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WWE WrestleMania 36 Top Highlights and Videos from Saturday's Full Show

Erik Beaston@@ErikBeastonX.com LogoFeatured ColumnistApril 5, 2020

Credit: WWE.com

One night into the two-night extravaganza that is WrestleMania 36, we have already witnessed some incredible matches, star-driven performances and unforgettable moments that will last a lifetime.

Through the power of social media and WWE's star production team, we can relive them in video and highlights for years to come.

     

For Those About to Rock...

WWE kicked off a most unusual WrestleMania with a unique video package that welcomed fans to the show and featured a Captain Jack Sparrow soundalike conducting the voiceover.

Sprinkle in a little fun, some killer graphics and put an exclamation point on the proceedings with AC/DC's "For Those About to Rock (We Salute You)," and you have a chill-inducing way to kick off the night's festivities.

Some denounced the comedic portion midway through, but for an industry that has recently featured teleportation and one-on-one conversations between all-time greats and drones, it was harmless fun.

          

Bliss-Crossed Tag Champions

The night's action kicked off with Nikki Cross and Alexa Bliss challenging The Kabuki Warriors for the Women's Tag Team Championships, seeking to regain the titles they lost six months earlier.

There were able to do just that in a competitive, 15-minute match that saw Asuka and Kairi Sane throw everything in their arsenal at the challengers, including this throwback to the Legion of Doom's Doomsday Device, but were unable to cancel the competitive spirit and drive of Cross and Bliss.

WWE @WWE

...and this too! 🤯🤯 @KairiSaneWWE #WrestleMania https://t.co/Qf1YizZWdy

After Night 1's action concluded, Kayla Braxton caught up with the new champions, including an overjoyed and super-energetic Cross.

Given the other options, the match was the perfect choice to kick off the night's action and was better than expected, thanks in large part to the incredible talents of the competitors involved.

      

Daniel Bryan Unloads on Sami Zayn

One of the highlights of the Intercontinental Championship match between Daniel Bryan and Sami Zayn was the former becoming increasingly frustrated by the latter's stalling and finally unloading on him midway through the match.

An infuriated Bryan slapped the hell out of Zayn and claimed he had done nothing. A few more shots and  more stiff, aggressive strikes helped keep Bryan on the offensive.

WWE @WWE

"YOU'RE THE NOBODY! YOU HAVEN'T EARNED ANYTHING!" @WWEDanielBryan with the trash talk! 😮 #WrestleMania @SamiZayn https://t.co/K72wf4VDvK

Unfortunately for The Yes Man, it was not enough to dethrone the loud-mouthed Zayn, who escaped from the contest with his title reign intact and celebrated with his Artist Collective teammates.

      

The Man Comes Around

Becky Lynch successfully defended her Raw Women's Championship in a hard-fought match against Shayna Baszler Sunday night.

Channeling one of Baszler's greatest rivals, Kairi Sane, she counted the Kirifuda Clutch into a Bret Hart-esque roll-up for a win few expected.

Before the match, though, The Man arrived in style, rolling into the Performance Center parking lot in the same 18-wheeler she had brought to her last two appearances on Raw.

WWE @WWE

SHE'S SO COOL. #WrestleMania @BeckyLynchWWE https://t.co/OjlzRmh6Py

After the match, Charly Caruso caught up with the champion, who put over her challenger's skill and reign of dominance in NXT.

Most intriguing about the brief promo? Lynch telling The Queen of Spades to come and find her if she has a problem with the finish, suggesting the issues between the two are far from settled.

         

A Ladder Match Spectacle

Anyone suggesting the lack of fans in attendance would somehow hurt the overall quality of the in-ring action presented at this year's WrestleMania should look no further than the Triple Threat ladder match in which John Morrison defended the SmackDown Tag Team Championships against Kofi Kingston and Jimmy Uso in a bout changed by a storyline injury suffered by The Miz Friday night.

Kingston practiced social distancing by tossing a ladder at an approaching Jimmy Uso's face.

WWE WrestleMania @WrestleMania

Did 𝒏𝒐𝒕 see that coming! Nope, not at all. #WrestleMania @TrueKofi @WWEUsos https://t.co/rpbHjiDzrm

Morrison delivered an awe-inspiring Spanish Fly to Kingston off the top rope.

WWE @WWE

IT'S OFFICIAL: This match is INSANE. 🤯🤯🤯🤯 #WrestleMania @TrueKofi @TheRealMorrison https://t.co/EuqrXDknzd

In the match's most death-defying spot, Morrison tipped over the ladder Uso found himself on, sending the second-generation star crashing to the arena floor.

WWE WrestleMania @WrestleMania

O.M.G. #WrestleMania @TheRealMorrison @WWEUsos https://t.co/JghB1wncvZ

Ultimately, Morrison was able to retain the titles in a clever finish that saw him wrest control of the championships away from his opponents, even if he had to take a wicked back bump onto a ladder to do so.

The match, one of the best of Night 1, reminded the viewing audience that there may be no fans in the stands but the graphics still say "WrestleMania" and that still means something to the performers.

       

KO's WrestleMania Moment

Prior to their clash Saturday, Seth Rollins reminded the entire WWE Universe that Kevin Owens had yet to have the coveted "WrestleMania Moment."

He equated all of KO's experiences on The Grandest Stage of Them All to failures and claimed he would add one more to the list when they did battle.

He was almost right.

With Owens surging and the fight spilling to the arena floor, Rollins grabbed the ring bell and flattened his opponent with it, drawing a disqualification.

Not content with that outcome, KO took the mic and blistered Rollins with insults and issued a challenge to complete the match under No DQ rules.

WWE WrestleMania @WrestleMania

.@FightOwensFight wants to finish this RIGHT. 𝑵𝑶 rules. 𝑵𝑶 Disqualifications. Let's do this! #WrestleMania @WWERollins https://t.co/CSbt3eGIJF

The match continued, with Rollins pummeling Owens. Then, in the moment that will be talked about for years to come, KO recovered and laid The Monday Night Messiah out on a table. Climbing to the top of the same sign pointed to by wrestlers for months leading into the event, he launched himself off and onto his opponent.

WWE @WWE

OH MY MESSIAH!!!! 😱 #WrestleMania @WWERollins @FightOwensFight https://t.co/pKxa9daB7P

It was enough to drive the fight out of the former Universal Champion. Moments later, Owens delivered one last Stunner and picked up one of the most memorable wins of his storied career.

        

Braun Strowman's Motivational Message

Braun Strowman benefited from Roman Reigns pulling out of his scheduled Universal Championship match against Goldberg due to concerns over his health and the coronavirus pandemic, defeating the Hall of Famer to win his first heavyweight title in just two minutes inside the ring.

After the match, the elated winner joined Sarah Schreiber and credited his win to never giving up.

There are plenty of arguments to be made for and against the title change, and opinions on whether Strowman should have received the shot and won the gold, but it was clear in the interview that it meant the world to him.

The Monster Among Men was genuinely thrilled. WrestleMania has, more than anything, become a showcase for moments both professionally and personally profound for the men and women of WWE. Strowman had both in one match Saturday night.

         

A Cinematic Masterpiece of Epic Proportions

Is that headline hyperbole in regards to the Boneyard match between Undertaker and AJ Styles?

Maybe just a little, but what those two men and WWE's production team accomplished was nothing short of extraordinary.

The storytelling, the spectacle and the physicality of the presentation came together to create what may go down in the annals of WrestleMania history as the most unforgettable match of all time.

We should have known we were in for a treat when Styles faked us all out, entering the cemetery in a hearse and to the Undertaker's funeral march theme song. 

WWE WrestleMania @WrestleMania

He got us.😂🤣 #WrestleMania #BoneyardMatch @AJStylesOrg https://t.co/SPQGpQHU1c

From there, The Deadman channeled his inner American Badass, arriving on a motorcycle and to Metallica's "Now That We're Dead." 

Metallica @Metallica

The legacy continues. @WWE superstar The @Undertaker walked out to “Now That We’re Dead” on @WWENetwork! https://t.co/mC4hCGLpOm

There were druids converted by Gallows and Anderson to attack Undertaker.

WWE WrestleMania @WrestleMania

We thought we were ready for this #BoneyardMatch. We were 𝘴𝘰,𝘴𝘰 wrong. #WrestleMania #Undertaker @LukeGallowsWWE @AJStylesOrg https://t.co/FCFlUhTIZC

Styles drove his opponent through a fence and questioned whether the "old man" could still go.

WWE @WWE

"Come on, 𝒎𝒂𝒏. Retire already, 𝒎𝒂𝒏. Get up! Get up!" @AJStylesOrg's had enough of this. We haven't, FWIW. #BoneyardMatch #WrestleMania #Undertaker https://t.co/DSswH6Yobj

Big Evil answered with a resounding "yes," popping up from the grave and unleashing an undead ass-whooping on The Phenomenal One.

WWE WrestleMania @WrestleMania

The #Deadman rises. #Undertaker #BoneyardMatch #WrestleMania @AJStylesOrg https://t.co/LPToSahsME

But first, he eliminated Karl Anderson from the equation with a Tombstone on a tin roof.

From there, a delivered a brutal chokeslam off the roof to Styles that would drive whatever fight he had left from him.

WWE @WWE

"This is what you asked for, right?" - #Undertaker @AJStylesOrg #WrestleMania #BoneyardMatch https://t.co/moGhONZeWH

Styles was buried under hundreds of pounds of dirt, and the victorious Undertaker hopped back on his motorcycle and raised his fist in victory, ignited flames from the barn in an unforgettable image to close out the show.

WWE WrestleMania @WrestleMania

Mission accomplished. #WrestleMania #Undertaker #BoneyardMatch https://t.co/yiwtUNoWUE

The most surreal match in the history of the event, at least until Sunday's Firefly Fun House, it is the only real option to headline Saturday's festivities.