WrestleMania 35 is in the books and when WWE fans look back at the seven and a half hour show, it will be remembered as one of the best in recent memory. That's not because of the great matches or moments - although there were plenty - but due to the company's booking decisions.
The "Showcase of the Immortals" delivered satisfying endings to many feuds, especially for the top three title matches on the card. Fan-favorite baby faces Seth Rollins, Kofi Kingston and Becky Lynch captured titles after months of buildup, and are set to begin a new era in WWE.
However, the speculation and predictions heading into WrestleMania were not as promising. "The WWE wouldn't let the baby faces win all three title matches. At least one of them has to not go in the fans' favor," was the cynical mindset some fans had - myself included - in the weeks leading to WrestleMania.
Yet WrestleMania 35 gave us a night full of euphoric, surprising and cathartic moments that will be remembered for a long time. Looking back, the trend for the evening was set in an unlikely place: the first match of the Kickoff show.
The first bout in what would be a 17-match WrestleMania 35 card was Buddy Murphy versus Tony Nese for the Cruiserweight Championship. The result was a surprise victory for the 33-year-old Nese to capture the title.
Nese is from Ridge, New York, a small town on Long Island, which is significant because WWE has become notorious for having talent lose in their hometowns. With WrestleMania 35 in the New York City area, it was a great moment for the 205 Live superstar. A couple of matches later, Zack Ryder and Curt Hawkins - two more Long Island natives - won the RAW Tag Team Championships.
Seeing all three men hoist the titles in front of friends and family was a great moment, as was Hawkins breaking a 269-match losing streak. Even if fan-favorite team The Revival lost, the reaction Hawkins received after getting the win was undeniable.
Even The IIconics won the crowd over with their Women's Tag Team Championship victory. Billie Kay and Peyton Royce are not the best wrestlers in the division, but their character work and stories behind-the-scenes have endeared them to many fans. Even so, it was hard to imagine them winning this match on this stage, but what a payoff for the two ladies from Australia who received their WrestleMania moment in another feel-good match.
In the top title matches, Brock Lesnar defended his Universal Championship in the first match of the main card, to the shock of many. But even that wasn't as shocking as The Beast Slayer hitting three Stomps to pick up the victory and bring the top RAW title back to weekly television.
Leading into WrestleMania, Rollins told Newsweek he hoped winning the Universal Title would get the roster "refocused" and give them the motivation to get to the next level. It'll be interesting to see what Universal Champion Seth Rollins will bring to Monday Night RAW, but the outlook is brighter than when it was on Lesnar.
Kofi Kingston's victory over Daniel Bryan was the emotional highpoint of the night, as he finally won the big one in after an 11-year-career in the WWE. It was the perfect ending to a story that the company stumbled on after Mustafa Ali was injured and replaced by Kofi.
And finally, "The Man" Becky Lynch became the first RAW and SmackDown Women's Champion in the first-ever women's main event at WrestleMania. After Seth and Kofi picked up their victories, it seemed unlikely the company would pull the trigger on all three matches.
It was easy to see WWE putting both titles on Ronda Rousey, their biggest crossover star, or Charlotte Flair, whose accomplishments and road to the main event would make her the ultimate heel and foil for Becky down the line. The unpredictability of the women's main event helped make it special and deserving of the top spot.
WrestleMania 35 wasn't perfect, but the decision to make it an event that gave fans what they wanted was the right call. Let's just hope they continue this newfound good will through the rest of the year.
Uncommon Knowledge
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
About the writer
Phillip Martinez is a game and culture reporter for Newsweek. Prior to joining Newsweek in 2018, he was a reporter ... Read more
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