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WrestleMania is the greatest spectacle in sports entertainment. A tradition that has lasted four decades, The Show of Shows has captivated the wrestling world with some of the most memorable matches and moments over its rich history.
From Hulk Hogan vs. Andre The Giant to The Rock vs. Stone Cold Steve Austin, The Grandest Stage of Them All has historically played host to wrestling's greatest encounters.
Due to the magnitude of the show, WWE often begins planning for Mania months, sometimes a year, in advance. However, the entertainment industry is tumultuous and plans change and fall out of place quite often.
On that note, let's look at five WrestleMania matches that were planned but never happened:
#5. Dean Ambrose vs. Chris Jericho was planned for WrestleMania 32
Due to an injury-struck roster and a sheer lack of star power, Chris Jericho returned in early 2016 to bolster the company. The first-ever Undisputed Champion feuded with AJ Styles, which culminated in a grudge bout at WrestleMania 32, which he won.
However, Y2J was initially planned to face The Lunatic Fringe, Dean Ambrose, in Texas. WWE had already sown the seeds for this blockbuster encounter a few months before The Road to Mania.
Jericho returned at Night of Champions 2015 to team up with Roman Reigns and Ambrose to battle The Wyatt Family in a losing effort. The trio, unfortunately, lost, and the veteran pushed The Lunatic Fringe on his way out.
Plans changed when Ambrose became immensely popular during his program with Brock Lesnar. The AEW star ended up losing to The Beast Incarnate at 'Mania 32.
In the post-Mania season, The Lunatic Fringe and Y2J did have an extended program, which included a series of hilarious segments and matches.
#4. John Cena vs. Lars Sullivan was supposed to happen at The Show of Shows in 2019
Lars Sullivan is a name that has been removed from the history books and forced out of fans' memories due to a string of controversies. However, WWE, and especially Vince McMahon, were once very high on Sullivan.
The Freak was booked to face John Cena, one of the most recognizable names in the world, at WrestleMania 35. Sullivan suffered an anxiety attack before the plans were set into motion, and WWE opted to drop the program.
Cena did not wrestle on the show, but he appeared as "The Doctor of Thuganomics" to shut down Elias in a short segment.
#3. WWE wanted to do Brock Lesnar vs. Shane McMahon at WrestleMania 33
Shane McMahon returned to WWE in February 2016 for a colossal showdown against The Undertaker at WrestleMania 32, which he lost. Following his loss, McMahon assumed an authoritative role but also transiently stepped into the ring.
As a part-time attraction, WWE built The Prodigal Son as a babyface. Their faith in Shane-O-Mac was such that they wanted him to face Brock Lesnar at The Show of Shows in April 2017.
McMahon had an intense confrontation with The Beast Incarnate at SummerSlam 2016, where he suffered a thunderous F5 for getting in Lesnar's face.
However, Lesnar straight-up refused to battle Vince McMahon's son in the greatest spectacle of sports entertainment. Fortunately, things worked out for the better for both men as Goldberg returned to revisit his program with The Beast, while Shane-O-Mac had a thrilling war with AJ Styles.
#2. Daniel Bryan's "Miracle on Bourbon Street" was never the original plan
In mid-to-late 2013, the WWE Universe backed two overwhelmingly popular and diligent wrestlers, CM Punk and Daniel Bryan. One could argue that Bryan's popularity was unmatched, considering massive fan reactions
However, WWE initially had no plans to crown him at WrestleMania 30. Bryan was supposed to face Sheamus in a mid-card match of little significance.
Batista was set to return and face Randy Orton at Mania, while Punk was scheduled to have a high-profile encounter with Triple H. Unfortunately, The Straight-Edge Superstar walked out of the company. This paved the way for "The Yes Movement."
Fans vehemently rejected Batista's Royal Rumble win as The Yes Man's popularity exploded through the roof. Bryan ended up facing and defeating Triple H at The Show of Shows.
In the main event, Bryan overcame the odds to defeat Batista and Randy Orton to pull off "The Miracle on Bourbon Street."
#1. Sting was offered to end The Undertaker's streak at WrestleMania 27
The Undertaker vs. Sting is considered one of the biggest dream matches that never happened. The Icon was the most ominous and dominant force in WCW, and the same could be said for The Phenom in his prime.
When WCW fell to WWE, the wrestling world firmly believed this colossal dream match would become a reality. However, Sting didn't join his fellow company men in jumping ship to Vince McMahon's promotion, as he found solace in TNA.
The Icon would finally set foot in a WWE arena at Survivor Series 2014, but the company had previously contacted Sting to wrestle for their promotion, which included an offer to defeat The Undertaker at WrestleMania 27.
Sting rejected the offer, and Taker battled Triple H in a well-received No Holds Barred match at The Show of Shows.
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