Opinion

Mishal’s Top 5 Greatest Wrestlers Not Signed With WWE

Mishal checks back in with a Top 5 that is surely to spark some discussion–who are the best wrestlers not signed with WWE?

Published

5 years ago

September 10, 2020

Mishal Shuhaiber

Tessa Blanchard Impact World Champion WWE NXT Evolution

Mishal checks back in with a Top 5 that is surely to spark some discussion–who are the best wrestlers not signed with WWE?

It’s the age-old question among wrestling fans; who is the best wrestler in the world?

In any sport, in any profession, in any aspect of modern life, we as human beings always clamour, argue & debate who is the ‘best’ in any field that we choose to involve ourselves within.

Professional wrestling is no stranger to this, in fact, if you’ve ever met a professional wrestling fan, we’re 10 times more aggressive than any other kind of fan you’d likely come across at any point in your life. Despite this being one sport where all of us can bask in the beauty of what athletes do in the ring, a lot of us tend to draw battle lines between our own likenesses & rely on establishing our favourites as the ‘superior’ ones above any other wrestlers on any other brands.

Within mainstream professional wrestling, we so often see the biggest names under WWE’s banner referred to as the very finest on offer to every audience out there, the ‘Cream of the Crop’, if you will. But to many fans who’s eyes are solely on Vince McMahon & company, the industry is packed with so much talent it could make your head explode.

And that is why we’re here today, to take a quick glance at some of the immensely talented men & women lurking outside the world of WWE, with just as much talent as the likes of Roman Reigns, Drew McIntyre, Becky Lynch, Seth Rollins, Asuka, Adam Cole & whoever else you can name off the tip of your tongue.

Each star on this list is well worth the hype despite never signing for the ‘Granddaddy’ of sports entertainment, and despite never being recognized by a company commonly displayed as the standard-bearer for the business, still hold their own in every regard compared to those in wrestling’s No.1 spectacle brand.

Obviously this list lies heavily within my own personal preferences, but for now, here are some of the greatest wrestlers that WWE is still yet to sign.

Honourable Mentions

MJF – Arguably the hottest young star in the business right now. MJF has everything a superstar in or out of WWE should possess, from the solid in-ring work rate, incredible character work, embodying his character in every appearance he makes & cutting amongst the finest promos in the business right now. The only reason the man isn’t higher on this list is due to the limited amount of time we’ve spent with him on screen as opposed to some of the other names down this list, but it doesn’t remove from the insane potential MJF possesses at his age.

James Storm – While the heat & anticipation of a James Storm arrival in WWE is at this point, long gone for most fans, there’s no denying what a missed opportunity the man would have been for WWE’s product. Storm, in my opinion, is one of the most underutilized & overlooked stars professional wrestling has had over the last decade, including his lengthy tenure in TNA. It’s hard seeing someone who is the total package when it comes to being a star in the industry, and even though he isn’t signed to the bigger industry leaders, his work with NWA currently is still absurdly good.

Kazuchika Okada – No performers on this list (bar one) have managed to produce the quality of wrestling over the last number of years that Kazuchika Okada has. Okada is an in-ring performer that has few equals, presenting himself on an entirely different level opposite anyone he faces. The aura he carries with him, his methods of storytelling & physically demanding style of wrestling make him an entity for fans to bask in. The reality of Okada working under the WWE banner are slim not just based on realism, but the companies horrendous track record with Japanese talent (such as fellow former NJPW member Shinsuke Nakamura) is the starkest reminder of why we’ll likely never see the man enter Titan Towers.

The Top 5 Wrestlers Not Signed To WWE

5. Jay Lethal

Jay Lethal is somewhat of a forgotten locker room leader in the professional wrestling world. The former TNA star once referred to as ‘Black Machismo’ & multi-time Ring of Honor Champion is a name many, myself included, are shocked to never see step foot in a WWE ring, whether that be past or present. Having been such a staple in both companies for so very long, Lethal strayed on a different path as opposed to the veterans around him who swung over to the opposition.

Much like James Storm who was mentioned earlier, Lethal has a degree of loyalty to the smaller competitors outside WWE who allow him to explore his own character under his own accord. While the likes of AJ Styles, Samoa Joe, Eric Young, Consequences Creed & dozens of others tested the waters under Vince McMahon, Lethal seems happy where he is & has been over the years.

His work in ROH, in particular, has been nothing short of extraordinary. Featuring a run with basically every viable title the roster competes for & incredible matches against the likes of The Briscoes, Silas Young, Christopher Daniels, Cody, Hangman Page & Adam Cole which have further cemented his status as one of professional wrestling’s most criminally overlooked talents. It’s unlikely and at this point a guarantee, that Jay Lethal will never see the lights of a WWE arena, which I think is for the best considering the incredible resume he’s built up under his own creativity.

4. Nick Aldis

Now, this one puzzles me.

By every measure that we can possibly muster, Nick Aldis is the epitome of what WWE looks for in their top stars, at least historically. The former ‘Gladiator’ has come a long way since being the vanilla heel of a bland British-led faction in TNA just as the 2010s rolled around, he’s managed to turn himself into your traditional, old school wrestling heel that works shockingly well within the current landscape.

Nothing about the man doesn’t embody the star that a brand like WWE yearns for whenever developing those who will carry their brand over the course of months or years, he’s the total package. While his in-ring work may not be the most flashy or complex when levelled against some of the surrounding talents in the industry, the man carries himself like few other characters in the business. Where he lacks in the ring, he makes up for with his insane ability to standout on-screen. His promo work is stellar, the character he presents is hateable but also incredibly charismatic & for old school wrestling fans like myself, he blends nostalgia into his programs in a way that never seems outdated, much like someone like Randy Orton does to many.

Nick Aldis is always one who gets a lot of flack from wrestling fans for some reason, but that’s never been an opinion I share considering how solid his current work has been under the NWA & his limited time in AEW. Like almost any style of wrestling, he’s not a flavour for everyone to enjoy, but in my eyes, he’ll always be a talent capable of reaching the highest points in the industry should he be given the shot to do so.

3. Alex Shelley

I’m going to tell you all something, Alex Shelley is one of the finest professional wrestlers I’ve ever watched in my entire life.

Understandably considering how many names everyone on the internet or elsewhere hurls around this name may come across as somewhat of a random draw, but Shelley deserves so much more than what he’s been given in his career up to this point. Nothing about this is to say what he’s accomplished at this point in time is any ‘minor’ feat, Alex Shelley has crafted a body of work so incredible it sometimes baffles me how he’s never been at the top of the food chain for any of the brands he’s been under.

Shelley oozes energy & charisma both in the ring & on the microphone that is somewhat infectious when you sit down to watch him. The in-ring style he puts on offer is fast-paced, never slows down & will always have you engaged regardless of your taste. On top of his wrestling, he has a personality perfectly suited to carry any segment on any show, one that can be hilarious without ever breaking the tone of the story he’s trying to convey. As far as not receiving dues in the industry, Alex Shelley is one of those wrestlers who have always & will always deserve better than what he’s accomplished, just simply for being one of the most consistent & passionate professional wrestlers I’ve had the pleasure of watching at home or live in person.

As much as I love his current partner in Chris Sabin, everyone should take a minute to check out just how awesome Shelley is when handed the spotlight anywhere he goes.

2. Tessa Blanchard

Charlotte Flair is always lauded as the era-defining 2nd Generation women’s wrestler that blazes a path in her journey to success like nobody else around at the moment. This is true, and anyone who keeps track of ‘The Queens’ record on RAW, SmackDown & NXT should know, Charlotte Flair is one of the most genetically gifted athletes on the planet right now, no matter where she goes, success follows right behind her.

That being said, she isn’t the only 2nd generation wrestler who’s broken barriers over the last few years, because Tessa Blanchard has a lot under her name to brag against the industries finest.

Her recent stint in TNA alone is nothing short of astonishing. Competing against the likes of Sami Callihan, Michael Elgin, Brian Cage, Ace Austin & Eddie Edwards, transporting the Knockouts Division into a new era & most importantly, being crowned the first-ever woman to win the Impact Wrestling World Championship sets her up as not just one of the most vital talents around, but one that is breaking boundaries similar to ‘The 9th Wonder of the World’ Chyna did back in the late 1990s. Blanchard has managed to break the very boundary of simply being restricted to the confines of a division based on her sex and is instead blazing a trail unlike anyone else currently active around her in any other brand.

While she’s currently up in the air following her departure from Impact Wrestling just a number of months back, it’s obvious that she’s a hot commodity to both WWE & their newly found competition in AEW, who are in desperate need of someone to shove their women in the right direction considering the state the talent is under right now.

1. Kenny Omega

I’ll put it simply so what I actually think is muddied up by my clear bias when it comes to this particular talent, but Kenny Omega has proven on more than one occasion that he’s arguably the best professional wrestler working today.

Omega has put on a plethora of 5 (and sometimes, 6) star classics in NJPW, ROH or AEW where he currently resides. Going from being a WWE developmental reject who had his quarrels with the creative process to one of the most highly-praised & unique performers of our generation, the fact that Omega is still young & has a long time left to move audiences around the globe is an incredible re-assuring thought for anyone worried about the future of wrestling. Omega is one of those wrestlers who always brings something new to the table in any of his matches, being an incredible storyteller, a damn good promo under the right environment & like I said, possibly the best talent working today.

Currently, I’ll admit that Omega’s work tends to pale in comparison to his historic run at the top of the mountain in NJPW where he & Kazuchika Okada blew the roof off of every arena they worked in front of in some of the best matches of the decade so far, but it’s clear that AEW knows that Omega is essentially their secret weapon, and to think his future doesn’t involve a long-awaited singles run in the company would be foolish to think under any metric. The level of talent he possesses is enough to make him into a star almost instantly since he’s already proven he can carry a brand much as he did over in Japan until AEW came into existence.

Kenny Omega is in the group of talent we can call the future of professional wrestling, heck, he could even lead that group depending on where you stand in terms of taste or preference. One thing is for sure, WWE has certainly not come knocking at Kenny Omega’s door for the last time, and if their intensity for currently signing talent is any indication, that will happen sooner rather than later.

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Opinion

Chairshot Staff Picks: Backlash St. Louis

Chairshot Staff picks!!!

Published

3 weeks ago

May 9, 2025

PC Tunney

May is upon us and with that, so is Backlash from St. Louis! What does the first PLE after WrestleMania have in store for the WWE Universe? Let’s see if the Chairshot Staff can properly interpret the crystal ball of rasslin’ future.

AJ – Pat MacAfee – Gunther has to start losing control and who better than an announcer.
Andrew – Pat MacAfee – Goldberg getting involved does seem correct here.
Dave – Gunther – He’s not losing to a broadcaster.
DJ – Gunther – Pat is sent to the shadow realm until football season is over.
DPP – Gunther – Post match beat down leads to Pat time off.
Jason – Gunther – One massive spot and or bump from Pat.
Patrick – Gunther
Rey – Gunther – RIP MacAfee, t’was a good life.
Rob – Gunther
Greg – Pat MacAfee – Why? Goooooldbeeerrrrrgggggg!

Tunney’s Take: Gunther – Seems like the right pick here. Pat may be getting some time off and Gunther needs more heat.

Chairshot Pick – GUNTHER 8-3

AJ – Lyra Valkyria – Becky’s hopefully putting her over, still mad about Dakota.
Andrew – Becky Lynch – I have no real interest in Lyra currently.
Dave – Becky Lynch – Lyra is boring AF!
DJ – Lyra Valkyria – Bayley interferes.
DPP – Becky Lynch – Becky cheats and steals the title.
Jason – Lyra Valkyria – Bayley costs Becks.
Patrick – Becky Lynch
Rey – Becky Lynch – Story needs to jump up a bit, Becky Charlotte’s Lyra.
Rob – Lyra Valkyria
Greg – Becky Lynch – It’s been fun, Lyra. (It kinda hasn’t)

Tunney’s Take: Lyra Valkyria – Bayley’s interference should set up some type of program with Becky as we head towards Summer(Slam).

Chairshot Pick – BECKY LYNCH 6-5

AJ – Jacob Fatu – Great way to put him over w/ two former WHCs and LA Knight.
Andrew – Jacob Fatu – He’s Jacob Fatu!
Dave – Jacob Fatu – Too soon to pull the belt off him.
DJ – Jacob Fatu – Priest and LA can’t decide who’s is bigger.
DPP – Jacob Fatu – Your hardcore match, tables and chairs involved.
Jason – Jacob Fatu – The Champ retains due to or in spite of Solo.
Patrick – Jacob Fatu
Rey – Jacob Fatu – All gas. No brakes. Ain’t losing.
Rob – Jacob Fatu
Greg – Jacob Fatu – Someone from The Samoan Dynasty ain’t winning a title just to drop it.

Tunney’s Take: Jacob Fatu – Uncle Mo is on Fatu’s side and other than Knight, I don’t see Drew or Priest holding the US title in the current circumstances of this title’s landscape.

Chairshot Pick – JACOB FATU 11-0

AJ – Dominic Mysterio – Judgement Day shenanigans just leading up to Finn turning on Dom later.
Andrew – Penta – Dom’s fine having a short reign, could also work for pushing AAA.
Dave – Dominic Mysterio – He’s probably more over than Penta.
DJ – Dominic Mysterio – Dirty Dom takes home the gold and the girl.
DPP – Dominic Mysterio – Big Head helps Dom pull out the win.
Jason – Dominic Mysterio – By hook and crook.
Patrick – Dominic Mysterio
Rey – Dominic Mysterio – Latino Heat keeps burning. Finn gets closer to the edge.
Rob – Dominic Mysterio
Greg – Dominic Mysterio – Someone from The Guerrero Dynasty ain’t winning a title just to drop it.

Tunney’s Take: Dominic Mysterio – That belt looks good with the king of chicken tendys. I can see Penta and Rey reforming as a tag team sooner than later.

Chairshot Pick – DOMINIC MYSTERIO 10-1

AJ – John Cena – Why? Cena wins, lol.
Andrew – John Cena – Shenanigans ensue so it’s not a clean win.
Dave – John Cena – The last time is now.
DJ – John Cena – Randy hears voices telling him he needs an Attitude Adjustment.
DPP – John Cena – Cena tries to cheat but the ref doesn’t call for a DQ.
Jason – John Cena – Nefarious means, Randy not ready for Evil John Cena.
Patrick – John Cena
Rey – John Cena – Cena just counting down the dates. Should be fun though.
Rob – John Cena
Greg – John Cena – You know they want Cody to be the hero in the end.

Tunney’s Take: Randy Orton – Once upon a time Randy got himself intentionally disqualified and it cost John. Saturday, history repeats itself with a 180-degree twist. Cena retains via Orton DQ victory. This time, Travis Scott’s appearance takes care of that task.

Chairshot Pick – JOHN CENA 10-1

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 all enjoy Pro Wrestling 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

prowrestlingtees.com/TheChairshot – a PLETHORA of GREAT designs…MAKES A GREAT GIFT!

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About Chairshot Radio Network

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CHAIRSHOT RADIO NETWORK PODCAST SPECIALS

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

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

Patrick O'Dowd's 5X5

Classic POD is WAR

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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

1 month 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!