Opinion

Now Is The Time For WWE To Experiment

Published

7 years ago

September 25, 2018

Few people will doubt my bonafides as a fan of WWE. I’ve been watching almost nonstop since the summer of 1990. I lasted through the sex scandals & the lean years of the mid-90s. I stuck with the company through the doldrums they went through after everybody else went out of business. I’ve been around for John Cena’s entire career & I’ll make it through Roman Reigns’ as well.

With all of that being said, my fandom has ebbs & flows. My interest level in WWE falls right around this time every single year. Once the calendar flips over to September, other things start competing for my attention. The TV ratings & other metrics used to determine level of interest in WWE indicate that I’m not the only one. There are a lot of things competing for our attention as we head into autumn.

Of course, there’s the beast that is the NFL. No matter what type of a hit the league has taken from becoming a political hot-button topic, they still dominate the landscape. Sunday Night Football & its status as the top-promoted game each week pretty much kills the wrestling PPV business. Monday Night Football puts a dent in Raw’s most weeks. Add in the college flavor, and that’s a good percentage of people’s weekends booked.
Baseball is heading into its postseason. Not such a big deal where I live, but most of WWE’s major markets have baseball teams that are involved. Fans of the Sawx, Yanks, Cubs & other top teams are all into that right now.
The NBA is still pumping out storylines & trade speculation. It’s becoming a year-long thing. I mean, Jimmy Butler is pretty far down my list of compelling figures in the association, but people are still going crazy over his potentially leaving Minnesota.
Hockey’s almost back. That takes up most of Canada’s free time. Speaking of which, I need to write about the Predators at some point.
Heck, when we think about legendary sports figures making unexpected comebacks, anything Shawn Michaels can pull off will pale in comparison to what Tiger Woods is doing. Golf is becoming a thing again, folks.
There isn’t just sports. I’m not big into TV series until after they go off the air, but my best friend watches too many of them to count. The fall season starting inevitably leads to him complaining about how there’s way too much stuff to watch & not enough time.

No matter what WWE does this time of year, American interest goes down. It never fails. They could be running five-star matches every single week. Wouldn’t matter. Some of their wrestlers could be cutting some of the greatest promos ever, which would be replayed for decades afterward like they were Dusty Rhodes or something. Wouldn’t matter. They could bring back every legend under the sun to try & get attention. America’s attention would still be elsewhere.

WWE’s next three major shows are a bit outside the box. Super Show-Down takes place on Saturday, October 6 in Melbourne, Australia. Evolution is an all-woman show being held on October 28 at the Nassau Coliseum. Then we’ve got Crown Jewel, the second all-man show taking place in Saudi Arabia this year. That’ll be on Friday, November 2. Three brand new extravaganzas. Two are taking place outside the United States. One is a brand new concept to WWE. All three make sense to me, especially during this time of year.

If Americans aren’t as interested in WWE during this period of the year as they are during WrestleMania season or the summer or whenever else, why not try to engage other markets? Australia has seen yearly tours from WWE since 2002, but they’ve never held a PPV event in the Land Down Under. They do enough business on these tours to keep coming back, and we’ve seen the pipeline of female Australian talent start to bear fruit with the likes of Emma & the Iiconics. I see no reason not to give Australian WWE fans a major event of their own.

I’m not as cool with the House of Saud as many of my colleagues at the Chairshot. I’m not as sold on Triple H’s ability to effect change in the Kingdom & convince Mohammad bin Salman to let WWE’s female competitors wrestle in Power Ranger outfits someday. I watched very little of the Greatest Royal Rumble event. I only watched the Rumble match because I like Rumble matches, and Styles vs. Nakamura because I thought that was a big deal at the time. I can’t comment on the propaganda aspect because I avoided it.

Triple H Saudi Arabia Greatest Royal Rumble

I get the capitalistic part of it, and recognize that there isn’t a wrestling promoter that ever existed that would turn down the money that WWE got paid to run events in the country. If anything ever fit my podcast catchphrase “It is what it is”, this would be it. WWE can run events there. Nobody’s forcing people to watch them, at least not here anyway. I don’t know if this is like the North Korean wrestling shows where people were forced to attend or not.

What better time to run shows in an unpopular country here than a time of the year when we’re not paying attention? Makes sense to me!

There’s been some word around the campfire that Shawn Michaels will make his big in-ring comeback in Saudi Arabia. The Saudis have even implied that Hulk Hogan will be on this show, which given their social record would make sense. I can see the argument against both of these returns happening on this show, but I can also see the returns building the hype for something more, like an eventual HBK match at WrestleMania. I think of it as an experiment. If Michaels can’t go anymore, a match on this show isn’t a big enough stage to kill his legacy. If it works out and he wants to do more, his eventual return on American soil will draw more money.

WWE Evolution

Then we got Evolution sandwiched in the middle of the Australia & Saudi Arabia events. #GiveDivasAChance has come a long way, no doubt about it. How many times have we commented about the NXT women stealing the show, or the Horsewomen getting the strongest reactions, or Alexa Bliss & Carmella being the best heel champions on the whole roster? The women getting their own show to themselves is long overdue, even if the reverse sexism people want to try and make hay out of it. Tough luck, guys. Go find some male vs. male customs to watch instead.

If you’re going to try a new PPV concept, why not iron it out this time of year? Nobody expects WWE to get this right the first time around. We’ll have some awkward dream matches. There will be Bellas involved. I’ll love it for that, most online people won’t. Some key performers like Alexa Bliss & Sasha Banks are currently injured and hopefully that won’t mess things up too much.

If it does…hey, it’s in October! Nobody’s watching anyway. If the show bombs we can blame it on the competition from everything else in the world. Football, baseball, TV, the upcoming mid-term election, whatever.

This is the perfect time of the year for experimentation. I applaud WWE for taking advantage of it, even if I won’t fully pay attention.

About Chairshot Radio Network

Launched in 2017, the Chairshot Radio Network presents you with the best in sports, entertainment, and sports entertainment. Wrestling and wrestling crossover podcasts + the most interesting content + the most engaging hosts = the most entertaining podcasts you’ll find!

MONDAY - Bandwagon Nerds (entertainment & popular culture)

TUESDAY - Musical Chairs (music) / Hockey Talk (NHL)

WEDNESDAY - The Greg DeMarco Show (wrestling)

THURSDAY - Keeping the news ridiculous... The Oddity / Chairshot NFL (NFL)

FRIDAY - DWI Podcast (Drunk Wrestling Intellect)

SATURDAY - The Mindless Wrestling Podcast

SUNDAY - The Front and Center Sports Podcast

CHAIRSHOT RADIO NETWORK PODCAST SPECIALS

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

TheChairshot.com PRESENTS...IMMEDIATE POST WWE PLE REACTIONS w/ DJ(Mindless), Tunney(DWI) & Friends

Patrick O'Dowd's 5X5

Classic POD is WAR

Chairshot Radio Network Your home for the hardest hitting podcasts... Sports, Entertainment and Sports Entertainment!

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

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Opinion

Chairshot Staff Picks: Money In The Bank

Extra, extra read all about it… Chairshot Staff picks are in!!!

Published

3 weeks ago

June 6, 2025

PC Tunney

Sing it with me… money money money money moneeeeeeeeeyeeeeee… everybody’s got a price! MONEY IN THE BANK is here!!! How money will our staff picks be?!?

AJ – Roxanne Perez
Andrew – Stephanie Vaquer – *Bubba Sparxxx Impression* I don’t tell stories, I let them tell theyself.
Dave – Guilia – A stacked field but I just like her here.
DJ – Naomi
DPP – Roxanne Perez
Jason – Alexa Bliss
Patrick – Roxanne Perez
Rey – Naomi – If Naomi loses, we riot!
Rob – Naomi
Greg – Alexa Bliss – Bliss has had huge reactions since returning and is moving a ton of merch. While I can see them wanting to build Roxanne Perez, Giulia, or Stephanie Vaquer, I think Alexa Bliss.

Tunney’s Take: Rhea Ripley – I’ll make my case short and sweet… Mami in the Bank! You can’t leave that money on the table.

Chairshot Pick – Tie – Naomi 3 & Roxanne Perez 3 (Alexa Bliss 2, Giulia 1, Rhea Ripley 1, Stephanie Vaquer 1)

AJ – LA Knight
Andrew – El Grande Americano – Feels correct given his push and the fact he’s over.
Dave – Seth Rollins – Got to push that new faction.
DJ – LA Knight
DPP – El Grande Americano
Jason – LA Knight
Patrick – Solo Sikoa
Rey – LA Knight – Looks like another push, and he does have history with Cena.
Rob – Solo Sikoa
Greg – Seth Rollins – This company is extremely high in the El Grande Americano gimmick, but this match comes down to Seth Rollins or LA Knight. Given the Rollins storyline, it’s his briefcase to win.

Tunney’s Take: El Grande Americano – Picture this: Chad Gable wins the AAA Mega Championship and El Grande Americano wins MITB! WHAT A SATURDAY in LA!!!

Chairshot Pick – LA Knight 4 (El Grande Americano 3, Seth Rollins 2, Solo Sikoa 2)

AJ – Becky Lynch – Sadly
Andrew – Becky Lynch – I still don’t care about Lyra.
Dave – Lyra Valkyria – Starting to warm up to her and Becky has a lot to do with that.
DJ – Lyra Valkyria
DPP – Becky Lynch
Jason – Becky Lynch
Patrick – Lyra Valkyria
Rey – Becky Lynch – Put some fire on the Irish Beef.
Rob – Becky Lynch
Greg – Becky Lynch – I don’t think you do a rematch here just to have Becky lose again. Unless Bayley shows up to help Lyra.

Tunney’s Take: Becky Lynch – A big part of me feels that winning this title checks off a major box for Becks in her HOF career.

Chairshot Pick – Becky Lynch 8-3

AJ – Cena & Paul
Andrew – Rhodes & Uso – Easy way for Cena to lose without eating the pinfall.
Dave – Rhodes & Uso – Get the QB back on the winning track.
DJ – Rhodes & Uso
DPP – Rhodes & Uso
Jason – Cena & Paul
Patrick – Cena & Paul
Rey – Rhodes & Uso – Heels usually lose these kinds of matches. Logan takes the pin.
Rob – Cena & Paul
Greg – Rhodes & Uso – I hope Jey isn’t an afterthought here like Cody was last fall when he was paired up with Roman. I think Cody pins Cena to set up Cody-Cena 2 at SummerSlam.

Tunney’s Take: Cena & Paul – I don’t think Cena is involved in another loss until he loses the WWE Championship. I also think Logan Paul is NOT done trying to capture Jey Uso’s World Heavyweight Championship. …Travis Scott in the house?

Chairshot Pick – 6-5 Rhodes & Uso

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!

About Chairshot Radio Network

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FRIDAY – DWI Podcast (Drunk Wrestling Intellect)

SATURDAY – The Mindless Wrestling Podcast

SUNDAY – Keeping the news ridiculous… The Oddity / The Front and Center Sports Podcast

CHAIRSHOT RADIO NETWORK PODCAST SPECIALS

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

TheChairshot.com PRESENTS…IMMEDIATE POST WWE PLE REACTIONS w/ DJ(Mindless), Tunney(DWI) & Friends

Patrick O’Dowd’s 5X5

Classic POD is WAR

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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)

FRIDAY - DWI Podcast (Drunk Wrestling Intellect)

SATURDAY - The Mindless Wrestling Podcast

SUNDAY - The Front and Center Sports Podcast

CHAIRSHOT RADIO NETWORK PODCAST SPECIALS

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

TheChairshot.com PRESENTS...IMMEDIATE POST WWE PLE REACTIONS w/ DJ(Mindless), Tunney(DWI) & Friends

Patrick O'Dowd's 5X5

Classic POD is WAR

Chairshot Radio Network Your home for the hardest hitting podcasts... Sports, Entertainment and Sports Entertainment!

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: Backlash St. Louis

Chairshot Staff picks!!!

Published

2 months 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