WrestleMania 35

WrestleMania 35 was the 35th annual WrestleMania professional wrestling pay-per-view and WWE Network event produced by WWE. It was held on April 7, 2019, at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey. The event was notable for featuring the first women's main event in the history of the showcase, with Becky Lynch defeating Ronda Rousey and Charlotte Flair in a Winner Takes All match to win both the WWE Raw Women's Championship and the WWE SmackDown Women's Championship.

Event overview

The overarching narrative focused on the culmination of a long-running rivalry between Becky Lynch, Ronda Rousey, and Charlotte Flair, a storyline that dominated both the WWE Raw and WWE SmackDown brands in the months leading to the event. This built upon the historic women's evolution within WWE, which had seen landmark matches like the first women's Royal Rumble and the first all-women's pay-per-view, Evolution. Other major storylines included Kofi Kingston's emotional journey to challenge for the WWE Championship against Daniel Bryan, and Seth Rollins seeking to dethrone the dominant Universal Champion Brock Lesnar. The event also featured the final in-ring match for the legendary Kurt Angle, who faced Baron Corbin in a retirement match.

Matches and results

The main card opened with Tony Nese winning the WWE Cruiserweight Championship from Buddy Murphy in a match taped for 205 Live. The televised kickoff show featured two matches: the Women's Battle Royal, won by Carmella, and the André the Giant Memorial Battle Royal, won by Braun Strowman. The main pay-per-view began with Brock Lesnar defending the Universal Championship against Seth Rollins, who won the title after a swift offensive. In a highly celebrated moment, Kofi Kingston defeated Daniel Bryan to win the WWE Championship, aided by his New Day teammates Big E and Xavier Woods. The Triple H versus Batista No Holds Barred match resulted in a victory for Triple H, while Shane McMahon defeated The Miz in a Falls Count Anywhere match. The historic main event saw Becky Lynch force Ronda Rousey to submit to win both women's championships.

Production and promotion

The event was promoted under the tagline "Dare to Dream" and featured a large-scale set design incorporating the New York City skyline and the Statue of Liberty. Major promotional appearances included a performance by WWE Hall of Famer and Raw commentator JBL hosting a financial-themed segment. Musical performances were provided by Hall of Famer Kid Rock and a choir rendition of "America the Beautiful" by Yolanda Adams. The buildup was heavily featured across WWE's weekly programming on USA Network and Fox networks, with significant coverage on the WWE Network and digital platforms.

Reception and legacy

Critical reception was mixed, with praise directed at the emotional victory of Kofi Kingston and the historic nature of the women's main event, but criticism aimed at the length of the over-seven-hour broadcast and some underwhelming match outcomes. The event is primarily remembered for its landmark main event, symbolizing the peak of the women's evolution in WWE. The victory of Becky Lynch was widely covered in mainstream outlets like ESPN and Sports Illustrated. However, the retirement match of Kurt Angle was viewed as a disappointing conclusion to his storied career. The event's legacy is cemented by its record-breaking attendance and its role in advancing women's wrestling to the top of the card.

Attendance and business

The event set a new MetLife Stadium record for highest-grossing entertainment event, with a reported attendance of 82,265. It generated a live gate of $16.9 million, breaking the previous record held by WrestleMania 29, which was also held at the same venue. Merchandise sales were significant, driven by the popularity of Becky Lynch and Kofi Kingston. The success contributed to WWE's strong quarterly financial performance and demonstrated the drawing power of the WrestleMania brand in major markets. The economic impact on the New York metropolitan area was substantial, with thousands of international fans traveling for the event and related activities like WrestleMania Axxess.

Category:WWE pay-per-view events Category:WrestleMania Category:2019 in professional wrestling Category:Sports competitions in New Jersey Category:2019 in American sports