Opinion

WWE Week in Review: February 25-March 3, 2019

Tiffany breaks down the week that was for WWE. Do you agree with her assessment?

Published

6 years ago

March 4, 2019

TiffanyMC

Tiffany breaks down the week that was for WWE. Do you agree with her assessment?

RAW

Roman Reigns: It’s been a LONG time since I’ve heard a pop THAT loud for any one superstar. The Big Dog was back after being gone for months due to a battle with leukemia and he brought the best news possible: The leukemia is in remission! Great start to RAW. Loved Seth coming out, a complete 180 from October 22. Welcome back, Big Dog!

Aleister Black and Ricochet vs Revival: This was a study in contrasts on several levels. It was a great match, but it doesn’t feel like the whole point is to showcase the individual NXT talents as members of the main roster so much as it is an ad for NXT.

Baron Corbin: I’m honestly not sure what someone felt the need to have Corbin do that interview and I don’t care. I muted it as soon as I heard his name.

Elias: I LOVED this segment and I love that Dean’s back and is funny again. Him planting Elias with Dirty Deeds just made me happy. The challenge to McIntyre is interesting after last week, but we’ll see how it goes.

Riott Squad vs Ronda Rousey and Nattie: This was a really good match, but it was also one we’ve seen too many times. Sarah Logan has really improved a lot and Riott was impressive, as always. The real story of this match was Becky Lynch beating the holy hell out of anyone within reach with her crutch. I’m a little curious as to why Lynch was in the same outfit she was arrested in at Elimination Chamber.

Ronda and Stephanie: This was a really cool segment. There had been speculation that Lynch would make an appearance at Ric Flair’s birthday party, but Rousey demanding that Lynch be added to WrestleMania and threatening to vacate the title if Stephanie refused was very interesting, but I hope they aren’t doing this to protect Rousey at the expense of the match.

Jinder Mahal vs Kurt Angle: I really enjoyed this match. A lot of people were getting frustrated with Kurt Angle’s booking lately and this match seemed like a way to right the ship somewhat, but it’s clear that the Wrestling Machine has gotten a little rusty over the years, but it was fun segment and sometimes that’s all that matters.

A Moment of Bliss: After a few weeks’ absence, the cringe-fest that is A Moment of Bliss is back. I loved Bliss’ little dig at Rousey’s segment. The interview with Balor was…interesting, though I’m not sure I WANT to know what Bliss was going to show him.

Rush’s inclusion was the most interesting part of the segment due to Rush’s performance. He didn’t have his usual fire and swagger and was playing it like he was being forced to go out there. Balor came across as a bit of a jerk, but that’s understandable, all things considered.

Balor vs Rush: This was SUCH a good match and it was fun to watch Rush perform without Lashley. Rush vs Balor for the IC title could be a show-stealer for WrestleMania.

Ascension and Heavy Machinery: This was a very random segment. The Ascension hasn’t exactly set the main roster on fire since their debut a few years ago, so I’m not sure what the point is. The whole segment was just very strange and not funny.

Rush and Lashley: I loved how this segment played out, you really felt bad for Rush getting berated by Lashley. I couldn’t have been the only one going ‘Go get your own title shot, dude!’ The look on Rush’s face implies that Lashley’s going to be sorry for treating Rush the way that he is.

Strowman vs Lashley: Apparently, someone in WWE has finally realized that Strowman can’t do long matches with people not named Roman Reigns, so they’re building him up by having super short matches that accomplish nothing and the match with Lashley was no exception. The most that can be said is that it added more to the Lashley vs Rush story when Rush dove out of the way of Strowman and let Lashley take the hit.

Seth Rollins: This was a good segment. It established how happy Seth is about Roman being back and that they’re celebrating. I did find it interesting that Ambrose wasn’t mentioned at all in the interview, nor was his absence explained.

Dean Ambrose vs Drew McIntyre: This was a much better match than the mess last week. Dean had a chance to get out of the box and the two belt thing was hilarious. I’ve said before that I don’t believe Ambrose is really leaving and the way he lost, which actually protected him by having McIntyre need help, solidified that feeling further.

The Reigns/Rollins run in was very intriguing because they ran in and saved Dean, but left him alone in the ring. Clearly, Seth brought Roman up to date on Dean’s shenanigans, but Roman didn’t want to leave Dean to suffer a 4-1 beatdown, despite what he’d done and said. This is an interesting and intriguing story and I’m fully invested.

Bayley vs Nia Jax: Before I talk about this match, I have a question: Why did Sasha look like a mid-2000s teenager last night? Anyone know? Anyone? Bueller? Seriously, I liked the look, but it was just so out of character for her that I had trouble getting my mind around it.

The match was really good. WWE seems to be very invested in building Sasha and Bayley as tag champions, which is always good thing. I’m not sure about Nia and Tamina as challengers, but we’ll see come Fastlane.

Ric Flair’s Birthday: Well, we all knew SOMETHING was going to happen at Ric Flair’s birthday party, especially with so many legends in the ring, but I don’t think any of us expected what happened. I think the going theory even as the segment started was that Becky and Charlotte were going to be involved, no one expected that Batista was going to turn heel by beating up Ric just to get Trips’ attention. Ric Flair might still call himself ‘The Man’, but his health scare a couple of years ago really aged him and seeing Batista beat up a 70 year old man was really disturbing, which was the point. Guess we’re getting Batista vs Triple H after all.

Thoughts: What a difference a bit of good news makes! RAW has been struggling to keep the fans involved and hearing that Reigns was returning seems to have woken everyone up.

Reigns’ triumphant return aside, WWE does seem to be building the Fastlane card with an eye toward WrestleMania on all fronts, which is nice.

I’m intrigued by the probability of another Shield reunion, and hope it means that Dean Ambrose will continue to hang his hat in WWE for the foreseeable future since it seems silly to tease a reunion storyline for the Shield if one-third of them is leaving. Again, I firmly believe that Ambrose isn’t leaving, but a little confirmation of that would be nice.

SmackDown

Daniel Bryan/Kofi Kingston Contract Signing: Okay, I think I can see where this storyline is going, but it still angers me that Kofi got screwed out of the title shot he earned fair and square for Kevin Owens just because Vince decided that three amazing performances in a week isn’t good enough. Logically, I know that this SHOULD mean that Kofi will get his shot at WrestleMania, but you never know with Vince.

Kevin Owens/Stephanie and Shane: This segment solidified another way this whole storyline could go, which is Shane, Stephanie, and Triple H doing a hostile takeover because they’re tired of Vince’s antics and him overruling them and making them look bad to the locker room.

The idea to put Kofi and Owens in a match as a team is really adding insult to injury on Kingston’s end because he’s being asked to be a good sport and team with the man who stole the opportunity he’d busted his ass to earn, which puts Owens firmly in the heel column.

The Bar vs The Hardy Boys: This match was supposed to be Johnny Gargano vs Cesaro, but that was changed for North Carolina’s own Hardy Boyz vs the Bar. It was great to see Matt Hardy back and healthy. Rumor is that WWE has decided to not pick Matt’s contract up for a third year, but we’ll have to see. If that was the last time we saw the Hardy Boyz, they went out with a victory.

Ricochet, Aleister Black, and Lana: I like that they’re starting to put the NXT guys with some of the more established talent on SmackDown, but they still haven’t gotten away from putting them with recent-ish NXT guys.

That said, this was a really good segment. Black and Ricochet’s reactions to Lana were funny. Good way to set up the tag match and let Black show off his promo skills.

United States Championship Match: This match was so much fun. R-Truth is such a fun character to watch, it’s hard to jibe that with his NWA-TNA persona. Him tagging Cena in his decision to do an Open Challenge and an Open Challenge Triple Threat is exactly something Cena would’ve done. I loved the interaction with Carmella and Vega and hope that leads to a feud down the road. I was a little surprised by Truth’s win, but very happy for him. Guess the Mysterio/Almas feud is continuing though.

Charlotte Flair: I’m going to get heat for this, but I don’t care: Charlotte Flair needs to be taken out of the RAW Women’s Triple Threat. She’s adding nothing to it. Her promo was the same tone deaf, entitled princess crap she’s been doing for months and I’m sick of it. Let her stay and suffocate the SmackDown Women’s Division like she’s suffocated every women’s division she’s been in and let Rousey and Becky steal the show at WrestleMania because Charlotte is an albatross in this and she’s not needed or welcomed.

Aleister Black and Ricochet vs Shinsuke Nakamura and Rusev: I really enjoyed this match. It gave both teams a chance to get their games in order and gel. Plus, there seemed to be some dream matches in the offing a little. Nakamura vs Black was incredibly good and I hope we see some more of that down the road.

AJ Styles: This was a good, if slightly formulaic, promo for Styles. It hit all his usual talking points, except for the part about Reigns’ cancer being in remission. Randy Orton’s inclusion in the interview was interesting and sets up their feud, but it didn’t do more than that.

Kevin Owens and Kofi Kingston vs Daniel Bryan and Erick Rowan: There’s a lot that can be said for the racial politics of making an African-American play the good sport and work with the white person that got the opportunity, just for showing up, that the African-American had to bust his ass for, but this isn’t the place for it. This was a really good match for everyone involved. The crowd was firmly in Kofi’s corner, though there were some cheers for Owens. Even though Owens ‘earned’ the match by pinning Bryan, I really wanted Kingston to snap and lay Owens out, but that will probably wait until Fastlane.

Thoughts: The questionable decision about Kofi Kingston aside, this was a very random feeling SmackDown. I think having the fans see Kingston get screwed over on the whims of Vince McMahon sucked a lot of life out of the crowd. Owens’ return was interesting, but it got overshadowed by the fan rage over Kofi.

205 Live

Tony Nese vs Kalisto: This was such a good match, I wish it could’ve gone longer. Nese and Kalisto are great athletes but that often gets overlooked by their gimmicks. I’m not surprised that Nese won, Kalisto’s been involved in several of these #1 Contender tournaments, so it was nice to see someone new in the pack. I am interested to see what will become of the Murphy/Nese friendship if Nese becomes #1 Contender.

Jack Gallagher and Humberto Carrillo: I’ve stated my opinion on this storyline before and I’m still uncomfortable with it, but they’re making it clear that Carrillo doesn’t want to give up what’s worked for him. Hopefully, we’ll get an actual match soon.

Drake Maverick’s Office: It seems that Mike Bennett might be turning tweener or face if the conversation in Drake Maverick’s office was anything to go by. Bennett had a legit complaint and it was basically dismissed, PLUS Maverick pulled a dingy trick by promising a match but not promising that it’s a tournament match. If they do it right, Bennett COULD fill the Mustafa Ali, super over underdog role that 205’s been desperately needing since Ali moved to SmackDown.

Drew Gulak vs Brian Kendrick: Well, I can’t say this pairing was a surprise, but I’m surprised by how much I didn’t like it. Given how nasty the rivalry between Gulak and Kendrick had been back in the fall, I expected more ‘oomph’ in this match and it didn’t happen. I’m also surprised that Gulak won, but they seem to be trying to include guys who HAVEN’T been Cruiserweight Champion, with the exception of Cedric Alexander.

NXT UK

Tyler Bate vs Jack Gallagher: This was a great match! Jack Gallagher hasn’t been featured on 205 all that much lately, so it was nice to see him get some time to shine away from Gulak and he did a great job doing that with Bate. I was a little disappointed that Gallagher lost, but that doesn’t take away from a great match. I also hope it means that Gallagher will be moving to NXT UK and establish himself separately from Gulak.

Nina Samuels: This was another ‘Huh?’ promo, at least in my opinion. Samuels is a great competitor but I can’t say she’s been a barn burner. I guess we’ll have to wait and see. The dance thing was nice though.

Eddie Dennis: It’s been awhile since we’ve heard from the Headmaster from Hell and there’s a reason for that: He tore his pectoral muscle (Ouch) and was unable to wrestle and feed his family. Part of me felt really bad for Dennis because torn pecs suck, but I had trouble buying that he couldn’t feed his family since WWE still pays their performers if the performer is injured. However, his threat to the NXT UK locker room sound real enough and he’s still creepy.

WALTER vs Kassius Ohno: I think I’ve said before that I don’t get the hype for Walter, who I still think looks like a character from an old WWII movie, and that sentiment still stands. I also don’t like Kassius Ohno, so this match, even though it was pretty good, was a big ‘Meh’ for me. WALTER won, of course, building him for a match with Pete Dunne, but Ohno gave him more of a fight than most of his opponents do, so there’s that.

El Ligero: I really liked Ligero’s promo, but it’s still disconcerting to hear a British accent coming out of a guy in a Luchador mask, but I’m getting past it. I really like this feud between Ligero and Joseph Conners, so I’m happy to see that getting continued.

Grizzled Young Veterans vs Lorcan and Burch: When it was announced that GYV would be taking on Lorcan and Burch, I think we all knew that this was going to be a fight between two very brawly teams and it was certainly that. Lorcan and Burch, or Burch at least, have been in the business for a long time, but they kept up with GYV and put on a hell of match. GYV may have won, but just barely and Burch and Lorcan looked really good.

NXT

DIY Reunion: Since this took up a couple of segments I’m just going to put them together. This was an interesting storyline because we didn’t get to hear who or what Gargano blamed for his lack of success in terms of titles in NXT. Since Ciampa interrupted him, I’m going to guess he was going to blame Ciampa. Ciampa was his manipulative best, but it was clear that Gargano knows he’s being manipulated, or I hope he does and he’s not truly that stupid and/or naïve.

My one genuine beef with this angle is Candice LeRae. I like Candice and she’s a good competitor, but it seems that Creative can’t think of anything to do with her besides being Gargano’s worried wife, which is a waste of her talents.

Taynara Conti and Xia Li vs Aliyah and Vanessa Borne: These were two seemingly random match ups that produced a surprisingly good match. Conti and Li have the technical backgrounds but Aliyah and Borne are nasty fighters and held their own. I’m glad to see Aliyah finally get some success in NXT have being cannon fodder for so long. If this was a proof of concept for an NXT Women’s Tag Division, they did a great job.

Velveteen Dream and Undisputed Era: This was an odd promo. I’m not sure why Cole thinks he still has a claim to the North American Championship or why he thinks he should get a match. Dream’s gimmick I don’t really get anyway, but they seemed to have laid the groundwork for an…interesting feud.

William Regal: Honestly, this segment was just for the Shirai/Belair argument. I’ve said before that I don’t like Belair, so her whining that she should get another shot before Shirai, who PINNED the NXT Women’s Championship falls on deaf ears with me. Belair got her chance and she lost, end of discussion. If Belair should get another shot because of what happened during her match, Kairi Sane should be getting another chance before anyone else.

Keith Lee vs Dominik Dijakovic: This was a really good, really physical match between these two behemoths. I’m not a fan of either guy, but it was a really great match for both of them and the Double Countout protects both of them until they can meet in NY (I assume).

Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic Brackets: As someone who comes from a state where basketball is king, I LOVE tournaments and I love brackets. The brackets for this look pretty good, but I was a little sorry to not see as many teams as I thought I would see. However, all the teams are good, so this should be a great tournament.

Boss-Hug Connection: I’ll admit that I wasn’t sure how this segment was going to go since Sasha and Bayley haven’t been in an NXT ring in nearly four years, as hard to believe as that is, but I LOVED the reaction they got. The NXT Universe hadn’t forgotten who the REAL Four Horsewomen of WWE were, rather than the MMA wannabes.

The promo was really good, Sasha and Bayley seemed genuinely touched that they’d gotten such a great reception, but I was a little disappointed that no one from the Women’s Division came out to challenge them, but Sasha and Bayley seem to be making good on their promise to defend their titles on all of WWE’s brands, except for 205, which doesn’t have a women’s division.

Shayna Baszler vs Mia Yim: After last week’s encounter, the fact that that this match got made so quickly was a surprise, but I’m glad it happened. I’ve become a big fan of Mia Yim and I was glad to see the HBIC get a title shot. It was a good match and Yim proved that she had what it took to hang in the title picture. I was disappointed at how she lost, but she gave Baszler quite a fight, so hopefully that’ll mean something down the road.

Overall thoughts: This was a really good week for WWE programming. The return of Roman Reigns seems to have been a shot in the arm for RAW. SmackDown struggled, but still managed to build storylines for Fastlane. The NXTs and 205 were really good. There were a few snags on each show but that’s to be expected. Since we’re still more than a month away from WrestleMania, WWE’s still playing it safe, but that’ll change once we get past Fastlane in a week or so.

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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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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

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CHAIRSHOT RADIO NETWORK PODCAST SPECIALS

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

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DeMarco: Top 5 Non-Title WrestleMania Matches In WWE History

Not all WrestleMania classics had titles on the line. Dive into the top 5 non-title matches that stole the show & defined legacies. #WrestleMania #WWEHistory

Published

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.