For the fourth time in Henry's Universe Mode history, welcome to WrestleMania! Tonight, Johnny Gargano attempts to finally achieve his life-long dream as he challenges Robert Roode in the main event for the WWE Championship. Gargano put it all on the line against Royal Rumble winner Drew McIntyre, saving his wrestling career with a monumental victory. Will the man who personifies heart, determination and spirit finally win the big one?
WrestleMania IV Theme Song- "Born For This"- The Score
The Revival(c) vs AJ Styles and Ricochet- Raw Tag Team Championship Match
Rumors have swirled in recent days about the current Raw tag champs receiving lucrative contract offers from elsewhere in the pro wrestling world, though Scott Dawson and Dash Wilder have insisted that they remained focused on this title defense. That may be true, but they certainly got ran over in the early stages of this one. AJ and Ricochet were all over the place, especially "The One and Only", who was flying through the air with reckless abandon. Ricochet's gung-ho attitude did eventually backfire, as he whiffed on the double moonsault, providing an opening to the champions. Then, though, they ran into the wrestling buzzsaw known as AJ Styles. "The Phenomenal One" was brilliant on the mat, countering Dawson's inverted figure four with ease. Wilder attempted to strike quickly with his leaping facebreaker, but Styles caught him in the air and drove him to the canvas with a powerbomb. In an incredible feat of strength, AJ then lifted Dash up into the air, hooked the legs and delivered the Styles Clash! That sealed the win for this electric duo, as AJ got redemption for his struggles at the Royal Rumble and likely sent The Revival packing from Universe Mode.
Winners and the NEW Raw Tag Team Champions: AJ Styles and Ricochet
Sasha Banks(c) vs Shayna Baszler- SmackDown Women's Championship Match
Despite two previous title matches at WrestleMania, Sasha Banks has never won on "The Grandest Stage of Them All", and she desperately wanted this one, fighting for her title and for revenge after Baszler's vicious assault on Bayley. The pace of this match was just relentless, both women going hell for leather in a terrific championship clash. Early on, Banks got the upper hand, connecting with a diving meteora off the apron to the floor. Baszler managed to avoid a flying elbow and went to work, torturing the champion with educated holds and lighting fast strikes. Shayna got close to victory with a bridging gutwrench suplex, but Sasha kicked out and rallied. Both women fought out of their opponent's signature hold, leaving the playing field completely even. Banks couldn't hit on a second meteora, but did manage to counter a kick from Baszler, catching the challenger's leg in mid-air and then hitting a spike hurricanrana! Quick, "The Boss" pounced, locking in the Bank Statement from the ground, and Baszler just couldn't find the ropes, losing against to Banks, totally clean this time.
Winner and still SmackDown Women's Champion: Sasha Banks
Kenny Omega(c) vs Adam Cole- United States Championship Match
After the Young Bucks lost at Elimination Chamber, Kenny Omega was not thrilled and let them know about, resulting in Matt and Nick Jackson walking out on their leader. The Undisputed Era capitalized on the now defenseless US champ, unleashing a triple team attack backstage. Cole challenged Omega to one more match, which Kenny declared would be contested with Kyle O'Reilly and Bobby Fish banned from ringside.
We definitely seemed to have another classic on our hands, the talent of these two men is unmistakable, but fate, albeit directed by Adam Cole, intervened. After just a few minutes of exchanging holds with Omega, Cole clattered into the official, seemingly by mistake. But whether it was or wasn't, Cole was going to take advantage. He signaled to the back, and out ran Roderick Strong! The banished former Cruiserweight Champion hit Omega with the Sick Kick and an End of Heartache, allowing Cole to make the cover and regain the US title. The Undisputed Era is expanding.
Winner and the NEW United States Champion: Adam Cole
"The Fiend" Bray Wyatt(c) vs Aleister Black- Hell in a Cell Match for the Universal Championship
Aleister Black laid down the challenge for this match to take place inside the "Devil's Playground", which he likely regretted after the way it started. "The Fiend" wasted no time on a fancy entrance, ambushing Black from behind and throwing him through the door of the Cell. The champion relished punishing a former foe, grinding Black's face against the steel mesh before tossing him into the wall of the Cell nearest the two announce tables, and the steel once again gave way. Desperate just to find a way to survive this onslaught, Black began climbing up the steel, his terrifying foe in hot pursuit. It was all a ruse from the challenger, though, as he managed to gain the high ground and caught "The Fiend" with a Black Mass, sending the champion falling backwards through one announce table! This was Black's moment, but the climb back down took too long, and "The Fiend" sat back up! Aleister didn't panic, charging right into a brawl. Champion and challenger wailed away on each other as they both made their way into the ring for the very first time. Another Black Mass was attempted, but "The Fiend" dodged it with surprising grace, jumping onto the challenger as the Mandible Claw was applied! Both men scuffled on the mat, but it definitely seemed like Black was fading. In a last ditch effort, Black began biting at the fingers of the champion! It worked, as "The Fiend" let go of the hold, letting out a shriek of agony, the first obvious sign of distress that this creature has ever shown. A second Black Mass connected, the champion staggered but did not fall, before a third laid it out for good. We have a new top champion on Raw!
Winner and the NEW Universal Champion: Aleister Black
CM Punk vs Daniel Bryan
In a complete contrast to the preceding supernatural fracas, this was a straight wrestling match between two of the best to ever do it. This was set up after Daniel Bryan, under a hood, cost Punk his WWE title match at the Royal Rumble, which he said was revenge for Punk's return to Universe Mode back at SummerSlam, completely overshadowing the injuries sustained by Bryan. These two men started by going hold for hold, exchanging submissions before Bryan slapped Punk in the face and the fight was on. Punk countered a superplex into a beautiful arm drag, but Bryan slipped out of the GTS to connect with a German suplex. Bryan viciously targeted the leg, which proved to be a pivotal point for the remainder of this match. Punk made the unwise decision to still attempt his running knee in the corner, as the move did connect but worsened the damage on his bum limb. Bryan locked in the Heel Hook and was never let go, forcing Punk to tap.
Winner: Daniel Bryan
Post-Match
Victory wasn't enough for Bryan, who was determined to make Punk know what it felt like to be completely disabled in front of the entire world. He used a chair to inflict even more damage, pillmanizing Punk's leg. Daniel Bryan is officially back, and more dangerous than ever.
Charlotte Flair(c) vs Nia Jax- Raw Women's Championship Match
Nia made this match personal by assaulting Charlotte's best friend, Becky Lynch, putting "The Man" through multiple tables and part of the Raw stage. Flair was out for revenge here in the first of our two main events, and she put on a tremendous showing. Jax was a formidable force as always, but Flair was relentless, pooling every last bit of energy she had in service of winning this one match. Charlotte awed the crowd with an incredible avalanche Spanish Fly and nearly forced Nia to tap to the Figure Eight, but close wasn't enough. Jax countered a Spear into a DDT, before pushing the champion to her limit with a running flip senton. The challenger looked to end the champion for good, picking up Flair into a powerbomb position, seeking to send her flying to the floor. But Flair kept fighting, managing to find solid ground on the apron and spiking Nia's throat across the top rope. With an opportunity open, Charlotte cemented her status as "The Queen", connecting with Natural Selection to retain.
Winner and still Raw Women's Champion: Charlotte Flair
Robert Roode(c) vs Johnny Gargano- WWE Championship Match
The entrances for these two men on their own showed the stark contrast in styles. Johnny Gargano was no-nonsense, a straight walk to the ring in the midst of adoring cheers, while Robert Roode soaked up the moment, descending from the rafters on a podium as part of the crowd sang his theme music. Even after the match began, Roode was still grand-standing, and paid for it, as Gargano lit the unsuspecting champion up with some stiff strikes. Roode responded with a showcase of power, executing some suplexes and a big full nelson slam, weakening the back of the challenger. Gargano avoided a Spear with a leapfrog, before sling-shotting off the apron through the ropes to hit a Spear of his own. The Gargano Escape was applied, but Roode elbowed Gargano in the face to force him to release the hold, before connecting with a Glorious DDT on the floor. "Johnny Wrestling" beat the count, but you could tell he was hurting, and this match was reaching a climax. Roode ran off the ropes into an enziguri that knocked the champion loopy, but Gargano couldn't take advantage, as his back gave out attempting the Lawn Dart. Quick as a whippet, Roode struck, hitting another Glorious DDT. Gargano, though, refused to go down, kicking out at two! "Johnny Wrestling" began to rally, and the crowd followed with him, as the noise in MetLife Stadium reached a fever pitch. Gargano hit two running lariats, then scaled the ropes. He came flying back down with a double foot stomp, but no one was home. Roode had rolled out of the way, and planted Gargano with an inverted Alabama slam, before applying a Camel Clutch. The fans begged and pleaded with Gargano not to tap, and Johnny fought with everything he had, desperately trying to reach the ropes. But in the end, the pain was too much and Roode's grip was too strong. Johnny Gargano tapped out, his dream of becoming WWE Champion shattered in an instant.
Winner and still WWE Champion: Robert Roode
Post-Match
As a bitterly disappointed Johnny Gargano sat in the ring, the locker room emptied, with various wrestlers tried to comfort a man that obviously meant a lot to many of them. The likes of Mustafa Ali, Chad Gable, Kofi Kingston and Cedric Alexander all offered encouragement to Gargano, but nothing was going to work in this moment. A tearful Gargano slowly walked up the ramp, as WrestleMania IV came to an end.
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