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In article 
Michelle Steiner  writes:
>In article ,
> Christopher Robin Zimmerman  wrote:

>> 2...  Handicap Match    Big Show
>>       The Undertaker    A-Train
>> 
>>       Undertaker (9'46" tombstone piledriver -> pin) A-Train

>Extending Mark's WM record to 11-0.  But why not have built this up as a 
>handicap match from the outset, instead of a tag match with Jones?

True.  It seems kind of silly to build up and advertise a tag match only
to change it to a handicap match the night of the event.  And I suspect
many people expected Undertaker to keep his Wrestlemania winning streak
alive.  I could have seen them having Nathan Jones get pinned to lose the
match and then UT claiming he's still undefeated because *he* didn't get
pinned, but it seemed easier to just let him win.

>And since it was changed from a tag match to a handicap match, shouldn't 
>have UT been DQed because of Jones's run in?

Probably.  But my guess is that because it was his original tag team
partner who was scheduled to be in the match the ref let it go.

>> 3...  Trish Stratus vs. Jazz vs. Victoria
>> 
>>       Stratus (7'19" kick -> pin) Victoria
>>       Stratus wins WWE Women's Championship

>This is the first time I can recall that when a triple threat match 
>ended in a change of title that the belt holder actually was pinned.  It 
>seems to me that in the past, if the belt changed hands, the belt holder 
>was not the one who physically lost the match.

Huh.  You may be right, I don't know.  I'd have to actually look up the
title belt history to see.  But I wouldn't be too surprised if you're
right.  With the triple threat rules that the champ doesn't have to lose
in order for the title to change hands, it can be easier to go for the
third wrestler rather than the champ who is theoretically the best in the
division.

>> 5...  Shawn Michaels (22'34") Chris Jericho
>
>Did anyone expect anything else?  I didn't expect it to go this long, 
>though; I'm surprised that Shawn was able to go this distance, given 
>everything.

I don't know.  The only matches I actually made guesses on the winner were
the ones with semi-obvious outcomes (UT's, HHH/Booker T, and Angle/Lesnar).
The rest I didn't really bother to guess about.

>My GF and I were turned off by this whole thing until they turned on 
>Coach; it provided some comedy relief.

Probably just filler to relax the crowd between the real matches.

>> 6...  World heavyweight champion Triple H (18'48" Pedigree
-> pin) Booker T

>If you're engaged to the owner's daughter, you get to keep the belt.  
>Who's next?

Really.  I figured HHH was going to keep the belt, especially after losing
to Booker T last week, but still kind of hoped he wouldn't.  Oh well, we
may be stuck with HHH as champ for practically forever unless he gets a
serious injury and knocked out of commission.  I don't really see a
voluntary retirement coming any time soon.

>> 8...  The Rock (17'54" third Rock Bottom -> pin) Steve Austin

>A bit surprising, considering that Rock is going to be leaving soon, to 
>make another movie.  But it does set up a Rock-Goldberg match for the 
>next PPV, if Goldberg doesn't become Trip's next victim instead.

I suppose you're right.  I haven't been keeping close track or anything,
but I've heard Rock/Goldberg as the plan.  It could probably just as
easily be HHH/Goldberg, too, so I don't know.

>> 9...  Brock Lesnar (21'08" third F-5 -> pin) Kurt Angle
>>       Lesnar wins second WWE Championship (72nd champion)

>Expected.  Brock is getting less impressive each outing.

Seventy two champions?  Wow.  But the belt has been around for many years
so I guess that shouldn't be surprising.  And yes, I think everyone who
knew Kurt was going to be out for neck surgery soon knew that Lesnar was
going to win the belt.  I was surprised that Angle didn't drop the belt
on Smackdown a few weeks back in that "Wrestlemania comes early" bit.
I'm guessing they got quite a few people on that one, not just me.

-- 
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 ,.  -- )-- ,   , . -- )-- ,            marshall{at}astro.umd.edu   .,  .
          '             '       http://www.astro.umd.edu/~marshall
"Equations are living things."                                      .


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