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WWE is one of the most popular pro wrestling companies in the world. While the Stamford-based promotion is known for its impeccable storylines, not everything goes according to plan, and there have been instances when things were changed at the last minute.
With that said, here are three instances when the company got cold feet and delivered something completely different to the fans than its initial plans.
#3 The unexpected babyface turn of Shawn Michaels
Shawn Michaels was a highly popular babyface during his second run in the WWE. In 2005, he got into a feud with Hulk Hogan, which was originally supposed to be a clash between two good guys. However, WWE turned HBK heel for this feud, and two Hall of Famers fought each other at the 2005 SummerSlam Premium Live Event.
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The Hulkster emerged victorious, but the match wasn't without controversy, as it seemed like HBK was trying to oversell Hogan's every move. While there were plans to continue the feud, things didn't go as planned.
The Hulkster allegedly pulled out of the feud due to creative differences, and Vince McMahon had to turn Michaels into a babyface again. This was a very choppy move, but since the Heart Break Kid was already riding the wave and popular with the WWE Universe, it didn’t take long for the fans to accept him as a good guy again.
#2 Mustafa Ali was supposed to win the Money in the Bank
Back in 2019, Mustafa Ali was on the receiving end of a good push from the company. He was reportedly supposed to win the Money in the Bank contract that year, until Vince McMahon announced a change of plans at the last second. Moreover, the eventual winner, Brock Lesnar, wasn’t even an announced competitor in the match.
Speaking about it with Chris Van Vliet on his INSIGHT podcast, Mustafa Ali said that he was called by Mr. McMahon while the entrances for the match were happening. He was told that he was no longer winning the match, and The Beast Incarnate would unhook the briefcase in the end. This also resulted in Ali unintentionally busting his lip when he took a fall from a ladder.
#1 Drew McIntyre wasn’t WWE's original “Chosen One” in 2020
The 2020 Royal Rumble saw Drew McIntyre win the 30-wrestler contest. The Scottish Psychopath eliminated Roman Reigns in the end to score the victory and went on to face Brock Lesnar at WrestleMania 36 for the WWE Championship. The Scotsman defeated The Beast Incarnate to become the company’s 31st Triple Crown Champ. However, 2020 wasn’t supposed to be McIntyre’s year.
According to a report by Dave Meltzer on Wrestling Observer Radio, Roman Reigns was supposed to win the match. This would have made him a two-time Rumble winner. However, Vince McMahon pulled back on it, possibly to avoid Reigns going through another run in which he might've ended up getting hated by WWE fans.
Thus, Drew McIntyre wasn’t the original “Chosen One” that night. The same was true for Charlotte Flair, who won the 2020 Rumble when WWE originally planned to give the victory to Shayna Baszler.
