I have watched every WrestleMania (and scores of other big wrestling events) for what seems like an eternity, and I can say, full stop, that WrestleMania 39 was the best show WWE has put on in the history of the “Showcase of the Immortals.” Though it wasn’t a perfect show, and there’s still plenty to be upset about, everyone watching the two-night wrestling extravaganza was treated to a damn fine weekend of sports entertainment. In fact, I’ll go so far as to say it was the best WrestleMania of all-time.
That’s quite a lofty, and borderline hyperbolic statement, I know; but when you look at everything that was accomplished over the course of two nights at SoFi Stadium, it’s pretty easy to see we experienced the pinnacle of WWE’s “Grandest Stage of Them All.”
With two incredible main event matches involving the hottest storyline in wrestling right now, a SmackDown Women’s Championship match that was one for the ages, and possibly the best (and most brutal) Intercontinental Title brawl, there was so much to love. Let me explain…
The Main Event Matches Were Incredible
Over the course of the past few years, and more so in recent months, The Bloodline has not only been the most dominant faction in WWE, it has also been the most engaging angle the wrestling world has seen in years. That story was rightfully front-and-center at WrestleMania 39, with all of The Bloodline involved in the main event matches on Saturday and Sunday.
The Undisputed WWE Tag Team match that headlined Night One (the first time a tag match has main evented since WrestleMania 1) was an instant classic that saw Sami Zayn and Kevin Owens finally get revenge on The Usos. This was a master class in tag wrestling and featured two of the best teams in the company pulling out all the stops to put on a tremendous show. What makes it even better were all the callbacks to Zayn and Owens’ shared history with the LA-based PWG promotion where they made names for themselves 20 years ago.
A lot of people are calling foul when it comes to Sunday night’s main event match between Undisputed WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns and 2023 Royal Rumble winner Cody Rhodes, as they felt the “American Nightmare” should have won. But here’s the thing, WWE made the right call keeping the belts on Reigns, who is in the middle of a historic run. Sure, the run-ins had shades of NWO-era WCW, but let’s not forget: the money is in the chase…
Rhea Ripley And Charlotte Flair Put On What Could Be The Best Women's Match In WWE History
I had incredibly high expectations for the SmackDown Women’s Championship match between Charlotte Flair and Rhea Ripley, and those two not only met the hype, they exceeded it. In fact, their rematch from WrestleMania 36 could be the best women’s wrestling match in WWE history, which is saying something. It was physical, tense, and had some of the most impressive feats of strength and showmanship on the entire card.
What really makes this such an incredible match is the fact that Ripley, who went into the match as the heel, came out looking like a white hot babyface by the time she got the 1-2-3 on Flair. Promos are great, backstage interviews are cool, but what we saw was a tremendous story being told through physicality, one that helped make a case for Ripley being a future Hall of Famer and Flair being one of the best to ever step into a ring.
The Undercard Was Full Of Bangers
Another reason for WrestleMania 39 being the best in the event’s nearly 40-year history is the strength of its undercard. I mean, just take a look down the list of matches held over the course of the two-day extravaganza and you’ll see one incredible match after another, even from some of the bouts that didn’t initially receive all that much hype, like the Men’s WrestleMania Showcase fatal four-way tag team match.
Sure, there were some "meh" matches, like Austin Theory’s victory over John Cena and Brock Lesnar beating Omos, but we also had what will probably be considered one of the best Intercontinental Championship matches of all time in the triple threat match between Gunther, Sheamus, and Drew McIntyre, which CinemaBlend editor-in-chief Mack Rawden called the best match of both nights. Even outside of that instant classic, we saw great matches from Rey and Dom Mysterio, Seth Rollins and Logan Paul, and much more. Bottom line, this wasn’t a two-match show, but instead a 15-match spectacle.
The Pacing And General Atmosphere Were Both Incredible
The first night of WrestleMania 39 will probably go down as one of the best paced wrestling events of all time, and it should. Despite having eight matches (more than half of which were anywhere from 14 to 24 minutes apiece, not counting the elaborate entrances), multiple interview segments, backstage promos, and celebrity guests, Saturday’s card never felt bogged down, and the event was over around four hours after it started.
On Sunday, while it did have some odd timing as the show went on (around 30 minutes passed between the end of the Hell in a Cell match and the opening bell of the main event), things moved along nicely most of the night. Despite the oddness late in the evening, the general mood and atmosphere was fun and exciting, and the crowd stayed hot through it all, which is saying a lot.
The Celebrity Involvement Actually Worked And Helped Tell Compelling Stories
Celebrity guests at WrestleMania is another grand tradition of the “Showcase of the Immortals,” and this one was no different. Snoop Dogg, who should be inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame after his showing both nights, was a crucial part of several of the event’s biggest moments, including driving Rey Mysterio to the entrance ramp and serving as co-host with The Miz. Speaking of which…
When a returning Shane McMahon injured himself at the start of his impromptu match with The Miz on Sunday, Snoop improvised and essentially carried the match, throwing a nasty punch at his co-host’s face and then pulling off a “Rock Bottom” for the ages.
Bad Bunny, who has essentially become a WWE part-timer, also got involved with Mysterio’s father-son fight in a meaningful way that appears to be setting up a feud for the upcoming Backlash show in Puerto Rico.
On top of all those reasons, WrestleMania 39 also gave fans some unforgettable “Mania” moments we’ll surely be talking about for years to come. In the future, we’ll undoubtedly see the clip of Chad Gable suplexing Braun Strowman, Bianca Belair’s incredible entrance, Brock Lesnar F5ing Omos, Rey Mysterio channeling his late friend Eddie Guerrero, and more.
All in all, WrestleMania 39 was a historic night and the best “Showcase of the Immortals” in the event’s decades-long history. It wasn’t perfect, there was room for improvement, but such is the case for any wrestling show. You can go back and relive the monumental event with a Peacock Premium subscription, which is where you can also watch all upcoming WWE premium live events.
Stream WrestleMania 39 Night One on Peacock.
Stream WrestleMania 39 Night Two on Peacock.
