Opinion

Mishal’s Top 5 Takeaways from WWE NXT TakeOver: In Your House

NXT presented their latest Takeover event on Sunday, and Mishal is here with his 5 biggest takeaways from In Your House!

Published

5 years ago

June 10, 2020

Mishal Shuhaiber

Johnny Gargano Keith Lee WWE NXT Takeover In Your House

NXT presented their latest Takeover event on Sunday, and Mishal is here with his 5 biggest takeaways from In Your House!

Another NXT Takeover, another always eventful show from (in my opinion) the most consistent, exciting & well-balanced professional wrestling product available today.

TakeOver: In Your House had some big shoes to fill this past weekend. This show didn’t just mark the brand’s first major show since the 16th of February during their TakeOver: Portland event, but marked the return of an all-time classic event, ‘In Your House’. One of the companies most nostalgic events was making its comeback after over two decades on the shelf, with its last show being St. Valentine’s Day Massacre prior to that years Wrestlemania.

In Your House couldn’t have made its return at a more fitting time in everyone’s lives. More people are operating out of their houses than ever in recent history & for what looks like the remainder of the summer, it gives off a really nostalgic vibe that a lot of people will lavish & promised to be at least a little different from your standard WWE or NXT show. From top to bottom the card was stacked with potential, like every other show under the NXT brand, and put together a plethora of matches we’ve never seen prior, most notably the debut of Karrion Kross in his first major singles match since debuting weeks ago.

It was a show that promised a lot and delivered for the most part. Every match on here had the sensation of being a big deal, meaning something rather than just being a placeholder for something else & always tended to build on a larger story. There were some matches on here that are crawling up my favourites of the year thus far (although, I’m yet to see AEW’s Double or Nothing II which I’ve been told will shift my stance) & a lot to pick apart, but here are a few things that stood out to me while watching the best wrestling money can buy.

5. We missed unique stage layouts.

When was the last time you remember a stage design in WWE that wasn’t just the same old, basic layout you’ve come to expect from a weekly show?

Prior to even the global pandemic, we’ve become almost numb to the same visual presentation week in & week out, same music, same graphics & a look that in all honesty, can make a product feel stale at a certain point if you truly overthink it, much like I have. However, TakeOver: In Your House separated itself from the pack below it by giving itself a different atmosphere entirely.

Besides the obvious nostalgic nudge, the creative team wanted to give long-time fans of the show itself something to remember but also intertwine that with the future of the business itself, and it made for a lovely sight to see. It’s the perfect blend of nostalgia while also giving newer fans something entirely unique on a visual level, which in turn made the whole show just so much more entertaining to sit through. After seeing the same repeated layout for weeks on end this simple change of direction is something I hope we see more off, not just from NXT but the main roster product as well, since spicing things up is never a bad thing to do!

4. Johnny Gargano is Mr. TakeOver

Johnny Gargano is to NXT TakeOver, what Shawn Michaels was (and still is) to WrestleMania.

Regardless of the opponent, the match stipulation, the circumstances or the state of his character, once you place Johnny Gargano on a TakeOver card, you know you’re getting ‘Johnny Wrestling’ at his absolute best. He’s put on some of the best matches in not just NXT, but WWE history at this show, against the likes of Tomasso Ciampa, Andrade, Adam Cole, Ricochet, Finn Balor or The Revival, Gargano has been the heart & soul of all those contests and continued to do so once again against Keith Lee this past Sunday.

Their match was a lot more important than fans gave it credit for being, not just due to it being a title match, but Gargano’s first true chance to display his heel persona since his match against Tomasso Ciampa, who’s reception was ‘mixed’ to say the least. In terms of antics, Gargano needs a little more time to truly embrace the new character he’s set out to portray, the NXT fanbase, myself included, are so conditioned to see Gargano as the rebellious babyface we once knew him as that this entire new shift in character can take some time to get used to. Wisely enough they gave the match an ‘Achilles heel’ to work with against Keith Lee, and that resulted in one of the best contests of the evening.

Each character played to their strengths, Gargano utilizing his speed, agility & craftiness to wear down the much, much larger Keith Lee, while Lee himself was the human wrecking ball he always is & continues to be amongst the most consistently entertaining characters in the entire company at this point. Nothing about the match was ever boring, the storytelling was exactly what it needed to be & the action was as a wild as you were expecting by lumping these two into a ring together. No matter what’s next for Johnny Gargano, you can guarantee another show-stealing TakeOver performance is lined up.

3. Karrion Kross is a bonafide star.

His match against Tomasso Ciampa was nothing spectacular, in fact, when placed side by side some of Ciampa’s past TakeOver performances, I’d argue this was the weakest of his career to this point. That being said, the contest between Karrion Kross & Tomasso Ciampa accomplished the goal it set out to from the very beginning, make Karrion Kross look like the imposing force he truly is.

Kross dismantled, manhandled & brutalized the former NXT Champion in under 7 minutes at TakeOver: In Your House, lugging him around the ring like he was a ragdoll at points, playing into the size advantage perfectly but also reminding us just how vital of a character Tomasso Ciampa has become to the NXT brand. He’s the iron man of NXT, taking on any opponent regardless of size & the gatekeeper for new talent to come through upon arrival.

What stood out to me the most was the star power that Karrion Kross has upon every single appearance. He’s not just a terrifying, mammoth of a competitor with the size & looks that will likely get him to great lengths in WWE, but is even presented in a way that perfectly suits someone who is quite literally portrayed as being ‘The End’ of all things. His punk style entrance, the presence of Scarlett Bordeaux, the overall lighting & music that gives off a new take on ‘The Beast’ Brock Lesnar, who the company has always tried to replicate with failed results. This time around, it’s clear there’s a star standing right in the palm of their hands, and it’d be wise not to let him slip through their fingers.

2. Backyard Blunder

To put it as simply as I can without feeling as if I’m actively degrading the match, the entire ‘Hollywood Backlot Brawl’ ordeal, truly wasn’t my thing in the slightest.

I’ve had a lot of issues with the booking direction taken surrounding Velveteen Dreams feud with Undisputed Era. Whether it was the strange start to it, none of the matches truly clicking or just the lack of interest I’ve had as of late for Adam Cole’s reign due to the lack of credible competition since late last year. Nothing about this was necessarily clicking with me in the lead-up, and the only thing keeping me invested was the possibility of Velveteen Dream capturing NXT’s top prize, which was tarnished when a stipulation was added on to ‘excite’ viewers with some added nostalgia on an already nostalgia-driven event.

Dream’s biggest strength is his innate ability to tell a story in between the ropes of a ring, through both incredible facial expression & his over-the-top but high-octane wrestling style that emphasizes on his big moves planted late into this matches. By placing both himself & Cole, an equally brilliant in-ring competitor, the tension this match should have carried, regardless of the lack of actual fans in attendance, was significantly reduced due to how odd dethroning the longest-reigning champion in the title’s history in a pre-recorded match set within a backlot would truly be rather than something fantastic on a wrestling level with a decisive victory.

The match itself wasn’t without its moments surely but was just missing that element of tension, or even promise that Cole was on the verge of losing his most prized possession. Compared against other cinematic matches this also lacked that ‘IT’ factor that made both the Undertaker vs AJ Styles & John Cena vs Bray Wyatt matches standout earlier this year, and instead was a standard brawl with some really shakey editing that made a lot of it irritating to take in. While it wasn’t a terrible match by any means, it was certainly a low point when you look at the chronology of TakeOver events in history.

1. Charlotte Flair may not have been wanted, but she’s still the best.

I’ve been fairly vocal about my blatant dislike of the Charlotte Flair character, her booking & storyline since Wrestlemania earlier this year. Despite being arguably the most consistent female performer in North America, maybe even further, the manner in which WWE was treating her character does her no service to the talents she possesses. Her recent reign as NXT Women’s Champion, as well as the return to the brand, hasn’t been what we were expecting in the slightest. Rather than breathe the air of fresh new matches, pushing previously underused talents & making her mark on the brand she originated from, most of what she’s accomplished has done next to nothing for herself, or the brand as a whole. If anything, the product would be in a better position if Rhea Ripley had retained her gold in their initial match at Wrestlemania.

That being said, Sunday was proof of what happens when you let Charlotte Flair be Charlotte Flair, the outcome is the absolute best that this industry has to offer.

As much as I, along with many others, disliked Flair’s booking as NXT Women’s Champion, to deny her of her excellence after a phenomenal main event against both Rhea Ripley & Io Shirai just wouldn’t be justified. On Sunday night Flair, along with her two opponents pieced together one of the years very best contests to date. It was a main event that embodied what makes a Championship match so important, the stakes were always high, and there was a ‘do or die’ attitude to the performances by all three women that made this so enticing to watch. The action was non-stop, rarely allowing you to breathe & slowly escalated as the match went on, but arguably the best aspect of this was that Io Shirai didn’t feel out of place in the middle of two bitter rivals in Flair & Ripley, instead added a different dynamic to the match that I adored.

Even though there were a few botches of mistimed moves and the ending came seemingly from out of nowhere, this was everything Charlotte Flair’s reign should have been, packed with passion & lead to the eventual establishment of a brand new face to the NXT women’s division, a much-needed one at that. Not being the most familiar with Io Shirai I’ll admit I do need to dig into her background and character more, but anything at this point in time is more welcome than what we had previously. NXT’s women now have a new environment to work with, as Shirai’s speed & high-flying arsenal is a great blend for any opponent to result in a great match to any show, which has made me more excited than ever to see what’s waiting for us next.

It was sad to see the best moment of Flair’s 2nd NXT Women’s Championship reign be the final match of it, since the potential we had going in was an expectation that was sadly never met in the eyes of most fans.

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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
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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Blog

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.