5 times WWE Superstars did not get their contractual rematches

We all know that the rules of WWE matches are about as stringent as traffic laws in most of the Indian subcontinent. They are twisted and turned to fit the narrative, a privilege that comes from the action being staged.

However, one aspect of sports entertainment that most storylines harp on is the existence of a contractual rematch. Whenever a champion drops their championship, they have a chance to regain it from whomever they lost it to.

However, there are some notable exceptions where this rule is put by the wayside to extend a narrative. We bring you five such instances of a superstar not receiving an obligatory contractual rematch.

We're sure that we must have missed out on some other instances as well. Let us know in the comments below, if any other examples occur to you, dearest reader!

#5 Finn Balor for the Universal Championship

Balor's best days are far behind him now! — Balor's initial run seems like a thing of the past now!

Very few superstars in WWE history have received the kind of push that Finn Balor did last year. Upon his debut on RAW, he became the WWE Champion in 27 days, defeating Seth Rollins at SummerSlam 2016.

Mind you, this is after he held the NXT Championship longer than anyone else in history. The sky seemed like the limit for Balor last year at SummerSlam.

Unfortunately, on the very same night, he also suffered a major injury. It took him almost a year to recover, and much had changed since he held the prize. Balor returned to the fold, still one of the top guys, but with far less momentum.

There are rumours of Finn Balor facing Brock Lesnar for the Universal Championship, very soon indeed. If the match does come to pass, we cannot imagine Balor winning, considering just how dominant Lesnar has been in the recent past.

Unfortunately, it seems like Balor is stuck in the midcard, fighting grudge matches with Bray Wyatt and the like.

#4 New Day for the SmackDown Live Tag Team Championships

At Hell in a Cell, The New Day and The Usos took each other to the limit, and had, what was possibly the match of the entire night. Two nights later on SmackDown Live, they had a face off with one another, where both teams expressed their respect for each other after their titanic clash.

Having played 'hot potato' with the SmackDown Live Tag Team Championships thus far, the two teams buried the hatchet and surprisingly, commenced their next program. Well, ideally, The New Day were owed a contractual rematch, considering they lost their championships at Hell in a Cell!

Instead, we had a Fatal 4-Way match that was eventually won by Chad Gable and Shelton Benjamin, who go on to face The Usos next. The New Day did not even raise the fact that they deserved a title opportunity!

Practicality won in this case, as it was time to freshen up the tag team scenario after only two teams had dominated the division in the past.

#3 Kevin Owens for the Universal Championship

At WWE Fastlane this year, Goldberg challenged Universal Champion Kevin Owens for the top prize in WWE. The match was a typical Goldberg squash where Kevin Owens, distracted by Jericho, suffered a loss at the hands of the monstrous WCW icon.

Following this match, Owens would focus his attentions on Jericho and forget about Goldberg altogether. Goldberg went on to lose the Universal Championship to Brock Lesnar at WrestleMania 33.

Owens, on the other hand, became United States Champion at the same event. He has mostly been involved with the same championship since, feuding with AJ Styles on SmackDown Live following WrestleMania 33, after the Superstar Shake-Up.

Speaking of Bill Goldberg, he's the next name in our list of former champions robbed of their opportunity to regain their title belts.

#2 Goldberg for the Universal Championship

Lesnar vs. Goldberg IV has not happened yet

We had seen Brock Lesnar defeat most opponents through his illustrious career with utmost ease. Goldberg was a thorn in his side, however. Lesnar could not beat Goldberg in 2004 and then yet again in 2016.

This brought us to WrestleMania 33. Goldberg and Lesnar were wrestling for the Universal Championship. This time, Lesnar triumphed and became the Universal Champion, a title he's held ever since.

Of course, Goldberg stepped away from the company but from a storyline perspective, it is a bit baffling that he would not ask for his contractual rematch. Like everything else in WWE, this little detail was just glossed over.

If you think that it is only the men who hold the Universal Championship that never receive the matches they're owed, think again!

#1 Bray Wyatt for the WWE Championship

A baffling end to a disappointing WWE title reign

Bray Wyatt finally became WWE Champion at Elimination Chamber this year, and it seemed like his long overdue push was finally going to commence at long last. Instead, he dropped the WWE Championship to Randy Orton at WrestleMania 33.

'The Eater of Worlds' followed the buzzards right to RAW soon after the 'Showcase of the Immortals' because of the Superstar Shake-Up. He was bound to get his due at the 'House of Horrors' match at Payback and reclaim the WWE Championship.