Opinion

Cook’s Top 5: 2006 Wrestling Memories

The journey continues! Steve Cook stops his time travel in 2006, when he graduates college and Kurt Angle…..graduates to TNA?

Published

5 years ago

August 29, 2020

Steve Cook

Kurt Angle TNA Impact Wrestling Chairshot Edit

The journey continues! Steve Cook stops his time travel in 2006, when he graduates college and Kurt Angle…..graduates to TNA?

2006 was a busy year.

I graduated from college & entered the “real world”. However, I still had a lot of attention on what some would call the “fake world” of pro wrestling. There was a lot going on locally, and I was in the thick of a lot of it. Let’s look at my 5 most vivid memories of 2006 as we continue my celebration of 30 glorious years as a wrestling fan.

5. OVW & HWA in Cincinnati?

To be honest, Cincinnati has never really been a tip-top wrestling market. The Sheik ran shows there for awhile, Ole Anderson & Jim Crockett tried after that, and national promotions have stopped by a couple of times a year or so, but Cincinnati isn’t mentioned as a top wrestling city like a lot of Midwestern towns are. Regional promotions had a tough time breaking into the area for years. I’d read about companies like the USWA & SMW that operated right on the border, but never quite got that far north. They got their shows on a low-powered station, but never toured ECW ran a total of one show in Cincinnati. Heck, ROH got as close as Dayton, but didn’t crack that Cincinnati barrier until the Sinclair era.

So it was interesting in 2006 when Ohio Valley Wrestling finally got a TV deal in Cincinnati. Good timing for me since I’d just moved back to the area from Louisville. However, it wasn’t exactly the best timing for OVW. Jim Cornette had been forced out of the company. Paul Heyman took over creative for awhile, but by this time he was working for WWE’s ECW brand. So the booking wasn’t exactly what it was in OVW’s glory days, the talent wasn’t exactly what it was then, and overall it just wasn’t quite up to what I had seen in Louisville. There was some talent that would become something later. Some kid named Cody Runnels was teaming with Shawn Spears. Colt Cabana & Matt Sydal made their way in. Katie Lea & Beth Phoenix were doing good things in the women’s division. There were bits & pieces, but it just wasn’t like the old days when the Disnmores, Conways, Damajas & Machines were carrying the territory with Bolin Services & the Disciples of Synn at their apex of heeldom.

Another interesting part of OVW getting a TV deal: the HWA got a spot on right after them. There was some talent there too! A very young Jon Moxley, Cannonball Callihan & the Crist Brothers were starting out. However, they weren’t what they would become, and the production of the show was beyond godawful. It was a really cool idea to have pro wrestling on local television in 2006, but it was a bit ahead of its time.

4. Kurt Angle moves to TNA

One of the big backstage stories of 2006 involved the physical & mental health of Kurt Angle. Things weren’t going well for him on WWE’s full-time schedule, so he asked for his release. Shortly after, he popped up in TNA and a lot of people were worried. I remember 411 posting a column from a new writer that was convinced that Angle would die in a TNA ring. That didn’t happen.

Angle did have some ups & downs during his TNA stint, but it didn’t go nearly as poorly as people feared. The lighter schedule helped Angle stay active in wrestling well into the 2010s and produce some great matches on TNA events. All in all, I’d say things worked out for the best.

3. Backlash 2006

It was time for final exams in college. So what was I doing? Traveling to Lexington for a wrestling show, of course! Backlash 2006 was the show, and I got some results via History of WWE, who also present some other results that will appear later.

Heat – featured Joey Styles & Jerry Lawler on commentary: Goldust pinned Rob Conway with a powerslam at 3:38

My friend was hoping for a CM Punk vs. Rob Conway match, so when Conway came out we were wondering if he got it right for a second. Also, Conway’s theme at this point was tremendous:

Doesn’t age well though, with a lyric like “Unlike you, I’ve had my way with many, many girls”. Sounds a bit problematic.

Carlito Caribbean Cool pinned Chris Masters with the Back Cracker and putting both feet on the middle rope for leverage at 9:58 after Masters hit the top turnbuckle face-first; after the bout, Maria showed several comments from fans earlier in the night of who they thought would win the night’s main event triple threat match; she introduced the backstage segment by saying Masters won the opening match and ended by segment by interviewing Lita about Edge’s participation in the main event
Umaga (w/ Armando Allejandro Estrada) pinned Ric Flair with a thumb strike to the throat at 3:29 following a headbutt off the middle turnbuckle
Trish Stratus defeated WWE Women’s Champion Mickie James via disqualification at 4:05 when the champion refused to stop choking Trish; mid-way through the bout, Trish fell to the floor, dislocating her shoulder

Kind of disappointing to see a Ric Flair match (even in 2006) be a squash, though it was the right result for Umaga. Definitely disappointing for Trish vs. Mickie to get cut short due to an injury, I was looking forward to that one.

Rob Van Dam pinned WWE IC Champion Shelton Benjamin to win the title with the Five Star Frog Splash at 18:41 after using the Van Daminator to send the Money in the Bank briefcase into the champion’s face; had Benjamin won the match he would have earned RVD’s Money in the Bank world title shot (History of the Intercontinental Championship)
The Big Show fought Kane to a no contest at around the 8-minute mark when, after Kane knocked Show to the floor, red lights shone over the ring and Kane’s own voice could be heard saying “It’s happening again … May 19th … Do you remember what happened on that day?;” for several minutes, Kane appeared in pain until Show hit him over the head with a steel chair, causing the lights to come back on and the voice to disappear

RVD vs. Shelton was good. I think Big Show vs. Kane might still rank as the worst match I’ve ever seen live, which is saying something. The booking was brutal, and the action wasn’t exactly stellar. May 19th was another one of those amazing storylines for Kane, leading to the man later known as Luke Gallows appearing in a 1990s Kane outfit way before he was ready to go on TV. Bad times.

Vince & Shane McMahon defeated Shawn Michaels in a no holds barred handicap match at 19:59 when Vince scored the pin after WWE Raw Tag Team Champions the Spirit Squad interfered, with all five Squad members throwing Michaels through a table set up in the ring; the match was officially billed as a tag team match with “God” as Michaels’ partner; prior to the bout, Vince added the no holds barred stipulation after introducing “God” to the ring; Jim Ross referred to the finish on air as “bullshit;” after the match, the McMahons were hoisted on the Squad’s shoulders at the entrance stage

I’m not the most religious person, but I thought this entire storyline with Shawn teaming with “God” & Vince’s sacrilegious promos was complete garbage. Shawn tried in the match, but it was a lost cause going in. Follow this up with an in-ring promo with Eugene & Matt Striker, and it was a rough lead-in to the main event.

WWE World Champion John Cena defeated Triple H and Edge (w/ Lita) in a No DQ match at 17:34 by pinning Triple H after revering an attempt at the Pedigree into a roll over; after the bout, Triple H hit the referee, Edge, and Cena in the face with his sledgehammer before giving several crotch chops and leaving the ring as the show came to an end (Triple H: The King of Kings)

Perfectly fine PPV main event. I wouldn’t say it was enough to save the show, and some of the in-ring shenanigans led to some discontent from the Kentucky Boxing & Wrestling Authority. Kentucky wasn’t big on blood, thanks to some of Ian Rotten’s IWA Mid-South bloodfests from back in the day receiving complaints from the locals. WWE asked for permission, the state said no, and WWE did it anyway because that’s how they roll. Several fines were issued, and in related news, WWE hasn’t held a PPV in Kentucky since Backlash 2006.

2. ROH vs. CZW

I attended four Ring of Honor shows at the Montgomery County Fairgrounds in 2006. Looking back now, I consider 2006 to be the peak of ROH for a number of reasons.

-Bryan Danielson was tremendous as champion for almost the entire calendar year.
-Jimmy Jacobs was in love with Lacey.
-Ring of Honor was in a bitter feud with Combat Zone Wrestling.

ROH & CZW both looked to fill the void left in the scene by their fellow Philly wrestling staple, Extreme Championship Wrestling. CZW’s idea was to make things ultraviolent. Sure, it was also the home of some fantastic non-hardcore wrestlers, many of whom would eventually work for ROH & other feds, but most of CZW’s popularity back in the day was built off of the ultraviolence. That’s what drew fans to the bingo hall & kept CZW running all those years. You can argue over how much violence a wrestling show needs, but I’ll always believe that every wrestling promotion needs to present at least a little danger to keep things interesting.

As much as ROH has always claimed to be all about “pure wrestling”, they’ve presented their fair share of violence over the years. The same fans that claim to prefer ROH due to having the best bell to bell in-ring grappling action lose their minds during brawls, or when foreign objects get introduced to matches. It’s only human.

ROH’s presentation of its feud with CZW was one of the few times that a promotion vs. promotion feud actually worked. CZW got plenty of times to shine, like at Tag Wars 2006 at Dayton in January where those hooligans Chris Hero & Necro Butcher tried to ruin the show by tearing the entrance down. Or during Weekend of Champions Night 1 in April, where Team CZW got the win in a wild brawl that led to B.J. Whitmer being stretchered out on a table. Of course, ROH got plenty of victories as well, and did win the big blowoff match at Death Before Dishonor IV in the Cage of Death. Fun times were had by all, and ROH fans were introduced to a number of wrestlers that would appear in the future.

One of which was the Necro Butcher, who had already become a favorite of mine due to watching some of his more hardcore matches and that Samoa Joe match. The ROH vs. CZW feud ended in Philadelphia, but two weeks later, Necro & Whitmer settled their personal issue in a barbed wire match in Dayton. B.J. got the win, but one got the feeling that the Butcher would be back in ROH rings soon enough.

CZW’s presentation of their feud with ROH didn’t go nearly as well. Owner John Zandig didn’t really want anything to do with it, other higher-ups in the company weren’t really interested either and it pretty much flamed out. Kind of a trend in CZW over the years, but at least Zandig got his proper respect on the most recent AEW Dynamite.

1. WWE vs. ECW Head To Head

I told you earlier about a WWE pay per view event I attended that was…well, a pay per view event that I attended. In June, I would head up to Dayton for something that ended up being a lot more fun. The stars of WWE & ECW were facing off in the Nutter Center for a USA Network special to hype the upcoming One Night Stand & the debut of ECW as a WWE brand.

WWE @ Dayton, OH – Nutter Center – June 7, 2006 (4,700)
WWE IC Champion Shelton Benjamin defeated Carlito Caribbean Cool
Matt Hardy defeated Jon Bolen
Jimmy Yang defeated Tatanka

Shelton & Carlito worked a time limit gimmick, as I recall, it was either fifteen or twenty minutes, with Shelton getting the win at the last second. I want to say this was the first appearance of Jimmy under his eventual cowboy gimmick, as he got the win over a Native American. The dark match period also saw Dusty Rhodes come out to cut a promo hyping his DVD, which was a welcome bonus.

WWE vs. ECW – shown live on the USA Network – opened with Mick Foley and Paul Heyman giving inspiration to the WWE and ECW locker rooms, respectively; featured Jim Ross & Jerry Lawler on commentary representing the WWE and Joey Styles & Tazz representing ECW, with Ross and Styles having to keep Lawler and Tazz apart prior to the matches; included a commercial advertising the debut of ECW on the Sci-Fi Channel the following Tuesday night; featured an in-ring promo by Kurt Angle regarding the attack he sustained by Randy Orton on Raw and their upcoming match at ECW One Night Stand; moments later, Orton interrupted, saying the new ECW Kurt Angle would be facing the new Monday Night Raw Randy Orton, that he would make Angle pay for breaking his ankle, and that he would kill the legend of ECW in one match; included a vignette focusing on Sabu; featured an in-ring promo by Paul Heyman in which he announced the return of ECW to network TV the following Tuesday, ran down the scheduled card for ECW One Night Stand, and then showed highlights of last year’s event; featured a look at Kane’s appearance in “See No Evil”:

Rob Van Dam pinned World Heavyweight Champion Rey Mysterio Jr. in a No DQ non-title match at 10:43 with the Five Star Frog Splash after Mysterio missed a springboard legdrop and fell onto a steel chair; Mysterio had the chair placed across him as RVD went up top but Mysterio threw it off him as Van Dam was in mid-air; after the bout, RVD helped Mysterio to his feet (ECW: Extreme Rules)
WWE Women’s Champion Mickie James pinned Jazz in a non-title match at 2:01 with a jumping DDT

Tough to go wrong with Rey & RVD. Mickie & Jazz only going 2 minutes was the WWE women’s division of the time period, and the AEW women’s division of the now. Yeah, I had to say it.

The Big Show won a 20-man WWE / ECW battle royal by last eliminating Randy Orton at 14:20 after hitting the chokeslam; the match originally ended at 13:32 when Orton eliminated Kurt Angle, seemingly giving the WWE team the victory as both Orton and Show were left in the ring; moments later, Show ripped off his Raw shirt to reveal an ECW shirt underneath; order of elimination: Mark Henry by Angle & Little Guido at the 14-second mark; Matt Hardy by Terry Funk & Justin Credible at the 47-second mark; Guido by Show via a punch off the apron at 1:19; Tatanka by Dreamer at 1:32; Carlito Caribbean Cool by Sandman via a dropkick off the apron at 1:44; Tony Mamaluke by Edge via a hiptoss over the top at 1:56; Dreamer by Orton & Edge at 2:07; Funk by Edge & Finlay at 6:03; Credible by Finlay at 6:19; Al Snow by WWE IC Champion Shelton Benjamin via a kick to the head after Benjamin avoided being hit with Head at 6:49; Stevie Richards by WWE US Champion Bobby Lashley at 7:01; Balls Mahoney by Lashley at 7:16; Lashley by Angle at 7:21; Sandman by Orton at 11:26; Benjamin by Angle at 11:39; Finlay by Angle via a catapult at 13:11; Edge by Angle via a belly to belly suplex over the top at 13:26 as Edge attempted the spear; Angle by Orton at 13:32; Edge spent the majority of the match outside the ring, interfering only long enough to eliminate someone near the ropes (ECW One Night Stand 2)

This might have been the first “everybody wrestles in a brand t-shirt” match, but I’m sure I’m forgetting something. Big Show turning on somebody was certainly a shocking development.

Edge (w/ Lita & Mick Foley) pinned Tommy Dreamer (w/ Terry Funk) in a No DQ match at 6:45 with the spear as Dreamer attempted to powerbomb an interfering Lita, while Foley and Funk battled outside the ring; after the commercial break, Foley sat alone in the ring and cut a lengthy promo on how he planned to end the heroes of ECW at One Night Stand

I got to see Terry Funk punch Mick Foley right in front of me. That would have been on my bucket list if I had one at the time. Foley later wrote in his Hardcore Diaries that he didn’t think the promo got over well with the Ohio crowd. I thought it did, but I also thought that HHH/HBK Cell match got over with the crowd. So what did I know?

WWE World Champion John Cena defeated Sabu via disqualification at 8:04 when the Big Show interfered and attacked the champion as Sabu was caught in the STFU; prior to the bout, Lawler and Tazz brawled around ringside until they were broken apart by officials and returned to their commentary duties; after the match, both rosters engaged in an in-ring brawl to close the broadcast

John Cena vs. Sabu is a main event that I watched in person. Can anybody top that with a more random main event they watched in person? Hit me up on the Twitter & let me know. 2006 was one of those years. This show gave me some hope for the new ECW, which lasted up until the debut of the Zombie. All downhill from there.

Next time…2007? Uh oh.

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!

Related Topics:2006 CZW ECW Featured Featured Big Kurt Angle ROH Steve Cook WWE

Up Next

NXT Minus 6: Cole is disputed, Bay Bay

Don't Miss

Cook’s WWE Payback 2020 Gambling Picks

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

Prowrestlingtees.com/TheChairshot plenty of GREAT t-shirt designs! Makes an awesome gift!!

About Chairshot Radio Network

MONDAY – Bandwagon Nerds (entertainment & popular culture)

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

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

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

All Shows On Demand

Listen on your favorite platform!

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!

Blog

DeMarco: Top 5 Non-Title WrestleMania Matches In WWE History

Not all WrestleMania classics had titles on the line. Dive into the top 5 non-title matches that stole the show & defined legacies. #WrestleMania #WWEHistory

Published

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.