Opinion

Ranking Every Money in the Bank Cash In

Published

6 years ago

May 17, 2018

19. Baron Corbin – SmackdownLive – 2017

It’s a shame that the bottom of this list is occupied with a superstar with such potential. Much of his luster diminished when he failed to cash in on Jinder Mahal. John Cena was able to distract the Lone Wolf, assisting in Mahal retaining the championship. Since then Corbin hasn’t been able to pick up the same momentum. Many predicted Corbin to win the WWE Championship in 2017, but it just wasn’t meant to be. Hopfully he can get back on track on RAW, but that doesn’t look to be going well so far.

18. Damien Sandow – RAW 2013

While his stint as the Miz’s stunt double may be the most remembered part of Sandow’s career, he was a carrier of the Money in the Bank contract. What makes this so forgettable is that Sandow was unsuccessful in his cash in attempt. John Cena, who has earned a reputation for being involved in every failed cash in, had become World Heavyweight Champion from out of nowhere, and was in the sights of Sandown. Unfortunately, despite a great showing, the Intellectual Savior of the Masses was unable to win the gold. It wouldn’t be long before Sandow found himself becoming a comedy character for the undercard. And we all know how that ended up.

17. John Cena – RAW 1000 – 2012

In a surprising turn of events, the face of the company at the time was the first man to fail at cashing in the Money in the Bank contract. Going in it seemed Cena would take the WWE Championship from Punk to end RAW 1000 on a title change. Big Show interfering cost Cena the match it what is surprisingly the only cash in to end in a disqualification. There’s not much to say about this other than it’s the first ever failed cash in, and that’s one of if not it’s only redeeming factors.

16. Jack Swagger – RAW 2010

Jack Swagger could have been another career made by the Money in the Bank contract. Unfortunately, his title run was very lackluster, and the rest of is career never recovered, despite attempts by WWE. Like most cash ins Swagger’s was shocking a memorable. Taking the World Heavyweight Championship from Chris Jericho should have made Swagger a star, and it did for a short while, but the All American American would sadly never see those heights again.

15. Alberto Del Rio – Summerslam – 2011

When talking about the greatest debut years in WWE history, it would be hard to not bring Alberto Del Rio into the conversation. Not only was he the winner of the largest Royal Rumble (at the time), but he also won the Money in the Bank contract in record time since his debut. While this did solidify Del Rio’s in the main event, his cash in did do away with the “Summer of Punk” that the WWE fans were so eager to witness. If it weren’t for this (or the sudden interjection of Kevin Nash) this may be looked back upon more fondly.

14. Sheamus – Survivor Series – 2015

Sheamus may be the most underrated talent under the WWE umbrella. While he has been world champion multiple times, he has never seemed to make that connection to the fans, thus making him feel like he never clicked as a top guy. Come 2015 Money in the Bank, and having Sheamus win the briefcase was a breath of fresh air as Roman Reigns had been heavily rumored to become Mr. Money in the Bank. Sheamus even cashed in on Reigns to rip the WWE Championship from the Big Dog. However, Sheamus felt like nothing more than a paper champion. His was able to have a few solid contests with Reigns but the inclusion of the League of Nations is definantly not the highlight of his career. This is one where you can look at the glass half full, but with Roman Reigns in the picture, a lot of people will look at it as half empty.

13. Carmella – SmackdownLive – 2018

Since Carmella is still in her SmackdownLive Women’s Championship reign, it is hard to tell how meaningful her cash in will be. Time will tell us if the first Ms. Money in the Bank will be remembered as such. The cash in itself has gone through its fair share of criticism as Charlotte had defeated Asuka two nights prior at WrestleMania 34. But it was also nice to see the title scene mixed up. She may be placed higher or lower on such lists in the future, until then, you can take it or leave it.

12. The Miz – RAW – 2010

The Miz was such a divisive topic back in 2010 that it’s hard to believe he’s one of the best characters on WWE television today. The Money in the Bank contract was made for someone like the Miz. It not only launched him to the main event but it complemented is character. His title reign following was mixed at best, and some fans debate on weather he was worthy of the main event of WrestleMania at the time. But even if the cash in wasn’t the best, it paved the way to the Miz we see today.

11. CM Punk – RAW – 2008

Despite his popularity, Punk’s first Money in the Bank win seemed a tad premature. Edge being on the receiving end of a cash in was a sight to behold, but other than that, there was nothing special about this. The following reign was disappointing at best. Luckily for Punk, he would have another crack at the briefcase. But for the time, Punk fans were just happy he got a run with a top championship.

10. Kane – Money in the Bank – 2010

Kane currently possesses the shortest stint with the Money in the Bank briefcase, cashing in on the same night he won it. It is one of the reasons Kane isn’t remembered much when Money in the bank winners are brought up. But he isn’t the most forgettable either. One of the main complaints for Kane winning was that he won over a lot of young talent that could have made their career cashing in. However, this would turn out to be Kane’s last run on top, and with his career coming to a close, it was nice to see The Devil’s Favorite Demon stand at the top one more time.

9. Edge – Smackdown – 2007

The cash in is one of the most remembered for the sole fact Edge cashed in on the Undertaker. Other than that, this was largely forgettable. Edge didn’t even win the briefcase at first, winning from then Mr. Money in the Bank, Mr. Kennedy. Of course, it couldn’t compare to his first cash in, but the way he changed up the landscape is certainly a reason to remember this one. It only added to the name Ultimate Opportunist.

8. Randy Orton – Summerslam – 2013

When Randy Orton won Money in the Bank, a lot of fans were disappointed. The Money in the Bank had been used as a platform to launch mid-card superstars to the top, so when multi-time world champion Orton unhooked the case, there was some backlash. But the eventual result was better than we could have ever imagined. His cash in on Daniel Bryan was heartbreaking, and set the ground work for Bryan reaching the panicle at WrestleMania 30. While this didn’t immediately make a star, it ultimately paved Daniel Bryan’s road to being the biggest face of this generation. Speaking of Daniel Bryan…

7. Daniel Bryan – TLC – 2011

The thing that separates Bryan from a lot of people on this list is that his Money in the Bank cash in was not the highlight of his career. That’s not to say his cash in was bad, it just can’t compare to his Yes Movement. Nonetheless, if Orton’s cash in ignited the Yes Movement, this is where the firewood was stacked. Bryan had actually cashed in before, but the result had been reversed due to Teddy Long stating Mark Henry was not cleared to compete. That only prolonged the inevitable, as Bryan would cash in on the Big Show at TLC. A great moment for Daniel Bryan early in his WWE career. Proving that he was a main player before he was B+.

6. Dean Ambrose – Money in the Bank – 2016

Money in the Bank 2016 will forever be the night where all three members of the Shield held the WWE Championship. And that’s one of the main reasons this cash in ranks so high. Ambrose did deserve the win, and cashing in on Rollins was nothing short of poetic. The reign that followed however didn’t live up to the hype. A fine yet disappointing Shield triple threat didn’t kick off Dean’s reign in the best way and a lackluster feud with Ziggler over the prize wasn’t a great showing for the WWE title going into the brand split. It is still a great moment for Ambrose and Money in the Bank, even if Rollins defeating Reigns was much more shocking than the cash in.

5. CM Punk – Extreme Rules 2009

I’m not the biggest CM Punk fan, but I won’t deny how great this cash in was. With Jeff Hardy finally capturing the World Heavyweight Championship, Punk decided to rip it right from his hand, and claim his spot on top of the mountain. This would lead to one of the best feuds of the PG Era between Hardy and himself, and proved that Punk was a star before his pipe bomb.

4. Rob Van Dam – ECW One Night Stand – 2006

Despite his reign being cut short due to real life interferences, RVD’s Money in the Bank cash in will live forever was one of the best. The boisterous crowd is remembered as one of the best in WWE history (though it was technically an ECW crowd) and it gave the match an extra few layers. RVD’s victory over the Leader of the Cenation was not only a defining moment for Mr. Monday Night, but fit was a last hurray for ECW.

3. Dolph Ziggler – RAW – 2013

This would be second if Ziggler’s reign had more impact, alas, it will have to settle for third. Nonetheless, the cash in in question is one of the most memorable moment in modern WWE. The RAW after WrestleMania had been gaining a reputation for big moments, but this is where it was perfected. With World Heavyweight Champion Alberto Del Rio prone after a vicious attack by Jack Swagger, Dolph cashed in with the support of nearly every fan in the arena and watching from home. It was a feel good moment for such an underrated talent. Unfortunately, Ziggler has yet to reach that level since then, but if this turns out to be the peak of his career, it’s not a bad peak to have.

2. Edge – New Years Revolution – 2006

The greatest concepts of WWE always have an amazing first showing. Hell in a Cell, Elimination Chamber, TLC. The Money in the Bank cash in is no different. We witnessed history as Edge cashed in his contract on a prone John Cena who had gone through a brutal Elimination Chamber match before Mr. McMahon came out to announce the cash in himself. Edge’s victory would go on to become a measuring stick for cash ins going foreword. Not to mention the subsequent reign defined the final moments of the Ruthless Aggression Era. The first Money in the Bank cash in not only solidified Edge’s career, but the Money in the Bank itself.

1. Seth Rollins – WrestleMania 31 – 2015

It’s nearly set in stone at this point that Seth Rollins possesses the greatest cash in of all time. Cashing in in the main event of WrestleMania is the perfect time to make your mark, and it’s a wonder why nobody has done it before. As Roman Reigns was getting ready to overthrown Lesnar to become “The Guy,” the majority of fans were voicing their displeasure of the whole concept. The build to their match was not well received, and there was little interest going in. The two put on a decent main event, but their was still one lingering problem of who was walking out with the WWE Championship. With both men down, Seth Rollin’s hit the PA system and the Levi’s Stadium erupted.

Let us know what you think on social media @ChairshotMedia and always remember to use the hashtag #UseYourHead!

Related Topics:Cash In CM Punk Dolph Ziggler edge Featured Big John Cena Money In The Bank Rob Van Dam Seth Rollins WWE

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Opinion

Greg DeMarco’s Top 5: The Final Opponent For John Cena In WWE

It’s obvious that John Cena is nearing the end of his legendary career, and he’s suggested ending it at WrestleMania 41. Who should be his final opponent?

Published

2 weeks ago

April 11, 2024

Greg DeMarco

John Cena Last Match Randy Orton WWE WrestleMania 41

It’s obvious that John Cena is nearing the end of his legendary career, and he’s suggested ending it at WrestleMania 41. Who should be his final opponent?

John Cena recently appeared on the Pat McAfee Show, the Monday after his surprise (but mostly expected) WrestleMania 40 appearance during Cody Rhodes’ win over Roman Reigns for the Undisputed WWE Championship. During that appearance, he confirmed what many expect, that he is nearly done with his in-ring career. But Cena even tossed out the idea of a time-frame, detailing that his acting schedule will likely take him through Christmas, and maybe Hollywood could “pump the brakes” to allow for one final run.

That run could easily begin at the Royal Rumble with a surprise entrance (or entering himself via TV appearances as part of the build), with a tease for his 17th world title win before finally settling in on his final match.

Fantasy booking and storytelling aside, the goal here is the final match–more specifically the final opponent. With a John Cena, you’ve got a ton of options. As such, it’s hard to narrow it down to 5, and one of your favorites is likely missing–be warned!

Greg DeMarco’s Top 5: The Final Opponent For John Cena In WWE

Honorable Mentions:

The Miz – A feud with John Cena gave The Mix a WrestleMania 27 main event–and a WrestleMania main event victory on top of it. Miz has been receiving more love than ever lately, and a match with John Cena would not be misplaced. Maybe he can use their WrestleMania 33 contest (and Cena’s personal aftermath) as fodder for it, too.
AJ Styles – The man who once made it popular to “BEAT UP JOHN CENA” is also nearing the end of his run, and could be the one candidate on this list that could realistically give us a double-retirement match. He would also be the guy who retired both The Undertaker and John Cena (and would probably end up being the guy who lost in both).
The Rock or Cody Rhodes – Both great options, but you have to figure their dance card for WrestleMania 41 is already full, potentially standing across the ring from one another. Either is an amazing option (including “Thrice In A Lifetime”), but I just don’t think it’s in the cards.
Trick Williams – Potentially a surprising addition to the Honorable Mentions, but the comparisons are there in terms of in-ring style/ability, promo skills, and the interplay they had in NXT (remember, it was Cena who is credited with encouraging Trick to not be afraid to go for it himself despite his relationship with Carmelo Hayes).

5. CM Punk

The fifth spot on this list was nearly interchangeable between several of the honorable mention names, but it really came down to Punk and Seth Rollins for me (with a hint of AJ Styles). The 2011 feud between CM Punk and John Cena was legendary, and is a moment that will forever be seen by me as the one that truly cemented CM Punk as a member of the growing list of all-time greats in WWE.

Punk is uniquely qualified for this match as he would make it mean more than a showboat for John Cena’s career and final match. It’s entirely believable that CM Punk would want to put John Cena’s career into the ground, and WWE has the video archive to support it.

Despite being #5, this could actually be a dark-horse for the match we get, and I can’t see anyone reasonably being upset about that.

4. Roman Reigns

John Cena and Roman Reigns have had two separate legendary programs. the first saw Cena, at times, embarrass Roman in promo exchanges in a feud that took place in the “pre-Tribal Chief” era. The second is more fresh and likely more memorable, as John Cena put Roman Reigns over in a football stadium in Las Vegas at SummerSlam (although it might be more remembered for the return of Brock Lesnar).

Reigns, a legend himself at his point (he’s featured alongside Steve Austin at the top of the “Forever” portion of the Then/Now/Forever/Together video that recently debuted) would provide a pairing akin to The Undertaker serving as Shawn Michaels’ retirement opponent at WrestleMania 26 9notice I didn’t say “final opponent). The end of Roman’s 1316 day world title reign has brought about a new appreciation for Reigns, which would further enhance this pairing at WrestleMania 41.

3. Bron Breakker

Bron Breakker is the picture-perfect definition of a juggernaut in WWE, a fast rising star who almost seems like a lock to main event WrestleMania one day (you never know–Seth Rollins JUST got his first WrestleMania main event last weekend). Breakker recently said farewell NXT as the natural in-ring competitor makes a transition to full-time main roster competition.

Breakker also fits the category of who “needs it.” Bring the man to retire John Cena would be quite the feather in the cap of Breakker’s early career, and would give him a moment that would be relived for generations to come. The only question mark is WWE “trusting” Breakker with this moment, as a sudden change of character could mean that Cena’s final match wouldn’t be seen or discussed as much. Breakker, to me, has given no reason for anyone to suspect that might happen, regardless of any controversies his father and uncle have been linked to.

2. R-Truth

Despite being 5-years older than John Cena, and making his in-ring debut in the same year (1999), R-Truth’s childhood hero hanging up the boots will undoubtedly be a hard-hitting moment for the man who has basically become the WWE Mascot. Truth emulating Cena in his matches, and of course the RawAfterMania moment with Cena, Truth, and The Miz hitting a Fifteen Knuckle Shuffle (thank you, Michael Cole) on The Judgment Day makes this a near can’t miss final match for both John Cena and the WWE Universe.

R-Truth himself is equally deserving of this match, as it would be a reward for all of his years in the ring as part of a career that seems age defying while proving that age is not only a number, but also a number that can be ignored (see Child Hero, John Cena).

While a rematch of their 2011 WWE Capital Punishment main event is an unlikely WrestleMania 41 match-up, it’s one I believe everyone would love to see.

1. Randy Orton

I mean, is there anyone more perfect? John Cena and Randy were inseparably linked for a good portion of their careers, and have shared the ring more times than Big Show has turned babyface/heel. Both are far into legendary status at this point, and Orton specifically is obviously focused on enjoying this stage of his career.

But Orton is still delivering great performances inside the ring, too.

Randy Orton vs John Cena was an exciting proposition many years ago, became a punchline for WWE booking a few years ago, but is now coming full circle as the perfect match-up to end the amazing career of John Cena. It has my vote, and should have yours, too.

Even if R-Truth would be the most fun option.

What say you? Who is the best candidate to stand across the ring from John Cena in his final WWE match, potentially at WrestleMania 41? Who did I leave out?

Let us know what you think on social media @ChairshotMedia and always remember to use the hashtag #UseYourHead!

Opinion

Greg DeMarco’s WrestleMania 40 Saturday Results & Review

It’s the Granddaddy Of ‘Em All, WrestleMania! Night 1 of WrestleMania XL and Greg DeMarco has your results and review!

Published

2 weeks ago

April 8, 2024

Greg DeMarco

It’s the Granddaddy Of ‘Em All, WrestleMania! Night 1 of WrestleMania XL and Greg DeMarco has your results and review!

It all comes down to this–at least for the first night! A loaded card in front of a packed house, and I’d expect everyone to deliver one hell of a performance.

Women’s World Championship – Becky Lynch vs. Rhea Ripley (champion)

Greg’s pre-show prediction: Rhea Ripley retains

In my opinion, this match should be the main event of Night 1, but The Rock is back and that was going to take precedence (even if I disagree). Becky won this title shot at the Elimination Chamber, even though they were already building the feud before that event in Perth. Ripley herself main evented that event in a stadium, defeating Nia Jax.

It was revealed during her entrance that this is Becky Lynch’s “Flu Game,” as she has temperatures as high as 102 degrees throughout the week.
Rhea Ripley enters to a life performance of her entrance theme, which you can tell she dug.
Prime logo is center ring, just the black outline with “Prime” in the middle, and it is not at all bothersome. I can’t believe people made such a big deal out of bitching about that.
The stage looks dope, not at all “too small” as some had said. The whole environment looks great, honestly.
Rhea Ripley has been dealing with a wrist injury. She said on the Pat McAfee Show she didn’t expect to work with the wrist brace on tonight, but there it is.
Corey Graves points out that Becky’s training was likely impacted by her illness, and Pat McAfee scoffs at him for stating the obvious. I hope that isn’t what we get all night.
Commentary notes that is is 52 degrees and windy in the stadium, and I am reminded of Nick Khan’s comments about moving an outdoor WrestleMania to late April in the future, if they don’t get an indoor building (he did say “2026” when talking about that, which likely means the 2025 venue is indeed set).
Rhea’s Prism Trap is a fell of a submission finisher. Add in the body lock the way she did, and it’s even more impressive.
I just noticed the “Prime” turnbuckle pads and it’s…weird. I just didn’t expect it and can’t think of the last time we didn’t have the WWE/WWF logo on the buckles outside of Black and Gold NXT. WrestleMania 2?
I am also noticing that Dude Wipes seems to have sponsored the ring posts. Kudos to WWE (and the wrestling industry behind them) for being so damn desirable to sponsors!
That combo to get into the Riptide was fantastic–and the kickout was even better.
During the DisarmHer you can clearly see the commentary position, and Michael Cole is legit reclined all the way back. Love it–Cole is living his best life.
Rhea’s Riptide into the buckle before the proper Riptide was pretty sweet as well. Made Becky look insanely strong in defeat.

Winner via pinfall AND STILL your Women’s World Champion: Rhea Ripley

Hell of an opener, and if you didn’t know Becky was sick, you wouldn’t have known. Props to them both. That would have satisfied as a main event, but can now go down as one of the best openers in WrestleMania history.

Ladder Match for the Raw Tag Team Championships and Smackdown Tag Team Championships – DIY (Tommaso Ciampa & Johnny Gargano) vs. Awesome Truth (The Miz & R-Truth) vs. New Catch Republic (Pete Dunne & Tyler Bate) vs. A Town Down Under (Austin Theory & Grayson Waller) vs. The New Day (Xavier Woods & Kofi Kingston) vs. The Judgment Day (Finn Balor & Damian Priest, Undisputed WWE Tag Team Champions)

Greg’s pre-show prediction: Awesome Truth (Raw titles) and A-Town Down Under (SmackDown)

As many expected, the belts are hanging separately, meaning we are most likely splitting the tag titles here. Triple H and company have put some serious work into building up the tag team divisions of both brands, and even though I expect the two winners to not be actual “teams,” but either way I actually like the way they didn’t make a big deal out of splitting the titles up, they’re just doing it. They have been defended separately since being unified, albeit rarely.

R-Truth makes a joke about DIY being DX and that’s now taken off. I love it.
The Miz is very under appreciated. Can literally do anything.
Someone is struggling with the “Titan Tron” videos tonight.
Not gonna lie, I am the biggest Pat McAfee fan, but he’s actually quite annoying right now.
Sign of the night: SANTA DESERVED IT.
Lots of green in this match, half of the teams wearing their “WrestleMania Green” gear.
Also, loving the Consequences Creed gear for Woods.
God Bless Finn Balor for taking that Airplane Spin into the ladder.
205 combined years of experience in this match. That’s an average of 17 years (Waller has the least with 7, Balor and Miz are tied for the most with 23).
“Dunne Mountain?!?!” Thank you Michael Cole for fixing that.
HOT TAG TO R-TRUTH!
Poor Finn Balor, not he takes the AA to the ladder after John Cena’s Five Moves Of Doom
R-TRUTH WITH THE PIN!
Hilarious.
A-Town Down Under gets the SmackDown tag titles!
And Grayson gets tossed through a ladder, still holding a title!
The match does continue until the Raw tag titles are also retrieved.
If Theory also got the Raw tag titles down, I will laugh my ass off.
Birminghammer is a fantastic name for a tandem (somewhat) Burning Hammer.
Tornado DDT through a table!
Air Raid Crash from the ladder!
And we still have more tables set-up.
JD McDonagh trying to get Finn–who has taken a beating–to get the Raw tag titles.
McDonagh through the tables!
PERFECTLY placed Razor’s Edge onto that chair.
Dude, that ladder is trashed. (And very unsafe.)
AA sends Damian outside!
I think everyone wants R-Truth to get this. EVERYONE.
YES!

Winners via belt retrieval, AND NEW:

SmackDown Tag Team Champions – Grayson Waller & Austin Theory
Raw Tag Team Champions – R-Truth & The Miz

Really good Ladder Match, but it’s hard to have a bad one. The tag team titles are split and it was really well done. It made perfect sense to do it that way, not make a big deal out of it and just let it happen. I am excited to see both teams win–not because I picked both, but because I think one team (Waller/Theory) have amazing futures and the other (Miz/Truth) will be a lot of fun, even if their run will probably be short lived.

Santos Escobar (with Legado Del Fantasma members Angel, Humberto, & Elektra Lopez) & Dominik Mysterio vs. Rey Mysterio & Andrade (with The LWO members Carlito, Joaquin Wilde, Cruz Del Toro, & Zelina Vega

Greg’s pre-show prediction: Dominik and Santos win, giving Dominik “revenge” for his loss at WrestleMania 39.

Look, this match doesn’t make a lick of sense–Dominik shows up two weeks ago and finds his way into another WrestleMania match with Rey? Definitely shoehorned. But Dominik is outstanding, so if this gets him on the card, I’ll take it.

More green in this match, and I am here for it.
Innovative Double Cross Body by Rey & Andrade.
Dominik showing experience beyond his years, making sure the ref sees his tag with Santos.
At this moment, I am wondering who turns–Carlito or Andrade. Gotta assume it’s one of them.
Three matches in and I don’t even notice the Primo logo in the center of the ring or on the turnbuckle pads.
Santos Escobar trying to unmask Rey Mysterio, as if we don’t all have Google.
Corey Graves making a great point about Rey taking some responsibility for the issues in his life, and Michael Cole immediately dismissing it.
It’s so hard to do a really good Dragon Screw Leg Whip, and Andrade (along with Dominik and Santos) just pulled off two to perfection.
Camera shot of Rey’s cross body shows the heaters above the ring. Good–keep ’em warm!
This could have easily been an 8-man tag team match. Maybe we get that Monday on Raw (which can also be where the turn happens, making my prediction here likely wrong).
Joaquin Wilde gets to do his NXT spot at WrestleMania, and that’s probably more important than officially being in the match.
Two masked men–definitely the Kelce Brothers–are here.
My bad, it was Jason Kelce and Lane Johnson. Good call, honestly. Great pop for them, too.
Looking at the reply, Dominik sold that ringpost spot like a champ.

Winners via pinfall (Rey on Santos): Rey Mysterio & Andrade

Fun tag team match that served its purpose. Needed? Maybe not, as I really wanted to get Liv Morgan vs. Nia Jax onto this card. But when you can get Rey & Dominik on the card, everyone will be happy. and of course the Jason Kelce & Lane Johnson appearances.

Brother vs Brother: Jey Uso vs. Jimmy Uso

Greg’s pre-show prediction: Jimmy Uso follows in the footsteps of Owen Hart and Matt Hardy and beats the “more talented brother.”

They’ve wanted this match all their lives–and the preview video was insane. Very well done.

Jey in the WrestleMania whites tonight.
And we get a hot start to the match!
“Big Brother Jimmy” is always a fun thing to hear.
More Dude Wipes sponsorship on this one–you have to wonder if having Dude Wipes on the posts for the opener was in error.
Superkicks. Lots of Superkicks.
Very enjoyable YEET/NO chants from the crowd.
Jey just kicking the hell out of Jimmy, including a Jumping Super Kick.
This has “Fight Without Honor” feels from old school ROH, where the winners have respect after. We will definitely see these guys together again.
Jimmy apologizing to Jey. Crowd is not buying it.
Of course it was BS, and Jimmy gains the advantage.
SPEAR. USO SPLASH. DONE.

Winner, via pinfall: Jey Uso

Jey breaks the babyface curse by beating his heel brother. Thought we might get an embrace between them, instead we faded out. A good match that was more about the story than the in-ring action. I can see some feeling like this hasn’t “lived up to expectations” because of the high expectations you’d have for an Usos match. Their best work will always be as a team, but I know this is a lifelong dream come true for both.

As for all the Superkicks, I mean….it’s an Usos match.

Six-Woman Tag Team Match – Damage CTRL (Dakota Kai, Asuka, & Kairi Sane) vs. Naomi, Bianca Belair, & Jade Cargill

Greg’s pre-show prediction: Bianca, Naomi, & Jade win when Jade scores the pin (probably on Kairi, who always seems to eat the fall)

This match is all about getting Bianca Belair on the card (she had to be), and Jade Cargill’s debut. It also got Damage CTRL on the card, which they truly deserve–even if it is to lose.

Respectfully, Dakota Kai. (Good thing the ring and surrounding area is heated)
Not gonna lie, Jade looks nervous. But this is a six-woman tag, and her portion is likely highly choreographed. Gonna be all good.
As I watch and enjoy the match (but am not typing much lol), this seems like a match where we’re all just waiting for Jade to come in and win.
No one has told Jade about the tag ropes yet, apparently.
And now Jade is in, and Damage CTRL makes her look like a million bucks.
Dakota Kai nicely gets herself into position for the finish, and Jade gets her WrestleMania win.

Winners via pinfall (Jade on Dakota): Jade Cargill, Naomi, & Bianca Belair

We knew what this one was about going into it, and that’s what it should have been. Jade still ain’t ready. I know it might be an “ego hit” for her to go to NXT, but she needs it. If Giulia can go to NXT, so can Jade.

Intercontinental Championship – Sami Zayn vs. GUNTHER (champion)

Greg’s pre-show prediction: Sami Zayn pulls off the major upset and is the one to dethrone Gunther

Gunther has had a stranglehold on the Intercontinental Championship, defending it like crazy in 2023 but slowing that down here in 2024. It’s not fair to say he’s outgrown the title, but that might actually be the case. It’ll be really interesting to see what happens with Imperium leading up to the draft, and at the WWE Draft itself.

Sami Zayn was the perfect wrestler to have their journey form backstage to the ring followed by the cameras. From his family to Chad Gable to Kevin Owens, it was all so perfect–maybe too perfect? (Not in that someone will screw him, but in that it might be too heavily foreshadowing his win?)
Gunther looked oddly nervous standing on that stage.
You know, the Intercontinental Championship is basically a third world title at this point. And we could see the end of a legendary reign. I think this deserved the Samantha Irvin In-Ring Introductions (aka “Japan Style”) treatment.
Gunther is smiling confidently now, we’re good.
Crowd is ON FIRE for these guys (and evenly split with their chants for each guy).
This is the 21st time the Intercontinental championship is defended at WrestleMania, and it makes you wonder what in the hell they were thinking for the other 11.
Looks like Dude Wipes is back on the ringpost!
Hell of a nearfall, followed up by a Helluva Kick from Gunthcr, and one from Sami!
That finish….AMAZING.

Winner via pinfall, AND NEW Intercontinental Champion: Sami Zayn

The athletes… the moments… the storytelling… professional wrestling is such a beautiful business. Sami Zayn’s win over Gunther was everything I had hoped it would be when I picked Sami to win. Absolutely beautiful.

Cody Rhodes & World Heavyweight Champion Seth Rollins vs. The Rock & Undisputed WWE Champion Roman Reigns

Greg’s pre-show prediction: Seth & Cody get the win after tons of interference and surprise appearances, making Roman vs Cody on Sunday a match where The Bloodline is banned from ringside.

So much involved in this one. As you know, If Rock & Roman win, Sunday’s WWE Championship match will be held under Bloodline Roles. If Seth & Cody win, then that mach will see ZERO Bloodline involvement. Personally, if Cody is winning the title, I’d rather it be straight up. But I wouldn’t be at all surprised if I am wrong.

Honestly, after the introductions, I realized I was just watching!
This was very much Steve Austin vs The Rock inspired, with them fighting all over the stadium, and pushing the envelope.
I loved The Rock basically neutering the referee–normally I hate that, but here it works.
That finish and the condition of Rollins both lay perfectly into night 2, I would imagine.

Winners via Rock pinfall on Rhodes: The Rock & Roman Reigns

Per rule, Sunday’s main event will now be Bloodline Rules. And given that, my prediction of Roman retaining might be harder to pull off. This was a good return for The Rock, and perfectly played into the whole story. Job well done.

Greg DeMarco’s Overall Thoughts for WWE WrestleMania XL, Saturday (Night 1)

in a vacuum, this was highly enjoyable show. Night 2 might end up being legendary if both Bayley and Rhodes win, and it could overshadow Night 1. But the scene was fantastic, production was top notch as always, and the fans went home having enjoyed one for the ages. The Triple H Era s well underway, and will likely kick into a higher gear with Night 2.

Let us know what you think on social media @ChairshotMedia and always remember to use the hashtag #UseYourHead!