Opinion

Rules of Wrestling: June 21, 2018

Published

7 years ago

June 21, 2018

Wrestling isn’t like any other industry. In the world of wrestling the business is ever active, ever progressing & ever changing as each day goes by, which other form of sport or entertainment provides its fans with that similar of an experience?

With an industry as active as this one however, we constantly lose track of what’s happened within the span of even a week, sometimes a matter of 3 to 4 days could contain far too much news for one head to handle. A week in professional wrestling consists more than just matches, at times we get title changes, returns, injuries, call-ups, formation of new rivalries & countless other issues which are too long to list.

This revelation has brought me to starting this column, the ‘Rules of Wrestling’.

Using the ‘Rules of Wrestling’ we’re going to have a look over the week in wrestling, or at least the most prominent points in wrestling during a given week. Whether that be a pay-per-view event, Network special or even work from other organisations that aren’t WWE-related. These rules won’t just be ones that those of you who read this can follow but will solidify the most important elements of each week in wrestling.

Without wasting more time, let’s get right to it!

Rule #1: Like it or not, ‘The Dream’ is the future

NXT was always known as the brand that will pave the way for the future of the WWE, it’s the pet-project of Triple H itself and ever since the first TakeOver special back in 2015 it’s been clear the brand wouldn’t make it easy for their main roster counterparts to combat them from a quality standpoint. For a lot of us, NXT hasn’t just given the main roster a run for their money but on most occasions have obliterated the efforts put forward by the more mainstream product.

It is stars like Velveteen Dream that are a prime example of how special the NXT product has become and what makes it stand out compared to the WWE’s bigger, more extravagant events. Velveteen Dream is a reminder that storytelling in wrestling comes before the action in the ring, that without someone willing to pour their heart and soul into their craft, the passion from the audience won’t always be the same. His match against the ‘One & Only’ Ricochet was extraordinary, delivering on every aspect but most importantly boasted a story that was embedded in the ring, a rare tactic that we don’t see near enough of.

Both men throughout the match constantly tried to outdo one and other, trading signature moves and at points inflicting pain that seemed far too abnormal for the average human body to receive. But what beyond that made Velveteen Dream look like a Wrestlemania-sized star? The fact that even in defeat, ‘The Dream’ had won. He might have lost the battle against another new NXT upstart, but he continued to win over insane amounts of respect from the rabid NXT fanbase, receiving an ovation on par if not greater than the one received against current NXT Champion Alesteir Black.

The bottom line is we can focus on what the main roster has now, the likes of Roman Reigns & Braun Strowman are certainly the key focus for the company’s next ‘John Cena’ but it’s only a matter of time before Velveteen Dream shows up. A star at the level of performance that Velveteen Dreams is at is incredibly rare, his in-ring style might not be as ‘flamboyant’ in terms of skill but it’s the simplicity behind it combined with the mans unbelievable storytelling prowess that, if booked correctly, could make him one of the best of the modern-era.

You can run, you can hide, but the Dream is coming.

Rule #2: Emergency Course Correction, Initiated

I’m not going to beat the dead horse over how actively terrible the majority of the Bobby Lashley vs Sami Zayn feud was, especially since it seems like WWE is doing the wise move and moving on from the feud as quickly as possible, with little call back for any fan to remember it by.

The evening after Sunday night on Monday Night RAW, we got the course correction the character of Bobby Lashley mercifully needed to save himself from the mess he was tossed into. It’s not as if anyone at home or in the audience was let down by the decision, since it’s clear the direction the company was taking this once beast of a character was ill-fated and completely misguided.

His swift defeated of Sami Zayn at Money in the Bank at least felt like it made sense, once again establishing Lashley as a legitimate threat and putting on the dominant performance we’d been waiting to see since the night after Wrestlemania (granted the match wasn’t anything special due to the awful writing). The evening after Money in the Bank, Lashley was sent directly into the Universal Championship scene, potentially on a collision course with Brock Lesnar, a match we’ve all been hearing has been discussed prior to Lashley’s WWE return.

It seems like WWE have finally crawled themselves & Lashley out of the hole they dug a few weeks ago and seem to have a direction, at least one with more clarity and potential behind it than hiring men to dress up as Lashley’s ‘sisters’ or basing entire segments around Instagram quotes.

The real question here, is can WWE continue to build on the slight confidence they’ve instilled in fans with in the Lashley character as of this past Monday night?

Only time, or perhaps 7 days to next week’s edition of RAW will tell.

Rule #3: The Summer of Ronda Rousey Is Upon Us

No matter who you are on the WWE roster, male or female, on SmackDown or RAW, you must succumb to one undeniable fact, that Ronda Rousey was the star of the week for the WWE.

If Rousey’s impressive debut against Triple H & Stephanie McMahon at Wrestlemania 33 wasn’t enough of a message to silence her already vocal critics, then Money in the Bank was the show & match that would have finally put a stop to those select critics. Rousey not only held her own against the gigantic Nia Jax but displayed that the level of effort & dedication she put into this sport was paying off in the best way possible. Managing to toss the massive body of Nia Jax over her own alone gave fans the confidence to say the Women’s Championship was in good hands with the former UFC headliner.

Even in loss, Rousey looked like a warrior, one out for the blood of Alexa Bliss & out for the RAW Women’s Championship. This carried over to Monday Night and gave us arguably the best women’s segment the company has showcased in a very, very long time. More than just being a warrior in the ring, Monday night showed Rousey as something more, a malicious athlete who will not be walked over no matter who is in her way. Ringside Security? Took them out. GM Kurt Angle? Tossed him to the floor and pounded on him. RAW Women’s Champion? Put through a table. Rousey gives off the aura that Brock Lesnar once did, that feeling of anxiety and unhinged nature approaching the ring and it’s something I hope can be maintained.

Many people, myself included, feel a champion such as Brock Lesnar needs more TV presence to truly make his current reign & character more of a threat instead of a nuisance but with Ronda Rousey the limiting of her television exposure is actually a benefit. Instead of the traditional overexposure that comes with transitioning onto the main roster, every appearance she makes feels important, unpredictable & something pivotal that every fan wants to tune in and see first-hand. Am I and other fans admitting to a double standard? Sure, but at least we get more than an 8-minute repetition of the same championship match on every show.

To those of you who were worried about the use of Ronda Rousey in the WWE, I advise you to be scared of other things, like the state Alex Bliss will be in when she meets face-to-face with this beast of a competitor sometime in the very near future.

Rule #4: Have no fear, Rusev Day is finally here!

Comparing the current product that SmackDown puts out on a weekly basis as opposed to what was happening roughly a year ago is quite shocking when put into perspective. SmackDown today feels like a show layered with countless great characters, fantastic in-ring action & everything a wrestling fan could want out of a solid product. Last year the product was dwindling, and nobody received quite the beating from a credibility standpoint more than Rusev.

A year removed from one bad booking decision to the next, Rusev hasn’t just surpassed any expectations fans had set for his time on the blue brand but has shattered them and is now next in line to challenge the WWE Champion AJ Styles in roughly 4 weeks. 365 days ago, Rusev could hardly last a full minute against the likes of Randy Orton and has since become not just one of the most popular acts on SmackDown, but the entire WWE in general.

Rusev has never looked more alive as an act. Every minute the man comes out to the ring, he seems more confident than ever before, more focussed and readier than ever to seize his moment in the spotlight. We can also attribute a relative level of his success to the presence of the insanely entertaining Aiden English, because if it wasn’t for his musical talents, could never have gravitated the ‘Rusev Day’ chants towards the audience in the way they’re latched onto today.

With Summerslam just around the corner and only one more stop on the road to the ‘Biggest Party of the Summer’, it remains to be seen how legitimate of a contender the ‘Bulgarian Brute’ is. Could he be no more than a placeholder challenger? One just put into this role to buy time for the champions true challenger a few weeks later? Or is this a genuine attempt by the creative team to bring Rusev back into the main event scene with the biggest swing possible?

In either scenario, WWE have a tremendous opportunity to not just deliver a phenomenal wrestling match over the company’s most prestigious championship, there is a chance to make Rusev the star he deserves to be. We only have to wait 4 weeks, and I cannot wait.

Rule #5: The Times Are Changing & You Better Be Excited

Over a year ago the initial rumours began to spread of the WWE expanding its programming overseas into foreign markets due to the expansion & popularity of their WWE Network. This international growth would begin with the WWE’s 2nd most prominent market outside the United States, the United Kingdom and the emphasis on the United Kingdom Championship.

To introduce the world to their fresh new product, the company crowned its first-ever United Kingdom Champion Tyler Bate, who was later dethroned by Pete Dunne during the NXT TakeOver: Chicago special last year in my personal favourite match of 2017. The match between the two set the tone for how good the division could truly be if the time & effort shown then and there would remain a constant throughout their exposure, which thus far it absolutely has. Other stars such as Trent Seven, Wolfgang, Jordan Devlin, Mark Andrews & Danny Burch have also received exposure across the WWE’s programming, both in appearances on NXT but also the company’s 205 Live brand on multiple occasions.

The showcasing of this talent is essential due to the company being an international presence that is currently trying to tie a stronger knot with international territories and at the same time recruit talent from these regions to enhance and make their own down the line. But if you aren’t from the UK, then why should you care? Is this even relevant.

Yes. It is more important than you will possibly ever understand.

International success within one region ultimately provides a domino effect for the industry which in turn opens new windows of opportunity for brands such as NXT & 205 Live, but also allows for the expansion for programming beyond the existing ones. While the UK is the central focus as of this post, who’s to say a show or roster cannot be former out of Asian talents? Arab Talents? The WWE’s overall stance on foreign brands for potential crossovers doesn’t even seem entirely out of the question at this stage, could there be discussions with the likes of NJPW?

Who knows, but I wouldn’t be in the least bit surprised should a move like that be put forward.

Obviously, the United States is the centre for the WWE and much of professional wrestling as a matter of fact, as wrestling fans however it should be our duty to encourage reaching out to every community to give fans the same experience we feel we receive on a daily, weekly or monthly basis. Times like these are to be excited over, excited for the possibilities, excited for the numbers of new talents coming into the world of WWE & excited for the quality of wrestling we are about to witness in the coming weeks & months.

NXT’s expansion in the UK comes ever closer by the day, with their 2-day event airing on the WWE Network very soon (Spoilers are online, best find a way to avoid those) and is an opportunity for everyone to catch a glimpse of what is to come when the official UK show gets its official air date. Wrestling right now is as exciting as its ever been, and it’s time for everyone to get as excited those rabid fans in the UK are going to be over the course of the TV tapings.

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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!

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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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Opinion

Chairshot Staff Picks: Backlash St. Louis

Chairshot Staff picks!!!

Published

2 days 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

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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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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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

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

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

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

3 weeks 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!