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2020 started off well for the WWE and its fans. The fans saw Brock Lesnar enter the 2020 Royal Rumble as the first entrant as the Universal Champion. During the Royal Rumble match, the WWE Universe got a whiff of what Keith Lee vs Brock Lesnar would look like. The match also sow the seeds for Drew McIntyre vs Brock Lesnar, when the Scottish Psychopath eliminated The Beast and later won the Royal Rumble Match.
The year also saw The Fiend losing the Universal Championship to Goldberg at Super ShowDown. The fans weren't very happy with that decision but Goldberg's victory set up a match between him and Roman Reigns. The two were all set to clash at WrestleMania 36 but the fans were robbed of that match.
This year has seen WWE face many problems that have forced the promotion to make last minute changes to its matches and PPVs. Here's listing 12 matches that didn't go as planned in the WWE.
#12: Roman Reigns vs Goldberg for the WWE Universal Championship at WrestleMania 36
As mentioned earlier, Goldberg was slated to defend the WWE Universal Championship against Roman Reigns at WrestleMania earlier this year. But after the COVID-19 pandemic hit, The Big Dog decided to pull himself from The Showcase Of Immortals.
Goldberg found himself without an opponent at WrestleMania until WWE announced that Braun Strowman would replace Roman Reigns at WrestleMania. The Monster Among Men beat Goldberg at WrestleMania to win his first-ever Universal Championship.
However, The Monster Among Men lost the Universal Championship to The Fiend four months later at WWE SummerSlam. The moment when The Fiend held the Universal Championship over his head, Roman Reigns returned after a four-month hiatus and speared both competitors.
A week later, Roman Reigns beat Strowman and The Fiend in a Triple Threat Match to win the Universal Championship for the second time in his career.
#11: WWE SmackDown Tag Team Titles Match at WrestleMania 36
The weeks building to WrestleMania 36, the WWE SmackDown Tag Team Champions, The Miz & John Morrison were scheduled to defend the Titles against The Usos and The New Day in a Tag Team Triple Threat Match. But before the PPV, The Miz fell ill and couldn't compete.
Instead of a Tag Team Triple Threat Match, the WWE SmackDown Tag Team Titles were defended in a Triple Threat Match among John Morrison, Kofi and Jimmy Uso. Morrison won the match an retained the Titles for his team.
#10: WWE SmackDown Women's Championship at WrestleMania 36
At WrestleMania 36, Bayley was slated to defend the WWE SmackDown Women's Championship in an Elimination Match. Before the PPV, Bayley's challengers were Lacey Evans, Naomi, Sasha Banks, Dana Brooke and Tamina. But at the PPV, Dana Brooke was removed from the match. A report suggested that she was put into cautionary quarantine.
#9: WWE RAW Tag Team Championship match at WrestleMania 36
Going into WrestleMania 36, Andrade and Angel Garza were set to challenge The Street Profits for the WWE RAW Tag Team Championship. On an episode of WWE RAW ahead of WrestleMania, Andrade injured his knee. At WrestleMania, he was replaced by Austin Theory.
#8 & #7: The Men's and Women's Battle Royal at WrestleMania 36
The Andre The Giant Battle Royal has become a staple of WrestleMania since WrestleMania XXX. It gives every WWE Superstar a chance to get on the WrestleMania match card and impress the WWE Universe.
At WrestleMania 34, WWE introduced the Women's version of the Battle Royal. Both these matches would have featured on this year's WrestleMania card but due to the COVID-19 outbreak, WWE decided to not have these matches.
#6: MVP vs R-Truth at WWE Money In The Bank
Ahead of Money In The Bank, MVP and R-Truth were set to go one on one at Money In The Bank. Before the match began, R-Truth disrespected MVP and the current Hurt Business member took offence of his words.
Bobby Lashley cut R-Truth off when he made his way to the ring. The CEO of The Hurt Business offered to take MVP's place so that he could teach R-Truth some respect.
Bobby Lashley made quick work of the 24/7 Champion at the PPV and has sided with MVP ever since.
#5: Edge vs Randy Orton at WWE SummerSlam
Edge made his return to WWE at Royal Rumble early this year. The Rated-R Superstar had announced his retirement from WWE nine years ago. When he returned during the Royal Rumble Match, he received a heroic welcome.
Since his return to WWE, Edge sparked a feud with his former teammate, Randy Orton. The two first clashed in a Last Man Standing Match at WrestleMania that Edge won. The two then met in a match at WWE Backlash, which Randy Orton won.
At WWE Backlash, Edge tore his tricep thus putting an end to a possible rubber match between the two Superstars. WWE had planned the third match between them for WWE SummerSlam but that was scrapped due to The Rater-R Superstar's injury.
#4: AJ Styles vs Gulak for the Intercontinental Championship on WWE SmackDown
AJ Styles won the Intercontinental Championship for the first time in WWE in June. He defeated Daniel Bryan to win the coveted prize. As Champion, AJ Styles was scheduled to make his first Title defence against Gulak on an episode of WWE SmackDown.
The match didn't take place on the episode of WWE SmackDown as planned. It was pushed by two weeks. Styles won the match to retain his Intercontinental Championship. Recently, on his Twitch stream, Styles confirmed that he had contracted COVID-19 at the time, thus pushing the match back by two weeks.
#3: Apollo Crews vs MVP at WWE Extreme Rules
At WWE Extreme Rules, Apollo Crews was supposed to defend the United States Championship against MVP. At the PPV, the announce team informed the audience that Crews did not clear a medical and wasn't allowed to compete. Bobby Lashley unvield the new United States Championhsip and handed it to MVP, who proclaimed himself the new Champion.
#2 Nia Jax & Shayna Baszler vs Ruby Riott & Liv Morgan for the WWE Women's Tag Team Titles
Earlier this month, Nia Jax and Shayna Baszler were scheduled to defend the WWE Women's Tag Team Championship against Liv Morgan and Ruby Riott at Clash Of Champions. Hours before the PPV, WWE announced that the match would not take place. Neither the Champions nor the challengers showed up at the event and WWE is yet to announce when the match will take place.
#1 Nikki Cross vs Bayley for the WWE SmackDown Women's Championship
Another match that was canceled at Clash Of Champions was the WWE SmackDown Women's Championship Match. Nikki Cross was slated to challenge Bayley for the Championship at the PPV. Nikki Cross didn't make an appearance on the episode of WWE SmackDown before Clash Of Champions, getting people talking about her fitness.
A few hours before the PPV, WWE announced that the match wouldn't go as planned. Bayley came out to the ring and issued an open challenge, which was answered by Asuka. Asuka won the match via DQ when Bayley hit her with a chair. Sasha Banks returned at the PPV and assaulted Bayley.
