Opinion

Mishal’s Top 5 WWE SummerSlam Events

Mishal takes a look at the Top 5 WWE SummerSlam events, does your favorite “Biggest Party Of The Summer” make his list?

Published

4 years ago

August 5, 2020

Mishal Shuhaiber

Mishal takes a look at the Top 5 WWE SummerSlam events, does your favorite “Biggest Party Of The Summer” make his list?

”The biggest party of the summer” is right around the corner. Summerslam has always been an event that comes along at the perfect time of the year, right as everyone is in the midst of their summer holidays, right before schools go back for those of us that attend, right before the work year fluxes back into its chaotic self & for wrestling fans, marks the turning point in the year as Wrestlemania season begins to draw closer & closer.

This year’s event feels different, like every other event we’ve seen since mid-March. Summerslam 2020 doesn’t feel like the celebration it usually does at this time of year, maybe due to the state of the business, product & the fact that we’re in the midst of a global pandemic. As a result, Summerslam feels ‘smaller’, and rightfully so with the event being held from the WWE’s Performance Centre this year, much like Wrestlemania was. Rather than be an event that constantly surrounds itself on the spectacle it drags along with it like so many years prior, this year it feels like the company needs to rely more on its actual storytelling, which admittedly hasn’t been the best.

In the past, however, Summerslam has had its fair share of incredible moments that stand as amongst some of the finest in the history of the business to this very day. Summerslam may not be on the level of Wrestlemania, but it holds its place in company history as a historically significant event, one packed with iconic moments, classic matches that stand the test of time & shows that have created stars that continue to be the box office stars we know them to be.

And since there’s no better time to do so, I figured taking a dive into the shows deep history couldn’t be done at a better time than now, with the show just weeks away from going on the air.

So with this article, I’ll be looking at the 5 best shows in the history of Summerslam history. When it comes to making decisions around these lists I consider a wide variety of elements, the historic value, how it caters to the product at the time, its legacy & just how well booked the card is from top to bottom. At the end of the day, this list is my own subjective opinion & any other suggestions or comments are always welcome.

But for now, let’s take a look at the best that Summerslam has to offer.

Honourable mentions: WWE SummerSlam

Summerslam 2014 – If there’s one thing everyone can credit WWE for during the 2014 edition of Summerslam, it was that they dared to book their top commodity, the very face of their brand, in the most decisive squash match in recent wrestling memory. John Cena’s loss to Brock Lesnar grows more iconic with every viewing & never loses its impact no matter how long ago it seems now. The rest of the card is fine but underwhelming. Featuring a solid opening contest, slightly underrated Lumberjack Match, Roman Reigns’ first major singles match & a Stephanie McMahon performance that is nowhere near as bad as you’d imagine it to be.

Summerslam 2001 – Sadly marred by the underwhelming booking of the infamous WCW vs WWE feud, this event is still one everyone can have a blast with. Both main event matches between Steve Austin & Kurt Angle, as well as Booker T & The Rock are excellent in their own right, upgrading a show that is really a victim of the talent it juggles below its main matches. Most of the WCW drafted talent at the time fail to enhance the large chunk of matches they’re involved in, which always results in a lack of tension for any contest against company originals. It’s certainly worth watching for a bonkers crowd & some quality action, but will always be held back by the stories it carried along.

Summerslam 1998 – An all-around fun show that like others in this section, is essentially carried by two marvellous headline matches which featured four of the Attitude Era’s flagship stars. The main event between Steve Austin & Undertaker was an insane, physical match following the very standard formula of that period in time, but it was really the ladder match between Triple H & The Rock that was the standout in my eyes. It was a match that established the two as the future of the business, displaying their chemistry additionally which lead to a match that far exceeds the expectations considering the stipulation. Even though the rest of the card doesn’t really have much to say (aside from a solid Shamrock vs Hart match), it still holds your attention due to a tonne of entertainment value.

Summerslam 2000 – Another Summerslam event with headline matches so ridiculously good it lifts a show above the weaknesses lurking elsewhere. Carried by a brilliant WWE Championship Match, death-defying Tables, Ladders & Chairs Match, a technical masterpiece of a 2-out of-3 falls match & Shane McMahon damn near killing himself in his bout against Steve Blackman. Elsewhere on the show, there is your fair share of entertainment, just nothing that felt like it stood out significantly due to its booking or overall quality. It’s one of those shows that most fans I know would place higher on their list, but sadly isn’t one of those that I hold to that high a standard as opposed to others on this list.

Summerslam 2005 – The most ridiculously over-the-top Summerslam you can find. Everything about this was all about the excess, from a hilariously over-the-top main event, a ladder match for the custody of a child, an opening match that you could blink and miss, a John Cena/Chris Jericho match that would mark the final match for Jericho for the next two years & brutal World Heavyweight Championship bout that pulled out all the stops. While we usually remember this for the main event that’s essentially a meme at this point, it’s severely underrated.

Mishal’s Top 5 WWE SummerSlam Events

5. Summerslam 2009

Summerslam 2009 holds a personal spot in my heart. It was the first event I’d ever watched live at the age of 13 & is still a show that ages wonderfully as time has moved on. While by no means perfect due to a few hiccups, it’s a show that fully lives up to the hype of being ‘The Biggest Party of the Summer’, offering all the spectacle, action & larger-than-life moments you’ve come to expect from an event such as this one. For a show set in Hollywood, this is just as dumb & ridiculously fun as you’d expect in the heart of the entertainment industry.

While most people generally regard the TLC main event between Jeff Hardy & CM Punk as the highlight, it was really the tag-team match between Legacy & the return D-Generation-X that I find myself revisiting so often. Not to take away from the main event, but it’s something about the spectacle of that tag team match, the early days booking of DX upon their return & incredible in-ring action that elevates it to arguably my favourite match the group has ever been involved in. Additionally, there’s plenty of action on the side to drool over as Rey Mysterio’s excellent match against Dolph Ziggler over the Intercontinental Title shines bright, Jeri-Show defend their Tag Team Titles against Cryme Tyme, MVP faces Jack Swagger in a match that is a solid waste of time & Randy Orton battles John Cena in one of the most wonderfully overbooked matches you could find out there, featuring a cameo from Ted Dibiase’s real-life brother that I cannot quite wrap my head around.

If it weren’t for a dreadful match between Kane & The Great Khali, as well as an 8-second ECW Championship Match between Christian & William Regal that did nothing for anyone involved this could be in the Top 3 range of this article, sadly it sits right at the tip of the very best these events have dished out.

4. Summerslam 1992

Isn’t it astonishing how iconic this show is almost three decades removed from when it first occurred?

Summerslam 1992 is special, and it’s very difficult to deny its importance. Despite apparently being a nightmare to set up at the time due to the events scope, audience & oversees location, few shows boast the magnitude this one does. Boasting over 80,000 fans, they were treated to what many (myself included) consider the greatest match in the history of Summerslam between Bret Hart & British Bulldog over the Intercontinental Championship, a match that doesn’t age a single day. It’s a technical masterpiece in everyway, telling an emotional homecoming story, a battle between two best friends & further displaying how the Intercontinental Championship truly was the workhorse title of the 1990s, the fact that it headlined an event of this size is simply astonishing. Even the pop that Bulldog receives following his sudden victory stands as one of the loudest in professional wrestling as a whole, one of the most genuinely enthralling moments the sport has ever bared witness to.

Supporting their incredible effort is a near 30-minute war between Randy Savage & Ultimate Warrior over the WWF Championship that is sadly forgotten about due to its questionable ending, but never takes away from being a damn fine wrestling match before the final bell. Much like other shows, however, this one falls victim to its undercard, which is a bit of mess. While the opening match between Legion of Doom & Money Inc. is pretty great, the rest of the show is either a hit or miss depending on your stance. Most matches fall flat due to stale in-ring action or booking that has no place on a card or show of this size. If the undercard had received a little more attention in its final presentation this could end up being one of the best shows of all-time & while it still bares historcial significance, its quality isn’t always to be praised.

3. Summerslam 2013

Imagine if WWE infused every show they had with this much emotion behind it. Summerslam 2013 isn’t without its flaws, but my goodness does it evoke a lot out of anyone who passionately follows the product.

In particular the three headline matches of the card are a wrestling fans dream, everything you could possibly want a main event-level match to be. John Cena & Daniel Bryan have only wrestled once on PPV together, but the chemistry they put on display makes me clammer for multiple trilogies between the two, and considering Cena wrestled this with a serious tricep injury, it’s all a wonder as to what they could achieve should Cena be at 100% of his potential. Christian & Alberto Del Rio deliver one of the most underrated matches of the last decade or so over the World Heavyweight Championship, exemplifying just how brilliant both men are whenever they enter a ring. But the gold medal goes to Brock Lesnar & CM Punk, who put on to this day, the match I consider Brock’s finest since his WWE comeback in 2012. Each match combined story, action & spectacle in different & unique ways to deliver fans with something for everyone, which is exactly what this business is all about.

Nothing about the midcard is outwardly terrible (bar an Inferno Match that had no business opening the show), but none of it is all that memorable to me. Summerslam has an act of excelling with its main matches, but generally underdelivering on its supporting matches, or vice versa. Matches like Cody Rhodes vs Damien Sandow had solid stories going in, just never told them in a manner that makes them memorable. It’s a tough task too considering how brilliant the previous matches mentioned truly are in their own right.

Thankfully we have the ending of the show, which started the build to one of the greatest moments of the modern-era just months later.

2. Summerslam 2011

There’s no other way around it, Summerslam 2011 is just a good old fashioned, excellent night of professional wrestling from top to bottom. It’s a near perfectly booked show, without a single bad match in sight, every match either serving a purpose to a wider story or furthering the story of every character involved & most importantly, delivering on excellent action across the board without compromising anyone.

The level of quality this card excudes is rare in todays professional wrestling landscape, because it’s a card that never reaches too far, always feels focused, tight & accomplishes exactly what it wants you to feel. While I give WWE a hard time for overbooking much of their product, this one almost perfectly tells the story it wants to without ever breaking momentum.

John Cena & CM Punk collide in the highly anticipated sequel to their Money in the Bank classic over the WWE Championship, Randy Orton & Christian put on the match of the night in a No Holds Barred Match over the World Heavyweight Championship, Sheamus & Mark Henry beat each other to a pulp at the height of Henry’s career, Wade Barrett displays just how overlooked his talents truly were under the WWE banner, the women are actually given some time to shine even to the smallest of degrees due to the time they were handed & the show ends on a note that leaves you with dozens of questions. It’s exactly what a pay-per-view should be about, leaving you wanting more the next night once it’s all over with & injecting you with that sensation of the unknown, which is hard to accomplish in the days of the internet.

A lot of fans may disagree with me placing this over the 2013 edition, but few shows are this much fun to watch for me personally.

1. Summerslam 2002

And here we have it, the grandaddy of Summerslam events, the standard bearer for Summerslam & one of the very few professional wrestling shows I’d go as far to call virtually perfect.

Everything on this show absolutely rules, and I don’t just mean rules, I mean almost every match on here has the potential to be on some kind of ‘best of’ list. There isn’t a single bad thing on this show, whether it be the matches of the segments that break apart the broadcast, it somehow all works as this beautiful piece of professional wrestling history that you could consider an absolute masterclass in how to book a show.

Summerslam 2002 does everything a show needs to do to be significant in the annals of wrestling. It puts forward the future, shines light on the past, crafts interesting storylines that could carry on for months, provides incredible in-ring action that is almost unmatched & sets up the company for what would become my favourite period in wrestling history as the brand split was soon to become fresh in fans minds with RAW & SmackDown on the verge of forming their own shows.

Simply taking a look at the card itself is overwheling just based on the Wikipedia page. The Rock battling on Brock Lesnar just months after his debut for the WWE Championship, Shawn Michaels & Triple H clashing in one of the most personal, brutal matches in company history, Rey Mysterio & Kurt Angle cramming 30-minutes worth of content into a 10-minute adrenaline rush, Edge & Eddie Guerrero giving us a preview of some of the classics they would end up having, RVD & Chris Benoit facing off in an underrated gem of a contest, Ric Flair & Chris Jericho going toe-to-toe in a match more people need to watch, the Un-Americans colliding with the ever-bizarre team of Booker T & Goldust, heck even Undertaker had a match with Test that wasn’t the mediocre piece of work you’d expect it to be on paper.

It’s a show that never stops giving, ever. Summerslam 2002 is, and always will be my favourite professional wrestling show without question, oozing quality like no other event, setting up talent that are iconic to this very day, providing some of the best professional wrestling action you can find anywhere on the planet & becoming on of the few shows I could watch every single day without ever growing bored of it.

Regardless of what you’re expecting, if this thing doesn’t blow you out of your seat, get your head checked.

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

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Opinion

Greg DeMarco’s Top 5: The Final Opponent For John Cena In WWE

It’s obvious that John Cena is nearing the end of his legendary career, and he’s suggested ending it at WrestleMania 41. Who should be his final opponent?

Published

2 weeks ago

April 11, 2024

Greg DeMarco

John Cena Last Match Randy Orton WWE WrestleMania 41

It’s obvious that John Cena is nearing the end of his legendary career, and he’s suggested ending it at WrestleMania 41. Who should be his final opponent?

John Cena recently appeared on the Pat McAfee Show, the Monday after his surprise (but mostly expected) WrestleMania 40 appearance during Cody Rhodes’ win over Roman Reigns for the Undisputed WWE Championship. During that appearance, he confirmed what many expect, that he is nearly done with his in-ring career. But Cena even tossed out the idea of a time-frame, detailing that his acting schedule will likely take him through Christmas, and maybe Hollywood could “pump the brakes” to allow for one final run.

That run could easily begin at the Royal Rumble with a surprise entrance (or entering himself via TV appearances as part of the build), with a tease for his 17th world title win before finally settling in on his final match.

Fantasy booking and storytelling aside, the goal here is the final match–more specifically the final opponent. With a John Cena, you’ve got a ton of options. As such, it’s hard to narrow it down to 5, and one of your favorites is likely missing–be warned!

Greg DeMarco’s Top 5: The Final Opponent For John Cena In WWE

Honorable Mentions:

The Miz – A feud with John Cena gave The Mix a WrestleMania 27 main event–and a WrestleMania main event victory on top of it. Miz has been receiving more love than ever lately, and a match with John Cena would not be misplaced. Maybe he can use their WrestleMania 33 contest (and Cena’s personal aftermath) as fodder for it, too.
AJ Styles – The man who once made it popular to “BEAT UP JOHN CENA” is also nearing the end of his run, and could be the one candidate on this list that could realistically give us a double-retirement match. He would also be the guy who retired both The Undertaker and John Cena (and would probably end up being the guy who lost in both).
The Rock or Cody Rhodes – Both great options, but you have to figure their dance card for WrestleMania 41 is already full, potentially standing across the ring from one another. Either is an amazing option (including “Thrice In A Lifetime”), but I just don’t think it’s in the cards.
Trick Williams – Potentially a surprising addition to the Honorable Mentions, but the comparisons are there in terms of in-ring style/ability, promo skills, and the interplay they had in NXT (remember, it was Cena who is credited with encouraging Trick to not be afraid to go for it himself despite his relationship with Carmelo Hayes).

5. CM Punk

The fifth spot on this list was nearly interchangeable between several of the honorable mention names, but it really came down to Punk and Seth Rollins for me (with a hint of AJ Styles). The 2011 feud between CM Punk and John Cena was legendary, and is a moment that will forever be seen by me as the one that truly cemented CM Punk as a member of the growing list of all-time greats in WWE.

Punk is uniquely qualified for this match as he would make it mean more than a showboat for John Cena’s career and final match. It’s entirely believable that CM Punk would want to put John Cena’s career into the ground, and WWE has the video archive to support it.

Despite being #5, this could actually be a dark-horse for the match we get, and I can’t see anyone reasonably being upset about that.

4. Roman Reigns

John Cena and Roman Reigns have had two separate legendary programs. the first saw Cena, at times, embarrass Roman in promo exchanges in a feud that took place in the “pre-Tribal Chief” era. The second is more fresh and likely more memorable, as John Cena put Roman Reigns over in a football stadium in Las Vegas at SummerSlam (although it might be more remembered for the return of Brock Lesnar).

Reigns, a legend himself at his point (he’s featured alongside Steve Austin at the top of the “Forever” portion of the Then/Now/Forever/Together video that recently debuted) would provide a pairing akin to The Undertaker serving as Shawn Michaels’ retirement opponent at WrestleMania 26 9notice I didn’t say “final opponent). The end of Roman’s 1316 day world title reign has brought about a new appreciation for Reigns, which would further enhance this pairing at WrestleMania 41.

3. Bron Breakker

Bron Breakker is the picture-perfect definition of a juggernaut in WWE, a fast rising star who almost seems like a lock to main event WrestleMania one day (you never know–Seth Rollins JUST got his first WrestleMania main event last weekend). Breakker recently said farewell NXT as the natural in-ring competitor makes a transition to full-time main roster competition.

Breakker also fits the category of who “needs it.” Bring the man to retire John Cena would be quite the feather in the cap of Breakker’s early career, and would give him a moment that would be relived for generations to come. The only question mark is WWE “trusting” Breakker with this moment, as a sudden change of character could mean that Cena’s final match wouldn’t be seen or discussed as much. Breakker, to me, has given no reason for anyone to suspect that might happen, regardless of any controversies his father and uncle have been linked to.

2. R-Truth

Despite being 5-years older than John Cena, and making his in-ring debut in the same year (1999), R-Truth’s childhood hero hanging up the boots will undoubtedly be a hard-hitting moment for the man who has basically become the WWE Mascot. Truth emulating Cena in his matches, and of course the RawAfterMania moment with Cena, Truth, and The Miz hitting a Fifteen Knuckle Shuffle (thank you, Michael Cole) on The Judgment Day makes this a near can’t miss final match for both John Cena and the WWE Universe.

R-Truth himself is equally deserving of this match, as it would be a reward for all of his years in the ring as part of a career that seems age defying while proving that age is not only a number, but also a number that can be ignored (see Child Hero, John Cena).

While a rematch of their 2011 WWE Capital Punishment main event is an unlikely WrestleMania 41 match-up, it’s one I believe everyone would love to see.

1. Randy Orton

I mean, is there anyone more perfect? John Cena and Randy were inseparably linked for a good portion of their careers, and have shared the ring more times than Big Show has turned babyface/heel. Both are far into legendary status at this point, and Orton specifically is obviously focused on enjoying this stage of his career.

But Orton is still delivering great performances inside the ring, too.

Randy Orton vs John Cena was an exciting proposition many years ago, became a punchline for WWE booking a few years ago, but is now coming full circle as the perfect match-up to end the amazing career of John Cena. It has my vote, and should have yours, too.

Even if R-Truth would be the most fun option.

What say you? Who is the best candidate to stand across the ring from John Cena in his final WWE match, potentially at WrestleMania 41? Who did I leave out?

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

Opinion

Greg DeMarco’s WrestleMania 40 Saturday Results & Review

It’s the Granddaddy Of ‘Em All, WrestleMania! Night 1 of WrestleMania XL and Greg DeMarco has your results and review!

Published

3 weeks ago

April 8, 2024

Greg DeMarco

It’s the Granddaddy Of ‘Em All, WrestleMania! Night 1 of WrestleMania XL and Greg DeMarco has your results and review!

It all comes down to this–at least for the first night! A loaded card in front of a packed house, and I’d expect everyone to deliver one hell of a performance.

Women’s World Championship – Becky Lynch vs. Rhea Ripley (champion)

Greg’s pre-show prediction: Rhea Ripley retains

In my opinion, this match should be the main event of Night 1, but The Rock is back and that was going to take precedence (even if I disagree). Becky won this title shot at the Elimination Chamber, even though they were already building the feud before that event in Perth. Ripley herself main evented that event in a stadium, defeating Nia Jax.

It was revealed during her entrance that this is Becky Lynch’s “Flu Game,” as she has temperatures as high as 102 degrees throughout the week.
Rhea Ripley enters to a life performance of her entrance theme, which you can tell she dug.
Prime logo is center ring, just the black outline with “Prime” in the middle, and it is not at all bothersome. I can’t believe people made such a big deal out of bitching about that.
The stage looks dope, not at all “too small” as some had said. The whole environment looks great, honestly.
Rhea Ripley has been dealing with a wrist injury. She said on the Pat McAfee Show she didn’t expect to work with the wrist brace on tonight, but there it is.
Corey Graves points out that Becky’s training was likely impacted by her illness, and Pat McAfee scoffs at him for stating the obvious. I hope that isn’t what we get all night.
Commentary notes that is is 52 degrees and windy in the stadium, and I am reminded of Nick Khan’s comments about moving an outdoor WrestleMania to late April in the future, if they don’t get an indoor building (he did say “2026” when talking about that, which likely means the 2025 venue is indeed set).
Rhea’s Prism Trap is a fell of a submission finisher. Add in the body lock the way she did, and it’s even more impressive.
I just noticed the “Prime” turnbuckle pads and it’s…weird. I just didn’t expect it and can’t think of the last time we didn’t have the WWE/WWF logo on the buckles outside of Black and Gold NXT. WrestleMania 2?
I am also noticing that Dude Wipes seems to have sponsored the ring posts. Kudos to WWE (and the wrestling industry behind them) for being so damn desirable to sponsors!
That combo to get into the Riptide was fantastic–and the kickout was even better.
During the DisarmHer you can clearly see the commentary position, and Michael Cole is legit reclined all the way back. Love it–Cole is living his best life.
Rhea’s Riptide into the buckle before the proper Riptide was pretty sweet as well. Made Becky look insanely strong in defeat.

Winner via pinfall AND STILL your Women’s World Champion: Rhea Ripley

Hell of an opener, and if you didn’t know Becky was sick, you wouldn’t have known. Props to them both. That would have satisfied as a main event, but can now go down as one of the best openers in WrestleMania history.

Ladder Match for the Raw Tag Team Championships and Smackdown Tag Team Championships – DIY (Tommaso Ciampa & Johnny Gargano) vs. Awesome Truth (The Miz & R-Truth) vs. New Catch Republic (Pete Dunne & Tyler Bate) vs. A Town Down Under (Austin Theory & Grayson Waller) vs. The New Day (Xavier Woods & Kofi Kingston) vs. The Judgment Day (Finn Balor & Damian Priest, Undisputed WWE Tag Team Champions)

Greg’s pre-show prediction: Awesome Truth (Raw titles) and A-Town Down Under (SmackDown)

As many expected, the belts are hanging separately, meaning we are most likely splitting the tag titles here. Triple H and company have put some serious work into building up the tag team divisions of both brands, and even though I expect the two winners to not be actual “teams,” but either way I actually like the way they didn’t make a big deal out of splitting the titles up, they’re just doing it. They have been defended separately since being unified, albeit rarely.

R-Truth makes a joke about DIY being DX and that’s now taken off. I love it.
The Miz is very under appreciated. Can literally do anything.
Someone is struggling with the “Titan Tron” videos tonight.
Not gonna lie, I am the biggest Pat McAfee fan, but he’s actually quite annoying right now.
Sign of the night: SANTA DESERVED IT.
Lots of green in this match, half of the teams wearing their “WrestleMania Green” gear.
Also, loving the Consequences Creed gear for Woods.
God Bless Finn Balor for taking that Airplane Spin into the ladder.
205 combined years of experience in this match. That’s an average of 17 years (Waller has the least with 7, Balor and Miz are tied for the most with 23).
“Dunne Mountain?!?!” Thank you Michael Cole for fixing that.
HOT TAG TO R-TRUTH!
Poor Finn Balor, not he takes the AA to the ladder after John Cena’s Five Moves Of Doom
R-TRUTH WITH THE PIN!
Hilarious.
A-Town Down Under gets the SmackDown tag titles!
And Grayson gets tossed through a ladder, still holding a title!
The match does continue until the Raw tag titles are also retrieved.
If Theory also got the Raw tag titles down, I will laugh my ass off.
Birminghammer is a fantastic name for a tandem (somewhat) Burning Hammer.
Tornado DDT through a table!
Air Raid Crash from the ladder!
And we still have more tables set-up.
JD McDonagh trying to get Finn–who has taken a beating–to get the Raw tag titles.
McDonagh through the tables!
PERFECTLY placed Razor’s Edge onto that chair.
Dude, that ladder is trashed. (And very unsafe.)
AA sends Damian outside!
I think everyone wants R-Truth to get this. EVERYONE.
YES!

Winners via belt retrieval, AND NEW:

SmackDown Tag Team Champions – Grayson Waller & Austin Theory
Raw Tag Team Champions – R-Truth & The Miz

Really good Ladder Match, but it’s hard to have a bad one. The tag team titles are split and it was really well done. It made perfect sense to do it that way, not make a big deal out of it and just let it happen. I am excited to see both teams win–not because I picked both, but because I think one team (Waller/Theory) have amazing futures and the other (Miz/Truth) will be a lot of fun, even if their run will probably be short lived.

Santos Escobar (with Legado Del Fantasma members Angel, Humberto, & Elektra Lopez) & Dominik Mysterio vs. Rey Mysterio & Andrade (with The LWO members Carlito, Joaquin Wilde, Cruz Del Toro, & Zelina Vega

Greg’s pre-show prediction: Dominik and Santos win, giving Dominik “revenge” for his loss at WrestleMania 39.

Look, this match doesn’t make a lick of sense–Dominik shows up two weeks ago and finds his way into another WrestleMania match with Rey? Definitely shoehorned. But Dominik is outstanding, so if this gets him on the card, I’ll take it.

More green in this match, and I am here for it.
Innovative Double Cross Body by Rey & Andrade.
Dominik showing experience beyond his years, making sure the ref sees his tag with Santos.
At this moment, I am wondering who turns–Carlito or Andrade. Gotta assume it’s one of them.
Three matches in and I don’t even notice the Primo logo in the center of the ring or on the turnbuckle pads.
Santos Escobar trying to unmask Rey Mysterio, as if we don’t all have Google.
Corey Graves making a great point about Rey taking some responsibility for the issues in his life, and Michael Cole immediately dismissing it.
It’s so hard to do a really good Dragon Screw Leg Whip, and Andrade (along with Dominik and Santos) just pulled off two to perfection.
Camera shot of Rey’s cross body shows the heaters above the ring. Good–keep ’em warm!
This could have easily been an 8-man tag team match. Maybe we get that Monday on Raw (which can also be where the turn happens, making my prediction here likely wrong).
Joaquin Wilde gets to do his NXT spot at WrestleMania, and that’s probably more important than officially being in the match.
Two masked men–definitely the Kelce Brothers–are here.
My bad, it was Jason Kelce and Lane Johnson. Good call, honestly. Great pop for them, too.
Looking at the reply, Dominik sold that ringpost spot like a champ.

Winners via pinfall (Rey on Santos): Rey Mysterio & Andrade

Fun tag team match that served its purpose. Needed? Maybe not, as I really wanted to get Liv Morgan vs. Nia Jax onto this card. But when you can get Rey & Dominik on the card, everyone will be happy. and of course the Jason Kelce & Lane Johnson appearances.

Brother vs Brother: Jey Uso vs. Jimmy Uso

Greg’s pre-show prediction: Jimmy Uso follows in the footsteps of Owen Hart and Matt Hardy and beats the “more talented brother.”

They’ve wanted this match all their lives–and the preview video was insane. Very well done.

Jey in the WrestleMania whites tonight.
And we get a hot start to the match!
“Big Brother Jimmy” is always a fun thing to hear.
More Dude Wipes sponsorship on this one–you have to wonder if having Dude Wipes on the posts for the opener was in error.
Superkicks. Lots of Superkicks.
Very enjoyable YEET/NO chants from the crowd.
Jey just kicking the hell out of Jimmy, including a Jumping Super Kick.
This has “Fight Without Honor” feels from old school ROH, where the winners have respect after. We will definitely see these guys together again.
Jimmy apologizing to Jey. Crowd is not buying it.
Of course it was BS, and Jimmy gains the advantage.
SPEAR. USO SPLASH. DONE.

Winner, via pinfall: Jey Uso

Jey breaks the babyface curse by beating his heel brother. Thought we might get an embrace between them, instead we faded out. A good match that was more about the story than the in-ring action. I can see some feeling like this hasn’t “lived up to expectations” because of the high expectations you’d have for an Usos match. Their best work will always be as a team, but I know this is a lifelong dream come true for both.

As for all the Superkicks, I mean….it’s an Usos match.

Six-Woman Tag Team Match – Damage CTRL (Dakota Kai, Asuka, & Kairi Sane) vs. Naomi, Bianca Belair, & Jade Cargill

Greg’s pre-show prediction: Bianca, Naomi, & Jade win when Jade scores the pin (probably on Kairi, who always seems to eat the fall)

This match is all about getting Bianca Belair on the card (she had to be), and Jade Cargill’s debut. It also got Damage CTRL on the card, which they truly deserve–even if it is to lose.

Respectfully, Dakota Kai. (Good thing the ring and surrounding area is heated)
Not gonna lie, Jade looks nervous. But this is a six-woman tag, and her portion is likely highly choreographed. Gonna be all good.
As I watch and enjoy the match (but am not typing much lol), this seems like a match where we’re all just waiting for Jade to come in and win.
No one has told Jade about the tag ropes yet, apparently.
And now Jade is in, and Damage CTRL makes her look like a million bucks.
Dakota Kai nicely gets herself into position for the finish, and Jade gets her WrestleMania win.

Winners via pinfall (Jade on Dakota): Jade Cargill, Naomi, & Bianca Belair

We knew what this one was about going into it, and that’s what it should have been. Jade still ain’t ready. I know it might be an “ego hit” for her to go to NXT, but she needs it. If Giulia can go to NXT, so can Jade.

Intercontinental Championship – Sami Zayn vs. GUNTHER (champion)

Greg’s pre-show prediction: Sami Zayn pulls off the major upset and is the one to dethrone Gunther

Gunther has had a stranglehold on the Intercontinental Championship, defending it like crazy in 2023 but slowing that down here in 2024. It’s not fair to say he’s outgrown the title, but that might actually be the case. It’ll be really interesting to see what happens with Imperium leading up to the draft, and at the WWE Draft itself.

Sami Zayn was the perfect wrestler to have their journey form backstage to the ring followed by the cameras. From his family to Chad Gable to Kevin Owens, it was all so perfect–maybe too perfect? (Not in that someone will screw him, but in that it might be too heavily foreshadowing his win?)
Gunther looked oddly nervous standing on that stage.
You know, the Intercontinental Championship is basically a third world title at this point. And we could see the end of a legendary reign. I think this deserved the Samantha Irvin In-Ring Introductions (aka “Japan Style”) treatment.
Gunther is smiling confidently now, we’re good.
Crowd is ON FIRE for these guys (and evenly split with their chants for each guy).
This is the 21st time the Intercontinental championship is defended at WrestleMania, and it makes you wonder what in the hell they were thinking for the other 11.
Looks like Dude Wipes is back on the ringpost!
Hell of a nearfall, followed up by a Helluva Kick from Gunthcr, and one from Sami!
That finish….AMAZING.

Winner via pinfall, AND NEW Intercontinental Champion: Sami Zayn

The athletes… the moments… the storytelling… professional wrestling is such a beautiful business. Sami Zayn’s win over Gunther was everything I had hoped it would be when I picked Sami to win. Absolutely beautiful.

Cody Rhodes & World Heavyweight Champion Seth Rollins vs. The Rock & Undisputed WWE Champion Roman Reigns

Greg’s pre-show prediction: Seth & Cody get the win after tons of interference and surprise appearances, making Roman vs Cody on Sunday a match where The Bloodline is banned from ringside.

So much involved in this one. As you know, If Rock & Roman win, Sunday’s WWE Championship match will be held under Bloodline Roles. If Seth & Cody win, then that mach will see ZERO Bloodline involvement. Personally, if Cody is winning the title, I’d rather it be straight up. But I wouldn’t be at all surprised if I am wrong.

Honestly, after the introductions, I realized I was just watching!
This was very much Steve Austin vs The Rock inspired, with them fighting all over the stadium, and pushing the envelope.
I loved The Rock basically neutering the referee–normally I hate that, but here it works.
That finish and the condition of Rollins both lay perfectly into night 2, I would imagine.

Winners via Rock pinfall on Rhodes: The Rock & Roman Reigns

Per rule, Sunday’s main event will now be Bloodline Rules. And given that, my prediction of Roman retaining might be harder to pull off. This was a good return for The Rock, and perfectly played into the whole story. Job well done.

Greg DeMarco’s Overall Thoughts for WWE WrestleMania XL, Saturday (Night 1)

in a vacuum, this was highly enjoyable show. Night 2 might end up being legendary if both Bayley and Rhodes win, and it could overshadow Night 1. But the scene was fantastic, production was top notch as always, and the fans went home having enjoyed one for the ages. The Triple H Era s well underway, and will likely kick into a higher gear with Night 2.

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