Opinion

Has The Light Faded On WWE’s Women’s Revolution?

Published

7 years ago

March 21, 2018

Hell In A Cell. Iron Woman match. Main eventing RAW. Money In The Bank. Royal Rumble. The poorly thought through Fabulous Moolah Battle Royale… WWE have certainly gone all out in the last two years to follow through on their promise of a Women’s Revolution and have offered up a veritable smorgasbord of ‘first evers’. By finally focusing on the talent possessed by these women rather than their bodies, WWE have struck gold and helped the women to become more relevant than ever before, sometimes even more so than the male superstars. But then something happened, something all too common within WWE… they took a good thing and ran it into the ground. The women’s divisions on both RAW and SDLive have become largely unwatchable, over populated, cringeworthy, clusterfuck botch fests… but how? What happened? I’m going to dissect the situation and take a look at what WWE can do to avoid turning this revolution… into a de–evolution.

Charlotte Flair

What can be said Charlotte Flair that hasn’t already been said? She is arguably the greatest female superstar of all time, one of the most naturally gifted, athletic and charismatic women the company has ever seen. But one thing she is NOT… is a face. Let’s get one thing straight, Charlotte is not very good on the mic. She wasn’t as a heel and she certainly isn’t as a face, but at least as a heel it could be disguised with shouting, abuse and general sliminess. Her time on SDLive has been largely uncomfortable to watch, but this has also been contributed to by her colleagues. When Natalya is the closest thing you have to a heel you know you’re in big trouble. The introduction of The Riott Squad was a welcome one, but yet another shining example of WWE trying to flog a dead horse.

Speaking of the SDLive roster, it’s overcrowded with women who aren’t even close to Charlotte’s level. Carmella, Lana, Tamina, Liv Morgan and Sarah Logan are all absolute messes and in no way legitimate threats to the queen’s throne. Ruby Riot offered a nice change of pace, but I always felt she was brought in just to be the polar opposite of Charlotte – rough, tattooed and alternative – rather than for her talent. Becky Lynch is still one of the best women the company has on its books, but they continue to misuse her… the best course of action here would be turning Charlotte heel again, having her claim no one is worthy of dethroning her, and having Becky step up to challenge her. The two have had fantastic matches before, including on ‘The Grandest Stage of Them All’, and would no doubt tear the house down again.

The biggest problem WWE faced by moving Charlotte to SDLive was trying to find her another Sasha Banks. Love her or hate her, Sasha always managed to bring out the absolute best in Charlotte, and their outstanding rivalry was rewarded with multiple history making moments. Hell In A Cell, main eventing RAW, Iron Woman match… can you imagine Charlotte v Carmella in any of those? Absolutely not. WWE need to look toward NXT to get them out of the shit once again… the prospect of Charlotte v Ember Moon or Kairi Sane are both tantalising.

Now I know what you’re thinking. What about Asuka? Surely WWE have sidestepped all of this mess by having The Empress of Tomorrow choose Charlotte as her WrestleMania opponent? Well sure, it’s the first time she has had genuine, serious competition for a long time which Is obviously a welcome change, but you’re now left with a roster full of women desperate to stake their claim not being given an opportunity.

Having a woman treat a man like a pathetic, worthless, lacky, spineless, ugly bitch in new demeaning ways every week… EQUALITY!

Carmella & James Ellsworth

The first ever women’s Money In The Bank match was an absolutely huge moment for the women of WWE and one they very much deserved after years of proving themselves worthy. The match had great build up, a great storyline and genuinely felt very important. So what did WWE do? They decided to take this iconic moment, iconic match, career defining moment… and have a man win the match on a woman’s behalf. Nice one WWE! James Ellsworth had already outstayed his welcome at this point after being quite a funny sideshow attraction for a long time, but this was one of the most mind-boggling decisions WWE have ever made. Sure, the company did eventually backtrack on the decision and reschedule the match for an episode of SDLive, but by this point the damage was done and it was too late to get the fan’s back on side. The victory felt cheap the second time round.

Then we have Carmella herself. Not the most obvious winner at the time, but one which made a lot of sense going forward. She had improved in the ring and on the mic, had a manager we all loved to hate, has the look that WWE love their women to have and is still young enough to grow in the business. The issue is that since winning the contract she has done absolutely nothing in WWE. No memorable matches, no memorable feuds, hastily thrown together last-minute matches and repeated failed cash in attempts. I imagine she will attempt to cash in on the winner of Charlotte v Asuka and fall flat on her face. She is in no way ready to be a champion and in hindsight was probably not the best choice in the first place.

Alexa Bliss and RAW

It may seem like I’m blaming SDLive entirely for the issues in the women’s division, but that couldn’t be further from the truth. RAW has become increasingly stale over the years and guilty of stagnating, with little storyline development and lots of underutilization of talent. Exhibit A… Emma. One of the most talented female superstars of the modern era with a stunning look to boot, she had every tool in the box to become a huge star in WWE yet was repeatedly buried, with her most memorable run coming at the expense of putting Asuka over on the main roster. Millions of fans got behind Emma through the #GiveEmmaAChance Twitter movement, but once again WWE failed to recognise that giving the fans what they actually want would result in more $$$. Exhibit B – Nia Jax. Sure, she is finally being used correctly now, but at the start it was painfully obvious she was brought up too early purely because of her size. There were much better options on the roster and also in NXT at the time, but Jax was brought up and spent months squashing jobbers left, right and centre. With a little more refining, Jax could’ve stepped straight onto the main roster and been a dominant force. But she was treated, lets face it, as a fat girl. It sounds harsh but its painfully true.

WWE also really screwed up by having Alexa Bliss defend the RAW Women’s Championship so rarely. I get that she’s a dirty slimy, heel who runs away at the first sign of danger, and I get that it made sense in terms of storyline, but in a day and age where so many millions of fans berate the company for not using Brock Lesnar and the Universal Championship often enough you would think they would try and keep their top belts relevant by actually featuring them. The one thing missing from Bliss’s arsenal is in ring talent. Don’t get me wrong, she isn’t the worst in terms of talent, but she’s also far from the best, and you want your top titles to be represented by the absolute best. There is no better woman on the mic than Bliss, but talk is cheap and it will only get you so far. The belt became completely irrelevant towards the latter part of 2017.

Ronda Rousey

The worst kept secret in WWE history… Ronda Rousey was signing with the company. This decision instantly got the fan’s riled up… we are sick to death of seeing part timers and celebrities treated better than the actual talent and it seemed history was repeating itself. We all assumed Rousey would be handed a title opportunity on her arrival, an assumption seemingly backed up by her incredibly well acted and not awkward at all sign pointing party, to kick the rest of the roster in the teeth once again. WWE have made the right decision in having Rousey join up with Kurt Angle to take on the team of HHH and Stephanie McMahon at WrestleMania next month, but this could be another case of the damage being done. WWE have their work cut out for them getting Rousey ready in ring, especially considering she has supposedly signed a full-time contract, and even more work cut out for them to get her ready on the mic. It doesn’t take much for the fans to shit all over something or someone, and this could turn out to be a very expensive mistake… one which alienates the vast majority of the female roster and the little girls watching around the world.

‘You need to act like a champ’ ‘Why? You never did when DX won the Womens Championship for you…’ WE MISS YOU AJ

Stephanie McMahon

Did you know Stephanie McMahon created women’s wrestling? She actually created women altogether. She’s often cited with being the mastermind behind electricity, oxygen and penicillin. Obviously, I am joking, but the way Steph goes on sometimes you would be forgiven for assuming she is our lord and saviour. WWE love nothing more than shoving an authority figure down our throats when they should be looking at the bigger picture, evident in how much we saw and heard Steph talking about the first ever women’s Royal Rumble. Let the women themselves talk about it, let it feel important rather than yet another marketing tool. Steph is in every way just as bad as her brother Shane when it comes to hogging the limelight. A pair of power hungry, egomaniacs determined to remind us that their daddy gave us everything that we see before us. It’s a stark contrast between Steph and her husband HHH who did things the right way. He has successfully earnt the respect of the locker room and the fans by giving most of his life to the company, so his place a top of the mountain as WWE COO is one which the fans can accept. When he hands someone a title in NXT, its fine. When he introduced himself into the Survivor Series team, it was fine. He is there when he is needed. When the story can benefit from his experience. He isn’t there to put himself over.

In terms of the Royal Rumble itself, the match went off without a hitch. The women who paved the way in WWE came back to remind us why they are so deserving of their Hall of Fame spots and the women of today showed us they are more than ready to take over and deliver. But then you had Steph sat on commentary talking almost as much bullshit as Booker T used to do. And she even received her own entrance as if she was a part of it. Then to really take the piss we had her mate Maria Menounas as the guest ring announcer despite women like Lilian Garcia and JoJo dedicating years of their lives to travelling the world with WWE. The Twitter outcry was almost deafening… WWE had once again taken something so monumental and made it feel cheap, prioritising their bank balance and lining their chums pockets.

Don’t mind me girls i’m just here to steal your thunder. I’m a McMahon. It’s what we do…

SDLive Overcrowding

Talk about having too much of a good thing eh? WWE have clearly given up on writing intelligent, entertaining, meaningful storylines because its easier to give us a series of meaningless 3 v 3, 6 women tag matches. Why call up Sarah Logan and Liv Morgan in the first place if they’re just going to play second and third fiddle to Ruby Riot? Riot could’ve just as easily been called up by herself and had more time invested in her. The exact same can be said over on RAW with Sonya Deville and Mandy Rose, but at least they’ve become part of the growing animosity between Bayley and Sasha Banks in the wake of Paige’s unfortunate injury.

See that’s the thing with RAW. They may have too many superstars on the roster but at least the vast majority of them get time to shine and get used properly. They’re managing to use every single woman at their disposal and spreading them over the course of two storylines, even finding a way for a veteran like Mickie James to stay relevant. There is a stark contrast over on SDLive, where we’ve seen Natalya, Becky Lynch and Naomi go from being on top of the division, to being thrown into non sensical tag matches on PPV’s just one month before WrestleMania. HHH does so much right in WWE, but for every great thing he does, he cancels it out by doing something like giving his delusional, one dimensional, living in the past, taken-one-too-many-blows-to-the-head mate Road Dogg a job in creative. If you aren’t going to give the girls a chance, let them go elsewhere. We don’t want another Emma on our hands.

Nothing says ’empowering women’ quite like idolising a well documented pimp!

The Fabulous Moolah Battle Royal

Where the fuck do I start with this one? We live in a day and age where you could Google ‘When did Hulk Hogan last go the toilet?’ and find an accurate answer. My point is that literally everything EVER is on the internet. So how did WWE think they would ever get away with naming a tournament after a well-documented sex trafficker? She actually did very little for women’s wrestling and is mostly known for her friendship with Mae Young, who happens to be a genuine pioneer and icon to women all over the world. The company’s moral compass doesn’t know which way is up at the minute. They completely blacklisted one of the most important women in their history, Chyna, for venturing into porn yet haven’t cut ties with Sunny for her addiction problems, badmouthing of the company or her very own foray into the world of sex entertainment. The same thing can be said for Paige’s leaked sex tapes with Brad Maddox and Xavier Woods. Sure, that wasn’t intentionally put out on to the internet by Paige, but it still caused a huge amount of embarrassment for WWE and a lot of people were surprised to see Paige return at all afterwards.

Chyna paved the way for women in WWE and in sports as a whole all over the world, and she would’ve been so much more deserving of this honour than Moolah. It could’ve been a great way for WWE to get the fans back on side, and a great way to lead on to Chyna finally being inducted into the Hall Of Fame. Instead, WWE have found themselves with egg on their face and have changed the name of the tournament amidst a huge fan backlash. It really does defy all belief that someone in WWE keeps giving the green light on all of these bizarre and downright stupid decisions.

Final Thoughts. WWE can still do a lot of good both pre and post WrestleMania. They’ve made the right decision in having Nia Jax and Asuka going after the RAW and SDLive belts respectively. Two really good storylines, one potential showstopper and the rest of the women get to be a part of history once again in the battle royal. Post Mania it would be a great time to start trimming off the fat and let go of the deadweight, making room for the likes of Moon, Cross and The Iconic Duo, all from NXT. This is hands down the best pool of female talent that WWE have ever had at their disposal. Long may the evolution, and revolution, continue.

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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.

Published

20 hours ago

April 18, 2025

PC Tunney

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

For the latest, greatest and up to datest in coverage, opinions, and podcasts ALWAYS #UseYourHead and visit TheCharishot.com

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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

Published

3 days ago

April 16, 2025

Greg DeMarco

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.