Opinion

Booking The WWE Universal Championship At SummerSlam & Beyond

Published

7 years ago

July 14, 2018

Even though we are just under a week away from the Extreme Rules event on the 15th of July, everyone is certainly looking at the bigger picture which in this case is the ‘Biggest Party of the Summer’ known as SummerSlam.

SummerSlam is the official halfway point for the WWE calendar, generally marking the big shift the company passes and usually we tend to see signs & clues of what may come in a few months’ time at WrestleMania, at least for those like myself who ready into everything like it’s gospel. However, this show is marked as the 2nd biggest on the WWE calendar, featuring a loaded card, potential dream matches and like we’ve seen over the last number of years, some of the best matches throughout this 12-month period.

This year SummerSlam has an interesting build to it, as the WWE product isn’t exactly blowing anyone’s minds from all aspects, it does though have the potential to fix these injustices and very well be one of the best shows of the year. All of this does sadly hinge on one man for most of us, Brock Lesnar & his coveted Universal Championship. ‘The Beast Incarnate’ has been champion for well over a year as of this writing and in every championship defense has come out on top with no sign of slowing down but one has to wonder, when will it end?

All bets (from what I’ve seen at least) point towards the fateful day that takes place this coming August at SummerSlam live from the Barclays Centre in Brooklyn and what better place to host such a monumental occasion? Like him or not, WWE have at least nailed the execution of Brock’s title run, it isn’t perfect by any stretch of the imagination, but it certainly balances out with what kind of character the WWE are trying to build up Brock Lesnar to be at the end of it all. We could certainly use more appearances & title matches but every Brock match has a different aura to it than anything else on the subsequent card it’s involved on, which is something that definitely adds to the importance of your show.

However, if this historic reign is to end in a matter of weeks, how should it be done & who should have the honour of conquering the champion? This is my simple take on how I would personally do it, or at least how I feel WWE would do it at this point in time. While I was inclined to fantasy book the whole thing and replace certain stars, I decided to play it by the way WWE programming is shaped lately and work on it from the characters they’ve set in place.

Extreme Rules Main Event

We start off with the match that will most likely headline next weeks final show before SummerSlam; Roman Reigns vs Bobby Lashley.

Admittedly, I’m not the biggest fan of having Reigns go on last at another big main roster event, considering the events of Backlash just a few months back but with the amount of hype this has received, I can’t see any other choice for your last slot on the card. This match has been built up as the first-ever meeting between two of the biggest stars on RAW, with the winner of this likely heading into SummerSlam to face off against Brock Lesnar.

The key to this match should be keeping both men strong, with the loser coming out looking just as dominant and formidable as the winner does by the matches end as this is important for what I feel should go down at SummerSlam in the weeks following.

This match itself should be good, hopefully better than the Reigns vs Joe debacle we got recently but ends in the form of controversy, something such as fluke victory or pin with Reigns or Lashley’s foot on the rope would do and will give the loser the right to demand a second opportunity. While I understand cheap finishes are a bit overdone since WrestleMania (with Nakamura/Styles having countless ‘controversial’ endings) but this will give us a nice setup for what’s to come next.

An ending of controversy will also maintain the tension between both Reigns & Lashley, giving us a lot more potential for chaos as the summer wrestling season roles on.

The Road to SummerSlam in Brooklyn

Extreme Rules ending will give either Lashley or Reigns, whoever the loser may be the right to demand a second opportunity based on the events of the previous event & feeling robbed based on the ignorance of the official in-charge of the main event. General Manager Kurt Angle, much like he is now, will oversee and hear both sides of this argument and will eventually make the most logical decision to avoid further pressure like any good GM would do, grant the loser a spot in the SummerSlam main event.

This gives us a Triple Threat main event, Lesnar vs Reigns vs Lashley. Having all 3 men in this match gives the WWE a chance to balance out their past flaws with matches between Lesnar & Reigns, the inclusion of Lashley will hopefully breathe some fresh air into the atmosphere in Brooklyn, we don’t get a repeat of the atrocity that was the WrestleMania main event & Lashley finally gets to clash with Lesnar, in some capacity. Of course, the concern is the crowd in attendance, who I’d fully expect to be hostile on this evening but like many matches, the crowd can be reasoned with if you give them something to genuinely sink their teeth into.

As we move closer to the big show, the key element is to drop Reigns recent gimmick of claiming he’s ‘screwed’ by higher-up officials in the WWE and instead fend for himself and fight based on his own motivations, similar to that of Lashley who simply wants to face the best available on the roster at this point in time. Giving both men their own individual will to want to defeat Brock Lesnar will place both men as severe threats to ‘The Beast’ and his title run, at the same time making the whole situation feel less forced and not make as many fans feel like the concept of babyface Roman Reigns is being shoved down our throats to the extent that we currently believe.

Giving the champion the spotlight is also a must in this scenario, with the possibility of Brock Lesnar heading over to the UFC after the summer for a potential fight as we’ve heard for so long, it’s becoming more & more likely that he won’t be around for the remainder of 2018. We’ll leave this last part entirely up to speculation and your best guesses, as I don’t want to confirm something I have little to no knowledge on based on the actual accuracy of the situation.

Triple Threat at SummerSlam

I’ll reiterate, with the state of the current WWE product and some of its booking, particularly surrounding the character of Roman Reigns in this case, there is no strong guarantee that the crowd in Brooklyn is going to be 100% on board with this concept I am simply imagining. Personally, I find any scenario involving Reigns and the Universal Title in this scenario to warrant a hostile environment by default, so let’s focus on how the match itself should be booked excluding the crowd who may or may not want Reigns locked up depending on their various moods.

A triple threat match of this nature needs to display the key strength of all 3 men in the ring, in this case, that key is the sheer power of all our participants. Both Lashley & Reigns, whether you like to admit it or not, have vastly more varied in-ring styles than that of Brock Lesnar who rarely drifts away from his repetitive German suplex obsession. So, to balance out and give this match some flair, let the chaos reign.

Whether it’s announce tables, steel chairs, steel steps or the elaborate stage itself don’t let either man hold back from wanting to absolutely murder one another. We’ve seen all 3 men dig deep into that ‘killer instinct’ aspect of their character, Lesnar’s return match against Cena is a prime example of this and if executed in this environment can really produce a fantastically brutal main event to close off the ‘Biggest Party of the Summer’.

As for our winner, I think the majority of people are willing to bet Lesnar walks out of the event with the championship still intact, but I think it’s time the Monday Night Raw roster gets a much-needed structural change and instead of having their key superstar appear on a bi-monthly basis, why not give it to someone who actually deserves it? Roman Reigns. Is he the most liked star on the roster? No. Is he one of the hardest working and one that deserves success based on his solid work rate alone? I’d struggle to disagree with anyone on that point. Reigns is a victim of the booking team behind him, not his individual character & I’d be more than happy to see him take the title off ‘The Beast’ and have this arch come full circle, assuming the then former Universal Champion is setting sail to the UFC for a while.

Braun Cashes In!

Reigns will have his moment in the sun, but only briefly. For these few minutes or even seconds he can soak in the fact that he did what everyone doubted he could ever accomplish, pin Brock Lesnar in the centre of a WWE ring. We’ll get the traditional post-match celebration of sheer relief that the battle is over, regardless of the crowd’s reaction, until reality comes right back to hit our new champion in the face.

This leads to our current Mr. Money in the Bank himself (I understand he’s titled himself ‘Monster in the Bank, I just can’t stand the nickname) coming out to what everyone would assume would be a ‘Monstrous’ reaction from the Brooklyn faithful as he decides to seize the opportunity and challenge a beaten down and war-torn Roman Reigns for this newly won gold. A stunned Reigns won’t believe what’s happening, Braun will be readier than ever and all of a sudden one of the crowning achievements in the young career of Roman Reigns would have shifted into his biggest nightmare as his past has come back to haunt him.

The referee rings the bell and this one is car crash, Reigns will try to put up a fight but doesn’t last too long as the assault from both Lashley & Lesnar earlier would have taken its tole on his body, as he eventually falls victim to the ‘Monster Among Men’ and his sadistic powerslam. Braun gets the faithful 3-count and we have a new Universal Champion in a matter of moments, and just like that the landscape of the Monday Night Raw product has shifted in a direction that every other competitor must fear as the bulldozer that is Braun Strowman holds the most prized possession on the show at the moment. Reigns will sit up, stunned that his moment is taken away from him just as he thought he had it and we close with our new champion celebrating his newly won prize.

Roman Reigns finally breaks

Generally, the evening after a champion, or champions in WWE claim their first championship we get some form of celebration, something along the lines of a thank you or promise to the audience as they now represent the top-tier of their respective brand or as we’ve seen with the likes of Seth Rollins, a celebratory challenge to anyone who wants to try and squash their new-found momentum.

Braun will have his evening of enjoyment the night after SummerSlam, this however won’t last much longer as a storm is brewing which our champion isn’t ready for. Enraged over his most recent and tragic loss, the brief former champion Roman Reigns completely snaps and begins his onslaught on a number of superstars that very evening. His pent-up frustrations with the locker room, management and being screwed at every turn that he thinks he’s grasped the one thing he so desperately craves leads him down a dark path to absolute violence. Instead of using his numerous issues to convey sympathy with the audience, Reigns turns his back on the people he thought once supported him and takes into business for himself.

Being one of the very few men to actually manage to completely lay out our new Universal Champion, Reigns decides to re-educate Strowman on who he picked a fight with and ambush the champion, beating him within an inch of his life and setting up a feud I doubt anybody will have a problem revisiting for a new series of matches. Neither man has ever been a fan of one another, which now turns into adamant hatred and will deliver a feud that isn’t just relevant in its premise but bound to be spectacular in its execution.

If you happened to have witnessed the ferocity & sheer mayhem of the first few Reigns & Strowman encounters you know just how fun these two are to watch when they’re going at it in the ring. However, as we have witnessed when a long-term rivalry and narrative is established, it is must watch WWE television, something the company is in desperate need for at this point for their ‘flagship show’.

Personally, I have not thought of the booking of the feud past a few weeks after SummerSlam but if done in a similar manner to what this simple piece proposes could actually work in finally bringing fan interest back to Raw in terms of its championships scene and attempt to fix the damages done to the Roman Reigns character over the last few years. The whole concept of ‘Heel Reigns’ may be a turn off to some but will serve as a fresh new slate for the character and if put into a feud with Strowman like I briefly described, could give us one of the hottest rivalries we have seen since well, the first Reigns & Strowman rivalry in 2017.

I would love to hear your feedback on this simple concept I spent last week thinking about, as well as ways to improve it or even better suggestions all around!

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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

5 days 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

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About Chairshot Radio Network

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Classic POD is WAR

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

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

Published

6 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.