Opinion

Top 5 Revisited: Non-WWE Stories of 2018

Published

7 years ago

January 1, 2019

Heading into 2018, I thought it would be a good idea to take a guess at what the top wrestling stories of the year would be. As we’re at the end of 2018, I figure now is a good time to take a look back & see if I was right, wrong or in the middle.

Today, we look at my Top 5 Non-WWE Stories of 2018, originally published on December 12 of 2017, see if they actually were stories or not.

5. Lucha Underground Season 4

“We were unsure about the future of Lucha Underground. Would there be a Season 4? Last month we finally found out that the answer was “yes” & tapings would start “sometime soon”. February is the current rumor.

Lucha Underground started off really hot, but the buzz has died down over the last couple of seasons. There were plenty of high points in Season 3, but the length of time between taping & airing gave the show a lame duck kind of feel that had been lacking in previous seasons. Also, folks like Prince Puma & Rey Mysterio leaving don’t exactly help the buzz factor. We’ll see what rabbits LU can pull out of their hats for a Season 4 expected to come in somewhere half as long as Season 3. We’ll also see how long it takes to air the finished product, and if that saps the buzz out of the show.”

What Happened: Season 4 aired in full on the El Rey Network from June to November. The buzz, as I suspected, wasn’t there. With all sorts of LU talent appearing in Impact Wrestling, and guys like Fenix & Pentagon wrestling all over the world for any company that will have them, the promotion/TV show doesn’t have the wrestling hook going for it. Even their far out & wacky ideas aren’t quite as far out & wacky as they used to be. The Hardys have done some stuff on WWE & Impact comparable to Lucha Underground at its craziest. Impact has done some really weird stuff, including having Scarlett Bordeaux teleport & Eddie Kingston try to kill a kid with a car. Both are the kinds of things you would expect to see on an LU episode.

Lucha Underground’s effect on pro wrestling will outlive its existence, which of course is in question for 2019.

4. Aro Lucha: Southern Style Lucha Libre?

Aro Lucha

“It was only a matter of time before Konnan found another lucha libre company to work with after he lost the AAA political battles. He carries a lot of influence with certain people & always finds a way to rise to the top somewhere. Enter Aro Lucha, a startup lucha company based out of Nashville, Tennessee. Ron & Don Harris, longtime wrestlers & former TNA financial backers, are among the co-founders, Konnan is the head writer & Vince Russo is a script consultant. Which, given Vince’s past with luchadores, seems like an interesting choice.

The pilot tapings, held at the former TNA Asylum in Nashville, featured many recognizable names. Rey Mysterio, Johnny Mundo/Impact, Hurricane Helms, James Storm, MVP & Pentagon Jr./Dark/Penta 0M among many others. Heck, my old friend Rebecca Hardy was on the show, I should ask her what’s going on with these folks. Probably not.

The taping was received well by the crowd, which was larger than Aro Lucha was expecting. Will this early success lead to more?’

What Happened: For most of 2018, not much. It seemed like the major players here moved on to other things. Konnan has been all over Impact & MLW, while Rey Mysterio worked everywhere before eventually returning to WWE. I think Konnan’s also back with AAA, but it’s always tough to tell who has the power there.

We’d forgotten about Aro Lucha until they had some commercials air during recent episodes of Impact. This was confusing. It said Aro Lucha was coming in 2019, which many took to mean that an Aro Lucha TV show was coming to Pop. Which would have made sense, but that’s not the case. The commercials were provided by Impact Wrestling, not Pop. Does Aro Lucha have a deal with Anthem? Was it a favor to Konnan?

I have no idea. All I know for sure is that Aro Lucha had little to no effect on 2018.

3. The NWA Rebuild

“William Corgan & David Lagana have a twenty-year plan for the return of the National Wrestling Alliance into the hearts & minds of all wrestling fans. This plan will likely face some bumps in the road, but they’ve already shown some gains early on in their stewardship of the company.

Tim Storm was a name that nobody except people that looked up the NWA Championship on Wikipedia knew. He’s 52 years old & has wrestled for a long time…but not all that much outside of the Texas independent scene. Once Corgan purchased the NWA, he & Lagana began the work of building Tim Storm into a champion that people outside of Texas cared about. They got him into new environments & gave him a forum to express himself. The Ten Pounds of Gold YouTube series followed Storm to Los Angeles, Nashville, his high school & finally Philadelphia, where his title reign came to an end at the hands of Nick Aldis…managed by Memphis wrestling legend Austin Idol?
We’ll see where the NWA goes in 2018, but the rise of Tim Storm in the latter months of 2017 has to be considered a good sign of things to come.”

What Happened: The NWA threw itself behind Nick Aldis in 2018, trying to use his Crusade across continents defending the Worlds Championship to make it a big deal once again. Undoubtedly, the highlight was seeing the championship defended at All In, and won by the son of a former NWA Champion. Cody’s reign was short and they’ve gone right back to Nick Aldis. The NWA doesn’t mind getting the rub from Cody & the Elite, but they’re not going to cede control to them. Former NWA promoters have made that mistake in the past, so it seems like Corgan & Lagana have learned that lesson.

It’s a twenty-year plan. They’re not at the top of the mountain yet, but they are further along than they were a year ago.

2. Dalton Castle: Ring of Honor Champion

Dalton Castle ROH Final Battle

“Since his arrival in 2015, the Party Peacock has established himself as the most charismatic wrestler to set foot in Ring of Honor since anybody can remember. Back when ROH started in 2002, an androgynous character like Dalton likely would have been booed out of the building by wrestling fans conditioned to dislike anybody that didn’t come off like a real man, brother. Times have changed, and Castle’s antics were tremendously popular from the start. His Freddy Mercuryesque persona was fresher than anything else ROH was doing that wasn’t borrowed from New Japan Pro Wrestling.

The ROH World Championship has recently been dominated by wrestlers better known outside the company. Jay Lethal & Christopher Daniels got their start in ROH, but made their names in TNA. Cody brought name value from his time in WWE, along with his famous family that he can’t mention but everybody knows about. Dalton Castle is something that Ring of Honor can call their own. He’s very much in the tradition of Gorgeous George, “Exotic” Adrian Street & Goldust. Those men were big draws in their time, but their companies never made them the focal point.

Dalton Castle is now the focal point of Ring of Honor, outside whoever might be in from New Japan, of course. It’ll be interesting to see how he adjusts to his new role, and what it might mean for the future of major singles championships. Can a character like Dalton Castle work as a top babyface? We’re about to find out.”

What Happened: Like most ROH World Championship reigns, Castle’s didn’t live up to the promise. It had nothing to do with his persona & everything to do with injuries. Several matches had to be cancelled during Castle’s reign due to nagging injuries, which also had the effect of making him less capable in the ring than normal. Fans that were wanting Castle to be champion were happy to see his title reign come to an end, if for no other reason than he could get some rest.

Even if Dalton hadn’t been injured, one had the feeling that he would still be second fiddle to Bullet Club/Elite shenanigans. That’s something ROH will need to address in 2019, when they won’t be able to focus their shows around the likes of Cody & the Young Bucks.

Honorable Mention: The Continued Saga of Impact Wrestling

IMPACT Wrestling Results & Report

“You know that Impact Wrestling is going to have more ups & downs than the coaching career of Marvin Lewis in 2018. It’s like that every single year with this company. Wrestlers will come & go. New creative forces will come in, then depart. New ownership might show up. New TV deals might be made. The show could change networks and/or time slots.

You never really know what’s going to happen next with Impact Wrestling…you just know that it’s going to be unexpected, and the company isn’t going to die. It’s always interesting to watch from the sidelines.”

What Happened: More crazy ups & downs! The ownership stayed the same, and creative mainly stayed the same, but wrestlers came & went as they usually do. The timeslot moved two hours later into Thursday night, and later in the year it was announced that Impact will be moving to the Pursuit Channel in 2019. Friday night at 10 PM if you’re scoring at home, or even if you’re alone.

Which you are if you’re watching Impact Wrestling at 10 PM on a Friday night.

Honorable Mention: Cody Rhodes & The Young Bucks going “All-In”

.@CodyRhodes confirms he and the Young Bucks are self-financing the 10k seat "All In" show, says they want @ringofhonor involved and that he wants to put the ROH World Title on the line against @WWEDanielBryan in the main event: https://t.co/Ih7QtzkA5g pic.twitter.com/8kJX3ZHYWr

— SiriusXM Busted Open (@BustedOpenRadio) November 28, 2017

“Cody Rhodes and The Young Bucks are set on a course to present their own wrestling show, currently dubbed “All In” and are planning to draw 10,000 fans to an arena in North America. This started out as a Dave Meltzer pseudo-challenge, but it’s turned into it’s own little circus with rumors of names from CM Punk to Daniel Bryan and New Japan to Ring Of Honor. Going to be a very interesting one, for sure.”

What Happened: All In drew over 10,000 fans to the Sears Centre Arena in Hoffman Estates, Illinois. CM Punk & Daniel Bryan weren’t there, but there was more than a little bit of New Japan & Ring of Honor influence. All Elite Wrestling will debut in 2019 & will be the top non-WWE story without question.

1. New Japan’s American Future

“It’s no secret that New Japan Pro Wrestling is targeting the North American marketplace. Bringing in Chris Jericho for Wrestle Kingdom 12 is a sure-fire way to get attention over here. Bullet Club merchandise has taken over Hot Topic, & you almost see as many of their t-shirts at WWE events as anybody else’s these days. Kenny Omega, the Young Bucks & Cody Rhodes are proving that you don’t need WWE to make big money in this market.

Mark Cuban, whose AXS TV network carries NJPW programming, says that New Japan isn’t true competition to WWE due to the language barrier. I don’t think anybody that isn’t a hardcore puroresu fan will sit here and tell you that NJPW World is going to get more subscribers than WWE Network. However, New Japan continues to gain more American interest with each Bullet Club t-shirt sale & each Tweet on social media. Jericho may not be back in New Japan after January 4, but his presence will bring new eyeballs that might return even if he’s gone.

Whether New Japan is “competitive” with WWE or not, they want their piece of American pie.”

What Happened: New Japan ran several shows on the West Coast in 2018. They opened a dojo in Los Angeles. Chris Jericho worked a number of shows for the company as its Intercontinental Champion. More is planned for 2019, including a co-promoted event with Ring of Honor in New York City’s Madison Square Garden. New Japan is playing this thing slowly, which is the right move.

It’ll be interesting to see what the exit of the Elite does to New Japan’s standing in America. One’s tempted to think it could be a major setback. Then again, New Japan saw WWE sign away AJ Styles, Shinsuke Nakamura, Luke Gallows & Karl Anderson a couple of years ago, and that didn’t seem to hurt too much. Granted, Styles especially would be a great talent for New Japan to have at its disposal right now. Either way, New Japan doesn’t seem to have problems creating stars that appeal to their fanbase. Barring WWE signing every single person on the roster, I don’t see talent being an issue anytime soon.

Later this week, we look at what I thought would be the top 5 WWE stories!

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!

All Shows On Demand

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

Related Topics:All In Aro Lucha Cody Rhodes Dalton Castle Featured Featured Big New Japan NJPW NWA The Young Bucks

Up Next

Daily DeMarco: 2018 Chairshot Team Of The Year

Don't Miss

The Streak Part 1: Obscure Beginnings – 1991-92

Opinion

DeMarco: Eric Bischoff, Vince Russo, or Jim Cornette?

Greg DeMarco evaluates a $10 million dollar question (literally) – who would you choose if you were starting a new wrestling company?

Published

3 weeks ago

November 21, 2025

Greg DeMarco

Greg DeMarco evaluates a $10 million dollar question (literally) – who would you choose if you were starting a new wrestling company?

Social media has flipped the script on pro wrestling. The fans have more power than ever before—booking is done in real time, buzz is built or buried in seconds, and no one waits until Monday to cut a promo anymore.

Social media is also a place where ideas are shared and discussion takes place. The basis for this article was a question posted on social media, using this image:

It’s the Ten Million Dollar Question: If you are handed $10 million to start a wrestling company, and you have to pick one of the following as your partner, who do you pick? Eric Bischoff, Vince Russo, or Jim Cornette.

Ten Million Dollars?

Ten million dollars sounds like a lot—until you start pricing out weekly production, talent contracts, live event logistics, licensing, digital, and TV. That money will go fast when you realize you’re competing with billion-dollar conglomerates that can lose money just to win the culture war. To truly break through in today’s wrestling economy, $10 million is your entry fee, not your war chest.

You do have options, such as Roku TV (similar to the NWA), YouTube, and more. This should ABSOLUTELY factor into your decision–distribution is key. And all three options do have some connection, and that needs to be considered.

You already know the options…

You’re reading this article, so you already know all about Eric Bischoff, Vince Russo, and Jim Cornette.

Eric Bischoff broke all the rules—and made it work. He launched Monday Nitro, flipped the industry upside down with the nWo, and forced Vince McMahon to innovate. Bischoff turned WCW into a legit number one brand and changed the entire TV presentation of wrestling forever. Without him, do we have the Attitude Era? There’s no way to be certain.

Vince Russo brought the chaos—and a whole lot of ratings. He gave us Crash TV, blurred the lines between fiction and reality, and wasn’t afraid to throw the whole format into a blender. While the long-term storytelling often suffered, the shock factor he brought drove eyeballs and made every segment feel like “can’t miss” television. But you can argue that, without Eric Bischoff, there’s no Vince Russo.

Jim Cornette is wrestling tradition personified. He’s protected the business with his life, shaped generations of talent behind the scenes, and built up territories when no one else could. Cornette’s strength lies in his psychology, heat-building, and his unapologetic belief in what wrestling should be—even when the industry moves past it. Does that play if you’re starting a brand new company in 2025? In my opinion, the jury is still out.

But who do you choose?

To be fair, you can’t just pick someone and go. You need to pick someone who aligns with your vision.

If you’re trying to focus on “old school” and nostalgia, Jim Cornette is your guy.
If you plan to build on shock value, your product going viral, and outlandish reactions, you pick Vince Russo.
If you think distribution is important, and need to get your product out there, you choose Eric Bischoff.

For me? I am a business guy. It’s called “the wrestling business,” and your $10 million investment needs to see a return.

I choose Eric Bischoff.

Many of you will scoff at this, thinking Jim Cornette was the right choice. He has a brilliant mind, and he has a following to help get you started. Hell, its enough for me to second-guess myself. Cornette is a close second. Vince Russo? Not a fan in this scenario.

But my perspective is different. I am a wresting promoter–I book and promote successful wrestling events. Our biggest weakness? Distribution. Among the three options, Eric Bischoff is far stronger.

How do you leverage Eric Bischoff?

Remember how the table was set – you’re given $10 million dollars to start a wrestling company. THAT is the hook. To me, that sounds like two things: a wrestling promotion AND a reality show. Even if the wrestling portion is on a streaming platform, or our own distribution like YouTube–the behind the scenes content is what Eric can start shopping. That can give us more resources in terms of budget and production. He also has the connection to Conrad Thompson, which helps with the online community.

If Bischoff gets us a distribution deal, even if it’s for the reality show portion, we have more budget for talent. Two people I can hire? Jim Cornette and Vince Russo. They are reality show GOLD.

Do I have to pay Eric Bischoff? Sure, but he’s not a “salary guy.” You want to motivate Eric Bischoff to perform, appeal to his competitive side. Give him a piece of the business–when the business grows, so does his piece. That’s one of the biggest advantages to having the former head of WCW.

Welcome to the team, Eric! Now let’s to get ourselves a deal!

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

Greg DeMarco’s WWE SummerSlam 2025 Preview, Betting Odds, & Predictions

Are you ready for WWE SummerSlam? Greg DeMarco makes sure are with his official preview & predictions!

Published

4 months ago

August 2, 2025

Greg DeMarco

Are you ready for WWE SummerSlam? Greg DeMarco makes sure are with his official preview & predictions!

August 2–3, 2025 • MetLife Stadium

WWE is turning SummerSlam into the biggest blockbuster of the summer with a two‑night extravaganza, packing in title bouts, and celebrity surprise appearances. Let’s dive into the matches, the action that led us here, and the betting lines that tell us who the bookies think bets on.

And of course, the pièce de résistance, my predictions done in true form: Who Should Win? Who Will Win?

And as an added bonus, PC Tunney has sent along his picks, which will be included with each match!

WWE SummerSlam 2025 – Night 1 – Saturday, August 2

World Heavyweight Championship – CM Punk vs. Gunther (c)

Odds: CM Punk (−180), Gunther (+140)
Punk is favored at about a 64% win probability

Punk earned his shot in a gauntlet match, but remember that he came in last to beat a man in Bron Breakker who came in first. Regardless, the tension has been simmering ever since. Gunther’s technical dominance will test Punk’s recklessness, making this a high-stakes and high strikes match. Expect close calls, but if Punk pulls this off, he reestablishes himself at the very top of WWE’s hierarchy (although he doesn’t need it).

Who Should Win: Gunther
Who Will Win: Gunther

Look, I know CM Punk is the sentimental pick to win, but Gunther NEEDS to win here. Otherwise, what is he? Gunther is the type of wrestler whose character thrives on wins and losses, whereas CM Punk is a made guy.

PC Tunney’s pick: “CM Punk – If Seth isn’t hurt we likely see a cash in. I’ll stick with he’s hurt and Punk captures gold.”

Roman Reigns & Jey Uso vs. Bron Breakker & Bronson Reed

Odds: Reigns & Uso (−1500), Breakker & Reed (+600)
Roman & Jey are favored at about a 94% win probability

The Bloodline team is an iron-clad force, backed by legacy and brutal efficiency. Breakker and Reed bring raw power and youthful fury, aiming to shock the world. This will hinge on teamwork vs. dominance—do the underdogs coordinate enough to upset the odds? The wildcard in all of this is the WWE’s efforts to build Heyman’s duo, and establish Bron Breakker as a leader, and a star for the new generation. Does that swing the booking? I think it might.

Who Should Win: Roman Reigns & Jey Uso
Who Will Win: Bron Breakker & Bronson Reed

Given the betting odds, it might actually be worth dropping a few bucks on this one (I won’t). I don’t think Seth Rollins appears here, but might we see a new member? I think we could. As far as my pick of Breakker & Reed, I’ll go a step further: Bron Breakker pins Roman Reigns. It won’t be clean, but it’ll be forever etched in history.

PC Tunney’s pick: “Roman & Jey – I don’t see Roman losing much.”

Randy Orton & Jelly Roll vs. Drew McIntyre & Logan Paul

Odds: Orton & Jelly Roll (−500), McIntyre & Paul (+300)
Randy Orton & Jelly Roll are favored at about an 83% win probability

Jelly Roll’s wrestling debut has added real unpredictability, while Orton’s veteran savvy balances McIntyre’s muscle and Paul’s sheen. Expect social‑media chaos with a strong element of violencem This match plays to spectacle far more than to wrestling acumen.

Who Should Win: Randy Orton & Jelly Roll
Who Will Win: Randy Orton & Jelly Roll

Don’t overthink this one. Play it safe, go with the babyface celebrity.

PC Tunney’s pick: Orton & Jelly Roll – RK… Roll

WWE Women’s Championship – Tiffany Stratton (c) vs. Jade Cargill

Odds: Jade Cargill (−600), Tiffany Stratton (+350)
Jade is favored at about an 86% win probability

Cargill has steamrolled challengers on her way to this pinnacle moment, while Stratton has proven she can hang with the elite (get it?). Will Stratton’s athleticism and swagger crack Cargill’s aura—or will Jade’s debutante dominance silence the critics?

Who Should Win: Tiffany Stratton
Who Will Win: Tiffany Stratton

I’m probably stupid, but I don’t think we’re done with Tiffany Stratton as WWE Women’s Champion just yet. Maybe Bianca Belair costs Jade, maybe it’s someone else.

Actually, I’m positive I’m wrong.

PC Tunney’s pick: Jade Cargill – Time to see what Jade’s got!

See, even Tunney knows that I’m wrong!

The Judgment Day (Raquel Rodriguez & Roxanne Perez) (c) vs. Charlotte Flair & Alexa Bliss – WWE Women’s Tag Team Championship

Odds: Charlotte Flair & Alexa Bliss (–400), Judgment Day (+400)

Charlotte & Alexa are an 88% favorite to win here

Rodriguez and Perez have held the titles well through their title defenses, but Charlotte and Alexa bring star power, chemistry and a storyline deeply rooted in reluctant alliances. If Flair & Bliss click at the right moment, they could steamroll Judgment Day’s dominance. But if the champions have hidden synergy? This could be their breakout moment.

Who Should Win: Roxanne Perez & Raquel Rodriguez
Who Will Win: Charlotte Flair & Alexa Bliss

It makes WAY more sense for Roxanne & Raquel to retain, but the star power and fan-pleasing title change has to be hard for WWE to pass up. That’s okay, The Judgment Day duo can regain the titles in a TV match that leads to the inevitable split for Flair and Bliss.

PC Tunney’s pick: Charlotte & Alexa – I want to see this happen, I really want to lol

I have no clue why!

Sami Zayn vs. Karrion Kross – Singles Match

Odds: Sami Zayn (–250), Karrion Kross (+180)
Zayn is favored with a 71% win percentage.

Zayn’s momentum has been on a roller coaster ride for, well basically his entire WWE career. Fueled by emotional storytelling and that Helluva Kick finishing move he’s perfected over years. Kross is the physical menace—the kind of throwback monster heel who wants to bury Zayn’s momentum once and for all.

Who Should Win: Sami Zayn
Who Will Win: Sami Zayn

Based on everything I say, you’d think I wasn’t a Karrion Kross fan…when in actuality I’m a huge fan of the performer. But the character stinks, in my opinion, anyway. He’s a legitimate bad ass, and should be featured as one. Sami Zayn, on the other hand, is beloved by many, and should be headed to a mega push on The Road To WrestleMania 42. And a win here only makes sense.

PC Tunney’s pick: Karrion Kross – “Kross was right.”

WWE SummerSlam 2025 – Night 2 – Sunday, August 3

Street Fight for the Undisputed WWE Championship – John Cena (c) vs. Cody Rhodes

Odds: Cody Rhodes (−300), John Cena (+200)
Cody expected to regain the WWE’s top title at a win probability of 75%

This is the culmination of years: WrestleMania rematch, street fight rules, and Cena’s impending WWE retirement looming. Cody is favored to reclaim the title, but Cena’s legacy and weaponized veteran instincts make this a volatile rematch. But it IS A rematch. Does Cody’s movie role have any impact on the booking? Recent WWE direction tells me no.

Who Should Win: John Cena
Who Will Win: Cody Rhodes

Seth Rollins cashing in on John Cena (after he wins) here would be golden, but I’m not betting on it. Instead, go with what we know: LOLCODYWINS.

PC Tunney’s pick: Seth Rollins – Another heist of epic proportions!!!

Hell yeah, Tunney. Hell yeah.

Intercontinental Championship – AJ Styles vs. Dominik Mysterio (c)

Odds: Dominik (−200), Styles (+150)
Mysterio expected to retain at 67%

Styles brings experience, speed and flash, but Dominik has equally mastered psychological warfare and home‑field advantage. Expect a tactical back‑and‑forth, with Dominik banking on interference and lineage to stay gold.

Who Should Win: AJ Styles
Who Will Win: Dominik Mysterio

I love the idea of Dominik Mysterio winning the AAA Mega Championship at TripleMania, and carrying that belt both in Mexico and on WWE Monday Night Raw. And I think that does happen. So why does he need the Intercontinental Championship if that’s the direction?

He doesn’t. But WWE likely wants to see him draped in gold, and having him hold both accomplishes just that.

PC Tunney’s pick: Dominik Mysterio – Looking forward to this match most. These two should steal night two.

Triple Threat Match for the Women’s World Championship – Naomi (c) vs. Rhea Ripley vs. Iyo Sky

Odds: Naomi (−1500), Rhea Ripley (+400), Iyo Sky (+750)
Naomi is a ….94% favorite to win? Seems crazy!

Naomi’s cash‑in and reign have been meteoric, but Sky and Ripley are hungry competitors who revitalized the division. This triple threat has finishers flying every which way—can Naomi dodge chaos and retain against the charging challengers? Or Ripley simply too popular to keep the title off of?

Who Should Win: Naomi
Who Will Win: Rhea Ripley

In an ideal world, this match closes Night 1. Of course, that ain’t happening, as it sits on the card for Night 2. It makes ZERO sense to take the belt off of Naomi so fast, but I think we are going to start seeing LOLRHEAWINS become a thing very soon.

PC Tunney’s pick: Naomi – Why cash in just to lose so soon?

Steel Cage Match for the United States Championship – Solo Sikoa (c) vs. Jacob Fatu

Odds: Solo Sikoa (−140), Jacob Fatu (+100)
Solo Sikoa sits as a 58.3% favorite to retain, the closest match odds of the weekend.

This grudge match in a cage is about revenge, incarceration-style brutality, and salvaging legacy. Fatu’s unpredictability (and recent arrest angle) ups the danger—so does Solo’s Bloodline backing and cunning brutality. The steel cage isn’t only meant to keep people out, it’s meant to be a weapon.

Which is good, because you know it ain’t keeping people out.

Who Should Win: Soli Sikoa
Who Will Win: Solo Sikoa

Jakob Fatu is meant for more than this program, and as we march into 2026, he will likely be headed down that road. But first, we need to see Solo and his MFTs victorious in a steel cage? Why? So they can ready San Diego, and the world, for the next chapter if Bloodline War Games!

PC Tunney’s pick: Solo Sikoa – Jacob should be moving on to bigger title scenes sooner than later.

Women’s Intercontinental Championship – Becky Lynch (c) vs. Lyra Valkyria

Odds: Lyra Valkyria (−200), Becky Lynch (+150)
Valkyria favored to regain the title with a 66.7% edge

Becky is the veteran queen, Valkyria is the rising star hungry to dethrone her. Their recent matches have been technical showcases—this time divisional prestige, animosity and payback are dialing things even higher.

Who Should Win: Becky Lynch
Who Will Win: Lyra Valkyria

I am really torn on this one–at least on the “Who Will Win?” side. Personally, I don’t see the star power in Lyra that others do. Her promos still aren’t there, and let’s be honest. Is she all that much better than released stars like Dakota Kai and Shayna Baszler?

PC Tunney’s pick: Lyra Valkyria – Because Bayley.

TLC (Tables, Ladders, & Chairs) for the WWE Tag Team Championships – Wyatt Sicks (c) vs. Andrade & Rey Fenix vs. Fraxiom vs. DIY vs. Street Profits vs. Motor City Machine Guns

Odds: Andrade & Rey Fenix (+130 favorite, ~43.5%), Wyatt Sicks (+150), Fraxiom (+250), DIY (+500), Street Profits (+700), MCMG (+1000)
Andrade & Fenix are (surprisingly) at 43% favorite to win here.

This six‑team TLC match is WWE admitting a mistake by spotlighting its tag division now. Expect insanity—and the champions have to survive a flurry of stunts if they want to protect the belts at the elite level.

Who Should Win: The Wyatt Sicks
Who Will Win: The Wyatt Sicks

There really is no reason to move the tag titles here… instead this is all about spectacle. This match likely opens up Night 2, and it will deliver. But I see no reason why Joe Gacy & Dexter Lumis won’t retain.

PC Tunney’s pick: Street Profits – This match should be a highlight of the weekend.

Final Thoughts for WWE SummerSlam 2025

SummerSlam 2025 is shaping up as a historic two-night WWE spectacle where legacy meets fresh blood, celebrity meets spectacle, and titles are on the line in every direction. The odds give us a blueprint of what the bookies believe—but wrestling is scripted to take us on a roller coaster ride of surprises. Let’s sit back and enjoy the ride!