16 Match Star Ratings For WWE WrestleMania 39
4. Bianca Belair Vs. Asuka - Raw Women's Title Match
This wasn't blow-away fantastic from beginning to end, but the beginning and the end made the entire presentation feel blow-away fantastic when it counted.
Bianca Belair's entrance - she was flanked by a tremendous dance performance from the Divas of Compton - was one of the sweetest things WWE has ever done. The talent and the spirit shown by those girls was breathtaking. It was so lovely.
The finish of the match was sensational, too. The entire sequence, from Asuka missing the mist spot, only to reveal that her submission game is more deadly with a stunning KOD reversal into an armbar, was incredible. The peril orchestrated was so sublime, and Asuka's ability to ensnare Bianca in a heartbeat so impressive, that the most predictable match on the card was plunged into doubt within a few, exhilarating seconds. Belair's power-up spot drew a gigantic reaction.
That noise level wasn't sustained throughout, and while Bianca's powerbomb on the outside was gnarly, elements of the match weren't very tight. More than one convoluted reversal sequence felt loose, as a result of over-ambition possibly, but the match peaked at the most optimum time and did just about enough to preserve Belair's impeccable WrestleMania record.
Star Rating: ★★★¾