WWE WrestleMania 36 Results, Grades, Highlights, And Twitter Reaction

Day 1 of WrestleMania 36 was far better than many expected considering the hurdles WWE faced to deliver the event to its fans.

Amid the restrictions mandated by the government in an effort to control the COVID-19 pandemic, WWE creators and performers had to dig deep to come up with a show worthy of the name WrestleMania.

Rob Gronkowski didn’t add much value as the host, but that thankfully wasn’t the story of the evening.

Punctuated by a stunningly outlandish and awesome main event, Day 1 set the bar for Day 2 of the event with good-to-great matches throughout the evening.

Let’s take a look at each match with grades, highlights and Twitter reaction.

Undertaker def. AJ Styles – Boneyard Match

The match I wanted to see the least turned out to be the best, and most memorable piece of entertainment from the entire night.

Taker vs. Styles was presented in a faux-documentary format, and it took place in what looked like a real graveyard. The entire match/segment felt like I was watching an action scene from a TV show like Walking Dead, only the actors were Taker and Styles, and the dialog was trash talk that was tad bit grander than what you’d hear from the wrestlers if the match was more conventional.

There was dramatic music, special effects, a ton of camera angles, a different lense, and a host of other things that augmented the experience.

The crew involved deserves kudos for their work.

The action in the segment was back and forth and supercharged by just enough special effects to keep things from being too hokey. Still, it was over-the-top enough to remain consistent with The Undertaker’s superhuman persona.

In the end, Taker prevailed in what equated to a Buried Alive match.

Grade: A+

New Champion! Braun Strowman def. Goldberg – Universal Championship

The Universal Championship match was the worst of the night. This was set up to fail from the beginning with Goldberg coming in as the champion. Once Roman Reigns pulled out of the match due to concerns about performing during the COVID-19 pandemic, things got worse.

When Braun Strowman was announced as Goldberg’s opponent, we thought we’d hit rock bottom. Unfortunately, there was still a lower level, and that was the match itself. With Goldberg seemingly unable to work anything longer than a three-minute match, Saturday night’s bout was a spear and powerslam fest that ended in what seemed like 120 seconds.

Strowman won after absorbing three or so spears, hitting five powerslams, and blocking an attempted jackhammer that Goldberg couldn’t have completed even if it was in the script.

Strowman has deserved to have the title around his waist for years, and in some ways it’s good to see him get a reign. However, the circumstances makes this one less than satisfying.

Grade: F

Kevin Owens def. Seth Rollins via Pinfall

I haven’t cared for Seth Rollins’ Messiah angle and Owens’ use of the Stunner cheapens him, despite his immense talents. With both of those things established, this was still a very good match.

There was tons of brutality as both men took turns smashing the other. As the action spilled outside, Rollins intentionally got himself disqualified after he struck Owens in the head with the ring bell.

Rollins had every plan to escape with the title and a disqualification loss. However, Owens trash talked and goaded Rollins back in the ring. Owens suckered Rollins into continuing the bout, by challenging him to continue the fight with a no-disqualification stipulation.

The scrap would continue and Owens gained the upper hand.

Owens would draw admiration from the Twitter Universe after he hit this leap from the WrestleMania sign and onto Rollins who was lying on a table.

Owens would hit a Stunner in the ring before earning the victory.

John Morrison def. Kofi Kingston and Jimmy Uso – Ladder Match – Retains Smackdown Tag-Team Championship

If on Friday you told me I would enjoy a triple-threat tag-team championship ladder match with only three wrestlers involved, I would have questioned the concept. However, that’s exactly what happened as John Morrison, Kofi Kingston and Jimmy Uso delivered a spectacular ladder match that ended with Morrison winning and retaining the tag belts for his absent partner, The Miz.

After The Miz reportedly became ill, the match was switched from a Triple-Threat Tag-Team ladder match to a more traditional singles bout, there were some justifiable questions.

The athleticism and timing of all three men carried any inconsistencies in the story and delivered the second-best match of the evening. Some of the spots in the match were fantastic:

The win came as all three men wrestled for the title belts atop separate ladders. Morrison would fall on his back onto a ladder beneath them, but as he fell the titles dropped with him, and thus he and The Miz kept the belts.

The ending was different and the match was great overall.

Grade: A+

Sami Zayn def. Daniel Bryan via Pinfall – Retains Intercontinental Championship

This could have been the match of the night. Zayn and Bryan are fully capable of delivering that kind of show. Instead, the booking kept Zayn in the cowardly heel role for too long, and in doing so, didn’t allow him to display his nearly bottomless supply of offensive moves.

As usual, Zayn sold well, as Bryan was on the offensive most of the match. Cesaro and Shinsuke Nakamura created a distraction that allowed Zayn to land the Hell-uva Kick on Bryan as the latter tried to jump from the top rope.

Zayn got the pin and retained the title.

Grade B-

Becky Lynch def. Shayna Baszler via Pinfall – Retains Raw Women’s Championship

BetOnline had Shayna Baszler favored to win, but in a little bit of a surprise, Becky Lynch retained the title. The action was slow, but brutal as both women (who aren’t the most athletic on the ladies’ roster) seemed to compensate for a lack of quickness and agility with physicality.

Baszler appeared to be headed for a submission when she nearly put Lynch to sleep with the Kirifuda Clutch. However, the champion rolled through to get the pin, ala Bret Hart at WrestleMania VIII. It wasn’t the worst way to put Lynch over, but not everyone liked the booking decision here:

Baszler didn’t have to win here, but it makes you wonder how long this feud will last, and what she’ll have to do to reach the pinnacle in WWE.

Grade B+

Elias def. Baron Corbin via Pinfall

Dramatic spots and Rob Gronkowski’s forced inclusion in the angle couldn’t save this ill-advised, uninspiring bout. Elias and Baron Corbin have some qualities singularly, but this match hopefully will end a feud that never should have happened.

Elias got the pinfall with a roll-up while holding Corbin’s tights.

There really isn’t more needed to describe this match, which was the second worst of Day 1 at WrestleMania 36.

Grade C-

New Champions! Alexa Bliss and Nikki Cross def. Kabuki Warriors via Pinfall – Wins WWE Women’s Tag-Team Championships

Expectations weren’t high for this match, despite the fact that Asuka’s character appears to be growing some needed layers. It wasn’t shocking to see the Kabuki Warriors lose the title to Alexa Bliss and Nikki Cross, but WWE did a solid job crafting an interesting flow of action, and the performers delivered.

Alexa was especially strong with two Twisted Bliss spots, and the final one secured the pinfall win and the title coronation.

Grade B+

Cesaro def. Drew Gulak via Pinfall (Kickoff Show)

In a match with two of the better in-ring workers, the action was about as strong as most would expect. This no-hands airplane spin was spectacular from Cesaro:

Cesaro calls this the UFO.

I don’t know where Gulak’s real ceiling is with the WWE, but he’s doing excellent work when given the opportunity. His offense seems to be improving, and he has become one of the promotion’s best sellers.

Cesaro has been outstanding since he debuted with the organization through a variety of roles. It was good to see him go over at WrestleMania, though he is deserving of a higher spot on the card.

This match was strong, and that was without much of a build. If it had more story to build on, we might have seen something special

Grade A-

As we look ahead to Day 2, expectations are a bit higher after WWE delivered a much higher brand of entertainment on opening night than anticipated.

Day 1 Grade: A-