Opinion

Mishal: It’s Time To Give Impact Wrestling A Chance

Mishal digs into Impact Wrestling and realizes…he likes it! You may too, you just have to #GiveImpactAChance.

Published

5 years ago

October 9, 2020

Mishal Shuhaiber

Mishal delves into Impact Wrestling and realizes…he likes it! You may too, you just have to #GiveImpactAChance.

Impact Wrestling is a strange topic to discuss for many wrestling fans in 2020, isn’t it?

At a time where the discourse in professional wrestling is so centered on brands such as WWE, NXT (since at times many act like it’s separated from its actual owners), AEW or even NJPW, we often forget that at one point in history Impact Wrestling, TNA, Global Force Wrestling or whichever name you choose to associate the promotion with given your experience with it, was indeed just as relevant as the names I just mentioned above. Before a plethora of controversy, an endless number of mistakes, lack of willingness to embrace what made it unique & industry that felt like it took five steps forward while management took ten steps back, Impact Wrestling was widely considered the biggest brand in professional wrestling after the WWE’s powerhouse of a brand across the globe.

In fact, there was a time, a dark time, where the flagship shows of both brands met head-to-head, with the results ending just as you’d imagine if you didn’t know.

Upon its inception, the former ‘’TNA Wrestling’’ had all the potential in the world to bounce off the end of the Monday Night Wars at the start of the millennium. Stacked to the brim with a roster of diverse talent from across multiple generations, unique action that was enhanced mainly due to the presence of their now brand-defining ‘X-Division’, a unique aesthetic with the a 6-sided ring being present as opposed to the traditional ‘’squared circle’’, as well as the attachment of the NWA brand to their product in its early days. Nothing here is to say TNA or ‘’Impact Wrestling’’ existed without its flaws during its early days, because anyone familiar with the product knows the hurdles they’ve had to overcome to get to where they are right now.

When it comes to the backstage politics & creative direction of TNA, I could start a series of articles on that alone for the next number of months, because there are somethings you’d need to hear to believe.

The story of TNA is one that is not unfamiliar to the average wrestling fan. A product that at one time felt like the awakening the industry needed at a time where one name was dominant above all else but fell victim to the curse of trying to become what their competition was rather than trying to be themselves. Almost every name in the business is a victim of this at some point in their existence, Impact Wrestling just feels like a larger blow due to how recent their issues have been for many of us.

That being said, I’ve experienced something over the last few weeks… something fascinating.

I last watched Impact Wrestling full-time back in 2016, at the height of the infamous ”Final Deletion” match which felt like the brands biggest success in years. Following that, something about the product never clicked with me. It could’ve been the constant changes to the product that always flustered my overall investment in what they were trying to sell me. It could’ve been the atmosphere of the companies ‘Impact Zone’ that made every show feel horrendously identical to the next. It could’ve been the lack of vision the company had as a whole. Or to put it plainly, it was likely the sheer lack of identity they had as a product. Nothing about it felt relevant or planned, much of it felt like it was written in 15 minutes without any second-guessing, something no fan of anything should feel.

But then 2020 happened, and it brings me nothing but joy to admit just how wonderful it has been revisiting a product that doesn’t just feel different but has come leaps & bounds from what it once was, in almost every single way you could imagine. This writing is meant to be a brief persuasion of sorts as to why Impact Wrestling is, in my opinion, the most consistently great product professional wrestling has to offer right now.

None of this is to say Impact is without flaws, of which it certainly has, but with all the negativity we face right now, I think focusing on the positives of this wonderful product is something it could use more than ever now that it’s trying to recapture the glory it once had.

Consistent Storytelling

Maybe it’s the side of my personality that’s been worn down by weeks upon weeks of Monday Night RAW talking, but consistency in professional wrestling seems like a chore for creative teams to hand over these days. While the likes of AEW or NXT certainly provide more well-rounded products in terms of being linear or you know, making sense, a lot of decisions made on each program feel rushed as we could reference in regard to how AEW is handling Brodie Lee vs Cody, for example. Or on the NXT side of things, the push of Karrion Kross which came months too early for my liking.

Impact Wrestling, however, has found the key to making their programming work for everyone.

Whether we discuss the main event scene (with the likes of Eric Young, Eddie Edwards, Sami Callihan, Rich Swann, Moose or EC3), the absolutely stacked tag team division with the most impressive roster of talent available out there, a solid mid-card that is largely using the newly found ‘Wrestle House’ to add a unique dynamic to the product, a stunningly booked Knockouts division or an X-Division that continues to shine, each section of Impact is so well thought out that very little of it ever feels less important. Regardless of their positioning on the show, talent always has enough time to shine in which ever storyline they’re involved in. Even the talent that don’t get feature on one given week, will always have a follow-up the following week, or reference of some kind to keep them in the mind of fans.

In terms of storylines, the company has amongst the best in the business going as we speak. From Young vs Swann, EC3 vs Moose, Deonna Purrazzo’s run as Knockouts Champion, Motor City Machine Guns vs basically every big tag team or Heath Slater once again trying to earn a contract. None of these are special solely for the immense amount of talent involved, they’re special because more than anything they’ve received more than enough time, planning & proper execution to mean something when these all come to ahead with Bound For Glory fast approaching. Unlike its competitors, Impact doesn’t just remain consistent, they understand that longevity is something fans value in the long-term not dread.

Top-Tier Character Work

Let’s just list off a bunch of Impact talent to understand just how much potential exists under their banner.

Eric Young, EC3, Rich Swann, Moose, Eddie Edwards, Sami Callihan, Deonna Purrazzo, Karl Anderson, Luke Gallows, Alex Shelley, Chris Sabin, Tommy Dreamer, Tenille Dashwood, Jordynne Grace, Ethan Page, Josh Alexander, TJP, Taya Valkyrie, Ace Austin, Brian Myers, Tommy Dreamer, Chris Bey, Willie Mack, and of all people… Ken Shamrock.

It’d be hard to sell that roster as ‘equal’ to WWE in terms of star-power or box office potential, but that’s not what Impact Wrestling is or should be about. Their product should never be meant to cater to an audience the size of WWE’s or AEW’s, building up their own reputation & image are the key to their success, something which they’re currently doing with great results. Whilst the talent mentioned all possess some kind of draw towards their product with their respective fanbases, they won’t be breaking any records anytime soon, rather they’ll enhance a product that lets each individual talent stand out in their own way.

Characters on Impact always feel more defined, more free & more well-rounded, partially because the company generally has a long-term plan for most their key talents. Rather than an endless roster of talent that tends to get lost in the shuffle due to far too much depth, Impact consists of a smaller roster with far more focus instead. Sure, every talent isn’t exactly as fantastic as an Eric Young, Moose or EC3, but at the very least they have a shot to standout amongst the crowd at a time when the company’s rivals seem overstuffed to the point of nausea.

Size may be an important factor when it comes to professional wrestling for some people, in the case of Impact Wrestling, it’s a prime example of how a smaller, more contained product just works better in the long run.

An Accessible Product

This part simply comes down to presentation. Because the appeal & willingness for an audience to revisit your product doesn’t just rely on how memorable your characters & storylines are, or how solid the in-ring action is, presentation plays a significant role too. And that’s probably the best thing about Impact Wrestling in 2020.

While the last two to three years have been hard for the brand in terms of presenting their product, it’s seemingly got better with time & ironically, with COVID-19 forcing them to restructure. In the past the company struggled due to factors such as low production value, pretty unenthusiastic audiences or venues that didn’t do the talent justice, this all seems to be redeemed since Anthem have had more influence in the direction of the product. Having a more confined setting has helped them develop a product & stars that thrive despite the conditions they’re working under.

Each week recaps the previous ones well for newer, more fresh viewers with a plethora of video packages or storytelling that never lets fans lose track of events. The in-ring product is shot in a manner that unlike WWE’s presentation style, isn’t overly edited & has the action flowing incredibly smoothly, letting each move resonate on-screen, which is useful especially when the X-Division takes centre stage. And even the manner in which backstage segments are shown might be absurd in theory, but Impact’s approach of simply owning the absurdity of the industry they lurk within works wonders rather than trying to suck the pure bizareness out of professional wrestling that so many people can enjoy.

Wrestling’s Strongest Mid-Card

Mid-cards in 2020 lay on two ends for me, either being too underutilized despite an immense array of diverse, young talent or (if you consider such a possibility exists) the mid-card is so overstuffed that those in-charge can’t possibly juggle the number of talents they have at their disposal. With either scenario, a lot of talent won’t get the shine they deserve due to either a lack of screen time or simply too much going on for fans to properly digest.

This is where Impact hits its stride for me, because so little of its talent ever feels underused, even pushed to the side. Whether its the talent making up the ‘Wrestle House’ segments, the Knockouts establishing themselves as the standard-bearers for quality women’s wrestling, Brian Myers taking on the likes of Tommy Dreamer or Willie Mack in a new pursuit in his career, a tag team division of the verge of explosion with the likes of MCMG, The Good Brothers, The North, Austin & Fulton, Reno Scum or The Rascalz or the ever-popular X-Division that continues to steal a good majority of the shows its featured on. Impact has found the perfect formula to give almost everyone something to do, regardless of what position on the roster they are.

But that’s what separates the best companies from one & another, the ability to not just focus on your main draws, also the workhorses that build the very foundation talents like that work off of every night. Impact certainly isn’t the apex of professional wrestling by any stretch, however, watching a show where everyone is involved or treated with some form of relevancy is a refreshing change of pace for myself personally. While the product could use some trimming around the edges, even work on some of its characters, the idea & effort they’re already putting into their presentation in commendable, because it displays the one thing that I think has kept them afloat for so very long, the ability to learn from their mistakes.

Granted they’ve always been prone to making more in the future, for the time being I’ll remain on the side of optimism as for the first time in a very, very long time it looks like Impact is transforming into what it always wanted to be, a vehicle for the future of professional wrestling.

No Crowd? No problem.

Addressing the audience seems like a silly thing to discuss in 2020 since you know, there is quite literally no audience for virtually all forms of entertainment at this very moment.

Unlike its competition, Impact has had an entirely different approach to the restrictions placed on the business as a result of the pandemic. Rather than creating a similar atmosphere to what fans knew prior to the pandemic, the company has gone forward in creating a product that doesn’t rely on an audience or audience interaction, instead enhancing its own product & storytelling methods to make the experience more adaptable & immersive in these trying times.

Brands such as WWE or AEW have used a plethora of methods to give fans what they are used to, with mixed results. The ”WWE Thunderdome” is certainly an achievement, and aesthetically pleasing to look at but feels hollow at the same time it does impressive. AEW has fans in attendance and talent at ringside, which I personally prefer, yet still doesn’t quite feel as organic as it’s portrayed to be by announcers and talent on the show. Displaying your product to be versatile during these times to me is more impressive than anything, which Impact has achieved against all odds. Nothing about their product requires fans to work, it’s all about the stories they tell, the characters they present & ensuring the action never flounders in order to keep your attention with the surroundings being completely empty. The show isn’t flashy or anything necessarily groundbreaking but is just a good, ol’ school wrestling show that knows what it is & excels at being just that.

So, why give Impact a chance?

There are two reasons everyone, whether you’re a WWE, NJPW, AEW, ROH, NWA or NXT fan should give Impact a chance in 2020.

The first, is the simple premise of how important, and vital, supporting other players in the industry is at this current time, under the circumstances the world is being forced to adapt under. Economies are struggling, people are hurting & especially when it comes to an industry like professional wrestling, our support is what keeps the wheels turning at the end of the day. As long as we have the time to invest & support companies such as this one who have survived so much through the years, we should play apart in their success as much as we can.

And second, is that it’s just a rock solid product with an endless array of potential to wrestling fans of all kinds. Whether you’re into pure professional wrestling, high-flying spectacles, hardcore wars, more dramatic long-form storylines or a product focused on building new stars, there’s something in here for absolutely everyone, fan or not. Impact Wrestling has slowly managed to supersede the reputation it so often carries in the wrestling community, one of failure & consistent letdowns, to become a product that isn’t just once again attracting big names, but some of the best (and also, most underrated) in the entire world.

Does Impact Wrestling have the reach or audience it once did? No. Not even close.

Does that matter? Not at all, because the amount of passion & effort everyone puts into this programme makes someone like myself, a wrestling fan since the age of five excited that a company continues to push past all of its obstacles to create something truly unique for fans to enjoy as a solid alternative to its much larger competition.

If you’re a fan like me who’s grown frustrated with a good chunk of the current products or brands like WWE, or elements of AEW, Impact Wrestling can offer as a solid secondary show or a place that will fill in the missing gaps that both companies fumble on based on your personal preferences or tastes.

Impact Wrestling isn’t just finding itself once again, it’s the most criminally slept on product in 2020 thus far, offering one excellent show after another, rarely stumbling & has somehow put together a roster of talent so good it’s no wonder the product they present is as consistent as it is on a week-to-week basis. Do yourself a favour and give this product a go whenever you have the time, because it’s a brand that deserves so much more attention in a landscape that constantly tries to undermine its true potential.

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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

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

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

Published

2 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.