WrestleMania 29
WrestleMania 29 | |||
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Promotion WWE | | ||
Date | April 7, 2013 | ||
City | East Rutherford, New Jersey | ||
Venue | MetLife Stadium[1] | ||
Attendance | 74,300[2] | ||
Buy rate | 1,104,000[3] | ||
Pay-per-view chronology | |||
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WrestleMania chronology | |||
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WrestleMania 29 (marketed as WrestleMania NY/NJ) was the 29th annual
In the
WrestleMania 29 was a commercial success; it drew 80,676 fans, which became the third highest attended event in the history of WWE after WrestleMania 32 and WrestleMania III, and it became the highest grossing live event in WWE history, grossing $72 million.
Production
Background
This was the fifth WrestleMania in the
Tickets went on sale on November 10, 2012, during which WWE set a first-day sales record of 52,029 tickets, beating the
WrestleMania's set included replicas of several New York City landmarks, including the Brooklyn Bridge and Empire State Building on top of the entrance ramp, the Statue of Liberty on a podium above the ring. There are three official theme songs for the event, "Coming Home" by Diddy – Dirty Money feat. Skylar Grey, "Bones" by Young Guns[12] and "Letters from the Sky" by Civil Twilight.
Sean "Diddy" Combs performed a medley of tracks during the event, and Living Colour performed "Cult of Personality" as CM Punk made his way to the ring.
Storylines
The
On January 27, John Cena won the 2013 Royal Rumble match, making him the fourth multiple Rumble winner, and earning himself either a WWE Championship or World Heavyweight Championship match at WrestleMania 29. Later that same night, The Rock won the WWE Championship from previous champion CM Punk. The next night on the January 28 edition of Raw, Cena announced he would challenge the reigning WWE Champion, thus challenging The Rock. At the Elimination Chamber event on February 17, Rock successfully defended the championship against Punk. The next night on Raw, Punk challenged Cena for his spot in the main event, and Cena accepted. Cena won the match on February 25, setting up a rematch of his "Once in a Lifetime" match from the previous year against Rock. Cena blamed Rock for sending his life into a downward spiral, citing events such as being attacked by Brock Lesnar on the post-WrestleMania Raw, Big Show turning heel and attacking him, being embarrassed by John Laurinaitis at Over the Limit, failing to cash in his Money in the Bank, losing to CM Punk multiple times and losing to Dolph Ziggler at TLC. He told Rock he would gain redemption by beating him at WrestleMania.[15]
At Elimination Chamber,
On the February 25, 2013 episode of Raw,
On the March 4 episode of Raw, which celebrated "Old School Raw",
On the March 15 episode of SmackDown,
On the March 18 episode of Raw, Dolph Ziggler defeated Kofi Kingston, with outside help from his bodyguard Big E Langston. This caused WWE Tag Team Champions Team Hell No (Daniel Bryan and Kane), who both had been attacked by Langston during past matches with Ziggler, to challenge them at WrestleMania. Ziggler's girlfriend, AJ Lee, said they would accept the match only if Team Hell No put their Tag Team Championship on the line, to which they agreed.
A minor rivalry between Chris Jericho and Fandango (the former Johnny Curtis from NXT) developed prior to Wrestlemania. Fandango made numerous appearances, but he never competed in matches due to announcers and wrestlers repeatedly mispronouncing his name or did not say it with the right kind of "feel" he liked. The feud with Jericho began on the March 22 episode of SmackDown when Jericho made fun of Fandango's name. This caused Fandango to interfere with Jericho's match and attack him following the match. Fandango attacked Jericho once more on the March 25 episode of Raw after Jericho's match. This caused Jericho to ask Vickie Guerrero to set up a match between himself and Fandango at WrestleMania. According to Jericho, the original plan was Jericho vs. Ryback, but Vince McMahon changed his rival.[16]
The other rivalry that had escalated was between The Miz and Intercontinental Champion Wade Barrett. Miz and Barrett had been trading jabs back and forth about which of them was the better actor, as Miz had starred in The Marine 3: Homefront, and Barrett had a minor role in the film Dead Man Down. After defending his title in a triple threat match against Miz and Chris Jericho on the March 18 episode of Raw, Barrett continued the feud with Miz after he shoved him on Main Event on March 20, which caused Miz to retaliate. On the March 25 episode of Raw, Miz defeated Barrett in a non-title match via submission, thus earning him a championship match against Barrett. The match took place on the WrestleMania 29 Pre-Show.
Canceled match
Event
Role | Name |
---|---|
English Commentators | Michael Cole |
Jerry Lawler | |
John "Bradshaw" Layfield
| |
Josh Mathews (Wrestlemania Pre-show) | |
Matt Striker (Wrestlemania Pre-show) | |
Spanish Commentators | Carlos Cabrera |
Marcelo Rodríguez | |
Interviewers
|
Renee Young (WrestleMania Pre-show)
|
Tony Dawson (WrestleMania Pre-show) | |
Ring announcers | Lilian Garcia |
Justin Roberts | |
Howard Finkel (WWE Hall of Fame) | |
Tony Chimel (WrestleMania Pre-show) | |
Referees | Charles Robinson |
Mike Chioda | |
John Cone | |
Scott Armstrong | |
Marc Harris | |
Chad Patton | |
Ryan Tran | |
Rod Zapata
| |
Pre-show Panel | Scott Stanford |
Jim Ross | |
Kofi Kingston | |
Dusty Rhodes |
Pre-show
During the WrestleMania XXIX Pre-Show, a panel consisting of Jim Ross, Kofi Kingston, Dusty Rhodes and Scott Stanford discussed the event's matches. Later in the pre-show, Snooki spoke backstage to The Miz and Wade Barrett. Their Intercontinental Championship match, commentated by Matt Striker and Josh Mathews, went back and forth between both wrestlers. Miz went for the Skull Crushing Finale, but Barrett moved and went for the Bull Hammer. Miz moved and knocked Barrett to the ground and locked in the Figure-Four Leglock, shades of Ric Flair, and Barrett submitted, giving Miz his second Intercontinental championship in his career.
Preliminary matches
The actual pay-per-view opened with
in a 6-Man Tag Team Match. Sheamus and Roman Reigns started the match. Big Show ripped off Ambrose's vest and chopped his chest. Sheamus also removed Seth Rollins's vest. When The Shield went for their trademark Triple Powerbomb on Sheamus, Big Show speared all of them at the same time. When Sheamus tried to tag Big Show, Orton tagged himself in, frustrating Big Show. Rollins came off the top rope but Orton performed an RKO on Rollins. Reigns performed a spear on Orton and Ambrose pinned him. After the match, Big Show knocked out both Sheamus and Orton.Next, Mark Henry faced Ryback. Henry knocked Ryback out of the ring a few times. Ryback knocked Henry down with a Meat Hook Clothesline, then tried to perform a Shell Shock on Henry, who grabbed the ropes. Henry crashed down on Ryback, driving his face into the mat and knocking him out, then pinned him. Afterward, Ryback gave Henry a spinebuster and a Shell Shock.
After that,
In the fourth match, Fandango, in his in-ring debut, faced Chris Jericho, who began by punishing Fandango. Jericho delivered a Codebreaker early in the match. Fandango executed a roundhouse kick, then a diving leg drop on Jericho for a near-fall. When he went for another, Jericho moved, then went for a Lionsault, but Fandango got his knees up. As Jericho attempted for the Walls of Jericho, Fandango quickly rolled him up for the pin.
Next,
Main event matches
In the first match of the triple main event, The Undertaker defended his 20–0 WrestleMania winning streak against CM Punk (accompanied by Paul Heyman). Punk first tried to intimidate Undertaker, finally slapping him. Undertaker retaliated with a chokeslam attempt, but Punk countered it with a roundhouse kick to the back of the head. Undertaker delivered a big boot to Punk and threw him outside, where they brawled. Undertaker cleared the Spanish broadcasting table and executed a guillotine leg drop on the ring apron on Punk. Back in the ring, Undertaker attempted his signature move, Old School, but was pulled off the rope. Punk then stole the move and used it against Undertaker. Undertaker attempted a big boot to the corner but was caught on the top rope when Punk moved. Punk executed a flying double axe handle and then attempted to steal Old School again, but was thrown from the ring. Undertaker then ran the ropes in an attempt to perform his signature over-the-top-rope suicide dive but Paul Heyman stepped onto the apron in his way. Undertaker then attempted to chokeslam Heyman but Punk saved his manager by connecting with a springboard clothesline on Undertaker for a near-fall. Punk then performed a running high knee in the corner and short-arm clothesline followed by a diving elbow drop on Undertaker for another count of two. He then attempted a Go To Sleep, but Undertaker countered with a chokeslam, for a two-count, then Snake Eyes. Punk retaliated with a heel kick and threw Undertaker to the outside. Undertaker tried to Last Ride Punk through the table he'd cleared, but Punk countered and kicked him the back of the head. He laid Undertaker on the table, climbed the turnbuckle, and executed another diving elbow drop onto the broadcasting table. The referee began counting Undertaker out as Punk made it back into the ring, but Undertaker made it back into the ring with one second to spare. As Punk attempted to pick him up from the mat, Undertaker suddenly attempted the Hell's Gate. Punk countered into a bridging pin for another near-fall. He then secured the Anaconda Vice, but Undertaker powered through to his feet and tried another chokeslam, which Punk reversed into the Go To Sleep but Undertaker immediately rebounded off the ropes and nailed Punk with the Tombstone for a dramatic near-fall. Back on their feet, the two traded blows, and the referee was knocked down in the chaos. Punk hit the high knee again, but Undertaker took advantage of the position by attempting Last Ride. While Punk was on Undertaker's shoulders, Heyman handed him the urn, which he struck on the back of Undertaker's head. Punk then mocked Undertaker's traditional pinning style for another two-count. Punk and Undertaker proceeded to trade near-finishers, with the Undertaker's Tombstone finally winning out, securing his victory and improving his streak to 21 wins. He reclaimed the urn and walked backstage, pausing on the ramp to raise his fist.
In the second main event match, Triple H faced Brock Lesnar (accompanied by Paul Heyman) in a No Holds Barred match with Triple H's career at stake. Prior to the match, Triple H suffered 2nd degree freeze burns due to a pyrotechnic malfunction, causing dry ice to be sprayed on to his chest and torso during his entrance. Triple H and Lesnar quickly spilled to the floor of MetLife Stadium, pummeling each other with anything and everything within arm's reach. Triple H sent Lesnar crashing into the ringside barricade and then Lesnar drove Triple H's sternum into the broadcasting table in return. After a big brawl, both in and outside of the ring, which included Shawn Michaels getting an F5 from Lesnar and Paul Heyman receiving Sweet Chin Music, Triple H stole Brock Lesnar's submission move, the Kimura lock, and locked it on Lesnar for an extended amount of time. In the end, Triple H performed a Pedigree on Lesnar onto the steel steps and got him down for the three-count securing his career and keeping his in-ring skills intact.
In the main event, The Rock defended the WWE Championship against John Cena. After the bell rang, Cena struck first before The Rock seized control of the match and halted Cena's momentum by sending him scrambling outside the ring to regroup within the bout's opening moments. The match went on while The Rock had control by striking Cena with blows and punches. Cena then locked The Rock into a Crossface, but The Rock countered into a pin for a 2-count. Cena then locked The Rock in an STF, but The Rock powered out. The Rock then executed a Rock Bottom on Cena but only for a 2-count. Cena then performed an AA on The Rock, but only got a 2-count. The Rock soon delivered a People's Elbow on Cena for another 2-count. Cena soon went for a second AA, but The Rock countered into a second Rock Bottom for a 2-count yet again. A frustrated Rock nearly fell into the same trap Cena did the year before when he taunted Cena with Cena's own "You Can't See Me" taunt before going for a second People's Elbow, however, Cena caught The Rock and delivered a second AA for another near-fall. The Rock soon went for a third Rock Bottom, but Cena countered and executed a Rock Bottom instead for a near fall. Cena then tried to sucker The Rock into a third AA by faking a People's Elbow attempt, the same mistake that cost Cena the match the last year. However, when Cena went for the third AA, The Rock countered into a third Rock Bottom for another 2-count. Afterward, both John Cena and The Rock went for an AA and a Rock Bottom respectively. This continued until The Rock delivered a DDT on Cena. But instead of pinning Cena, Rock instead went for a fourth Rock Bottom and Cena countered with a third AA to win the match and the title. After the match, Rock and Cena shook hands and hugged each other and Rock praised Cena as the new WWE Champion, and raised his hand on the top of the stage.
Reception
WrestleMania 29 received generally positive reactions. Matt Kodner of
Canadian Online Explorer's professional wrestling section gave the entire event a rating of 8 out of 10. The six-man tag team match received a 7 out of 10, the World Heavyweight Championship match received a 5 out of 10 and the CM Punk-Undertaker match received a perfect score of 10 out of 10. The Triple H-Brock Lesnar match received a 7 out of 10, the same rating as the main event.[20]
WrestleMania XXIX garnered 1,048,000 PPV buys, 205,000 fewer than the previous year's event.[21][22] The event set a new record for the highest grossing live event in WWE history, grossing $72 million.[23]
WrestleMania 29 set a new claimed world record of 80,676 fans at MetLife Stadium and was the then second-highest attended wrestling event in history after WrestleMania III.[24]
Aftermath
The Rock suffered legitimate torn muscles and tendons around his pelvis from the match.[25] He later returned at WrestleMania XXX, albeit in a non-wrestling appearance.
On the Raw after WrestleMania, Cena put his championship on the line against anyone. Mark Henry answered the challenge, which turned into a number-one-contender match. Cena won by count-out, and was then assaulted by Henry. Ryback then came to seemingly save Cena – making Henry retreat and helping Cena to his feet – but then attacked Cena.[26] Prior to the April 22 episode of Raw, Cena was scheduled to defend the WWE Championship against Ryback. On the May 6 episode of Raw, the match was made a Last Man Standing match. The match ended in a no-contest after Ryback rammed Cena through the entrance stage. The night after, Ryback came out with an ambulance and challenged Cena at Payback in an ambulance match. Cena accepted and made the match a three stages of hell match, in which Cena won.
Wade Barrett invoked his rematch clause on Raw and defeated The Miz, reclaiming the Intercontinental Championship for his third reign.[26] In reality, this was done so The Miz could take time off to film the movie Christmas Bounty. Barrett was set to put the title on the line at Payback in a triple threat match against The Miz and Fandango. Fandango was injured and replaced by Paul Heyman's newest client, Curtis Axel. Axel won the championship.
Alberto Del Rio and Jack Swagger had one more match to end their feud, but it turned into a 2-on-1 handicap match with Del Rio facing Swagger and Zeb Colter. Del Rio won but had his leg injured by Swagger. Dolph Ziggler took this opportunity to cash in his Money in the Bank contract, and – despite Del Rio putting up a fight – pinned Del Rio to become the new World Heavyweight Champion.[26] Ziggler was soon concussed and put out of action. He still held the title, and Del Rio and Swagger feuded over the number one contendership. At Extreme Rules, Del Rio won an "I Quit" match for the number one contendership. Del Rio defeated Ziggler at Payback to win the World Heavyweight Championship for a second time, ending Ziggler's reign at 69 days. During the match a double turn occurred, Del Rio turned heel attacking Ziggler's head taking advantage of his concussion, and Ziggler turned face showing a "never-say-die" attitude.
Brock Lesnar returned to Raw on April 15, to challenge Triple H (who had suffered second degree burns to his torso and arms during his WrestleMania ring entrance when the stage sprayed dry ice on him[25][27]) to a steel cage match at Extreme Rules.[28] A week later, Triple H came out to the surprise of Paul Heyman to accept the challenge and gave Heyman a Pedigree. Lesnar won the rematch at Extreme Rules. Paul Heyman came out the next night to reveal his newest client Curtis Axel. Triple H interrupted and issued a challenge to Axel before slapping him. Later that night, Triple H suffered a concussion during the match. The match ended as a no contest, but the victory went to Axel. Triple H returned on the June 3 edition of Raw, attempting to fight Axel, but was forbidden by his wife Stephanie McMahon, and his father-in-law Vince McMahon. He returned to the ring on June 10 edition of Raw to fight Axel. During the match, Vince took the ring bell and stopped the match after Triple H tried to restart it.
On the April 15 episode of Raw, CM Punk came out to talk about his match with The Undertaker and his historic WWE championship reign. Punk gave Heyman the microphone, hugged him and walked out of the arena. He returned by defeating Chris Jericho at Payback. Punk then dropped Heyman as his manager, causing Heyman to turn on Punk and Punk becoming a face again.
The Undertaker came out the next night on Raw to pay tribute to Paul Bearer but was interrupted by The Shield who tried to attack him until Team Hell No made the save. The next week Undertaker wrestled his last match on Raw teaming up with Team Hell No in a losing effort against The Shield by pinfall from Dean Ambrose on Daniel Bryan. The same week Undertaker wrestled his last match on SmackDown in a winning effort against Ambrose of The Shield by submission with Hell's Gate. Afterwards Undertaker made some defense against them but Roman Reigns speared him through the barricade in the timekeeper's area and with his teammates triple powerbombed him through the broadcasting table. After SmackDown went off the air Undertaker was saved by DX (Triple H, Billy Gunn and Road Dogg). CM Punk would become the final victim of Undertaker's
Chris Jericho continued his feud with Fandango, with each man attacking the other after matches. Jericho defeated Fandango in a rematch at Extreme Rules.
WrestleMania 29 was the last WrestleMania to feature the World Heavyweight Championship, as the title was unified with the WWE Championship at December's TLC: Tables, Ladders & Chairs event, with the latter being renamed to WWE World Heavyweight Championship.[29] It would in turn be the final WrestleMania to feature two world championships until WrestleMania 33 in 2017.[30]
Results
No. | Results | Stipulations | Times Singles match for the WWE Championship 23:58 | | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
References
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- ^ Observer Staff (August 1, 2019). "August 5, 2019 Observer Newsletter: WWE financials breakdown, AEW TV taping details, more". f4wonline.com. Wrestling Observer Newsletter. Retrieved August 1, 2019.
The paid the previous time they were in MetLife Stadium was 68,900 paid and a real number of 74,300 in the building, which was announced at 80,676.
- ^ "WWF Pay-Per-View Buys (1993-2015)". Wrestlenomics. March 25, 2020. Retrieved January 22, 2021.
- ^ Benigno, Anthony; Clapp, John (April 3, 2013). "WrestleMania 29 press conference brings WWE to Radio City Music Hall". WWE. Archived from the original on April 7, 2013. Retrieved March 31, 2014.
... WWE's flagship event lights up MetLife Stadium ... WrestleMania
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- ^ Gelston, Dan. "WrestleMania is Super Bowl of sports entertainment". Associated Press. Archived from the original on March 31, 2014. Retrieved March 31, 2014.
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- ^ "PWTorch.com - CALDWELL'S WWE RAW RESULTS 4/8: Complete "virtual-time" coverage of live Raw - WM29 fall-out, new World Champ, no Rock, Taker live, crowd takes over". www.pwtorch.com.
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- ^ Caldwell, James (April 25, 2013). "WWE news: WM29 "highest grossing event" in company history, WWE releases initial info on WM29 PPV buys". Pro Wrestling Torch. Retrieved March 25, 2014.
- ^ "Press Release: WrestleMania 29 Shatters Records". WWE. April 7, 2013. Retrieved April 7, 2013.
- ^ a b "Triple H Receives Second-Degree Burns, The Rock Tears Tendons Off Pelvis at Wrestlemania 29" by Doug Kyed, NESN.com
- ^ )
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