Opinion

Rey: Perspectives in Wrestling

Rey Cash looks at the current wrestling landscape & tries to make sense of things by looking at the different perspectives involved: company, fan, & wrestler.

Published

4 years ago

August 4, 2021

Rey Cash

Rey Cash looks at the current wrestling landscape and tried to make sense of things by looking at the different perspectives involved: company, fan, and wrestler.

There has never been a more confusing time in my wrestling fandom than right now.

On paper, this should be the best time in the wrestling business since the late 90s. We have two easily accessible, viable, thriving wrestling companies with shows spanning 4 nights a week (not counting Pay-Per-Views). We have the best Independent scene maybe ever, only rivaled by the post WCW world with the beginning of places like Ring of Honor and Pro Wrestling Guerrilla. Wrestlers are more accessible than ever, with a good portion of them interacting with fans on social media and the majority willing to do more interviews than any other time in history. We should be in a good place.

Clearly, you know that’s not the case. The wrestling part? That’s pretty damn solid. In fact, except for the controversies and criticisms of Monday Night Raw, most fans would say the wrestling is regularly excellent. What’s gotten almost unbearable is the rhetoric surrounding wrestling, and that’s starting to affect the entire wrestling world.

I’d like to break this down a bit, but we’re going to have to look at this with a LOT of nuance, because as we’ve learned in wrestling, nothing is tangible and everything is controversial.

The most appropriate place to start would be with the sudden and shocking releases that the WWE has made multiple times over the past 18 months. With WWE reporting record revenue over the past few years, the multiple billion dollar television deals, and most recently, leasing the WWE Network to Peacock for another billion dollars, the idea of WWE releasing wrestlers under the guise of “budget cuts” feels callous, unnecessary, and downright disrespectful. And even if there is truth to that claim (which there is), it’s still a horrible thing to do to your talent in a pandemic landscape. To make matters worse, WWE didn’t just “trim the fat” as they used to do once upon a time. Regularly and currently used wrestlers were surprisingly released. Top stars were released. People in ACTIVE storylines were released.

WWE is a business first and foremost. They’ve never lied about that, and it’s never been more apparent than now. And as much as we want them to be all about the wrestling, that’s not their primary goal. Vince realized 40 years ago that wrestling alone wasn’t going to get him where he thought he and his company should be. So, he slowly moved away from the regular tropes of “traditional” wrestling. He called his performers “superstars”. He called his product “sports entertainment”. Eventually, thanks to a lawsuit from the World Wildlife Fund, he changed his company’s name directly to include the word entertainment. He also took his company public, which greatly expanded his reach, his bank account, and his company’s scrutiny. See, the WWE and Vince’s FIRST priority is not to the fans or even to its wrestlers and employees. It’s to its shareholders. As a publicly traded company, they have a fiduciary responsibility to that stock price and the people who own shares. And this is where so much of the disconnect between company business and fan understanding begins. We don’t control the bottom line of the WWE as much as we think, we’d like, and we do with almost every other wrestling organization.

Now, this fact sucks from a fan perspective. As a fan base, we’ve been taught that what we want is what matters. We’ve been taught that our cheers or our boos have a direct line to what the company does. The more a character is supported, the stronger he or she is pushed. And for every other company, this may be true for the most part. But every company isn’t the WWE and doesn’t have the structure that they have. John Cena was the first “guinea pig” for this phenomenon. John did record business for the WWE during his run. Houses sold out, merchandise was sold at a ridiculous rate, ratings were strong, and Pay-Per-View numbers were really good. But the adult fan base couldn’t stand him. They audibly booed him and complained about him online, claiming that Vince wasn’t listening to the fans. So, think about this conundrum. WWE, a business, is doing fantastic business with a particular wrestler on top. The fans, who are the consumers, aren’t happy with that certain wrestler as the main star. Somebody must be spending that money on tickets and merchandise and Pay-Per-Views for the business markers to be what they were. What should WWE do? Listen to the fans or listen to the bottom line?

I do want to be clear that I don’t believe that it is a fan’s job to care about the business dealings of a company that they support. I do, however, think it’s their job to understand that their personal desires can and sometimes will deviate from the business dealings of that company. For fans and those critical of WWE, that last part is imperative. I hated that WWE released the wrestlers. It bothers me in a very serious way and is something I’ll never forget in my fandom of theirs. I also understand that while I don’t like the reasons, it doesn’t mean that they are any less legitimate.

This brings me to the fan’s perspective. I’ve touched on it a bit in my previous paragraphs, but to say that fan rhetoric these days is terrible is an understatement of massive proportions. There has always been an anti-WWE sentiment since they bought WCW. World Championship Wrestling was everything that the WWE (then WWF) wasn’t. WCW came from the lineage of the NWA and was always a wrestling focused company. Even with WCW focused on the older stars of the time, they still focused on the Cruiserweight division and those top stars were looked at as “WWE guys”. Also, WCW was a southern staple that made it big, whereas the WWE was the fancy company in New York. Most importantly, older fans will always harbor an abhorrence for Vince McMahon for buying his father’s company and killing the territories to create his national powerhouse.

In the spirit of WCW, we’ve seen the rise of All Elite Wrestling. AEW is owned by Tony Khan, a child of the Attitude Era and a wrestling die hard fan who had the capital (his father owns the Jacksonville Jaguars and Fulham FC) and the passion to create the biggest wrestling company since WCW folded. AEW has filled a place that anti WWE fans, those who felt unfulfilled with the WWE, or fans willing to follow something new were begging for. Khan’s company is built largely off the backs of the top stars of the Independent scene, legends of the current day that had never had their name in the marquee of the WWE’s world. That, added with some major WWE defections and Legends, started a revolution of sorts. Most importantly, the structure of the company is one that delivers on what fans want desperately – influence. The cheers and boos of the AEW crowd play a major part in the creative decisions of the company. Speaking of creative, AEW offers a large sense of creative control to their wrestlers. Performers create their own promos, pitch and portray their own characters, and structure their own matches. There is a genuine feeling of synergy between the company and the fans.

The interesting thing about this can be seen in the business side of the company. AEW is privately owned, as opposed to WWE being publicly traded. Shad Khan, the father of Tony Khan, is a multi-billionaire, but unlike the McMahons, all of their money isn’t and will never be in wrestling, which breeds a different level of risk between the companies. In fact, Tony has mentioned that their company is currently running at a loss, with continuing to employ the wrestlers that they do and making a sizable investment in a video game division. They’ve partnered with Warner Media and TNT for two cable TV shows and have outworked their contract deal twice to get better, more lucrative ones. AEW is here to stay and has shown that they are a legit alternative. Because of this, there is a good portion of the fanbase that is begging for AEW to beat and end the WWE’s reign on top of the wrestling world. There’s also a desire of all of the talent that WWE apparently is misusing to go to AEW on their own volition, even though AEW has had clear issues using the number of wrestlers that they have contracted regularly (AEW currently has more wrestlers under contract for their one current show than WWE does on their three main shows total).

Let’s dive into this idea of fans believing that wrestlers are being misused, and let’s use an example. Bray Wyatt, who has been a WWE main stay and a top talent since his debut, was shockingly released this week. Bray, who hadn’t been seen since the Monday after WrestleMania 37, was reportedly waiting for the right creative direction for him to come back as he was released. Immediately, there was an understandable expression of support, shock, and anger. And there was a large belief that Bray was misused. Now Bray Wyatt is a former WWE Champion, has been a major player in the WWE, has been a part of some of the most memorable moments of the current era, and has feuded with and beaten some of the biggest names in WWE history. He’s also been one of the most creative wrestlers possibly ever. His characters, his promo skills, and his ability to reinvent himself will be looked at as legendary. Have there been moments where it felt as if his character wasn’t put in the best situations? Yes. Has it felt at times like he could’ve and should’ve done more? Absolutely. However, the world misuse ignores all of the positives he gave to us. And since WWE is unlike AEW and is extremely unilateral in their creative direction, we have to give WWE some of that credit as well.

On this past week’s Monday Night Raw in Chicago, which is the first live show since Bray was released, there were chants of “We Want Wyatt” at times throughout the show. Ronda Rousey, a former WWE superstar and MMA legend who’s notoriously had issues with the fan relationship in WWE, tweeted:

This is coupled with the fact that Bray has had the unfortunate honor of winning multiple “Worst” awards on the fan voted Wrestling Observer Newsletter, and you could often find a large contingent of IWC fans vocal about their disdain for Wyatt and his characters. So, can we say he was misused if there was a group of fans who didn’t give him a chance and didn’t enjoy him? And does Ronda have a point, given that growing contingent of contempt for the character could’ve possibly led to Wyatt not being considered untouchable?

I’ve seen you same “fans” chanting #WeWantWyatt last night chanting “We want beach balls” over @WWEBrayWyatt performing. If the @wwe treated him like he was expendable it was because you ungrateful idiots did first

— Ronda Rousey (@RondaRousey) August 3, 2021

This leads me to the perspective of the wrestlers themselves. Mickie James, who recently was given her own release coupled with a heartless act of sending her remaining things back to her in a trash bag, had her own thoughts on Bray’s release. She tweeted:

This isn’t against Alexa. I love her. She’s an incredible performer who is killing it in a role she was given. She always does. We as artists take every role we’re given & turn it into gold. He, she, they both did that. Like it/not. Facts are facts. So sorry if that offends you.

— Mickie James~Aldis (@MickieJames) July 31, 2021

It’s completely understandable for Mickie to have disdain for WWE given the way she was treated upon her exit, as well as seeing so many of her contemporaries lose their jobs. Her tweet, however, was off base on so many ways, and that is evident in her follow up tweet, seen above

In one breath, she claims that Bray came up with a gimmick that WWE didn’t know how to book correctly and just gave it to another person, then she says that the wrestlers are artists that take what they’re given and turn it into gold. So if Bray came up with it and WWE didn’t know how to book it right, shouldn’t some of the blame be on Bray? And she tried to walk back her shot at Alexa, but the tweets still felt unnecessary and selfish. This is just a small example of how vocal the wrestlers of today have become. Whether good, bad, or indifferent, wrestlers in 2021 are more than willing to let their true thoughts be known. It doesn’t matter if it’s about a fan, a company, or even another wrestler. We’ve seen such movements as #TimesUp and #SpeakingOut be pushed primarily by wrestlers, as well as the growing concern of wrestler use in the companies.

The perspective of a wrestler is the most salient. They are, in fact, the life blood of this business. The way that they feel and interact is the most relevant opinion in the business. So, it’s simultaneously apropos and hilarious that wrestler opinions on the current happenings between WWE and AEW. There are so many wrestlers disgusted and dis-enamored with WWE’s business practices and creative woes. And there are another group, particularly Malakai (formerly Aleister) Black and Tyler Breeze who feel the opposite. Both wrestlers were recently released from the company but look back on their time fondly and have been very vocal about how wrestlers should be more accountable for their fates with the company. Tyler, in particular, has talked about how wrestlers know what they’re getting into with signing with the company, and how it’s their job to be ready when called upon but to not complain when they’re not used.

Ultimately, everything is conjecture. Wrestling is a subjective art built on the backs of deceiving fans. Every company has one person who chooses who wins and loses, and the fan response can be looked at a million different ways. The only concrete, factual evidence is the business returns. Once again, it’s not the job of a fan to care about this, but it explains a lot about the ideology of the companies and in turn, the feelings and opinions of the fans and the wrestlers. WWE may be at an all time low among IWC support, however they’re the most successful they’ve ever been. This tells me that they’ve tapped into and doubled down on the fan bases that they know support them and have stopped caring about the fan bases that criticize their product, particularly the IWC. TV ratings are lower now than they’ve ever been, however, Peacock subscriptions, YouTube views, and social media interactions are some of the highest in the entire entertainment industry. This tells me that the fan base is consuming the product in a much different way than usual. WWE has released a ridiculous amount of wrestlers in such a small amount of time, while reporting record revenue on their investor calls. This tells me that WWE is trying to remain profitable in the eyes of their stockholders, and Nick Khan’s influence has changed how and what they value regarding their talent.

All of these differing perspectives normally make for a beautiful convergence of wrestling viewpoints. Unfortunately, there is so much vitriol in the air at the moment. What used to be a fantastic hobby is turning into a cesspool of hatred, bias, and egocentricity. There will always be bad things that happen in this business. This is an unfortunate truth, however, this business has also shown a resilience that most mediums wish for. If we can all get out of our own preconceptions and remember why we’re fans and what place we all play in this ecosystem, I feel like we can get back to wrestling nirvana. As things currently are, however, we’re on the verge of wrestling hell.

FIN

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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 week ago

April 18, 2025

PC Tunney

Ladies and gentlemen, welcome back to the Chairshot Staff Picks. And what better setting than WrestleMania for this article to return! This 41st edition has one of the most stacked rosters in WWE history. So, without further ado, let us get to the predictions and prognostications…

AJ – The New Day
Andrew – The New Day – No one seems to hold tag titles long anymore.
Dave – The New Day – They have earned it.
DJ – The New Day – Feel tha Powah!
DPP – War Raiders – Big E distraction.
Jason – The New Day – We are not getting E in a working capacity though everyone wants it.
Patrick – The New Day – WWE doesn’t care about this match, so why should I?
Rey – The New Day – Its a New Day, bruh.
Rob – The New Day – New Day rocks and wins!
Greg – The New Day – New. Day wins. New. Day wins!

Tunney’s Take: War Machine – Yes, WAR MACHINE. I have personally had the pleasure of throwing back a few cold ones with these guys on more than one occasion. Not only being tag champs in WWE but defending the titles at Mania and against The New Day is really cool for me as a long-time fan. Would it be fun to see The New Day have another title run.. YES. I think it’s smarter to give the War Raiders a big Mania W.

Chairshot Pick: THE NEW DAY 9-2

AJ – Jade Cargill
Andrew – Jade Cargill – She needs to stay a dominant force.
Dave – Jade Cargill – Gotta gear her up for the long term.
DJ – No contest – Naomi puts another beat down on Jade.
DPP – Jade Cargill – Nervous for how this match will go.
Jason – Naomi – Way more runway with Naomi as a bad guy. Keep it going!
Patrick – Jade Cargill – Jade gets her revenge.
Rey – Jade Cargill – Best non-title feud going. Naomi should win but Jade sneaks by.
Rob – Naomi – Naomi gets help to win.
Greg – Jade Cargill – They ain’t beating Jade here.

Tunney’s Take: Jade Cargill – I imagine WWE sees Jade’s ceiling much higher than Naomi’s. What better way to keep Jade climbing the ladder towards a World Title than to pick up a decisive victory in Vegas!

Chairshot Pick: Jade Cargill 8-2-1

AJ – Jacob Fatu – “AJ does a pretty good LA Knight impersonation” – PC Tunney
Andrew – Jacob Fatu – I’m biased, Jacob for President.
Dave – Jacob Fatu – Getting gold back in the Bloodline is smart.
DJ – Jacob Fatu
DPP – Jacob Fatu
Jason – Jacob Fatu – Thanks for coming pal, YEAH!
Patrick – Jacob Fatu
Rey – Jacob Fatu – C’mon cuz! All gas no brakes with it. Yadadamean??
Rob – LA Knight – Solo costs Jacob.
Greg – LA Knight – Solo screws Jacob.

Tunney’s Take: Jacob Fatu – It has been quite the journey for the Samoan Werewolf. I feel like that journey and the positive turn around it has taken deserves to be rewarded. Let’s see what Jacob can do on his own. Plus, LA Knight is ready to challenge for a World Title.

Chairshot Pick: Jacob Fatu 9-2

AJ – Tiffany Straton
Andrew – Tiffany Straton – I hate Charlotte Flair, no objectivity here.
Dave – Charlotte Flair – Tiffy might be the future, but she kinda failed the litmus test.
DJ – Charlotte Flair – The Queen crowns the freshman.
DPP – Tiffany Stratton
Jason – Charlotte Flair – Tiff wasn’t ready for this spot. Charnos is inevitable.
Patrick – Charlotte Flair – Lol Charlotte wins.
Rey – Charlotte Flair – Tiffany SHOULD win but, if Charlotte can squash, she will.
Rob – Charlotte Flair – Charlotte gets number 15.
Greg – Tiffany Stratton – Lol Charlotte wins. (Actually she doesn’t)

Tunney’s Take: Charlotte Flair – Charlotte needs the title for the first time in her career. Tiffy has had a nice run but now needs to take that all important step of not losing momentum after losing the title. Despite the drama and lackluster build here, I see a really good match coming this weekend from these two.

Chairshot Pick: Charlotte Flair 7-4

AJ – El Grande Americano
Andrew – El Grande Americano – I’d like to see Gable gain some momentum. Rey is Teflon.
Dave – El Grand Americano – He needs a marque win much more than Rey.
DJ – Rey Mysterio
DPP – El Grande Americano – Grande wins with the switcheroo to prove he is not Gable.
Jason – Rey Mysterio – Unmask Grande at the end. It is fun but has a shelf life.
Patrick – El Grande Americano – TOTALLY NOT CHAD GABLE
Rey – Rey Mysterio – Someone’s mask is coming off and it ain’t Rey.
Rob – El Grande Americano
Greg – Rey Mysterio – Hall of Famer wins but doesn’t take the mask.

Tunney’s Take: Rey Mysterio – Go listen to DWI 471. DP, Greg and I lay out exactly what this match should be, FUN! Multiple Americanos!!!

Chairshot Pick: El Grande Americano 6-5

AJ – Jey Uso
Andrew – Jey Uso – Kinda booked themselves into a corner here.
Dave – Jey Uso – It just makes sense.
DJ – Jey Uso – Jey YEETS all over The Ring Genreal.
DPP – Jey Uso – Jey wins after normal Gunther beating.
Jason – Jey Uso – Land the plane man. YEET
Patrick – Jey Uso – Jey has earned this one.
Rey – Jey Uso – YEEEEEEEEEEEET!
Rob – Jey Uso – YEET
Greg – Jey Uso – If Jey loses we riot. We don’t cause he wins.

Tunney’s Take: Jey Uso – ‘Til sweat drop down my balls, ‘Til all these bitches crawl, ‘Til all… YEET YEET YEET YEET YEET YEET YEET YEET YEET YEET YEET YEET YEET YEET YEET YEET YEET YEET YEET YEET YEET YEET YEET!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Chairshot Pick: Jey Uso 11-0

AJ – Roman Reigns
Andrew – Seth Rollins – I can see Rollins being the last piece of Team Rock.
Dave – Roman Reigns – I can’t see Roman losing two years in a row.
DJ – Seth Rollins – Paul Heyman is a Seth Freakin Rollins guy.
DPP – Seth Rollins – The Rock helps Rollins.
Jason – Roman Reigns – Seth’s favor is a red herring. Make-A-Wish Brooks got his main, now look at the lights.
Patrick – Seth Rollins – Seth Rollins… Paul Heyman guy.
Rey – Seth Rollins – I smeeeeellllllll a new soul to sell.
Rob – Roman Reigns – Paul Heyman helps Roman win.
Greg – Seth Rollins – Brock Lesnar returns to help Seth win.

Tunney’s Take: CM Punk – I really have no idea here. I picked Punk because nobody else did. This is going to be professional wrestling cinema at its finest. The story is thick and neatly woven. All the participants are legends and so are the potential party crashers. Will The Rock stick his nose in here? Will Brock Lesnar return to play a factor? Obviously, Paul Heyman has a Plan A… but what is it? All these questions and more will be answered Saturday as night 1 will definitely go out with a bang!

Chairshot Pick: Seth Rollins 6-4-1

AJ – Iyo Sky
Andrew – Iyo Sky – Rhea vs Bianca doesn’t need a belt to be compelling.
Dave – Rhea Ripley – Going with Rhea barely, hoping Iyo wins.
DJ – Iyo Sky – Unfinished business.
DPP – Iyo Sky – Rhea and Bianca are too consumed with each other.
Jason – Iyo Sky – More layers to Rhea/Bianca. Iyo rules.
Patrick – Iyo Sky – Iyo stole the build and gets the win.
Rey – Iyo Sky – Smart money is on the underdog champ.
Rob – Iyo Sky – Iyo survives.
Greg – Bianca Belair – Naomi helps Bianca win and turn heel.

Tunney’s Take: Rhea Ripley – Rhea is the best women’s wrestler in the world. Give her the biggest win on the grandest stage of them all!!! Bianca needs to go full heel. Iyo has been amazing in this build.

Chairshot Pick: Iyo Sky 8-2-1

AJ – Dominik Mysterio
Andrew – Finn Balor – I can see a Judgement Day meltdown incoming.
Dave – Bron Breakker – Bron is about to become a MegaStar.
DJ – Bron Breakker – Judgement Day implodes.
DPP – Dominik Mysterio – Finn take the pin.
Jason – Penta – I literally do not care because the winner is us, the fans.
Patrick – Bron Breakker – The WWE doesn’t care about this matchup, so why should I?
Rey – Dominik Mysterio – Only match without a clear winner. I choose chaos.
Rob – Bron Breakker – Finn and Dom cancel each other out.
Greg – Dominik Mysterio – Dom steals the pin from Bron, on Finn.

Tunney’s Take: Bron Breakker – The case can be made for any of these four to walk away with the most prestigious non-World title in pro wrestling history. The short of it is though that the Main Event picture isn’t really readily accessible for Breakker right now. Let this IC reign go through the summer, to SummerSlam.

Chairshot Pick: Bron Breakker 5-4-1-1

AJ – Damian Priest – “AJ does a pretty good Drew impersonation” – PC Tunney
Andrew – Drew McIntyre – Priest has not been interesting in this face incarnation.
Dave – Drew McIntyre – Time for Drew to get that win back.
DJ – Fuck finish – To be continued at Backlash.
DPP – Drew McIntyre – Physical matchup!
Jason – Drew McIntyre – Either one is fine here.
Patrick – Drew McIntyre – With two eyes, Drew turns the tide.
Rey – Drew McIntyre – Low key match of the weekend.
Rob – Damien Priest
Greg – Damien Priest – Priest wins, Drew tweets about it half hour later.

Tunney’s Take: Drew McIntyre – With the addition of the Street fight rules, these two behemoths have a really good chance to have one of the best matches of the entire weekend (winks at Rey Ca$h-A-Mania)! I do wonder what is next for both of these talents moving forward. Priest has staled since leaving the Judgement Day and Drew seems stuck in the same cycle for a while now. Very interested to see what the summer holds for this pair.

Chairshot Pick: Drew McIntyre 7-3-1

WHO WILL BE RANDY’S OPPONENT?!?

AJ – Nick Aldis – Orton wins
Andrew – Orton and Aldis vs Solo and Tama – Orton and Aldis win
Dave – Someone is getting an RKO!
DJ – A segment w/ the Wyatt s6cks.
DPP – Rusev – Aldis introduces Rusev who defeats Orton.
Jason – Nick Aldis – You got one more in ya, bubba. Aldis wins!
Patrick – Nick Aldis
Rey – Solo then Rusev – Solo in a squash and Rusev MATCHKA(wins)
Rob – Nick Aldis – Aldis proves himself, Orton wins.
Greg – Nick Aldis – Orton beats Aldis, they shake after.

Tunney’s Take: I would really love to see a singles match between Orton and Aldis. More likely this is some type of involvement with Solo and Tama. Rusev as a surprise challenger would be cool but, I feel that would be better left for RAW. An impromptu Goldberg retirement match would be crazy and fun, yet highly unlikely and illogical. Whatever happens, best believe exactly what Dave Ungar said, “Someone is getting an RKO!”.

AJ – Logan Paul
Andrew – AJ Styles – Logan doesn’t need the rub and should stay upper mid card.
Dave – Logan Paul – It’s the smart move and would be a statement win for Paul.
DJ – Logan Paul – Kross gets involved somewhere.
DPP – AJ Styles – AJ wins a great high-flying match.
Jason – AJ Styles – Just enjoy it or get a beer, nerds.
Patrick – Logan Paul – Logan Paul will main-event Mania sooner than later…
Rey – Logan Paul – Pass the torch, my wily vet.
Rob – Logan Paul – Kross helps Paul win.
Greg – AJ Styles – Styles wins after Paul’s cheating backfires.

Tunney’s Take: Logan Paul – Logan seems to really have dedicated himself to becoming great in this business. Anyone with that type of goal must have a World title on their mind. Beating AJ at Mania will be a great springboard for Logan into the Main Event sooner than later (winks at Patrick O’Dowd).

Chairshot Pick: Logan Paul 7-4

AJ – Liv & Raquel
Andrew – Liv & Raquel – Not really a fan of Lyra, she needs more work.
Dave – Liv & Raquel – This Bayley and Lyra team makes no damn sense.
DJ – Liv & Raquel – Bayley crashes out.
DPP – Liv & Raquel – Bayley continues a potential heel turn tease.
Jason – Bayley & Lyra – Finish the story!
Patrick – Bayley & Lyra – The WWE doesn’t care about this matchup, so why should I?
Rey – Liv and Raquel – Bayley want a title but it ain’t the ones in this match.
Rob – Liv & Raquel – Champs retain.
Greg – Liv & Raquel – Liv and Raquel retain thanks to Carlito and maybe JD.

Tunney’s Take: Liv & Raquel – Liv and Raquel need to be kept as the cornerstone of the women’s tag division for a lengthier period of time. Building tag teams in this division is difficult enough, let alone without a North Star.

Chairshot Pick: Liv & Raquel 9-2

AJ – Cody Rhodes
Andrew – Cody Rhodes – They are mentioning it so much, I don’t think 17 happens.
Dave – Joh Cena – Record falls and we head to summer with a built-in storyline.
DJ – John Cena – Some kind of Final Boss involvement.
DPP – John Cena – Cena wins and retires on RAW.
Jason – John Cena – Story’s over, “Captain” BIG MATCH JOHN.
Patrick – John Cena – A record breaking night for Cena.
Rey – John Cena – They’d be really stupid to turn John just to lose. (Post-Mania: Rock, Cena, T Scott, Seth & Drew, TEAM Corporate)
Rob – Cody Rhodes – Cody surprises us with the W.
Greg – Cody Rhodes – Cody wins to piss off Rock and set the table for Cena to turn back face. Crowd is behind Cena all the way through.

Tunney’s Take: Cody Rhodes – They had me until the threat of retirement. Been there. Done that. Didn’t fall in love with it back then. I love John Cena. I love this final run. John will get his 17th just not here. I expect nothing less than an absolute GEM of a match here to close WrestleMania 41. This has all been, is, and will continue to be about Cody Rhodes. WM40 defeats Roman Reigns. WM41 defeats John Cena. WM42 defeats The Rock (The Final Boss).

Chairshot Pick: John Cena 6-5

In closing I want to thank everyone on the panel for participating with their picks! You can follow each prognosticator/podcaster on X @ the handles below. We wait all year for this so remember three things… be respectful of others, comparison is the thief of joy and HAVE FUN!

AJ – @PhenomenalAJB
Andrew – @IWCWarChief
Dave – @AttitudeAgg
DJ – @TheMindlessPod
DPP – @itsmeDPP
Jason – @JediFett
Patrick – @WrestlngRealist
Rey – @itsreycash
Rob – @rbonne1
Greg – @gregdemarco44
PC – @PCTunney
TheChairshot.com – @ChairshotMedia

For the latest, greatest and up to datest in coverage, opinions, and podcasts ALWAYS #UseYourHead and visit TheCharishot.com

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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

1 week 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.