Opinion

WWE Week in Review November 12-18, 2018

Published

6 years ago

November 19, 2018

We are in the final week before WWE Survivor Series and TakeOver: War Games II and everyone’s looking to gain momentum going into Survivor Series Weekend.

On RAW, Alexa Bliss decides on the RAW Women’s team, Seth Rollins tries to focus on his upcoming match with Shinsuke Nakamura, but a shocking act by Dean Ambrose throws all that out the window. The RAW Elimination Team tries to find their captains. Baron Corbin finds himself in hot water with Stephanie McMahon, who finds herself making a deal with Braun Strowman to save Survivor Series, and Ronda Rousey learns a painful lesson about arrogance when RAW has some unexpected company.

On SmackDown, the fallout of the invasion of RAW throws Survivor Series into chaos. Miz finds himself in a position to make some changes to the SmackDown Men’s team. Becky Lynch swallows her pride and turns to a former friend when the consequences of her actions leave her on the sidelines. A confrontation between Styles and Heyman over Survivor Series has unexpected consequences that stun the WWE Universe.

On NXT UK, Triple H and Johnny Saint make a historic announcement that has a huge impact on the fledgling Women’s Division. While the gentlemen all jockey for position and respect.

On 205 Live, Lio Rush’s undefeated streak is on the line against a hungry and desperate Cedric Alexander. Buddy Murphy and Mustafa Ali prepare for their confrontation at Survivor Series, and Drew Gulak and Jack Gallagher face former friend Brian Kendrick and former victim, Akira Tozawa.

On NXT, Mia Yim face the EST, Bianca Belair. Lacey Evans tries to teach class to a rookie. Kyle O’Reilly faces Hanson to decide which team will have the advantage in War Games.

So, how did WWE do with all these balls in the air? Let’s find out!

RAW

WWE Universal Championship: Paul Heyman and Brock Lesnar were in the house to hype the big rematch from last year: Brock Lesnar vs AJ Styles Part II. Heyman did his usual schtick of hyping Lesnar and vowing victory for his client.

This broken record was interrupted by Jinder Mahal, who had nearly faced Lesnar last year at Survivor Series. Mahal wanted to bring his enlightening mediation to the Beast. Lesnar seemed to play along before treating Mahal to a thunderous F-5. Not satisfied, Lesnar also took out the Singhs before leaving.

Baron Corbin vs Braun Strowman: Baron Corbin has been a marked man since his actions at Crown Jewel cost Strowman the Universal Championship. Strowman was denied his prize last week when Corbin high-tailed it out of the arena. Refusing to be denied his prey this week, Strowman interrupted the battle royal to decide who would captain the RAW Tag Team-Team, throwing everyone out, and declaring that he was not leaving the ring until Corbin came out here.

Instead of Corbin, Strowman got Stephanie McMahon, who was certainly wary of Strowman, but not really scared. Stephanie tried to talk Strowman down, assuring him that she understood that he was pissed over Corbin’s actions, but that she needed him to focus on Survivor Series and leading Team RAW to victory.

Strowman interrupted her, which is never a smart move and tells her that he doesn’t give a damn about brand supremacy or what Shane did. Strowman knows Stephanie’s trying to manipulate him. Stephanie offers a compromise: If Strowman leads Team RAW to victory on Sunday, she’ll give him whatever he wants.

It was here that Baron Corbin learned the ultimate hard lesson about being a toadie for the McMahons: They will never hesitate to throw you to the wolves. Strowman’s demands were simple: He wants Brock Lesnar for the Universal Title. He wanted Baron Corbin, and he wants Corbin to sign a waiver so he wouldn’t be held responsible for what happens. Stephanie agrees to his demands on one condition: He had to wait until after Survivor Series.

Strowman didn’t seem to realize that he was actually in weaker position and threatened to go to WWE Headquarters and destroy the place if Stephanie tried to renege on the deal. Before Stephanie could answer, she was interrupted by Ronda Rousey.

Stephanie wasn’t happy about this, but seemed willing to play nice, but Rousey wasn’t. It seems that Ronda’s head has gotten a little too big for her hat because she tells Stephanie that she doesn’t need a pep talk to get motivated to face Becky Lynch. She then moves on Stephanie, who hadn’t done anything.

Baron Corbin, who seemed to been emboldened by the fact that Strowman couldn’t touch him, came out to calm things down. He made the huge mistake of not only talking down to Rousey but touching her, which lead to him getting thrown by the irate Rousey. Barely recovering from that embarrassment, Corbin was confronted by Strowman, which lead to Stephanie having to get between them. Strowman threatened to neuter Corbin after Survivor Series, before leaving.

RAW Women’s Division: Alexa Bliss told the Women’s Division last week that she was looking for people with killer instinct for the RAW Women’s Team.

In that spirit, Ember Moon took on Tamina Snuka in one on one action. Tamina was accompanied by her new partner, Nia Jax. Ember had a much better go of it this week, but the presence of Nia Jax kept her from maintain any momentum. The advantage of Nia paid dividends for Tamina who was able to pull out the win with a Superfly Splash and Alexa, who had been watching backstage, seemed pleased with this.

For weeks, Ronda Rousey and Becky Lynch have been having an increasingly nasty war of words on social media. On Monday, Rousey addressed Becky Lynch in a final promo before Survivor Series. Rousey arrogantly dismissed Lynch and her threats as ridiculous, showing Lynch minimal respect. She then nearly broke her own arm patting herself on the back talking about how hard she’d worked to get where she was, not seeming to understand that Lynch had worked that hard and harder to get where she was and was a lot hungrier than Rousey.

Last week, the Riott Squad showed how far they’d go to get one over on their opponents when Ruby Riott ruthlessly broke a pair of sunglasses that supposedly belonged to Nattie’s late father, Jim Neidhart.

This week, Ruby Riott addressed the situation, showing some remorse, before revealing that she’d loved every minute of destroying those sunglasses. Her only regret was that she’d only destroyed the sunglasses. Nattie had had everything handed to her because of her name, but the Riott Squad had had to scratch and fight for everything. Riott said that she’d wanted to make Nattie cried and was happy that she’d succeeded.

At this point, Nattie’s music hit, and the Riott Squad turned to deal with the threat, but Nattie came out of the crowd and attacked Riott from behind. Logan and Morgan came to Riott, but Nattie tried to hold her own, but was overwhelmed by the vicious Squad before suffering the indignity of being hit with a Hart Attack by Logan and Riott.

Alexa Bliss announced her picks for the RAW Women’s Team, and her picks were no surprise for the most part: Mickie James, Nia Jax, Tamina. The one big surprise was Nattie, who Bliss had sent home to calm down. As for the final spot, Bliss announced that there would be a match between Sasha Banks and Bayley to determine who would get the final spot.

The match between Banks and Bayley was typically amazing. Both women wanted that spot and it show, especially when Bayley hit a Bayley-to-Belly on Sasha on the apron. However, as usual, we didn’t get a winner for Banks vs Bayley because the rest of Team RAW attacked the two women, ending the match in a No Contest. It was then that Bliss revealed that the match had been a game. The final member of Team RAW is Ruby Riott.

Before Banks or Bayley could fully process that, we were alerted to a commotion backstage. Going to the Women’s locker area, it was discovered that Becky Lynch had attacked Ronda Rousey and had Rousey in the Dis-Arm-Her while Rousey screamed and thrashed around. While Team RAW tried to process that, Lynch’s music hit. The women in the ring dared her to come in the ring, Team SmackDown jumped the RAW women and the fight was on!

What happened next wouldn’t be fully revealed until the next day, but somewhere in the brawl, Nia Jax punched Lynch square in the face, not a working punch, or even a potato, but a full powered punch in the face. Lynch’s nose started spurting blood, but it didn’t stop her from fighting, taking out Ronda Rousey when Rousey tried to come to Team RAW’s rescue. RAW ended with a bloodied Lynch in the audience, leaving Team RAW and Ronda Rousey in the ring.

Backstage, an enraged Stephanie McMahon berated Corbin for what happened. Corbin tried to make excuses, but Stephanie’s patience had run out. She orders Corbin to do something about what had just happened and warned that RAW could NOT lose on Sunday.

Seth Rollins vs Dean Ambrose: For weeks, Seth Rollins, and the WWE Universe have been trying to get answers for Dean Ambrose’s shocking turn, and Ambrose had refused to answer. This week, however, Seth had bigger things on his mind, namely, his match against Shinsuke Nakamura at Survivor Series.

Rollins gave an interview to Corey Graves, who asked him about his preparations for Survivor Series. Rollins admitted that he usually puts a lot of preparation and thought into his matches, especially a big one like the one with Nakamura, but right now, he’s not thinking about Survivor Series and didn’t really give a damn about Nakamura.

Graves, who had seen what Nakamura is really capable of, tried to warn Seth that Nakamura wasn’t someone to take lightly, but Rollins wasn’t listening. He was more focused on the situation with Dean Ambrose. Despite his words last week, Rollins said that he still wanted answers from Ambrose about why Ambrose turned on Rollins and Roman Reigns, despite the fact that Ambrose hadn’t turned on Reigns, just Rollins. Rollins then said that Dean wasn’t a stupid man, he just wasn’t man enough to come to Rollins to tell him what the problem was.

At that point the TitanTron came to life, revealing that Dean was outside, sitting on the hood of a car, next to a roaring trash fire. Ambrose said that he was man enough to come in out of the cold and beat the hell out of Rollins, but he wasn’t going to do it. Ambrose said he didn’t owe anyone an explanation for what happened. He blamed Seth’s treatment of him for part of what happened and said that he’d changed and Seth and Roman didn’t notice. He then said that maybe part of him hoped his brothers would forgive him one day, but he said that the Shield, Seth, and Roman made him weak because he’d believed in that brotherhood and those days were over, he was going to burn it down.

What Dean was burning down became obvious when he pulled out his old Shield vest and through it into the fire. Seth was devastated, and went in search of his former friend, presumably to have it out once and for all.

Dolph Ziggler vs Finn Balor: Last week, Drew McIntyre shocked the wrestling world by soundly defeating Kurt Angle, with Angle’s own move, the Ankle Lock. This week, McIntyre didn’t hesitate to crow about his victory over the Hall of Famer and voicing his disgust over Angle crying in the ring. He also claimed that he’d sacrificed more than anyone in WWE and that he’s done with nostalgia acts.

Balor come out to save us from this nonsense, calling McIntyre a liar and saying that his actions against Angle last week crossed a line. McIntyre, not realizing, or caring that Balor isn’t someone to take lightly, made the massive mistake of talking down to the Irishman, saying dignity wasn’t a right, and insulting the Balor Club.

Tired of the blowhard Scot, Balor challenged McIntyre to a match, but McIntyre, claiming that Balor was beneath him, offered up Dolph Ziggler instead, saying that if Balor could beat Ziggler, he’d get McIntyre but before the match could start, McIntyre got in a cheap shot on Balor.

The match between Balor and Ziggler was really good. Thanks to McIntyre’s cheap shot, Ziggler dominated the first part of the match, but Balor got his wits back pretty quickly and was able to battle back. Ziggler COULD have put Balor away if he’d been more focused on wrestling than showing off. It looked like Balor was done for after Ziggler was able to dodge a Coup de Grace, but Balor rolled up Ziggler for the pin. Infuriating McIntyre, who’d looked more and more worried during the match.

To add more fuel to McIntyre’s woes, when Balor go backstage, Stephanie made him the final member of Team RAW, over the protests of Corbin, Ziggler, and McIntyre.

Tag Team Battle Royal: Since Strowman had rudely interrupted the first attempt, the Tag Team Battle Royal to determine who would be the captains of the RAW Tag Team Team at Survivor Series. It came down to Roode/Gable and the Ascension. Roode and Gable would pull out the win, but the RAW Tag Team would include pretty much the whole Tag division, not including AoP.

Bobby Lashley vs Elias: Lio Rush did his usual hype job for Lashley for his magnificent body, which seems to be about all Lashley has going for him sometimes. This body worship was interrupted by Elias.

Elias announced that he was reporting Lashley for kidnapping a child, asking Rush how old he was. He also found Rush’s gushing over Lashley’s body while Lashley was bent over, a little disturbing, asking the audience if they wanted to walk with Elias or bend over for Lashley and that Lashley was in danger of putting people to sleep.

Unamused, Rush called Elias a clown and challenged him to say all that to Lashley’s face. Amused, Elias told Rush to calm down, he was just trying to help the whole world understand that Lashley sucked.

The actual match was pretty good. Elias was able to keep up with Lashley, but Lashley’s hype man earned his pay yet again, when Rush was able to keep Elias from beating the ref’s count, earning Lashley a win by countout and the final spot on Team RAW.

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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

3 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

For the latest, greatest and up to datest in coverage, opinions, and podcasts ALWAYS #UseYourHead and visit TheCharishot.com

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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

5 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.