Jacob Fatu v Drew McIntyre (Unsanctioned Match) (3.25/5)
This was one of the more hyped matches heading into Night One. Drew McIntyre and Jacob Fatu have put in some good work throughout the build to this contest. The Unsanctioned stipulation was a nice touch and should have provided for an over-the-top spot, but we didn’t receive that.
Drew McIntyre and Jacob Fatu put on a fantastic street fight. The violence was fun to watch, and there were some early spots using the ring apron that were creative. It’s hard to show us something new when we have seen it all, but those spots achieved that. Another nice callback was McIntyre’s reluctance to go near the toolbox. It’s a nice shading in of a story that took place nearly two years ago and shows the maturity with WWE’s booking.
There was nothing bad about this match; everything worked, and the crowd loved it. However, an Unsanctioned Match should have that crazy spot that has the world talking. None of the spots got close to that; it feels like a missed opportunity.
Nia Jax & Lash Legend v Brie Bella & Paige v Charlotte & Alexa Bliss v Bayley & Lyra Valkyria (Women’s Tag Team Championship Match) (3/5)
Rumors had been spreading over the past 24 hours about Paige signing with WWE. That, plus Nikki Bella suffering an injury, created the perfect storm for WWE to pull off an epic return. Paige hadn’t wrestled with WWE in over 8 years, and the crowd popped huge when she came out. This was the type of return that makes WrestleMania a premier show.
This was a fun match to watch. Anticipation of Paige getting in the ring aside, this was very entertaining with the fatal four-way stipulation keeping things going throughout. There was some fun wrestling, and they built tension well to the eventual hot tag from Paige.
Let’s face it, this match was here for Paige and setting up potential feuds in the future. It was also a match with a lot of fun packed into a short time. The crowd was hot for the entire match, and these 8 women didn’t disappoint.
