Opinion

Top 5: Matches Of The Week (Ending 2/4/18)

Published

7 years ago

February 5, 2018

Oh ya, I have an article to write! Even though I wasn’t personally invested in the Super Bowl, the game ending up being great. Who woulda thunk that the Eagles would pull off the upset?

Anyway, not the point, it’s a wrestling article! Last week’s match of the week went to…Andrade Almas vs Johnny Gargano, to no one’s surprise. Now since more of this week was in February, this is the official start of the February pool. So that means this week will be two votes, Match of January, and Match of the Week.

January Pool:

Wrestle Kingdom 12: Chris Jericho vs Kenny Omega
NXT: Kyle O’Reilly & Bobby Fish vs Roderick Strong & Aleister Black
NWA: Tim Storm vs Jocephus
NXT Takeover: Andrade ‘Cien’ Almas vs Johnny Gargano

The January pool has 2 obvious favorites, so it should be interesting which way it goes. So with that, let’s see what leads off February:

5. Impact: Moose & Johnny Impact vs EC3 & Alberto El Patron

Billed as an All-Star Tag Match, it’s the fabled main event faces vs main event heels for a feud filler match.

The match was filled with all four competitors’ signature moves, a lot of well paced, hard hitting action. My highlight of the match is the fact that Johnny hit his Starship Pain perfectly, FINALLY, he only hits it well about 20% of the time, but this was perfect…and it wasn’t the finish.

Good brawling, good spots and Moose gets the pinfall on Del Rio after a surprise discus lariat. So you can only assume that there will be some multi-man match (I haven’t read spoilers) since Drake no longer has the Heavyweight Title, so that means all participants in this match are available for an opportunity.

Rating: *** 1/4 (Gold IV)

4. AJPW Yokohama Twilight Blues Special Triple Crown Championship Match: Joe Doering (c) vs Kai

Doering’s title reign has been weird from a western perspective. He’s the big gaijin, who returned from a battle with cancer and built his way back up the ladder. But everyone he’s faced aren’t exactly top teir talent, since they’ve been enveloped in Tag storylines.

However, even with my less than glowing introduction, everyone Doering has faced, puts in good work. Kai had many good flurries even though he was at a large size disadvantage. There were a couple times it looked like he had a shot, and that’s beautiful story telling. If you can ever make people buy into a lower card guy, upsetting the champion, that’s what wrestling is about.

Doering wins on his second attempt for his spinning powerbomb, and then we see his next challenger. Kento Miyahara, the young Ace, looking to get his belt back. This match, will be a sight to behold. Regardless of who wins, a competitive match will do wonders for the main event scene.

Rating: *** 1/2 (Gold III)

3. Raw: Asuka vs Sasha Banks

One of the most meme’d/gif’d matches of the last few years, and for all the wrong reasons.

Yes, even I brought up that Sasha needs to stop doing suicide dives before she kills herself, since this isn’t the first time she’s messed one up. Now, even with the botch, it still worked well and since Sasha didn’t get seriously injured it added to the brutality of the match.

What we got was a top teir match, be it male or female, both women put on a clinic. This match can build a good Sasha story of turning heel since we saw a glimmer at Royal Rumble. If she starts cutting a few corners, she could see it as the edge needed to break Asuka’s streak.

Anyone who says they wasted a WrestleMania match, doesn’t realize that this match adds to a story, builds more heat between the two and will make a more engaging spectacle…whenver it happens.

Rating: **** (Platinum V)

Honorable Mentions:

Smackdown: Kofi Kingston vs Rusev vs Jinder Mahal vs Zack Ryder
Rating: *** (Gold V)

Raw Intercontinental Title Match: The Miz (c) vs Roman Reigns
Rating: *** (Gold V)

ROH: Matt Taven vs Cody
Rating: ** 3/4 (Silver I)

2. NXT UK Title Number 1 Contender Match: Roderick Strong vs Tyler Bate

Both men are well known for quality matches, so this had a lot of hype leading in.

This was more of a chess match than a fight. Strong found a few interesting ways to catch Bate in back breakers, while Bate was trying to figure out ways to get his stuff in. That, could’ve been the difference between the two also. Bate stuck to his usual moveset, while Strong had a little more desperation in the way he was executing his gameplan.

His relentless focus on Bate’s back (he is the Messiah of the back breaker, so yeah) played into things where it gave Strong the opening to his The End of Heartache and become the new number one contender for Pete Dunne’s UK Championship.

Rating: **** (Platinum V)

1. AJPW Yokohama Twilight Blues Special World Tag Team Championship Match: Shuji Ishikawa & Suwama (c) vs Kento Miyahara & Yoshitatsu

You’ve got a rematch of the semi-final from the last World’s Strongest Tag League, as well as my highly rated match of the tournament ( the more things change, the more they stay the same).

This is one of those matches that’s hard to summarize and best to watch. Everyone takes a few minutes to feel each other out, Yoshitatsu goes out of his way to demand Suwama square up with him. Speaking of him, since September, Yoshi has really tried to fix his broken image. He constantly tries to challenge the top talent, and it’s finally paying off. Even though Miyahara picked up the win with his Shutdown Suplex Hold, Yoshi held his own.

So not only are Miyahara and Yoshitatsu the new Tag Team champions, Miyahara is challenging for the Triple Crown and Yoshitatsu it finally starting to look like he belongs. All in all I’d call that a successful night.

Rating: **** 1/4 (Platinum IV)

This is another one of those weeks where I’m pretty sure there is an overall favorite match. So due to that fact, I’m going to place my vote for, Violence Giant vs Miyahara and Yoshitatsu @ AJPW Twilight Blues Special, best match of the week, and NXT will get plenty of support from everyone else. As for the month, I’ll go with Almas vs Gargano, as the match of January.

So remember, reply to the article on Twitter or Facebook, or e-mail me at Andrewbalaz@thechairshot.com with votes, opinions, general disdain, it’s all good. Until next time, try not to get trampled by “celebrating” Eagles fans.

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Opinion

Chairshot Staff Picks: Money In The Bank

Extra, extra read all about it… Chairshot Staff picks are in!!!

Published

2 weeks ago

June 6, 2025

PC Tunney

Sing it with me… money money money money moneeeeeeeeeyeeeeee… everybody’s got a price! MONEY IN THE BANK is here!!! How money will our staff picks be?!?

AJ – Roxanne Perez
Andrew – Stephanie Vaquer – *Bubba Sparxxx Impression* I don’t tell stories, I let them tell theyself.
Dave – Guilia – A stacked field but I just like her here.
DJ – Naomi
DPP – Roxanne Perez
Jason – Alexa Bliss
Patrick – Roxanne Perez
Rey – Naomi – If Naomi loses, we riot!
Rob – Naomi
Greg – Alexa Bliss – Bliss has had huge reactions since returning and is moving a ton of merch. While I can see them wanting to build Roxanne Perez, Giulia, or Stephanie Vaquer, I think Alexa Bliss.

Tunney’s Take: Rhea Ripley – I’ll make my case short and sweet… Mami in the Bank! You can’t leave that money on the table.

Chairshot Pick – Tie – Naomi 3 & Roxanne Perez 3 (Alexa Bliss 2, Giulia 1, Rhea Ripley 1, Stephanie Vaquer 1)

AJ – LA Knight
Andrew – El Grande Americano – Feels correct given his push and the fact he’s over.
Dave – Seth Rollins – Got to push that new faction.
DJ – LA Knight
DPP – El Grande Americano
Jason – LA Knight
Patrick – Solo Sikoa
Rey – LA Knight – Looks like another push, and he does have history with Cena.
Rob – Solo Sikoa
Greg – Seth Rollins – This company is extremely high in the El Grande Americano gimmick, but this match comes down to Seth Rollins or LA Knight. Given the Rollins storyline, it’s his briefcase to win.

Tunney’s Take: El Grande Americano – Picture this: Chad Gable wins the AAA Mega Championship and El Grande Americano wins MITB! WHAT A SATURDAY in LA!!!

Chairshot Pick – LA Knight 4 (El Grande Americano 3, Seth Rollins 2, Solo Sikoa 2)

AJ – Becky Lynch – Sadly
Andrew – Becky Lynch – I still don’t care about Lyra.
Dave – Lyra Valkyria – Starting to warm up to her and Becky has a lot to do with that.
DJ – Lyra Valkyria
DPP – Becky Lynch
Jason – Becky Lynch
Patrick – Lyra Valkyria
Rey – Becky Lynch – Put some fire on the Irish Beef.
Rob – Becky Lynch
Greg – Becky Lynch – I don’t think you do a rematch here just to have Becky lose again. Unless Bayley shows up to help Lyra.

Tunney’s Take: Becky Lynch – A big part of me feels that winning this title checks off a major box for Becks in her HOF career.

Chairshot Pick – Becky Lynch 8-3

AJ – Cena & Paul
Andrew – Rhodes & Uso – Easy way for Cena to lose without eating the pinfall.
Dave – Rhodes & Uso – Get the QB back on the winning track.
DJ – Rhodes & Uso
DPP – Rhodes & Uso
Jason – Cena & Paul
Patrick – Cena & Paul
Rey – Rhodes & Uso – Heels usually lose these kinds of matches. Logan takes the pin.
Rob – Cena & Paul
Greg – Rhodes & Uso – I hope Jey isn’t an afterthought here like Cody was last fall when he was paired up with Roman. I think Cody pins Cena to set up Cody-Cena 2 at SummerSlam.

Tunney’s Take: Cena & Paul – I don’t think Cena is involved in another loss until he loses the WWE Championship. I also think Logan Paul is NOT done trying to capture Jey Uso’s World Heavyweight Championship. …Travis Scott in the house?

Chairshot Pick – 6-5 Rhodes & Uso

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 all enjoy Pro Wrestling 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

prowrestlingtees.com/TheChairshot – a PLETHORA of GREAT designs…MAKES A GREAT GIFT!

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Classic POD is WAR

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About Chairshot Radio Network

MONDAY - Bandwagon Nerds (entertainment & popular culture)

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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

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Classic POD is WAR

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

Opinion

Chairshot Staff Picks: Backlash St. Louis

Chairshot Staff picks!!!

Published

1 month ago

May 9, 2025

PC Tunney

May is upon us and with that, so is Backlash from St. Louis! What does the first PLE after WrestleMania have in store for the WWE Universe? Let’s see if the Chairshot Staff can properly interpret the crystal ball of rasslin’ future.

AJ – Pat MacAfee – Gunther has to start losing control and who better than an announcer.
Andrew – Pat MacAfee – Goldberg getting involved does seem correct here.
Dave – Gunther – He’s not losing to a broadcaster.
DJ – Gunther – Pat is sent to the shadow realm until football season is over.
DPP – Gunther – Post match beat down leads to Pat time off.
Jason – Gunther – One massive spot and or bump from Pat.
Patrick – Gunther
Rey – Gunther – RIP MacAfee, t’was a good life.
Rob – Gunther
Greg – Pat MacAfee – Why? Goooooldbeeerrrrrgggggg!

Tunney’s Take: Gunther – Seems like the right pick here. Pat may be getting some time off and Gunther needs more heat.

Chairshot Pick – GUNTHER 8-3

AJ – Lyra Valkyria – Becky’s hopefully putting her over, still mad about Dakota.
Andrew – Becky Lynch – I have no real interest in Lyra currently.
Dave – Becky Lynch – Lyra is boring AF!
DJ – Lyra Valkyria – Bayley interferes.
DPP – Becky Lynch – Becky cheats and steals the title.
Jason – Lyra Valkyria – Bayley costs Becks.
Patrick – Becky Lynch
Rey – Becky Lynch – Story needs to jump up a bit, Becky Charlotte’s Lyra.
Rob – Lyra Valkyria
Greg – Becky Lynch – It’s been fun, Lyra. (It kinda hasn’t)

Tunney’s Take: Lyra Valkyria – Bayley’s interference should set up some type of program with Becky as we head towards Summer(Slam).

Chairshot Pick – BECKY LYNCH 6-5

AJ – Jacob Fatu – Great way to put him over w/ two former WHCs and LA Knight.
Andrew – Jacob Fatu – He’s Jacob Fatu!
Dave – Jacob Fatu – Too soon to pull the belt off him.
DJ – Jacob Fatu – Priest and LA can’t decide who’s is bigger.
DPP – Jacob Fatu – Your hardcore match, tables and chairs involved.
Jason – Jacob Fatu – The Champ retains due to or in spite of Solo.
Patrick – Jacob Fatu
Rey – Jacob Fatu – All gas. No brakes. Ain’t losing.
Rob – Jacob Fatu
Greg – Jacob Fatu – Someone from The Samoan Dynasty ain’t winning a title just to drop it.

Tunney’s Take: Jacob Fatu – Uncle Mo is on Fatu’s side and other than Knight, I don’t see Drew or Priest holding the US title in the current circumstances of this title’s landscape.

Chairshot Pick – JACOB FATU 11-0

AJ – Dominic Mysterio – Judgement Day shenanigans just leading up to Finn turning on Dom later.
Andrew – Penta – Dom’s fine having a short reign, could also work for pushing AAA.
Dave – Dominic Mysterio – He’s probably more over than Penta.
DJ – Dominic Mysterio – Dirty Dom takes home the gold and the girl.
DPP – Dominic Mysterio – Big Head helps Dom pull out the win.
Jason – Dominic Mysterio – By hook and crook.
Patrick – Dominic Mysterio
Rey – Dominic Mysterio – Latino Heat keeps burning. Finn gets closer to the edge.
Rob – Dominic Mysterio
Greg – Dominic Mysterio – Someone from The Guerrero Dynasty ain’t winning a title just to drop it.

Tunney’s Take: Dominic Mysterio – That belt looks good with the king of chicken tendys. I can see Penta and Rey reforming as a tag team sooner than later.

Chairshot Pick – DOMINIC MYSTERIO 10-1

AJ – John Cena – Why? Cena wins, lol.
Andrew – John Cena – Shenanigans ensue so it’s not a clean win.
Dave – John Cena – The last time is now.
DJ – John Cena – Randy hears voices telling him he needs an Attitude Adjustment.
DPP – John Cena – Cena tries to cheat but the ref doesn’t call for a DQ.
Jason – John Cena – Nefarious means, Randy not ready for Evil John Cena.
Patrick – John Cena
Rey – John Cena – Cena just counting down the dates. Should be fun though.
Rob – John Cena
Greg – John Cena – You know they want Cody to be the hero in the end.

Tunney’s Take: Randy Orton – Once upon a time Randy got himself intentionally disqualified and it cost John. Saturday, history repeats itself with a 180-degree twist. Cena retains via Orton DQ victory. This time, Travis Scott’s appearance takes care of that task.

Chairshot Pick – JOHN CENA 10-1