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Chris Deez’s Pre-Royal Rumble WWE WrestleMania 34 Card Predictions

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With the Royal Rumble 2018 a matter of days away, we are officially on The Road to WrestleMania. However, the seeds were being planted long before now in preparation for the Showcase of the Immortals. Survivor Series 2017 gave us a much clearer indication of what WWE were planning for The Show of Shows, although as we all know, WWE and Vince McMahon are prone to changing their minds at the very last moment, meaning The Greatest Spectacle in Sports Entertainment (Is that enough different ways to say WrestleMania now?) this time around could be the most unpredictable and astounding we have ever seen.

Here are my early predictions for the top matches on the card.

Smackdown Live Tag Team Championships
Rusev Day v Kevin Owens & Sami Zayn v Bludgeon Brothers v The Usos (c)

This is an interesting one. The Smackdown Live tag division has been on absolute fire recently and has been one of 2017’s highlights for most fans, but WWE find themselves in an all too familiar position of having too many superstars to fit into a program hence why I’m going for another multi team match. The Bludgeon Brothers have made quite the impact since debuting but there’s only so many teams left for them to squash, so they need to be entered the title picture as soon as possible to give them some relevance.

The Usos were hands down the team of the year for 2017, but it might be time for them to drop the belts and freshen the division up a little. Rusev Day are over in a way nobody expected at all, but I can’t see WWE sticking the belts on them, yet which is a shame really as they’re both tremendously talented and Rusev has been misused for the longest time.

The most interesting element here is that of KO & Sami Zayn, and it all really comes down to what happens at the Rumble when the two face AJ Styles in a handicap match for the WWE Championship. The going plan seems to be AJ retains the belt, which is the right decision, and would surely lead to a split between the best friends and lead to yet another fantastic feud between the pair. If this is the case I would have Gable & Benjamin replace them in this match, or maybe Breezango. I’m expecting this to open the show, and regardless of which teams compete it has the potential to steal the show as it has so many times over the last 6 months or so.

WrestleMania 34 Predictions

When I say Uce, you say… no.

Shane McMahon v Daniel Bryan

If you’ve read anything I’ve written before you’ll know that this is my absolute nightmare, but it seems to be something WWE are determined to do. SD Live was meant to be the land of opportunity but the only opportunities we’re seeing are the ones for Shane to stroke his own ego. If Bryan does return it should under no circumstances be against Shane… he is NOT a wrestler and it’s scandalous that he keeps depriving talented superstars of main event spots.

For him to have faced AJ Styles, Kevin Owens, The Undertaker and competed in main events at numerous PPV’s honestly sickens me. Bryan could still have amazing matches with the likes of Owens, Styles or Zayn but he wont get the chance to. This is going to happen whether we like it or not. Toilet break match for me.

WrestleMania 34 Predictions

NO! NO! NO! NO! NO!

Raw Tag Team Championships
The Bar v The Club v The Revival (c)

The Revival are the only team keeping me interested in the slightest bit about RAW’s tag division. The Bar are great and putting them together was absolute genius, but there’s only so many times I can watch the same match between the same guys no matter how good it might be. SD Live’s tag division has been on fire, while RAW’s has stagnated big time, so the return of The Revival will hopefully add fire into the mix.

The division still needs a few more legs though and I’m happy to see Gallows and Anderson return to a more prominent role recently. Seeing them capture the gold and Finn potentially doing the same would be a great way to build them up as the dominant faction in WWE, and its only a matter of time before we see the Authors of Pain or SAnitY called up… maybe on the RAW after Mania?

WrestleMania 34 Predictions

They’re not sports entertainers. They’re professional wrestlers. Top Guys!

Braun Strowman v Samoa Joe

Now I don’t overly want this to happen because Strowman at this point should be competing for a championship, but with the Universal Championship match all but decided we need something else for him to do in the meantime. Braun taking on Joe makes sense as it can be worked around what happened at Survivor Series when The Monster Among Men took out HHH not once, but twice. Joe was originally brought in as HHH’s hitman of sorts, so to have him once again do his dirty work makes sense. This is definitely a match up we all want to see, both men are insanely over despite one being a heel and seeing the two behemoths go one on one would be a sight to see.

Whatever does happen with these two, at least one of them needs to be competing for a championship again afterwards. I would absolutely move Joe over to Smackdown Live and have him go for the United States Championship at the very least.

WrestleMania 34 Predictions

Literally the best thing in WWE right now. Who saw that coming/

Intercontinental Championship
Finn Balor v The Miz (c)

The fact that Roman Reigns is once again going to compete in the main event suggested he would drop the title soon, and it made sense for The Miz to win back the title he made so prestigious. Miz has now gone 3 straight PPV’s (SummerSlam, TLC, Survivor Series) without defending the belt, and no matter how good he has been on RAW this has hurt the relevancy of the title. What WWE need to do is give him a big-name opponent to bring the spotlight back onto the belt, and Finn Balor makes all the sense in the world.

Finn has been largely misused since returning from his most recent injury and his most recent rivalry with Bray Wyatt was embarrassingly bad to watch at times. Finn is another superstar who is over in a big way and he needs to hold a belt to raise his stock in the company again before eventually going on to try and reclaim to Universal Championship which we never lost.

WrestleMania 34 Predictions

Literally the last man you should be shoving your wife in front of…

Seth Rollins v Dean Ambrose

Surely, I’m not the only one who saw this coming from a mile off? From the first second that they buried the hatchet and teamed up to gain the Tag Team Championships, you just knew somewhere not too far down the line one would betray the other to set up a feud (again). This time I’m expecting Ambrose to be the one who turns as there are a good few reasons why he was motivated to. There’s the fact he never truly tasted revenge for Rollins originally breaking up The Shield all those years ago, Seth taking the pin when they lost the titles to Sheamus & Cesaro, Ambrose suffering a long-term injury and being replaced by Jason Jordan… the possibilities are endless.

WrestleMania 34 Predictions

No I will not fist you Seth, I’m a married man!

4 Horsewomen WWE v 4 Horsewomen MMA

This is a weird one for me. I don’t agree with Charlotte being wasted on a match like this when she could be defending her title instead, but at the same time the SDLive women’s division has been quite poor for a while now so I can’t imagine who she would even compete against. This match has been in the works for quite some time now and we know how doggedly stubborn WWE can be regardless of it being detrimental for the talent involved.

Ronda Rousey has been a long-time target for WWE since her UFC career started to go downhill and she would be a huge draw. Competing alongside Shayna Baszler, Jessamyn Duke and Marina Shafir this will be the marquee matchup for the women and could well end up being quite entertaining if done right. As for the finish, I really hope WWE go with Rousey turning on her teammates and helping team WWE gain the win or else they run the risk of having non-WWE competitors making their 4 top women (Charlotte, Becky Lynch, Sasha Banks, Bayley) look weak and irrelevant.

WrestleMania 34 Predictions

It’s funny who you can bump into waiting for the bus

United States Championship
Dolph Ziggler v Baron Corbin v Bobby Roode (c)

Another match with lots of potential competitors but not a huge amount of interest around the belt. It is still early days for Roode but so far, he has been unspectacular and is proving to be nothing more than a flashy entrance. Dolph will certainly return between now and April claiming he wants back the title which he never lost, and I would expect him to reclaim it here.

Corbin… ahh I just don’t know anymore. Whenever it seems like he has finally caught a break and started to improve, WWE go and ruin him again. I imagine he will do well in the Rumble and then do something similar to the returning Dolph. Corbin lost the title in the last match between these 3 but never received a rematch prior to Dolph vacating the belt, giving Corbin the perfect way back in claiming to be the rightful champ.

WrestleMania 34 Predictions

GLORIOUS!

Raw Women’s Championship
Asuka v Alexa Bliss (c)

This one is looking almost as inevitable as the Universal Championship match at this point, with Asuka being the odds-on favourite to win the Women’s Royal Rumble after Paige’s supposed career ending injury. Over the next few months I’d expect Bliss to fend off a few other competitors, all the while having to look over her shoulder for Asuka and being stalked by her on RAW.

There’s also the prospect of Nia Jax being added into this match in some capacity. Her storyline as Bliss’ best friend is still ongoing but the tension is clear, and the cracks are starting to show in their relationship. Alexa facing off against two of the most dominant women on the roster would be a great way for her to play up to her heel characteristics, constantly ducking, dodging and evading any confrontation. The only outcome i can see is Asuka claiming her first main roster championship.

WrestleMania 34 Predictions

WWE is so predictable. Imagine if Bliss won though?

Universal Championship
Roman Reigns v Brock Lesnar (c)

Yep.

That is all.

WrestleMania 34 Predictions

….. FIIIIIIIIIE If you insist.

WWE Championship
Shinsuke Nakamura v AJ Styles (c)

Another one that’s virtually nailed on, WWE have dropped more than enough hints of this happening. The ‘dream match’, a phrase we seem to be hearing almost weekly these days, could well be the match of the night but only if Styles makes sure of it. It may be an unpopular opinion, but for me Nakamura has been absolute trash since stepping up from NXT thanks to a mix of horrible booking, WWE limiting his move set and killing his momentum by repeatedly having him lose to Jinder Mahal. Styles will also have to carry this feud on the promo side of things as  Nakamura has become no better in that department, so much so that he has been limited to a few words every time he has had a mic thrusted in his face recently.

Styles on the other hand has been nothing but phenomenal (sorry) in WWE. The company have shown on numerous occasions that he is every bit as important as Roman Reigns by having him compete on a RAW PPV against Finn Balor, appeared the following night on an episode of RAW, won the WWE Championship again to an incredible reaction from the crowd, and went on to have one of the best matches of 2017 at Survivor Series against Brock Lesnar.

Its only a matter of time before Nakamura tastes championship gold, but hopefully it won’t be on this night. They should be allowed to feud with eachother for a short while longer after Mania, Styles has put in too much fantastic work, arguable the best of his career, to drop the title on the biggest stage of them all.

WrestleMania 34 Predictions

The House That AJ Styles Built

HHH v Kurt Angle

The only thing with this one that I can’t decide on is how it will start up. On one hand HHH could start giving Angle hassle for not being a good enough GM, proven by him having to finish the job by pinning Shane at Survivor Series. At the same time, Angle could give HHH hassle for not believing in him and intervening when he already had the outcome of the match under control. There will more than likely be a stipulation here, maybe a no DQ affair, and im also expecting Angle’s job to be on the line.

Don’t expect this to be a very good match. 10 minutes maximum with Angle obviously winning.

V

You have the most beautiful eyes Hunter, I could get lost in them… I love you.

John Cena v …?

What do you do with a problem like John Cena? The 16-time champion doesn’t really have anything in the works after yet another period away from the company so it’s a hard one to predict. The safe money is still on him facing The Undertaker, but I pray to god this doesn’t happen, the legacy of Taker has already been tarnished and you just know Big Match John would come out victorious here. And after #Raw25 that seems a little less likely.

The other possibility is the horrible, excruciating, downright sickening thought of Jinder Mahal being a part of a major storyline heading into Mania. From a business point of view, it makes sense, WWE are still determined to dig into the Indian market by having Jinder as at least a strong mid card guy and Cena would be the perfect opponent. Their characters of Mr USA v Mr Anti America align perfectly and a Wrestlemania crowd is probably the only one you’ll find which will be sort of receptive to a match like this.

Personally, I wouldn’t have Cena compete at all, I would throw a curveball and have him as the host of the whole event. This way he can have a back and forth with various superstars and set up a match for after Mania, we know just how good he is on the mic and plus it didn’t do any harm to The New Day when they hosted last year did it?

WrestleMania 34 Predictions

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Opinion

Chairshot Staff Picks: WrestleMania 41 Las Vegas

Time for The Chairshot personalities to put their money where their mouths are! WreslteMania 41 predictions from the “expert” staff at TheChairshot.com and Chairshot Radio Network.

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Ladies and gentlemen, welcome back to the Chairshot Staff Picks. And what better setting than WrestleMania for this article to return! This 41st edition has one of the most stacked rosters in WWE history. So, without further ado, let us get to the predictions and prognostications…

  • AJ – The New Day
  • Andrew – The New Day – No one seems to hold tag titles long anymore.
  • Dave – The New Day – They have earned it.
  • DJ – The New Day – Feel tha Powah!
  • DPP – War Raiders – Big E distraction.
  • Jason – The New Day – We are not getting E in a working capacity though everyone wants it.
  • Patrick – The New Day – WWE doesn’t care about this match, so why should I?
  • Rey – The New Day – Its a New Day, bruh.
  • Rob – The New Day – New Day rocks and wins!
  • Greg – The New Day – New. Day wins. New. Day wins!

Tunney’s Take: War Machine – Yes, WAR MACHINE. I have personally had the pleasure of throwing back a few cold ones with these guys on more than one occasion. Not only being tag champs in WWE but defending the titles at Mania and against The New Day is really cool for me as a long-time fan. Would it be fun to see The New Day have another title run.. YES. I think it’s smarter to give the War Raiders a big Mania W.

Chairshot Pick: THE NEW DAY 9-2

  • AJ – Jade Cargill
  • Andrew – Jade Cargill – She needs to stay a dominant force.
  • Dave – Jade Cargill – Gotta gear her up for the long term.
  • DJ – No contest – Naomi puts another beat down on Jade.
  • DPP – Jade Cargill – Nervous for how this match will go.
  • Jason – Naomi – Way more runway with Naomi as a bad guy. Keep it going!
  • Patrick – Jade Cargill – Jade gets her revenge.
  • Rey – Jade Cargill – Best non-title feud going. Naomi should win but Jade sneaks by.
  • Rob – Naomi – Naomi gets help to win.
  • Greg – Jade Cargill – They ain’t beating Jade here.

Tunney’s Take: Jade Cargill – I imagine WWE sees Jade’s ceiling much higher than Naomi’s. What better way to keep Jade climbing the ladder towards a World Title than to pick up a decisive victory in Vegas!

Chairshot Pick: Jade Cargill 8-2-1

  • AJ – Jacob Fatu – “AJ does a pretty good LA Knight impersonation” – PC Tunney
  • Andrew – Jacob Fatu – I’m biased, Jacob for President.
  • Dave – Jacob Fatu – Getting gold back in the Bloodline is smart.
  • DJ – Jacob Fatu
  • DPP – Jacob Fatu
  • Jason – Jacob Fatu – Thanks for coming pal, YEAH!
  • Patrick – Jacob Fatu
  • Rey – Jacob Fatu – C’mon cuz! All gas no brakes with it. Yadadamean??
  • Rob – LA Knight – Solo costs Jacob.
  • Greg – LA Knight – Solo screws Jacob.

Tunney’s Take: Jacob Fatu – It has been quite the journey for the Samoan Werewolf. I feel like that journey and the positive turn around it has taken deserves to be rewarded. Let’s see what Jacob can do on his own. Plus, LA Knight is ready to challenge for a World Title.

Chairshot Pick: Jacob Fatu 9-2

  • AJ – Tiffany Straton
  • Andrew – Tiffany Straton – I hate Charlotte Flair, no objectivity here.
  • Dave – Charlotte Flair – Tiffy might be the future, but she kinda failed the litmus test.
  • DJ – Charlotte Flair – The Queen crowns the freshman.
  • DPP – Tiffany Stratton
  • Jason – Charlotte Flair – Tiff wasn’t ready for this spot. Charnos is inevitable.
  • Patrick – Charlotte Flair – Lol Charlotte wins.
  • Rey – Charlotte Flair – Tiffany SHOULD win but, if Charlotte can squash, she will.
  • Rob – Charlotte Flair – Charlotte gets number 15.
  • Greg – Tiffany Stratton – Lol Charlotte wins. (Actually she doesn’t)

Tunney’s Take: Charlotte Flair – Charlotte needs the title for the first time in her career. Tiffy has had a nice run but now needs to take that all important step of not losing momentum after losing the title. Despite the drama and lackluster build here, I see a really good match coming this weekend from these two.

Chairshot Pick: Charlotte Flair 7-4

  • AJ – El Grande Americano
  • Andrew – El Grande Americano – I’d like to see Gable gain some momentum. Rey is Teflon.
  • Dave – El Grand Americano – He needs a marque win much more than Rey.
  • DJ – Rey Mysterio
  • DPP – El Grande Americano – Grande wins with the switcheroo to prove he is not Gable.
  • Jason – Rey Mysterio – Unmask Grande at the end. It is fun but has a shelf life.
  • Patrick – El Grande Americano – TOTALLY NOT CHAD GABLE
  • Rey – Rey Mysterio – Someone’s mask is coming off and it ain’t Rey.
  • Rob – El Grande Americano
  • Greg – Rey Mysterio – Hall of Famer wins but doesn’t take the mask.

Tunney’s Take: Rey Mysterio – Go listen to DWI 471. DP, Greg and I lay out exactly what this match should be, FUN! Multiple Americanos!!!

Chairshot Pick: El Grande Americano 6-5

  • AJ – Jey Uso
  • Andrew – Jey Uso – Kinda booked themselves into a corner here.
  • Dave – Jey Uso – It just makes sense.
  • DJ – Jey Uso – Jey YEETS all over The Ring Genreal.
  • DPP – Jey Uso – Jey wins after normal Gunther beating.
  • Jason – Jey Uso – Land the plane man. YEET
  • Patrick – Jey Uso – Jey has earned this one.
  • Rey – Jey Uso – YEEEEEEEEEEEET!
  • Rob – Jey Uso – YEET
  • Greg – Jey Uso – If Jey loses we riot. We don’t cause he wins.

Tunney’s Take: Jey Uso – ‘Til sweat drop down my balls, ‘Til all these bitches crawl, ‘Til all… YEET YEET YEET YEET YEET YEET YEET YEET YEET YEET YEET YEET YEET YEET YEET YEET YEET YEET YEET YEET YEET YEET YEET!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Chairshot Pick: Jey Uso 11-0

  • AJ – Roman Reigns
  • Andrew – Seth Rollins – I can see Rollins being the last piece of Team Rock.
  • Dave – Roman Reigns – I can’t see Roman losing two years in a row.
  • DJ – Seth Rollins – Paul Heyman is a Seth Freakin Rollins guy.
  • DPP – Seth Rollins – The Rock helps Rollins.
  • Jason – Roman Reigns – Seth’s favor is a red herring. Make-A-Wish Brooks got his main, now look at the lights.
  • Patrick – Seth Rollins – Seth Rollins… Paul Heyman guy.
  • Rey – Seth Rollins – I smeeeeellllllll a new soul to sell.
  • Rob – Roman Reigns – Paul Heyman helps Roman win.
  • Greg – Seth Rollins – Brock Lesnar returns to help Seth win.

Tunney’s Take: CM Punk – I really have no idea here. I picked Punk because nobody else did. This is going to be professional wrestling cinema at its finest. The story is thick and neatly woven. All the participants are legends and so are the potential party crashers. Will The Rock stick his nose in here? Will Brock Lesnar return to play a factor? Obviously, Paul Heyman has a Plan A… but what is it? All these questions and more will be answered Saturday as night 1 will definitely go out with a bang!

Chairshot Pick: Seth Rollins 6-4-1

  • AJ – Iyo Sky
  • Andrew – Iyo Sky – Rhea vs Bianca doesn’t need a belt to be compelling.
  • Dave – Rhea Ripley – Going with Rhea barely, hoping Iyo wins.
  • DJ – Iyo Sky – Unfinished business.
  • DPP – Iyo Sky – Rhea and Bianca are too consumed with each other.
  • Jason – Iyo Sky – More layers to Rhea/Bianca. Iyo rules.
  • Patrick – Iyo Sky – Iyo stole the build and gets the win.
  • Rey – Iyo Sky – Smart money is on the underdog champ.
  • Rob – Iyo Sky – Iyo survives.
  • Greg – Bianca Belair – Naomi helps Bianca win and turn heel.

Tunney’s Take: Rhea Ripley – Rhea is the best women’s wrestler in the world. Give her the biggest win on the grandest stage of them all!!! Bianca needs to go full heel. Iyo has been amazing in this build.

Chairshot Pick: Iyo Sky 8-2-1

  • AJ – Dominik Mysterio
  • Andrew – Finn Balor – I can see a Judgement Day meltdown incoming.
  • Dave – Bron Breakker – Bron is about to become a MegaStar.
  • DJ – Bron Breakker – Judgement Day implodes.
  • DPP – Dominik Mysterio – Finn take the pin.
  • Jason – Penta – I literally do not care because the winner is us, the fans.
  • Patrick – Bron Breakker – The WWE doesn’t care about this matchup, so why should I?
  • Rey – Dominik Mysterio – Only match without a clear winner. I choose chaos.
  • Rob – Bron Breakker – Finn and Dom cancel each other out.
  • Greg – Dominik Mysterio – Dom steals the pin from Bron, on Finn.

Tunney’s Take: Bron Breakker – The case can be made for any of these four to walk away with the most prestigious non-World title in pro wrestling history. The short of it is though that the Main Event picture isn’t really readily accessible for Breakker right now. Let this IC reign go through the summer, to SummerSlam.

Chairshot Pick: Bron Breakker 5-4-1-1

  • AJ – Damian Priest – “AJ does a pretty good Drew impersonation” – PC Tunney
  • Andrew – Drew McIntyre – Priest has not been interesting in this face incarnation.
  • Dave – Drew McIntyre – Time for Drew to get that win back.
  • DJ – Fuck finish – To be continued at Backlash.
  • DPP – Drew McIntyre – Physical matchup!
  • Jason – Drew McIntyre – Either one is fine here.
  • Patrick – Drew McIntyre – With two eyes, Drew turns the tide.
  • Rey – Drew McIntyre – Low key match of the weekend.
  • Rob – Damien Priest
  • Greg – Damien Priest – Priest wins, Drew tweets about it half hour later.

Tunney’s Take: Drew McIntyre – With the addition of the Street fight rules, these two behemoths have a really good chance to have one of the best matches of the entire weekend (winks at Rey Ca$h-A-Mania)! I do wonder what is next for both of these talents moving forward. Priest has staled since leaving the Judgement Day and Drew seems stuck in the same cycle for a while now. Very interested to see what the summer holds for this pair.

Chairshot Pick: Drew McIntyre 7-3-1

WHO WILL BE RANDY’S OPPONENT?!?

  • AJ – Nick Aldis – Orton wins
  • Andrew – Orton and Aldis vs Solo and Tama – Orton and Aldis win
  • Dave – Someone is getting an RKO!
  • DJ – A segment w/ the Wyatt s6cks.
  • DPP – Rusev – Aldis introduces Rusev who defeats Orton.
  • Jason – Nick Aldis – You got one more in ya, bubba. Aldis wins!
  • Patrick – Nick Aldis
  • Rey – Solo then Rusev – Solo in a squash and Rusev MATCHKA(wins)
  • Rob – Nick Aldis – Aldis proves himself, Orton wins.
  • Greg – Nick Aldis – Orton beats Aldis, they shake after.

Tunney’s Take: I would really love to see a singles match between Orton and Aldis. More likely this is some type of involvement with Solo and Tama. Rusev as a surprise challenger would be cool but, I feel that would be better left for RAW. An impromptu Goldberg retirement match would be crazy and fun, yet highly unlikely and illogical. Whatever happens, best believe exactly what Dave Ungar said, “Someone is getting an RKO!”.

  • AJ – Logan Paul
  • Andrew – AJ Styles – Logan doesn’t need the rub and should stay upper mid card.
  • Dave – Logan Paul – It’s the smart move and would be a statement win for Paul.
  • DJ – Logan Paul – Kross gets involved somewhere.
  • DPP – AJ Styles – AJ wins a great high-flying match.
  • Jason – AJ Styles – Just enjoy it or get a beer, nerds.
  • Patrick – Logan Paul – Logan Paul will main-event Mania sooner than later…
  • Rey – Logan Paul – Pass the torch, my wily vet.
  • Rob – Logan Paul – Kross helps Paul win.
  • Greg – AJ Styles – Styles wins after Paul’s cheating backfires.

Tunney’s Take: Logan Paul – Logan seems to really have dedicated himself to becoming great in this business. Anyone with that type of goal must have a World title on their mind. Beating AJ at Mania will be a great springboard for Logan into the Main Event sooner than later (winks at Patrick O’Dowd).

Chairshot Pick: Logan Paul 7-4

  • AJ – Liv & Raquel
  • Andrew – Liv & Raquel – Not really a fan of Lyra, she needs more work.
  • Dave – Liv & Raquel – This Bayley and Lyra team makes no damn sense.
  • DJ – Liv & Raquel – Bayley crashes out.
  • DPP – Liv & Raquel – Bayley continues a potential heel turn tease.
  • Jason – Bayley & Lyra – Finish the story!
  • Patrick – Bayley & Lyra – The WWE doesn’t care about this matchup, so why should I?
  • Rey – Liv and Raquel – Bayley want a title but it ain’t the ones in this match.
  • Rob – Liv & Raquel – Champs retain.
  • Greg – Liv & Raquel – Liv and Raquel retain thanks to Carlito and maybe JD.

Tunney’s Take: Liv & Raquel – Liv and Raquel need to be kept as the cornerstone of the women’s tag division for a lengthier period of time. Building tag teams in this division is difficult enough, let alone without a North Star.

Chairshot Pick: Liv & Raquel 9-2

  • AJ – Cody Rhodes
  • Andrew – Cody Rhodes – They are mentioning it so much, I don’t think 17 happens.
  • Dave – Joh Cena – Record falls and we head to summer with a built-in storyline.
  • DJ – John Cena – Some kind of Final Boss involvement.
  • DPP – John Cena – Cena wins and retires on RAW.
  • Jason – John Cena – Story’s over, “Captain” BIG MATCH JOHN.
  • Patrick – John Cena – A record breaking night for Cena.
  • Rey – John Cena – They’d be really stupid to turn John just to lose. (Post-Mania: Rock, Cena, T Scott, Seth & Drew, TEAM Corporate)
  • Rob – Cody Rhodes – Cody surprises us with the W.
  • Greg – Cody Rhodes – Cody wins to piss off Rock and set the table for Cena to turn back face. Crowd is behind Cena all the way through.

Tunney’s Take: Cody Rhodes – They had me until the threat of retirement. Been there. Done that. Didn’t fall in love with it back then. I love John Cena. I love this final run. John will get his 17th just not here. I expect nothing less than an absolute GEM of a match here to close WrestleMania 41. This has all been, is, and will continue to be about Cody Rhodes. WM40 defeats Roman Reigns. WM41 defeats John Cena. WM42 defeats The Rock (The Final Boss).

Chairshot Pick: John Cena 6-5

In closing I want to thank everyone on the panel for participating with their picks! You can follow each prognosticator/podcaster on X @ the handles below. We wait all year for this so remember three things… be respectful of others, comparison is the thief of joy and HAVE FUN!

  • AJ – @PhenomenalAJB
  • Andrew – @IWCWarChief
  • Dave – @AttitudeAgg
  • DJ – @TheMindlessPod
  • DPP – @itsmeDPP
  • Jason – @JediFett
  • Patrick – @WrestlngRealist
  • Rey – @itsreycash
  • Rob – @rbonne1
  • Greg – @gregdemarco44
  • PC – @PCTunney
  • TheChairshot.com – @ChairshotMedia

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Launched in 2017, the Chairshot Radio Network presents you with the best in sports, entertainment, and sports entertainment. Wrestling and wrestling crossover podcasts + the most interesting content + the most engaging hosts = the most entertaining podcasts you’ll find!

 MONDAY – Bandwagon Nerds (entertainment & popular culture)

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FRIDAY – DWI Podcast (Drunk Wrestling Intellect)

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SUNDAY – The Front and Center Sports Podcast / The Oddity… Keeping the news ridiculous!

CHAIRSHOT RADIO NETWORK PODCAST SPECIALS

Attitude Of Aggression Podcast & The Big Five Project (chronologically exploring WWE’s PPV/PLE history)

TheChairshot.com PRESENTS…IMMEDIATE POST WWE PLE REACTIONS w/ DJ(Mindless), Tunney(DWI) & Friends

Patrick O’Dowd’s 5X5

 


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About Chairshot Radio Network

Launched in 2017, the Chairshot Radio Network presents you with the best in sports, entertainment, and sports entertainment. Wrestling and wrestling crossover podcasts + the most interesting content + the most engaging hosts = the most entertaining podcasts you’ll find!

 MONDAY - Bandwagon Nerds (entertainment & popular culture)

TUESDAY - Musical Chairs (music) / Hockey Talk (NHL)

WEDNESDAY - The Greg DeMarco Show (wrestling) 

THURSDAY - Keeping the news ridiculous... The Oddity / Chairshot NFL (NFL)

FRIDAY - DWI Podcast (Drunk Wrestling Intellect)

SATURDAY - The Mindless Wrestling Podcast

SUNDAY - The Front and Center Sports Podcast 

CHAIRSHOT RADIO NETWORK PODCAST SPECIALS

Attitude Of Aggression Podcast & The Big Five Project (chronologically exploring WWE's PPV/PLE history)

TheChairshot.com PRESENTS...IMMEDIATE POST WWE PLE REACTIONS w/ DJ(Mindless), Tunney(DWI) & Friends

Patrick O'Dowd's 5X5

Classic POD is WAR


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DeMarco: Top 5 Non-Title WrestleMania Matches In WWE History

Not all WrestleMania classics had titles on the line. Dive into the top 5 non-title matches that stole the show & defined legacies. #WrestleMania #WWEHistory

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Shawn Michaels Kurt Angle WrestleMania 21

Not all WrestleMania classics had titles on the line. Dive into the top 5 non-title matches that stole the show and defined legacies.

WrestleMania is the Showcase Of The Immortals, but it’s not always the championship matches that steal the show—or define careers. In fact, some of the most iconic, business-defining, and emotionally resonant contests at the Grandest Stage of Them All didn’t feature a title at all. These matches succeeded because of character work, in-ring execution, and the kind of storytelling that sells tickets and moves merch.

Here are the five best non-title matches in WrestleMania history—at least, according to me!


5. The Rock vs. Hulk Hogan – WrestleMania X8 (2002)

This was never going to be a five-star technical clinic—but it was always going to be the moment. “Icon vs. Icon” was a tagline, sure, but it was also the reality: the biggest star of the ‘80s vs. the biggest star of the Attitude Era. And Toronto turned it into magic. Hogan walked in a heel but walked out immortal (again), with the SkyDome shaking on every punch, every look, every gesture.

What made this work was its self-awareness. Rock and Hogan read the crowd and flipped roles mid-match—Rock became the arrogant aggressor while Hogan Hulked Up to thunderous applause. It’s not often a non-title match headlines a card emotionally the way this one did, but it dominated every headline and highlight reel.


4. Owen Hart vs. Bret Hart – WrestleMania X (1994)

Sibling rivalries don’t usually lead to technical masterpieces, but then again, this wasn’t your average family drama. Owen and Bret opened WrestleMania X with a wrestling clinic that stood tall over a night packed with title changes. Owen needed to prove he was more than Bret’s little brother, and he did it by out-wrestling the best wrestler in the company. Clean. One-two-three.

It wasn’t just a great match—it was perfect storytelling. Owen’s victory, contrasted with Bret’s later world title win, set the tone for an entire year of brother-vs-brother tension. Bret became champion, but Owen had the moral victory—and all the bragging rights. This is proof that opening matches can steal the show.


3. The Undertaker vs. Shawn Michaels – WrestleMania 25 (2009)

If WrestleMania moments could be trademarked, this match would be the reason why. The Undertaker vs. Shawn Michaels wasn’t about championships—it was about legacy. Michaels wanted to be the man who ended The Streak. The build was steeped in biblical imagery: light vs. dark, heaven vs. hell. And the match? Pure perfection. Each man brought everything they had—near-falls, psychology, reversals that had 70,000+ people gasping in unison.

It was 30 minutes of generational storytelling that transcended pro wrestling. And here’s the kicker—it wasn’t even the main event. Yet it dwarfed everything that followed. Meltzer gave it 4.75 stars, fans gave it their hearts, and WWE gave it a sequel the next year. A match so good it forced the company to run it back—because lightning actually struck.

Now, if THIS MATCH is #3, what could possible be #2 and #1…


2. Bret Hart vs. “Stone Cold” Steve Austin – WrestleMania 13 (1997)

This wasn’t just a match—it was the turning point of an era. The Submission Match between Bret Hart and Steve Austin was as violent as it was poetic, with Ken Shamrock enforcing the rules and the Chicago crowd growing more frenzied by the second. The brilliance? The shift. Bret Hart, the traditionalist hero, grew darker and more self-righteous by the second, while the disrespectful anti-hero Austin refused to quit, even when drowning in his own blood. There was no title on the line, but the stakes felt bigger than gold.

The infamous double turn changed the business. Austin’s defiance turned him into the voice of a new generation of fans—blue collar, anti-authority, Attitude Era. Meanwhile, Bret would go on to lead the heel Hart Foundation. WWE didn’t need a championship to create a moment that catapulted Austin into superstardom and ignited the company’s hottest era. This match is business-first booking at its absolute best.


1. Kurt Angle vs. Shawn Michaels – WrestleMania 21 (2005)

Dream matches often disappoint. This one didn’t. At WrestleMania 21, Olympic gold medalist Kurt Angle went hold-for-hold and spot-for-spot with Mr. WrestleMania himself, and together they delivered a masterclass in in-ring psychology. Every sequence had stakes, every near-fall had meaning. It was a stylistic war: Michaels’ heart vs. Angle’s intensity.

Angle forcing Michaels to tap was a statement—it told fans that pure wrestling, not just spectacle, could still main-event caliber storytelling without any need for a title. Michaels sold the ankle lock like death, and Angle’s post-match collapse sold the moment as a hard-fought war. This is the kind of match that keeps purists up at night, smiling, and leaves the storytelling fans like myself as happy as can be!


10 Honorable Mentions (Not Honorable, Just For The Heck Of It)

  • Edge vs. Mick Foley – WrestleMania 22 (2006)
    A hardcore war that solidified Edge as a top-tier main eventer. That flaming table spear is still played in every Edge highlight reel.

  • AJ Styles vs. Shane McMahon – WrestleMania 33 (2017)
    Everyone expected smoke and mirrors—what they got was a surprisingly technical, high-energy opener that kicked off the show right.

  • The Undertaker vs. Triple H – WrestleMania 28 (2012)
    “End of an Era” wasn’t just a tagline. The Hell in a Cell match, with HBK as referee, was a brutal epilogue to a generation’s legacy.

  • Shawn Michaels vs. Chris Jericho – WrestleMania XIX (2003)
    A student-teacher battle of wills. Jericho’s low blow post-match was the perfect heel punctuation to a career-defining contest.

  • Randy Orton vs. Seth Rollins – WrestleMania 31 (2015)
    The greatest RKO of all time. That curb stomp reversal belongs in a museum.

  • Floyd Mayweather vs. Big Show – WrestleMania XXIV (2008)
    More sports-entertainment than wrestling, but a crossover moment that made mainstream headlines and paid off with a great finish.

  • Roddy Piper vs. Adrian Adonis – WrestleMania III (1987)
    A retirement match with big heat, a hot crowd, and Piper walking off into the sunset (for a minute).

  • The Firefly Funhouse Match – John Cena vs. Bray Wyatt – WrestleMania 36 (2020)
    Cinematic weirdness at its best. A meta masterstroke that broke Cena down in layers.

  • Bad Bunny & Damian Priest vs. The Miz & John Morrison – WrestleMania 37 (2021)
    Bad Bunny stunned everyone. He didn’t just belong—he elevated the show.

  • Rey Mysterio vs. Dominik Mysterio – WrestleMania 39 (2023)
    Father vs. son in a grudge match that played perfectly off real-life drama and Hall of Fame weekend emotions.


Some of these matches shaped legacies. Others shifted eras. But all of them proved that the most memorable moments at WrestleMania don’t need a title—they just need truth in the storytelling and fire in the execution.

About Chairshot Radio Network

Launched in 2017, the Chairshot Radio Network presents you with the best in sports, entertainment, and sports entertainment. Wrestling and wrestling crossover podcasts + the most interesting content + the most engaging hosts = the most entertaining podcasts you’ll find!

 MONDAY - Bandwagon Nerds (entertainment & popular culture)

TUESDAY - Musical Chairs (music) / Hockey Talk (NHL)

WEDNESDAY - The Greg DeMarco Show (wrestling) 

THURSDAY - Keeping the news ridiculous... The Oddity / Chairshot NFL (NFL)

FRIDAY - DWI Podcast (Drunk Wrestling Intellect)

SATURDAY - The Mindless Wrestling Podcast

SUNDAY - The Front and Center Sports Podcast 

CHAIRSHOT RADIO NETWORK PODCAST SPECIALS

Attitude Of Aggression Podcast & The Big Five Project (chronologically exploring WWE's PPV/PLE history)

TheChairshot.com PRESENTS...IMMEDIATE POST WWE PLE REACTIONS w/ DJ(Mindless), Tunney(DWI) & Friends

Patrick O'Dowd's 5X5

Classic POD is WAR


Chairshot Radio Network Your home for the hardest hitting podcasts... Sports, Entertainment and Sports Entertainment!

All Shows On Demand


Powered by RedCircle


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