Wrestlemania: Bigger and better in Texas

STUPENDOUS. That's how WWE touted the 2022 edition of Wrestlemania. And stupendous it definitely turned out to be.

The two-night extravaganza last weekend, held at the AT&T Stadium in Dallas in Texas, drew over 150,000 fans from all over the world, including this reporter from Singapore.

With the rate of Covid-19 infections subsiding in the United States, life has regained some degree of normalcy, especially with the return of large-scale live events such as Wrestlemania without the need for safe-distancing.

Overall, the eye-popping Wrestlemania stage, which showcased the Texas lone star, was an amazing sight to behold.

Coupled with laser lights and plenty of pyrotechnics from start to finish, fans were treated to an audio-visual spectacular like no other.

In the build-up to WWE's annual marquee event, however, it looked to be a fairly predictable show.

The top matches - Brock Lesnar against Roman Reigns, and Bianca Belair facing Becky Lynch - were those that fans have already watched at previous events.

There was the traditional match involving a Hollywood celebrity, except this time there were two.

Social media sensation Logan Paul teamed with The Miz to face the father-and-son duo of Rey and Dominik Mysterio, while Jackass star Johnny Knoxville faced off against Sami Zayn.

On the second night of action, former National Football League athlete and now WWE commentator Pat McAfee wrestled Austin Theory, the 24-year-old protege of WWE chairman Vince McMahon.

After McAfee defeated Theory, the 76-year-old McMahon sprung a major surprise by taking off his jacket and shirt to reveal his signature black singlet underneath.

The fans roared in approval as they salivated at the prospect of watching McMahon wrestle again, with the chairman's last match taking place a decade ago.

McMahon, ever the cunning figure, defeated McAfee in a short bout with some help from Theory.

After the match, McMahon was confronted by his long-time nemesis and Texas-born Stone Cold Steve Austin, who first shared a beer with a wary McMahon in the ring before hitting him with his trademark Stone Cold Stunner.

Historic return

On the first night, the 57-year-old Austin sent the fans in Dallas and around the world into raptures when he accepted Kevin Owens' challenge to a "no holds barred" match, meaning that participants could not get disqualified and they were free to do anything they wanted in order to win.

Austin, widely considered to be one of the greatest WWE performers in history, last wrestled at Wrestlemania 19 years ago when he lost to The Rock.

In an entertaining match that saw both competitors brawl in the spectator stands, Austin claimed the victory with - you guessed it - his signature Stone Cold Stunner finishing move.

In other highlights, Reigns defeated Lesnar to win both the WWE and Universal championships, cementing his status as WWE's top superstar.

Former Ultimate Fighting Championship athlete Ronda Rousey, who returned to the ring in January after becoming a first-time mother, faced Smackdown Women's champion Charlotte Flair, the daughter of the legendary Ric Flair.

Both wrestlers struggled to find chemistry with each other, with Flair eventually getting the better of Rousey in a rough match.

Belair, meanwhile, bested Raw Women's champion Lynch in a fast-paced, entertaining match to regain the belt that she lost last year.

Cody Rhodes, the wrestler nicknamed the "American Nightmare", made his long-awaited return to WWE after 6 years away.

Rhodes, the son of the late Dusty Rhodes, turned out to be Seth Rollins' mystery opponent. The match turned out to be one of the finest ever witnessed at any Wrestlemania and showcased two wrestlers at the very top of their game.

Before Wrestlemania took place, the Undertaker, one of the most recognisable athletes in global sport, called time on his 30-year career as he was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame.

The 57-year-old Undertaker, whose real name is Mark Calaway, received a standing ovation from the audience and fellow wrestlers at the sold-out American Airlines Arena during and after the end of an emotional acceptance speech.