Wrestlemania 33 Weekend in Orlando Review 2017

What's going on everybody, and welcome to the annual review of my trip to Wrestlemania weekend. This year, Mania weekend took place in sunny Orlando Florida. I must say, after 5 straight days of wrestling, I have thoroughly enjoyed myself and feel once again implore every real wrestling fan to plan to attend this great annual event. Its just so much to enjoy and witness if you truly enjoy this great profession.

Today i will run you through all the events I attended this weekend and give my quick thoughts. I have included some pics, but I have soo much more video that you can find on my Instagram now and more I will be posting the next few days. I must say that I have become much more involved in Snapchat, so a lot of my videos are 9 second snaps that are shot vertically. SOMETHING I NEVER DO. But I did a lot of my videos this way and unfortunately they don't translate well for wide shot videos I use for the website. But anyway, enjoy the rundown.

I arrived in Florida on Friday afternoon, grabbed my rental, checked in at my condo, and changed out of my Winter clothes and into my Summer clothes. Hot as hell down here compared to Baltimore. After dining with fellow members of the Wrestlingobserver.com Figure Four Empire at Texas de Brazil, and talking with the greatest writer in pro wrestling history Dave Meltzer, I traveled to the WrestleCon Super Show to meet up with a few buddies and enjoy the show.
​WrestleCon SuperShow Highlights - 3/31/17
  • The Supershow was held at the Wyndham hotel, which would host all of the Wrestlecon shows this weekend. The show was late to start due to the Revolution Pro show before it running long. And then when we got in, lets just say the seating chart was all screwed up. Lol. Nobody knew where the hell section BB, CC, and DD were. But we had our seats!!!
  • Low Ki was a surprise and got a huge pop and was as hard hitting as ever.
  • The 5 on 5 tag with teams captained by Ricochet and Will Ospreay was the most insane match I have ever seen live. These guys broke out into a legit dance off in the middle of the match and the place went nuts!!!! Then they went into a great match with excellent moves. This was so insanely great and fun. Some will hate it, I'm not one of those people.
  • They had a Battle Royal filled with everything from bullshit and awkwardness to some pretty great surprises. the highlight being the Sandman coming out and everyone singing Enter the Sandman.
  • The main event with the Hardy's vs Pentagon and Fenix was cool for the thought but it was a basic tag match at the end of a long show. Solid.
WrestleCon Convention Highlights - 4/1/17
  • Saturday morning I went to the Hyatt and attended the Wrestlecon convention, which was packed full of wrestling legends everywhere you turned your head. Probably the biggest one yet. Everywhere you looked was more and more. I really didn't take a lot of pictures, but I snapped a lot because I feel too cool in those type of settings to be asking for pictures or stealing pics of stars and I wasn't paying everyone 20 bucks.
  • But the one person I had to get a pic with was my man Bruce Prichard, whose shirt I was sporting. Bruce called me a few months ago after I bought his shirt and we had a great convo. It was longer than I expected and we actually clicked.  I thought it would be 2 minutes, it ended up being like 10, which was so surprising. Much respect to brother Love.
  • Jeff Jarrett was trying his best to get people to give TNA a try again....
  • I had so much fun, I missed the 12 Noon show from Wrestling Revolver.
  • So Instead I went to visit Hogan's Beach Shop where he was signing.
Jim Ross Show Highlights - 4/1/17
  • After seeing the line to see the Hulkster was wrapped around the corner, which was expected, I traveled to the 2PM Jim Ross show. 
  • We bought our tickets before news broke of Jan Ross, Jim's wife, passing away. My thoughts and prayers go out to Jim and I would've completely understood if he had canceled and stayed home. But once he announced he was still coming, I had to come and support this great man. 
  • This was my 2nd time seeing a JR show, as I attended his show in Baltimore a few years ago. He had a few guest in Tony Schiavone, Bruce Prichard, Jeff and Karen Jarrett and the co-writer of his book. JB hosted.
  • I was able to ask a question, and this time I kept it light hearted. In Baltimore I asked Jim about the reaction of the company when they learned of Benoit's murder suicide. JR skated. This time, I asked he and Bruce about their time togtehr as head of talent relations and their relationship with one another during that period. Got a great convo started. Really enjoyed this show for the insight and good conversation.
Ring of Honor Supercard of Honor Highlights - 4/1/17
  • On Saturday night, in a real labor of love for the wrestling business, I drove 5 of us an hour away from Orlando to Lakeland Florida for Ring of Honor. Once we finally got there, I realized why they decided it was the best venue for the show, because the arena was actually pretty damn perfect for an ROH show. I wasn't too big or too small and the set and lighting was excellent. Honestly, they need to find an arena just like that to run regularly. And it was their largest crowd ever. 
  • And the crowd was hot early. Highlights of the show included a damn good match between Adam Cole Baby!!! and Marty Scurll, that was hurt by two botched attempts at tombstone piledrivers.
  • Jay Lethal and Cody Rhodes had a bulls rope match that was pretty good, but not as heated as I would have hoped. 
  • Daniels vs Castle for the ROH title was just there. It wasn't bad, and it was great, but it was a title match with a guy many do like in Castle and an older star in Daniels that fans are tiring on now that he's captured the title. I wasn't really into much after a long day. And still had to drive back.
  • But then there was the main event. And as tired as I felt just moments earlier, this atmosphere and heat for the Hardys vs Young Bucks gave me a boost of energy like nothing else.
  • The ring entrances had the crowd on their feet and then the craziness began. These fools went out there and had the match of the night and more. Spot after crazy spot. Of course there were a million superkicks along the way, and they were going through tables left and right.
  • This was so fun, and it really was a great cap to the show and to the Hardy's tenure on teh Indy scene, as we all know they will probably be starting with WWE very soon, possibly Monday or Tuesday. I would put them on Smackdown. 
  • But either way, they put over the Bucks as the real deal and best tag team in the business. And this match brought something out of the Hardy's we have not seen from them in years. Great match. 
Beyond Wrestling Midnight Show Highlights - 4/1/17
  • After Ring of Honor I then drove us an hour and twenty minutes to the Beyond Wrestling Midnight show called Caffeine. Man and did I need some damn caffeine at this point. I was tired as shit, and had I been by myself, would've just called it a night.
  • What was I thinking. But these guys were pumped to see the show still and wouldn't let me tap out. Shit. Well, we got there and they were not set up and ready for us to enter yet, so we waited outside for them to let people in, because the show before ran long... AGAIN!!! I was beat!!
  • Finally we got in, and I must say it was a cool set up. In Beyond Wrestling, fans get to surround the ring, all the way up to the apron. Well this arena was like a movie theater with big comfortable theater seats, which was a major problem at 1AM!!! 
  • After seeing Keith Lee and Jeff Cobb have a pretty good big guy match, I found myself, sleep. Chair was too comfortable. My friends were all around the ring watching the show, and I was up in the stands and couldn't tell you one thing that happened after the first match. 
​WWE Axxess Highlights - 4/2/17
  • After getting in at almost 4AM early Sunday morning, I had to be up and at em for WWE Axxess, the 8AM session. Boy ole Boy was that a tough one. I got there around 10AM and enjoyed my time there. I just wnet around and grabbed some pics o all the sights and activities. I usually just like to see the new exhibits and grab pics with the different superstar stanchions they have set up.
  • Edge was there signing autographs and NXT had wrestlers from the UK performing as well. It was a pretty fun couple hours. but again, just wanted to get there and grab some pics. 
  • Loved the new Ric Flair exhibit and Statue as well. 
  • Whenever I'm at Axxess it makes me wish that we had something like this when I was a kid. Its just so much to do for kids who love wrestling and the WWE does a great job with it. The recreating of ring entrances is always fun to watch. 
  • This year, the promo exhibit was a huge hit with the adults.
Empire Bus to Mania - 4/2/17
Wrestlemania 33 Highlights - 4/2/17

After riding on the bus to Mania along with the rest of the F4W Empire members (thanks Ed!!), I settled in to my seat for what would be the longest televised wrestling show in U.S history. Mania is a spectacle that happens once a year, so I get that it should be special and different than your regular monthly PPV. The crowd was hot and ready for great show. We had no idea we would be there for damn near an entire work shift. 

But got damn there is nothing like Mania and this was a great show to enjoy live. It wasn't perfect and I will tell you what I did and didn't like below, but overall it was a very entertaining experience, which is why we attend the show. I thought Dallas was great for the Mania experience last year, but the show and results were extremely disappointing. This year, I was pleased with the booking and the show produced newsworthy material, some which will have a lasting impact. Let's get to it cause it was a...... Thrill Ride. LOL.
Roman Reigns defeated the Undertaker in the main event and afterwards the Undertaker essentially retired. It was a hell of a moment to see Taker hang it up and walk off into the sunset. But the match sucked. It was clear that he's done and needs to just enjoy his golden years. As for Reigns, he was absolutely hated, as expected. And he wasn't able to get a good match out of Taker at this stage in the game. He's clearly no the guy, but he's Vince's guy. So Oh well.
Naomi recaptured the Smackdown Women's title when she made Alexa Bliss tap out. She was super over with the crowd in Orlando and with the crowd overall. I was super happy she won and got a hell of feature with a cool entrance and title win. The match was rushed and really was given no real chance to be great. Largely due to the show being so damn long, but also because it was pretty much in a death spot following Brock vs Goldberg.
Brock Lesnar defeated Goldberg to capture the Universal title in a match full of all action. This was exactly what we wanted to see. Two big dudes not trying to be anything but what we know them to be. Goldberg bumped like crazy and Brock was great. Very satisfying. Afterwards, Brock celebrated as long as he wanted to, (unlike Randy Orton), I will say that I don't like the booing of Goldberg as I thought his run was great overall. Of course he didn't need to beat Owens for the title, but that was the Vince's call and not Bill's fault.
Randy Orton defeated Bray Wyatt to win the WWE title again. I just was so bored with this boring match. The match just felt it was disjointed. Plus I didn't think Bray needed to lose the title yet. Randy should've chased a bit longer. After the win, as Orton was posing, they just cut his music and went dark. He was pissed. WWE champion at Mania, got no time to celebrate after winning the belt. But others were getting Pyro and and everything earlier in the night. Shows that they were giving things with little importance far too much time. 
Seth Rollins defeated HHH in an unsanctioned street fight. I said going in that I could tell you exactly what this match was going to be. Because all HHH matches are similar. Very well worked, long, and dry. I was bored. Seth is not the best babyface to begin with, and getting his leg worked over for twenty minutes does nothing for me. Entrance was too long, match too long. BLAH!!!
John Cena and Nikki Bella defeat Miz and Maryse. The crowd was super hot as they are for all of Cena's matches a and it was hilarious how much they loved the Miz, given how much the man is routinely hated on online. The real story was the proposal after the match that we knew was coming. It was a nice moment if you follow the story on Total Divas. Good for them. 
THE HARDY BOYZ defeated The Club, Enzo and Cass, and Cesaro and Sheamus to win the RAW team titles. WOW!!! What a hell of a pop!!!! People were running back from the concessions stands screaming, and yes, I was one of them as you can tell from the different camera angle from the pic above. I had to piss and was hungry and almost missed this!!!!! Crazy surprise and while the match wasn't earth shattering, the crowd was so great and the ladder dive by Jeff was excellent. Great job winning the titles and it was the right call. 
Bayley defeated Charlotte, Sasha Banks, and Nia Jaxx to retain the RAW Women's title. I went to the bathroom after Sasha was eliminated so I didn't see the rest of the match live but went back and watched it on the network. I just don't understand the booking of Sasha Banks anymore. She loses at every PPV and then rather than giving her an angle with some teeth, she gets nothing. Nothing against Bayley, but she's just not my cup of tea. Charlotte's moonsault was excellent, but it wasn't enough to make this anything special.
Kevin Owens defeated Chris Jericho to capture the United States title. Let's think about this. The top act on RAW for the entire Fall and Winter, who split up and finally square off in the ultimate grudge match, gets regulated to the 2nd match on the main card. What? Not only that but Kevin Owens was the top guy and held the top title on the brand up until just a month or so ago. And this is the treatment they get. This should have been a featured match towards the top but instead it had to follow a gimmicked spotfest with Shane McMahon. And the finish was flat and not built well. Damn. Deserved better. 
AJ Styles defeated Shane McMahon in a spot fest that was put on as the opener on the main card. While I was never as down on this match as others were going in, I was extremely pissed that AJ Styles, the best guy in the company, was put in the opener. It really bothered me a lot and I'm getting pissed again as I type. The crowd was hot and I enjoyed the action, so I'm not complaining about that. I really don't understand why Styles and Owens were not rewarded with better spots on the card after the great work they did as champions for the bulk of the Fall and Winter. AJ carried Shane to a good one.
Meat Head Mojo Rawley won the worst Battle Royal I have ever seen. What a disgrace. They could have gotten media attention using Gronk in a segment that didn't require this guy winning a match over the likes of Braun Strowman and Sammi Zayn. Just dumb. The story was already built up with the Strowman and Zayn feud. Would've been a great payoff and shot in the arm for Sammi who desperately needs something. 
Dean Ambrose defeated Baron Corbin to retain the Intercontinental title in a match that just felt like it was missing a purpose. Given the build up on TV, you would think this should have been a heated gimmick match of some sort. The crowd didn't give a shit, aside from liking Ambrose at spots. I know I was sitting in he sun baking at this point and was just begging for a cloud. Corbin does nothing for me. I'm sure AJ could make him look great though. 
Neville defeated Austin Aries to retain the Cruiserweight title in a match that opened the show way before the crowd was ready to receive it. I get it, the Cruisers are not taken seriously by the company, but they could've opened with that jobber Battle Royal and let these guys go on later when the entire crowd was seated and ready to actually watch and enjoy wrestling. Despite it being hot and sunny as hell, the guys busted their ass and had a good match. 

Overall, I really enjoyed the event. Sure I nitpick, because that's what I do, but I had fun and my section had a lot of fun. I will say that Mania should be in a dome every year. Wrestling is not meant to be watched when it sunny and you can't enjoy the pyro and you're sweating your balls off. Also, why can't we go back to the old format of big time shows. I'm not saying that a video package for key matches isn't great sporadically, but these video packages were long and unnecessary. Isn't that what the announcers are for? To set the stage for each match during the hour long walk to the ring? I miss the days of a guy walking to the ring and they cut to the back for a Mean Gene promo with his opponent. That felt like what made Wrestlemania special. The guys actually hyping the match themselves. Video packages are for the pre show.
RAW Highlights from 4/3/17 at the Amway Center
  • RAW after Mania is always a super hot crowd the treatment Roman Reigns got from this crowd was unlike nothing I have seen since Cena went to One Night Stand in 06. Everytime he tried to talk, we boo'd more and yes I said we. Lol. (Turn your backs when Roman comes out!!)
  • The Hardy's got a great reaction coming out on RAW and wonder who their first program will be with cause it should be heels. 
  • Speaking, the Revival debuted and beat the New Day. I think they need to be careful beating the New Day. Them vs the Hardy's could be special. 
  • Vince McMahon coming out was great and introducing Kurt Angle as the new GM was a great move. Kurt was great all night. 
  • Strowman and Brock should be the next title match but I hated how they had Braun backdown from Brock like that. Sucked.
  • Finn Balor returning was so great live. Loved it and the people when nuts.
Smackdown Highlights from 4/3/17 at the Amway Center
  • The Final show I attended was Smackdown live on Tuesday night and by far the highlight of the night was the debut of Shinsuke Nakamura!!! The place went absolutely crazy just upon the sight of the violinist!! Amazing!
  • Orton was boo'd all night and he did not like it. This guy is one of the mos sensitive "superstars" ever, and easily gotten to. The feud wit Bray sucks.
  • Naomi looked good, in more ways than one, defending her title in front of a crowd that really loves her. How can anyone not love her. My my.
  • Miz and Maryse as Cena and Nikki was so damn hilarious. What great job.
  • I really like AJ as the face of Smackdown and hope he, Nakamura, and Joe are all together and give us some classics. Hell bring over Zayn too!!
  • A lot of people left after Smackdown, but they should've stayed. 205 Live had a great 4 way, where Aries won a rematch with Neville.
  • And then we got treated to a dark match with Nakamura vs Ziggler. 
From start to finish, this was an excellent trip. I don't even mention the two days at Universal Studios and Two days at the Magic Kingdom that were excellent times as well. Just a great time. Only negative was the amount of travel between some of the locations for the shows. But fear not!!! Next year, we head to New Orleans for Wrestlemania 34!!! I can't wait!!

​If your a fan of this business you have to make it a priority at least once. I promise you, it won't be your last trip. Lol. I'm hooked. So much fun to be had and so many great people from all over the world coming togtehr to enjoy a form of entertainment we all enjoy. And I love it because if your a wrestling fan, its something fro everybody. I love to support all types of wrestling organizations, and this year I supported some I may not have had the opportunity to in the past. An excellent time and I'm already planning for next year. See you in Nola.  
By: Larry Causion Jr.    CausionCreations.com           
Posted: Friday, April 7, 2017
From the Creative mind of Larry Causion Jr.