Opinion

Mishal: Is AEW Truly Well Booked?

Mishal explores a few of the finer points to assess how well AEW has been booked thus far.

Published

5 years ago

June 19, 2020

Mishal Shuhaiber

A brief summary

If there’s one guarantee, one thing in the entertainment that will always be prevalent for as long as any form of it exists, it’s the desire of fans to always portray their own personal preferences as the absolute, bonafide best thing out there for the world to see. It’s a trend that’s followed popular culture for as long as we can remember, the idea of being a part of something that’s ‘the best’ is always a reaffirming feeling to many, the content you consume is held in higher regard, more eyes are constantly on it & your opinions are likely to be taken more seriously when opposing the competition.

Wrestling is certainly no stranger to this, in fact, I’d argue wrestling fans engage in this more than almost any other fanbase out there. Sure, quarrels between other fanbases can be intense, such as Marvel & DC, Star Wars & Star Trek, The UK Office & US Office, basically any political system across the planet, wrestling fans though, we can display loyalty on an entirely different level. As hard as times may get in any industry, you won’t find many fans as loyal as those who follow professional wrestling, their dedication can be almost surreal.

From the days of the Monday Night Wars, the early days of the ‘Ruthless Aggression’ era in the early to mid-2000s, the rise of TNA, ROH or NJPW or as we’re all witnessing right now, the astonishing success of All Elite Wrestling, otherwise known as AEW.

AEW couldn’t have come at a better time, at least initially. Professional wrestling was (and to some degree, still is) seeing its biggest boom in years across the globe, not only was the WWE thriving and breaking financial records year upon year, the indie scene of the business had never looked hotter. NJPW in particular was injecting the wresting world with a product almost nobody can match today, shifting the conversation around the community as we know it, making it clear that WWE wasn’t the only brand in demand anymore. Rather than monopolize an industry, a new wave had arrived on the scene that wasn’t to be ignored. AEW capitalized on this to introduce what is arguably the biggest competitor the company has had since the days of WCW, a company run by those who were rejected by the WWE’s selective system who wanted wrestlers to create art in an environment unlike any other.

This wasn’t another TNA mind you, this felt different to anything that came before it. In its first year alone AEW has achieved incredible feats in the short span of time that it’s existed, from attendance records that have blown past industry expectations, a solid TV deal to air their programming, hoarding a plethora of overlooked talent & presenting the exact product that their competition doesn’t offer, something with far more grit to it than we’re used to seeing.

And for the most part, what we’ve gotten has been met with critical acclaim. Being fairly new to the product and only just catching up on what each show has to offer I’m probably a bit late to the party when it comes to talking about AEW, but I thought now more than ever would be a good time to take a dive into seeing if AEW truly is as well booked as it’s made out to be. Various online journalists, pundits & their rabid fanbase on platforms like Twitter have ranted endlessly about the product, so what better time to see where things really stand a little over a year after they came into existence?

Variety Like No Other

Right off the bat, AEW offers a product that virtually no other company in the industry does. I mean this as my biggest compliment towards their company in every regard, there isn’t a single one out there that has the variety for fans as they do.

From the high-flying style of Lucha Libre, to a more physical style that resembles the brawling style of British Wrestling, the insane physicality of Japanese wrestling, the hardcore tendencies that put places like CZW on the map, arguably the best use of comedic wrestling on the planet or more old school, classic storytelling we’ve seen from the days of Dusty Rhodes in the NWA (courtesy of his own son). AEW has something for everyone, and I mean everyone. While brands like NXT have a special place in my heart, their style always resembles a slight extension of WWE’s signature, more formulaic style, whereas AEW clearly has something aimed at catering to every class of fan watching their product. Rather than forcing you to buy into their take on wrestling, their programming is clearly more about giving the fan the most diverse experience possible & always leaving them with a little bit more to come back to.

Star Power

Depending on your stance on this topic, you’ll likely agree or disagree with this take. It’s become quite the meme to consistent bombard WWE’s comment sections with slander due to their use of older, less frequently used talent, particularly within the main event picture that I’ve always believed should focus on the future when necessary. It does seem like a double standard is in play when it comes to AEW, who are no strangers to this concept as the product stands.

Granted the company is using the likes of Chris Jericho, Jon Moxley, Brodie Lee, Cody, Dustin Rhodes & Shawn Spears within the boundaries of giving them new gimmicks that are heavily influenced by their own personalities, the principle does still stand that they are restricting newer talent from pushing upwards to new positions. Even with a plethora of new, fresh talent below the company is heavily hinging on ex-WWE talent to move their product forward. In terms of business practice, this makes perfect sense to anyone. Utilize established talent in the meantime for the sake of ratings, while building up the newer talent to a level that they can replace what’s been established, a strategy I’d argue AEW executes better than WWE on many fronts.

At times watching ex-WWE talent invade the screen can feel a bit reminiscent of TNA’s darker days (especially with some of the horrendous cheap shots they’ve taken to the product in the past), but for the most part the established talent isn’t often booked to sabotage newer talent or gimmicks, something I could write multiple articles about in regards to their main competition. And while this practice isn’t likely to be permanent due to the company’s ethic of making way for a new generation, at times the stars can feel like they overstay their time on screen.

Pay-Per-Views

There’s no way around it, AEW’s presentation in regards to their bigger shows have always drawn a bigger feel than most WWE shows not named WrestleMania. Most of this could be attributed to the layout of their product, the lower number of big shows across the calendar year, giving away a good number of more high-calibre matches on free TV & probably being smart enough to see how over-saturating your product with events can damage the product.

With the global situation as it stands, a lot of these criticisms are leveled more at the past booking of WWE, not the current product itself.

Glancing at their most recent string of shows, each one has an incredible feel to them, displaying every significant member of their product & giving each one a solid spotlight to shine under without neglecting the booking of their characters. The big matches feel big, but so does every other match in the bargain. AEW never portrays any of their matches as ‘lesser’ than others, it’s all part of their presentation in making the whole card feel like necessary viewing & not just the ones with the biggest names carrying them. If there’s one thing I can say AEW almost excels at, it’s presenting well thought out cards that aren’t just wise in regards to business decisions, but giving the fans what they want in the process.

The Best Promos In The Game

My favourite aspect of AEW programming, without question, is their openness when it comes to letting wrestlers be themselves, for better or for worse. WWE for so long has forced their talent into material that just doesn’t do the characters, or the talent themselves justice. Much of what they’re forced to spout doesn’t sound genuine, funny or simply fails to catch on with fans in the way they predict it will. A lot of this boils down to lazy writing but it’s a deeper-rooted issue that lies in the company’s constant need for control over every aspect of its programming.

AEW has thrived on this mistake. While not all of their promo work has been as fantastic as its top tier work, every talent feels like themselves, not a single one feels uncomfortable & the audience is far more receptive as a whole due to the creative freedoms given to everyone involved. Talents such as MJF, Chris Jericho, Jon Moxley & more importantly, Cody have brought out a side to their talents previously unseen before, crafting characters that aren’t just phenomenal to listen to but have turned everything they’re involved with into pure gold.

If AEW has shown the wrestling business one thing, it’s how much quality stems out of trusting the talents you hire to deliver on their promise to entertain those in the audience, and I can’t think of anyone who’s happier with this than a masterful storyteller like Cody himself.

The Women’s Division

I decided not to divide this article into the traditional ‘positive’ & ‘negative’ categories, but as it stands my actual issues with the product generally start here, with the first major one being the women of AEW. With women’s wrestling coming such heavy lengths since the start of the 2000s my expectations for AEW’s women were obviously high, considering what a resounding success WWE’s revamped take on the division has been since the 2014 ‘revolution’ took place with their call-ups of Charlotte Flair, Becky Lynch & Sasha Banks.

That being said, this is the one section of AEW programming that’s completely dropped the ball for the most part. Not to say there isn’t talent in it, because there’s an abundance of it, just not utilized well enough to have the impact of its competition. Talent such as Britt Baker, Nyla Rose, Awesome Kong, Bea Priestley & Hikaru Shida all possess the ability to standout amongst the main roster scene, but just seem shoved into the background for the most part week in & week out. It doesn’t help that a good chunk of their storylines have done little to forward the division, namely the ‘Nightmare Collective’ lead by Brandi Rhodes, who in my opinion, is amongst the weakest female talents active under any company banner & flew by so quickly almost nobody talks about it to this day.

As women gain more & more opportunities across the globe with time moving on, this is a key area the company needs to enhance. Most of the present talent is either too weak, too underdeveloped or doesn’t receive the substantial attention needed to truly create ‘stars’ to represent them. As solid as the main event scene may look at the moment, neglecting a division that has become a central function of the North American business model for professional wrestling (especially WWE) seems like a costly mistake they need to fix sooner rather than later.

An Overcrowded Battlefield

Is it just me, or is there almost too much happening at times in AEW?

Nothing about this is necessarily a nudge at eventful programming, but the spacing out & planning of the companies shows at times seems to cram too many ideas into one place, a decision that can be quite jarring. For myself personally it’s the equivalent of throwing every conceivable idea at the wall and seeing what sticks the best at that very moment.

Understandably the company wants to jump into action as quickly as possible considering how much competition it has around the world, at times it just seems a lot of their creative ideas lose steam almost too quickly at times. Whether that be the latest debuts of both Matt Hardy or Brodie Lee, which granted were affected due to COVID-19, the failure to establish certain stables such as The Dark Order, The Librarian Gimmick which nobody cared for in the slightest or the previously mentioned ‘Nightmare Collective’. I love a product that is always changing, always adapting, but AEW at times rushes into things too quickly for its own good, leaving little room for anything to breathe. Generally, that kind of pacing to a product is humongous positive, in this case it’s made me want a little bit less if anything, since certain aspects of the show lose steam so quickly despite an incredible amount of potential in the long-run.

The saying always goes ‘’quality over quantity’’, and that’s incredibly relevant when watching their shows a lot of the time.

The ‘Ranking System’

When it comes to the ‘ranking system’ introduced in the brands early days, I don’t have much to say about it because it’s been seemingly abandoned altogether just a matter of weeks into the official launch of AEW Dynamite.

Clearly the company placed this system at the forefront to give off that more ‘sports-centric’ feel they had originally discussed prior to launching the brand on national television, but has had next to no impact on what’s been occurring since then. AEW tends to refer to it when it’s appropriate within the context of on-going storylines but is something that’s constantly overlooked in favour of pushing newer talent that needs more airtime. Which isn’t a bad decision at all mind you, just one that conflicts with something I thought would be a central element of how they decide who gains championship matches rather than Russian roulette.

Nothing about this is ‘good’ or ‘bad’, it’s just a complete waste of time that really has no baring on how anything flows from week to week. I like the idea of keeping track of win-loss records amongst talent, having it serve no purpose is something I heavily question since it seems like a tiny nudge at their opposition’s views on wins & losses that have been well documented.

And finally, Orange Cassidy…

I just couldn’t pass up a chance to drool over just how excellent the Orange Cassidy character is. Cassidy is a treasure to the wrestling world, he’s not only the most over wrestler on TV right now, he possesses one of the most unique gimmicks ever conceived on a grand stage in the business. Every angle or match the man is involved in may not be a ‘mat classic’ by any stretch, but it’s a strong bet that it’ll garner the biggest reactions on any given evening regardless of what’s before of after it. Cassidy is a charisma magnet, and considering he’s a wrestler who quite literally puts no effort into what he does in the ring, he has the audience more invested in him than practically anyone else around him at this moment in time. His match against PAC in particular is one of the most surreal spectacles you can witness in the past year of wrestling & is something everybody needs to check out.

Orange Cassidy will likely never be AEW Champion (although, never say never when it comes to professional wrestling), but he’s the gift that keeps on giving every time he comes on screen & whatever he’s a part of next, I’ll be the first to scream when he comes out to that squared circle.

Analysis – Is AEW well booked?

To answer this question simply would do it a disservice, hence my walking through the main sections of the programming I felt were important to analyse when answering such a question. AEW is a product that isn’t without its flaws, and at times it does feel like fans of the product hold a ludicrous double standard when held against its competition, but the hype behind the product is something I generally support.

It’s a unique breath of fresh air to have a wrestling product of this scope & size exist on a weekly basis opposing WWE programming, but one that needs work in areas I mentioned just prior to this. In terms of variety, characters, presentation & their aim as a company, it’s something every wrestling fan should vocally support rather than rally against for the sake of argument, but that isn’t the world we live in these days.

Most of us need to keep in mind that AEW is in its very first year of operations, and this time will be ideal for them to test the waters, make mistakes, course correct & see what works best in regards to what they want to accomplish in the long-term. Nothing about what they do will be perfect as long as they’re around, the important thing is that they build on the blunders they currently have as we speak rather than patiently wait around & fall behind.

AEW’s future is as bright as anything right now, and while they aren’t perfect in the slightest, what they’re offering fans right now is something special that demands attention.

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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 weeks 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
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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

3 weeks 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.