Opinion
Andrew’s WrestleMania 35 Ratings & Analysis
Well it’s the end of the biggest week in professional wrestling! We get the name sake and what should be the crown jewel. Andrew gives ratings and analysis on WrestleMania 35!

Well it’s the end of the biggest week in professional wrestling! We get the name sake and what should be the crown jewel. Andrew gives ratings and analysis on WrestleMania 35!
WWE tends to prioritize moments over matches a lot of the time, but you would hope this “New Era” would mix things up a little.
Kofimania and the women headlining the show are the two biggest stories. Miz being a convincing face opposed to Shane is another one. Batista forcing Triple H to put his career on the line are some of the bigger stories, culminating at WrestleMania 35.
Does it disappoint? Does it outdo TakeOver? Let’s find out!
Ratings:
- Cruiserweight Title: Buddy Murphy (c) vs Tony Nese: Nese wins via Running Kneese @10:40 – ** 3/4 – TITLE CHANGE!!
- Women’s Battle Royal: Carmella wins @10:30 – **
- Raw Tag Team Championship: The Revival (c) vs Zack Ryder & Curt Hawkins: Hawkins wins via Inside Cradle @13:20 – *** – TITLE CHANGE!!!
- Men’s Battle Royal: Braun Strowman wins @10:20 – **
- WWE Universal Championship: Brock Lesnar (c) vs Seth Rollins: Rollins wins via Stomp @2:30 – * 1/2 – TITLE CHANGE!!
- Randy Orton vs AJ Styles: Styles wins via Phenomenal Forearm @16:20 – ****
- SmackDown Live Tag Team Titles: The Usos (c) vs Shinsuke Nakamura & Rusev vs The Bar vs Aleister Black & Ricochet: Usos retain via Double Uce @10:05 – *** 3/4
- Falls Count Anywhere: Shane McMahon vs The Miz: McMahon wins via…Superplex Shenanigans? @15:25 – *** 1/2
- Women’s Tag Team Fatal 4 Way: The IIconics vs Tamina & Nia Jax vs Boss & Hug Connection vs Divas of Doom: IIconics win via Avalanche Glam Slam @10:45 – *** 1/4 – TITLE CHANGE!!
- WWE Championship Match: Kofi Kingston vs Daniel Bryan (c): Kofi wins via Trouble in Paradise @23:45 – ***** – TITLE CHANGE!!!
- United States Championship Match: Rey Mysterio vs Samoa Joe (c): Joe retains via Coquina Clutch @1:00 – N/A
- Roman Reigns vs Drew McIntyre: Roman wins via Spear @10:10 – ** 1/2
- No Holds Barred: Triple H vs Batista: Triple H wins via Pedigree @24:45 – *** 1/4
- Kurt Angle Retirement Match: Baron Corbin vs Kurt Angle: Corbin wins via End of Days @6:00 – **
- Intercontinental Championship Match: Bobby Lashley (c) vs Finn Balor: Balor wins via Coup de Grace @4:00 – *** 1/4 – TITLE CHANGE!!
- Winner Take All Raw & SmackDown Women’s Championship Main Event: Becky wins via Crucifix Pin @21:30 – **** 1/2 – TITLES CHANGE!!!!!
Analysis:
The perennial Pre-show participants, the Cruisers have a match. It was alright for what it was, but felt flat, never really got out of first gear and really felt like nothing special. So I don’t know. Not the best showing from either, so it makes Murphy’s loss look fairly weak.
Well this Battle Royal was a mess. Sloppy spots, awkward spots and Carmella doing a heel style tactic is a little odd. Most faces don’t dip out and take advantage of the one on one when the one person thinks they won the match. Maybe this is a Carmella going back to being a snotty brat, or they were really just trying a misdirection spot, that no one reacted to. It tried, but it was lame.
A lot of personality in this match. Revival kept verbally running down Hawkins and obviously didn’t take them seriously. But all things considered, it wasn’t a bad match. A few solid near falls, a big outside suplex car crash kind of spot. Hawkins then seemed to play a little possum, and caught Dawson with an Inside Cradle for the upset victory!
The fact the Saturday Night Live guys hid under the ring immediately made sense, but there wasn’t really much story telling in this. The brief period of Luke Harper and Braun having a stare down was irrelevant when it just turned into a dog pile moment. Andrade got paired against the luchadors mainly and eliminated himself. So yeah, the therapist was stupid, but it was different and fit the story. But yeah, no twist hear, just Braun looking scary and destroying most of the participants. Slightly better than the women’s, but still nothing to care about.
Alexa and Hulk Hogan open the festivities and the crowd is fairly welcoming to Hulk. Not a huge explosion but it sounded more positive than negative. It’s a nice surprise.
So Heyman wanting the match to start immediately makes sense, fits the Lesnar persona of not wanting to spend more time there than necessary. And then we just get a mauling from Lesnar, and by the time the match officially starts it’s a few suplexes, a ref bump, low blow and three stomps. Was it a surprising enough moment, sure. The pop seemed pretty big since people are bored of Lesnar. But as a match it was really nothing. But it got the desired reaction.
Our first really good match of the night! Randy and Orton go back and forth nicely, showing some familiarity and playing back to previous encounters. Randy shows more desperation in the match as he goes to the top rope, which isn’t really his wheelhouse. This gives AJ the opening he needed to put together the last necessary moves to squeak out a victory. Really good match.
This four way was surprisingly solid. The extended Big Swing and Beats of the Bodhran moment was fun, I hate the over use of the Tower of Doom spot in multi person matches, but they added a neat wrinkle. Ricochet rolling through and having a very close near fall was fun. Usos overcoming the odds and the punishment for doing the right thing was the right way to tell the story. Good match.
We see Shane take an early advantage after putting his hands on Miz’s father to get him chasing. It was nice to see Miz’s father get involved in the match which helped add some visible emotional weight and fire up Miz. Miz then beat Shane from pillar to post, Shane bounced off a golf cart, they climbed a lighting rig/trellis. I would’ve liked to see Shane Spartan Kick Shane into the pit of death, but he decided a Superplex was the way to go. Because of how they landed, when Charles Robinson got down there, Shane was technically on top, so Shane won. I’m not mad at the match, it was fine, we get to see more of the Miz than we previously were aware of, and it wasn’t too bad. Some may argue that Shane kicked out too often, but his last name gives him some plot armor.
Okay so I expected this match to be awful, but it was mapped out well. The Samoans were knocked out kinda early and only showed up for power spots, the IIconics were better than usual, and Divas of Doom/Boss & Hug did most of the heavier lifting in the match. I do like how Paige kind buried the stupid references to Eddie every time Sasha sneezes by pointing out that Peyton’s gear was inspired by Eddie as well. And let’s be honest, the fact the IIconics snuck in the tag and ninja’d that win away from Beth. Lie, Cheat and Steal. That’s the Eddie Guerrero way. But the match wasn’t bad. Good job.
Wow. This was one of those quintessential WrestleMania moments. A fantastically wrestled match with Daniel being a step ahead for most of the beginning and then Kofi figured it out as the match went on. Kofi showed great resiliency, the rest of the New Day took out Rowan and Kofi’s heart helped him keep the edge as the match went long. Just a tremendous match, great ending, great moment, great great great.
Mysterio’s story is that he was dinged up but was cleared to wrestle. So an early flurry from Rey, with a chance for him to win quickly…turned around for Joe to put him to sleep in a minute, is good for him. I think I said something similar either in the write up or at Supercard, but having a short match is part of the fun as long as it makes sense. This makes sense.
Drew and Roman was a bit more plodding than I would’ve liked. Lots of space between moves, with little effect on the crowd or the overall story. Drew was fairly in control until a slap “woke up” Reigns and he went back to Superman mode. This whole time I was hoping they would’ve played on the sympathy and not given Reigns the win in his first singles match back from cancer and a concussion. Match was alright but nothing special. Some things don’t change, but I’ll give WWE enough credit that the crowd still mostly cheered Roman. So it should be interesting if we go back down the old rabbit hole, or if they pivot a little.
WWE has made me generally sick of Elias now. The crowd still seems to respond well enough to him…but can they please give him a story? Just…please?
Wait instead we get a Babe Ruth clip…wait…Word Life? Old school Cena? Well I’ll be damned. He runs down himself, gets in a lot of his product endorsement, uses IWC nod nicknames like Golden Shovel…and embarrasses Elias for the second year in a row. I feel dirty saying it wasn’t bad, I kind of liked it. I also liked how he even made the nod to his finisher being called the FU instead of Attitude Adjustment and even did the sneaker pumps before it. Fun moment, but I still wish Elias had a story. Yes him being involved in any capacity with Cena is a bigger spot than most get, but I’d personally like to see more matches and less moments for Elias.
HHH had another cool entrance and Batista tripped over the rope. Well…foreshadowing? The beginning of the match was mostly Triple H making an example of Batista, even ripping a nose ring out of his face with some pliers. The rest of the match had some back and forth, Batista fired up at times and we got glimpses of the Animal, but it was a slow match. Ric Flair showing up to hand Triple H a second sledgehammer and distract Batista a little popped the crowd and helped to forgive the painfully plodding pace at times. A few cool spots and the German announce table seems to be the new Spanish announce table, but yeah, this was alright.
Well now, I guess they were giving Corbin the ball to keep rolling down Heat Street. No one expected a classic, but most, myself included, were hoping for more of a swerve. But Kurt did the right thing by going out on his back, and I guess now we wait and see if Corbin does something with it.
Hmm…okay Balor must’ve listened to some criticism since he came out with an adjusted move set for The Demon. A few Finn Balor classics, but things like the Flying Axe Kick, a Powerbomb on someone of Lashley’s size and a few other quirks were nice to see. It was a short match, but fast paced, fun and both men didn’t have a hiccup.
This triple threat had everyone holding their breath before the bell rang. We’ve become so conditioned to expect WWE throwing us a fast one, that they worked us, by not working us. The match was fantastic, a few nit picks. Like Charlotte not selling the Piper’s Pit on the outside, sloppy crucifix and a few of the double moves looked odd, but that’s nit picking. Great match by all three women, and it’s cliche to say, but the right person won.
Overall Score: 8.5/10
Great WrestleMania! HappyMania even? Or I suppose not quite since Corbin did beat Angle which left some people a little sour. But yeah this was a hell of a show.
Yes I give it the same score as TakeOver because where TakeOver is more in-ring focused, this involves everything and there weren’t too many rough spots honestly. Nothing was out right bad. Some stuff was slow, or didn’t really assist such a long show…but honestly it was a pretty easy 7 hours, from home. Cena doing the Doctor of Thuganomics throw back, Hogan resurfacing, Ric Flair getting a pivotal moment, Hall and Nash popping back up for the backstage segment. And those are just the nostalgia pops.
Damn good all around show. WrestleMania lived up to it’s name, and will be very hard to take anyone seriously who says this show was bad.
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
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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.

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
Prowrestlingtees.com/TheChairshot plenty of GREAT t-shirt designs! Makes an awesome gift!!
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 – POD is WAR
FRIDAY – DWI Podcast (Drunk Wrestling Intellect)
SATURDAY – The Mindless Wrestling Podcast
SUNDAY – The Front and Center Sports Podcast / The Oddity… Keeping the news ridiculous!
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
Chairshot Radio Network
Your home for the hardest hitting podcasts… Sports, Entertainment and Sports Entertainment!
Listen on your favorite platform!
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
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DeMarco: Top 5 Non-Title WrestleMania Matches In WWE History
Not all WrestleMania classics had titles on the line. Dive into the top 5 non-title matches that stole the show & defined legacies. #WrestleMania #WWEHistory

Not all WrestleMania classics had titles on the line. Dive into the top 5 non-title matches that stole the show and defined legacies.
WrestleMania is the Showcase Of The Immortals, but it’s not always the championship matches that steal the show—or define careers. In fact, some of the most iconic, business-defining, and emotionally resonant contests at the Grandest Stage of Them All didn’t feature a title at all. These matches succeeded because of character work, in-ring execution, and the kind of storytelling that sells tickets and moves merch.
Here are the five best non-title matches in WrestleMania history—at least, according to me!
5. The Rock vs. Hulk Hogan – WrestleMania X8 (2002)
This was never going to be a five-star technical clinic—but it was always going to be the moment. “Icon vs. Icon” was a tagline, sure, but it was also the reality: the biggest star of the ‘80s vs. the biggest star of the Attitude Era. And Toronto turned it into magic. Hogan walked in a heel but walked out immortal (again), with the SkyDome shaking on every punch, every look, every gesture.
What made this work was its self-awareness. Rock and Hogan read the crowd and flipped roles mid-match—Rock became the arrogant aggressor while Hogan Hulked Up to thunderous applause. It’s not often a non-title match headlines a card emotionally the way this one did, but it dominated every headline and highlight reel.
4. Owen Hart vs. Bret Hart – WrestleMania X (1994)
Sibling rivalries don’t usually lead to technical masterpieces, but then again, this wasn’t your average family drama. Owen and Bret opened WrestleMania X with a wrestling clinic that stood tall over a night packed with title changes. Owen needed to prove he was more than Bret’s little brother, and he did it by out-wrestling the best wrestler in the company. Clean. One-two-three.
It wasn’t just a great match—it was perfect storytelling. Owen’s victory, contrasted with Bret’s later world title win, set the tone for an entire year of brother-vs-brother tension. Bret became champion, but Owen had the moral victory—and all the bragging rights. This is proof that opening matches can steal the show.
3. The Undertaker vs. Shawn Michaels – WrestleMania 25 (2009)
If WrestleMania moments could be trademarked, this match would be the reason why. The Undertaker vs. Shawn Michaels wasn’t about championships—it was about legacy. Michaels wanted to be the man who ended The Streak. The build was steeped in biblical imagery: light vs. dark, heaven vs. hell. And the match? Pure perfection. Each man brought everything they had—near-falls, psychology, reversals that had 70,000+ people gasping in unison.
It was 30 minutes of generational storytelling that transcended pro wrestling. And here’s the kicker—it wasn’t even the main event. Yet it dwarfed everything that followed. Meltzer gave it 4.75 stars, fans gave it their hearts, and WWE gave it a sequel the next year. A match so good it forced the company to run it back—because lightning actually struck.
Now, if THIS MATCH is #3, what could possible be #2 and #1…
2. Bret Hart vs. “Stone Cold” Steve Austin – WrestleMania 13 (1997)
This wasn’t just a match—it was the turning point of an era. The Submission Match between Bret Hart and Steve Austin was as violent as it was poetic, with Ken Shamrock enforcing the rules and the Chicago crowd growing more frenzied by the second. The brilliance? The shift. Bret Hart, the traditionalist hero, grew darker and more self-righteous by the second, while the disrespectful anti-hero Austin refused to quit, even when drowning in his own blood. There was no title on the line, but the stakes felt bigger than gold.
The infamous double turn changed the business. Austin’s defiance turned him into the voice of a new generation of fans—blue collar, anti-authority, Attitude Era. Meanwhile, Bret would go on to lead the heel Hart Foundation. WWE didn’t need a championship to create a moment that catapulted Austin into superstardom and ignited the company’s hottest era. This match is business-first booking at its absolute best.
1. Kurt Angle vs. Shawn Michaels – WrestleMania 21 (2005)
Dream matches often disappoint. This one didn’t. At WrestleMania 21, Olympic gold medalist Kurt Angle went hold-for-hold and spot-for-spot with Mr. WrestleMania himself, and together they delivered a masterclass in in-ring psychology. Every sequence had stakes, every near-fall had meaning. It was a stylistic war: Michaels’ heart vs. Angle’s intensity.
Angle forcing Michaels to tap was a statement—it told fans that pure wrestling, not just spectacle, could still main-event caliber storytelling without any need for a title. Michaels sold the ankle lock like death, and Angle’s post-match collapse sold the moment as a hard-fought war. This is the kind of match that keeps purists up at night, smiling, and leaves the storytelling fans like myself as happy as can be!
10 Honorable Mentions (Not Honorable, Just For The Heck Of It)
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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.
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CHAIRSHOT RADIO NETWORK PODCAST SPECIALS
Attitude Of Aggression Podcast & The Big Five Project (chronologically exploring WWE's PPV/PLE history)
TheChairshot.com PRESENTS...IMMEDIATE POST WWE PLE REACTIONS w/ DJ(Mindless), Tunney(DWI) & Friends
Patrick O'Dowd's 5X5
Classic POD is WAR
Chairshot Radio Network Your home for the hardest hitting podcasts... Sports, Entertainment and Sports Entertainment!
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Let us know what you think on social media @ChairshotMedia and always remember to use the hashtag #UseYourHead!