Csonka’s Free WrestleMania Match Reviews with Brock Lesnar, Charlotte, & More

Csonka’s Free WrestleMania Math Reviews with Brock Lesnar, Charlotte, & More

– From WrestleMania 34: Champion Charlotte defeated Asuka @ 13:15 via submission [****]
– From WrestleMania 34: Kurt Angle and Ronda Rousey defeated Triple H and Stephanie McMahon @ 20:45 via submission [****]
– From WrestleMania 33: Brock Lesnar defeated Champion Bill Goldberg @ 4:45 via pin [***½]
– From WrestleMania 33: Champion Bayley defeated Sasha Banks, Charlotte Flair & Nia Jax @ 12:10 via pin [***]

---

Kurt Angle and Ronda Rousey vs. Triple H and Stephanie McMahon: We have to get this on early so we can make Sportscenter, which is understandable in order to try and maximize the coverage. HHH and Stephanie come out riding trikes, with others on motorcycles leading them to the ring. You have to respect HHH, he busts his ass and at age 48, is in great shape. Angle still has a brace on his right thigh, which he injured a while back. Rousey is out in Piper inspired gear, including mini-kilt. Drake Younger gets to ref here, which is cool. Steph attacks before the bell and runs away. That allows HHH to attack, but Angle quickly takes control. He’s looking solid and more mobile than in his last outing. Steph baits Rousey in, playing mind games and allowing HHH to tale control. Steph’s being a real bitch, getting in cheap shots, and constantly taunting Rousey. As expected, the guys are working the majority of the match. HHH & Angle are talking a lot to each other. Steph stops the tag, pulling Rousey to the floor, and really heeling it up. At 6-minutes in Rousey finally gets the tag. The crowd loves her as she runs wild on Steph. She has a great presence, and is connecting with the crowd; I’ll give her that. Steph rakes the eyes and fights of the arm bar. She actually takes the heat on Rousey for a bit. HHH makes the save for Steph, pulling Rousey to the floor. He and Angle battle on the announce tables, Angle gets slammed on one but I AM THE TABLE. Rousey now fires up and lights up HHH, Steph makes the save slapping her, and runs away. The Scooby Doo chase leads to Rousey getting posted. Angle is alive and hits suplexes on HHH, and the crowd loves all of this. The Angle slam gets a great near fall. This has been laid out really well, Angle ankle locks Steph, but HHH hits a pedigree, but Rousey makes the save. She hits a RANA and arm bar on HHH! The crowd is mental for this. Steph saves him with a choke to jeers. Angle takes out HHH with the ankle lock and Rousey arm bars Steph. HHH manages to roll Angle into Rousey for the break. The bosses take control back, posting their opponents, and look for pedigrees. They are foiled and Rousey gets the arm bar and Steph taps immediately. Kurt Angle and Ronda Rousey defeated Triple H and Stephanie McMahon @ 20:45 via submission [****] I think it almost went too long, but it was an extremely well laid out match, with a wild and hot crowd and right finish. It was way better than I thought it would be, and was extremely entertaining. They over delivered for sure, it was really great, and I don’t think you could have booked a better match for Rousey’s debut as they did a great job of hiding the various weaknesses involved in a match like this.

Smackdown Women’s Championship Match: Champion Charlotte vs. Asuka: Charlotte gets a throne for her entrance, and is decked out in gold. They work into a fun, counter filled opening sequence. They have a real nice sense of urgency so far, with Asuka controlling early, staying a step ahead of the champion. This leads to Asuka starting to attack the arm to set up the Asuka lock later on. Charlotte started her comeback, but moonsaulted into the triangle; I always dig that counter spot. Charlotte is resilient here, but Asuka immediately goes back to working the arm and then lights her up with kicks. They have set a really nice base here, and then amp things up as Asuka hits an apron suplex to the floor. Charlotte makes the mistake on monologuing, but Asuka kicks her ass for it. Charlotte then busted out a fucking Spanish fly, because it’s WrestleMania. Charlotte countered that natural selection into a submission in a really nice counter spot. The intensity here is really great, so much better than the recent WWE women’s matches. These two are stepping up big time. Charlotte does a great job selling the arm, working a one armed figure eight, and… Asuka taps. Champion Charlotte defeated Asuka @ 13:15 via submission [****] Well damn. I have no idea where this Charlotte has been this year, but she needs to stick around as she was really great here. This was a great and focused match, with the surprise finish. They delivered.

WWE Universal Championship Match: Champion Bill Goldberg vs. Brock Lesnar: Lesnar hits suplexes, three Germans but Goldberg fights back and hits the spear, with Lesnar rolling to the floor. Goldberg then spears Lesnar through the barricade. Back in the ring, Lesnar looks for the F5 but eats a spear. Goldberg hits the jackhammer, but Lesnar kicks out. Goldberg looks for another spear, but Lesnar leapfrogs him and Goldberg hits the buckles HARD and eats suplexes, something like 10 in total. Lesnar is fired up, hits the F5 and wins the title. Brock Lesnar defeated : Champion Bill Goldberg @ 4:45 via pin [***½] This is exactly what it should have been and needed to be; quick, explosive sprint, and entertaining while also playing off Goldberg’s previous domination and Brock getting his revenge.

Raw Women’s Championship Elimination Match: Champion Bayley vs. Sasha Banks vs. Charlotte Flair vs. Nia Jax: Bayley got her wacky inflatables super sized. Nia got evil empress gear, Banks rode a pimped out golf cart and Charlotte had a new robe and walked with purpose. Everyone brawled, with Jax controlling even though they all tried to attack her. Jax hit a Yoko drop onto Bayley, but Charlotte was not amused and then attacked. Jax then tossed Charlotte from the apron onto Banks. Bayley, Charlotte and Banks were reluctant partners as they all attacked Jax, and it took all three to finally get her down, and Charlotte picked up the near fall. Jax then tossed Bayley, which allowed her to wok over Charlotte. Bayley returned and we then got the triple team powerbomb and they dog piled on her for the elimination at 4:15. And now that Jax is taken care of, Charlotte wanted a high five, but then got backed off to the floor, allowing Bayley and Banks to go one on one. Charlotte pulled Bayley to the floor, and Banks then wiped out Bayley by accident and that allowed Charlotte to wipe out both with a sky twister press from the top. Back in, Charlotte fought of the Banks statement, hit a back breaker and covered for 2. Charlotte and Banks worked back and forth until Banks hit meteora and locked in the Banks statement. Charlotte escaped, sending Banks to the corner and covered for the win. The buckle was supposed to be exposed as commentary was reading the script and said it was, but had to correct themselves. Bayley and Charlotte are left, and Charlotte quickly targeted the knee. Charlotte up top, but she MISSES the moonsault, and Bayley covers for 2. Bayley off the top, but Charlotte cuts her off and locks in the figure four but Bayley makes the ropes. Charlotte continues to work the knee, sets Bayley in the tree of WHOA, Charlotte climbs up and pulls Bayley up as she beats on her. Bayley then back drops her off, but is still trapped in the ropes. Charlotte charges and hits the not so exposed buckle. Bayley then hits the elbow drop and picks up the win. Champion Bayley defeated Sasha Banks, Charlotte Flair & Nia Jax @ 12:10 via pin [***] It’s a shame that the buckle never got fully pulled off and exposed, because two of the pins came directly off of “exposed buckle spots,” and commentary largely had to play like it was exposed. This was really good for the first two thirds, but the final two eliminations came of poorly due to the buckle issue (someone has to get in the ref’s ear and have him instruct someone to remove that so that the planned spots actually work); they worked really hard, the wrestling was on point (I loved them ganging up on Jax) and overall they delivered a good match. Bayley got her moment, and the only real surprise to me is that they didn’t tease a Banks heel turn harder. I honestly think that it would have been better as a single fall match, due to the buckle snafu and time being a bit too short for a four-person elimination match.

The 411 on Wrestling Podcast returns to the 411 Podcasting Network for episode 103. On the show, 411’s Larry Csonka & Mark Radulich preview this weekend’s WrestleMania 36 shows, while Steve Cook joins to talk AEW vs. NXT (4.01.20). The show is approximately 178–minutes long.

* Intro
* WrestleMania 36 Preview: 14:00
* AEW (4.01.20) Review: 1:51:51
* NXT (4.01.20) Review: 2:23:40
* The head to head comparison: 2:45:48

* iTunes
* Spotify
* Stitcher
* Google Play

– End Scene.

– Thanks for reading.

8.0

The final score: review Very Good

The 411

Today’s collection of free matches clocks in at around 53-minutes and is a good one.