Wrestlemania 21


release year: 2005
genre: vintage wrestling pay-per-view
viewing setting: home DVD 4/1/24

synopsis: This 21st annual wrestling mega-event was the 2005 edition, had a Hollywood theme, and featured a variety of matches totaling almost four hours.

where it happened: Los Angeles

impressions: This one had a total of ten competitions: 7 actual wrestling matches, 1 sumo match, and 2 interludes that ended up in mayhem. As always, I won't go into great detail, but just mention the highlights:
  • primary commentators are, yet again, Jim Ross and Jerry Lawler (which is great and entertaining, as will be seen from the sample quotes below)
  • an athletic match between jacked Eddie Guerrero and Rey Mysterio, in which Rey's mask is constantly in need of adjustment
  • the first-ever Money in the Bank ladder match, with six competitors and a ton of great, innovative action and stunts
  • some doofus called Eugene comes out and starts rambling, then some other doofus called Hassan comes out and starts trash-talking, and THEN Hulk Hogan comes out and beats his ass and then poses for like ten minutes
  • Randy Orton (and his dad) take on the Undertaker
  • a womens' championship match
  • Kurt Angle and Shawn Michaels have an excellent, highly-technical and also highly-brutal contest
  • we're treated to a Basic Instinct scene parody
  • Roddy Piper, Carlito, and Stone Cold Steve Austin have a little chat, with predictable results
  • more movie trailer parody
  • a sumo match between Akebono and Big Show, which if nothing else was as authentic as possible to sumo rules and traditions
  • a JBL/Cena match that was mostly a rough brawl
  • a recap of the WWE Hall of Fame inductees
  • Triple H defends and Bautista clash for the heavyweight title, in a battle of gigantic monsters that features Ric Flair interfering and a lot of blood
    •



    fun quote #1: 
    Jim Ross: "Jericho reaching for the ladder...Shelton Benjamin reaching for Jericho..."

    fun quote #2: 
    Jim Ross: "My God...Kane...taking care of every breathing man in sight...including himself!"

    fun quote #3: 
    Jim Ross: "And you saw the results...German suplex..."
    Jerry Lawler: "On Jericho...and the ladder!"

    fun quote #4: 
    Jim Ross: "Can you imagine how he feels to be here at Wrestlemania?"
    Jerry Lawler: "I can't imagine how he even gets up in the morning and gets dressed."

    fun quote #5: 
    Jim Ross: "This is a Wrestlemania moment."
    Jerry Lawler: "This is not the Wrestlemania moment that Hassan was hoping for!"

    fun quote #6: 
    Jerry Lawler: "I may not be a leader of men, but I'm certainly a follower of women...and I'm gonna love this womens' title match!"

    fun quote #7: 
    Jim Ross: "Trish has a distinct advantage in wrestling experience...throwing a young woman into the steps is not necessary in this environment."

    fun quote #8: 
    Jerry Lawler: "And I think that Shawn Michaels is the type that...certainly this match, his entire career, and maybe his life...have depended on him not getting suplexed into that table!"

    fun quote #9: 
    Jim Ross: "Maybe this is why Shawn Michaels calls himself Mister Wrestlemania. He excels! He somehow pulls it all out at Wrestlemania!"

    fun quote #10: 
    Jerry Lawler: "JR, let me ask you this: when you see Batista absorbing this punishment, don't you have to think...he brought this all on himself?"



    final word: Pretty entertaining and lengthy Wrestlemania with a Hollywood theme.

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