10 Best Moments Of WWE WrestleMania 33 Weekend

7. The Breakthrough Of Seth Rollins

Lesnar Mania 33
WWE.com

Triple H Vs. Seth Rollins was the best bout (narrowly beating out Goldberg Vs. Lesnar) on a card which over-delivered on match quality.

It was heavy on storytelling and great visual imagery - the sort of match and presentation WWE excels at. Even Rollins' gear was emblematic of the wider storyline. The feathered frills on his gold tights portrayed him as a phoenix. It symbolised his redemption with the typically iconic aesthetic at which WWE is peerless. The narrative fell into their lap, and it's a credit to both men that they generated drama and suspense while still working around the rebuilt knee they couldn't ignore.

It wasn't perfect. The second act dragged, and Rollins' didn't show quite enough fire in the opening five minutes. It was always going to be a methodical slog - it was a Triple H match - but Rollins in the end cemented his protracted turn in a proper, old-fashioned babyface versus heel match elevated by his sympathetic selling and next-level athleticism.

Seth Rollins didn't emerge as the undisputed star of WrestleMania 33 - but his performance was so good that it sufficiently banished the memory of the "CM Punk!" chants he was taunted with on the February 27 RAW.

Contributor
Contributor

Michael Sidgwick is an editor, writer and podcaster for WhatCulture Wrestling. With over seven years of experience in wrestling analysis, Michael was published in the influential institution that was Power Slam magazine, and specialises in providing insights into All Elite Wrestling - so much so that he wrote a book about the subject. You can order Becoming All Elite: The Rise Of AEW on Amazon. Possessing a deep knowledge also of WWE, WCW, ECW and New Japan Pro Wrestling, Michael’s work has been publicly praised by former AEW World Champions Kenny Omega and MJF, and surefire Undisputed WWE Universal Champion Cody Rhodes. When he isn’t putting your finger on why things are the way they are in the endlessly fascinating world of professional wrestling, Michael wraps his own around a hand grinder to explore the world of specialty coffee. Follow Michael on X (formerly known as Twitter) @MSidgwick for more!