WWE TLC: Top five moments from WrestleMania 32

Barnaby Read 17:43 04/04/2016
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  • Riding the wave of increased viewership, stock rises and a record crowd of 101,763 WrestleMania 32 swept into Texas with the WWE in rude health.

    A huge list of injuries denied them some of their biggest Superstars and resulted in some rather makeshift matches based on more hastily constructed rivalries.

    There was still plenty to enjoy and the WWE did well to bring out some familiar faces but there were certainly some disappointments that overshadowed an event that commercially made history for the company.

    The Roman Reigns vs Triple H showpiece was a particular letdown while it’s hard to understand why Shane McMahon came back only to taste defeat.

    But here we want to focus on the positives so Sport360 has picked out our top-5 moments from WrestleMania 32.

    KALISTO BEATS RYBACK

    It is very good to see Kalisto given a proper run with the US Title and his win over Ryback was a great way to put him over the Big Man. Kalisto has enormous potential as a singles and tag-team wrestler and the WWE’s faith in him is refreshing to see. For Ryback it was a pretty big loss and he continues to float around the middle card in need of something to give if he is to regain some of his momentum that has drastically declined over the past 12-18 months.

    CENA’S RETURN

    Despite all the haters who would say otherwise, the WWE needs John Cena and his absence from Mania was disappointing. However, Cena returned in dramatic fashion alongside The Rock to confront the Wyatt Family and despite not being 100% fit the fact he was able to feature in the show and tease a full-time return to the ring was significant for the coming months.

    SHANE MCMAHON’S ELBOW DROP

    Now, it’s difficult to make heads or tails of this match. It was a treat and seeing The Undertaker face off with Shane McMahon in Hell in a Cell is unlikely to ever disappoint. The main problem is that it was sprung on the WWE Universe late and the two stipulations were only ever going to see Taker win. With that put to one side there is one thing we can all agree on, McMahon’s latest daredevil spot was quite something. It cost him the match but showed Shane is more than just a spoilt little rich kid, he’s a fearless wrestler in his own right.

    STONE COLD, SHAWN MICHAELS AND MICK FOLEY UNITE

    Who doesn’t want to see these three legends fighting the same cause? Throw in the fact they were taking on the League of Nations and you’ve got a great segment. It may have felt a little rushed and Stone Cold’s stunner has lost some of its potency but for anyone who is a fan of Austin, Michaels and Foley (and that’s everyone out there, right?) this was a real treat. If only they had formed some sort of alliance back in their heyday – now that would’ve been fun.

    ZACK RYDER’S INTERCONTINENTAL GLORY

    First things first, it was a huge disappointment for this column that Kevin Owens lost the title as he is easily one of our favourite wrestlers. But if it were to change hands there was no better option than having someone like Ryder given a chance to hold the belt. Ryder only returned to the main roster outside of Superstars and Main Event shows this year and after going to NXT and crafting a solid singles run his hard work has been rewarded. Much deserved for Ryder.

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