Opinion

Mishal’s Top 5 WWE Matches Of The New Millennium

Published

4 years ago

May 28, 2020

Hollywood Hulk Hogan The Rock WWE WrestleMania 18

So WWE is once again up to their same old marketing tricks to sell their next big show (Backlash) to us the audience. Almost every major show of theirs has a selling point of some kind, be it a special stipulation, a big match featuring highly valued competitors, the return of a big name or a ‘Once in a Lifetime’ contest that we may never see again (but based on the track record, likely will), the company always has a tendency to try and buff up each of their respectful cards.

The strategy surrounding Backlash this year is one I personally fail to understand & find equally hilarious at the same time.

Backlash will mark the official in-ring return of Edge to a WWE ring after almost a decade away in retirement. Granted his Last Man Standing match at WrestleMania is considered to be his big comeback, that match was more of a widespread brawl as opposed to a test of the man’s abilities in the squared circle for me. Edge will have a lot to prove here, going up against one of the very best this generation has to offer in Randy Orton, a rematch that tones down the personal vendetta the two had for one another in their initial bout & instead, making this a test of who’s simply the better bell to bell.

I, like most, have no issue with this necessarily, even though there are a dozen other opponents I’d rather see ‘The Rated R Superstar’ face-off against, the quarrel really comes in with the tagline this match carries; ‘The Greatest Wrestling Match Ever’.

WWE has been known for absurdity in their marketing, their recent string of shows in Saudi Arabia is a solid example of this, the biggest possible sell of a match (or series of matches) so over-the-top that they always fail to live up to the hype. Look at the ‘Best in the world’ tournament won by Shane McMahon, ‘The Greatest Royal Rumble’, the unnecessary reunion of DX against the Brothers of Destruction or even the company quite literally naming a show ‘Great Balls of Fire’ back in 2017. The track record isn’t exactly non-existent, they’ve always pushed the boundaries in selling their product to be the grandest it can be, only this time it feels almost too forced to buy into.

As neat as the concept of an Edge vs Randy Orton wrestling match may or may not be to some, this is a hard sell, an impossible one to almost live up to because the reality is, the bar for the ‘greatest’ of anything in the wrestling industry is an insurmountable task to climb & match up to. In a way the marketing for this match is almost comical because of how odd the placement of this tagline is considering there’s been no audience to react to any of it, instead it’s making this whole debacle feel like an incredibly desperate attempt to push a sub-par rematch.

A lot of this has got me thinking, that this opportunity is an ideal time to spotlight the matches that, at least in my opinion, fit the mold of truly being ‘The Greatest Wrestling Match Ever’.

For this list, I decided to stick to matches taking place under the WWE banner since the new Millennium rather than all of history since there are simply too many matches I’d want to list from a span of time that wide. Each match on here can hold the mantle of being the ‘greatest’, whether that be from an in-ring standpoint, storytelling standpoint or the influence that it’s had on the business since. There are a plethora of NJPW, ROH & TNA matches I’d love to be on here, but that’s for a later date.

Honourable Mentions

Chris Benoit vs Triple H vs Shawn Michaels – Wrestlemania XX

Everything a main event level match should be. Not a single moment wasted, it combines multiple storylines perfectly & resulted in one of the most genuine, emotional moments in wrestling history to close off a show.

Sami Zayn vs Shinsuke Nakamura – NXT Takeover: Dallas

Arguably the best in-ring debut of the last two decades. Not just the perfect sendoff for Sami Zayn at the end of his NXT run, but the ideal match and environment to debut an international superstar in.

‘Stone Cold’ Steve Austin vs The Rock – WrestleMania X-Seven

The best bell-to-bell Championship Match in WrestleMania history. It’s wild, brutal, showcased at a ridiculous pace & contains one of the most controversial endings to a show in history.

Brock Lesnar vs Eddie Guerrero – No Way Out 2004

The ultimate feel-good match, the perfect underdog story & to this day one of the most incredible crowd reactions to a match I’ve ever seen that cemented both Brock Lesnar & Eddie Guerrero as legends.

The Undertaker vs Triple H – WrestleMania XXVIII

I can’t think of a better way to cap off the end of an era than this match. It embodies the product at the height of the industry, the action is physically punishing, it follows the previous year’s events perfectly & the storytelling is off the charts. If the match doesn’t make you cry, the post-match embrace will.

5. Sasha Banks vs Bayley – NXT Takeover: Brooklyn

Women’s wrestling has always had a bad reputation behind it until fairly recently. The WWE had long treated women as ‘inferior’ to some extent, resulting in less in-ring time, subpar storylines, a focus on looks over talent & nothing of true substance to get them to that next level they so deserve.

And then comes NXT Takeover: Brooklyn, where the reputation and focus of the division shifted almost entirely on its head in one single evening. The atmosphere in Brooklyn that evening is unlike any we’d seen from two female talents up to that point, as Sasha Banks defended her title against Bayley, arguably the hottest star in the company at that point in a match that to me, is the defining women’s match of this generation. Both women were polar opposites on a character level and being two of the Four Horsewomen made this encounter all the more special.

It features everything wrestling fans want, incredible action, fantastic storytelling, insane high-spots which will stand the test of time & most importantly, Bayley finally finding her way to the top of the mountain in NXT with every fan in the arena on their feet. There’s always quality in wrestling, but to see an entire sold-out arena on their feet in unison for a match isn’t as common as you’d think, because there wasn’t a single fan who wasn’t screaming at the top of their lungs by the matches end. To see the women reach the heights they’re at right now is a genuine relief to anyone who values their talents, but it’ll be a long time until something topples this absolute masterpiece.

4. ‘Hollywood’ Hulk Hogan vs The Rock – WrestleMania X-8

There’s loud, there’s wild, there’s insane & then, there’s The Rock vs ‘Hollywood’ Hulk Hogan at WrestleMania X-8.

In terms of dream matches, you’d be hard-pressed to find one with a bigger fight feel or cross-generational appeal that has the scope behind it that both Rock & Hogan brought to their match at WrestleMania X-8. It’s everything a dream match should be in my eyes, and in its execution ended up being even better than I’d hope it would be. Being live as part of the audience for this encounter must have been the most surreal experience a wrestling fan could have had at that point in time, there isn’t a single moment of this match that isn’t deafening to the ears, not a moment that doesn’t feel like this isn’t the biggest event that sport had ever put on for its fans.

Stylistically none of this would be considered a ‘mat classic’ by any means, all of it was about one thing, the characters. WWE never intended this match to be a showcase of in-ring ability, this was two of the biggest draws from the biggest generations in both company & sports history colliding in a fight to decide who truly stood out as the very best. It was more of a brawl in its execution, both Rock & Hogan delivered everything that made their characters so memorable & their finishing moves have never felt larger than they did on this evening in Toronto. Taking two of the most charismatic individuals to step into a ring at that point and have them do battle was only something we could imagine would be as great as we wanted it to be in our heads, this was one of those rare occasions when our expectations weren’t just met, but surpassed.

How this wasn’t the headline match is a decision that to this day baffles my brain.

3. CM Punk vs John Cena – Money In The Bank 2011

Money in the Bank 2011 will always hold a special place in my heart. I remember waking up at 3 am to watch this show, not having to go to school the next day because my parents were actually letting me sleep in that morning & watch what is widely considered one of the best shows of the last two decades. And despite it being a phenomenal show in its own right, much of the praise hinges on the main event, which is an example of how good WWE can be when it allows itself to be.

John Cena vs CM Punk was positioned as the ‘authority’ vs the rebel, the outsider & the dawning of a new generation on the industry. Punk, to me, represented a modern-day take on Steve Austin (albeit, without the copious amounts of consumed alcohol) taking on the establishment who wanted to hold someone like a John Cena in his position (whom you could replace with an early 2000’s Triple H, I guess) for the well-being of the product. All of this was only fueled by CM Punk publicly announcing his deal with the company was coming to an end and he fully intended to walk out with Cena’s prized WWE Championship in his hands, in his own hometown no less.

The match was the boiling point at the end of a red-hot night of wrestling, packed with fantastic matches, perfect storytelling & one of the rare times where the momentum of a WWE show never halted, not even once. Cena vs Punk capping off the night made it all the better, with the Chicago crowd ferociously supporting their hometown anti-hero. From an in-ring perspective, it’s difficult to deny this as arguably both Cena & Punk’s best across the board since neither of them missed a beat. Their in-ring chemistry was on display in full force, and with Cena’s style not fully expanding itself out yet having an in-ring talent as intelligent as Punk was the perfect counterbalance, resulting in the best non-WrestleMania main event the main roster has arguably put on since the 2000s rang in.

From the action to the unhinged crowd, to the performances of both men & the involvement of Vince McMahon, this was wrestling at its finest & a match that to this day holds up against the plethora of excellent work we get on an almost weekly basis now.

2. The Dudley Boyz vs Edge & Christian vs The Hardy Boyz – WrestleMania 2000

Easily, and without question the most innovative, defining match on this list in my opinion.

There isn’t much I can say about the first-ever Triangle Ladder Match that hasn’t already been said by every other fan that’s ever uttered a word about it. It’s one of this generations defining matches, from its unique style & risk-taking offence that left our jaws on the floor, to the ability of six young men to all at once wedge their names in the history books with a match that is still talked about to this very day.

At the time tag team wrestling certainly had taken some risks & routes to be more ingenious, none compared to what occurred here. Every moment of this contest was a thrill to behold, every move garnered a reaction, the use of all three weapons brought a different element out of each team which they went on to implement throughout their careers afterwards & each distinct trait of the team’s arsenal brought something unique to the table. None of the teams aimed to win through simply climbing the ladder, there was always a sense of them doing what they know best as opposed to following a set formula, and it makes the pacing & intrigue of this match so difficult to critique.

Regardless of how relevant tag teams are in current-day WWE, this is proof of how, when given the freedom, this style of wrestling can tear the house down & even define a generation.

1. The Undertaker vs Shawn Michaels – WrestleMania XXV

Picking between both their WrestleMania XXV & XXVI matches is a near-impossible task because both carry a legacy behind them that I can’t for the life of me select a favourite out of without feeling some sense of guilt. Both matches stand as not just my favourite WrestleMania matches, but my favourites of all-time.

Undertaker & Shawn Michaels are two of the best storytellers the business has ever seen, period. Without them, WrestleMania just wouldn’t be what it is, they’ve turned in some of the best storylines & performances on the ‘Grandest Stage of Them All’ & having them collide at the 25th Anniversary of the event was poetic, almost perfect to experience as a fan. It was the story of two men who couldn’t be more different yet possessed in-ring chemistry so incredible it drops my jaw to the floor every time I re-visit these incredible spectacles.

For myself, I list their WrestleMania XXV match on here just because it’s the first of the two, and because of the need it gave fans to see the two icons go at it so badly one more time it would result in a rematch a year later, in the final match of Shawn Michaels storied career. Their initial encounter, however, was the equivalent of a young fan smashing his dolls together for 30-minutes on end, just with the very best example of how to use a character to tell a timeless story. It was the collision of the two oldest warriors in the game, two gun-slingers & two icons that built the very ring they fought in, and it delivered on every ounce of hype behind it, with so much more to offer.

The action started slow for the opening moments but surges into a world of its own. Packed with gigantic moves from out of nowhere, a moonsault that looked like it broke Michaels’ knee, a suicide dive that should have in-fact killed someone, a superkick so loud it could be heard in the rafters, a Tombstone Piledriver kickout that still gives me chills & Jim Ross providing some of the most memorable lines of commentary I’ve ever heard. Undertaker & Shawn Michaels didn’t just create the best match in the history of WrestleMania, they defined what the show represents on the evening we were witnessing its celebration. Michaels may have lost this, and the subsequent encounter the year following in heartbreaking fashion, but he eventually ended his career on the highest note a wrestler could ever imagine, crafting one of the greatest spectacles in the sport, with the greatest player in it that will stand the test of time for decades to come.

I know I started off this list saying it was impossible to name ‘The Greatest Wrestling Match Ever’, Undertaker vs Shawn Michaels from either WrestleMania is the strongest contender I can think of to carry that mantle on its own. Without a doubt my all-time favourite series of matches & a true standard-bearer for how we define the ‘greatest’ when it comes to matches in this industry.

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

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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!