5 of the most underwhelming matches in WWE WrestleMania history

WrestleMania is WWE's biggest night of the year, and expectations are at a high. There's usually an influx of casual fans, and the promotion has to deliver a blend of spectacle and quality in-ring action. However, for every match that blows away expectations, there are those that fail to deliver.

Some of the greatest professional wrestlers of all time have been involved in their share of underwhelming matches. Even certain bouts that are promoted well on television fail to deliver at The Grandest Stage of Them All either due to their position on the card or just the sheer volume of expectations.

With that being said, here are five matches that didn't live up to expectations at WrestleMania:

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#5 The audience rejected Brock Lesnar and Goldberg who were both leaving WWE

WWE returned to Madison Square Garden for WrestleMania 20 with one of the most star-studded cards in the promotion's history. One of the most-anticipated bouts heading into the event was an inter-brand clash between the two behemoths, Brock Lesnar and Goldberg.

However, just before the show, it came to fans' attention that both stars would be departing the company. The infuriated hardcore audience took over the bout, bombarding Lesnar and Goldberg with boos. The two superstars never found their footing and delivered the worst match of the night.

After being pinned, The Beast Incarnate flipped off the crowd in a display of frustration.

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#4 Randy Orton and Triple H were left in a difficult position at WrestleMania 25

Triple H and Randy Orton couldn't live up to expectations at WrestleMania 25

After winning the 2009 Royal Rumble, Randy Orton earned a title shot against Triple H in the main event of WrestleMania 25. In addition to their backstory from the Evolution days, The Game and The Viper even had a heated build heading into their clash.

However, they had to go on last and were asked to follow the clash between The Undertaker and Shawn Michaels, which ended up being the match of the year. Triple H and Orton tried their best, but they just couldn't get the crowd invested in their bout, which limped to the finish line.

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#3 Sheamus swiftly disposed of Daniel Bryan at WrestleMania 28

Daniel Bryan was one of the most unlikely superstars to become a main eventer in WWE. The Aberdeen native returned to the promotion at SummerSlam 2010 after initially being fired and never looked back.

Bryan got his hands on the World Heavyweight title for the first time at TLC 2011 when he pinned the Big Show, who had just beaten Mark Henry. Even though he was booked as a weak champion, The American Dragon still had the unwavering support of the audience.

At WrestleMania 28, he was booked to drop the title to Sheamus in 18 seconds after being distracted by a kiss from AJ Lee.

The audience, who was hoping to watch him have a stellar match, was outraged. However, there was a silver lining as the audience support for Bryan only increased and was the driving force behind making him a top star.

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#2 The Rock and John Cena clashed twice at The Grandest Stage of Them All

John Cena redeemed himself with a win at WrestleMania 29

After a year-long build, The Rock took on John Cena in a blockbuster clash at WrestleMania 28. The match was an incredible success and made the show the most lucrative in WWE history up until that point. The Great One defeated Cena in an incredible moment in front of an ecstatic audience.

The two legends had a rematch on the next year's edition of The Show of Shows with the WWE Championship on the line. While the bout was a success financially, it was a let-down in comparison to the first encounter. There was also a feeling that WWE missed a trick by not having The Rock put over a younger superstar.

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#1 Bret Hart and Vince McMahon couldn't live up to expectations

Bret Hart returned to WWE in early 2010 to start a feud with Vince McMahon. With all the history between them and the heat from the Montreal Screwjob, all the ingredients were present for a riveting storyline. In the years following The Hitman's departure to WCW, McMahon even developed into one of the best heels in professional wrestling history

However, WWE complicated the story and added a number of layers that took away from the source of the tension between the two primary characters. The match was no less convoluted and included a ruse from the Hart family on McMahon.

A simple match which simply built up to The Hitman finally getting his hands on Vince McMahon would've been far more satisfying.