WrestleMania 23

Infobox Wrestling event
name=WrestleMania 23


tagline=All Grown Up
theme="Ladies and Gentlemen" by Salivacite web|author=Kara A. Medalis and Louie Dee|date=2007-01-17|url=http://www.wwe.com/subscriptions/wwetunes/3242484/salivareturns|title=Saliva returns with WM23 theme song|publisher=WWE|accessdate=2008-02-13] "The Memory Will Never Die" by Defaultcite web|url=http://www.wwe.com/shows/wrestlemania/history/wrestlemania23/|title=Official WrestleMania 23 website|publisher=WWE| accessdate=2008-02-03]
promotion=World Wrestling Entertainment
brand=Raw
SmackDown!
ECW
date=April 1, 2007
city=Detroit, Michigan
venue=Ford Field
attendance=80,103cite DVD-notes|title=WrestleMania 23 [DVD] |titleyear=2007|year=2007|publisher=WWE Home Video|location=Stamford, Connecticut|publisherid= WWE94620]
lastevent=No Way Out (2007)
nextevent=Backlash (2007)
event=WrestleMania
lastevent2=WrestleMania 22
nextevent2=WrestleMania XXIV

WrestleMania 23 was a professional wrestling pay-per-view (PPV) event produced by World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE). It was the twenty-third annual WrestleMania event and took place on April 1, 2007 at Ford Field in Detroit, Michigan.cite web|last=Plummer|first=Dale|coauthors=Tylwalk, Nick|date=2007-04-01|url=http://slam.canoe.ca/Slam/Wrestling/PPVReports/2007/04/15/4024168.html|title=Undertaker the champ, McMahon bald|accessdate=2008-02-22|publisher=Canadian Online Explorer|work=Slam! Sports] The event was the first WrestleMania at Ford Field and the second to take place in the Detroit metropolitan area (following WrestleMania III, at the Pontiac Silverdome, in Pontiac, Michigan).

The event was a joint-brand pay-per-view, featuring performers from the Raw, SmackDown!, and ECW brands. Eight professional wrestling matches were featured on the event's card, in which it featured a supercard, a scheduling of more than one main event. The main match on the Raw brand was John Cena versus Shawn Michaels for the WWE Championship, which Cena won.cite web|first=Louie|last=Dee|date=2007-04-01|url=http://www.wwe.com/shows/wrestlemania/history/wrestlemania23/matches/39161841/results/|title=Detroit, Champ City|publisher=WWE|accessdate=2008-05-17] The predominant match on the SmackDown! brand was Batista versus The Undertaker for the World Heavyweight Championship, in which The Undertaker was victorious.cite web|first=Jen|last=Hunt|date=2007-04-01|url=http://www.wwe.com/shows/wrestlemania/history/wrestlemania23/matches/3916184/results/|title=The streak lives on for The Deadman|publisher=WWE|accessdate=2008-05-17] The primary match on the ECW brand was an Eight Man Tag Team match between The ECW Originals and The New Breed; The ECW Originals claimed victory in the match.cite web|first=Bryan|last=Robinson|date=2007-04-01|url=http://www.wwe.com/shows/wrestlemania/history/wrestlemania23/matches/3916184211/results/|title=Old-schooled, ECW Original style|publisher=WWE|accessdate=2008-05-17] The featured matches on the undercard included Bobby Lashley versus Umagacite web|first=Craig|last=Tello|date=2007-04-01|url=http://www.wwe.com/shows/wrestlemania/history/wrestlemania23/matches/39161842/results/|title=The 'mane' event|publisher=WWE|accessdate=2008-05-17] and an interpromotional Money in the Bank ladder match.cite web|first=Mike|last=McAvennie|date=2007-04-01|url=http://www.wwe.com/shows/wrestlemania/history/wrestlemania23/matches/391618421/results/|title='Bank' on Kennedy! Kennedy!|publisher=WWE|accessdate=2008-05-17]

Tickets for the event went on sale on November 11, 2006. The all-time attendance record at Ford Field of 80,103 that consisted of people from twenty-four countries, all fifty states, and nine Canadian provinces, pumped an estimated $25 million into the local economy, and made this event the highest grossing one-day live event in WWE history, grossing more than $5.38 million in ticket sales.cite web|url= http://corporate.wwe.com/news/2007/2007_04_21.jsp|title=WrestleMania Blows Away Attendance Record At Ford Fields|accessdate= 2007-04-02] This made WrestleMania 23 the highest-grossing pay-per-view in WWE history and the highest-grossing event in professional wrestling history in North America, breaking the previous record of $3.9 million held at WrestleMania X8.cite web|url=http://corporate.wwe.com/news/2002/2002_03_17.jsp|title=WrestleMania X8 Sets Revenue, Attendance Records|accessdate=2007-01-16|publisher=WWE.Corporate] With 1.2 million buys, the event had the highest WrestleMania buyrate ever.cite web|url= http://corporate.wwe.com/documents/1Q2007Presentation_000.pdf|title=Q2007Presentation|accessdate=2007-01-16|format=PDF]

Background

The event featured eight professional wrestling matches that involved different wrestlers from pre-existing scripted feuds, plots and storylines. Wrestlers were portrayed as either villains or fan favorites as they followed a series of events which built tension, culminating in a wrestling match or series of matches.

The main staged rivalry heading into WrestleMania 23 was between WWE Chairman Vince McMahon and Donald Trump. On the January 8 edition of "Raw", Trump faced off against his real-life rival, Rosie O'Donnell. Trump won the contest, although local wrestlers portrayed Trump and O'Donnell.cite web|first=Louie|last=Dee|title= Donald "Trumps" O'Donnell|url= http://www.wwe.com/shows/raw/archive/01082007/articles/39182221|publisher=WWE|date=2007-01-08|accessdate=2007-11-06] During McMahon's "Fan Appreciation Night" on the January 29 edition of "Raw", Trump interrupted and dropped large sums of money into the arena.cite web|first=Noah|last=Starr|title=Has he made his decision?|url=http://www.wwe.com/shows/raw/archive/01292007/|publisher=WWE|date=2007-01-29|accessdate=2007-11-06] The following month, the two came up with a match for WrestleMania, where the stipulations for the match were that they each had to choose a representative to wrestle for them and the loser would have his head shaved bald. This match was then billed as the "Battle of the Billionaires".cite web| first=Brett|last=Hoffman|title=Billion Dollar Handshake|url=http://www.wwe.com/shows/raw/archive/02152007/articles/billiondollarhandshake|publisher=WWE|date=2007-02-15|accessdate= 2007-11-06] McMahon picked Umaga (Edward Fatu) as his representative,cite web|first=Brett|last=Hoffman|title= Chairman's Choice|url= http://www.wwe.com/shows/raw/archive/02192007/|publisher=WWE|date=2007-02-19|accessdate=2007-11-06] while Trump picked Bobby Lashley. After successfully defending his ECW World Championship against Hardcore Holly (Robert Howard) in a Steel Cage match, a match in which the ring is surrounded by a steel cage on an edition of "ECW", Lashley charged at the cage, slammed through it, and landed atop of Umaga, who was at ringside.cite web|first=Craig|last=Tello|title=To hell and back|url=http://www.wwe.com/shows/ecw/archive/02272007/|publisher=WWE|date=2007-02-27|accessdate=2007-11-12] On the March 5 edition of "Raw", Stone Cold Steve Austin (Steven Anderson) was appointed as special guest referee for the "Battle of the Billionaires" match at WrestleMania.cite web|first=Noah|last=Starr|title=A stunning revelation|url=http://www.wwe.com/shows/raw/archive/03052007/|publisher=WWE|date=2007-03-05|accessdate=2007-11-07] On the March 26 edition of "Raw", McMahon faced off against Lashley in a No Disqualification match. In the match, several people interfered on McMahon's behalf, including Lance Cade and Trevor Murdoch (Lance Cade [Lance McNaught] and Trevor Murdoch [William Mueller] ), Chris Masters (Chris Mordetzky), Johnny Nitro (John Hennigan), and Umaga. This interference allowed McMahon to win the bout.cite web|first=Noah|last=Starr|title=The circle is complete|url= http://www.wwe.com/shows/raw/archive/03252007/|publisher=WWE|date=2007-03-26|accessdate=2007-11-08]

The main rivalry on the Raw brand was between John Cena and Shawn Michaels (Michael Hickenbottom) over the WWE Championship. After The Undertaker (Mark Calaway), the winner of the 2007 Royal Rumble match, made his decision to face Batista (David Bautista, Jr.) for the World Heavyweight Championship at WrestleMania, a match to determine the next challenger to the WWE Championship was announced. Michaels defeated Randy Orton and Edge (Adam Copeland) in a match invoving three wrestlers to win a chance to face Cena at WrestleMania.cite web|first=Brett|last=Hoffman|title=Tickets punched for WrestleMania|url= http://www.wwe.com/shows/raw/archive/02052007/|publisher=WWE|date=2007-02-05|accessdate=2007-12-24] On an edition of "Raw", Orton and Edge, who were tag team partners as Rated-RKO, attempted to attack Cena, but Michaels ran-in and attacked them with steel chairs. Before a scheduled tag team match between Rated-RKO and Cena and Michaels, Orton played a video that highlighted the past friendships that Michaels was involved in, before turning on the friend. In the match, Michaels nearly superkicked Cena after Orton moved. Due to a later disagreement, Edge left Orton and walked off backstage, which allowed Cena and Michaels to win the match.cite web|first=Noah|last=Starr| title=Billionaire's brawlers|url= http://www.wwe.com/shows/raw/archive/02262007/|publisher=WWE|date=2007-02-26|accessdate= 2007-11-06] The following week, Michaels responded to the video set-up by Orton, and made comments to do with Cena.

After Michaels defeated Orton, Cena ran-down to the ring and saved Michaels from an attack by Edge and Orton. On the final "Raw" before WrestleMania, Cena and Michaels would team up to face Batista and Undertaker in a rematch from their match at No Way Out. Cena and Michaels looked set to win after performing a synchronized Five Knuckle Shuffle, but Michaels turned on Cena and superkicked him.

The main feud on the SmackDown! brand was between Batista and The Undertaker over the World Heavyweight Championship. Undertaker won the 2007 Royal Rumble match to earn a championship match against any one of WWE's three world championships (WWE, World Heavyweight, or ECW). On the February 5 episode of "Raw", Undertaker chose to challenge Batista for the World Heavyweight Championship. In the weeks leading to WrestleMania, Batista and Undertaker partook in tag team matches. In the beginning of the feud, Batista claimed to have great respect for The Undertaker; however, after several attacks by The Undertaker, Batista claimed to have lost all respect for him.

The main feud on the ECW brand was between two teams of four; The ECW Originals and The New Breed. The feud mainly revolved around which team was the "dominant force" in the revived ECW brand. The two factions of four faced off in several tag team matches throughout the weeks prior to the event. The New Breed seemed to have dominated for several weeks; however, ECW Originals leader, Rob Van Dam, defeated New Breed leader Elijah Burke in a singles match. ECW Original Tommy Dreamer issued the challenge to the New Breed for an eight-man tag team match at WrestleMania, which was accepted by Burke on behalf of The New Breed.

The last major feud involved eight men. Several weeks before WrestleMania, it was announced that the Money in the Bank ladder match would be held again, as it was in the last two years. This year, however, there would be eight men involved, rather than six the two previous years had. Throughout the weeks leading up to WrestleMania, qualifying matches took place on all three shows. On an edition of "Raw", Edge, the winner of the match held in 2005, defeated Rob Van Dam, the winner of the match held in 2006, to earn the first spot in the match. The next night on "ECW", another cross-brand match took place, with CM Punk defeating Johnny Nitro to qualify. On that week's "SmackDown!", King Booker became the third man to qualify, defeating Kane in a Falls Count Anywhere match after The Great Khali interfered.

On the next edition of "Raw", Jeff Hardy pinned Shelton Benjamin in a match to become the fourth man to qualify. The next night on "ECW", Mr. Kennedy defeated Sabu in an Extreme Rules match to earn the fifth spot. On the next "SmackDown!", two qualifying matches took place, with Matt Hardy and Finlay winning their respective match to qualify. The final qualifying match took place on "Raw" between Carlito and Ric Flair. The match was deemed a no-contest after The Great Khali interfered and attacked both men. The following week, on "Raw", Randy Orton defeated Flair and Carlito in elimination match to become the final man to qualify. After Edge and Orton had stopped teaming with each other, the two attempted to get the other taken out of the Money in the Bank ladder match. Both men failed, however, as Edge won a "last chance" battle royal to retain his spot and Orton won a match on "ECW" to retain his.

At No Way Out, WWE United States Champion Chris Benoit and The Hardys (Matt and Jeff) defeated MNM (Joey Mercury and Johnny Nitro) and Montel Vontavious Porter (MVP). After Benoit and MVP had some matches with the two in them (tag team and triple threat matches), MVP decided to start showing he was the "true" United States Champion. MVP would then have matches against the "champions" of other countries (including Luxembourg and Scotland, which in reality were jobbers), beating them within minutes. MVP then challenged Benoit for the title at WrestleMania.

Event

Production

The set design for WrestleMania 23 began development in October 2006 after WWE set designer, Jason Robinson, first received the final logo for the event.cite web|url= http://www.detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070328/ENT0101/703280380/1136/SPORTS07 |title=Big stadium set lets designer push the limits|publisher=The Detroit News|date=2007-03-28|accessdate= 2008-01-13] Robinson and his team first surveyed Ford Field in July 2006 and began planning out the staging and lighting designs. After returning to the stadium in January 2007 for more site surveying, Robinson and his team finalized the set's design in February. The final design resulted in WrestleMania 23 having the largest set ever built for a WrestleMania event.cite web|url= http://www.wwe.com/shows/wrestlemania/history/wrestlemania23/exclusives/wrestlemaniaset |title=WrestleMania gets bigger and brighter|publisher=WWE|date=2007-02-15|accessdate= 2008-01-13] It incorporated 414 LED video screens and automated lights, 10 spotlights, 56 searchlights, 50,000 ft of cable for pyrotechnics and other use, and 35 stage flamethrowers used to produce 30 ft high and 6 ft wide flames, all which gave the set a unique look for each performer's entrance and an expanded stage lighting element of 300 ft in width and 100 ft in height using the specialized stage lighting instruments.cite web|url= http://www.compulite.com/index.php?page_id=183|title=Vector Guides Bandit and WrestleMania 23 as they put on the Most Impressive Show to Date!|publisher=Compulite|date=2007-04-10 |accessdate= 2008-01-13] The ramp used to reach the ring from the entrance set was 187 ft in length.cite web|url=http://www.wwe.com/shows/wrestlemania/history/wrestlemania23/whatsinanentrance/|title=What's in an Entrance?| publisher=WWE|accessdate=2008-01-13]

Though it took three weeks to fully prepare Ford Field, set assembly began the week before WrestleMania 23 and was completed shortly before the day of the event. It took a week for three hundred staff members, unloading and working from forty semi-trucks, to build the set and assemble the event's lighting within Ford Field, far more than the usual forty hours, one hundred staff members, and fourteen semi-trucks required for the production of WWE's weekly television events. After the event concluded, it took around thirty hours to disassemble the set and lighting, also far more than the usual three hours required for WWE's weekly television events.

Pre-show

Before the event went live on pay-per-view, a dark match was held. The Raw tag team of Ric Flair and Carlito defeated SmackDown tag team Chavo Guerrero and Gregory Helms in a Lumberjack match, in which every WWE Superstar not booked on the card surrounded the ring. Carlito pinned Guerrero after a Backcracker to win the match for him and Flair.cite web|author=The Rick|url= http://www.oowrestling.com/recaps/ppv/20070401.shtml|title=WWE WrestleMania 23|accessdate=2008-02-23|date=2007-04-01| publisher=Online Onslaught] cite web|url= http://pwwew.net/ppv/wwf/march/xxiii.htm|title=WrestleMania 23 Results|accessdate=2008-02-23|publisher=PWWEW.net] The event officially began with Aretha Franklin singing a rendition of "America the Beautiful"," reprising her role from twenty years earlier at WrestleMania III.

Preliminary matches

The first televised match of the night was the third-annual Money in the Bank ladder match, this time featuring eight participants; Edge, Jeff Hardy and Randy Orton from Raw, King Booker (with Queen Sharmell), Mr. Kennedy, Matt Hardy and Finlay from SmackDown!, and CM Punk from ECW. The match featured many notable spots, including points where Edge performed the Spear on all the other opponents, followed by Randy Orton doing the same by leveling many of the participants with his RKO later in the match. Mr. Kennedy missed a Kenton Bomb and landed on a ladder on the back of his neck. He instead received a Swanton Bomb from Jeff Hardy. Several dangerous ladder spots were also featured, including Orton hitting an RKO to CM Punk whilst standing on the ladder, and King Booker hitting his Book End to Orton from the top of the ladder as well. Midway through the match, Jeff Hardy climbed a fifteen foot-high ladder inside the ring and on his brother, Matt Hardy's urging, he performed a leg drop off of that ladder onto Edge, who was lying prone on another ladder outside the ring, set-up on the ring apron and the barricade. Due to the impact, the ladder on which Edge was placed, broke in half and he, along with Jeff, were severely injured. They were carried off on stretchers by the paramedics. Later, when Booker was about to retrieve the contract briefcase, Matt Hardy held Booker's wife, Queen Sharmell as a hostage, threatening to perform his Twist of Fate on her. Booker went to her aid and received the Twist of Fate from Matt. Finlay fought Matt for sometime in the ring, and also performed his Celtic Cross to Matt onto a ladder. Finlay's associate Hornswoggle emerged from under the ring and attempted to retrieve the briefcase for Finlay. He was stopped by Kennedy, who performed his Green Bay Plunge on Hornswoggle. Kennedy went on to win the match, only after knocking CM Punk off a ladder by hitting him with another ladder.

The next match was billed as a "SmackDown! vs. Raw Interpromotional match." Raw superstar The Great Khali faced SmackDown! superstar Kane. It was a short match, but contained a notable spot. In homage to Hulk Hogan slamming André the Giant twenty years earlier at WrestleMania III, Kane picked up Khali for the first time and body-slammed him to the mat. The match ended with Khali pinning Kane after a Giant Chokeslam. After the match, Khali choked Kane out with Kane's chained hook, which was a reference to Kane's movie, See No Evil, where his character used said hook as a signature weapon.

A backstage segment was featured next, which involved Cryme Tyme persuading Eugene to dance with Mae Young and The Fabulous Moolah, who were dressed as strippers as Cryme Tyme danced with Extreme Exposé. Also featured in the segment were WWE Legends Slick, Ricky Steamboat, Jimmy Hart, Irwin R. Schyster, Dusty Rhodes, Sgt. Slaughter, Howard Finkel, Gene Okerlund, Pat Patterson and Gerald Brisco, many of whom had not been seen on television in years.

Following the segment was the WWE United States Championship match, with Chris Benoit defending the title against Montel Vontavious Porter. The match started off with a chain of takedowns, holds, and reversals, with MVP keeping up with Benoit, even going for some submission holds. The match lasted almost ten minutes, with Benoit attempting to lock in some of his signature submission holds, but MVP successfully reversed them, including the Crippler Crossface. The two exchanged suplexes and holds until Benoit was able to ascend the top rope and execute a Diving headbutt on MVP, which led to Benoit getting the pinfall victory to retain the WWE United States Championship.

Main event matches

Long time ring announcer Howard Finkel then introduced the WWE Hall of Fame Class of 2007. The next match featured Batista defending the World Heavyweight Championship against The Undertaker. The match started with Batista performing a running tackle, as known as a Spear, which he had recently adopted as a secondary finisher, to Undertaker as the bell sounded. The match went back and forth, with both men countering each other and performing their finishers. Undertaker thought he had the match won after he picked Batista up and threw him down to the mat, but Batista kicked out of the pin attempt. The Undertaker was then able to perform a elevated powerbomb to Batista. Batista was also able to execute his finisher, the Batista Bomb, a sitdown powerbomb. Midway through the match, Undertaker vaulted over the top rope and onto Batista. At one point, Batista was able to perform a running powerslam on The Undertaker through an announce table. Back in the ring, Batista executed a Spinebuster by grabbing The Undertaker by the waist and slamming him down to the mat back first, followed by a Batista Bomb. Undertaker then pinned Batista following a Tombstone piledriver to become the World Heavyweight Champion and emerge from WrestleMania with his winning streak intact. The Tombstone Pliedriver involves a wrestler being held upsidedown. He is then dropped down on his head when the performer falls to his knees. The Undertaker's win made him the only wrestler to have won both the World Heavyweight Championship and the WWE Championship at a WrestleMania.

The ECW Originals (Rob Van Dam, Sabu [Terry Brunk] , Tommy Dreamer [Thomas Laughlin] , and The Sandman [Jim Fullington] ) took on The New Breed (Elijah Burke, Kevin Thorn [Kevin Fertig] , Marcus Cor Von [Montaque Brown] , and Matt Striker [Matthew Kaye] ) next. The short match was fast-paced and had many high and low points for each team. Van Dam pinned Striker after a splash from the top rope to win the match for The Originals.

The match that WWE billed as the "Battle of the Billionaires" was next, as Umaga (representing Vince McMahon) fought Bobby Lashley (representing Donald Trump] , with Stone Cold Steve Austin serving as the special guest referee. Umaga was accompanied to the ring by Vince McMahon and by his "handler" Armando Alejandro Estrada. Lashley was being managed by Donald Trump, who was attended to by Tara Connor. Midway through the match, Austin was attacked by Umaga, causing him to become incapacitated and was taken out of the match for several minutes. Shane McMahon, who attempted to replace him as referee, called the match while being biased towards Umaga. After Umaga got a near-fall on Lashley, Austin pulled Shane out of the ring, gave him a sitdown jawbreaker, also known as a Stunner, and continued refereeing the match. Lashley won the match after a Stunner from Austin and a Spear. After the match, Trump and Lashley shaved McMahon's head bald, followed by Austin executing a Stunner on Trump.

The next match was for the WWE Women's Championship. Ashley (Ashley Massaro) took on champion Melina (Melina Perez). The match was a short, as Melina pinned Ashley with a Bridge pin to retain the WWE Women's Championship.

The main event featured John Cena defending the WWE Championship against Shawn Michaels. The match contained several notable spots, including Michaels falling to his knees to crash Cena's head onto steel steps outside the ring. Cena was unable to execute a Fireman's carry takeover during the match, and Michaels also failed to execute high angle kick to the chin several times. Twice during the match, Cena managed to place Michaels in leg trap sleeper submission hold, with Michaels reaching the ropes to break the hold the first time, but tapping out the second time when Cena placed him back in it, resulting in John Cena retaining the WWE Championship.

Aftermath

John Cena and Shawn Michaels continued their feud, with Michaels betraying Cena the night after WrestleMania on "Raw". During the second of two battle royals, Michaels eliminated himself and Cena, resulting in The Hardys winning the World Tag Team Championship. [cite web|first=Noah|last=Starr|url=http://www.wwe.com/shows/raw/archive/04022007/|title=HBK dumps Cena| accessdate=2008-02-23|date= 2007-04-02|publisher=WWE] On the "Raw" before Backlash, Cena and Michaels wrestled an hour long non-title match, which Michaels won. [cite web|url= http://onlineworldofwrestling.com/results/raw/070423.html|title=Raw results - April 23, 2007|accessdate=2008-02-23| publisher=Online World of Wrestling]

Batista also continued his feud with The Undertaker, facing off against him in a Last Man Standing match the following month at Backlash. The match ended in a no-contest after both men failed to answer the ten count, therefore resulting in Undertaker retaining the title.cite web|url=http://pwwew.net/ppv/wwf/april/2007.htm|title=Backlash 2007 Results|accessdate=2008-02-23|publisher=PWWEW.net] The two faced each other in a Steel cage match on the May 11, 2007 edition of "SmackDown!", which ended in a draw after both men escaped the cage at the same time.cite web |url=http://onlineworldofwrestling.com/results/smackdown/070511.html|title=SmackDown! results - May 11, 2007|accessdate=2008-02-23|publisher=Online World of Wrestling] The feud ended when The Undertaker dropped the World Heavyweight Championship due to a legitimate injury. Edge, who cashed in his Money in the Bank contract, defeated The Undertaker after the Steel cage match to win the title.

Bobby Lashley's feud with Vince McMahon continued for a further three months after the event. Vince, livid after being embarrassed at WrestleMania, vowed to destroy Bobby Lashley and take his ECW Title. At Backlash, Vince, his son Shane and Umaga teamed up a Three on one handicap match against the champion, and after two Samoan Splashes by Umaga from the top rope, Vince pinned Lashley to win the title. The feud continued for a further two pay-per-views, with Lashley pinning Shane in a repeat match from Backlash at Judgment Day, but Vince ruled that as he didn't get pinned, Lashley didn't win the title.cite web|url=http://pwwew.net/ppv/wwf/may/2007.htm|title=Judgment Day 2007 Results|accessdate=2008-02-23|publisher=PWWEW.net] At One Night Stand, Lashley finally defeated Vince in a Street Fight to reclaim the championship.cite web|url=http://pwwew.net/ppv/wwf/june/2007-01.htm|title=One Night Stand 2007 Results|accessdate=2008-02-23|publisher=PWWEW.net]

The match between Chris Benoit and Montel Vontavious Porter expanded into a lengthy feud for the WWE United States Championship, resulting in Benoit retaining via pinfall at Backlash and Porter winning the title in a Two out of three falls match at Judgment Day, winning 2–0.

The feud between the ECW Originals and the New Breed continued, with the New Breed defeating the Originals in an Extreme Rules match on the next edition of ECW. Sabu was released from the company shortly after WrestleMania, and The Sandman was drafted to Raw a few months later in the 2007 WWE Draft. Kevin Thorn left the New Breed shortly after WrestleMania and Marcus Cor Von was also released shortly thereafter. By this point, Elijah Burke and Matt Striker had ceased associating with one another, with Striker eventually being relegated to a manager role for Big Daddy V. In addition, Rob Van Dam left the company when his contract expired shortly after One Night Stand. As a result of all of this, the feud eventually puttered out and was rarely mentioned again.

Reception

Canadian Online Explorer writers Dale Plummer and Nick Tylwalk rated the entire event 8 out of 10 stars, which was the same rating as the previous year's event.cite web|url=http://slam.canoe.ca/Slam/Wrestling/PPVReports/2006/04/03/1517785.html|title=WrestleMania delivers big time on PPV|last=Plummer|first=Dale|coauthors=Tylwalk, Nick|date=2006-04-06|accessdate=2008-09-30|publisher=Canadian Online Explorer] The lowest rated match on the card was Kane versus The Great Khail with a 0.5 out of a 10 star rating, the WWE Women's Championship match between Melina and Ashley was the second lowest rated match; It was rated 2 stars. The "Battle of the Billionaires" match was rated an 8 out of 10 stars. The Batista versus The Undertaker for the World Heavyweight Championship match, one of the matches from the double main event, was rated 7.5 out of 10 stars. The main event match for the WWE Championship was rated a 9 out of 10 stars; the Money in the Bank ladder match received the same rating.

Results

ee also

*List of WWE pay-per-view events
*WrestleMania

References

External links

* [http://www.wwe.com/shows/wrestlemania/history/wrestlemania23/ Official WrestleMania 23 website]