Thoughts on WrestleMania 32
In attendance at WrestleMania 32 on Sunday night in Arlington, Texas were Shawn Hagyari (Perryopolis), Herald-Standard correspondent Bill Hughes (Monessen), Ken Jugan (Glassport), Adam Jugan (Glassport), Blaise Jugan (Glassport) and Bill Rouse (Grindstone).
Bill Hughes
One of several local fans in attendance at WrestleMania 32 on Sunday night in Arlington, Texas was Bella Carroto of Monessen.
ARLINGTON, Tex. — WrestleMania 32 emanated Sunday night from AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, and the wrestling world was abuzz about what took place.
Limited due to injuries of several top stars, the WWE creative team came up with a makeshift card and while the event will not go down as the best Mania in history, it will be remembered for drawing a WWE-record 101,763 to the event.
The first thing I noticed as we neared the stadium was how big it was. I have been to games at large stadiums, Beaver Stadium at Penn State, a few at Michigan Stadium, and a game at Ohio Stadium at Ohio State, but AT&T Stadium was absolutely enormous and bigger than I had fathomed.
When we walked inside, I was amazed at how big the place was.
This was my sixth Mania and this was the biggest crowd by almost 20,000 fans.
I wasn’t the only one who noticed it.
Chad Carroto, of Monessen, said that he and his daughter Bella attended their first Mania and were also impressed with the size of the home of the Dallas Cowboys.
“We were in awe of the sheer enormity of the stadium,” he said. “Overall, the experience was amazing!”
The countdown show started at 4 p.m. local and there were three matches over the course of the two hours.
The opening match of the actual card, which started at 6 p.m., was the Intercontinental title ladder match.
Kevin Owens entered the match as the champion, but in a surprise, Zack Ryder walked away with the title.
The second match also provided a surprise as Chris Jericho defeated A.J. Styles.
I was with some friends Saturday and as we were leaving the JFK Book Depository Museum when we ran into Jericho.
A six-man tag match followed and the League of Nations defeated the New Day.
After the match, the League was running their mouths on the microphone when Shawn Michaels, Mick Foley and Steve Austin showed up and gave the crowd a “WrestleMania moment.”
The next match was the no holds barred street fight between Brock Lesnar and Dean Ambrose, with Lesnar winning to up his all-time Mania record to 4-2.
The match of the night in my eyes was next with the triple threat match for the new WWE Women’s title between Charlotte, Sasha Banks, and Becky Lynch and the moment was not lost on the three of them as all three were fighting off emotions during their respective entrances.
“Bella was all smiles during the match and realizes it was a monumental moment,” Carroto said of his daughter, a fourth grader in Monessen. “She wanted Becky or Sasha to win because she doesn’t like cheaters, but she still had fun!”
Jim Grosik, of Phoenix, who attended California University of Pa., shared his thoughts.
“It was the best women’s match I have ever seen,” he said. “Overall, I give the show a B.”
The scariest moment of the night took place in the Hell in a Cell match between the Undertaker and Shane McMahon.
Towards the end, McMahon went to the top of the 20-foot cage and leapt off towards the Undertaker on the announcer table.
Taker moved and Shane went through the table.
Undertaker then carried McMahon into the ring and delivered a tombstone to him to up his Mania record to 23-1.
Baron Corbin was a surprise entrant into the third annual Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal and won.
Another surprise entrant was Shaquille O’Neil with the former NBA star lasting about two minutes.
The Rock came out next and announced the new attendance record before being interrupted by the Wyatt Family.
An impromptu match between the Rock and Eric Rowan took place and the Rock won in six seconds.
Following the match, Jon Cena made an appearance.
“The Rock was entertaining with what he said,” said Dallas native Michael Smith, who was at his first Mania. “He and the Undertaker’s entrance were the two things that I will remember the most.”
In the main event, Roman Reigns defeated Triple H to win the WWE title.
As expected, the crowd heavily booed Reigns.
Overall, the show ran 40 minutes long and there was a varying degree of opinions on the event.
“The show started out strong but finished weak,” said Shawn Hagyari, of Perryopolis, who was at his third Mania. “But, overall, I was happy with the show.”
This was the second Mania for Bill Rouse, of Grindstone. He shared similar thoughts and joked about being glad that the Undertaker won.
“The show started great and lost steam by the end,” he said. “And, I am glad the Undertaker won because the only other Mania I was at, he lost.
“I had felt for two years that I brought him bad luck.”
Terry Hackett, of Bethel Park, attended his first Mania and it is something that he will never forget.
“I was very impressed with everything,” he said. “To finally make it to a Mania, it is something that I will never forget.”