The WWE Boneyard Match went in a different direction than what the rest of the WrestleMania 36 matches did on night one. WWE went Hollywood.
Clearly, this wasn't going to be the kind of production that everyone loved. That said, the overall feedback on social media to the Boneyard Match at WrestleMania 36 has been overwhelmingly positive. From a "Hollywood" feel to a new hybrid character to a ton of post-production, it was certainly different.
WWE Superstars like Xavier Woods simply tweeted, "OMG, I LOVED IT". Dominik Dijakovic of NXT said, "Undertaker vs AJ was one of the best @WrestleMania matches of all time." Not everyone agreed. Others called the match cheesy and cringe-worthy, arguing it was "too different."
As the match got started to close the show, the opening camera shot featured a smoke-filled shot of a cemetery. Styles pulled up in a hearse, climbing out of a casket. He claimed he wasn't at all scared and a motorcycle roar could be heard in the background as Metallica blasted with the Undertaker riding up. His entrance included a zoomed in camera shot of his boots and a pan up of his profile, as one might see when the hero pulls up for the first time in blockbuster film.
Like a movie, the credits even showed his name and music and cinematic score played throughout as the two battled in multiple situations. At a few points, the action happened with the sound effects of punches added in. The only real difference here being that each wrestler performed his own stunts.
When The Undertaker tossed Styles into the grave, the O.C. then showed up, along with a number of hooded figures. Surrounded, Undertaker declared, "If we're gonna do this, let's do it." and proceeded to take it to everyone.
The pace slowed, AJ eventually getting the upper hand and sending Taker through a fence. He trash-talked him, saying he just didn't have what it takes any more. Undertaker flipped Styles the bird while seemingly on his last legs. Styles sent Undertaker into the grave, went to load it with dirt and the Undertaker was magically out of the grave and behind Styles.
Taker proceeded to beat down Styles until he finally dumped him into the grave and buried him alive.
What's Next For WWE?
The match will have a lot of people looking forward to the Firefly Fun House and others dreading it. But, it will be interesting to see if WWE uses the feedback it received from the match and does this at any time in the future when fans are back. Clearly, this wasn't something they'd have considered in a full arena.