WWE WrestleMania 32 Kickoff Show Results
April 3, 2016
Dallas, Texas
Report by: Mike Tedesco of Wrestleview.com
Mountain Dew Kick Start is sponsoring the WrestleMania Kickoff Show. Renee Young welcomes us to the show. WWE Hall of Famers Booker T and Lita join her. The WrestleMania set certainly looks impressive. In the Social Media Lounge is Tom Phillips and Cathy Kelley. They talk about how excited they are. Corey Graves is outside with a bunch of rabid wrestling fans. Graves talks about how this is the biggest WrestleMania in history.
On today’s WrestleMania Kickoff Show, Kalisto will defend his WWE United States Championship against Ryback. On the second half on the USA Network, Team Total Divas will take on Team B.A.D. and Blonde. We’ll also see The Usos take on The Dudley Boyz.
JoJo is backstage with Kevin Owens. She says he has a high profile match at WrestleMania with six men against him in a Ladder Match. Owens asks if she thought that question through. Owens says he deserved a high profile match, but he was put in this match. Owens understands he’s at a disadvantage, but he still has a shot. Dolph Ziggler is the least funny comedian of all time. Ziggler has made a career of being in the wrong place at the wrong time. If there’s a wrong place, it’s in a ring with him and ladders. Sin Cara means “no face” in English. Owens says he has no chance. As for Stardust, he’ll be busy building a spaceship out of the ladders, so he’s not worried. Zack Ryder just a few weeks ago was going to buy tickets to come to the show, so he’s lucky to be here. The Miz is The Miz, so yeah, he has a good show. JoJo asks about Sami Zayn. Owens derisively asks who that is. JoJo says he’s Owens’ former best friend. Owens says K-O-Mania is the showcase of one man only – Kevin Owens.
The WrestleMania Kickoff panel breaks down the WWE Intercontinental Championship Ladder Match and give their predictions on it.
Video Package: Chris Jericho vs. AJ Styles
WrestleMania is presented by Snickers – you’re not you when you’re hungry.
Corey Graves is outside with some wrestling fans. Some matches they’re excited for are the Divas triple threat match, the ladder match, and seeing Brock Lesnar kick some ace – his words, not mine.
Video Package: Charlotte vs. Becky Lynch vs. Sasha Banks for the WWE Divas Championship
The panel breaks down this match, and Lita really puts over how this could be a breakout performance for all three women involved. They then talk about the André the Giant Memorial Battle Royal and give their thoughts on that match.
A replay is shown of The New Day retaining their WWE Tag Team Championships against The League of Nations on RAW a few weeks back. The League of Nations immediately decimated The New Day following that match. The New Day will face the League of Nations in a 4-on-3 Handicap Match tonight at WrestleMania 32. Booker T initially picked The League of Nations to win before flip-flopping to The New Day. Lita called him out for that.
Video Package: Brock Lesnar vs. Dean Ambrose
Tom Phillips and Cathy Kelley are in the Social Media Lounge with Paul Heyman. They ask how Brock Lesnar will keep a man down that doesn’t stay down. Heyman says Lesnar will do it with his hands and his impressive sports background. As a collegiate wrestler for a top-notch school, that involved holding men down. Lesnar will give Ambrose an F5 and pin him. The next question is how many times will Lesnar suplex Ambrose. Heyman says that is up to Lesnar and at his pleasure. Lesnar will hit Ambrose with as many suplexes as he needs to or feels he needs to. How would Heyman feel if Ambrose conquered Lesnar? Heyman laughs heartily and asks if they’re telling jokes or asking questions. Heyman wants substantive questions predicated on a factual basis. Heyman doesn’t deal in “what ifs.” Lesnar will conquer Dean Ambrose before saying Tom Phillips did a horrible job. Heyman was pleased with Kelley’s performance.
The panel breaks down the match. Booker T thinks this will be the last time we see Dean Ambrose.
Corey Graves is on the WrestleMania stage and shows a camera angle down the ramp.
Video Package: WWE Hall of Fame highlights
Mauro Ranallo, Jerry “The King” Lawler, and Byron Saxton are ringside to call the first match of the WrestleMania Kickoff Show.
WWE United States Championship Match
Kalisto (c) vs. Ryback
There are a lot of empty seats in the crowd. The word is that the lines are moving extremely slow and it is not well organized getting people admitted in. They show a tale of the tape for the two men showing the incredible size difference. Eden Stiles does the introductions in the ring. Heavy boos for Ryback. Decent amount of cheers for Kalisto.
The bell rings, and they stare at each other in the center of the ring. A “Goldberg” chant breaks out. The disparity in size is impressive. Kalisto hooks a side headlock on, but Ryback slams him off. Ryback taunts him before lifting him up in a waistlock. Kalisto elbows out and clubs him. Ryback stops a whip and viciously throws him out of the ring. Ryback continues to taunt him. Kalisto rolls into the ring and runs into a rough shoulder block. Ryback shoves him to the corner, but Kalisto kicks and punches him back before hitting a second rope diving bulldog for a two count. The kick-out sends Kalisto out of the ring. Kalisto gets in the ring as Ryback gets out. Kalisto hits him with a baseball slide and flips to the apron. Kalisto then takes him out with a flying double knee off the apron. Ryback immediately pops up and starts throwing him into the barricade. Ryback press slams him and walks up the steps before throwing him into the ring. Kalisto desperately kicks him back before running into a military press slam.
-Commercial Break-
We come back from the break to see Kalisto kick out of a pin attempt. Ryback argues with the referee over the count. Ryback picks him up, but Kalisto kicks him away. Kalisto hits the ropes, but Ryback takes him out with a back elbow for a two count. Ryback clubs the back before digging his knee into his chest. Ryback knees him in the back. Kalisto gets to his feet and kicks away at him. Kalisto hits the ropes and goes for a head-scissor takeover, but Ryback counters into a modified Michinoku Driver for a near fall. Kalisto rolls to the apron, and Ryback starts slapping away at him. Kalisto kicks him in the head and goes to the top rope. Ryback cuts him off and clubs away at him. Ryback then hits a delayed vertical superplex, but Kalisto counters into a pin for a near fall. Ryback immediately annihilates him with a clothesline. Ryback goes for Shell Shocked, but Kalisto counters into a DDT. Kalisto connects with a head-scissor DDT for a near fall.
Kalisto begins kicking away at Ryback’s chest. Kalisto ducks a clothesline and hits a springboard corkscrew elbow for a near fall. Ryback is looking loopy. Kalisto kicks away at Ryback before he blocks one and murders him with a spinebuster. The crowd is booing Ryback. Ryback taunts Kalisto as he struggles to get to his feet. Ryback pulls him off the turnbuckle, and the pad comes off. Ryback goes for a powerbomb, but Kalisto gets out and gives him a drop-toe-hold into the exposed turnbuckle! Kalisto connects with Salida del Sol to retain the championship!
Winner and still WWE United States Champion: Kalisto
Match Rating: ** 1/4
We’re about to go live on the USA Network for the second half of the WrestleMania Kickoff Show. We’re going to see Team Total Divas take on Team B.A.D. and Blonde. We’ll also see The Dudley Boyz take on The Usos.
-Commercial Break-
The WrestleMania Kickoff Panel talks about some of the upcoming matches and welcomes people watching on the USA Network.
The Total Divas (Brie Bella, Eva Marie, Alicia Fox, Paige, and Natalya) vs. Team B.A.D. and Blonde (Naomi, Tamina, Emma, Summer Rae, and Lana)
Alicia Fox will start against Summer Rae. They lock up, and Alicia viciously elbows her in the face before kicking her in the back. Summer forearms her back before having a whip reversed. They move in slow motion for a few moments before Alicia hits a dropkick. Alicia hits a scary tilt-a-whirl backbreaker for a two count. All ten divas enter the ring, and the referee tries to keep the peace.
-Commercial Break-
We come back from the break to see Eva Marie in the ring with Emma. The crowd is loudly booing Eva, and she taunts them. Eva connects with a head-scissor takeover. Eva hits a snap suplex and taunts the opposing team before hitting a second suplex. The crowd is lightly chanting, “You can’t wrestle.” Eva hits Natalya with a hard tag. Natalya picks Emma up, and Emma slaps her. Naomi is tagged in, and she chops Natalya. Natalya fights her back, but Naomi begins kicking away at her before missing a dropkick by a mile. Natalya slams her down before hitting a front dropkick for a two count. Paige is tagged in, and she hits the Hart Attack with Natalya. Paige hits a shining wizard on Naomi before connecting with a high knee. Naomi quickly gets out with a double knee before missing an avalanche. Emma is tagged in, and Paige goes for a wheelbarrow, but Emma counters into a suplex for a near fall. Emma stands on the hair and pulls her up. Lana is tagged in, and she gets a good reception. Lana kicks Paige in the back of the head before giving her a forearm. Paige pushes her off, but Lana takes her out with a bicycle kick. Lana taunts Brie, and the referee holds her back. Lana mocks the “YES” chant before tagging Tamina in. Tamina covers Paige for a two count. Tamina hits a suplex for a two count. Tamina applies a neck vice, but Paige fights up. Tamina sends her to the corner and punches her. Tamina puts her on the top rope and goes for a superplex, but Paige fights her off. Naomi comes in for a double superplex. Natalya goes for a tower of doom, but they fight her off. Paige then throws Naomi and Tamina out of the ring and connects with a cross-body to the floor on the heel diva team.
Tamina stops Paige from making the tag and puts her back in her corner. Emma is tagged in, and she puts Paige in the corner. Emma stomps away at her, but Paige counters with a sloppy move into the turnbuckle. Brie and Naomi are tagged in. Brie clotheslines Naomi and knocks Lana off the apron. Brie kicks away at Naomi’s chest a la Daniel Bryan. The crowd is loudly doing the “YES” chant. Brie hits the Bella Buster, but Lana breaks it up. Natalya clotheslines Lana, and Tamina lays Natalya out with a Samoan Drop. Eva comes in and gives Tamina Sliced Bread #2 to loud boos. The divas continue taking each other out before Paige hits Emma with a fall-away slam. Naomi hits the Rear View on Paige before Brie knocks her down. Naomi avoids a knee to the face and dropkicks her. Naomi taunts the crowd before hitting a split-legged moonsault, but Brie kind of gets the knee up. Brie goes to the top rope, but Naomi is clearly on the opposite side of the ring. Lana knocks Brie off the top rope. Naomi tries to capitalize, but Brie counters into the YES! Lock for the win!
Winners by Submission: The Total Divas
Match Rating: * 3/4
Nikki Bella makes her way to the ring in a neck brace clapping for the Total Divas. They embrace in the ring and lift Brie onto their shoulders in a really nice moment.
We’ll see a preview of The Undertaker vs. Shane McMahon, next.
-Commercial Break-
The commentators talk about The Undertaker taking on Shane McMahon tonight in a Hell in a Cell match. If Shane wins, he gains control of Monday Night RAW. If Undertaker loses, this will be his final WrestleMania.
Video Package: The Undertaker vs. Shane McMahon
Lilian Garcia asks the crowd to welcome Lita. Lita is in the ring with a table. There is an object covered by a red cloth. Lita says she remembers the first moments of wrestling that motivated her to want to be a wrestler. Fabulous Moolah, Mae Young, Sensational Sherri, Alundra Blayze, Jacqueline, and Trish Stratus – no one told them no. These women paved the way for a whole new division. It was the Divas Division. We just saw ten of the current divas come out and show what it means to compete today in this ring. Later on tonight, in a triple threat match, we will see the champion Charlotte, the Irish Lass Kicker Becky Lynch, and The Boss, Sasha Banks. Those three women have been very instrumental in the next evolution of women in this business. They are so much more than divas. They are all WWE Superstars. Lita says it is her great honor to let them know that the winner of the triple threat match will become the WWE Women’s Champion. Lita unveils the WWE Women’s Championship, which is like the WWE World Heavyweight Championship, but with a white strap and red background.
Coming up next, we’ll see The Dudley Boyz take on The Usos.
-Commercial Break-
The Usos vs. The Dudley Boyz
A brawl breaks out at the sound of the bell. The Dudley Boyz send Jey into the ropes and connect with a double-team flapjack. D-Von Dudley punches away at Jimmy Uso as a loud “We want tables” chant breaks out. D-Von chokes Jimmy with his boot before sending him into the ropes for a spinning back elbow. D-Von picks up a one count. Jimmy fights up, but D-Von clotheslines him down for a two count. Bubba is tagged in, and he stomps Jimmy in the ribs. Bubba says that’s what they used to do to their father, Rikishi. Bubba chokes him on the ropes and taunts him about his father. Bubba elbows him in the shoulder before talking some trash. Bubba says he’s going to take his time and beat the hell out of him. Bubba connects with some jabs before going for a bionic elbow, but Jimmy superkicks him.
Jey and D-Von are tagged in. Jey hits Bubba on the apron before hitting D-Von with a Samoan Drop. Bubba walks in and body slams him. The Dudley Boyz connect with the “Whassup” head-butt. Bubba then tells D-Von to get the tables. Jey superkicks Bubba, and the crowd loudly boos The Usos. Jey goes for a splash on D-Von, but D-Von gets the knees up. They hit 3-D II, but Jey kicks out. They wait for a 3-D, but Jimmy superkicks Bubba. Jey then superkicks D-Von to end the match.
Winners by Pinfall: The Usos
Match Rating: *
The Dudley Boyz attack them from behind. D-Von goes under the ring and grabs a table. Bubba gets a table as well. They set the two tables up in the ring at opposite ends. The Usos superkick them, and the crowd is loudly booing them. They set the tables up end-to-end before laying The Dudley Boyz on top of them. The Usos then hit stereo splashes through the tables before celebrating.
The WrestleMania Kickoff Panel breaks down the upcoming WrestleMania card as well as advertising The Rock being there.
Michael Cole makes his entrance, and there are thunderous boos for him from 100,000 people. JBL gets a massive pop coming out for the Texas crowd.
Video Package: Triple H vs. Roman Reigns for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship
WrestleMania 32 is next!
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Quick Match Results
Kalisto def. Ryback to retain the WWE United States Championship
The Total Divas def. Team B.A.D. and Blonde via Submission
The Usos def. The Dudley Boyz
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Thanks for reading and enjoy WWE WrestleMania 32!