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Cook’s Top 5: 1999 Wrestling Memories

Steve Cook bounces back in time once again, looking to 1999 for this Top 5 Moments Of The Year!

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WCW Monday Nitro

Steve Cook bounces back in time once again, looking to 1999 for this Top 5 Moments Of The Year!

To say that 1999 had a lot going on in the world of pro wrestling would be an understatement.

WWF was dominating the ratings war. WCW had many ups & downs while winding their way to their ultimate fate. ECW was seemingly reaching new heights. I got to go to a couple of shows.

We also saw one of wrestling’s most tragic moments, which I wish didn’t have to be included here, but whenever I think of 1999 in pro wrestling, it’s one of the first things that comes to mind.

5. Armageddon

WWF Armageddon was a frequently watched show in the Cook house for months after it took place. Multiple kids at school borrowed the videotape. It was much discussed by kids my age. Why?

Because it was the first time in WWF history that we saw actual puppies.

Yes, 36 year old Steve Cook looks back at 15 year old Steve Cook with utter contempt & disdain for getting so excited about seeing Miss Kitty remove her top after winning an Evening Gown Pool Match. Hey, I’m just here to tell you what my biggest memories from 1999 were. It was a big moment for boys of my age group. What do you want from me?

4. ECW on TNN

Hindsight being 20/20, ECW’s run on TNN was doomed to failure. I didn’t know it at the time. All I knew was that I was going to get to see ECW every Friday night on TNN. Even better, it led into one of my favorite shows of the time period…ROLLERJAM!

Hell yeah I loved Rollerjam. At least the first couple of seasons before things got a little weird. Anywho, ECW got off to a pretty good start too even though the WWF decided to take Taz (world champion) and the Dudleys (tag team champions) right after ECW got a TV deal. But Vince McMahon never believed in hurting the little guy.

3. SmackDown in Cincinnati

SmackDown was very early in its tenure when it came to Cincinnati on November 16. I was pretty excited about going, as it had been a long time since I had gone to a WWF show and much had changed. The last time I went, The Ringmaster was a thing. Bret Hart & Shawn Michaels hadn’t even had their catfight yet. Hunter Hearst Helmsley was losing cage matches to Duke “The Dumpster” Drose. It was a whole different world. Here’s a look at my second live WWF experience, thanks as always to thehistoryofwwe.comslashwrestling.com  for helping refresh my memory.

WWF @ Cincinnati, OH – November 16, 1999 (7,843; sell out)
Sunday Night Heat – 11/21/99:
The Headbangers defeated Val Venis & Shawn Stasiak following the Stage Dive on Stasiak; after the bout, Venis attacked his partner for losing the match
Steve Blackman pinned Mideon
Rikishi pinned Tracey Smothers with the Rikishi Driver

This was the first time I saw Rikishi under his new sumo gimmick. The thong was a bit much and I didn’t think it was going to get over. I don’t get them all right!

D-Von Dudley (w/ Bubba Ray Dudley) pinned D-Lo Brown when Bubba Ray prevented a suplex on his partner into the ring and held the foot down during the cover

I was a big Dudleys fan at the time, as they had just come over from ECW and were in their early WWF days. I enjoyed the battle of the Ds.

Taka Michinoku & Sho Funaki defeated the Acolytes via disqualification in a technical wrestling match when the Acolytes used chairs and numerous double team moves on their opponents

I don’t remember this one but it sounds fantastic.

Smackdown!:
Grandmaster Sexay & Scotty 2 Hotty defeated Edge & Christian at 4:14 when Scotty 2 Hotty pinned Christian after Grandmaster Sexay hit the top rope legdrop behind the referee’s back

Too Cool was still early in this gimmick, but their promo got over pretty well with the people. Especially when they mentioned self-gratification.

Kurt Angle pinned Gangrel at 2:34 with the Olympic Slam

This was Kurt’s first week on the main roster, as he had debuted at Survivor Series on Sunday. He got the same reaction here he got the first two nights. Gangrel’s entrance was always a highlight.

WWF European Champion Davey Boy Smith pinned the Godfather at 2:06 with the running powerslam moments after the Mean Street Posse attacked the challenger on the floor
WWF World Champion the Big Show pinned Hardcore Holly (w/ Crash Holly) with the chokeslam at 1:30; the Big Bossman attacked the champion after the match
Kane (w/ Tori) pinned Viscera with a chokeslam at 2:02
WWF Women’s Champion Ivory defeated Jackie and Luna in a hardcore match by pinning Jackie at 4:35 after hitting her with a cookie sheet

I don’t remember any of these things except for Show’s late-1999 title run being very random. You can imagine how disappointed I was when Stone Cold went out of action two days before this show. To make matters worse, Mankind was doing some UPN filming thing in Las Vegas with Al Snow and was only on the show via clips of that. Triple H didn’t wrestle, instead he did a show-long angle with Vince building a match at Armageddon. Somehow Rock managed to have a match, otherwise this show was pretty low on starpower.

Chris Jericho pinned Mark Henry with a bulldog and the Lionsault at the 44-second mark

44 seconds to beat Mark Henry sounds much more impressive now than it did in 1999 when Mark hadn’t even hooked up with Mae Young yet.

WWF Tag Team Champions Billy Gunn & the Road Dogg defeated Matt & Jeff Hardy at 4:49 after X-Pac interfered and hit the X-Factor on Matt

Longest match on SmackDown!

The Rock pinned the Big Bossman (w/ Albert) with the Rock Bottom at 3:06; the Big Show made the save for the Rock after the match; Hardcore & Crash Holly tried to attack the Rock but were met with Rock Bottoms

This was followed by a show-closing interview with Vince & Triple H. Considering how bad most of 1999 WWF has aged, I’m sure this would be a rough watch nowadays. Never a bad time heading up to the Gardens for wrestling though.

2. Monday Nitro in Cincinnati

This still ranks as one of the best live shows I’ve been to. For one thing, it was the only WCW show I ever had a chance to attend. For another thing, I was in a luxury box thanks to my dad’s workplace. Companies actually cared about their employees in the late 1990s, it was pretty wild. Before the show, we got to go to a meet & greet with WCW superstars, which ended up being Saturn & Konnan. Neither seemed particularly excited to be there. Courtesy thehistoryofwwe, with a little help from Slash

WCW @ Cincinnati, OH – Firstar Center – March 15, 1999
Monday Nitro:
Meng pinned Jerry Flynn

I believe this evening marked the debut of the pants that Meng would wear for the next few years, his last two in WCW and his return to the WWF as Haku. I was always a fan of the big guy with the tremendous hair even before hearing all the incredible stories, so it was fun to see Meng kick some Jerry Flynn ass.

Rick Steiner pinned Brian Adams

Now, CRZ’s recap says it was “Gentleman” Chris Adams, and I’m pretty sure he was right. That being said, I remember nothing about this match. It went a little over three minutes and Rick kicked out of Adams’s dreaded superkick.

At this point in the show, Disco Inferno went to the announce desk. We didn’t hear what he & the announcers were talking about, but we did get to see Disco’s cover of Konnan’s rap song he was coming out to at the time. I’m pretty sure that Konnan & Disco are still arguing over who did the song better.

Ric Flair cutting an in-ring promo live was one to cross off the bucket list, if bucket lists existed in 1999. Pretty sure they didn’t, but this set up a match later with Flair & Goldberg taking on Hollywood Hogan & Kevin Nash. Tough to get a WCW main event with bigger names involved at that point, so the fans were excited even though nobody thought it would end cleanly.

Rey Mysterio Jr. pinned WCW Cruiserweight Champion Billy Kidman to win the title with a bulldog off the top at around the 9:30 mark; after the match, the two shook hands and hugged

I don’t have too many fond memories of Rey without his mask, but this match definitely qualifies as one. Both guys went all out, tons of flipping and things that you didn’t see too much back in the day. At the time, this was the best match I had seen live, which wasn’t saying much since I had only been to two shows, but still kind of a compliment.

WCW Tag Team Champions Chris Benoit & Dean Malenko defeated the Barbarian & Hugh Morrus

This was bit of a strange time for Benoit & Malenko, as they were still kind of Horsemen at this point and even had Arn Anderson cheat on their behalf to win the straps the night before. They were still faces though, while Flair & Arn were flipping to the heel side they were more accustomed with. Barby & Hugh were managed by Jimmy Hart as part of the First Family, which was certainly a staple of WCW Saturday Night programming. Fun little match.

Scott Steiner & Buff Bagwell came out for a promo where Scott blamed Buff for his loss the previous night at Uncensored. Big Poppa Pump beat the crap out of Buff the Stuff, which was probably well-deserved.

Stevie Ray pinned Horace Hogan

This was a match that happened because the NWO B-Team guys were feuding with each other over who their leader was. Vincent came out and helped Stevie win, I don’t remember whether he meant to or not, but I didn’t care in 1999 either.

Disco Inferno pinned Konnan

The music feud continued, and we got an appearance from Lex Luger & Elizabeth to help Disco get the win. I’m just saying this would be a main event on a podcast today.

WCW TV Champion Booker T pinned Chris Jericho

This would have been right around the time where Jericho was making moves behind the scenes to get himself to the WWF. I don’t know if anything was official at this point, but Jericho only made three Nitro appearances after this one. I remember being disappointed that he didn’t get his customary pre-match interview time, and I also remember the kids in the next box over trying to boo him out of the building. I would not have predicted Jericho being a major star for a promotion in 2020, but I wouldn’t have been too surprised either. This match was real solid, which was to be expected with the people involved.

Hulk Hogan & Kevin Nash defeated WCW World Champion Ric Flair & Bill Goldberg

Flair & Goldberg didn’t really get along, of course. Goldberg ended up flattening both guys at the end of the show while Flair wandered off. Probably went downtown with the ladies like he was saying he would earlier, though there wasn’t much going on in Downtown Cincinnati back in 1999.

Compared to most Monday Nitros around this time period, this was a really good show. Even taking out the live bias, the show stood out at the time. I’m not sure why it happened that way, but I was really glad for it.

1. Over the Edge

Regardless of whatever else happened in 1999, the night of May 23rd will always be what I remember most for the worst possible reason. I was watching on my family’s black box, and the show started out pretty typically. Tag title defense, Hardcore title schmozz, basic early-show stuff for the WWF at the time. Then we were supposed to get an Intercontinental title match with the Godfather defending against the Blue Blazer. A Blue Blazer interview played, then Jim Ross awkwardly cut to another Blazer video, mentioning something along the lines of “we’ve got big problems out here”. We saw shots of the crowd for the next several minutes while JR explained that Owen Hart had fallen from the rafters in something that was a real life situation & not part of the “entertainment” for the evening. After Owen was taken out and about 15 minutes had passed, the show continued. Later during the broadcast, JR informed the TV audience that Owen Hart had died.

It was the first time I can remember watching one of those PPV events and not giving a damn about what was happening. Even as a kid about to turn 15, I could tell the wrestlers didn’t really care either. We were all going through the motions. Poor Jeff Jarrett & Debra having to do a pre-match promo right after their friend’s accident was awful to watch. The argument over whether the show should have continued or not, as somebody that saw it live, was never an argument to me. It should have ended. Nothing that happened on that show was so important that it had to play out on that evening. Undertaker could have won the WWF title on another night, and maybe somebody would have cared then.

Out of all the wrestling deaths there have been, Owen Hart’s is the one you can blame his employer for without any question.

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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.

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Ladies and gentlemen, welcome back to the Chairshot Staff Picks. And what better setting than WrestleMania for this article to return! This 41st edition has one of the most stacked rosters in WWE history. So, without further ado, let us get to the predictions and prognostications…

  • AJ – The New Day
  • Andrew – The New Day – No one seems to hold tag titles long anymore.
  • Dave – The New Day – They have earned it.
  • DJ – The New Day – Feel tha Powah!
  • DPP – War Raiders – Big E distraction.
  • Jason – The New Day – We are not getting E in a working capacity though everyone wants it.
  • Patrick – The New Day – WWE doesn’t care about this match, so why should I?
  • Rey – The New Day – Its a New Day, bruh.
  • Rob – The New Day – New Day rocks and wins!
  • Greg – The New Day – New. Day wins. New. Day wins!

Tunney’s Take: War Machine – Yes, WAR MACHINE. I have personally had the pleasure of throwing back a few cold ones with these guys on more than one occasion. Not only being tag champs in WWE but defending the titles at Mania and against The New Day is really cool for me as a long-time fan. Would it be fun to see The New Day have another title run.. YES. I think it’s smarter to give the War Raiders a big Mania W.

Chairshot Pick: THE NEW DAY 9-2

  • AJ – Jade Cargill
  • Andrew – Jade Cargill – She needs to stay a dominant force.
  • Dave – Jade Cargill – Gotta gear her up for the long term.
  • DJ – No contest – Naomi puts another beat down on Jade.
  • DPP – Jade Cargill – Nervous for how this match will go.
  • Jason – Naomi – Way more runway with Naomi as a bad guy. Keep it going!
  • Patrick – Jade Cargill – Jade gets her revenge.
  • Rey – Jade Cargill – Best non-title feud going. Naomi should win but Jade sneaks by.
  • Rob – Naomi – Naomi gets help to win.
  • Greg – Jade Cargill – They ain’t beating Jade here.

Tunney’s Take: Jade Cargill – I imagine WWE sees Jade’s ceiling much higher than Naomi’s. What better way to keep Jade climbing the ladder towards a World Title than to pick up a decisive victory in Vegas!

Chairshot Pick: Jade Cargill 8-2-1

  • AJ – Jacob Fatu – “AJ does a pretty good LA Knight impersonation” – PC Tunney
  • Andrew – Jacob Fatu – I’m biased, Jacob for President.
  • Dave – Jacob Fatu – Getting gold back in the Bloodline is smart.
  • DJ – Jacob Fatu
  • DPP – Jacob Fatu
  • Jason – Jacob Fatu – Thanks for coming pal, YEAH!
  • Patrick – Jacob Fatu
  • Rey – Jacob Fatu – C’mon cuz! All gas no brakes with it. Yadadamean??
  • Rob – LA Knight – Solo costs Jacob.
  • Greg – LA Knight – Solo screws Jacob.

Tunney’s Take: Jacob Fatu – It has been quite the journey for the Samoan Werewolf. I feel like that journey and the positive turn around it has taken deserves to be rewarded. Let’s see what Jacob can do on his own. Plus, LA Knight is ready to challenge for a World Title.

Chairshot Pick: Jacob Fatu 9-2

  • AJ – Tiffany Straton
  • Andrew – Tiffany Straton – I hate Charlotte Flair, no objectivity here.
  • Dave – Charlotte Flair – Tiffy might be the future, but she kinda failed the litmus test.
  • DJ – Charlotte Flair – The Queen crowns the freshman.
  • DPP – Tiffany Stratton
  • Jason – Charlotte Flair – Tiff wasn’t ready for this spot. Charnos is inevitable.
  • Patrick – Charlotte Flair – Lol Charlotte wins.
  • Rey – Charlotte Flair – Tiffany SHOULD win but, if Charlotte can squash, she will.
  • Rob – Charlotte Flair – Charlotte gets number 15.
  • Greg – Tiffany Stratton – Lol Charlotte wins. (Actually she doesn’t)

Tunney’s Take: Charlotte Flair – Charlotte needs the title for the first time in her career. Tiffy has had a nice run but now needs to take that all important step of not losing momentum after losing the title. Despite the drama and lackluster build here, I see a really good match coming this weekend from these two.

Chairshot Pick: Charlotte Flair 7-4

  • AJ – El Grande Americano
  • Andrew – El Grande Americano – I’d like to see Gable gain some momentum. Rey is Teflon.
  • Dave – El Grand Americano – He needs a marque win much more than Rey.
  • DJ – Rey Mysterio
  • DPP – El Grande Americano – Grande wins with the switcheroo to prove he is not Gable.
  • Jason – Rey Mysterio – Unmask Grande at the end. It is fun but has a shelf life.
  • Patrick – El Grande Americano – TOTALLY NOT CHAD GABLE
  • Rey – Rey Mysterio – Someone’s mask is coming off and it ain’t Rey.
  • Rob – El Grande Americano
  • Greg – Rey Mysterio – Hall of Famer wins but doesn’t take the mask.

Tunney’s Take: Rey Mysterio – Go listen to DWI 471. DP, Greg and I lay out exactly what this match should be, FUN! Multiple Americanos!!!

Chairshot Pick: El Grande Americano 6-5

  • AJ – Jey Uso
  • Andrew – Jey Uso – Kinda booked themselves into a corner here.
  • Dave – Jey Uso – It just makes sense.
  • DJ – Jey Uso – Jey YEETS all over The Ring Genreal.
  • DPP – Jey Uso – Jey wins after normal Gunther beating.
  • Jason – Jey Uso – Land the plane man. YEET
  • Patrick – Jey Uso – Jey has earned this one.
  • Rey – Jey Uso – YEEEEEEEEEEEET!
  • Rob – Jey Uso – YEET
  • Greg – Jey Uso – If Jey loses we riot. We don’t cause he wins.

Tunney’s Take: Jey Uso – ‘Til sweat drop down my balls, ‘Til all these bitches crawl, ‘Til all… YEET YEET YEET YEET YEET YEET YEET YEET YEET YEET YEET YEET YEET YEET YEET YEET YEET YEET YEET YEET YEET YEET YEET!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Chairshot Pick: Jey Uso 11-0

  • AJ – Roman Reigns
  • Andrew – Seth Rollins – I can see Rollins being the last piece of Team Rock.
  • Dave – Roman Reigns – I can’t see Roman losing two years in a row.
  • DJ – Seth Rollins – Paul Heyman is a Seth Freakin Rollins guy.
  • DPP – Seth Rollins – The Rock helps Rollins.
  • Jason – Roman Reigns – Seth’s favor is a red herring. Make-A-Wish Brooks got his main, now look at the lights.
  • Patrick – Seth Rollins – Seth Rollins… Paul Heyman guy.
  • Rey – Seth Rollins – I smeeeeellllllll a new soul to sell.
  • Rob – Roman Reigns – Paul Heyman helps Roman win.
  • Greg – Seth Rollins – Brock Lesnar returns to help Seth win.

Tunney’s Take: CM Punk – I really have no idea here. I picked Punk because nobody else did. This is going to be professional wrestling cinema at its finest. The story is thick and neatly woven. All the participants are legends and so are the potential party crashers. Will The Rock stick his nose in here? Will Brock Lesnar return to play a factor? Obviously, Paul Heyman has a Plan A… but what is it? All these questions and more will be answered Saturday as night 1 will definitely go out with a bang!

Chairshot Pick: Seth Rollins 6-4-1

  • AJ – Iyo Sky
  • Andrew – Iyo Sky – Rhea vs Bianca doesn’t need a belt to be compelling.
  • Dave – Rhea Ripley – Going with Rhea barely, hoping Iyo wins.
  • DJ – Iyo Sky – Unfinished business.
  • DPP – Iyo Sky – Rhea and Bianca are too consumed with each other.
  • Jason – Iyo Sky – More layers to Rhea/Bianca. Iyo rules.
  • Patrick – Iyo Sky – Iyo stole the build and gets the win.
  • Rey – Iyo Sky – Smart money is on the underdog champ.
  • Rob – Iyo Sky – Iyo survives.
  • Greg – Bianca Belair – Naomi helps Bianca win and turn heel.

Tunney’s Take: Rhea Ripley – Rhea is the best women’s wrestler in the world. Give her the biggest win on the grandest stage of them all!!! Bianca needs to go full heel. Iyo has been amazing in this build.

Chairshot Pick: Iyo Sky 8-2-1

  • AJ – Dominik Mysterio
  • Andrew – Finn Balor – I can see a Judgement Day meltdown incoming.
  • Dave – Bron Breakker – Bron is about to become a MegaStar.
  • DJ – Bron Breakker – Judgement Day implodes.
  • DPP – Dominik Mysterio – Finn take the pin.
  • Jason – Penta – I literally do not care because the winner is us, the fans.
  • Patrick – Bron Breakker – The WWE doesn’t care about this matchup, so why should I?
  • Rey – Dominik Mysterio – Only match without a clear winner. I choose chaos.
  • Rob – Bron Breakker – Finn and Dom cancel each other out.
  • Greg – Dominik Mysterio – Dom steals the pin from Bron, on Finn.

Tunney’s Take: Bron Breakker – The case can be made for any of these four to walk away with the most prestigious non-World title in pro wrestling history. The short of it is though that the Main Event picture isn’t really readily accessible for Breakker right now. Let this IC reign go through the summer, to SummerSlam.

Chairshot Pick: Bron Breakker 5-4-1-1

  • AJ – Damian Priest – “AJ does a pretty good Drew impersonation” – PC Tunney
  • Andrew – Drew McIntyre – Priest has not been interesting in this face incarnation.
  • Dave – Drew McIntyre – Time for Drew to get that win back.
  • DJ – Fuck finish – To be continued at Backlash.
  • DPP – Drew McIntyre – Physical matchup!
  • Jason – Drew McIntyre – Either one is fine here.
  • Patrick – Drew McIntyre – With two eyes, Drew turns the tide.
  • Rey – Drew McIntyre – Low key match of the weekend.
  • Rob – Damien Priest
  • Greg – Damien Priest – Priest wins, Drew tweets about it half hour later.

Tunney’s Take: Drew McIntyre – With the addition of the Street fight rules, these two behemoths have a really good chance to have one of the best matches of the entire weekend (winks at Rey Ca$h-A-Mania)! I do wonder what is next for both of these talents moving forward. Priest has staled since leaving the Judgement Day and Drew seems stuck in the same cycle for a while now. Very interested to see what the summer holds for this pair.

Chairshot Pick: Drew McIntyre 7-3-1

WHO WILL BE RANDY’S OPPONENT?!?

  • AJ – Nick Aldis – Orton wins
  • Andrew – Orton and Aldis vs Solo and Tama – Orton and Aldis win
  • Dave – Someone is getting an RKO!
  • DJ – A segment w/ the Wyatt s6cks.
  • DPP – Rusev – Aldis introduces Rusev who defeats Orton.
  • Jason – Nick Aldis – You got one more in ya, bubba. Aldis wins!
  • Patrick – Nick Aldis
  • Rey – Solo then Rusev – Solo in a squash and Rusev MATCHKA(wins)
  • Rob – Nick Aldis – Aldis proves himself, Orton wins.
  • Greg – Nick Aldis – Orton beats Aldis, they shake after.

Tunney’s Take: I would really love to see a singles match between Orton and Aldis. More likely this is some type of involvement with Solo and Tama. Rusev as a surprise challenger would be cool but, I feel that would be better left for RAW. An impromptu Goldberg retirement match would be crazy and fun, yet highly unlikely and illogical. Whatever happens, best believe exactly what Dave Ungar said, “Someone is getting an RKO!”.

  • AJ – Logan Paul
  • Andrew – AJ Styles – Logan doesn’t need the rub and should stay upper mid card.
  • Dave – Logan Paul – It’s the smart move and would be a statement win for Paul.
  • DJ – Logan Paul – Kross gets involved somewhere.
  • DPP – AJ Styles – AJ wins a great high-flying match.
  • Jason – AJ Styles – Just enjoy it or get a beer, nerds.
  • Patrick – Logan Paul – Logan Paul will main-event Mania sooner than later…
  • Rey – Logan Paul – Pass the torch, my wily vet.
  • Rob – Logan Paul – Kross helps Paul win.
  • Greg – AJ Styles – Styles wins after Paul’s cheating backfires.

Tunney’s Take: Logan Paul – Logan seems to really have dedicated himself to becoming great in this business. Anyone with that type of goal must have a World title on their mind. Beating AJ at Mania will be a great springboard for Logan into the Main Event sooner than later (winks at Patrick O’Dowd).

Chairshot Pick: Logan Paul 7-4

  • AJ – Liv & Raquel
  • Andrew – Liv & Raquel – Not really a fan of Lyra, she needs more work.
  • Dave – Liv & Raquel – This Bayley and Lyra team makes no damn sense.
  • DJ – Liv & Raquel – Bayley crashes out.
  • DPP – Liv & Raquel – Bayley continues a potential heel turn tease.
  • Jason – Bayley & Lyra – Finish the story!
  • Patrick – Bayley & Lyra – The WWE doesn’t care about this matchup, so why should I?
  • Rey – Liv and Raquel – Bayley want a title but it ain’t the ones in this match.
  • Rob – Liv & Raquel – Champs retain.
  • Greg – Liv & Raquel – Liv and Raquel retain thanks to Carlito and maybe JD.

Tunney’s Take: Liv & Raquel – Liv and Raquel need to be kept as the cornerstone of the women’s tag division for a lengthier period of time. Building tag teams in this division is difficult enough, let alone without a North Star.

Chairshot Pick: Liv & Raquel 9-2

  • AJ – Cody Rhodes
  • Andrew – Cody Rhodes – They are mentioning it so much, I don’t think 17 happens.
  • Dave – Joh Cena – Record falls and we head to summer with a built-in storyline.
  • DJ – John Cena – Some kind of Final Boss involvement.
  • DPP – John Cena – Cena wins and retires on RAW.
  • Jason – John Cena – Story’s over, “Captain” BIG MATCH JOHN.
  • Patrick – John Cena – A record breaking night for Cena.
  • Rey – John Cena – They’d be really stupid to turn John just to lose. (Post-Mania: Rock, Cena, T Scott, Seth & Drew, TEAM Corporate)
  • Rob – Cody Rhodes – Cody surprises us with the W.
  • Greg – Cody Rhodes – Cody wins to piss off Rock and set the table for Cena to turn back face. Crowd is behind Cena all the way through.

Tunney’s Take: Cody Rhodes – They had me until the threat of retirement. Been there. Done that. Didn’t fall in love with it back then. I love John Cena. I love this final run. John will get his 17th just not here. I expect nothing less than an absolute GEM of a match here to close WrestleMania 41. This has all been, is, and will continue to be about Cody Rhodes. WM40 defeats Roman Reigns. WM41 defeats John Cena. WM42 defeats The Rock (The Final Boss).

Chairshot Pick: John Cena 6-5

In closing I want to thank everyone on the panel for participating with their picks! You can follow each prognosticator/podcaster on X @ the handles below. We wait all year for this so remember three things… be respectful of others, comparison is the thief of joy and HAVE FUN!

  • AJ – @PhenomenalAJB
  • Andrew – @IWCWarChief
  • Dave – @AttitudeAgg
  • DJ – @TheMindlessPod
  • DPP – @itsmeDPP
  • Jason – @JediFett
  • Patrick – @WrestlngRealist
  • Rey – @itsreycash
  • Rob – @rbonne1
  • Greg – @gregdemarco44
  • PC – @PCTunney
  • TheChairshot.com – @ChairshotMedia

For the latest, greatest and up to datest in coverage, opinions, and podcasts ALWAYS #UseYourHead and visit TheCharishot.com

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About Chairshot Radio Network

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)

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WEDNESDAY – The Greg DeMarco Show (wrestling) 

THURSDAY – POD is WAR 

FRIDAY – DWI Podcast (Drunk Wrestling Intellect)

SATURDAY – The Mindless Wrestling Podcast

SUNDAY – The Front and Center Sports Podcast / The Oddity… Keeping the news ridiculous!

CHAIRSHOT RADIO NETWORK PODCAST SPECIALS

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

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

Patrick O’Dowd’s 5X5

 


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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


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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

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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.

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


Powered by RedCircle


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