Keys to the Game 04.06.07: Unlocking a Win at WrestleMania

For a professional wrestler, merely competing at WrestleMania is an achievement in and of itself. Yet for some, earning a victory on that grand stage can be the height of accomplishment. Let’s take a look to see just how a few managed to rack up a WrestleMania “W” this past Sunday.

Money in the Bank Ladder Match
Winner – Mr. Kennedy
Key – Intensity

Is there really a solid strategy heading into a ladder match involving seven other participants? If so, one might wager that part of it would be to stave off injury long enough for an endgame opportunity. Mr. Kennedy managed to avoid such an injury Sunday night, but not for lack of trying.

WrestleMania’s unprecedented eight-man Money in the Bank Ladder match was riddled with high risk moments. Kennedy, while not participating in the most severe instance of the night (See Jeff Hardy and Edge), did take part in two very high risk moments of his own, neither of which could be deemed absolutely necessary.

The first instance ended with the back of Kennedy’s head crashing down across the ladder during an unsuccessful Kenton Bomb. This exchange ended up sidelining Kennedy for a good portion of the match. However, it also allowed Kennedy time to recover and made him much less of a target during that time.

The second occasion involved, of all people, Finlay’s leprechaun, Hornswoggle. While Finlay was overcome with exhaustion, Hornswoggle scaled the ladder to retrieve the Money in the Bank briefcase for his Fenian Fighter (Whether or not this would have resulted in a legal ending of the match is unknown). Kennedy ascended a second ladder, and instead of simply disposing of Hornswoggle, or even merely ignoring him, he instead felt compelled to execute his trademark Lambeau Leap off the ladder in hopes of putting the 4’5″ leprechaun in traction.

Many could view this reckless behavior as losing sight of the ultimate goal. But with Kennedy, it seemed more of a natural expression of himself for the night. This was after all WrestleMania, and with seven other men battling for the same goal, sometimes elevating your state of being in a place where the means are overshadowed by the ends is an absolute necessity. Or maybe he just wanted to maim a midget… Either way, intensity is what Mr. Kennedy brought to this match, and that’s also what helped him to become Mr. Money in the Bank 2007.

United States Championship Match
Winner – Chris Benoit
Key – Experience

While Chris Benoit picked up the victory, as well as a United States title defense, the real winner of this match was perhaps Montel Vontavious Porter (MVP).

Whether or not Benoit underestimated Porter heading into the match is unclear, MVP nearly pulled out an upset, outmatching Benoit at nearly every step throughout Sunday night’s United States Title bout.

MVP’s efforts truly deserve admiration. He obviously came into the match with a game plan, surprisingly matching Benoit’s technical expertise. However, that’s exactly what happened.

In perhaps the best pure wrestling match of the evening, Porter appeared faster, quicker, and stronger than Benoit. MVP’s blend of counter maneuver chain wrestling added with an explosive offense and inventive moves seemed to overwhelm Benoit at times. Porter’s performance negated the one aspect of the match that Benoit should have had hands down: Technical wrestling.

Perhaps the last several weeks of MVP competing (and dominating) sub-par athletes was a cleverly orchestrated ploy to hide Porter’s true talents, as well as an attempt to lull Benoit into a state of overconfidence.

In the end however, Benoit captured the victory, weathering the assertive MVP with experience and toughness, two characteristics that separated them that night. Future meetings between these two will hinge upon which competitor makes the appropriate adjustments for victory.

So while Benoit walked away with a WrestleMania victory and his U.S. Title intact, MVP can walk away knowing that he brought one the best in this business to his limit, and can try to use his performance as a springboard to greater things.

Undertaker – Winner
World Heavyweight Championship Match
Key – Versatility

As previewed in last week’s Keys to the Game , Undertaker survived a Batista Bomb and utilized his two lesser finishers (The Last Ride and Choke Slam) to set up Batista for a=the match ending Tombstone Pile-driver, and secure his WrestleMania undefeated streak and claim his fifth World Title (Pats self on back).

Batista came out of the gates very aggressive, but was unable to gain a considerable advantage early on due in large part to Undertaker’s versatility. To put it simply, Big Dave couldn’t cope with that many offensive looks, and Taker never looked better. Either displaying the agility of “Old School” with the high-flying dive over the top rope or the in-ring speed that negated Batista’s power offensive, Taker’s own brand of power eventually put the Animal down for the count.

Undertaker came into the match with a game plan, kept his head, and stuck to it, unlike Batista, who became visibly frustrated with his inability to keep the Dead Man down.

The end finally came when Undertaker kicked out of the Batista Bomb, leaving The Animal in an unfamiliar and confusing situation. With desperation settling in, Batista attempted his patented finishing move for a second time blatantly revealing Batista’s inexperience in this trip to back to the well. This was the equivalent of a pitcher throwing two straight fastballs in the exact same location to David Ortiz with the game on the line. With the Batista Bomb countered, Undertaker set up to close the match out.

A well fought match by the former champion, but Batista’s name now becomes chiseled onto a gravestone in a cemetery of fifteen

WWE Championship Match
Winner – John Cena
Key – Resiliency

If there’s one trait that could define the John Cena era, (other than fluctuating crowd reactions) it would be his resiliency in the ring. On Sunday night, Shawn Michaels executed his game plan to near perfection. HBK moved with the speed and the cockiness of his more youthful self, picking Cena apart by wearing down his various extremities to totally dominate the tempo for most of the contest.

A perfect performance in a championship match isn’t realistic; mistakes will be made. The difference here is that even the smallest ones by Michaels amounted to major momentum swings due in large part to Cena’s overwhelming power advantage.

Seemingly outmaneuvered for the majority of the match, Cena appeared to lay in wait for opportunities that would come few and far between. Cena’s ability to absorb enormous amounts of punishment enabled the champ to weather Michaels’ technical onslaught. Cena kept his head, hoping the Showstopper’s reckless nature would present an opportunity.

The first major opportunity Cena seized occurred when dodging an attack that sent HBK flying into the ring post. Michaels, now split open, was now vulnerable for Cena’s assault that leveled the playing field.

With Michaels avoiding most attempts by Cena to hit his FU finisher, the STFU would become a much more effective game ending alternative late in the contest. Gone now was Michael’s earlier speed and agility advantage that kept him out of Cena’s grasp. Recognizing this, the champ furiously worked to lock in his submission hold. Once latched on, only reaching the bottom rope can give one chance of getting out of the STFU, and Cena had positioned Michaels in the very center of the ring.
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Ultimately Cena would add another chapter to his ongoing legacy, scoring his fourth consecutive victory in a Championship match at WrestleMania.