WrestleMania 35
On the March 4 episode of Raw, Colin Jost and Michael Che of Saturday Night Live were introduced as special correspondents for the event, and were later entered into the André the Giant Memorial Battle Royal.[16] Gospel music star and syndicated radio host Yolanda Adams performed "America the Beautiful" to begin the main show.[34] After Flair defeated Asuka for the SmackDown Women's Championship,[35] the WrestleMania match was made Winner Takes All with both titles on the line.[45] Batista then attacked fellow Evolution member Ric Flair before the latter's 70th birthday celebration on the February 25, 2019, episode of Raw, seeking Triple H's attention.[47][36] At Crown Jewel, Shane McMahon won the WWE World Cup, replacing The Miz in the finals, who was unable to compete after a pre-match brawl.[35] At Fastlane, Samoa Joe retained the United States Championship in a fatal four-way match by making Rey Mysterio pass out to the Coquina Clutch.[48] After becoming the inaugural WWE Women's Tag Team Champions at Elimination Chamber, The Boss 'n' Hug Connection (Bayley and Sasha Banks) stated that they would defend the titles across Raw, SmackDown, and NXT.[51][34] They retained their championships against Raw's Nia Jax and Tamina at Fastlane,[34] and were then called out by SmackDown's The IIconics (Billie Kay and Peyton Royce).[43] On the March 18 episode of Raw, WWE Hall of Famer Beth Phoenix came out of retirement to reform her tag team with Natalya and challenge for the championship at WrestleMania.[44] The champions were then scheduled to defend the titles against Jax and Tamina, Phoenix and Natalya, and The IIconics in a fatal four-way tag team match at WrestleMania.[38] On the February 19 episode of 205 Live, General Manager Drake Maverick scheduled an eight-man tournament with the winner facing Buddy Murphy for the WWE Cruiserweight Championship on the WrestleMania 35 Kickoff pre-show.[58] After that, The Revival (Scott Dawson and Dash Wilder) defended the Raw Tag Team Championship against Curt Hawkins and Zack Ryder.He was then interrupted by a Babe Ruth video, followed by John Cena, who came out in his Doctor of Thuganomics gimmick (circa 2002–2004) and sporting a New York Yankees jersey.[59] In the penultimate match, Bobby Lashley (accompanied by Lio Rush) defended the Intercontinental Championship against Finn Bálor in his "Demon" persona.Including the pre-show, the event clocked in at 7.5 hours, making it the longest pay-per-view the company ever produced prior to the introduction of two-night WrestleManias.The WWE veteran and one-third of The New Day pulled off an inspiring victory for the ages to cap off an amazing bit of storytelling following an unlikely and organic bid.Meltzer felt the SmackDown Tag Team Championship match "could have been a classic if given more time", praising the Cesaro Swing to Ricochet, the tower of doom superplex spot and the Double Superfly splash in the end.[64] Joshua Needelman of The Washington Post said the fans "got the result they wanted" for the main event match, but stated that the ending "felt anticlimactic.Needleman noted in the Kingston-Bryan match that the crowd "exploded, bouncing up and down in their seats, as Big E and Xavier Woods...stormed the ring to celebrate".Needelman praised the superplex spot at the end of the Miz-McMahon match, stating it "was a shocking moment, one made for highlight reels".[65] Wade Keller of Pro Wrestling Torch called the main event "a hell of a match" claiming it had "great pacing throughout" and was "non-stop drama".Keller felt that the SmackDown Tag Team Championship match had "lots of action", but concluded that with that many wrestlers, "it's more about the spots than telling a usual story".Keller also loved the Kingston–Bryan match calling it "straight forward, with the heel getting a sustained beatdown and eventually the babyface scoring a clean win with a finishing move".[79] Elias was then transferred to SmackDown in the Superstar Shake-up, along with Roman Reigns, and the two began a feud leading to a match at Money in the Bank.[67] The Usos were then drafted to Raw in the Superstar Shake-up and began a feud with The Revival,[68] but also tried to regain the SmackDown Tag Team Championship after The Hardys relinquished them due to Jeff's injury, but lost to Daniel Bryan and Rowan.[78][71] On the following episode of SmackDown, Carmella celebrated her winning the WrestleMania Women's Battle Royal with R-Truth only for United States Champion Samoa Joe to interrupt and attack Truth.Joe then boasted that he could beat any challenger quicker than he defeated Rey Mysterio at WrestleMania and then got into a brawl with André the Giant Memorial Battle Royal winner Braun Strowman.[85] The failure drew comparisons to similar rail delays that accompanied Super Bowl XLVIII at MetLife Stadium in 2014, which had attracted almost the same number of fans to the Meadowlands.Upon hearing that NJ Transit had not adequately explained the reason for the delays to the waiting fans, Governor Phil Murphy, who has made a priority of reforming the agency, called that "completely, utterly, dog-ate-my-homework unacceptable."It sends a bad message that imperils our ability to attract and retain the sports and entertainment events that deliver economic benefits."
PromotionSmackDown205 LiveEast RutherfordNew JerseyMetLife StadiumBuy rateWWE NetworkThe Shield's Final ChapterWrestleManiaprofessional wrestlingpay-per-viewlivestreamingbrand divisionsEast Rutherford, New JerseyWrestleMania 2000The Undertakerthe following yearBecky LynchRaw Women's ChampionRonda RouseySmackDown Women's ChampionCharlotte FlairWinner Takes Alltriple threat matchKofi KingstonDaniel BryanWWE ChampionshipSeth RollinsBrock LesnarUniversal ChampionshipKurt Anglefarewell matchBaron CorbinBatistaNo Holds Barred matchTriple HAndré the Giant Memorial Battle RoyalWrestleMania 29Royal RumbleSummerSlamSurvivor SeriesForbesSuper Bowlsports entertainmentbrandsNew York metropolitan areaLove Runs OutOneRepublicBishop BriggsAlexa BlissMultiple celebritiesColin JostMichael CheSaturday Night LiveJoan JettBad ReputationYolanda AdamsAmerica the BeautifulMonday Night RawSmackDown LivecruiserweightRoyal Rumble matchRaw Women's ChampionshipSmackDown Women's ChampionshipCarmellaHell in a CellEvolutiontables, ladders, and chairsVince McMahonFastlanesix-woman tag team matchUniversal ChampionPaul HeymanMustafa Aligauntlet matchElimination Chamber matchElimination Chambersix-man tag team matchKevin OwensThe New DayXavier WoodsRic FlairWWE Hall of FamerCrown JewelShane McMahonWWE World CupThe MizSmackDown Tag Team Championshipfalls count anywhereSamoa JoeUnited States Championshipfatal four-way matchRey MysterioRandy OrtonAJ Stylesindependent circuitleukemiaRoman ReignsDrew McIntyreDean AmbroseThe ShieldWWE Women's Tag Team ChampionsThe Boss 'n' Hug ConnectionBayleySasha BanksNia JaxTaminaThe IIconicsBillie KayPeyton RoyceBeth Phoenixher tag teamNatalyaFinn BálorBobby LashleyLio Rushhandicap matchIntercontinental ChampionshipJinder MahalThe UsosJey UsoJimmy UsoThe BarCesaroSheamus