Santa Clara was scorching. That’s the first thing you have to remember about March 29, 2015. Levi’s Stadium wasn't just a venue; it was an open-air furnace that changed the entire vibe of the show. If you watch the replay now, the daylight makes everything look crisp, almost like a high-def movie, but it also kind of killed the mystique for guys like The Undertaker. Seeing the "Deadman" walk to the ring in broad daylight felt weird. Wrong, even.
But man, the cast of WrestleMania 31 delivered.
People talk about the "Heist of the Century" with Seth Rollins, but the roster that night was actually one of the most balanced groups WWE ever put together. You had the old guard like Sting and Triple H rubbing shoulders with the "new" era of Roman Reigns and Seth Rollins. It was a literal bridge between two different worlds of pro wrestling.
The Night a Stunt Double Outshone the Stars
Before the main show even kicked off, the pre-show featured a 30-man André the Giant Memorial Battle Royal. Honestly, the winner—Big Show—wasn't the story. The story was Damien Mizdow.
Remember him?
🔗 Read more: Who Won 2022 World Cup? The Night Lionel Messi Finally Conquered Football
He was The Miz’s "stunt double," mimicking every move Miz made. The crowd at Levi's Stadium was absolutely unglued for him. When he finally turned on Miz and dumped him over the top rope, the pop was louder than almost anything else that night. It’s a bit of a tragedy that WWE didn't do more with him afterward. The cast of WrestleMania 31 was filled with these "blink and you'll miss it" moments of pure organic stardom.
The Ladder Match Chaos
The actual show opened with a seven-man ladder match for the Intercontinental Championship. This wasn't a technical masterpiece; it was a car crash. You had:
- Daniel Bryan (the eventual winner)
- Bad News Barrett (the champion going in)
- Dean Ambrose
- Dolph Ziggler
- Luke Harper
- R-Truth
- Stardust
The spot where Luke Harper powerbombed Dean Ambrose through a ladder propped up on the outside? Brutal. Ambrose's head bounced off the steel like a basketball. It’s one of those moments that makes you realize these performers aren't just "acting."
Why the Sting vs. Triple H Match Still Bothers Fans
Sting’s debut in a WWE ring was supposed to be a legendary moment. And for the most part, it was a nostalgia overload. We saw the New World Order (nWo) come out to support Sting, and D-Generation X (DX) storm the ring for Triple H. It was the Monday Night War personified.
But Triple H winning?
Most fans still think that was a mistake. Sting was the last WCW holdout, the franchise player who never jumped ship. Having him lose his only WrestleMania match felt like Vince McMahon getting one last dig at Ted Turner’s old company. It didn't matter that they shook hands afterward. The optics were just... off.
Despite the weird booking, the cast of WrestleMania 31 involved in that segment—Hulk Hogan, Kevin Nash, Scott Hall, Shawn Michaels—created a visual that we’ll probably never see again. It was a Hall of Fame induction ceremony that broke out into a brawl.
📖 Related: Major League Baseball Records: The Stories Behind the Numbers That Won't Ever Fall
Rusev Rode a Tank (Seriously)
If we’re talking about the best entrances in history, Rusev is in the top five. He defended his United States Championship against John Cena, and he didn't just walk out. He rode a freaking Russian tank to the ring.
Cena won, because of course he did. But Rusev (now Miro) looked like an absolute megastar that night. It was also a pivotal moment for Lana, who was at the height of her "Ravishing Russian" persona before the creative team eventually shifted her character into a more generic role.
The Main Event and the Family Drama
The main event was Brock Lesnar vs. Roman Reigns. At the time, the fans were rejecting Roman hard. They didn't want him as the next "guy." The match itself was a physical masterpiece—Lesnar basically suplexed Roman into another dimension while Roman just kept smiling and asking for more.
Then the music hit.
Seth Rollins sprinting down the long ramp with his Money in the Bank briefcase is the image everyone associates with this show. He pinned Roman, stole the title, and vanished into the night.
Backstage Reality: Not many people know this, but Roman’s family—the legendary Anoa'i family—was reportedly livid. They were expecting a coronation for Roman. When the script changed last minute to Rollins winning, it caused some genuine tension behind the curtain. It wasn't just a "storyline" disappointment; for a family with that much wrestling history, it felt like a snub.
👉 See also: Finding the Ghost of Ebbets Field Home Plate: Where the Brooklyn Dodgers Actually Stood
The Full Participant List (Beyond the Big Names)
The cast of WrestleMania 31 wasn't just the guys in the posters. It was a massive production.
- The Commentators: Michael Cole, Jerry Lawler, and JBL.
- The Celebrities: Ronda Rousey (who had that iconic segment with The Rock and Stephanie McMahon), LL Cool J (in the video package), and musical acts like Skylar Grey and Travis Barker.
- The Tag Team Cluster: The pre-show four-way saw Tyson Kidd and Cesaro defend against The New Day, The Usos, and Los Matadores. It’s wild to think that The New Day were actually the "bad guys" back then and the fans hated them.
Final Takeaways
WrestleMania 31 succeeded because it leaned into the chaos. It didn't try to be a perfectly choreographed stage play. It felt like a fight that occasionally got interrupted by a concert or a tank.
If you're looking to revisit this era, don't just watch the highlights. Watch the entrances. Watch the way the California sun slowly sets over the stadium, changing the lighting from a bright sporting event to a gritty night-time drama.
Next Steps for Fans:
- Watch the "WWE 24" documentary on WrestleMania 31 for some incredible footage of Seth Rollins finding out he was winning the title just hours before the match.
- Compare the crowd reaction for Roman Reigns in 2015 to his "Tribal Chief" run—it's one of the greatest character arcs in the history of the business.
- Look up the "RKO out of nowhere" Randy Orton hit on Seth Rollins earlier in the night. Most fans agree it's the single best counter-move ever caught on camera.
The cast of WrestleMania 31 proved that even when the "build" to a show is shaky, the performers can save it. They did more than save it; they made it one of the top five Manias of all time.