WWE WrestleMania 31

The voice of the Divas division could change radically at WrestleMania 31, when the popular, albeit unlikely, team of AJ Lee & Paige take aim at the top, battling Brie Bella and her fearless twin sister, Divas Champion Nikki Bella.
The match was made official for The Show of Shows on March 9, one week after AJ made her unannounced return from injury to rescue Paige from a two-on-one beatdown at the hands of Nikki & Brie. Paige had appeared to be on the verge of winning the Divas Title from the “fearless” champion until Brie ran interference, intentionally getting her sister disqualified while ensuring the title stayed in the Bellas’ possession.
Despite many previous altercations, “frenemies” AJ and Paige — who fought tooth and nail over the butterfly-emblazoned title in 2014 — look to be united by their common foes, Nikki & Brie, and the union could not be better timed for The Diva of Tomorrow.
The devilish twins spent weeks bullying Paige and using underhanded tactics to turn back her challenges for the title. The Divas division veterans also got the better of the WWE rookie as she struggled to find a tag team partner to support her. When it looked like Paige had no one left to turn to, the unlikeliest ally of all, AJ, reared her head and sent a vicious message to the always-boastful Bellas.
As the #GiveDivasAChance movement continues picking up steam, will AJ & Paige be successful in their effort to supplant the dangerous and sly Bella Twins, or will Nikki & Brie just further demonstrate why they are WWE's most dominant Divas? Perhaps more importantly: Will the WWE Universe witness a paradigm shift in the Divas division at The Showcase of the Immortals?
==Event recap==
===Fatal-4-Way Tag Team Match===
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The best tag team in WWE is Tyson Kidd & Cesaro … FACT! The WWE Tag Team Champions retained their titles in front of an electrified capacity crowd at Levi’s® Stadium after overcoming The Usos, Los Matadores and The New Day’s Big E & Kof Kingston in a high-flying Fatal 4-Way Tag Team Championship clash during the WrestleMania Kickoff.
WWE’s tag team division didn’t disappoint on The Grandest Stage of Them All, kicking off the biggest event in sports-entertainment with an instant classic. The single pinfall contest began with The Swiss Superman and The Dreadlocked Dynamo squaring off, but it didn’t take long for things to quickly spiral out of control after Los Matadores’ Diego tagged himself in. This prompted Cesaro to take his frustration out on Jey Uso, sending the Samoan Superstar over the announce table and onto his previously injured shoulder. Despite his brother being helped off to the locker room just seconds into the matchup, Jimmy stood strong, immediately taking out the competition with a series of superkicks.
The action continued fast and furious, with Superstars tagging themselves in at a rapid rate. But then the battle moved to the outside floor, where the wily Kidd used his wife for protection before El Torito and Naomi launched themselves into the chaos.
The referee had his hands full keeping track of who was legal in the contest, as bodies flew around the ring at a fevered pace. Eventually, Cesaro and Big E showed off their strength in an “OMG” moment, bringing the WWE Universe to its feet as they hoisted Diego & Fernando onto their shoulders while the masked luchadors superplexed Kingston and Kidd to the mat below.
Attempting to take advantage of the chaos below, Jimmy Uso hit a top-rope Splash onto a fallen Big E, only to get tossed from the ring by the legal man, Cesaro. A replay showed The Swiss Superstar had shrewdly tagged himself in before Jey left the top rope, allowing him to secure the pinfall victory and keep the WWE Tag Team Championship around himself and Kidd.
The ”fact-droppers” had talked a big game leading up to The Showcase of Immortals, but like all great WWE champions, they backed it up inside the ring. Now that the Kidd & Cesaro have a victory under their belts on The Grandest Stage of Them All, what’s next?
===AJ Lee & Paige vs. The Bella Twins===
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To say the relationship between AJ Lee and Paige has been a “little strained” is like calling Justin Bieber a “tad overexposed.” When not wrapped in a series of increasingly awkward embraces, the two Divas spent much of 2014 at each other’s throats. That bi-polar dynamic, however, worked to their advantage as AJ managed to capture a Divas Tag Team victory over The Bellas for herself and her “English muffin,” Paige – at WrestleMania 31.
The icy relationship between AJ and Paige began to thaw on March 2 when The Black Widow returned unannounced to rescue Paige from a two-on-one Bella beatdown. With their focus on common adversaries in Divas Champion Nikki Bella and twin sister Brie, the former “frenemies” unique bond appeared to reluctantly solidify over the course of the next several weeks. Yet when a ring mishap cost Paige a chance to take Nikki’s title on Raw one week before The Show of Shows, the duo’s frosty friendship seemed just about over.
During The Show of Shows, Paige and Nikki kicked off the action. The Divas Champion took control of the match when her sister Brie joined in with a flying dropkick into Paige’s midsection. As for AJ, she was thwarted from tagging in after being knocked off the ring apron three times, twice by Nikki and once by Brie.
Although she certainly had her hands full, Paige managed to kick out several times, including once after enduring Nikki’s back-breaking Rack Attack. When the fracas spilled outside the ring, Paige was finally able to crawl back in to make the critical tag. The former longest-reigning Divas Champion mounted a flurry of offense before being able to lock on her Black Widow submission hold, forcing “fearless” champion Nikki to tap out.
And although The Bellas were dealt a humiliating blow at The Show of Shows, the fact remains, the Divas Championship is still tucked firmly under the Bella umbrella. How long it remains there, though, is another question. And will it be AJ Lee or Paige who does the asking?
===Rusev vs. John Cena===
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Under the bright lights of WWE’s Showcase of the Immortals, John Cena gave America the win it was longing for.
The decorated Cenation leader pinned United States Champion Rusev in an incredible fight, capturing the stars-and-stripes title and dealing The Hero of the Russian Federation his first decisive loss since arriving in WWE. Prior to WrestleMania 31, The Bulgarian Brute-turned-Russian sympathizer — who, along with Lana, spent a year denouncing America and its proud citizens — had yet to be pinned or made to submit, accumulating an almost-unfathomable winning streak. Among his many victims was Cena himself, who was left unconscious after their match at WWE Fastlane.
Before the action got under way inside Levi’s® Stadium, Rusev made clear that he viewed the contest as nothing short of a war. As Lana, newly reunited with her charge, led a fleet of Russian soldiers to the ring, Rusev emerged for his WrestleMania debut riding atop a tank and waving the Russian flag. Once inside the ring, Rusev demonstrated his dominance again, halting Eden’s introduction and demanding to be announced first.
Fueled by American pride and seemingly unshaken by The Super Athlete’s larger-than-life presence, Cena wasted no time once the bell rang, exploding out of the corner with a vicious clothesline, only to be leveled moments later by a leg lariat. The Hero of the Russian Federation immediately exploited the opening, raining down headbutts, crushing blows and enormous throws on Cena, before smothering him with a splash in the corner.
Looking to silence a burgeoning “USA” chant, Rusev quickly asserted himself, grabbing the Russian flag from Lana and waving it high above his head. The hubris cost the super-heavyweight, as Cena surged back, connecting with shoulder blocks and the Five Knuckle Shuffle. Rusev scrambled out of an attempted Attitude Adjustment and then regained control, snapping off a belly-to-back suplex.
The momentum continued to swing back and forth, with Cena nailing a leaping tornado, only to be cut off by a series of huge strikes and a jumping knee to the skull. The Cenation leader eventually locked in the STF, prompting Lana to throw her high heel shoe into the ring as a distraction, but Rusev nonetheless reached the ropes, causing the hold to be broken.
Scaling the turnbuckles for perhaps the first time in his career, Rusev rocked Cena with a diving headbutt and then applied the Accolade. Amazingly, Cena muscled his way out before catching Rusev off-guard, springing off the middle rope and landing a modified Stunner. Despite Cena’s innovative offense, Rusev fought back and sank in another Accolade. Still unwilling to let down his country, Cena rose to his feet and again broke the hold before dropping Rusev into position for the STF. Rusev desperately reached for the ropes, but Cena dragged him back to the center of the ring.
Just then, Lana climbed onto the apron to yell at the referee, again distracting Cena. Rusev charged at his challenger, but the quick-thinking Cena moved out of the way and The Super Athlete barreled into Lana, knocking her to the floor. Seeing the opening that he needed, Cena sprang into action, lifting Rusev onto his shoulders and dropping him with the AA for the seismic win.
Steeped in the agony of defeat, Rusev scolded Lana as Cena celebrated his huge win, the beginning of his fourth reign with the first title he ever captured in WWE. Now that the United States Championship is back around Cena’s waist, America can sleep well knowing that, for tonight, the threat of Rusev has been vanquished.
===The Rock confronts The Authority===
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Stephanie McMahon was in the ring with Triple H to say that the attendance was over 76,976 people. Hunter bragged about how he won earlier in the show and that he owned Sting while also saying that he owned all of you. Cue the appearance of somebody special.
The Rock’s music hit and he marched on the ramp to a thunderous ovation from the crowd. He did a lot of posing on the stage, then he walked down the ramp with a purpose and soaked in the cheers from the fans. Loud “Rocky” chants from the fans. Fans chanting “This is Awesome” before he even said. More “Rocky” chants. Stephanie: “Okay we get it you’re happy to see him. Can you be quiet now?” Stephanie says.
The Rock said that they don’t own them and they damn sure don’t own The Rock. He talked about how he was an East Bay boy. He said he was born in the East Bay. Rock told Hunter that there are two choices: Hunter can go back to dress like Terminator again or they can create a WrestleMania right here and right now. Rock fired off some catchphrases after saying that he had one of the best rivalries ever with Triple H. They had a long staredown. Hunter told him that they had a hell of a rivalry and he remembers kicking his ass for most of it, so he doesn’t have anything to prove to him. The Rock said just like The Rock left his heart in San Francisco, Hunter has clearly left his balls in Stamford, Connecticut. Stephanie told Hunter to calm down. She said Rock is there to feed his ego because without The McMahons there would be no Rock. Stephanie brought up Peter Maivia, Rocky Johnson and then said Dwayne Johnson would be nobody without Vince McMahon, Vince McMahon Jr. and Stephanie McMahon. There was also a “Shane O Mac” chant. Awesome. Rock made a smartass comment to her, so Stephanie slapped Rock. Stephanie said that this is her stadium and her people. She told him to leave now.
It looked like The Rock was going to leave. He walked around the ring a bit. He stopped by UFC fighter Ronda Rousey, who is undefeated and a huge star in UFC. Crowd was chanting “Ronda Rousey” for her. She jumped the rail. The Rock brought her into the ring with him. She’s in the new Fast 7 movie with Rock. Fans were chanting “Ronda’s gonna kill you” as Rock paused. Rock said he would never hit a woman, but he has a very good friend who would be happy to. Stephanie said that she and Ronda Rousey are friends. She asked Ronda to tell him. Stephanie put over Ronda as the most dangerous unarmed woman on the planet and she’s the queen of the Octagon. Stephanie said that this is her ring, so she told Ronda to get the hell out of her ring. Ronda grabbed the microphone. She told Stephanie that any ring she steps into is hers and if Steph wants her to leave she should make her. Stephanie told her to get out now. Ronda just stared at her. Rock told Steph that Ronda’s look means she’s going to rip out Steph’s insides and play jump rope with her fallopian tubes. Hunter spoke up to say that’s the last thing Rock will say about his wife.
Rock said fine because he’s done talking. Rock nailed Hunter with punches and then Ronda took down Hunter rather easily. Stephanie tried to strike her. Ronda grabbed her by the arm, then tossed her down and Stephanie bailed. Rock said that’s called being owned and that’s the biggest moment of the night if you smell what The Rock and Ronda is cooking. Stephanie and Hunter went up the ramp with Stephanie holding her arm. The Rock celebrated in the ring with Ronda.
==Match results==
* Tag team match: AJ Lee & Paige def. The Bella Twins (Brie Bella & Nikki Bella) via submission (6:42)
* Singles match for the WWE United States Championship: John Cena def. Rusev (w/ Lana) (14:31)
Category:WWE pay-per-view events
Category:2015 pay-per-view events
Category:WrestleMania
Category:AJ Lee
Category:Brandi Rhodes
Category:Brie Bella
Category:Lana
Category:Lilian Garcia
Category:Naomi
Category:Natalya Neidhart
Category:Nikki Bella
Category:Paige
Category:Stephanie McMahon
Category:Renee Young
Category:Ronda Rousey
Category:AJ Lee & Paige vs. The Bella Twins rivalry
Category:Ronda Rousey & Kurt Angle vs. Stephanie McMahon & Triple H rivalry
Category:Lana & Rusev management
Category:Rusev & Lana vs. John Cena rivalry
Category:AJ Lee vs. The Bella Twins rivalry
Category:Paige vs. The Bella Twins rivalry
Category:Naomi & The Usos management
Category:Natalya & Tyson Kidd management