Chairshot Classics
WrestleMania 26: Demolition Derby in the Desert
WrestleMania 26 comes to us from the University of Phoenix stadium and boasts a pretty interesting sounding card, including the sequel to Undertaker/Michaels, but much like WrestleMania, it has received mixed to negative reviews from the wrestling press. Is this warranted, given the card’s potential? Let’s find out!
Opener
We start off with a flyover of the stadium by the Blue Angels, judging by the planes. Fantasia sings ‘America, the Beautiful’.
We get a montage/promo about WrestleMania and the big matches, along with what has happened in a year.
Unified WWE Tag Team Match: ShoMiz vs John Morrison and R-Truth
R-Truth and Morrison are out to a good pop. ShoMiz’s music doesn’t blend well, but they get a decent pop. This was a short, but very good match.
Winner: Big Show gets the pin on Morrison after a knockout punch.
Highlights: Big Show’s athleticism.
Comments: That’s a good opener for WrestleMania
We get video about Axxess and WrestleMania week.
Triple Threat Match: Randy Orton vs Cody Rhodes vs Ted DiBiase
Ted DiBiase gets a minimal pop, as does Cody Rhodes. Orton gets a huge pop. This is a good match, but I hate Triple Threat matches that aren’t for a title. I’m a little lost about who I’m supposed to be cheering for here.
Winner: Randy Orton by pinfall on Ted DiBiase
Highlights: Rhodes/DiBiase turning on each other. Double rope-assisted DDT.
Comments: I’m a little confused by who was supposed to be the face(s) or the heel(s) in this match because the audience reaction indicated that Orton was the face, but the commentary indicated he was the heel.
Money in the Bank Ladder Match: Jack Swagger vs Christian vs Dolph Ziggler vs Drew McIntyre vs Evan Bourne vs Kane vs Kofi Kingston vs Matt Hardy vs MVP vs Shelton Benjamin
Just about everyone gets a decent pop, except for Jack Swagger, Dolph Ziggler, and Drew McIntyre.
This was a really good match, a good case could’ve been made for anyone to win, but Swagger was a surprise, at least to me.
Winner: Jack Swagger
Comments: This would be the last time MitB would be contested at WrestleMania, it would get its own PPV later this year.
We get the Hall of Fame reveal. Our inductees are: Mad Dog Vachon, Wendi Richter, Stu Hart, Gorgeous George, Antonio Inoki, Bob Uecker, and Ted DiBiase.
Triple H vs Sheamus
Sheamus is out to a round of boos. Triple H comes out to a huge pop. This was a really good match. Sheamus and Triple H really worked well together and really put on a sleeper gem.
This was the match that really got Sheamus over as a performer, even though he lost, he hung with the Game and shined very brightly. Having Trips win due to veteran experience than overwhelming skill protected Sheamus.
Winner: Triple H by pinfall.
Comments: It’s weird to see Triple H this low on the card, maybe they were planning a run-in during Taker/Michaels.
Rey Mysterio vs CM Punk (with Luke Gallows and Serena)
Punk and company are out to a mixed reaction. Punk runs his mouth and the crowd hates it. Rey Mysterio gets a good reaction, according to Michael Cole, his outfit is based on Avatar. This a really good match, Punk and Mysterio work really well together. The whole storyline really bothered me, but it worked well in the match, especially with Rey being the eternal underdog.
Winners: Rey Mysterio by pinfall
Comments: I can’t stand Punk, but that was a good match. It’s funny to see Luke Gallows before The Club.
No Holds Barred Lumberjack Match: Bret Hart vs Vince McMahon. Special Guest Ref: Bruce Hart
Bret gets a great pop, though why he’s not in wrestling gear escapes me. Vince comes out to boos and announces that he wants to give Bret Hart a WrestleMania sized screwing and says he paid off the Hart family to turn on Bret. Bret calls out his family and makes sure they all got paid before dropping a bomb: He already knew about the payoff because the family told him and that there’s nothing sweeter than a good double-cross.
Of all the ‘Vince irons out issues with employee’ matches, this was the most boring. Even with the Hart family as part of it, this wasn’t very exciting. I don’t know if it was because of Bret’s health or what, but the fact that Vince got in almost no offense, is odd and really hurt the match.
Winner: Bret Hart by submission. The Hart Family celebrates together.
Highlights: The Harts getting some of Vince. The Harts double-crossing Vince.
Comments: I wanted to enjoy this match but there was just nothing exciting about it.
World Heavyweight Championship Match: Chris Jericho vs Edge
Jericho is out first to a round of boos. Edge gets a huge pop.
This is a great match. These two worked really well together and the story was pretty good. Edge not winning really bothered me because it seemed like the most logical thing to do given the storyline.
Winner: Chris Jericho by pinfall. Afterwards, Jericho tries to attack Edge’s bad knee but is kicked into the announce tables by the enraged Rated-R Superstar who puts Jericho on the announce table and spears him into the timekeeper’s area.
Comments: Edge is one of only nine superstars to have lost at WrestleMania after winning that year’s Royal Rumble since the beginning of the ‘Winner gets a title shot at WrestleMania’ stipulation was added in 1993*.
*Triple H won the Royal Rumble in 2016 and won the WWE World Heavyweight Championship as a consequence and lost it to Roman Reigns at WrestleMania 32. Vince McMahon won the 1999 Royal Rumble but lost the opportunity in a cage match with Austin. Austin’s 1997 victory was vacated due to him actually being eliminated by Bret Hart.
We get a look at the precursor of the Andre the Giant battle royal, which Yoshi Tatsu won.
10 Diva Tag Match: Alicia Fox, Maryse, Layla, Michelle McCool, and Vickie Guerrero (heels) vs Beth Phoenix, Eve Torres, Gail Kim, Kelly Kelly, and Mickie James (faces)
The heel divas are out first to a decent pop. The face divas get a really good pop. This was not the worst match I’ve ever seen, but it was the biggest mess. Vickie had no business being in the ring.
Winner: Vickie Guerrero gets the pin for her team.
Comments: I really wish the WWE had done the Women’s Revolution earlier, there were a lot of women in the Divas era that deserve more respect for their talent that get overlooked.
WWE Championship Match: Batista vs John Cena
Batista comes out to a mixed reaction. The US Air Force Honor Guard Drill Team (Thank you, Wikipedia) brings Cena to the ring to a mixed reaction. This match was weird. The fans didn’t seem to be behind either Batista or Cena and this match just didn’t seem to mesh, which is odd because I remember loving their match at SummerSlam 2008, so I’m not sure what was going on here.
Winner: Cena by submission, wins the WWE Championship.
Comments: This would be Batista’s last WrestleMania for a few years. He would leave shortly after WrestleMania and return in 2014 for a few months before leaving again.
The Streak: Undertaker vs Shawn Michaels – No Disqualification Streak vs Career
HBK comes out to a great pop. Like last year, there are a lot of signs indicating that a good chunk of the fans believe HBK will end the Streak. The Deadman Cometh. Undertaker rises from the floor in a robe reminiscent of his Lord of Darkness gimmick.
This match wasn’t quite as good as the one at WrestleMania 25, but it was still the best match on the card by a mile or more.
Winner: Undertaker by pinfall. The Streak is 18-0
Highlights: HBK and Taker’s handshake, Taker letting HBK have the ring to say goodbye.
Comments: This is the one time that I wanted Taker to lose. Thank you for twenty years of memories and for being my hero since I was nine years old, Shawn. Godspeed, Heartbreak Kid.
Overall Comments
So, does WrestleMania 26 deserve its mixed reactions? In my opinion, not really. Several matches didn’t live up to the potential, but the card was still pretty good, save for a couple of matches that just didn’t work.
Snoozers: Bret Hart vs Vince McMahon.
Stinkers: Divas match. It was a waste of a lot of talent.
Match of the Night: Undertaker vs Shawn Michaels.
Final Thoughts: I really enjoyed this show.
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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Let us know what you think on social media @ChairshotMedia and always remember to use the hashtag #UseYourHead!
Classic Survivor Series
Attitude Of Aggression #299- The Big Five Project: Survivor Series ’94
The Big Five Project is back for Survivor Series’ 94, featuring Bob Backlund’s shocking victory over Bret Hart, plus Undertaker’s revenge!
The Big Five Project returns to bring 1994 to an end as the guys cover Survivor Series ’94. As 1994 came to an end, the winds of change continued to sweep through the WWF and that was highly evident on a November evening in San Antonio. A better event than the year before, Survivor Series ’94 featured the break-up of Shawn Michaels and Diesel, a feud that would extend all the way to WrestleMania XI. Meanwhile, Survivor Series ’94 would see a shocking WWF Championship title change as Bob Backlund, with a huge assist from Owen Hart, would dethrone Bret “Hitman” Hart in an unforgettable, emotionally charged, and highly controversial match. Thanks to Bret’s mother, Mr. Backlund became the oldest WWF Champion in history (at the time) and Owen Hart showed us all just how low he would stoop to screw his brother over. Add in some solid Survivor Series matches, a special appearance by Chuck Norris, and The Undertaker exacting a measure of revenge against Yokozuna and we are left with a very solid PPV to close out 1994! We have all the details for you here, on another epic installment of the Big Five Project.
About the Chairshot Radio Network
Created in 2017, the Chairshot Radio Network presents you with the best in wrestling and wrestling crossover podcasts, including POD is WAR, Women’s Wrestling Talk, Chairshot Radio daily editions, The #Miranda Show, Badlands’ Wrestling Mount Rushmores, The Outsider’s Edge, DWI Podcast, Bandwagon Nerds, the Greg DeMarco Show, 3 Man Weave, Five Rounds, Turnbuckle Talk, The Reaction, Attitude Of Aggression, and more! You can find these great shows each week at theChairshot.com and through our distribution partners, including podcasting’s most popular platforms.
The Chairshot Radio Network
Your home for the hardest hitting podcasts and radio shows!
Listen on your favorite platform!
iTunes | iHeart Radio | Google Play | Spotify
Listen, like, subscribe, and share!
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!
Powered by RedCircle
Let us know what you think on social media @ChairshotMedia and always remember to use the hashtag #UseYourHead!
Classic SummerSlam
Attitude Of Aggression #298- Summer Slam ’94
Kinny KIlla joins the Big Five Project as the guys cover Summer Slam ’94, including a watch along of one of the greatest Steel Cage matches of all time!
The Big Five Project returns…and so does Kinny Killa as one of the best friends of the show makes a special guest appearance to cover Summer Slam ’94! Emanating from the brand-new United Center in Chicago, the 1994 edition of WWE’s summer extravaganza was an exceptionally good event that featured Razor Ramon recapturing the Intercontinental Championship, a very surprising heel turn, and one of the best women’s matches anywhere in 1994. The highlight, of course, was the epic Steel Cage match for the WWF Championship between Owen Hart and his brother Bret “The Hitman” Hart and the guys do a watch along of that match here. Is it the greatest Steel Cage match of all time, as Dave suggests, or does the match go too long? All that plus the return of The Undertaker as he takes on…. The Undertaker? It is as ridiculous as it sounds, but we have all the details for you here, on another epic installment of the Big Five Project.
About the Chairshot Radio Network
Created in 2017, the Chairshot Radio Network presents you with the best in wrestling and wrestling crossover podcasts, including POD is WAR, Women’s Wrestling Talk, Chairshot Radio daily editions, The #Miranda Show, Badlands’ Wrestling Mount Rushmores, The Outsider’s Edge, DWI Podcast, Bandwagon Nerds, the Greg DeMarco Show, 3 Man Weave, Five Rounds, Turnbuckle Talk, The Reaction, Attitude Of Aggression, and more! You can find these great shows each week at theChairshot.com and through our distribution partners, including podcasting’s most popular platforms.
The Chairshot Radio Network
Your home for the hardest hitting podcasts and radio shows!
Listen on your favorite platform!
iTunes | iHeart Radio | Google Play | Spotify
Listen, like, subscribe, and share!
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!
Powered by RedCircle
Let us know what you think on social media @ChairshotMedia and always remember to use the hashtag #UseYourHead!