slams Taker through a fence. Styles mocks Taker as Taker wheezes and can’t get back to his feet. Styles grabs the shovel and breaks it over Taker’s back, causing Taker to fall into the open grave. Styles climbs into the adjacent bulldozer, but suddenly Taker magically appears behind Styles. Taker throws Styles off the bulldozer and chases him up a ladder onto the roof of the barn. Taker sets the roof on fire and then brawls with Gallows and Anderson. Taker tosses Gallows off the roof and then tombstones Anderson onto the roof. Taker choke slams Styles of the roof and onto a pile of wood. Taker drags Styles back to his feet and carries him over to the open grave. Styles begs Taker not to bury him, but Taker hits him with a big boot that sends him into the grave. Taker climbs into the bulldozer and dumps the load of dirt onto Styles to bury him and win the match. Taker climbs back onto his motorcycle and rides away in victory.

Match Result: The Undertaker defeats AJ Styles via murder… or burial… or something.
Match Length: 18:10
Slimmer’s Rating: Somewhere on a scale of 1 to Final Deletion