Opinion

Mishal’s Top 5 Takeaways From WWE SummerSlam Weekend

Mishal checks in with his big takeaways from WWE SummerSlam 2020 and NXT Takeover XXX!

Published

5 years ago

August 26, 2020

Mishal Shuhaiber

Mishal checks in with his big takeaways from WWE SummerSlam 2020 and NXT Takeover XXX!

SummerSlam Weekend has now come & gone, and we have a lot to look back on after this fairly eventful weekend.

Being positioned as the 2nd biggest series of nights in the wrestling calendar is no easy mantle to carry around for a company, brand or show, but this year it seemed like WWE was intent on making the biggest impact they could under the circumstances handed to them. In the midst of a pandemic the company went all out to create intrigue around their product at a time when it is struggling to gain traction with mainstream audiences, enhance their presentation beyond the restrictions of a Performance Centre & give us the fans more to chew on heading into the fall with changes started to be made to how they present the storylines in the future.

This weekend consisted of two shows; SummerSlam itself & NXT TakeOver XXX, both carrying a gigantic level of potential on their shoulders.

TakeOver XXX was for the resident, hardcore wrestling fan. It was a night focused on one aspect; the in-ring action, not spectacle or the bright lights we’re used to seeing from the main roster. It was a smaller show, outside the larger scale arena of its follow-up event & gave wrestling’s most pure fans something to drool over.

SummerSlam, on the other hand, was all about the spectacle. Haling from the newly designed ‘Thunderdome’, an arena packed to the brim with LED boards to encourage fan interaction, a new lighting stage to make the superstars feel as large as they’re presented, a new setup which signals some kind of familiarity with the product prior to COVID-19 & the biggest news of all, the return of pyro to a WWE stage. On top of the new layout there was an abundance of storylines to juggle, from Strowman vs Wyatt, McIntyre vs Orton, Rollins vs The Mysterios, Mandy vs Sonya or Asuka facing both Bayley & Sasha Banks, it was a card with so much potential despite some of the gripes the product has at the moment.

And while both shows were highly entertaining in their own right, there is simply too much content to cover for me to include every noteworthy moment on a single list, so for the time being, here are the 5 biggest takeaways from the 2020 SummerSlam weekend.

5. Pat McAfee is a natural

Let’s give credit where credit is due, SummerSlam weekend hosted not one, but two big-time debuts over the course of its run, the one that’s received the most overall build & attention is that off Dominick Mysterio, primarily due to the standing of his family in the company & link to Seth Rollins, one of WWE’s biggest stars. And even though Dominick’s debut served as a really nice piece of history, as well as an incredible feel-good moment to those who saw him on TV back in 2005, I can’t help but think Pat McAfee stole the weekend for me.

As someone who was never an avid viewer of the NFL or mostly any other sport for that matter, my initial investment in this feud as a whole was minimal at best. At the very least it was something different for the NXT brand & while I’m not the biggest fan of celebrity involvement in professional wrestling outside of a few exceptions, seeing something entirely different on NXT was a welcome change.

What I wasn’t expecting, was for this to be nearly as good as it ended up being when the bell rang.

Unlike the Dominick Mysterio match 24 hours later, both McAfee & Cole wrestled under no restraints, no stipulations, no way of covering up any potential hiccups, instead they went the traditional route, wrestling their hearts out for close to 20 minutes. Nothing about the match was necessarily special, nor was it meant to be, what it did do, however, was display the raw, natural talent possessed by the former NFL star himself. From the stunning Senton off the top rope, backflip off the top to the mat, the leaping Superplex late in the match or just his natural ability to excel at the art of professional wrestling, watching the man in a ring was a delight. I’d even go as far to say it was one of my favourite moments of 2020 so far, just based on the sheer surprise everything came as.

Wrestling, as we’ve seen in the past, isn’t for everyone who takes a small role on from outside the industry, MacAfee, on the other hand, looked better than a good chunk of current talent on the roster. He never looked out of place (aside from his awkward lock-up) & felt as much of a wrestler as anyone you can put in the ring, particularly against the likes of a former NXT Champion like Adam Cole.

4. The ‘Thunderdome’ blew me away

On paper, the idea of WWE’s ‘Thunderdome’ seemed ridiculous to me. It came across as a concept too ambitious for its own good, relying on an obscene level of technology that in my head would have made the show even harder to watch than without a live audience, thankfully I was pleasantly surprised.

WWE’s ‘Thunderdome’ worked wonders, at least for myself personally. While the actual feeling of the live audience interacting with their favourite superstars is still sorely missing, any kind of change at this point is better than what we previously had. The use of LED screens to bring the audience at home into the arena, the unique soundstage that breathes new life into a product that was previously occupied by roughly 30 people in a small training centre, the set design at least brings that ‘larger than life’ feel that WWE is known for & at the very least the company is trying to replicate what their average audience is used to seeing. Which is no easy task under the circumstances.

Whether we talk about SmackDown or SummerSlam, both shows had a distinct feeling to them that brought back some of that glory & grandeur you always hear Michael Cole & Corey Graves gush about on commentary, and while the authenticity is another subject entirely, the level of effort put in by everyone involved blew me away on its own. Say what you will about WWE, nobody puts on a show quite like them.

Getting used to fans being present via LED screens will be an adjustment I’ll have to weave in over the coming weeks, but it’s the first time in a long time that watching a WWE show felt like a ‘WWE show’.

3. We never saw ‘The Big Dog’ coming

Roman Reigns’ return to WWE on Sunday night was one of the very few genuine surprises the modern-day product of WWE has handed us over the last number of years, considering everything we’ve seen.

Even the likes of Edge’s return (while awesome) always had that hint of predictability due to various backstage rumours & his SummerSlam appearance, but due to the pandemic taking its toll on others outside the company getting their hands on close information, for the most part, but Roman Reigns’ return felt like the most genuine shock seen on the program in months since his absence.

The lack of crowd didn’t hurt his appearance either, as the presence of Reigns has been missing since around March when the company lost arguably its biggest current name at a time when they never needed him more with so many talents either leaving the company due to budget cuts, creative difference or due to health reasons as a result of COVID-19. Along with him missing a big-money match opposite Goldberg of all people, SmackDown, in particular, has lacked the star-power it had prior to Reigns’ absence, with the likes of Bray Wyatt & Braun Strowman having to carry most of the baggage as a result.

With Reigns’ back, the product as a whole feels somewhat rejuvenated, with a legitimate threat standing in front of two men who are now established main event talents & more importantly, the Universal Title feels like an actual item of value, rather than an element in the backdrop of a personal rivalry.

2. Seth Rollins, WWE’s hottest commodity

Listen, WWE has a lot of talent. I love Bray Wyatt, Drew McIntyre, Randy Orton, Keith Lee, AJ Styles, Matt Riddle, Daniel Bryan, Shayna Baszler, Bayley, Asuka, heck even MVP has been on fire as of late. But nobody, not a single member of their roster, defines their character quite as well as Seth Rollins does at this point in time.

Rollins has been searching for a definition for the longest time now, in particular following the dismal booking his character received following last years WrestleMania & victory over Brock Lesnar which left him with no clear path forward following a series of dreadful feuds that left fans more divided on him than ever in his career. And while the road to get to where we are with the ‘Monday Night Messiah’ has been bumpy, he’s finally come full circle as a character. With a gimmick that doesn’t just work despite the over-the-top nature, but oddly enough suits his personality perfectly with how fantastic his work is as a heel.

He more than anything embodies this god-like character he presents, through his in-ring work, promo work, incredibly bombastic theme music & even the manner in which he carries himself from the entrance down to the ring. After the longest time, Seth Rollins is his own man, not simply the man who broke The Shield & is riding that wave of momentum, it feels like he’s found his groove as a performer, and Sunday was further proof of his genesis from what he was not too long ago.

Many gimmicks in the company have their charms, but Seth Rollins is one of the odd ones that you never doubt has a gimmick behind the camera, this is simply him as a performer. Where his current feud with Mysterio’s goes is anyone’s guess, but no matter where he ends up, no star has me as interested as Rollins does.

1. WWE SummerSlam > NXT TakeOver XXX

It’s become somewhat of a ‘meme’ on the internet, social media & within the wrestling community to always state that the main roster of WWE stands no chance when placed opposite an NXT show.

And when you look at the historical record of both sides of the company, you wouldn’t be crazy for thinking so.

Unlike the abundance of main roster shows we get on a yearly basis, NXT’s Takeover events are insanely consistent in overall quality. They certainly aren’t all perfect, but the level of quality in terms of storytelling & even the basic wrestling goes, they’ve almost always outperformed their main roster counterparts. However, this past Sunday was one of the few times I’d say WWE’s main roster outdid the much smaller brand that acts as a warm-up to their much larger presentations.

Takeover shows always position themselves for the more hardcore wrestling fan, but to say they possess no qualities for a casual fan to admire is a bit of stretch to claim. This Sunday, however, was one of the odd times where the main roster arguably gave the better, more well-rounded show for fans of all kinds.

Takeover XXX, for my money, was a ho-hum event, with a plethora of solid matches (and one fantastic outing between Cole & MacAfee) but nothing that really ‘stood out’ per se. The shows ladder match did its job perfectly well despite feeling a bit more choreographed than I would have liked, the women did a fine job, Finn Balors clash with Timothy Thatcher started things off well, but the show never reached that ‘next level’ we’re used to seeing. Most of my issues lie with the main event, which had its moments, but was so overly long & plagued with the same issues so many other NXT main events hold that it tanked the pacing of the show to a grinding halt. Rather than all-out war or hoss fight, the shows closing match was a prolonged snooze when compared to the heated build it received in the days leading up to the event.

SummerSlam, on the other hand, was more or less booked to perfection, with not a single match not ending in a result I viewed as unsatisfactory at all. While the main event of the show is arguably its biggest blunder, the storytelling & action at least established the tension both Strowman & Wyatt had built up over the previous months, as clunky as it was at times. Elsewhere you had an excellent WWE Championship Match that was my match of the weekend, two great Women’s title matches, Dominick Mysterio putting on a solid debut opposite Seth Rollins, Mandy Rose & Sonya Deville continuing to excel & the long-awaited return of Roman Reigns to cap things off. As far as a big-time show goes, it doesn’t get much better than SummerSlam 2020 for me, while NXT has a track record of outperforming the main roster, this past weekend showed that when they want to, the company’s main booking team has what it takes to craft something truly spectacular.

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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

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About Chairshot Radio Network

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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.