Greg DeMarco
Predicting The Card: WWE WrestleMania 35 (Round 2)
The date is November 23, 2018, less than a week removed from WWE Survivor Series 2018. Greg DeMarco checks in with his top match predictions for the big event in New York City!
Survivor Series is behind us, meaning it’s time to update our WrestleMania speculations! October 7 was the date of my last WrestleMania speculations, and a lot has changed. Namely, Roman Reigns is off beating leukemia, with no timetable set for his return. We also have a new injury to Triple H, and there’s also talk of an injury to Samoa Joe. And who can forget Becky Lynch!?!?
Recommended Reading:
Injured WWE Superstars & Their Expected Return Dates
So between the growing injury report, title changes, and Survivor Series fallout, we are ready to update our WrestleMania predictions!
Universal Championship
Brock Lesnar (champion) vs. AJ Styles
Last time I called for a Shield Triple Threat here, with Roman Reigns walking in as Universal Champion. Reigns obviously vacated that championship, and Brock is the new champion. Reigns’ announcement left WWE with big void to fill–the WrestleMania closer.
As I referenced on a recent Greg DeMarco Show, WWE (and any company worth its salt) books backwards from a set ending. This is why the WrestleMania focus is typically set by the week after the prior year’s event itself, to give the booker, writing teams and agents a focal point to guide their decision making. When Reigns steps away, the first order of business was “What do we do at WrestleMania?”
I believe the answer to that question was AJ Styles.
Survivor Series went from AJ Styles vs. Roman Reigns to AJ Styles vs. Brock Lesnar to Daniel Bryan vs. Brock Lesnar–and the latter delivered an amazing and unique match that isn’t getting the love it deserves.
AJ Styles is the perfect story for WrestleMania. Signed to be a mid-carder, AJ has exceeded expectations within WWE, and has shown the ability to deliver in all scenarios. A Royal Rumble win and subsequent match with Brock Lesnar would have MetLife Stadium rocking, delivering the ultimate feel-good moment for WWE and likely the top highlight in a career full of highlights for AJ Styles.
Before you ask, yes I have read the rumors of Lesnar vs. Seth Rollins at ‘Mania. Doesn’t mean I believe them!
Raw Women’s Championship
Ronda Rousey (champion) vs. Charlotte Flair
Becky Lynch has set the world on fire, and I am among her top fans. But I also live in a place called reality, and I don’t see this match changing at all. I called this match last time, and for months everyone has been calling for this match to close the show (I don’t think it does).
The finish of their Survivor Series match served only to continue us on our path to Rousey-Flair at WrestleMania 35. Rousey said herself (in a red-carpet interview before Evolution) that she wants to take time off and have a family. She’s also struggling with life on the road.
WWE is building Charlotte Flair’s legacy. She ended Asuka’a “streak” at WrestleMania 34, and she is going to serve Ronda Rousey with her first loss at WrestleMania 35. Becky will be just fine, as another round of Becky-Charlotte after WrestleMania will do big business, and likely see both women main eventing house shows and possibly a pay-per-view along the way.
Becky Lynch vs. Nia Jax
Talk about things changing! In my first round of WrestleMania predictions, I said we’d get Asuka challenging Becky Lynch. I assume Becky will end up dropping (or forfeiting) the Smackdown Women’s Championship soon enough, and I think Asuka is still in a championship match at WrestleMania.
But Becky Lynch vs. Nia Jax is MONEY. I know it’s not Lynch-Rousey, which we may have been robbed of thanks to that errant punch thrown by Nia Jax. But assuming Rousey-Flair is in stone (as I am), the next best thing is for Becky Lynch to get her hands on Nia Jax in front of 90,000 rabid fans in the New York/New Jersey area. Nia is finally settling in as a heat magnet, and “The Man” is the true people’s champion.
Becky doesn’t need Ronda at WrestleMania, Becky sells this WrestleMania match on her own–and that’s the biggest compliment you can give a WWE superstar.
WWE Championship
Daniel Bryan (champion) vs. The Miz
I was originally going to slot Shane McMahon in as The Miz’s opponent, but I think that storyline gets tied up sometime during the TLC-Royal Rumble-Elimination Chamber run.
I had Miz pegged as your challenger for the WWE Championship (then held by AJ Styles) along with a Royal Rumble win. Now that AJ is in a different position, it only makes sense that Miz–who is creeping closer and closer to being a babyface on a daily basis–to emerge as Bryan’s challenger. Bryan will have his supporters over WrestleMania Weekend, but Miz has emerged as a favorite of the internet fanbase himself. This match can steal the show, and is worthy of a top spot at WrestleMania.
Street Fight
Seth Rollins vs. Dean Ambrose
I originally went with a Shield Triple Threat for WrestleMania 35, but that might have to wait a year. Instead we continue the issue between Ambrose and Rollins.
This is a much better match for Rollins, in my opinion. Yes, Lesnar is the money match, but Ambrose and Rollins will deliver big time, and the street fight stipulation only helps things.
I considered Hell In A Cell (which happened at WrestleManias 29 and 32), but the street fight makes sense here. If Roman is able to, an appearance either helping Rollins or celebrating at the end makes total sense as well.
The Undertaker vs. John Cena
No change from last time–to me this seems as “set in stone” as Rousey-Flair. (Mainly so I can be doubly wrong? Maybe…)
Drew McIntyre & Dolph Ziggler vs. Kevin Owens & Sami Zayn
One thing that really stood out to me in Eric’s injury report today was that both Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn are expected back by WrestleMania. I was racking my brain to figure out what the company would do with Drew McIntyre, and this provided the answer.
Owens and Zayn will get a heroes welcome upon return, as that is the standard return pop for WWE superstars these days. Ziggler and McIntyre are amazing as heels, and I would bet money on Drew getting a mega-push after WrestleMania. McIntyre vs. Styles could be a major program for the company. It’s fresh, it’s exciting, and it would deliver.
I’d expect Kevin & Sami to go over (on Ziggler), with McIntyre turning on his partner and ending their year long alliance in the process.
There’s a lot more ground to cover outside of those matches. You have Shane McMahon, Asuka & the Smackdown Women’s Championship, United States Championship, Braun Strowman, Triple H (if he’s back), and more. This will be another packed WrestleMania for sure, so get ready for 5+ hours of action next April!
What do you think? Let us know on social media @theCHAIRSHOTcom and always remember to use the hashtag #UseYourHead!
About Chairshot Radio Network
Launched in 2017, the Chairshot Radio Network presents you with the best in sports, entertainment, and sports entertainment. Wrestling and wrestling crossover podcasts + the most interesting content + the most engaging hosts = the most entertaining podcasts you’ll find!
MONDAY - Bandwagon Nerds (entertainment & popular culture)
TUESDAY - Musical Chairs (music) / Hockey Talk (NHL)
WEDNESDAY - The Greg DeMarco Show (wrestling)
THURSDAY - Keeping the news ridiculous... The Oddity / Chairshot NFL (NFL)
FRIDAY - DWI Podcast (Drunk Wrestling Intellect)
SATURDAY - The Mindless Wrestling Podcast
SUNDAY - The Front and Center Sports Podcast
CHAIRSHOT RADIO NETWORK PODCAST SPECIALS
Attitude Of Aggression Podcast & The Big Five Project (chronologically exploring WWE's PPV/PLE history)
TheChairshot.com PRESENTS...IMMEDIATE POST WWE PLE REACTIONS w/ DJ(Mindless), Tunney(DWI) & Friends
Patrick O'Dowd's 5X5
Classic POD is WAR
Chairshot Radio Network Your home for the hardest hitting podcasts... Sports, Entertainment and Sports Entertainment!
Powered by RedCircle
Let us know what you think on social media @ChairshotMedia and always remember to use the hashtag #UseYourHead!
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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

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.
About Chairshot Radio Network
Launched in 2017, the Chairshot Radio Network presents you with the best in sports, entertainment, and sports entertainment. Wrestling and wrestling crossover podcasts + the most interesting content + the most engaging hosts = the most entertaining podcasts you’ll find!
MONDAY - Bandwagon Nerds (entertainment & popular culture)
TUESDAY - Musical Chairs (music) / Hockey Talk (NHL)
WEDNESDAY - The Greg DeMarco Show (wrestling)
THURSDAY - Keeping the news ridiculous... The Oddity / Chairshot NFL (NFL)
FRIDAY - DWI Podcast (Drunk Wrestling Intellect)
SATURDAY - The Mindless Wrestling Podcast
SUNDAY - The Front and Center Sports Podcast
CHAIRSHOT RADIO NETWORK PODCAST SPECIALS
Attitude Of Aggression Podcast & The Big Five Project (chronologically exploring WWE's PPV/PLE history)
TheChairshot.com PRESENTS...IMMEDIATE POST WWE PLE REACTIONS w/ DJ(Mindless), Tunney(DWI) & Friends
Patrick O'Dowd's 5X5
Classic POD is WAR
Chairshot Radio Network Your home for the hardest hitting podcasts... Sports, Entertainment and Sports Entertainment!
Powered by RedCircle
Let us know what you think on social media @ChairshotMedia and always remember to use the hashtag #UseYourHead!
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DeMarco: The Biggest WrestleMania Match WWE Is Afraid To Book
Greg DeMarco breaks down the one match WWE was seemingly afraid to book for WrestleMania, despite setting it up over the span of two years!

Greg DeMarco breaks down the one match WWE was seemingly afraid to book for WrestleMania, despite setting it up over the span of two years!
WWE loves its WrestleMania moments. But sometimes, the most electric moment is also the most terrifying. And if we’re being honest, there’s one match that could shatter the internet, define an era, and launch two careers into another stratosphere—if WWE had the guts to actually pull the trigger:
Rhea Ripley vs. Dominik Mysterio at WrestleMania 41.
Sounds crazy? Maybe. But it’s also he most logical, lucrative, and legacy-defining decision WWE could make for both stars. Let’s break it down like we always do here: not through fantasy, not through fan service, but through business. Because this match had major upside—and one very real risk.
Pro #1: A Headline-Grabbing Spectacle With Viral Potential
WrestleMania is about the moment—and Ripley vs. Dominik is a moment waiting to happen. Their on-screen relationship in Judgment Day has become one of WWE’s most compelling, meme-able dynamics, blending soap opera with real emotion and elite trolling. YouTube clips rack up views. Social media runs wild with edits and thirst traps. The chemistry between them? Off the charts.
A WrestleMania match between them isn’t just “intergender” for the sake of it. It’s the end of a long-term story that’s already over with the audience. WWE doesn’t need to create this heat—it exists. All they’d be doing is lighting the match and letting it burn all the way to Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas.
Pro #2: A Massive Risk That Can Pay Off With the Right Booking
Let’s be real: intergender wrestling is still a hot-button issue. But the times are changing—and WWE knows it. They’ve already had Rhea get physical with Akira Tozawa, Solo Sikoa, and in the men’s Royal Rumble. Fans haven’t rejected it—they’ve embraced it, because it fits her character.
Dominik, meanwhile, isn’t some powerhouse male wrestler. He’s a weasel. A brat. And most importantly, he’s believable as someone who could get wrecked by Rhea and still come out better for it. This isn’t Chyna vs. Jeff Jarrett in 1999. This is something entirely fresh.
And if AEW can run intergender matches with stars like Adam Cole and Britt Baker without fallout, then WWE—a much more disciplined, family-conscious product—can do it right. Book it with logic, lean into the emotion, and structure the match like an unsanctioned war, and you’ve got lightning in a bottle. Plus there IS precedent for this in WWE. You have Chyna, of course, and more recently you have Becky Lynch vs. James Ellsworth.
Pro #3: Judgment Day Drama Finally Pays Off In a Big Way
Judgment Day has been one of WWE’s best long-term success stories. But you can only tease the implosion for so long before fans check out. Finn’s beefing with Priest. JD is being JD. But the real core—the engine that kept this stable at its most relevant—was Rhea and Dom.
They were the emotional center. The dynamic people actually cared about. So if they’re going to culminate in a match, you don’t do it on a random Raw. You don’t do it at Elimination Chamber. You do it at WrestleMania. And you do it in a way that matters.
This match would be the culmination of everything. Betrayal, heartbreak, dominance, redemption. Dom turned on Rhea, Dom costs Rhea the Women’s World Championship more than once (think the Raw On Netflix premiere, and rewrite the ending to Liv Morgan vs. Rhea Ripley) and now Rhea wants the revenge she never got. The story writes itself. And it sets the table for their next chapters with clean slates and elevated status.
Con: It Risks Undermining Rhea Ripley’s Star Power
There’s one real risk WWE has to weigh: Rhea Ripley is a top-tier star. Maybe the top star in the women’s division. She should have main-evented WrestleMania 39 Night One. She’s the face of cross-brand credibility. She moves merch. She trends. She wins.
Taking her out of the title picture for a “personal” match—even one this hot—is a gamble. If not done correctly, it could trivialize her reign, reduce her to a storyline prop, or worse: send a message that her biggest spotlight doesn’t involve a championship.
And make no mistake—there’s a business cost to that. Rhea is the division right now. If WWE doesn’t protect her aura and keep her looking like a destroyer, even in loss or emotional turmoil, the entire angle could unravel. The story only works if Rhea stays the alpha, even while taking the emotional damage.
Final Bell
Rhea Ripley vs. Dominik Mysterio at WrestleMania 41 isn’t a joke. It isn’t shock booking. It’s a rare opportunity where character, emotion, long-term storytelling, and business aligned perfectly. WWE has built this slow burn for nearly two years. The most unexpected—and potentially best—WrestleMania match was right in front of them.
All they had to do… was be brave enough to book it.
About Chairshot Radio Network
Launched in 2017, the Chairshot Radio Network presents you with the best in sports, entertainment, and sports entertainment. Wrestling and wrestling crossover podcasts + the most interesting content + the most engaging hosts = the most entertaining podcasts you’ll find!
MONDAY - Bandwagon Nerds (entertainment & popular culture)
TUESDAY - Musical Chairs (music) / Hockey Talk (NHL)
WEDNESDAY - The Greg DeMarco Show (wrestling)
THURSDAY - Keeping the news ridiculous... The Oddity / Chairshot NFL (NFL)
FRIDAY - DWI Podcast (Drunk Wrestling Intellect)
SATURDAY - The Mindless Wrestling Podcast
SUNDAY - The Front and Center Sports Podcast
CHAIRSHOT RADIO NETWORK PODCAST SPECIALS
Attitude Of Aggression Podcast & The Big Five Project (chronologically exploring WWE's PPV/PLE history)
TheChairshot.com PRESENTS...IMMEDIATE POST WWE PLE REACTIONS w/ DJ(Mindless), Tunney(DWI) & Friends
Patrick O'Dowd's 5X5
Classic POD is WAR
Chairshot Radio Network Your home for the hardest hitting podcasts... Sports, Entertainment and Sports Entertainment!
Powered by RedCircle
Let us know what you think on social media @ChairshotMedia and always remember to use the hashtag #UseYourHead!