WWE Superstars returned to the Manchester Arena (April 19) last night, as thousands of excited kids and grown adults queued up to see some of their favourite wrestlers in action as part of the Live WrestleMania Revenge tour currently sweeping its way through the UK and Europe.
Making our way into the arena, my friend and I could feel the atmosphere change as we made our way through the doors to our seats. There was a genuine buzz of excitement and anticipation in the air despite this being a house show rather than either Raw or Smackdown which would broadcast worldwide and, through our time at the show we realised that the action we see in house shows may possibly be even better than the ones at Raw or Smackdown.
Here there are more flexible time restraints on matches. The wrestlers can have more fun with the crowds, poking fun at their heritage and delivering stellar promos that don't have to adhere to the usual rules. For example, at one point Bubba Ray Dudley suffered a blow to the crotch area and looked incredibly pained before uttering to his tag partner: "D-Von... My balls!" Probably not something we're going to see on WWE television nowadays, but a real throwback to the days when they were running the tag team division.
With Smackdown being filmed on the same night as the show in London, it wouldn't have been surprising if the Superstars putting on matches didn't quite have the star power that we'd see with other members of the main roster, but we did get some incredible talent on the night in the form of Cesaro, WWE Tag Team Champions The New Day, Women's Champion Charlotte (complete with two-time Hall of Famer Ric Flair) and WWE World Heavyweight Champion Roman Reigns. A lot of big names turned out to put on an incredible show and the audience couldn't have been more thankful.
Undoubtedly the stars of the night were Big E, Xavier Woods and Kofi Kingston of Tag Team Champions The New Day. They know exactly how to play to the crowd and had the thousands in attendance up on their feet, dancing to their theme music and donning their merchandise. Their comedic timing is perfect - it's clear to see why they're such a major hit with the crowd.
It was also a thrill to see the new WWE Women's Championship in person. Charlotte put the title on the line in a Triple Threat against Becky Lynch and Sasha Banks, with Ric Flair of course by the champion's side to help ensure she got the victory and retained. The three women have reinvigorated the division and put on a fine display, lengthier than most of the bouts we see on TV (excluding pay-per-views).
If you're a fan of WWE and have a chance to attend a house show in the future, don't be put off by it not being a part of the televised drama we watch each week. Go and enjoy the magic that only WWE Superstars can bring to the ring.
The WrestleMania Revenge tour continues live at the following dates:
- Metro Radio Arena, Newcastle, on Wednesday, 20 April at 7.30pm (featuring Triple H and Shane McMahon) / Tickets available from: www.metroradioarena.co.uk
- Forest National, Brussels, on Thursday, 21 April at 8pm / Tickets available from: www.greenhousetalent.com
- Accor Hotels Arena, Paris, on Friday, 22 April at 8pm / Tickets available from: http://billetterie.accorhotelsarena.com
- Palacio De Los Deportes Jose Maria Martine Carena, Malaga, on Saturday, 23 April at 8pm. / Tickets available from: www.proactiv.es
Tagged in WWE