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WWE is not immune to the consequences of situations that are beyond their control. Writers tend to build up a feud to set up good matches at pay-per-views. However, unforeseen circumstances have forced the promotion to cancel its biggest matches in the past. Interestingly, these last-minute changes in decisions have caused a monumental impact on top superstars and their storylines.
This article will discuss five times when WWE had to pull a match from pay-per-view, its direct impact on the superstars involved. So, let’s begin.
#5 Roman Reigns vs. Rey Mysterio (WWE SmackDown)
In the weeks leading up to WWE Hell in a Cell 2021, The Usos got the opportunity to challenge Rey and Dominik Mysterio for the SmackDown Tag Team Championships. Unfortunately, Jey and Jimmy Uso came close to losing twice against The Mysterios on the same night. This didn’t sit well with Universal Champion and their cousin, Roman Reigns. The “Tribal Chief” interfered in the second title match and unleashed hell upon the father-son duo.
His brutal attack on Dominik prompted Rey Mysterio to challenge Reigns for the Universal Championship at Hell in a Cell. This was also going to be the masked superstar’s first-ever Hell in a Cell match. Their match was confirmed for the upcoming pay-per-view, but WWE suddenly announced a significant change of plans.
The match was moved to SmackDown's final show before Hell in a Cell. It was done on Rey Mysterio’s demand as he refused to wait until the pay-per-view to get his hands on the “Head of the Table”. Ultimately, the blue brand featured a Hell in a Cell match for the first time in WWE history. Both Roman Reigns and Rey Mysterio delivered excellent performances in this match.
Rey was the first to gain dominance as he relied on swift moves and creative assaults in the WWE SmackDown main event. Reigns initially struggled to keep up with Rey Mysterio’s offense. However, he soon found a window of opportunity to turn things around. He swung his opponent from corner to corner and constantly slammed him against the cell wall.
In the end, Reigns forced his opponent to tap out and retained his WWE Universal Championship. Unfortunately for the one-half of Smack Down Tag Team Champions, Roman Reigns was not yet done. He continued his assault on Rey Mysterio to make a strong statement.
Following the show, Paul Heyman issued an open challenge on behalf of Roman Reigns. It will be interesting to see which WWE Superstar will step up to face the “Tribal Chief”.
#3 Becky Lynch vs. Ronda Rousey (WWE Survivor Series. 2018)
In 2018, WWE Superstar Becky Lynch quietly crafted one of the best singles runs that the promotion has ever seen. Creative tried to turn her into a heel, but that got her over with the crowd, and she became the biggest babyface in WWE. Lynch won the SmackDown Women’s Championship before Survivor Series and was preparing to face RAW Women’s Champion, Ronda Rousey.
Ahead of the pay-per-view, SmackDown superstars invaded RAW, which led to a massive brawl. Amidst the commotion, Nia Jax punched Lynch in the face and broke her nose. Despite being covered in blood, Lynch stood tall and held her title up in the air for the crowd to admire. After the incident, WWE had to replace Lynch with Charlotte Flair in the Survivor Series match.
Becky Lynch eventually fought Rousey in WrestleMania's main event, which also featured Charlotte Flair. This was the first time in history when women headlined WWE’s biggest show of the year. Lynch defeated Rousey and Charlotte to win both titles in the unforgettable match.
Although Lynch’s big match was canceled, her decision to get the job done despite suffering from a broken nose forced every onlooker to admire her dedication to the business. Fans showered unconditional support for Lynch, and in return, she had a legendary title reign as "The Man" of WWE.
#3 Jeff Hardy vs Sheamus (WWE Extreme Rules, 2020)
WWE Superstars Jeff Hardy and Sheamus were involved in an intense rivalry in 2020. Neither of them shied away from launching personal attacks on each other. The Celtic Warrior went as far as bringing up Jeff Hardy's real-life issues with alcoholism. Eventually, it led to a 'Bar Fight' being booked between the two superstars.
They previously locked horns at Backlash and fans were looking forward to a rematch at Extreme Rules. WWE promoted the feud before the pay-per-view but changed their plans at the last minute. This match was unexpectedly moved to SmackDown after Extreme Rules. Backstage reports at the time claimed the match was rescheduled to boost SmackDown ratings.
Shortly after the feud, both Sheamus and Jeff Hardy moved to WWE RAW. Sheamus worked on an extended angle with Drew McIntyre and currently holds the United States championship on the red brand. Meanwhile, Jeff Hardy was involved in the WWE Championship match at Elimination Chamber. He is currently involved in a feud with Cedric Alexander on RAW.
#2 Finn Balor vs. Bray Wyatt (WWE TLC, 2013)
Back in 2017, WWE Superstars Finn Balor and Bray Wyatt were involved in an extended rivalry. They were initially scheduled to lock horns in a unique match at TLC. As per the plan, Balor and Wyatt were to wrestle as Demon King and Sister Abigail, respectively. Everyone was looking forward to an engaging battle between two epic alter-egos.
Unfortunately, the creative had to call off this match because Bray Wyatt came down with a viral infection. Along with Wyatt, Roman Reigns was also struggling with the same fever and was subsequently replaced by Kurt Angle at the pay-per-view. WWE then decided to call AJ Styles from a live event tour to set up a dream match against Finn Balor.
Balor and Styles had no time to prepare for the match, but the long history between the two superstars allowed them to deliver an instant classic. Even without any storyline or prior build-up, Balor and Styles fought like there is no tomorrow. It was one of the best WWE matches that year, and all because of one last-minute change in plans.
#1 Roman Reigns vs. Goldberg (WWE WrestleMania 36)
Last year at WWE WrestleMania, Roman Reigns was scheduled to challenge Goldberg for the Universal Championship. Fans were eagerly waiting for the title change at the pay-per-view. Unfortunately, the promotion had to simultaneously start an unexpected battle with the adversities of the Covid-19 pandemic. A few backstage reports suggested that Reigns had decided to pull out of the match due to safety concerns.
Days before WrestleMania, WWE replaced Roman Reigns with Braun Strowman. The “Monster Among Men” then faced Goldberg in a decent match and defeated the Hall of Famer to win his first world title in WWE. Following that, Strowman feuded with “The Fiend” Bray Wyatt for the majority of his brief title reign on SmackDown. One year later, he was released by the company.
As far as Roman Reigns is concerned, he remained off television for months after WrestleMania. He then returned as a heel and joined forces with Paul Heyman to create his most successful WWE run to date. Missing the match at WrestleMania ultimately paid off by nudging Roman Reigns into making the required changes to his gimmick. As a result, he returned and established himself as one of the best heels in the business.
