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[2010-03-28-WWE-Wrestlemania XXVI] John Cena vs Batista


Loss

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  • 2 years later...
  • 10 months later...

I watched this when WWE uploaded it a few weeks ago and it almost felt like it was from a different universe. I mean you get them doing tests of strength and Cena basically working as a heavyweight. Also, I nearly forgot how good Batista's strikes really looked. He nearly decapitates Cena on some of that neckwork. Which was actually really well done and a great callback to their 2008 Summerslam match. This felt rushed/off near the end like they realized they were running low on time but other than that I really enjoyed this.

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  • 7 months later...

WWE Champion Batista vs John Cena - WrestleMania XXVI

 

Im a little sketchy on the context my understanding is that Batista turned heel towards the end of 2009 on Rey Rey and then won the championship in a 30 second match against John Cena at Elimination Chamber after Cena had already been in an Elimination Chamber match. Don't know the story there. Anyways, video package before the match was great. Exactly the story it should be with Batista PISSED OFF that he has had to play second fiddle to Cena for the past five years. Story writes itself. I thought the promos captured the anger and jealousy of Batista and Cena remaining proud of his accomplishments and ready to stave off the challenge of the Animal.

 

The match was worked like a lesser version of their excellent Summerslam 2008 encounter. I don't think the utilized Batista's newfound heel status well, but I am going to judge the match they had not the one they didn't have. It was again babyface vs babyface Clash of Titans, but they were able to play off the fact that Batista broke John Cena's neck in their last match. Batista clubs Cena from behind and targets the neck. Good stuff. Cena mounts a mini-comeback and tries to go for the FU early (get out of Dodge given his neck) and Batista counters into a NASTY DDT. That was really good. Much better sleeper than in 2008 and this leads to Cena powering out great test of strength. Ultimately, Cena hits the shouldertackles. It does frustrate me that in a lot of Cena matches that match really doesn't start to matter until the shoulder tackles are hit. I think the beginning of the match is often forsaken and that does bother me. It is not as bad in this match, but in the Orton matches that is the case. Then it just becomes about bomb-throwing. I wish the transitions were better, but hey what can you do. It is basic escalation (Spinebuster and Spear for Batista, STFU for Cena). I will say the Top Rope Fist Drop is great. I marked out for that. Then it time to trade Batista Bomb and then FU. Each kick out. There is a kid Cena fan with best reaction when Cena kicks out. The wicked hot blonde in the front row is a Batista fan, which bums me out. Cena 4 Life, girl. He is my Ride or Die. They of course play off Summerslam 2008 with Batista hitting the spinebuster as Cena comes off the top. It looked like Batista landed weird on his leg, but he had no signs of an issue. Cena counters into STFU and wins.

 

I thought Summerslam 2008 just felt bigger and I thought it was economical and efficient. Every move mattered and it was all leading to a big climax. Here it was solid neck work and then finisher trading. The reason it still works here is that these are the two biggest stars of the 2000s so it does feel huge. ****

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  • GSR changed the title to [2010-03-28-WWE-Wrestlemania XXVI] John Cena vs Batista
  • 3 years later...
On 5/13/2016 at 7:02 PM, Microstatistics said:

These guys had crazy chemistry together and this is their best match. Action paced, well paced and the work on Cena's neck ruled *** 3/4

I sort of hated this upon rewatch. It started off alright but degraded into the typical John Cena back-and-forth kickout fest with minimal selling and boring transitions. I have no idea why they decided to abandon the neck psychology, especially after that killer DDT. What a letdown. **1/4

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