Hunter continued to sneer at Bryan, then smirk toward the crowd as the two wrestlers felt out the crowd. Hunter then walked toward Bryan and extended his hand, but Bryan responded with a kick to the hand. A roll-up produced a two count, freaking out Hunter. Bryan followed with rapid-fire kicks in the corner, sending Hunter scampering to the floor for a breather. As Steph tried to help Hunter calm down, Bryan extended his hand in the ring. Nice opening.
Back in the ring, Hunter tried to work on Bryan's shoulder, but Bryan responded with a take-down into a side headlock. Hunter responded with a take down, but Bryan responded with uppercuts. Meanwhile, Lawler said he thinks Hunter put this match on first so that if he wins, he could rest up for the main event. Bryan went for kick strikes, but Hunter grabbed Bryan's foot and leg-wrenched him. Hunter thought he was in control again, but Bryan knocked him to the floor. Steph checked on Hunter, then Bryan came off the top turnbuckle with a flip dive aimed for Hunter, but Bryan seemed to take the worst of it.
Back in the ring, Bryan covered Hunter for a two count. "You're never going to win!" Steph shrieked from ringside. On the floor, Hunter took Bryan to the announce table and yanked Bryan shoulder-first down onto the announce table. "Yes!" Steph mockingly shouted. Back in the ring, Hunter went to work on Bryan's shoulder as the announcers said this looks like all of Bryan's hard work coming to an end. But, Bryan responded with a strike that sent Hunter to the floor. Bryan prepared for a suicide dive, but Hunter responded with a strike to the face. Hunter then smashed Bryan across the ring apron.
Bryan made it back into the ring just before ten, then Hunter applied a cross-face chicken wing. "Daniel Bryan" chant as Bryan tried to fight off the hold. Hunter then flowed into a cross-face submission, looking to avenge WM20. Bryan made it to the bottom rope, though, to get a rope break. Hunter then yanked down on Bryan's shoulder to keep working on the injury. Suddenly, Bryan fought back with strikes. Hunter responded, then Bryan knocked down Hunter with a flying attack.
Reset at 13:30. Bryan followed with a German Suplex for a nearfall. Then a second with a bridge for another two count. Bryan tried a third German, but Hunter blocked and nailed a German of his own. Both men sold the effects of the sequence, then Hunter covered for a two count. The match then moved to the top turnbuckle, where Bryan fed off "Yes!" chants to block Hunter and deliver a big sunset flip powerbomb. Both men sold on the mat.
At 16:30, Bryan got up and delivered two running knee strikes in the corner, but Hunter responded to the third attempt with a big lariat. Both men sold on the mat as Steph exclaimed, "Yeaaaah!" Hunter was slow to his feet and approached Bryan for the Pedigree, but Bryan blocked and jack-knifed Hunter for a two count. Kick strike to the head and the crowd rallied hard behind Bryan. Bryan climbed to the top for a diving headbutt, but Hunter got his leg up to block. Hunter immediately went to the cross-face submission, Bryan crawled across the ring, but Hunter rolled them over to the center of the ring. Bryan managed to escape and also reverse into a cross-face of his own, popping the crowd. Hunter flailed his arm, but Bryan locked it on tighter as Steph sold concern ringside. Hunter teased tapping, but finally reached the bottom rope for a break.
Hunter rolled to the floor for a breather, then Bryan got up and delivered a suicide dive. Then, a second suicide dive to the outside. Bryan took Hunter back into the ring and followed with a top-rope missile dropkick. Bryan kipped up like Shawn Michaels, then delivered one Yes! Kick. A second. A third. A fourth. Big wind-up for a fifth to the head. But, Hunter kicked out just before three as Steph seemed to be out of energy ringside.
Bryan wanted to end it with the big running knee, but Hunter responded with a spinebuster. Hunter flowed right into a Pedigree, but Bryan kicked out at two. The crowd popped, then erupted into "Yes!" chants as Steph sold concern that maybe she underestimated Bryan. Steph tried to give Hunter a pep talk, but Bryan caught Hunter with a roll-up for a close two count. Hunter responded by unloading on Bryan with right hand strikes. He then went for a second Pedigree, but Bryan countered with a bridge pin for a close two count. Hunter maintained the Pedigree grip, though, and Bryan blocked a second Pedigree attempt. So, Hunter drove knees to Bryan's head.
Hunter again gripped Bryan for a Pedigree, but Bryan reversed into a wind-up kick to the face. Bryan tried a big kick, but Hunter blocked. Bryan blocked a follow-up from Hunter, created separation, and smashed Hunter with a big running knee. Cover and a three count. Clean win for Bryan.
Post-match: The crowd erupted in "Yes!" chants as Bryan and Hunter recovered on the mat. Bryan stood up and celebrated by holding up one finger that he's got one more to go. Suddenly, Steph entered the ring and slapped Bryan. Bryan smiled, so Steph kept slapping him. Hunter then attacked Bryan from behind and posted him. Hunter grabbed a chair and smashed it across Bryan's shoulder, creating questions over whether Bryan can make the main event. Hunter and Steph then left the ring as Bryan was tended to by the ringside doctor.
WINNER: Bryan at 25:58. Very good WrestleMania match. The post-match attack now sets up the show-long question of whether Bryan will make the main event.
0 comments:
Post a Comment