Opinion

Mishal: Can Andrade Be A Top Star?

Mishal explores the top-flight potential of former NXT and WWE United States Champion, Andrade!

Published

4 years ago

May 26, 2020

Chairshot

Andrade Zelina Vega WWE Superstar Shake-Up

Mishal explores the top-flight potential of former NXT and WWE United States Champion, Andrade!

In today’s WWE there are few talents, few superstars, that we can say are naturally gifted to be a professional wrestler.

None of this is to say any other WWE superstar is without talent or credibility to become something special, because everyone that sets foot on a stage the size of WWE generally possesses a unique quality that makes them stand out considering the amount of talent the WWE currently holds under its belt. Whether it be the ability of a wrestler on the microphone, in the ring, on camera, interacting with crowds or their unique characters, professional wrestlers always have an aspect to them that is essentially ‘larger than life’, every now & then, however, we come across a few that seem like they’re born to dance in the squared circle.

In my humble opinion, Andrade is one of those very few.

At this current moment, WWE is almost in a transition period of sorts, with lots of new pairings being made on screen, new talents flooding their way to the forefront of programming & dozens of new pairings battling it out every single week. Despite the circumstances, it’s an exciting time to watch the product with so much experimentation going on. Every brand has something new planted into its weekly line-up & even though the product is dividing fans, at is has the tendency to, it’s nice to see the winds of change coming through at a time when it’s desperately needed. In the mix of all this, there have been downsides, namely talents who have gotten lost in the shuffle with so much going on. It’s sad to admit, but Andrade is one of those names.

Being the current, reigning United State Champion gives you the impression that a superstar like Andrade might be prioritized to get the spotlight as much as possible in WWE considering his status since in the past many men holding the belt have made it amongst the most illustrious in the company. It’s a belt that can help talent ascend up the WWE ladder in many cases, looking at guys like Dean Ambrose, Dolph Ziggler, Daniel Bryan or The Miz are pretty solid examples that it’s the title that one day could have you leading the very brand you’re a part of.

Andrade hasn’t followed the pattern of success that the other names I mentioned have, or at least doesn’t seem to be on the same path they were either. And this realization has prompted the question; Can Andrade be a top star in the WWE?

Rather than simply provide an answer, it’s important to look at his track record in the company as a whole, because a question like this isn’t just answered with a simple ‘yes’ or ‘no’.

The Glory Days

Like any NXT call-up to the main roster, these were Andrade’s glory days in the WWE, at least to date. In those days Andrade was referred to as Andrade ‘Cien’ Almas, a nod to his days wrestling in companies such as CMLL or NJPW where his persona referenced the words used in his name, based around the traditions of Lucha Libre in Mexico. His start on the roster displayed talent, but Andrade was always pretty plain considering the name he carried over from his days wrestling South of the border, there was talent there but nothing to get fans invested in his character.

Andrade was featured prominently on NXT programming, yet acted more like a superior enhancement talent than anything significant. He picked up an initial victory over Tye Dillinger that really did nothing to add value to him, but was then treated to a string of losses against the likes of Bobby Roode, Cedric Alexander & The Revival that left him aimless.

All of this changed in mid-2017 when Andrade appeared alongside an unnamed woman (now known as Selina Vega) to re-establish him as a worthwhile talent on the NXT brand. Vega’s appearance fueled his character with the charisma he displayed at stages in his early NXT career, not only bringing out a more ruthless aspect in him but making him a formidable force to contend with inside the ring. With Vega and his newfound confidence came a rise in the TV time he received, picking up a series of wins against Johnny Gargano which were simply incredible, leading to an NXT Title Match against then-champion Drew McIntyre that would set the course of his career back on track.

His match against McIntyre was a success at NXT Takeover: WarGames, resulting in a great match without question, more importantly, Andrade was holding onto the brands most coveted prize after 18 months of feeling like someone who was bound to be forgotten for the most part. This period was the defining one for the character of Andrade, as his next series of rematches against Johnny Gargano & Aleister Black remain among the greatest in the history of NXT in its entirety. The matches he put on with both pairings define the very essence of what professional wrestling is all about, encapsulating incredible stories, some of the best action the business was seeing at the time (and arguably has since) & establishing himself and everyone around him as a genuine superstar. More than just a champion, Andrade was the ultimate enhancement talent in the ring, making everyone around him look like a million dollars once the bell rang, everything the best in this industry are when it’s all said and done.

Main Roster Arrival

After losing his coveted NXT Championship to Aleister Black at NXT Takeover: New Orleans during WrestleMania weekend in 2018, Almas followed many other former NXT Champions in debuting following the biggest show of the year, on the blue brand of SmackDown Live as a part of the ‘Superstar Shake-Up’.

Almas was a welcome addition to the brand, which was having one of its oddest periods over the previous 10-months following a WWE Championship run by Jinder Mahal of all people & some odd booking that left its roster in a bit of flux. He started off on the right foot, scoring victories over the likes of Sin Cara, Rusev, R-Truth & fantastic performances against Daniel Bryan, AJ Styles & Jeff Hardy despite the losing effort. Where his talents really started to shine, was through his impromptu feud with Rey Mysterio, a perfect match with Andrade’s more Lucha libre style of in-ring work.

Their feud, while not the longest, established Andrade as one of the very best on the roster amongst the younger crop of talent. Every match they had reminded me of the early days WCW Cruiserweight matches, featuring insane athletics, constant one-upmanship, an incredible pace & finally giving something from Andrade that was a little more than just a fine performance. This mini-feud built on his character, making him more aggressive and a true threat since he took down one of the most popular stars in company history.

His remaining time on the roster was filled with a combination of fun matches between Mysterio, Samoa Joe & R-Truth, competing in the Andre The Giant Memorial Battle Royal, before yet another career shift. Andrade’s time on SmackDown wasn’t without its moments but left a lot to be desired considering the level of quality produced during his time in NXT.

Moving to Monday Night Raw

Moving to Monday Night RAW has always been something I dread my favourite superstars do. Not because it’s an outright terrible career move, but a 3-hour RAW is always going to be a more sizeable effort to get through as opposed to a 2-hour SmackDown.

When the company shifted the former NXT Champion over to the red brand, however, there was lots of potential for him on a new show, the issue was that WWE took far too long to capitalize on his potential. Andrade didn’t exactly stagnate during his time on the brand, just seemed to be floating in and out of opportunities with no real goal or direction for his character to end up or head to. Andrade was turning in fine performances, namely against the likes of Seth Rollins, Finn Balor & revisiting his old feud against Rey Mysterio, but was essentially headed nowhere as the rest of the roster was surging ahead.

All of that would lead to the December 26th show in Madison Square Garden, where Andrade would defeat Rey Mysterio to claim his first championship on the main roster, claiming the United States Championship in an unaired match. From there the tide starting to shift, as Andrade found footing as a prominent in-ring competitor that always delivered the goods, defending his title numerous times (even with a wellness policy violation) and finally making a name for himself.

Even with the COVID-19 pandemic making its mark, Andrade continues to turn in solid performances. He’s managed to spotlight the likes of Humberto Carillo, Street Profits & Angel Garza, who are all talents that in my eyes still lack the identity necessary to make a proper mark on the product.

The real question is; where do we go from here?

Conclusion: Can Andrade Be A Top Star?

The reason I chose to do a brief overview & analysis of Andrade’s time on the main roster is simple, it’s to understand that despite the immense level of talent the man has & has displayed in the past, Andrade hasn’t been given the perfect platform to work with like what was given to him in NXT. None of this is a nudge to anyone necessarily, just a realization that the world of the main roster in WWE is a crowded one, with so many talents vying for the top spot that makes it difficult for others to stand out.

Andrade was tossed into a crowded landscape when he was called up in 2018, and in 2020 there’s only even newer talent shifting its way up from NXT as that brand expands itself onto a new horizon. Any new star in this atmosphere is essentially fighting for survival with younger talent being the current priority, as we can see with the likes of Otis, Austin Theory, Humberto Carillo, Angel Garza, The Forgotten Sons or Apollo Crews, who seems to be getting a second chance.

In my opinion, none of this is an indicator that the main event-level star we’ve seen before can’t come to fruition again with Andrade.

If his past is any indication, we’re only patiently waiting for another classic to unfold from the incredible skill set that will surge him back to where he once was, only he’s under a very different predicament as opposed to his NXT days. Andrade is facing the likes of Seth Rollins, Drew McIntyre, Braun Strowman, Bray Wyatt, Randy Orton, AJ Styles, Daniel Bryan & so many more, a crop of superstars so talented that it takes the absolute best to get slotted in next to. While he has had his exchanges with Drew McIntyre as of late, even the booking of those encounters isn’t like their NXT Championship back in the day, Andrade isn’t booked as the threat he should be representing but that only changes with fixing the booking issues that exist within WWE’s creative team.

Many will point to issues such as the language barrier, his lack of size as opposed to the prototypical big-time WWE superstar or his record with wins & losses, but since when has this held back other non-American performers in the past? The likes of Eddie Guerrero & Rey Mysterio are proof that the WWE mould isn’t exclusive to what fans necessarily want from their product, and with the right tweaks, Andrade could very well join them in that select group if executed right. And in today’s WWE, it’s not like wins or losses are a good measure of how successful a star will one day become with 50-50 booking still going strong amongst their mid-card with every passing week. Even the issue of the language barrier can be the key to crafting a masterful heel, one that refuses to address his audience in their own tongue & relies on his own management to stoop to their level rather than himself.

Despite all the concerns I can think of, Andrade leaps over almost all of them for the most part.

Obviously my opinion might differ to others reading this, or across the internet & I’d love nothing more than to hear an opposing view because to me Andrade has the potential to be one of the companies biggest heels with the next generation rolling out. He possesses everything that an effective WWE heel should in order to craft a memorable, well-booked storyline, and in many ways feels like what the company was looking for in a superstar like Alberto Del Rio once upon a time.

I hope I’m not wrong with this opinion, but Andrade has the potential to be what the WWE has been looking for in an international star for so very long & I’m keeping my mindset as optimistic as possible that they don’t let him slip through their fingers.

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

Related Topics:Andrade Featured Featured Big NXT Raw 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

3 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!