WrestleMania 33 has pretty much ruled, but it hasn’t been brief. With four matches still to go five and a half hours after the Kickoff began, you could forgive fans at home and in Camping World Stadium for getting a little sleepy.
Fortunately, Bray Wyatt - who always has one of the best entrances - and Randy Orton - who’s walked in to cascading fireworks and giant snake displayed on the LED ramp - announced their presence with authority.
#TheViper @RandyOrton can strike at ANY moment as he hopes to once again become @WWE Champion! #WrestleMania pic.twitter.com/isWZnwUoPp
— WWE WrestleMania (@WrestleMania) April 3, 2017
The Viper followed up with a Thesz Press and rapid fire punches at the bell to set up an early attempt at an RKO. World champ Wyatt bailed, and got in some offense of his own when he made the challenger chase him around the ring and back into the ring.
Then things got weird.
Not that this program, which has involved unleashing the spirit of Sister Abigail via arson, bathing in ashes and a “crusix”, hasn’t been weird for a while. But having giant, writhing maggots appear on the canvas while the Eater of Worlds hung upside down in the corner and eyed his prey was a unique WrestleMania moment.
WHAT kind of mind games has @WWEBrayWyatt brought to this #WWETitle match?! #WrestleMania @RandyOrton pic.twitter.com/3V6Jz3kdYw
— WWE WrestleMania (@WrestleMania) April 3, 2017
Until it happened again a few minutes later.
It left Orton shook. He almost took Sister Abigail (the move, not the unleashed spirit) a moment later, but recovered on the floor to counter a charge with a drop kick. But then Bray connected with his finisher into the barricade. The Viper was smart to keep on the move, rolling through the ring to prompt Wyatt to chase him - and leave him prone for an RKO OUT OF NOWHERE!
#RKOOuttaNowhere to @WWEBrayWyatt, but @RandyOrton can't win the #WWETitle outside the ring! #WrestleMania pic.twitter.com/eukZ2O2Xe1
— WWE (@WWE) April 3, 2017
Randy still needed to get the champ back in the ring, and that allowed Wyatt to recover enough to kick out at two. Orton got re-acclimated from there, and landed a backbreaker and DDT in rapid succession. But an in-ring RKO attempt was countered with Sister Abigail, and when that didn’t end it, we were treated to an image of a ring full of locusts.
Cowboy Bob’s boy was ready from there, however. And he answered the supernatural with an RKO OUT OF NOWHERE to win this 13th WWE title.
For complete WrestleMania 33 results and coverage of every match on the card click here.