Fireworks at historic WrestleMania 35 with women's match as main event
WrestleMania promised plenty of fireworks and did not disappoint after several exciting performances on a memorable night at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey on Sunday.
A women's match was featured as the main event for the first time in history when Becky Lynch faced Charlotte Flair and Ronda Rousey in a winner-take-all triple-threat match for the WWE raw women's championship and the WWE SmackDown women's championship.
The WWE's historic decision to feature a women's match as the main event at WrestleMania was applauded by many observers. The three performers - Lynch, Flair and Rousey - certainly did not disappoint.
The 82,265 fans who converged on the sold-out venue were on their feet when a victorious Lynch finally hoisted the two titles after an energy-sapping encounter.
There were other notable match-ups. The crowd loved veteran Kurt Angle's farewell match against Baron Corbin.
They gave the veteran, who has been a feature in the wrestling ring for more than two decades, an ovation as he exited the stage for the last time after a defeat to the smug Corbin.
#BeckyLynch JUST DID THAT to #RondaRousey!! #WrestleMania #WinnerTakeAll@BeckyLynchWWE @RondaRousey @MsCharlotteWWE pic.twitter.com/MhzzPUoUZR
— WWE (@WWE) April 8, 2019
Triple H's no holds barred showdown against former Evolution stablemate Batista was another highlight, given the larger-than-life personalities of the two superstars. The two set out to destroy each other and used a variety of weapons in a very brutal showdown.
Kofi Kingston was a massively popular winner and he had the appreciative fans, and even his peers in the locker room backstage, firmly rooting for him when he beat Daniel Bryan to win the WWE championship.
Kofi Kingston beats Daniel Byran to become the new WWE champion. Very popular winner and the entire Metlife stadium is on its feet, including the locker room backstage. Wow #WrestleMania pic.twitter.com/ppw9g8ACFv
— Mninawa Ntloko (@ntlokom) April 8, 2019
The WWE announced that WrestleMania 35 broke the attendance record for MetLife stadium's highest-grossing entertainment event. The annual extravaganza grossed $16.9m, surpassing the venue's previous record of $12.3m set by WrestleMania 29 six years ago.
"The WWE outdid itself by creating an even more exciting WrestleMania than we experienced six years ago," said New Jersey governor Phil Murphy. "The WWE Universe helped deliver significant economic results to New Jersey, and we look forward to the opportunity of hosting WrestleMania again in the future."
WrestleMania 36 takes place on April 5 next year at the Raymond James Stadium in Tampa Bay, Florida.
What fun
— Lisa MacLeod (@lisataljard) April 7, 2019
Other matches on the night:
- Shane McMahon vs The Miz — McMahon won this intense match
- Samoa Joe vs Rey Mysterio — Joe made quick work of Mysterio to win the WWE United States championship
- The Boss n' Hug Connection vs The IIconics vs Nia Jax and Tamina vs Beth Phoenix and Natalya — The IIconics won the WWE women's tag team championship
- Kurt Angle vs Baron Corbin — Corbin beat the Angle in his farewell match
- Bobby Lashley vs "The Demon" Finn Balor — Balor won the WWE intercontinental championship
- Triple H vs Batista — Triple H won this no holds barred match
- AJ Styles vs Randy Orton — AJ Styles won this singles match
- The Revival vs Kurt Hawkins and Zack Ryder — Hawkins and Ryder won the WWE raw tag team championship
- Roman Reigns vs Drew McIntyre — Reigns won this singles match
- The Usos vs Aleister Black and Ricochet vs The Bar vs Rusev and Shinsuke Nakamura — The Usos won the Fatal 4-Way match for the WWE SmackDown tag team championships
- Kofi Kingston vs Daniel Bryan — Kingston won the WWE championship
- Brock Lesnar vs Seth Rollins — Rollins pulled off a shock win to claim the WWE universal championship
- Becky Lynch vs Charlotte Flair vs Ronda Rousey — Lynch won the winner-takes-all triple threat match for the WWE raw women's championship and WWE SmackDown women's championship.
- Mninawa Ntloko is in New Jersey as a guest of the WWE