Iconic WWE Matches That Never Happened
Not every showdown makes it to the ring. As fans dream up wild matchups and fantasy feuds, some of the biggest names in WWE history pulled the plug before the bell even rang.
Stone Cold Steve Austin Vs Brock Lesnar
This one shook the WWE locker room to its core. In 2002, Steve Austin, arguably the hottest star in wrestling at the time, was booked to lose to rookie sensation Brock Lesnar on an episode of Raw. The problem? There was no build and no real hype behind it.
Stone Cold goes on strike | WWF RAW (2002) by WWF - Attitude Videos 2
Stone Cold Steve Austin Vs Brock Lesnar (Cont.)
For Austin, who had clawed his way to the top through grit and character development, the decision felt rushed. Rather than go through with what he saw as bad business, he walked out. Vince McMahon was furious, and WWE buried Austin on TV for weeks.
Shawn Michaels Vs Bret Hart (WrestleMania 13)
WrestleMania 13 was supposed to host a seismic rematch: Shawn Michaels vs Bret Hart, round two. After stealing the show the previous year in a grueling 60-minute Iron Man Match, the stage was set for Hart to reclaim the title.
Shawn Michaels confronts Bret Hart after Wrestlemania 13 | RAW 3/24/97 by Slam Zone
Shawn Michaels Vs Bret Hart (WrestleMania 13) (Cont.)
Weeks before the big event, Michaels appeared on Raw, teary-eyed and clutching the mic, announcing he had "lost his smile" and needed time away due to a knee injury. Was it real? Was it staged? Depends on who you ask, but Bret certainly didn't buy it.
Shawn Michaels confronts Bret Hart after Wrestlemania 13 | RAW 3/24/97 by Slam Zone
Hulk Hogan Vs Bret Hart
Back in 1993, Bret Hart was poised to be WWE's next golden boy. Fans loved him. He was technically brilliant and fresh off a strong WWF Championship run from October 1992 to April 1993. The plan was that he would face Hulk Hogan at SummerSlam for the WWF Championship.
Hulk Hogan Vs Bret Hart (Cont.)
That would be a moment that would polish him further. However, that match never happened. Instead, Hogan dropped the title to Yokozuna at King of the Ring in a shocking finish involving a camera flash to the face and walked out of WWE shortly after.
Wikimedia Commons, Mandy Coombes
John Cena Vs Jack Swagger
Jack Swagger thought 2010 would be the year everything changed. Fresh off a surprise Money in the Bank win at WrestleMania, he had the golden briefcase and a clear path to the top. He attempted to cash in on John Cena and become WWE Champion.
Raw: John Cena vs. Jack Swagger by WWE
John Cena Vs Jack Swagger (Cont.)
Nevertheless, Cena recovered quickly after a match with Batista and the plan was aborted. Swagger later set his sights on the World Heavyweight Championship, cashing in on Chris Jericho to claim the title. Many believe that Swagger’s cash-in attempt on Cena was nothing but a televised angle.
Raw: John Cena vs. Jack Swagger by WWE
Ken Shamrock Vs Chyna
Ken Shamrock was the "World's Most Dangerous Man," but he had one hard line he refused to cross—wrestling women. When WWE wanted to book a match between him and Chyna, a female powerhouse in her own right, Shamrock said no.
Mandy Coombes, Wikimedia Commons
Ken Shamrock Vs Chyna (Cont.)
He later explained that he taught his kids never to put their hands on women, and he didn't want them confused by seeing him do just that, even in a scripted match. At the time, WWE was pushing boundaries, and Chyna was breaking barriers, but Shamrock stuck to his values.
Aaron Evans, ae! at Flickr, Wikimedia Commons
Ric Flair Vs Lex Luger (1990)
In March 1990, WCW needed a big solution after Sting went down with a knee injury. Lex Luger was the fill-in choice to challenge Ric Flair in the NWA World Heavyweight Championship at WrestleWar. But Flair wasn't having it. He rejected dropping the title to Luger.
Ric Flair Vs Lex Luger (1990) (Cont.)
Not out of spite, but he had promised Sting that he would be the one to dethrone him. Flair was old-school that way. Management pushed back but Flair didn't budge. The match with Luger ended in a count-out, title intact and fans were confused.
CM Punk Vs The Rock/John Cena
CM Punk believed that his title as "The Best in the World" was true. But in 2013, when he was asked to drop the WWE Championship to The Rock, he wasn't thrilled. Punk had carried the title for over 400 days but suddenly found himself shuffled out of the spotlight.
CM Punk Vs The Rock/John Cena (Cont.)
The plan was to let The Rock and John Cena headline the grandest stage again. He vented about it often, especially after his departure from WWE. His frustration was about feeling ignored. Punk never had real heat with The Rock, personally, but the system? That's another story.
Megan Elice Meadows, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
Bret Hart Vs Shawn Michaels (Montreal Screwjob)
Bret Hart, WWF Champion, was scheduled to drop the title to Shawn Michaels at Survivor Series 1997. But he had one condition: not in Montreal. So Vince rang the bell early, pretending Bret had tapped out when he hadn't. Bret punched Vince backstage and left the company in chaos.
Bret Hart and Shawn Michaels SHOOT On Montreal! by Inside The Ropes
The Honky Tonk Man Vs Randy Savage
WWE wanted The Honky Tonk Man to drop the belt to "Macho Man" Randy Savage on Saturday Night's Main Event. But HTM had other plans. With no guaranteed contract, he was worried about being written off TV and refused. Instead of crowning Savage, the match ended in a disqualification.
Gage Skidmore, Wikimedia Commons
The Honky Tonk Man Vs Randy Savage (Cont.)
Things pivoted fast. Savage eventually skyrocketed to main-event status, but the storyline got delayed. Meanwhile, Honky's title reign continued until The Ultimate Warrior famously squashed him at SummerSlam 1988. It was a turning point that still sparks debate.
John McKeon, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
The Rock Vs Shawn Michaels
This is one of wrestling's most famous dream matches that never happened. While Shawn Michaels and The Rock were both megastars from different eras, they never squared off in a one-on-one match, and that was no accident. Behind the scenes, there was bad blood.
Megan Elice Meadows, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
The Rock Vs Shawn Michaels (Cont.)
The Rock reportedly avoided working with Michaels due to personal baggage. Word is, Shawn and Triple H made life hard for The Rock during his early years in WWE, even trying to stall his push backstage. Though Michaels eventually tried to extend an olive branch, The Rock didn't forget.
Shawn Michaels coming out of retirement as D-Generation X reunite: Raw, Oct. 8, 2018 by WWE
Goldberg Vs Chris Jericho
Back in WCW, Chris Jericho pitched a feud with Goldberg that would blend comedy, tension, and eventual payoff. Fans were into it, and the setup was perfect. But Goldberg wasn't. He didn't want to go through with it.
Adam Rickert, Wikimedia Commons
Goldberg Vs Chris Jericho (Cont.)
In his eyes, Jericho wasn't a believable threat, a midcard act playing dress-up, not a legitimate opponent. Jericho has since recalled how frustrating it was, especially since the feud had real heat. Instead, the whole thing fizzled. The two later clashed physically for years before eventually burying the hatchet.
jorgebueno, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
Bruiser Brody Vs Lex Luger
In 1987, Lex Luger stepped into a steel cage with Bruiser Brody during a Florida show. What happened next became infamous. Brody, known for his wild persona and stiff style, suddenly stopped cooperating mid-match. He no-sold Luger's offense completely, refusing to even react to punches or slams.
BRUISER BRODY PROMO ON REMATCH WITH NICK BOCKWINKEL by Rob D
Bruiser Brody Vs Lex Luger (Cont.)
Confused and panicked, Luger looked to the referee for answers. There were none. Sensing things were going off the rails, Luger reportedly asked the ref if he could just walk out. And that's what he did. To this day, no one knows exactly why Brody iced him out.
Unknown author, Wikimedia Commons
Brock Lesnar Vs Jinder Mahal (Survivor Series 2017)
Survivor Series 2017 was set to feature WWE Champion Jinder Mahal taking on Universal Champion Brock Lesnar in a classic champion-vs-champion showdown. But behind the scenes, things shifted. According to reports, Brock didn't see Jinder as a believable opponent and refused the match.
Megan Elice Meadows, Wikimedia Commons
Brock Lesnar Vs Jinder Mahal (Survivor Series 2017) (Cont.)
AJ Styles defeated Mahal on an episode of SmackDown Live just weeks before the pay-per-view to become the new WWE Champion and step in to face Lesnar instead. The resulting match with Styles was a critical hit, but Lesnar had the clout to change direction with a simple "no".
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