Welcome to our live coverage of WWE’s WrestleMania XXV pay-per-view live from the Reliant Stadium in Houston, Texas.

As always, we’re looking for your feedback on tonight’s show via email on the address below, or via our MySpace page at www.myspace.com/ifight365. We’re also on Twitter at www.twitter.com/ifight365.

Be sure to update this page regularly throughout the next few hours for the very latest from tonight’s show as we bring you full coverage of WWE’s biggest show of the year.

The PPV itself kicks off at 7pm EST (12midnight for those of you joining us here in the United Kingdom) and we’ll be bringing you updates throughout the show with results as they happen as well as any newsworthy notes from Houston.

If you’ve not already done so, we’ve got an absolute ton of Mania-related previews up on the site courtesy of myself and the great team of writers we have here on the site, so ahead of our live coverage getting underway, be sure to check out our previews and pre-show analysis at the following links:

In a quick bit of injury news, Dolph Ziggler may be ruled out of action for some time after hurting his shoulder in a singles match with Sim Snuka earlier today at WWE’s Axxess event. He was scheduled to be a lumberjack for the tag team unification match but that may not happen. Snuka was telling fans at the event that Ziggler may have broken his collarbone.

Update: WWE.com are reporting that the tag team unification match between The Miz & John Morrison vs. Carlito and Primo Colon will now take place on the pre-show prior to the PPV going live. I guess that tells you all you need to know about the importance of the tag belts.

WWE have done a bit of late promotion for Mickey Rourke’s appearance tonight. “It’s an honor to be here. It was an honor to be here last night to see Steamboat in the Hall of Fame and see Ric and Roddy Piper,” Rourke was quoted as saying on WWE.com earlier. “I’m going to be honest with you, these guys I’ve got a lot of respect for. That other guy, what’s his name? … Jericho? Whatever. I think he’s a piece of s**t. He was just way out of line.”

I think its safe to say he’ll be involved at some point tonight.

Dark match time, with the tag title match being bumped from the PPV. Primo and Carlito are your new (and only) tag team champions, picking up the win when Morrison was pinned by Primo.

A video package with WWE stars telling of their favourite WrestleMania moment opens the show before video build for tonight’s match. Real good package. Pussycat Doll Nicole Scherzinger gets WrestleMania underway with her rendition of ‘America the Beautiful’. WWE have a real cool set with the entrance being a giant star providing the backdrop and a seriously long ramp heading down to the ring. As always, visually it looks amazing. We’ve got a three-man announce team with Jim Ross, Jerry Lawler and Michael ‘Vintage’ Cole.

Money in the Bank: Christian vs. Shelton Benjamin vs. MVP vs. Kane vs. Finlay vs. Kofi Kingston vs. Mark Henry vs. CM Punk opens the show. I guess the match listing put out yesterday wasn’t quite the finalised one then. Good crowd reactions for all entrances. Big pops for Punk and Christian. Kane’s entrance looked awesome with flames on the huge, huge video screens at the top of the ramp.

Kofi looked good early on but hurt his leg with a dropkick into a ladder. They did a spot early with Kane and Henry going for the briefcase before they were pulled down. They then did a cool spot with everybody climbing the ladders and Kane and Henry pulling them down. Finlay hit a suicide dive to the outside before Christian springboarded off the turnbuckles and to the outside. MVP then dived to the outside before Kofi and Punk did the same. Fun stuff and the crowd are loving it.

Shelton Benjamin then climbed to the top of a big ladder in the aisle and Swanton Bombed down to everybody bar Henry. Henry teased a dive off the top rope but Finlay knocked him off. This set up the Hornswoggle spot, with the little fella climbing to the top rope and diving off Henry’s back onto everybody on the outside.

Already this match has exceeded my expectations. Mark Bright just sent a message saying “remind me next year never to bitch about this match regardless of who is in it,” and he’s right. Everybody is working their ass off here. Henry slammed Kofi onto a ladder. MVP then hit Henry with a ladder. Benjamin came off a ladder but MVP turned it into a powerbomb. MVP is over huge here. Christian and Punk went up the ladder. Punk set up for a GTS but Christian reversed and hit an Unprettier off the ladder. MVP climbed for the briefcase but Benjamin ran up a series of ladders from the outside to the middle of the ring to stop him. They went for a sunset flip/powerbomb spot but botched it a little which looked awkward. Benjamin then powerbombed MVP over the top and to the outside.

Benjamin and Christian went up the ladders with Benjamin getting thrown off. Christian then climbed up with the crowd popping huge thinking it was the finish but Punk made the save, which got booed. Christian went for the briefcase but Kane then stopped him and chokeslammed him off the ladder. Kane and Punk then went at it, with the crowd booing Punk some more when he went for the briefcase. He saw Kane off the ladder and Punk grabbed the briefcase. Wow, shock result in my eyes. Winner of Money in the Bank for a second year in a row: CM Punk.

Really good opener. Surprising to see Punk get booed near the end.

A video package aired showing highlights from Axxess and other events in Houston over the past few days.

Kid Rock is playing next.

Kid Rock is still playing. Sucks to be Miz and Morrison and miss out because of this guy getting to play for so long.

The Divas are on their way to the ring and dancing along to Kid Rock so I guess our next match will be up shortly.

25-Diva Battle Royal to crown Miss WrestleMania. The match got started before ring introductions could even be completed. Mae Young is serving as guest timekeeper while Candice Michelle is also ringside. None of the wrestlers got mentioned by name and Trish isn’t there. Santino is in drag which the announcers have thus far not sold.

No crowd heat at all to this. Torrie Wilson and Sunny were eliminated early and barely mentioned on commentary. Crowd eventually clicks that Santino is in there and chants for him. Gail Kim took Jillian out of the match with a headscissors but Gail landed on the outside as well, which I don’t think was meant to happen. I’m shaking my head here wondering why they brought Sunny, Torrie, Molly Holly, Jackie Gayda and Victoria back for this if they weren’t even going to introduce them. Former Tough Enough winner Nidia was not in the match as had been reported elsewhere. She’s been visiting friends in Houston over the past few days but was never booked for the match.

Michelle McCool and Mickie James nearly killed themselves before being eliminated. Perhaps unsurprisingly, the ending saw Santino dump Beth out to win. The announcers came across as dumbasses for making out that they didn’t know it was Santino (or Santina). Total waste of a match.

Video package time ahead of our next match. Lots of Mickey Rourke footage shown.

Chris Jericho vs. Roddy Piper, Jimmy Snuka and Ricky Steamboat. Mickey Rourke is sat front row for this. Its 3-on-1 handicap elimination, if you were still unsure. Ric Flair came out with the Legends, who all got a good pop.

Piper took Jericho down to start the match. They then both went over the ropes to the outside. Piper got a nearfall on Jericho and hit a dropkick of sorts before tagging out to Snuka, who chopped Jericho a couple of times then tagged to Steamboat, who is in great shape. Chop from the top rope and a couple of armdrags which go down well. Worth noting that Frank Shamrock is sat ringside with Rourke. Steamboat tags out to Snuka. Jericho quickly gets the upperhand on him and Snuka taps to the Walls of Jericho to elimination the Superfly.

Piper came back in and put a sleeper on Jericho, but Jericho escaped and hit Piper with a running kick to eliminate him, making it Jericho vs. Steamboat. Steamboat hit a cross body from the top rope for a two count. Jericho tossed him to the outside but Steamboat hung onto the ropes. Flair took a hard bump off the apron before Steamboat dived over the top rope to Jericho on the outside. Steamboat is seriously awesome here and the crowd are really into him as he gets a couple of near falls on Jericho.

Jericho hits a boot to the face and a bulldog but misses the Lionsault. Steamboat hits a powerslam for a near fall. Jericho eventually hits the Codebreaker and makes the cover. Winner: Chris Jericho.

Post-match, Flair hits the ring and takes it to Jericho until Jericho gives him the Codebreaker. Crowd are electric for this. Jericho is left alone in the ring, smiling. He gets a mic and challenges Mickey Rourke, telling him to get into the ring and apologise. Big pop for Rourke getting out of his seat and into the ring. They get face-to-face before Rourke connects with a left hook that sends Jericho down. Predictable, perhaps, but Rourke’s punch will make TV tomorrow morning and Steamboat ensured this match was pretty decent.

Time for a video package ahead of our next match…

Matt Hardy vs. Jeff Hardy in an Extreme Rules match. Weapons from the opening bell. Jeff went for Whisper in the Wind early but was met with a chairshot in mid-air. Matt hit the Side Effect onto a chair for a two count. A table got brought into play which got a pop. Matt went for a suplex off the apron but Jeff blocked it and hit a flying clothesline off the apron. Matt then got kicked into the steps at ringside. Jeff put a trash can on his head and used him as a drum before going for a Swanton, which missed the mark.

Matt hit a Twist of Fate out of nowhere. Jeff hit a superplex and levelled Matt with a chair shot. Jeff brought out another table. He laid Matt on the first one then set the second table up on top of it. Jeff came off the top rope with a splash through both tables in a crazy spot. Jeff then brought two ladders of different size into the ring (did you really think a Hardy match at Manai wouldn’t involve a ladder?). He climbed the two ladders and dove over the taller one for a legdrop but Matt moved. That’s gotta hurt. Matt then jammed Jeff’s head in a chair and hit the Twist of Fate. He made the cover and got the win! Winner: Matt Hardy.

The match as a whole was ok but the ending was just insane. Jeff’s going to be sore in the morning.

Randy Orton was shown in the locker room with Legacy preparing for his match later tonight.

JBL vs. Rey Mysterio for the Intercontinental title is up next. JBL came out with a mic and said it was the greatest day in his life. He said Texas has no champions and he has returned a hero. And that was it. No historic announcement really. Rey came out in an awesome outfit, looking like The Joker.

JBL attacked Rey before the bell. They eventually started the match and Mysterio hit a kick to the head. He followed that up with a 619 and a splash off the top rope. 1, 2, 3 and its over in about 20 seconds. Winner and new IC champion: Rey Mysterio. Oh my, as Michael Cole would say.

Post-match, JBL announced that he quit. Probably the biggest pop of the night for that. He dropped the mic and left, with the crowd waving him off.

Video package time ahead of our next match.

Shawn Michaels vs. The Undertaker is up next. Michaels had quite the entrance, dressed in all white and rising up above the stage before being lowered again before a load of pyro went off and his entrance music played. Undertaker came out from underneath the stage. Looks cool with the video screens behind him. No Kid Rock to play him out, thankfully.

It has to be said that although Michael Cole gets a lot of criticism from fans for how he calls matches, he’s been shockingly bad tonight.

Good fast start to the match. Michaels faked a leg injury to cheap shot Taker, who in return tossed him into the corner and laid into him with punches. Taker hit Michaels with a bench press and a back drop before getting a huge pop for Old School.

Taker missed a boot in the corner, allowing Michaels back into the match. He locks in a figure-four which Taker eventually gets out of as dualling chants start up. Taker hits snake eyes and a boot to the face. He then went for a chokeslam but Michaels reversed and locked in a crossface. Taker eventually broke the hold and hit a side slam. Michaels hit back and hit a forearm before nipping up. He hit a clothesline and went to the top rope but Taker sat up and caught him coming off the top with a chokeslam attempt. Michaels went for the superkick then the figure four but Taker reversed into his triangle choke. Huge pop for that. Michaels managed to get to the ropes. Great stuff.

Taker missed a legdrop on the apron. Michaels hit a dropkick to the outside before climbing the top rope and attempting a moonsault. Taker moved and Michaels thudded into the mat on the outside. That looked nasty.

Taker then took a dive over the top rope and on to a “cameraman” who Michaels had pushed into his path. That looked even nastier as Taker landed pretty much on his head and sent the crowd into stunned silence.

Eventually Taker got back into the ring before the ref could make a ten count. Michaels set up for the superkick but walked into a chokeslam. Michaels kicked out on two which surprised the crowd. Michaels went for the superkick again but Taker blocked and tried for another chokeslam. Michaels blocked that then connected with the superkick, only for Taker to kick out on two.

Michaels nipped up once more. Taker got back up and set him up for the Last Ride. Michaels countered into a sunset flip but Taker countered that and hit the Last Ride. He made the cover and Michaels kicked out on 2. Amazing reaction from the crowd as everybody bought that as the finish. Awesome stuff. Taker went to the top rope but missed an elbow. Michaels got tossed over the top rope but held onto the top rope, he tried to flip back into the ring but ended up being hit with a Tombstone. 1, 2…kick out! Michaels hit Taker with a DDt after countering a tombstone attempt. He went to the top rope and connected with an elbow drop. HBK then set up for another superkick and connected. 1, 2……..kick out! This is amazing stuff.

They both got to their feet and started slugging it out with chops and punches before Taker connected with a boot to the head. Michaels countered another tombstone attempt. He went to the top again and attempted a moonsault, only for Taker to catch him in midair. He nailed Michaels with a tombstone and got the 1, 2, 3. This was nothing short of world class. A truly amazing match. Winner: The Undertaker.

Edge vs. John Cena vs. Big Show for the World Heavyweight title is up next. Good luck following the last match guys! Chavo Guerrero wheeled Vickie to ringside prior to the match. Edge got a big pop. Cena got a huge pop as his old ‘Word Life’ theme music played about a good 100 or so guys dressed as Cena came out and lined the rampway. Cena’s current music then played and he came out with all the clones doing the ‘You Can’t See Me’ bit. Very cool.

Show dominated early on as the match started relatively slowly. He got sent to the outside where he then got hit with a legdrop from John Cena coming off the top rope. Crowd are really quiet at this point. Cena went for an FU on Edge but Edge countered and hit a DDT. Edge went to the top but Cena caught him with a right hand. Cena then walked into a side slam from Big Show. Cena fought back but Chavo Guerrero pulled him out of the ring. Cena hit Chavo with an FU (quicker to type than the PG-friendly name it now has!) then returned to the ring, where Big Show got caught up in the ropes. Edge hit the ring and Cena took him down. Cena hit him with the Five Knuckle Shuffle to a mixed reaction then set up for an FU. Vickie got on the ring apron and ended up being speared to the outside by Edge, who was aiming for Cena.

Show got back to his feet and took both opponents down. He went for double chokeslam but Cena escaped some only Edge got hit with it. Cena went for an FU on Show but it was countered. On the outside, Edge set the ring steps up and took a run at them, diving off on to Show and spearing him through a ringside barrier. Cena and Edge went at it again in the ring. Cena locked in the STF but Edge made it to the ropes. Show made it back into the ring and went for the Banzai Drop on Edge, who moved out of the way.

On a side note, a few readers in the U.S have emailed complaining of having problems ordering the PPV on their cable system. We’ll have more on that in the morning.

Edge and Cena double teamed to knocked Show out of the ring. Edge then hit Cena with a boot to the face. Cena went to the top rope but Show pushed him off into a spear from Edge. Crazy spot of the night came from Edge having a sleeper on Show. Cena then tried to FU both Show and Edge. Edge slid off (or fell, hard to tell) so Show took the FU. Cena then gave Edge the FU on to Show. Cena covered show and got the 3 count. Winner and new World Heavyweight champion: John Cena.

The double FU spot looked like it was planned, which would have made for an awesome finish, but it was fine regardless. A decent match put in a tough spot on the card.

A video played for WrestleMania 26 which takes place in Phoenix, AZ on March 28, 2010.

Hall of Fame ceremony time showing those inducted into the Class of 2009 on Saturday night: The Funks, The Von Erichs, Howard Finkel, Cowboy Bill Watts, Koko B Ware, Ricky Steamboat and of course, Stone Cold Steve Austin. Austin then disappeared to the back before quickly losing the suit. Glass smashes and Austin comes out on his little four wheeler to speed around the ring a few times then drive up the ramp again. And then reverse back down to ringside. Nice driving. Austin enters the ring with some beers and we have ourselves a beer bash.

72,744 announced as the attendance for tonight’s show.

Our final video package is on the way ahead of tonight’s main event.

Triple H vs. Randy Orton for the WWE title is up next. Triple H had a pretty cool entrance, throwing his sledgehammer through glass and mirrors at the top of the ramp. HHH took it to Orton from the opening bell. The referee spoke to HHH allowing Orton to RKO him out of nowhere after just a minute or so. He sent up for the punt kick but missed it and HHH hit a pedigree. All this in the first minute. I have no idea why. Nor do the crowd, who are in stunned silence as a result of Trips just no selling an RKO and burying Orton. Gah.

Orton tries to call a time out after Trips lands a ton of punches but to no avail. They go to the outside where Orton counters and throws HHH into the ring steps. Trips then gets caught up in a cameraman’s cable. I’m not sure what the hell is happening here but the crowd is just silent. Back in the ring, Orton takes it to Hunter before Trips counters with a back suplex. Orton slows it down with a chinlock, which isn’t what I’m looking for when its approaching 4am here. Hunter fights back and hits a high knee. Orton counters a pedigree attempt but walks into a clothesline. RKO chants are starting up as the crowd slowly get into the match.

HHH hits a spinebuster and signals that its coming to an end. He sets up for the pedigree but Orton counters. HHH goes to the top rope but Orton catches him with a drop kick. He sets up to punt Hunter’s head off but Trips catches his foot and throws him backwards over the top rope to the outside. Hunter follows him out and thinks about laying him out with a TV monitor, but stops since a DQ means the title changes hands. Instead, HHH sets Orton up on a table for a pedigree, only for Orton to reverse it and backdrop Trips on to the Spanish announce table, which doesn’t break. Orton dragged HHH across the table then DDTs him onto the floor.

They both get back into the ring where Orton stomps all over HHH. Orton sends Trips into the ref, sending him down. Orton then hits HHH with an RKO before going under the ring and pulling out a sledgehammer. But as Orton gets back into the ring, HHH catches him with a punt to the head, laying him out. Trips gets the sledgehammer and levels Orton with it which gets a mixed reaction from the crowd. HHH lays into Orton with punches but the referee warns him about a DQ. Trips then hits a pedigree and gets the 1, 2, 3. Winner and still WWE champion: Triple H.

Not a good match, in my opinion. The crowd weren’t hot for it at all although they hadn’t been since the ending of the Taker/Michaels match, which stole the show tonight. Pyro went off to celebrate Hunter’s win, before a video package recapping the night played.

Thanks for joining us for our live coverage of WrestleMania 25 tonight here at iFight365.com!

Phil Lowe
phil@ifight365.com