The road from “Saturday Night Live” fame to WrestleMania infamy is a short one — about 6 feet or so as it turns out. Colin Jost and Michael Che traveled each and every one of them in the Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal, courtesy of a can’t-be-stopped, man-on-a-mission Braun Strowman, who almost singlehandedly ran through the entire field to become the sixth winner of WrestleMania’s signature melee.
The Monster Among Men was all business from the bell, and clearly had no patience for a feel-good story of any kind. Strowman put an end to not just one but several sentimental favorites. SmackDown LIVE mainstay Ali? Gone. A returning Harper? Adios. Last year’s winner Matt Hardy? Him too, as well as his brother Jeff.
Jost and Che, for their part, saw the writing on the wall early on and hid underneath the ring at the opening bell — though Jost, perhaps, wanted to avoid drawing undue attention to his Odell Beckham Jr. Browns jersey — and while they attempted to steal the win by ganging up on Strowman as he tended to the Hardys, their big play failed and they found themselves with nowhere to run.
They tried to get out of it. Jost brought in his therapist to try and talk Strowman down. You can guess what happened to him. Che, wearing wrestling headgear and a WrestleMania hoodie, tried to eliminate himself, only to be stopped on the apron by Strowman and decked to the outside. Jost, inexplicably, found himself with a fighting chance when Braun accidentally got himself tangled in the ropes, but The Monster Among Men overpowered the comedian, hoisted him onto his shoulders, and sent him flying over the ring into a crowd of onlookers to claim the win.
From WrestleMania 35, he’s Braun Strowman. Thank you, goodnight.
Credit: WWE.com
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WWE.com Exclusives/Features > Behind the Scenes > Behind the scenes at WrestleMania 35
WWE Photos > Weekly & Pay-Per-View Digitals > 2019 > Pay-Per-Views > WrestleMania 35
Screen Captures > WWE & TNA Pay-Per-Views > WWE Pay-Per-Views > 2019 > WrestleMania 35
In an explosive preview of Sunday’s Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal and WrestleMania Women’s Battle Royal, 18 Superstars from both matches took sides and squared off in an 18-Person Mixed Tag Team Match on the blue brand.
The two loaded squads threw caution to the wind, and a wild mid-match melee saw bodies flying all over the place and odd interactions between the likes of Mandy Rose and Otis and Nikki Cross and Shelton Benjamin. Jeff Hardy and Asuka remained in the ring after The Charismatic Enigma took out EC3. Hardy and The Empress hugged it out, but then Asuka hurled Jeff Hardy over the top rope, setting the perfect metaphor for both Battle Royals this Sunday: Every Superstar for themselves.
Credit: WWE.com
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WWE Photos > Weekly & Pay-Per-View Digitals > 2019 > Smackdown > April 2nd
Screen Captures > WWE Programs > Smackdown > 2019 > April 2nd
An absolute aerial dream team squared off against a squadron of brutes as The Hardy Boyz, Aleister Black and Ricochet took on The Bar, Shinsuke Nakamura and Rusev on SmackDown LIVE.
With all four teams wanting to fight their way to an eventual SmackDown Tag Team Championship opportunity, the competition was fierce from the bell. However, in the heat of the action, The New Day ran down and attacked The Bar, Nakamura and Rusev in retaliation after the foursome dropped them on Sunday at WWE Fastlane.
The New Day stood tall, but their night was far from over, as they would have to return later to hear Mr. McMahon’s verdict on Kofi Kingston’s WWE Championship aspirations.
Credit: WWE.com
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WWE Photos > Weekly & Pay-Per-View Digitals > 2019 > Smackdown > March 12th
Screen Captures > WWE Programs > Smackdown > 2019 > March 12th
After it was announced earlier in the night that they would compete in a Triple Threat Match for the Raw Tag Team Championship at WWE Fastlane, Ricochet & Aleister Black aimed to head into that bout with some momentum as they took on The Bar on SmackDown LIVE.
Cesaro & Sheamus attempted to use their size and strength advantage to keep the dynamic pairing down, but The One and Only & Dutch Destroyer’s versatile offensive attacks could not be kept in check for long, with Aleister delivering Black Mass to Cesaro then taking out Sheamus as well, followed by Ricochet finishing Cesaro off with the astonishing 630 Splash.
However, Black & Ricochet would have no time to celebrate, as they were instantly ambushed from behind by Rusev & Shinsuke Nakamura. That blindside attack would be fleeting, though, as The Hardy Boyz hit the scene to even the odds, helping Black & Ricochet take all four of their foes down in incredible fashion, as matters only continued to intensify in the blue brand’s tag team division.
Credit: WWE.com
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WWE Photos > Weekly & Pay-Per-View Digitals > 2019 > Smackdown > March 5th
Screen Captures > WWE Programs > Smackdown > 2019 > March 5th
In one of the most memorable moments in recent SmackDown LIVE history, The Hardy Boyz reunited for the first time since 2017 to take on The Bar in an incredible battle on the blue brand.
Jeff & Matt quickly found themselves right back in their old rhythms, going hold for hold and step for step with one of the most dominant tag teams of the last decade in Sheamus & Cesaro. The Bar looked primed to spoil the incredible moment when they literally had Matt Hardy on the ropes, but The Hardy Boyz took out both members of The Bar with Twists of Fate, and Jeff Hardy sealed the deal with an astonishing Swanton Bomb onto The Celtic Warrior for an amazing victory.
Credit: WWE.com
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WWE Photos > Weekly & Pay-Per-View Digitals > 2019 > Smackdown > February 26th
Screen Captures > WWE Programs > Smackdown > 2019 > February 26th
