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WWE kicked off the pay-per-view (PPV) portion of its WrestleMania 33 event tonight (Sun., April 2, 2017) at Camping World Stadium in Orlando, Florida with SmackDown Live Commissioner Shane McMahon taking on former WWE Champion AJ Styles. They booked it as a straight up singles match, with no stipulation to tease a big spot from Shane O’Mac, or even a fight.
Sure enough, when they started, it was a wrestling match. By that I mean Shane McMahon, in 2017, was doing arm drags. They did book something of a spot, though, with AJ hitting a baseball slide on Shane sending him up and over the announce desk.
Then there was this, because it’s still a Shane O’Mac match:
Look at the footwork of #SDLive Commissioner @shanemcmahon on display! #WrestleMania pic.twitter.com/TgaL09A3sq
— WWE WrestleMania (@WrestleMania) April 2, 2017
Still, he showed some grappling skill, countering the Calf Crusher into a rear naked choke before rolling over to an armbar before again rolling through for a roll up that got a two count. When Styles got up after this, they hit a double clothesline and sold long enough for the crowd to applaud the sequence.
Not long after, this:
Styles fought his way out to hit a one armed Styles Clash but, shockingly enough, McMahon kicked out.
The #Phenomenal @AJStylesOrg & @shanemcmahon will stop at NOTHING to have the final say at #WrestleMania! #RiseToTheOccasion @DiGiornoPizza pic.twitter.com/oPNDP5iKxx
— WWE (@WWE) April 2, 2017
They did a ref bump spot and that’s when AJ went under the ring to get the gimmicks, like a trash can. He set Shane up in the corner, went to the other side, and attempted — something — but McMahon got up and blasted him with the trash can in mid-air. Then it was his turn to set up for the Coast-to-Coast.
His actually connected.
Coast. To. Coast. #WrestleMania @shanemcmahon @AJStylesOrg pic.twitter.com/vyXTRwfrLq
— WWE (@WWE) April 2, 2017
He did not get a three count on it.
His response to this was to set Styles up on the announce desk to attempt the same flying elbow he hit him with on SmackDown Live. This time, AJ moved out of the way. When they got back in the ring, Styles set him up for the Phenomenal Forearm, one Shane countered with a DDT.
Then he went up top to attempt a shooting star press. Again, Styles moved.
Once again, Styles set up for the Phenomenal Forearm. This time, he hit it clean to score the pinfall and the victory.
What a match.
Get complete results and coverage of WrestleMania 33 right here.