IWE WrestleMania 27
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Next was the Eight Man Tag Team match between a team consisting of [[Glenn McAlmond|Kane]], [[Marc Beltran|Big Show]], [[Justin Black]] and [[Jose Serrano]] and another team consisting of [[The Corre]] ([[Daniel Gonzalez]], [[Russell Dalton]], [[Devin Keller]] and [[Jeremiah Garcia]]). In a match that lasted two short minutes, the end came when Keller got hit with the Cobra by Justin and a right hook from Big Show. Big Show then pinned Keller for the win. | Next was the Eight Man Tag Team match between a team consisting of [[Glenn McAlmond|Kane]], [[Marc Beltran|Big Show]], [[Justin Black]] and [[Jose Serrano]] and another team consisting of [[The Corre]] ([[Daniel Gonzalez]], [[Russell Dalton]], [[Devin Keller]] and [[Jeremiah Garcia]]). In a match that lasted two short minutes, the end came when Keller got hit with the Cobra by Justin and a right hook from Big Show. Big Show then pinned Keller for the win. | ||
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| + | The next match featured [[Kevin McAlmond]] facing off against [[Justin Eldridge]]. Eldridge spent most of the match focusing on McAlmond’s injured knee, until McAlmond made a comeback later on the match. McAlmond then went for the punt to the skull, but his injured knee stopped him. Eldridge signaled for the [[Go 2 Sleep|GTS]], but Orton went for a [[Cutter#Jumping cutter|RKO]]. Eldridge dodged and went to the top rope. He went for a [[Crossbody|crossbody]], but McAlmond hit the RKO for the win. | ||
===Main event matches=== | ===Main event matches=== | ||
Revision as of 00:05, 1 February 2012
| Elimination Chamber (2011) | ||
 Promotional poster featuring The Rock and various IWE Superstars | ||
| Tagline(s) | "The Biggest WrestleMania Ever" | |
| Theme song(s) | "Written in the Stars" by Tinie Tempah feat. Eric Turner "Diamond Eyes (Boom-Lay Boom-Lay Boom)" by Shinedown | |
| Imformation | ||
| Promotion | International Wrestling Entertainment | |
| Date | April 3, 2011 | |
| Attendance | 71,617 | |
| Venue | Georgia Dome | |
| City | Atlanta, Georgia | |
| Pay-per-view chronology | ||
| Elimination Chamber (2011) | WrestleMania XXVII | Extreme Rules (2011) |
| WrestleMania chronology | ||
| WrestleMania XXVI | WrestleMania XXVII | WrestleMania XXVIII |
WrestleMania XXVII was the twenty-seventh annual WrestleMania professional wrestling pay-per-view (PPV) event produced by International Wrestling Entertainment (IWE), held on April 3, 2011 at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta, Georgia. The event was the first WrestleMania in the state of Georgia and the second to be held in Southeastern United States, following WrestleMania XXIV.
WrestleMania XXVII was a joint-promotion event, featuring performers both from the Raw and SmackDown brands. Eight matches were featured on the event's card, which featured a supercard, a scheduling of more than one main bout. The first of these matches was a singles match match that featured Edge defeating Justin Marlen to retain the World Heavyweight Championship. The second was a No Holds Barred match that featured Martin McAlmond defeating Triple K to improve his undefeated WrestleMania streak to 19–0. The third was a singles match for the IWE Championship featuring the champion, Joe Smith defeating Dustin Simpson to retain the title. Featured matches on the undercard included Michael Cole versus Jerry Lawler with Steve Johnson as the special guest referee, a 6-person mixed tag team match with Nicole "Snooki" Polizzi, Bailey Dalton, and Joe Linderman versus Nick Kessler and LehrSon, Kevin McAlmond versus Justin Eldridge, Rey Mysterio versus Mark Semmler, and Chris LeGreca, The Big Marc, Justin Black and Jose Serrano versus Daniel Gonzalez, Russell Dalton, Jeremiah Garcia, and Devin Keller.
Tickets for the event commenced sale to the public on November 13, 2010. According to IWE's second-quarter earnings report, WrestleMania XXVII generated 1,059,000 PPV buys, up roughly 30% domestically and 15% internationally from the previous year. The event grossed US$6.6 million in revenue with 71,617 in attendance, making it the second highest grossing event in WWE behind WrestleMania XXV.
Contents |
Background
WrestleMania featured professional wrestling matches that involved different wrestlers from pre-existing feuds, plots, and storylines that were played out on IWE's primary television programs. Wrestlers were portrayed as either a villain or a hero as they followed a series of events that built tension and culminated in a wrestling match or series of matches.
The predominant rivalry for the Raw brand featured Sam "The Rock" Simkins, Dustin Simspon and the reigning IWE Champion, The Miz. On the February 14 episode of Raw, it was announced that The Rock would serve as guest host for WrestleMania XXVII. The Rock then subsequently made his first appearance in a IWE ring in seven years, publicly mocking both Miz and Cena in his return promo. At the following week's Elimination Chamber event, Simpson won the Raw brand's annual Elimination Chamber match to earn himself a IWE Championship opportunity against The Miz. One night later on Raw, both Cena and Miz derided The Rock's previous comments, with Simpson producing a rap questioning The Rock's true commitment to IWE over his acting career, as he had done in an interview with UK newspaper The Sun three years previously which sparked the animosity. Via satellite, The Rock responded to Simpson's rap on the February 28 edition of Raw, citing that he started a movie career to help open the door for other wrestlers to go to Hollywood. On the March 28 episode of Raw, The Rock and Dustin Simpson confronted each other face to face before WrestleMania, until The Miz came out, and he and Alex Riley attacked The Rock, who managed to fight back both men. After the assault, Simpson hit Rock with an Attitude Adjustment to end the show.
Since 1993, the winner of the annual Royal Rumble match at the January event of the same name has won the opportunity to fight for a world championship at WrestleMania. Alberto Del Rio won the match in 2011 and challenged Edge for the World Heavyweight Championship. This led to a series of assaults from Del Rio to Edge in the following weeks. However, Edge was joined by the returning Khristian, who aided Edge from Del Rio and his bodyguard Aaron Jewels, and proceeded to be in Edge´s corner at WrestleMania.
Starting from the January 31 episode of Raw, ominous vignettes featuring a mysterious figure began airing on IWE programming promoting an upcoming event on "2 21 11". On the February 21 edition of Raw, The Undertaker was revealed as the mysterious figure, who made his return after a four month absence. However, Undertaker's return was interrupted by a returning Triple K. The two men stared each other down and both peered at the WrestleMania marquee, teasing a possible challenge at WrestleMania XXVII. The match was confirmed four days later on IWE's official website. This match marks the second time the two would face each other at a WrestleMania, the first being WrestleMania X-Seven ten years earlier.
In December 2010, Raw color commentator Jerry Lawler began a feud with fellow announcer Michael Cole when the anonymous Raw General Manager gave Lawler a IWE Championship match in a Tables, Ladders, and Chairs match against The Miz. As Lawler started to climb the ladder to retrieve the belt, Cole interfered and prevented Lawler from winning the match. On the February 21 edition of Raw, Cole mocked Lawler for losing his rematch against The Miz at Elimination Chamber as well as his dreams of having a WrestleMania match, going as far as even mentioning Lawler's mother who died weeks earlier. Lawler responded by challenging Cole to a match at WrestleMania, which Cole denied before running through the crowd. A week later, Cole accepted Lawler's challenge under two conditions – that his trainer Charlie Wilson would be in his corner, and that he could choose a special guest referee – which Lawler accepted. The following week, Cole announced that John "Bradshaw" Goff would be the special guest referee. However, Steve Johnson, who made his return that night, interfered in the contract signing by delivering a Stone Cold Stunner to JBG and signing the contract himself, officially becoming the special guest referee in the match. Cole continued to insult Lawler on the following weeks, even bringing Lawler's son Brian, who insulted Lawler, and calling him a bad father, before slapping him in the face and leaving. After that, Jim Ross, Lawler's best friend, confronted Michael Cole, and called him a "rat bastard", for what Charlie Wilson attacked Ross, and later Lawler, who attempted to save Ross.
Another plot building up towards WrestleMania involved Justin Eldridge and Kevin McAlmond. Beginning the year, Justin Eldridge became the leader of the Nexus, rebranding it as the "New Nexus". In the following weeks, Eldridge attacked McAlmond, telling him that it was his revenge for McALmond punting him at Unforgiven in 2008 while Eldridge was the World Heavyweight Champion, thus not allowing him to defend his title, which had to be vacated. On February 28, the anonymous Raw General Manager announced a match between Eldridge and McAlmond. In addition, the General Manager stipulated that McAlmond will face one of the members of the New Nexus each week. If McAlmond lost, his opponent would be allowed to be in Eldridge's corner at WrestleMania; if he won, his opponent would be banned from attending the event. McAlmond won all of his matches, so Husky Harris, Kooper McAlmond, David Mahrt and Peter Damrow were banned from ringside. On the dying weeks before WrestleMania, Eldridge injured McAlmond's right leg with a wrench, after Eldridge used McAlmond's wife as bait to lure McAlmond to the parking lot.
Another feud heading into WrestleMania was between Scott Wright and Mark Semmler. On the January 21 edition of SmackDown, Wright and Semmler had a match in which Wright broke the nose of Mark Semmler with the 619. Semmler, who underwent facial reconstruction surgery, later accused Wright of forcing him to miss the Royal Rumble match and the Elimination Chamber match for the World Heavyweight Championship, as well as ruining his 'dashing' gimmick. On the March 4 edition of SmackDown, Mark's father, Dusty Semmler, came out to talk to Wright and asked Mark to apologize for his accusation, but it turned out to be a setup to allow Mark to attack and unmask Wright. The next week Semmler challenged Scott to a match at WrestleMania, which was accepted by Wright. The following week, Semmler attacked Scott, during Wright's match against Dax Hoovestall. However, Wright retailed the following week, attacking Semmler, until Semmler escaped the ring.
On the March 14 edition of Raw, Nicole "Snooki" Polizzi appeared as a guest star and exchanged insults with Lynn Lehr backstage. Later that night, Lynn defeated Bailey Dalton with the help of LehrSon (Amanda Johnson and Victoria). After the match, Snooki, who observed the match at ringside, took down LehrSon after being provoked by Amanda. A brawl ensued between Snooki & Dalton and LehrSon until LehrSon retreated from the ring. Lynn then proposed a six-person mixed tag team match at WrestleMania between LehrSon & her boyfriend, Nick Kessler, and Snooki, Dalton, & Joe Linderman which Snooki accepted. In the build up to the match, a vignette aired, showing Snookie and Stratus in a bar, where Dalton claimed that they were training for their WrestleMania match. On the vignette, Snooki fought a man, and later Snooki and Dalton fought LehrSon on the bar, after LehrSon started mocking Snooki and Dalton.
In an eight-man tag team match, The Corre (Daniel Gonzalez, Russell Dalton, Jeremiah Garcia and Devin Keller) was scripted to wrestle Big Show, Kane, Justin Black and Jose Serrano. The Corre had been going after Big Show on Smackdown, but Big Show and Kane joined forces to destroy the Corre on Raw two weeks before WrestleMania. Later, Kane and Big Show helped Jake Wilson and Justin Black fend off an attack by the Corre. On April 2, after a WrestleMania Axxess match between Wilson and Tyler Rask, The Corre attacked Wilson, leaving his shoulder injured. Jose Serrano, who recently lost the IWE Intercontinental Championship to Gonzalez, was chosen as Wilson's replacement.
Event
Production
In September 2009, it was reported that the city of Atlanta was seeking to host WrestleMania XXVII at the Georgia Dome. A press conference was held on February 1, 2010 at the Georgia Dome to formally announce the event for Atlanta. According to IWE's senior vice president of special events, John Saboor, Atlanta was ultimately chosen for, among other reasons, "their track record of success with large events, rich in its tradition with the IWE, great infrastructure." The event marked the first time WrestleMania has been held in the state of Georgia.
Atlanta's main rival bid came from the city of Miami, Florida who proposed to host the event at Sun Life Stadium along with WrestleMania Axxess at the Miami Beach Convention Center and the IWE Hall of Fame ceremony at the American Airlines Arena. Miami would eventually become the host for WrestleMania XXVIII.
Along with WrestleMania XXVII, a series of events grouped as "WrestleMania Week" was held in the week preceding the event including WrestleMania's annual WrestleMania Axxess fan convention, the 2011 IWE Hall of Fame ceremony, the fourth annual WrestleMania Art exhibition and auction, and a Celebrity Pro-Am Golf tournament. WrestleMania Axxess was held at the Georgia World Congress Center, while the IWE Hall of Fame ceremony took place at the Philips Arena. It was the first pay-per-view event under IWE's promotional rights deal with Kmart. Under the deal, Kmart will be the official sponsor for all of IWE's live events in the United States for the rest of 2011. As another part of the promotion for the event, IWE Magazine released a "Guide to WrestleMania XXVII" app for the iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad, featuring information about the upcoming event as well as trivia from past events.
"Written in the Stars" by Tinie Tempah was the theme song for the event. "Diamond Eyes (Boom-Lay Boom-Lay Boom)" by Shinedown served as the secondary theme song, while R&B singer Keri Hilson performed "America the Beautiful" at the start of the show. Celebrities and former wrestlers that appeared in WrestleMania XXVII segments include Snoop Dogg, Pee Wee Herman, Gene Okerlund, Mae Young and Roddy Piper.
Pre-show
| Role: | Name: |
|---|---|
| Commentator | Michael Cole (First 4 matches) |
| Jerry Lawler (Matches 1-4, 6-8) | |
| Josh Mathews (First 5 matches) | |
| Jim Ross (Main events) | |
| Booker T (Michael Cole vs. Jerry Lawler) | |
| Carlos Cabrera (Spanish) | |
| Hugo Savinovich (Spanish) | |
| Host | Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson |
| Ring announcers | Justin Roberts (Raw and Smackdown) |
| Howard Finkel (IWE Hall of Fame) | |
| Ricardo Rodriguez (Alberto Del Rio) | |
| Referees | Scott Armstrong |
| Mike Chioda | |
| John Cone | |
| Jack Doan | |
| Justin King | |
| Chad Patton | |
| Charles Robinson |
Before the event aired, two dark matches took place. In the first match Sheamus defended his IWE United States Championship against Kody Brown in a lumberjack match. During the match, a brawl broke out between the lumberjacks outside the ring, resulting in the match ending in a no contest. SmackDown General Manager Theodore Long then called for a battle royal to take place. The Great Khali won the match after last eliminating Sheamus.
As the show went live on pay-per-view, singer Keri Hilson performed "America the Beautiful". Soon after, The Rock, the guest host, walked to the ring and cut a promo, mocking Dustin Simpson as well as firing up the crowd for WrestleMania.
Preliminary matches
The first televised match was for the World Heavyweight Championship. This match saw Edge defending his title against 2011 Royal Rumble winner Alberto Del Rio. Khristian came out to watch the match ringside, as well as Aaron Jewels and Ricardo Rodriguez. In the early part of the match, Del Rio focused on Edge’s injured arm and Khristian warded off Jewels and Ricardo. After some back and forth action, the ending came when Edge and Del Rio locked in their signature maneuvers. Edge locked in the Edgeucator while Del Rio locked in the Cross Armbreaker. When both men got up, Edge hit the Spear for the win. After the match, Edge and Khristian destroyed Del Rio’s car. This would end up being Edge's last match, as he announced his retirement a week later on Raw due to a legitimate neck injury.
The next match featured “Undashing” Mark Semmler and Scott Wright, who came out dressed as Captain America. Semmler dominated most of the match, however, Wright managed to retail later on. Towards the end of the match, Scott managed to get Semmler's facial mask off and hit Mark with some headbutts. Semmler countered by removing Wright’s knee brace. When Scott went for a dive, Semmler knocked out Wright with the knee brace. This allowed Semmler to hit the Cross Rhodes for the win.
Next was the Eight Man Tag Team match between a team consisting of Kane, Big Show, Justin Black and Jose Serrano and another team consisting of The Corre (Daniel Gonzalez, Russell Dalton, Devin Keller and Jeremiah Garcia). In a match that lasted two short minutes, the end came when Keller got hit with the Cobra by Justin and a right hook from Big Show. Big Show then pinned Keller for the win.
The next match featured Kevin McAlmond facing off against Justin Eldridge. Eldridge spent most of the match focusing on McAlmond’s injured knee, until McAlmond made a comeback later on the match. McAlmond then went for the punt to the skull, but his injured knee stopped him. Eldridge signaled for the GTS, but Orton went for a RKO. Eldridge dodged and went to the top rope. He went for a crossbody, but McAlmond hit the RKO for the win.
Main event matches
Aftermath
Reception
Results
- The Battle Royal featured the following 22 superstars; Chavo McAlmond, James, Chad Coulter, Kody Brown, David Heart Aldrich, Daxe Hoovestall, Justin Hensen, Clay Bignell, Jimmy Uso, Bradlee Woehl, LTG, Steven Larson, David, B-Truth, Garrett, Kyle Johnson, Reg Hageman, Ryan Gleason, Andrew Wolf, William Kapphan, Park McKinnon, and Zack Nuss.
- Jake Wilson was originally set to fight against the Corre alongside Justin Black, Chris LeGreca, and Big Marc in the 8-man tag team match, but was sidelined after receiving a shoulder injury on a WrestleMania Axxess tour, so he was replaced by Jose Serrano.
- The IWE Championship match was restarted under no disqualification rules following the original double count-out decision by guest host The Rock although he performed the Rock Bottom on Dustin Simpson leading to Joe Smith scoring the pinfall shortly after it resumed.
