WWE WrestleMania XXVIII

Maria Menounos is stepping back into the squared circle again, and this time it'll be on The Grandest Stage of Them All. The host of NBC's Extra will team up with Kelly Kelly to take on Divas Champion Beth Phoenix and Eve at WrestleMania XXVIII on April 1.
It's a match two years in the making, as Beth and Eve have been caught in a bitter rivalry since late 2009. Menounos, who scored a shocking pinfall over Phoenix in an Eight-Diva Tag Team Match at WWE Tribute to the Troops in December, may face her toughest challenge yet in Miami, as both Beth and Eve want to teach a stern lesson to the versatile entertainer and competitor on Dancing with the Stars.
Menounos had invited some WWE Divas to chat with her on Extra, but Beth and Eve were nowhere to be found on the guest list. Instead, first it was Alicia Fox and The Bella Twins, and most recently Kelly Kelly, who got the call. The Glamazon seemed especially angered by Menounos' choice in Divas, claiming that "she doesn't respect the WWE Divas Champion."
A master intimidator, Phoenix took extreme measures to make sure Menounos couldn't simply shrug off The Glamazon's complaint. Beth and Eve flew out to L.A., crashed the set of Extra during a Kelly Kelly interview and got physical with Menounos before being pulled off by security. But Maria would not be rattled by the heated scuffle, and accepted Beth's challenge for WrestleMania without hesitation.
Beth has long taken exception with the fact that Kelly Kelly is the Diva most embraced by the media while The Glamazon has impressively held the coveted title for over five months and counting. Eve, on the other hand, feels entitled to fame, power and everything else she desires, and hasn't been afraid to break Superstars' hearts as she high-heel steps her way to the top. The determined vixen hasn't cared about losing friends, either. She continually shrugs off Kelly Kelly's harsh criticism on Twitter and it remains to be seen if the two will ever be able to mend their fractured relationship.
Menounos has performed quite admirably in WWE action, as she also was on the winning side of a Six-Diva Tag Team Match on the Oct. 12, 2009 edition of Raw. Menounos, a guest star that night, didn't back down from The Glamazon in that contest as well, giving Phoenix a slap in the face that was never forgotten. However, Beth and Eve have looked more dangerous than ever lately and ready to show why they're the cream of the crop in the Divas division – and why the entertainment show anchor doesn't belong in a WWE ring, let alone at The Show of Shows.
Will Menounos be able to prove the dominant duo wrong? Can Kelly Kelly humble Eve with physical punishment rather than tweets? Expect both scores to be settled at WrestleMania XXVIII.
==Event recap==
===Sheamus vs. Daniel Bryan===
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WrestleMania XXVIII started with an earth-shattering bang as Sheamus defeated Daniel Bryan in 18 seconds to capture his first World Heavyweight Championship – setting a new record for the quickest World Heavyweight Title change in the history of The Showcase of the Immortals.
As Bryan went to kiss his girlfriend AJ, he ignored the fact that the bell had already rung to start the match. Knowing all too well that a Superstar needs to take any advantage he can to find success at The Show of Shows, The Great White didn’t hesitate to capitalize on his opponent’s blunder – Brogue Kicking him for the huge victory.
Since cashing in his Money in the Bank title opportunity at WWE TLC to capture the World Title, Bryan has found a way to retain his title in the most controversial of circumstances. During that time, he has taken on a much more conceited, braggadocios personality that has turned both the WWE Universe and the majority of the locker room against him.
Sheamus promised to teach his adversary humility in their WrestleMania clash. And if beating the champion in 18 seconds is the measuring stick, the WWE Universe is sure to agree that he accomplished both his goals on The Grandest Stage of Them All.
With his history-making feat, Sheamus becomes a three-time World Champion, while Daniel Bryan leaves WrestleMania with egg on his face. How will the submission specialist react to falling to the Irish Superstar in such a hasty fashion? Find out Friday on SmackDown on Syfy at 8/7 CT.
===Kelly Kelly & Maria Menounos vs. Beth Phoenix & Eve===
The uneasy alliance of Divas Champion Beth Phoenix and Eve may have entered the Divas Tag Team Match at WrestleMania XXVIII with experience on their side. However, Kelly Kelly and Maria Menounos hoped to clinch a better result through chemistry as the dynamic Divas duo joined forces on The Grandest Stage of Them All.
Kelly Kelly found herself embroiled in this battle due to her disapproval of Eve’s self-serving actions toward Zack Ryder in recent months. Their rivalry became heated as Eve and The Glamazon grew jealous of Kelly Kelly’s appearance on NBC’s “Extra.” That envy led Phoenix and Eve to direct their ire at Menounos, the co-host of “Extra,” in the middle of a broadcast and triggered a WrestleMania challenge that Kelly Kelly and Menounos accepted.
Eve and Kelly Kelly grappled to a standstill at the bout’s outset until the blonde battler’s early tag to Menounos sent the momentum in the direction of their opponents. The Glamazon continued the barrage on the “Extra” host, but Eve’s showboating allowed Menounos to bring Kelly Kelly back into action.
The momentum shifted away from Phoenix and Eve as Kelly Kelly’s high-flying antics kept her side in the match, which included an impressive counter of the Divas Champion’s signature Glam Slam. Menounos capitalized on the ensuing scrum to sneak up on Phoenix with a roll-up pin to seize her first WrestleMania victory before a Sun Life Stadium record crowd of 78,363.
With the victory, Kelly Kelly and Menounos each accomplished individual achievements as well. Kelly Kelly can now boast her first-ever WrestleMania win following her appearances in Divas tag team action at the 25th Anniversary of WrestleMania and WrestleMania XXVI. Menounos, who will now resume training for ABC’s “Dancing with the Stars,” remains undefeated in WWE competition after also finding success in a Six-Diva Tag Team Match on Raw in 2009.
===Team Johnny vs. Team Teddy===
In a battle for total control over both brands on The Grandest Stage of Them All, it was Team Johnny (Team captain David Otunga, Dolph thumb|right|335 pxZiggler, Jack Swagger, Mark Henry, Drew McIntyre and The Miz) that emerged victorious over Team Teddy, making John Laurinaitis the General Manager of Raw and SmackDown. The match was not without controversy, as a distraction by Eve gave The Miz an opening to take out Zack Ryder with the Skull-Crushing Finale and end Theodore Long’s term in office on Friday night.
Eve, still reeling from her tag team loss to Kelly Kelly and “Extra’s” Maria Menounos, decided to come to ringside to cheer on her “friend” Zack Ryder. Long Island Iced-Z and partners Booker T, Kofi Kingston, R-Truth, The Great Khali and United States Champion Santino Marella, seemed to have things under control until Eve climbed into the ring as Ryder prepared to deliver a Broski Boot. Ryder was distracted by the referee trying to get the vivacious vixen back on the stadium floor, which gave The Awesome One the opening to pick up victory. If things weren't bad enough for Long Island Iced-Z, Eve broke his heart once again, hitting him below the belt after the match.
Miz’s pinfall ends a months-long journey to get back to The Show of Shows. The Awesome One said he had been in a bit of a downward spiral since last year’s WrestleMania, where he was in the main event. He had been on a bit of a losing streak in recent weeks, but now has seemingly redeemed himself on The Grandest Stage of Them All.
Team Teddy’s loss brings Long’s term as General Manager of SmackDown to an unfortunate end, while Laurinaitis has succeeded in taking over both brands. What does this mean for Teddy Long? His fate now rests in the hands of John Laurinaitis. A new day has dawned, as Laurinaitis will reign over Monday and Friday nights. The Era of Excitement has begun. What will it have in store for WWE?
==Match results==
* Singles match for the World Heavyweight Championship: Sheamus defeated Daniel Bryan (c) (w/ AJ Lee) to win the World Heavyweight Championship (00:18)
* Tag team match: Kelly Kelly & Maria Menounos def. Divas Champion Beth Phoenix & Eve Torres (6:49)
* 12-man Tag team match: John Laurinaitis's Team Johnny (David Otunga (Captain), Mark Henry, The Miz, Jack Swagger, Dolph Ziggler and Drew McIntyre) (w/ John Laurinaitis, Vickie Guerrero and Brie Bella) defeated Theodore Long's Team Teddy (Santino Marella (Captain), R-Truth, Kofi Kingston, Zack Ryder, The Great Khali and Booker T) (w/ Theodore Long, Hornswoggle, Aksana, Eve Torres and Nikki Bella) (10:38)
Category:WWE pay-per-view events
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