Opinion

Is Charlotte Flair The Greatest Of All Time?

Is Charlotte Flair the G.O.A.T.? Mishal believes you can make a strong argument for that side.

Published

5 years ago

June 1, 2020

Mishal Shuhaiber

Is Charlotte Flair the G.O.A.T.? Mishal believes you can make a strong argument for that side.

There arguably isn’t a single name in the wrestling business these days that you hear pop us as much as the name ‘Charlotte Flair’.

Since her debut back in 2014 Flair has become the beacon of North American women’s wrestling. A talent beyond the levels of the vast majority below her, always booked at the very top of the division or card she’s on, generally given the most amount of TV time of any other talent (especially these days) & someone that doesn’t just carry one of the most prestigious last names in the business with pride but lives up to the hype at every given opportunity.

Wrestling doesn’t tend to dish out someone as gifted, as well-versed & as perfectly suited for its craft like Charlotte Flair. She’s an oddity, one that is usually mixed in opinion amongst fans, but someone that in many ways has defined her generation of female talent. Regardless of the hatred she may receive from a good section of the WWE fanbase it’s difficult to denounce that everything she touches is at the highest level of quality us as fans expect. From promos to matches, to developing new talent, to establishing the older ones, Charlotte Flair is what you look for in a locker room leader, but has still prompted sizeable debate in the ever-bickering online wrestling community.

As a result, I thought there’s no better time to answer a question every fan tries to answer in some way or another, is Charlotte Flair truly the ‘Greatest of All Time’?

Rather than a straight-up yes or no answer, I feel making the case from every aspect of her character would be the best way to gain a definitive answer to this question.

Carrying the Flair Legacy

Lugging the name ‘Flair’ behind your first name is never an easy standard to live up to. ‘Nature Boy’ Ric Flair is widely regarded as one of the best professional wrestlers to ever lace up a pair of boots in any company he made his mark in, whether that be WWE, NWA or WCW, everywhere the man went he cemented his name in the history books. Much of that success isn’t just due to an incredible body of in-ring work with a list of opponents that’s almost endless, it was his incredible character that has influenced so much of mainstream entertainment as we see it.

Flair’s initial gimmick was a form of tribute to the original ‘Nature Boy’ in Buddy Rogers (whom Flair defeated to essentially earn his signature nickname), and considering how iconic Flair made his character you’d think carrying his legacy forward would be next to impossible, but Charlotte Flair has done so with grace & elegance that only she could.

While comparing her attributes to those of her father might be a tad unfair considering their places in the industry, the apple certainly doesn’t fall far from the tree. Charlotte embodies her father in a way, with an aura of confidence that makes her an instant threat in any story, an in-ring track record that is likely more consistent than any female working today, mic skills matched by few around her (only even comparable against either Becky Lynch or Alexa Bliss) & of course, donning the signature robe that so many identify her lineage with after all these decades.

Charlotte isn’t trying to be what her father was, she’s a different version of him and uses that to not just separate her from his legacy but build one of the modern generations truly great female talents. On a personality-level, almost none of her peers possess the ‘big fight’ nature of Charlotte Flair, as it’s always obvious you’re watching someone out to achieve nothing but the highest of honours. Much like the legacy before her, she aims to present herself as the highest level of excellence in the sport, and for the most part, that presentation never fails her when the lights are on bright.

Holding All The Gold

As of this writing, Charlotte is a 12-time champion in WWE. It’s taken her less than a decade to hold almost as many prestigious titles in the company as it did her father to hold 16 lucrative titles after having a career that spanned the better part of almost four decades. Whether it be the NXT Women’s Championship (which she currently holds), SmackDown or RAW Women’s Championships or marking herself as the final-ever Diva’s Champion, it’s no secret that the light of the title picture shined brightly on Charlotte since her debut.

Her victories aren’t without memorability either, she’s beat the best there is to offer across generations of female competitors. The likes of Becky Lynch, Asuka, Sasha Banks, Paige & Bayley are just a few of the current crop of competitors that have tasted defeat at the hands of ‘The Queen’, a list that’s only expanding now that she has a fresh batch of opponents to fend off over in NXT.

Probably the biggest issue with Charlotte is the creative team of WWE’s insistence on inserting her into the title picture so frequently, an issue that plagues competitors from establishing themselves outside the championship scene itself. Very few of her marquee moments have come outside the title picture, while by no means a terrible thing it could one day lead to the worries of exhausting one of the companies top-tier talents since constantly placing her in the title picture may result in other talent being neglected from taking her spot. This is something I intend to touch on in a little bit, so I won’t harp on it too much right now.

‘Big Match Charlotte’

JBL once referred to John Cena as ‘Big Match John’, a nickname given to signify the importance of John Cena, the face of WWE, as the best big-match, big-time competitor on the roster as a whole. Regardless of his opposition, John Cena always delivered a main event match that the fans had to see, despite what their stance on his character may have been. It didn’t matter if he faced Randy Orton, Triple H, Daniel Bryan, Mark Henry or The Great Khali, he had a magical touch that made the main event match feel like a ‘main event’.

In my opinion, that same mentality can be applied to Charlotte Flair.

Charlotte Flair & John Cena could not be more different, but they, much like Ric Flair, gave you a main event level match that you just had to see with your own eyes. WrestleMania 32 was the first time it was put on full display when Flair was positioned against both Sasha Banks & Becky Lynch, despite all three women holding their own, nobody looked like they were more in their element than Charlotte Flair evening. She personified the main event scene, from her incredible in-ring style, facial expressions to convey a story & the presence she boasted during her entrance, if you were a fan, you knew the future had arrived.

Her subsequent matches only grew the confidence she already had in the ring. She followed up her iconic WrestleMania victory with an all-time classic rivalry against Sasha Banks later that year resulting in multiple first-time records that both women went on to break, re-igniting her NXT feud with Natalya in a series of stellar contests, becoming the first woman on the WWE roster to successfully defeat Asuka, crafting an absolutely brutal war with Ronda Rousey & engaging in what might go down as one of the finest feuds the women’s division will ever see alongside Becky Lynch. These aren’t even all the notable accolades, but a few of the most memorable ones from a list of performances that few other competitors can compare to.

Almost nobody performs at the main event level as good as Charlotte on the WWE roster. The clear levels of passion & work placed into her character make every storyline incredibly engaging, whether she be a heel or babyface, and that translates to her in-ring work which is always at the highest level possible. With the exception of perhaps someone like a Seth Rollins, Charlotte Flair is among the most reliant competitor when it comes to wanting your biggest storylines to be executed to the highest standard possible.

Obviously, this would be up to debate depending on where you as a fan stand, but Charlotte Flair is very much what someone like myself looks for in a main event level talent. I’ll stand by calling her ‘Big Match Charlotte’ because few other women hold the body of work that she does this early in her career.

The Queen of Overexposure

If there is one aspect holding back Charlotte this early on in a career that we can only hope spans as long as most desire, it’s the level in which she’s exposed on WWE programming.

Being essentially the ‘locker room’ leader of the division is quite the mantle to carry, and with that must come intelligence in how you present & execute your character in their respective storylines. Charlotte has been involved in some of the most memorable feuds to overtake the women’s division in many, many years, the issue seems to be that she’s the companies most consistent go-to talent, a booking route that raises issues.

Surely a creative team would want the focus of their programming to hinge on its very top-tier talents, those who can also draw the biggest numbers both on cable networks & social media platforms (e.g. Youtube), those who engage with their audience the best, but especially those best at telling their story between the ropes. With that style of thinking comes choices, and to many, Charlotte can be viewed as the obstacle placed in the way of fresher talent wanting their voices to be heard. Glancing at her booking when facing Asuka is a common prime example of the point I’m trying to make, yet her current stint in NXT is one of those times where her presence feels rather bitter to most fans I’ve come across.

NXT has established itself firmly as an official 3rd brand under the WWE banner, no longer being the expanded developmental system it once was for many, and a system that Charlotte herself had ‘graduated’ from a number of years back. Her return to the brand was at first interesting, as well as promising considering the roster of talent she had to contest against, but has ultimately felt like nothing more than a force to drive up stagnant ratings on Wednesday nights. Nothing about her current run as the brands champion screams exciting, rather a position for her to hang around since the amount of material the company has to offer her on the main roster has run thin. A seasoned veteran mixing with younger talent should be the perfect stepping stone for a newcomer looking to take the next big leap in their careers, instead, she’s done next to nothing of note since her WrestleMania victory. Having her act as a multi-brand champion does her no favours either since it only re-enforces the idea of her being ‘shoved down the throats’ of the casual viewing audience.

Presenting a character as the very best you have to offer isn’t a matter of exposure, it’s the very basic principle of ‘quality over quantity’. Fans don’t need a champion to appear on all seven hours of wrestling programming your company has to offer every week, they need he or she to deliver the very, very best that they can give in the ring. The reason superstars like Becky Lynch, Asuka, Shayna Baszler or even Daniel Bryan garnered the reputation they hold isn’t because of their TV time, it’s because they put every ounce of passion they had into what they wanted to become as a character.

Granted this is might just be a passing issue at its core, but considering the track record WWE has for giving us too much of a good thing, it’s something I hope they become more cautious of going forward, especially with someone as special as Charlotte Flair is to their current product.

Analysis – Is Charlotte Flair the GOAT?

At the end of the day, this question falls on you the reader, since it isn’t something I can ‘objectively’ prove to anyone.

Being the very best is a term that is widely thrown around any form of sport or entertainment, and it’s ultimately your legacy that defines that very characterization. The women of wrestling will always have a few solidified legends in their ranks, Mae Young, Fabulous Moolah, Trish Stratus, Chyna, Gail Kim, Sherri Martel, Bull Nakano or Awesome Kong, and placing a talent alongside any of those names is a formidable task to rationalize to any hardcore fan of the business.

Many of those talents are still remembered decades after their time had passed, whether it be for their persona, in-ring work or contribution to women & the industry, it’s ultimately how much of an impact you leave on the fanbase that matters most to some extent. Will Charlotte Flair be a name edged in the history books? As far as the record goes, she already has. She’s broken multiple barriers that have held women back in the industry so along (not to take away from any of those alongside her), captured more titles than most do at this stage in their careers, competed in every match imaginable & is one of only three women to headline a WrestleMania. Those accolades alone are worthy of some kind of historic recognition.

From my personal perspective, Charlotte Flair may very well be most talented, well-rounded female talent in all of WWE, and arguably on the planet if we think about it. Her career has had its fair share of ups & downs, like any performer, but she’s always managed to bring consistency to her programmes that I always admire, never giving less than 110% in any given match or promo she has to cut. Not only does she position herself as the best there is in the industry, but she also backs it up against the vast majority of her opponents. Carrying the legacy she does & the character she has to isn’t an easy task, but Charlotte Flair in my eyes is everything she sells herself as when it matters most.

Obviously my opinion is my own, and I’d love to see other perspectives on her aside from the ones I personally hold. Charlotte Flair is certainly a divisive figure, like most that reach the very peaks of the business, but she’s a name that nobody can seem to stop talking about.

About Chairshot Radio Network

Launched in 2017, the Chairshot Radio Network presents you with the best in sports, entertainment, and sports entertainment. Wrestling and wrestling crossover podcasts + the most interesting content + the most engaging hosts = the most entertaining podcasts you’ll find!

MONDAY - Bandwagon Nerds (entertainment & popular culture)

TUESDAY - Musical Chairs (music) / Hockey Talk (NHL)

WEDNESDAY - The Greg DeMarco Show (wrestling)

THURSDAY - Keeping the news ridiculous... The Oddity / Chairshot NFL (NFL)

FRIDAY - DWI Podcast (Drunk Wrestling Intellect)

SATURDAY - The Mindless Wrestling Podcast

SUNDAY - The Front and Center Sports Podcast

CHAIRSHOT RADIO NETWORK PODCAST SPECIALS

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

TheChairshot.com PRESENTS...IMMEDIATE POST WWE PLE REACTIONS w/ DJ(Mindless), Tunney(DWI) & Friends

Patrick O'Dowd's 5X5

Classic POD is WAR

Chairshot Radio Network Your home for the hardest hitting podcasts... Sports, Entertainment and Sports Entertainment!

All Shows On Demand

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

Up Next

News From Cook’s Corner 6.1.20: Save Black Lives

Don't Miss

Cook’s Top 5: 1993 Wrestling Memories

Opinion

Greg DeMarco’s 2025 WWE Royal Rumble Results, Review & Reaction

We are firmly on the Road to WrestleMania, starting with the Royal Rumble! Greg has his initial thoughts and reactions for everyone’s favorite event!

Published

3 weeks ago

February 2, 2025

Greg DeMarco

We are firmly on the Road to WrestleMania, starting with the Royal Rumble! Greg has his initial thoughts and reactions for everyone’s favorite event!

It’s the first Royal Rumble in an NFL stadium (thanks to the WWE calendar change), and both Rumble matches feature a star-studded line-up that makes it much harder than you’d think to pick a winner. I was lucky enough to attend one Royal Rumble live, 2019, and it’s always the best way to set the stage for WrestleMania.

If @whoislaniee‘s rendition of the Star Spangled Banner is any indication, we are in for one hell of a night with one hell of a crowd!

— Big Daddy Greg 🤡 (@gregdemarco44) February 1, 2025

Always great to see Stephanie McMahon kicking off a show–the more Stephanie, the better. Apparently we’ve managed to pack 70,000 fans into Lucas Oil Stadium, and if you didn’t know, Pat McAfee loves him some Indianapolis.

With each match you’ll see my picks, in my traditional “Who Should Win?/Will Will Win?” format. I made them in this week’s solo edition of The Greg DeMarco Show, which you can listen to here:

Women’s WWE Royal Rumble Match

Greg’s predictions from earlier in the week:

Who Should Win: Bianca Belair
Who Will Win: Bianca Belair

Last year’s winner was Bayley, entering at #3, and she went on to defeat Iyo Sky for the WWE Women’s Championship at WrestleMania 40.

Iyo Sky enters #1, and I do love the elevated platform–it’s not really a stage, but it does enhance the overall feel of the show. Old school fans will remember the entrance from Montreal watching Prime Time Wrestling.
I feel like Liv Morgan always enters these matches early. I also didn’t realize she’s been in all 8 Women’s Royal Rumble matches.
I do love the “ticker” across the bottom of the screen with stats and info during the entrances. Very ESPN, very “Wrestling As A Sport” to me.
Gotta say I was hoping for the black canvas (I’m biased), but I’ll always take grey over light blue.

Roxanne Perez has “Iron Woman” written all over her entering at #3. #RoyalRumble

— Big Daddy Greg 🤡 (@gregdemarco44) February 1, 2025

We even get “Active” and “Eliminated” in the ticket? I am REALLY digging this.
Lyra Valkyria enters to very little reaction–she’s a fantastic talent but has not connected on the main roster.
Lyra with the early wardrobe malfunction and we are already slightly derailed, kudos to everyone for getting it together.
Interesting to have the secondary champions enter back-to-back, and Indianapolis doesn’t seem to care much about her, either. Maybe I was wrong about this crowd, and maybe my criticism of Lyra was premature.
Chelsea thinking she’s dumped everyone and pointing to the sign is a great piece of business.
B-Fab enters at #6, and I would assume she has the lowest chance of winning of anyone in the field.
Man, B-Fab is still very NOT good.
Ivy Nile enters #7, the 5th straight entrant who has zero chance of winning this thing.
Also, we are still without an elimination, but probably 10 “hanging on the rope” spots already.
Ivy Nile is already more over in Indy than the Intercontinental and United States Champions.
Zoey Stark, complete with Barry Windham’s “Stalker” facepaint, enters eighth to continue our run of women with zero chance of winning.
Lash Legend enters at #9, and I have a feeling she’s about to win this crowd over.
LASH POINTED TO THE SIGN.
“Get her on the Fever” – Pat McAfee.
Chelsea Green gives us our first elimination, of B-Fab.
Bianca Belair enters at #10, really hurting my chances of being right.

And here’s my pick to win the Women’s #RoyalRumble, Bianca Belair. At #10? Doesn’t look good for me!

(Seth Rollins won his from #10, I believe.)

— Big Daddy Greg 🤡 (@gregdemarco44) February 1, 2025

The crowd definitely picked up with Bianca being in the match.
BIANCA IS A MACHINE.
Shayna Baszler enters #11, reminding me she works for WWE. Which is sad, I really thought she’d have a hell of a run in WWE.
Bayley is #12, and we still have quite the group in this match. Personally I don’t see Bayley being a back-to-back winner.
Sonya Deville is in at #13 to complete the PFC trio in this match. I’m sure that’ll work out well for them!
Iyo Sky is so good, she saved Sonya’s knee spot and I am sure no one noticed.
Maxxine Dupri in at #14, another non-winner, but to her credit she only keeps getting better.
With 12 women thill in this match, I have a feeling we’re getting Nia Jax or Charlotte Flair soon to give us a bunch of eliminations.
Ivy Nile out, followed by Maxxine Dupri, and the countdown is on!
Naomi brings the halfway point with her, entering at #15.

Naomi is a former women’s champion and had an amazing WrestleMania moment back in Orlando–why does Michael Cole keep saying 2024 was her breakout year? #RoyalRumble

— Big Daddy Greg 🤡 (@gregdemarco44) February 1, 2025

All of PFC is gone, and nothing of value is lost (from this match–they are valuable as people).
Jaida Parker, entering at #16, comes in to a better reaction than half of the field. Miss Parker has a hell of a WWE career ahead of her.
Chelsea Green is so damn good at what she does.
And here comes Piper Niven at #17.
Will Piper somehow eliminate Piper?
Yes – the answer to that question is yes.
Naalya enters at #18, her eighth Royal Rumble. She’s a little over 20 minutes away from 3 cumulative hours in Rumble matches.

If anyone “deserves” a Royal Rumble win, it’s Natalya. #RoyalRumble

— Big Daddy Greg 🤡 (@gregdemarco44) February 1, 2025

FANTASTIC reaction for Jordynne Grace–that has to raise some eyebrows among leadership.
JORDYNNE GRACE IS A STAR.
Michin in at #20, as we are up to 10 eliminations.

BUT THE INTERNET TOLD ME ALEXA BLISS WASN’T GONNA COME BACK DUE TO A CONTRACT DISPUTE. #RoyalRumble

— Big Daddy Greg 🤡 (@gregdemarco44) February 1, 2025

Wade Barrett, Michael Cole, and Pat McAfee crapping all over the wrestling newz sites is amazing.
And you can tell Alexa Bliss is THRILLED to be back.
Zelina Vega in at #22 to not win the Royal Rumble.
HUGE SPOT for Zelina Vega and Jordynne Grace.
If you happen to rewatch this match, watch Bayley very closely. It’s a look inside the business–she’s basically an agent in the ring.
Candice LeRae enters at #23, and I am reminded that she’s the WWE Women’s Speed Champion. I also wonder if they’ve started piping in crowd noise for these entrances.
Of note, we haven’t closed a Royal Rumble PLE with the Women’s Royal Rumble Match since the first one in 2018.
Of the 10 women eliminated so far, 6 of them entered #4-5-6-7-8-9.

Great reaction for Stephanie Vaquer–Indianapolis seems to be an NXT crowd. #RoyalRumble

— Big Daddy Greg 🤡 (@gregdemarco44) February 2, 2025

LET STEPHANIE VAQUER HER WIN YOU COWARDS. (Personal opinion, she’s the best women’s wrestler in the world.)
#25 already–we are trying to make up some time.
Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaand it’s Trish Stratus.

Honestly, did we need Trish Stratus? #RoyalRumble

— Big Daddy Greg 🤡 (@gregdemarco44) February 2, 2025

Kinda wanted Jordynne Grace to toss Trish Stratus right there.
Piper Niven just kncoked the SH*T outta Trish!
Raquel Rodriguez in at #26, and we have 4 more entrants left.
Nia, Charlotte, and…..Becky? Nikki? (Bella, that is.)
The crowd is NOT HAPPY about Alexa Bliss’ elimination.
#1-3 all still in the match.
Charlotte Flair and her new face at in at #27.

Listen, I’m going to hell, but Charlotte Flair’s entrance reminds me of when JR returned from his stroke. Lay off the plastic surgery. #RoyalRumble

— Big Daddy Greg 🤡 (@gregdemarco44) February 2, 2025

Love Wade Barrett pointing out that Charlotte got pyro. I hope Roman gets his, too.
Took Charlotte forever to get her robe off, apparently.
Like I’m supposed to believe Jordynne Grace can’t suplex Charlotte Flair?
Charlotte definitely brought some fire to this match.
Giulia getting almost no reaction is surprising given the reaction of some other NXT talents.
Iyo and Liv approaching an hour in the match, along with Roxanne Perez.

Giulia eliminated Jordynne Grace, which makes me think Jordynne might be spending some time in NXT. #RoyalRumble

— Big Daddy Greg 🤡 (@gregdemarco44) February 2, 2025

Nia Jax enters at #29, leaving a surprise for #30? Becky Lynch?
Good for Nikki Bella! And she gave someone in the crowd one hall of a souvenir.
And now it’s time for the “World vs Nia” spot.
Forget Superkick It’s an APRON PARTY.
Roxanne Perez just snuck back in without being eliminated.
Given who is left, it does seem like this is Charlotte’s match to win.
ROXANNE PEREZ IN THE FINAL THREE?

This company obviously believes in Roxanne Perez. #RoyalRumble

— Big Daddy Greg 🤡 (@gregdemarco44) February 2, 2025

LOLCHARLOTTEWINS

Winner of the 2025 Women’s Royal Rumble Match: Charlotte Flair

I don’t love the decision to have Charlotte Flair win the Women’s Royal Rumble Match after being gone for over a year, but she IS Charlotte Flair. This should shock nobody. I know Charlotte Flair is a dream match opponent for Tiffany Stratton in the eyes of many, and if she were to put Tiffany Stratton over at WrestleMania, then I will eat my words and say it was worth it.

Hell of a performance for Roxanne Perez, I haven’t seen the tally yet but I do wonder if she broke the record for longest time in one Rumble.

I could go for a Slim Jim meat stick right about now.

Why was Mickie James in the crowd, and not IN THE MATCH??? #RoyalRumble

— Big Daddy Greg 🤡 (@gregdemarco44) February 2, 2025

2 Out of 3 Falls Match for the WWE Tag Team Championships
The Motor City Machine Guns (Alex Shelley & Chris Sabin) vs. #DIY (Tommaso Ciampa & Johnny Gargano, champions)

Greg’s predictions from earlier in the week:

Who Should Win: DIY (but it doesn’t matter in the grand scheme of things)
Who Will Win: DIY (but it doesn’t matter in the grand scheme of things)

(I won’t be live tweeting or doing a bulleted list for these two matches, likely just the two Rumbles.)

Had to laugh seeing the drone in front of Alex Shelley & Chris Sabin during their entrance.

DIY wins 2 falls to 1, making my prediction accurate. That is small change, though. I liked the match for what it was, but it’s a reminder of Charlotte Flair vs. Ronda Rousey from WrestleMania 38–great match, wrong setting. This was an arena match, not a football stadium match. Yes, that DOES matter. Setting is a huge part of pro wrestling.

NXT Black and Gold will always hold a place in my heart, but part of what made that what it was was the crowd. This wasn’t the crowd for this match. Plus it got around 15 minutes, which is about right for a 1-fall match featuring these four. On TV, counting commercial breaks, these guys get 25-30 minutes.

The Street Profits got involved, eventually attacking everyone. I fully expect a WWE Tag Team Championship Ladder Match at WrestleMania, with DIY, MCMG, the Street Profits, and possibly Pretty Deadly and Angel/Humberto. This was really just the beginning–it was just misplaced on this card.

Winners AND STILL WWE Tag Team Champions: DIY

Michael Cole did also inform us that Roxanne Perez is the new record-holder for longest Royal Rumble performance. Score one for the good guy (me, from my tweet above).

Ladder Match for the WWE Championship
Kevin Owens vs. Cody Rhodes (champion)

Greg’s predictions from earlier in the week:

Who Should Win: Kevin Owens
Who Will Win: Cody Rhodes

Love that Kevin Owens took down the Winged Eagle Championship during SmackDown last night, and entered with it. Granted, Cody Rhodes has his, too. But KO has a certain edge to him when carrying that title.

That little ladder is HILARIOUS. #RoyalRumble

— Big Daddy Greg 🤡 (@gregdemarco44) February 2, 2025

This match was brutal, and whatever they are paying Kevin Owens isn’t enough. Cody Rhodes was beating on KO as a heel would, but he’s a babyface? I know everyone wants “Homelander” Cody, but really he might be more like “Patrick Bateman” Cody. Either way, as great as Cody is (and he is great), there is one missing element. At this point, it’s obvious to me that Cody is the worst babyface in the company. Look at him: THE MAN IS A HEEL.

While I’m glad Cody is fully out of The Bloodline’s shadow, he just needs to beat John Cena at WrestleMania, turn heel, and truly hit his stride. And I want true heel Cody. Chicken sh*t, goons, the whole thing.

Winner, AND STILL WWE Champion: Cody Rhodes

Cody Rhodes is gonna buy Kevin Owens a lot of cigars, booze, or meat. Whatever that man wants. #RoyalRumble

— Big Daddy Greg 🤡 (@gregdemarco44) February 2, 2025

You gotta think Sami Zayn not stopping Cody Rhodes from winning will be a major sticking point for Kevin Owens. Seems like we’ll get Sami vs Kevin at WM41.

Men’s WWE Royal Rumble Match

Greg’s predictions from earlier in the week:

Who Should Win: Jey Uso
Who Will Win: John Cena

Last year’s winner was Cody Rhodes, entering at #15, and he went on to defeat Roman Reigns for the Undisputed WWE Women’s Championship at WrestleMania 40.

Rey Mysterio (Jr) enters at #2, and it’s obvious that gone are the days where randoms would enter at #1 and #2.
I believe I said on my podcast (if not, I meant to) that Penta would need to enter #1 or #2 so he can have his pyro.

I am so happy for Penta in the WWE. #RoyalRumble

— Big Daddy Greg 🤡 (@gregdemarco44) February 2, 2025

I really hope we get a Lucha Underground reference on commentary.
LET PENTA WIN YOU COWARDS! (I know, it didn’t work for Stephanie Vaquer.)
PENTA IS A STAR.
I do appreciate how they didn’t fight on the apron, instead just got right back into the ring.
Chad Gable in at #3, and all we need is for Dominik Mysterio to be #4.
That spot looked NASTY, I hope Chad Gable’s knee is okay.
Carmelo Hayes in at #4, and I am reminded that we likely get Trick in this match.

Trick Williams’ #RoyalRumble entrance is gonna be ICONIC.

— Big Daddy Greg 🤡 (@gregdemarco44) February 2, 2025

I know they have a temporary alliance at the moment, but Chad Gable vs. Carmelo Hayes would be an absolute BANGER.
KING CUERNO vs PENTAGON JR! #IYKYK
That spot was far too similar to what we saw in the Women’s Rumble.
Otis in and had some fun.
BRON BREAKKER IS A MACHINE.
The crowd reaction to Bron Breakker tells me the WWE might make even MORE money in the future.
What if Breakker won this match? He won’t, but What If?
If not for WWE, I wouldn’t know who IShowSpeed was.
Honestly, nothing wrong with what they did with IShowSpeed there.
Sheamus enters at #9, and I assume we will see some Beats Of The Bowery.

Gotta play the hits, pal. (Sheamus.) #RoyalRumble

— Big Daddy Greg 🤡 (@gregdemarco44) February 2, 2025

This is the most normal Sheamus’ hair has ever looked.
Crazy that this is only Jimmy Uso’s 3rd Royal Rumble.
Big Jim definitely got a bulk discount on his new gear. I wonder how many color combos he got???
Andrade in at #11, and Wade Barrett points out what I’ve been thinking–why run to the ring?
Jacob Fatu enters at #12 and gets his pyro. The rocket ship has been strapped, pal.
Ludwig Kaiser enters at #13 and no one not named (Greg DeMarco Show co-host) Patrick O’Dowd cares.
Kaiser immediately dumped by Penta, and he’ll probably lose to him on Monday’s Raw, too.

Here comes the most underappreciated wrestler in WWE history, @mikethemiz. #RoyalRumble

— Big Daddy Greg 🤡 (@gregdemarco44) February 2, 2025

We lost Michael for a minute there.

The fact that Joe Hendry’s fact on the ticket is “Say His Name And He Appears” is amazing.

Great pop for him, too.

And Michael Cole references Nic Nemeth! #RoyalRumble

— Big Daddy Greg 🤡 (@gregdemarco44) February 2, 2025

I’d actually forgotten that we’d likely get a Joe Hendry appearance, so they got a little pop out of me.
I acknowledge you, my Tribal Chief.

☝️☝️☝️☝️☝️ #RoyalRumble

— Big Daddy Greg 🤡 (@gregdemarco44) February 2, 2025

Roman Reigns vs. CM Punk would be one hell of a match at WrestleMania, just sayin’.
Showdowns like Roman Reigns and Bron Breakker is what the Royal Rumble is all about.
SPEAR TO ROMAN.
That might have been the greatest spear ever.
After Joe Gendry and Roman Reigns, Drew McIntyre gets very little reaction entering at #17.
Drew McIntyre with the very silky smooth hair tonight.
Finn Balor in at #18 and we have our second drone sighting of the night.
Something is wrong with Pat McAfee’s headset. Hell of a showing by Penta, by the way.
Jey Uso in at #20 to a HUGE pop.
LET JE YWIN YOU COWARDS.
Poison Rana by Jey???
Let’s hope AJ Styles can stick around for a bit this time. (Not necessarily in the Rumble, but in general.)

All these megastars, and Jacob Fatu might be the most over guy in the match right now. #ROYALRUMBLE

— Big Daddy Greg 🤡 (@gregdemarco44) February 2, 2025

I’d be okay if Braun shaved his head again.
Jacob Fatu can literally do ANYTHING and it makes sense.

JOHN CENA’S SOCKS!
JOHN CENA’S SOCKS!
JOHN CENA’S SOCKS!#RoyalRumble

— Big Daddy Greg 🤡 (@gregdemarco44) February 2, 2025

CM Punk, John Cena, and Roman Reigns all in the ring all at the same time? YES PLEASE.
Now add in Seth Rollins? This is the greatest Royal Rumble of all time.
The current field: Seth Rollins, CM Punk, John Cena, AJ Styles, Jey Uso, Drew McIntyre, and Roman Reigns. That is ABSURD.
The only man who can follow all that talent is indeed Dominik Mysterio. This is about to be amazing.
Imagine if Dom wins. I mean, just imagine it.
With the addition of Sami Zayn, the storylines in this Rumble right now are insane.
Damian Priest, who is probably challenging Shinsuke Nakamura at WrestleMania, enters at #28.
Two more to go. Any surprises?
LA Knight, who I forgot was in this match, enters next.
I kinda expect him to move to Raw in this transfer window.
Ah yes, Logan Paul. I also forgot he was on this.
We’ve had a Nic Nemeth and now a Ricochet reference tonight. I love when you’re WWE, and you are comfortable talking about (almost) ANYBODY.

If I’m WWE, I have Logan Paul wait until the final two before jumping back into the ring. #RoyalRumble

— Big Daddy Greg 🤡 (@gregdemarco44) February 2, 2025

He didn’t, by the way. Opportunity missed.
Final 6: Roman Reigns, Jey Uso, John Cena, CM Punk, Seth Rollins, Logan Paul… STAR. STUDDED.
Roman Reigns vs. Seth Rollins – the WrestleMania Main Event we never got.
YESSS!
Brilliant spot to have Logan Paul eliminate CM Punk.
Final 3: John Cena, Jey Uso, and Logan Paul. Two of my picks are left.
The action on the outside between Rollins, Roman, and Punk drives home how important the Rumble is to the competitors.
And then there were 2: my Who Should Win vs. my Who Will Win.
Please God let Jey Uso win this thing.
(And that’s not a slight against John Cena.)
YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS!

IT’S JUST YOU, UCE! #RoyalRumble

— Big Daddy Greg 🤡 (@gregdemarco44) February 2, 2025

Winner of the 2025 Men’s WWE Royal Rumble Match: Jey Uso

Just like the sign said: EAT. SLEEP. YEET. MANIA. I am so damn happy for Jey Uso. You can tell John Cena was as well, along with Michael Cole. And probably everyone in the entire company. Jey Uso is the success story.

As for the match? Well obviously this is a knee jerk reaction, but eff it–this is the best Royal Rumble Match they have ever put on. The early action was fun and exciting. But from the time Joe Hendry’s music hit to the moment Jey Uso pushed John Cena off of the apron, this match was insane. I think Roman Reigns coming in at 16 was a huge part of that. Once Roman is in the match, you are watching to see a) what he does, and b) if he’ll get eliminated. CM Punk eliminating Seth Rollins and Roman Reigns was beautiful, and then Logan Paul tossing CM Punk was even better. If that leads to Rollins vs. Reigns and Logan vs. Punk at WrestleMania, you can take my money.

My money is a Peacock membership, which is automatically charged. But still. Take it.

If John Cena wins it’s still probably the best Royal Rumble Match of all time. But Jey Uso winning makes that an undisputable fact.

Overall Thoughts on the 2025 WWE Royal Rumble

The Women’s Royal Rumble was decent to good. Loved Roxanne getting the Iron Woman treatment, but in the end it’s another chapter of LOL Charlotte Wins.
I need to rewatch DIY vs MCMG because I was on the phone when my son called. Maybe I will enjoy it more on a second viewing.
The ladder match was brutal but the end result was expected. Cody is still missing something, and I think that something will continue to be missing until he turns heel. He’s just overshadowed by too many of the other babyfaces.
The Men’s Royal Rumble Match was the best Royal Rumble match they have ever put on. Great action in the early half, and from 15 (Joe Hendry) on, it was amazing. The storyline movement with CM Punk, Roman Reigns, and Seth Rollins was (here’s that word) cinema, and having the most over wrestler in the company not named Roman Reigns win, and doing so by eliminating the odds-on favorite, was perfect. I’m biased because Jey Uso was my pick, but it was the perfect ending to what was probably as close to perfect as a Rumble match has been since 1992.

About Chairshot Radio Network

MONDAY - Bandwagon Nerds (entertainment & popular culture)

TUESDAY - Musical Chairs (music) / Hockey Talk (NHL)

WEDNESDAY - The Greg DeMarco Show (wrestling)

THURSDAY - Keeping the news ridiculous... The Oddity / Chairshot NFL (NFL)

FRIDAY - DWI Podcast (Drunk Wrestling Intellect)

SATURDAY - The Mindless Wrestling Podcast

SUNDAY - The Front and Center Sports Podcast

CHAIRSHOT RADIO NETWORK PODCAST SPECIALS

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

TheChairshot.com PRESENTS...IMMEDIATE POST WWE PLE REACTIONS w/ DJ(Mindless), Tunney(DWI) & Friends

Patrick O'Dowd's 5X5

Classic POD is WAR

Chairshot Radio Network Your home for the hardest hitting podcasts... Sports, Entertainment and Sports Entertainment!

All Shows On Demand

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

Opinion

TheChairshot.com PRESENTS: WWE Crown Jewel Immediate Reactions

Join DJ and Tunney for their immediate reactions to WWE Crown Jewel. For the latest, greatest and up to datest, ALWAYS #UseYourHead and visit THECHAIRSHOT.COM

Published

4 months ago

November 2, 2024

PC Tunney

Join DJ and Tunney for their immediate reactions to WWE Crown Jewel. For the latest, greatest and up to datest, ALWAYS #UseYourHead and visit THECHAIRSHOT.COM