Opinion

Mishal’s Top 5 Matches In WWE Extreme Rules History

With WWE Extreme Rules right around the corner, Mishal takes a look at the Top 5 matches at WWE’s annual “extreme” themed card!

Published

5 years ago

July 3, 2020

Mishal Shuhaiber

Brock Lesnar John Cena WWE Extreme Rules Chairshot Edit

With WWE Extreme Rules right around the corner, Mishal takes a look at the Top 5 matches at WWE’s annual “extreme” themed card!

WWE always claims that Extreme Rules is the one night of the year that the WWE ‘goes extreme’, the one night of the year where ‘anything goes’, where the stipulations come out in full force, weapons are scattered all over the place & the superstars of WWE go the furthest lengths to inflict as much pain on their fellow rivals as possible. It serves as the perfect release for fans bored of the standard wrestling cards we get most of the time across the business and allows for a release from much of the pent up aggression we can sometimes feel.

Extreme Rules, not just as a stipulation but as a show concept is an ideal way to either build or cap off the biggest feuds on your programming. From blood feuds to long-winded ones that are in need of closure the event allows for a solid amount of creativity that other events can’t always implement due to certain stipulations requiring a specific time & place, which is why this event can be so vital to the fanbase as a whole.

Over the years the event has been somewhat slept on by many people, primarily because the past few renditions of the show haven’t exactly been all that memorable. Nor has it lived up to the mantle of being ‘extreme’ per se. A lot of this could be directed to the shift in programming being increasingly more family-friendly over the years, but a part of me thinks this is out of sheer laziness on the creative team’s behalf.

When the show has reached its peak though, it can be downright fantastic, providing matches that are constantly overlooked.

And since the latest edition is right around the corner as we speak, let’s take a little glance at the 5 best matches in the history of the Extreme Rules pay-per-view.

Honourable Mentions:

Hornswoggle vs El Torito (Extreme Rules 2014)
On paper, the ‘WeeLC’ match should have been a colossal failure, but the fact that WWE succeeded in executing this match as well as it ended up being is something I’ll always praise them for. Fully embracing the ludicrous gimmick at play in ways nobody pictured this is one of my personal favourite guilty pleasure matches of the decade. It’s packed with action, insane spots & blows me away everytime I see it.

Edge vs Jeff Hardy – World Heavyweight Championship Match (Extreme Rules 2009)
One of the most criminally overlooked ladder matches in recent memory. Considering the amount of history between the two, Hardy’s incredible babyface run over the course of the two years leading up to this & the heights they went to in order to finally see Hardy realize his dream was worth every minute of this underrated classic.

The Miz vs John Cena vs John Morrison – WWE Championship Match (Extreme Rules 2011)
Not a lot of people talk about this match, probably because a particular moment from this evening (which I’ll touch on in a bit) overshadowed its genuine brilliance. Being held inside a Steel Cage can be somewhat of a restriction to most competitors, but Cena, Miz & Morrison used their surroundings perfectly alongside their individual character traits to craft an enthralling main event. Even though the finish was slightly predictable, this one still holds up all these years later.

CM Punk vs Randy Orton (Extreme Rules 2011)
While it wasn’t at the highest point of CM Punk’s career, his 2011 rivalry with Randy Orton resulted in some genuinely fantastic matches, this being the best of them. Unlike their standard match at WrestleMania prior to this one, this was packed with brutality, intensity & a much-needed example of just how good Punk was at the time despite coming up short. What followed Punk shortly after this is far more noteworthy than the match itself, but this is still amongst the best Last Man Standing matches in recent mem

Roman Reigns vs AJ Styles – WWE Championship Match (Extreme Rules 2016)
More than just a fantastic main event, this was the closest we’ll get to seeing an Attitude Era-Esque match in a modern professional wrestling setting. Reigns & Styles have chemistry that not enough people talk about, their matches are put on at a ridiculous pace, endless amounts of big moves but more importantly understand how to play off one another to perfection. This was a wild main event, that never slowed down & established AJ Styles as a big name just months into his WWE career.

Top 5 Matches In WWE Extreme Rules History

5. Rey Mysterio vs Chris Jericho – Intercontinental Championship Match (Extreme Rules 2009)

In careers packed with history, some of the industry’s most iconic moments, incredible matches against a whos who of talent & an ability to only grow better with age, Rey Mysterio & Chris Jericho are some of the very rare talents we as fans get to see come along. Regardless of who their opponent is, the night of the week or the event, you know you’re in for something special when either man walks out into the squared circle to do battle.

Their 2009 feud, is in my opinion, the most overlooked of either man’s career to this point (although the work they’re doing in both AEW & WWE at the moment, respectively is superb). It was a feud that started on the simple premise of try to be the better man but soon transformed into Jericho’s obsession with trying to unmask Mysterio from the mask that is more or less who he is at that stage in his career. This was the 2nd match in an already intense feud, stipulated under ‘No Disqualification’ rules to allow each man to do their worst, and it resulted in an unsung classic of how to execute professional wrestling storytelling.

Many will place the Jeff Hardy & Edge main event from the 2009 event above this one but there’s something about the chemistry between Jericho & Mysterio that always draws me in. Neither man seems to miss a beat when they’re mixing in the ring together, with near-flawless pacing that replicates their work years prior in WCW during the company’s most successful days. This particular match was the perfect blend of aggression, unhinged cruiserweight action & storytelling, leading to a finish that at the time was gloriously wicked considering what it represents to the wider wrestling community, and still does. Considering this isn’t even the best match of their feud that year is a testament to the work rate these two have when performing but is still a match I highly recommend since many forget just how incredible their work in 2009 ended up being.

4. The Shield vs Evolution (Extreme Rules 2014)

Talk about dream matches for the ages. In 2014 there wasn’t a single match that was more talked about than when The Shield stepped up to the reformed, newly improved Evolution, in their first match together in just about a decade following their split years prior.

At this time there were few things in wrestling more prestigious than Seth Rollins, Dean Ambrose (the now, Jon Moxley) & Roman Reigns, a faction of wrestlers so immensely talented that they turned anything they touched into pure gold. Whether they were winning championships, stealing the show regardless of their place on the card or dismantling every WWE legend there is to name at that time (The Undertaker, The Rock, John Cena, Kane, Big Show, Mark Henry, Randy Orton to name a few), the three young men had a reputation for being the very best, most dangerous group of talent the business had on offer across the board. And it was tough to argue that position, they demanded it if anything. It was this reputation that made this the landmark occasion it was, a collision between wrestling’s past & wrestling’s future in a match we never thought we’d see with our own eyes.

To put it simply, it was special.

Despite being held under traditional tag team rules, this was war if there ever was one. It started off a little bit slow but over time built to the brawl you were expecting it to be, delivering all the goods you’d want from six men who have a reputation for their insane physicality in the ring. What this match did more than anything was display each mans individual set of skills that made them special. From Batista’s brute strength, Triple H’s brutality, Randy Orton’s snake-like offence, Seth Rollins incredible agility, Dean Ambrose’s lunacy or Roman Reign’s no-nonsense brawling, it highlighted everyone & turned this into a platform for the three younger men to bounce off of. More than anything else this was about cementing The Shield as the standard-bearers for how a faction in professional wrestling should both look & feel, and with it being one of their final matches together I can’t imagine a higher note to go out on.

3. Christian vs Alberto Del Rio – World Heavyweight Championship Match (Extreme Rules 2011)

As beautiful as professional wrestling can be, you don’t always ‘feel’ every big moment you see. Extreme Rules 2011, was one of those rare moments where everyone cried tears of joy.

Following the heart-breaking retirement of the ‘Rated R Superstar’ Edge, the Ladder Match between Edge’s real-life best friend Christian & Alberto Del Rio could not have come with higher stakes behind it. Not only was the match for the now vacant World Heavyweight Championship, but it would also mark the first time either man would claim a World Championship in WWE since their respective debuts. Del Rio at the time was one of the company’s golden boys, a heel that was always billed close to the top of the card in some manner & was riding a solid wave of momentum prior to this match. Christian, on the other hand, was a star always thrust back from reaching ‘The Big One’ in WWE, even though he holds one of the most consistent track records a wrestler could want, always stealing the show regardless of what or who he was up against.

As you’d expect from the stakes, this was a masterful contest that stands as one of the best of either man’s career. Both men have always had chemistry in the ring that few can boast is as good, but this struck a different chord with fans. Packed with jaw-dropping action, brutality throughout, incredible high-spots, the drama you’d expect from any championship match & a level of experience from Christian that helped take this up to another level, it was the kind of big match fans pay money for. Easily the height of the matches emotions came towards the end, as Del Rio was about to clinch a victory was distracted by a surprise appearance from Edge himself who appeared from out of nowhere to assist his outnumbered best friend to a victory that had the arena shaking from the rafters with excitement.

Professional wrestling rarely writes moments as beautiful & as genuine as this one ended up. Despite the circumstances, this is the kind of storytelling fans live for.

2. Sheamus vs Daniel Bryan – World Heavyweight Championship Match (Extreme Rules 2012)

In terms of being ‘extreme’, I can’t say this meets the standard. However, in terms of being a straightforward, brutal, exhausting wrestling match, this excels above & beyond even the ability of both Daniel Bryan & Sheamus that you’ve come to expect. Even though the match itself wasn’t contested in a particularly brutal setting, one without cages, weapons, tables or a variety of items to use, the condition of both men coming out of this looked like they’d been through a plane crash. 2-out of-3 Falls matches have a tendency to be long-winded & exhausting, this might be the best of them that the WWE has presented over the last decade or so.

In front of a molten Chicago crowd, yearning for the new rising star Daniel Bryan and his newly coined ‘Yes!’ chant to take over following an explosive WrestleMania, the atmosphere for this threw me back to the old days of ECW. This didn’t feel like your standard WWE match, the pacing & action was punishing, much more than other matches of this kind & the fans only aided. A rabid audience that just wanted to see a fantastic wrestling match & nothing else, and they got what they desired in spades. This match was everything their WrestleMania XXVIII (and even their scrapped XXVII) encounter should have been in retrospect, despite that matches successes. It was a star-making performance for Daniel Bryan, who was slowly ascending up the company ranks despite some hesitancy from the ‘higher-ups’ & a reminder to fans of just how good of a natural brawler Sheamus is when he’s allowed to be who he is, a pure warrior.

While it may not stand at the most ‘extreme’ contest on this list or in the chronology of the Extreme Rules event, it stands amongst the best matches the event has ever seen & a match that deserves more attention than it seems to get. Regardless of your preferences, this is a match I’d go as far to call simply essential.

1. John Cena vs Brock Lesnar (Extreme Rules 2012)

When it comes to WWE’s PG-era of programming, it’s going to be very difficult to get anymore ‘extreme’ that John Cena & Brock Lesnar got in 2012.

Their epic main event came off the heels of one of the most remarkable returns in company history when Lesnar returned the night after WrestleMania XXVIII in Miami, where Cena was on the receiving end of an F5 that set the stage for a rematch between the two almost a decade after their previous outing against one another. Lesnar came into this the ultimate outsider, a monster with no chains, completely unhinged & one with no respect for those around him, which was the perfect setup to collide against the very face of WWE in John Cena, off a heartbreaking loss to The Rock just weeks prior.

More than just being a collision between two bonafide box office draws, this match was unlike any other you’ve likely ever seen. In fact, this wasn’t even a wrestling match, it was a fight, an incredibly brutal one for that matter. Nothing about this fell under the traditional structure of a WWE main event, everything about it was brutal, methodical, hard to watch & punishing by blending Lesnar’s MMA background against his ridiculous agility for a man his size. The result was a near 20-minute beatdown of Cena into a bloody pulp, hurling him around the ring, clobbering him in ways never seen before & tearing the ringside area apart to inflict as much punishment as possible. For a re-introduction to Brock Lesnar after all his years away from the sport, it couldn’t have been done better. The final result is still a divisive one for many fans, myself included, who see Cena’ victory as a colossal mistake, but that doesn’t take away from the sheer brutality this managed to convey, especially with many doubting the levels it reached considering the company guidelines.

It may not be a ‘mat classic’, but in terms of story & spectacle, you’d struggle to find anything as jaw-dropping as what these two men on this night in Chicago. As many times as I’ve seen this, it holds up remarkably well to this very day & was an early warning of just how chaotic the next few years of Brock Lesnar would come to be in WWE. Besides being a phenomenal event, it was everything the Extreme Rules mantle should represent.

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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

2 days 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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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

4 days 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.