Opinion

WWE Week In Review: August 19-25, 2018

The week after WWE SummerSlam is in the books, and the path to Hell In A Cell is starting to clear.

Published

7 years ago

August 27, 2018

WWE SummerSlam is in the books and what a week it’s been! We’ve seen title changes, returns, reunions, and breakups. So how did WWE do this week? Let’s check it out!

WWE RAW

WWE Universal Championship: If Roman Reigns has learned anything from his years toiling to get back to the title picture it’s this: Always have backup, especially if the Money in the Bank briefcase is in play, and he put that lesson to good use on Monday. Reigns kicked off the night vowing to have matches for the title with anyone who wanted a shot, but the first person Reigns wanted to face was Finn Balor, who had never received his rematch after being forced to vacate the title after his shoulder injury in 2016. Balor accepted on a handshake.

Corbin tried to stop the match from being made, citing that Balor no-showed SummerSlam and sent the Demon instead, which drew much scorn and laughter from everyone. Balor and Reigns had an amazing match, taking each other to the limit, but as Reigns was preparing to finish Balor off, Strowman came out to prepare for his cash in.

Here’s where things get…interesting, Strowman tried to cash in, but Reigns had some back up: Ambrose and Rollins came out, in their Shield gear, and took out the Monster Among Men. What this means for everyone on RAW is going to be very interesting next week because the Hounds have been unleashed and they hold two of the three men’s titles on RAW.

Later in the week, a still seething Strowman called Reigns out on Twitter, challenging him to face him in the middle of the ring on Monday, if he was really a man. Reigns pointed out that Strowman tried to cash in on him after he’d wrestled a 30 minute match and implied that Strowman could only beat him by catching him by surprise and referred to the Monster Among Men as a ‘Meat Shack’, which is slang for a woman’s privates.

As for Brock Lesnar, Paul Heyman was in the building, demanding a rematch for his client, specifically at Hell in a Cell. Kurt Angle refused due to finally having a fighting champion and said that Hell would freeze over before Brock gets his rematch.

WWE Intercontinental Championship: Seth didn’t have a match on Monday, but he saw plenty of action seconding Dean Ambrose in his first match since December and backing up Roman Reigns against Braun Strowman. Seth protected Dean from attack by Drew McIntyre, suffering a two on one attack by McIntyre and Ziggler, but managed to take out McIntyre, giving Dean the opening to put Ziggler away. Later on in the evening, he and Ambrose donned their old Shield gear to help Roman Reigns fend off an attempted cash-in by Braun Strowman.

RAW Women’s Champion: The Women of RAW were in attendance at the crowning of new Women’s Champion, Ronda Rousey. Stephanie was there and in a move reminiscent of her father with Stone Cold Steve Austin twenty years ago, unwisely provoked the new champion by criticizing first the other women of the division, who were apparently invited by Rousey to celebrate and trying to pretend that things were cool between her and Rousey, who smelled a trap right from the start. Stephanie would pay for her unwise decision by being put in the same armbar that took out Alexa Bliss the night before. They were broken up by the rest of the division, including the Bella Twins.

RAW Tag Team Championship: Bo Dallas was in action against Scott Dawson. The Revival were, understandably, NOT happy after getting robbed, in their minds, of the Tag Team titles. Dawson handily defeated Dallas.

Curtis Axel, in a bid to avenge his friend, challenged Dash Wilder to match immediately afterwards. Unfortunately, vengeance will have to wait for the B-Team as Wilder handily beat Axel. A furious Bo Dallas cut a promo, reminding them that the B-Team were still the champions. This feud isn’t over by a long shot, though both teams might want to look over their shoulders for Authors of Pain and the Shield.

Dean Ambrose vs Dolph Ziggler: For the first time since December 18, 2017, Dean Ambrose saw in ring action. He was going against the Showoff, who was not happy about losing his coveted Intercontinental Championship to Seth Rollins at SummerSlam. Ambrose was accompanied by Seth Rollins while Ziggler was backed up by McIntyre.

While Ambrose showed a little ring rust, he also showed a new, hard-nosed attitude, and several new moves that highlight the fact that he’s put on some serious muscle during his time off, including a counter into Dirty Deeds that was so clean you could eat off of it. Ziggler didn’t make things easy, but Ambrose would shut the Showoff up with his patented Dirty Deeds for the three count. Welcome back, Dean!

Bobby Lashley vs Constable Corbin: Corbin’s rotten SummerSlam adventure continued as he got his butt kicked by Bobby Lashley. Thankfully for Corbin’s pride, the match wasn’t the embarrassing squash he’d suffered at the hands of the Demon, but Lashley made sure that the Constable of RAW ended his SummerSlam weekend 0-2.

Triple H vs Undertaker: The build for the Super Showdown in Australia started tonight, recapping the storied feud between Triple H and Undertaker. Triple H said that he’d actually refused due to their final match at WrestleMania XXVIII. However, he’d changed his mind and he and Taker will face each other in Australia.

Boss-Hug Connection and Ember Moon vs Riott Squad: Sasha, Bayley and Ember Moon faced the Riott Squad in a six woman tag match. Despite Boss-Hug/Shenom’s best efforts, the Riott Squad’s unity was too much to overcome. Ruby Riott would seal her team’s victory with a Riott Kick to Sasha Banks.

Elias vs Curt Hawkins: Trying to regroup from his guitar malfunction from the night before, Elias tried to serenade Brooklyn, only to be interrupted by Curt Hawkins, for some ungodly reason. Hawkins, who has a pretty interesting defeated record, wants to fight. Elias brutally buries Hawkins, who seems to walk away but turns around and fights. Elias handily defeated Hawkins, but this might not be over.

Titus Worldwide vs Authors of Pain: Titus Worldwide took on the Authors of Pain again and we got a hint of some romance brewing between Dana Brooke and Apollo Crews, to Titus’ dismay. Titus Worldwide would fall to AOP, but not without a fight.

Angle vs Corbin: Angle seemed to have tired of Corbin’s big head and put him in a match against Bobby Lashley. Corbin was not happy about what happened and vowed to complain to Stephanie McMahon, who was in the building. Unfortunately, her encounter with Ronda Rousey put Stephanie in a foul mood and she suspended Angle, making Corbin the acting GM of RAW.

WWE Smackdown

WWE Championship: AJ Styles had an interview with Renee Young and addressed the controversial end of his match with Samoa Joe. Styles expressed no remorse for his action because Samoa Joe crossed a line that a real man wouldn’t cross. He then vowed that the next time Joe mentions his name, he’s going to rip his heart out. He was then attacked by Samoa Joe, who locked in the Coquina Clutch. On Friday, it was announced that Styles and Samoa Joe would have another match at Hell in a Cell, but no word on if this will be a Hell in a Cell match.

WWE United States Championship: Nakamura cut a promo saying that now that he’s vanquished Jeff Hardy, it is the United States of Nakamerica, whatever that means.

SmackDown Women’s Championship: It would be safe to say that the long-time friendship between Becky Lynch and Charlotte Flair is, at best, fractured. After Becky was pinned by her best friend in Sunday’s Triple Threat match and lost the Women’s Championship match she’d worked so hard to earn, the Lass Kicker finally snapped and turned on her best friend, leaving Charlotte in a heap behind the announce desk.

Becky was all business when she took to the ring to explain her actions. She expressed no remorse, saying that Charlotte deserved the beating she got. She also called out the WWE Universe for their lack of support, and that Charlotte has held her back for the last time. Charlotte came out and there was no talking, just fighting and this wasn’t a catfight, this was a full on brawl. Even the entire Women’s Division couldn’t keep them apart, though it didn’t look like they tried all that hard.

As for former Women’s Champion, Carmella, she invoked her rematch clause and will face Charlotte next week. For some reason Truth still thinks pinning Carmella will get him a US Title shot, despite Paige telling him otherwise.

Throughout the week, the narrative of Becky’s turn has evolved interviews and on social media. She conducted an interview with Gorilla Position, where she stated that while she appreciated that the fans supported her, their support hadn’t gotten her very far, and blaming WWE for overlooking her because she wasn’t blonde and giving her opportunities to lesser talents. She also attacked Charlotte for stealing her moment when Charlotte had been handed seven title reigns without having to earn them.

This was further clarified in a few tweets where Becky called out Charlotte for referring to the SmackDown as ‘This’ and stating that she’d been fighting for ‘this’ when Charlotte was playing volleyball and getting a tan. Another tweet pointed out that Charlotte had turned on Becky in the past, but the difference was that while Charlotte attacked Becky from behind, Becky had looked Charlotte in the eye.

SmackDown Tag Team Championship: The Bludgeon Brothers faced the New Day in a No DQ match. Big E could not be cleared to wrestle due to his ribs, so it was Kofi and Xavier taking on the Bludgeon Brothers. As expected from a No DQ match, this one was brutal. RUMOR is that Erick Rowan was dealing with a bicep injury, but you could hardly tell during the match. Woods and Kingston were at a definite size and strength disadvantage, especially without Big E, but they hung in there, finally ending the Bludgeon Brothers’ reign of terror and becoming 3x tag champs.

However, the new champs can’t rest on their laurels. On Sunday, General Manager Paige announced that there will be a triple threat #1 Contender’s match to decide who New Day will face at Hell in a Cell: The Bar vs Good Brothers vs TBA.

Randy Orton vs Jeff Hardy: Randy Orton might be a dangerous man, but a pissed off Jeff Hardy is even more dangerous. The Charismatic Enigma confronted Randy Orton on Tuesday after weeks of insults and torment and it got bowling shoe ugly. Hardy got himself DQ’d by a blatant low blow and then beat Orton from pillar to post, before vanquishing Orton with a Swanton Bomb through a table.

Comment: Given the accusations against Orton, it seems like this was done to wrap up the Hardy storyline and take Orton off of TV until WWE’s investigation was over.

Miz and Daniel Bryan: Flush from his victory over Daniel Bryan, Miz and Maryse were back, cutting a promo where Miz bragged about his victory and mocked Bryan, announcing that he was retiring from ever facing Daniel Bryan again.

Well, much like Michael Jordan’s first retirement, this didn’t last long, Bryan came out and was ready to fight. Bryan mocked Miz and called him a ‘lie’ and that he would expose Miz for what he was: A wannabe Hollywood star cosplaying as a wrestler. Maryse interrupted, telling Bryan to go home and retire again and call himself ‘Daniel Bella’.

The Mizanins learned the hard way to never piss off the Bellas as Brie made her return to competition, CLOCKING Miz and driving him and Maryse out of the ring. It was then that Daniel Bryan made the announcement he’d come out to make: After talking with Paige, it was decided that not only would he and Miz face each other again at Hell in a Cell, it was going to be a Mixed Tag Match, the Bryans vs the Mizanins.

Miz and Maryse pleaded their case to Paige, though criticizing her successful tenureship as GM was probably not the best way to do it. She informed them that the match would stay in and that it would be ‘AWESOME’.

Naomi vs Peyton Royce: After being off of TV for several weeks, Naomi faced IIconics’ Peyton Royce. IIconics came out and insulted the Queen of Glow, who certainly had her hands full with Billie Kaye at ringside. Unfortunately, Naomi couldn’t overcome the numbers game when a distraction by Billie Kaye gave Peyton the opening to slam Naomi into the ringpost and get the pin.

Rusev/Lana vs Almas/Vega: In a rematch from SummerSlam, Rusev and Lana faced Almas and Vega in a mixed tag team match and the less said about it, the better. Rusev was saved from a sneak attack from Almas by Aiden English and got the submission victory.

WWE 205 Live

WWE Cruiserweight Championship: To call Drew Gulak a sore loser would be unfair…to sore losers. The Philly Fury was LIVID at losing to Cedric at SummerSlam, declaring Alexander a fraud champion who got lucky and demanded a rematch. GM Maverick denied Gulak’s demand on the grounds that there were a lot of other competitors on 205 who should be given that opportunity. Opportunities were earned on 205, Gulak earned his and lost the match, which meant it was time for someone else to have a chance.

Much like a spoiled child who didn’t get his way, Gulak refused to accept that he wouldn’t get the rematch he thought he was owed. He, Kendrick, and Gallagher attacked Akira Tozawa, declaring that there wouldn’t be any peace on 205 unless he got his rematch and mocking Cedric Alexander, calling him ‘afraid.’

Alexander came out to confront Gulak and pointed out that Gulak was hiding behind Things 1 and 2 (Kendrick and Gallagher) and that if Drew gets them to leave, Alexander will gladly come down and shut Gulak up, which just makes Gulak angrier, probably because he knows that he can’t beat Alexander without help. He mocked Alexander as a ‘choir boy’ and said the Age of Alexander sucked.

While all this was going on, Maverick and the refs were trying to stop the oncoming fight, but Alexander had had enough of Gulak’s insults and charged the ring, but Gulak took off, which Alexander pointed out to Maverick. Time will tell what the fallout of this will be, but it seems that Gulak isn’t going to stop until he gets another shot at Alexander.

Noam Dar vs TJP: After losing almost a year of his career and splitting two matches, Noam Dar finally got one over on TJP in an incredible match that seemed to go everywhere and took both men to the limit, but Dar would prevail, pinning TJP with a Rolla Nova and getting the tiebreaker.

Lucha House Party (Gran Metalik and Lince Dorado with Kalisto) vs Buddy Murphy and Tony Nese: The Lucha House Party faced the Party Crashers an amazing match that has to be seen to be believed, though there were a few botches. Lucha House Party would pick up the win, but it’s doubtful that the Party Crashers are going to accept their defeat.

Akira Tozawa vs Colin Delaney: Akira Tozawa’s bid to bounce back from his second loss to Lio Rush never happened because of the appearance of Drew Gulak and his cronies.

WWE NXT

NXT Championship: We had a highlight reel of the Ciampa/Gargano war at TakeOver, but nothing from either competitor.

NXT North American Championship/Tag Team Championship: We got a highlight reel of the battle betweet Mustache Mountain and Strong/O’Reilly of the Undisputed Era, as well as the war between Adam Cole and Ricochet.

In a post match interview, Ricochet talked about how proud he is that after all his hard work, he’s finally the North American Champion. Before he can go further, he’s confronted by Strong and O’Reilly, who don’t appreciate what he’s saying about Adam Cole. Ricochet is saved from a possible two on one beatdown by United Kingdom Champion, Pete Dunne, who was just coming into the building.

Ricochet thanked Dunne, who replied that he wasn’t there to help him, he just doesn’t like Undisputed Era. He also seemed to have an eye on Ricochet’s gold, prompting William Regal to book a Champions vs Champions match: Ricochet and Dunne vs Undisputed Era.

NXT Women’s Championship: It would be safe to say that Shayna Baszler is NOT happy about coming up short to Kairi Sane at TakeOver. The Queen of Spades made it clear that, as far as she’s concerned, Sane didn’t win because she was better, Baszler lost because Sane got lucky.

Bianca Belair vs Deonna Purrazzo: The ‘Est’ of NXT, Bianca Belair, made her triumphant return on Wednesday and faced off against the Virtuosa, Deonna Purrazzo, who will be competing in the Mae Young Classic this year. This was a really great match up with both ladies showing each other up, including Purrazzo doing a headstand to get out of a leg scissors. Belair would get the win, but it wasn’t without a heck of a fight.

EC3 and Velveteen Dream: We were shown a highlight reel of their TakeOver Match. Cathy Kelly interviewed Dream shortly after his match and he said that we would have to tune in on Wednesday at 8pm to find out what was next for him.

EC3, and his busted eye, had an interview with Mike Rome. 3 said that his issues with Dream were a clash of personalities because they both want the same things and that at TakeOver, Dream was the better man. However, since 3 has made a lot of outrageous claims since his return to NXT, his mindset is victory at all cost. His issues with Dream aren’t over until he wins.

Mike Rome asks him about the video of the aftermath of the attack on Black and what he saw. 3 said that it was dark in the parking lot and all he saw was chaos. 3 accuses Lars Sullivan since Sullivan had motive and was there right after the attack. Not that he’s ACCUSING Sullivan or anything.

UK Championship Match: Pete Dunne vs Zack Gibson: The Bruiserweight Champion faced Liverpool’s Number One in a brutal and grueling match that was a great advertisement for NXT UK, which WILL be on the WWE Network. The British style of wrestling is much more hard-hitting than what we see in America, but that contrast makes for very interesting matches. Dunne picked up the win after hitting The Bitter End.

Alistair Black Mystery: The mystery of who took out former NXT Champion Alesteir Black continued to unfold this week. They finally got the security footage cleaned up and there are some surprises, namely that Nikki Cross seems to have witnessed the whole thing from a rooftop.

Overall Comments: Whew! What a week! From an unbelievable TakeOver and SummerSlam on Sunday, to the reunion of the Shield, Brie Bella’s return to competition, the fracturing of Charlotte Flair and Becky Lynch’s friendship. SmackDown has new Tag Team Champs, Finn Balor FINALLY got his rematch, Dean Ambrose impressed in his first televised match in eight months, Ronda Rousey’s feud with Stephanie McMahon continues, and that was all a couple of days after SummerSlam.

Hell In a Cell Predictions: As usual with WWE, we’re going right into the build for the next PPV and since this is going to be a joint PPV, who gets a Hell in a Cell match is going to be chosen pretty carefully.

I think the Cell matches we’re going to get are:

Roman Reigns vs Braun Strowman for the Universal Championship
AJ Styles vs Samoa Joe for the WWE Championship
Charlotte Flair vs Becky Lynch for the SmackDown Women’s Championship

I would also say that either Ambrose/Rollins vs Ziggler/McIntyre or Rousey vs whomever COULD take place in a Cell match, but these three really have the best stories to justify going into the Cell.

Final Thoughts: The week after a huge PPV tends to dictate what direction WWE will be heading into for the next few months. Fall tends to be a slower time in wrestling, so WWE did a really great job of building storylines that will likely keep us interested for the next few months until we get to Survivor Series.

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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

12 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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About Chairshot Radio Network

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)

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CHAIRSHOT RADIO NETWORK PODCAST SPECIALS

Attitude Of Aggression Podcast & The Big Five Project (chronologically exploring WWE's PPV/PLE history)

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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

2 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.