5 WWE Superstars who were removed from big matches (and the reasons why)

#1 Becky Lynch (vs. Ronda Rousey, WWE Survivor Series 2018)

While some of the names in this list were removed from WWE matches for storyline reasons, Becky Lynch could do nothing about being taken out of her Champion vs. Champion match against Ronda Rousey at Survivor Series 2018.

Lynch, WWE’s most popular Superstar at the time, suffered a face-breaking injury at the hands of Nia Jax during SmackDown’s invasion of RAW, which took place just six days before the two brands were set to meet in multiple Survivor Series matches.

“The Man” could not be medically cleared in time to compete in the match, so she was replaced by her biggest rival on SmackDown at the time, Charlotte Flair.

In hindsight, it is interesting to wonder whether the WrestleMania 35 main event would have been a Triple Threat if the original Rousey vs. Lynch match had happened as planned at Survivor Series.

After all, it had been reported in the year leading up to WrestleMania that WWE’s decision-makers wanted Rousey vs. Flair to headline the event, but Jax’s punch and Lynch’s undeniable popularity prompted major changes in the months before the show.