'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
While most WWE Superstars have no issues with facing their scheduled opponent, some Superstars have asked WWE management if they can work with someone else.
One of the most famous opponent changes in WWE history came shortly before Hulk Hogan departed the company in 1993. The Hulkster was originally supposed to drop the WWE Championship to Bret Hart, but he allegedly demanded that he lose to Yokozuna instead.
A more recent example involved Ronda Rousey and Alexa Bliss. The two women were due to face each other on WWE RAW after Elimination Chamber 2019. However, as Rousey’s PPV match against Ruby Riott was cut short, she asked if she could face Riott in a rematch on RAW.
Both Hogan and Rousey successfully changed their opponent, but many other Superstars have not gotten their way when they made similar requests.
In this article, let’s take a look at five WWE Superstars who unsuccessfully tried to change their opponent.
#5 The Rock wanted to face Rey Mysterio instead of Goldberg in WWE
Goldberg defeated The Rock at WWE Backlash 2003 in his first match as a WWE in-ring competitor. While many Superstars considered WWE to be a dream job, Goldberg had to be convinced by The Rock to join the company.
Unfortunately, things did not exactly go according to plan in Goldberg’s first few weeks in WWE. The WCW legend got into a fight backstage with Chris Jericho shortly after his WWE debut appearance on RAW. He then botched a parking lot segment with The Rock in the build-up to their match at Backlash.
Speaking on his Something to Wrestle With podcast, WWE director Bruce Prichard revealed that even The Rock had doubts about Goldberg. The Great One allegedly said he wanted to work with Rey Mysterio instead:
“I think it was two weeks, three weeks into this. Rock, who begged us to bring Goldberg in, comes to us and says, ‘Hey, I got an idea. I’ve been watching the little guy with the mask… Rey Mysterio, is that his name? Holy s***, man, we could tear it up! How about we just slide Rey into the match, I do something with Rey? That’ll be a great f***ing match.’”
Prichard said The Rock tried to get out of the Goldberg match because he knew it would not be very good.
“'What do we do with Goldberg, Rock?' … 'Erm, I don’t now, but me and Rey could have a hell of a match.' So, two weeks in, Rock was bailing on him and just like going, 'Oh man, I’m just terrified of this match.'”
Goldberg went on to feud with Superstars like Triple H and Brock Lesnar before leaving WWE in 2004. Meanwhile, The Rock only competed in one more WWE match in the next eight years following his match against Goldberg.
#4 Bob Holly wanted to face Chris Masters instead of Carlito in WWE
Chris Masters confirmed in an interview with The Hannibal TV in October 2020 that Bob Holly did not like him in WWE.
According to Masters, Holly immediately took a disliking to him after he unintentionally no-showed an Ohio Valley Wrestling (OVW) television taping. The veteran WWE Superstar also felt disrespected after Masters did not shake his hand one time.
Masters revealed that Holly even tried to change his opponent, Carlito, before a show because he wanted to teach Masters a lesson in the ring. However, WWE’s decision-makers stuck to the original plan and they did not allow Holly to face the rookie Superstar.
“Bob was mad. He was supposed to wrestle Carlito that night and he went out of his way to try to change the match so he could rough me up, but they didn’t switch it.”
Masters picked up a victory over Holly in an untelevised match before a WWE Velocity taping in November 2004. Other than that, their only WWE in-ring appearances together came in Battle Royals and Royal Rumble matches.
#3 The Undertaker wanted to face Yokozuna instead of Giant Gonzalez in WWE
The Undertaker has told lots of stories from his legendary WWE career since he began giving out-of-character media interviews in 2020. One of his most famous stories revolves around two very different WWE Superstars: Giant Gonzalez and Yokozuna.
Gonzalez was previously known as El Gigante in WCW. The Undertaker was aware of the towering Superstar’s lack of in-ring skills and he was not keen on working with him in WWE. Yokozuna, on the other hand, joined WWE around the same time as Gonzalez and he impressed The Undertaker a lot.
Speaking on NotSam Wrestling, The Undertaker said he could sense that Vince McMahon was going to ask him to work with Gonzalez before Yokozuna.
“I remember turning my head to Vince and saying, 'Please, please, please, let me work with him [Yokozuna] first.'” [H/T Wrestling Inc.]
The WWE Chairman eventually booked The Undertaker vs. Yokozuna on WWE television. However, as ‘Taker recalled, he had to face Gonzalez first.
“[Vince McMahon said] 'You'll work with him [Yokozuna] in time, but I've got somebody else in mind for you.' I kid you not, coming down the hall from the other direction, here comes Giant Gonzalez, and Vince goes, 'That's your guy.'”
The Undertaker claimed in the interview that working with Gonzalez “took years” off his career.
#2 Chris Jericho did not want to face Fandango (WWE WrestleMania 29)
Chris Jericho has never been one to shy away from giving his opinion. The nine-time WWE Intercontinental Champion wanted to face Ryback or Wade Barrett at WrestleMania 29, but Vince McMahon had other ideas.
Speaking to Busted Open Radio in 2019, Jericho recalled that McMahon was adamant about him facing Fandango at the event. Fandango, who had not yet debuted in WWE, was hand-picked by McMahon to defeat Jericho in a high-profile WrestleMania encounter.
Jericho said he was so infuriated by McMahon’s decision that he hung up on the WWE Chairman during a conversation about the match.
"I gave him three or four other suggestions and he said no to all of them. He was super into Fandango. And I finally said, 'There's nothing I can do to change your mind, is there?' And Vince goes, 'Nope.' So I hung up on him." [H/T Wrestling Inc.]
The Undertaker, who is friends with Jericho in real life, advised the former WWE Superstar to go ahead with the match. Jericho said he changed his mindset and made it his mission to make Fandango look as good as possible at WrestleMania.
#1 Kurt Angle wanted to face John Cena instead of Baron Corbin (WWE WrestleMania 35)
Kurt Angle was originally supposed to retire from in-ring competition in 2020 against John Cena at WWE WrestleMania 36. However, the Olympic Gold medallist knew in 2019 that he could not compete for another year, so he decided to retire 12 months early.
Vince McMahon agreed to Angle’s request, but the WWE Chairman wanted him to finish his storyline with Baron Corbin before retiring. That meant the former WWE RAW authority figures had to face each other at WWE WrestleMania 35.
Angle explained in a Q&A with Pro Wrestling Junkies that he tried to change the match when he spoke with McMahon about his retirement.
“I told Vince I wanted to wrestle John Cena because I started his career and I wanted him to end mine - it just made sense to me. He told me no and that I was getting Baron Corbin. He said that if I wanted Cena, I'd have to wait until next year, but I didn't want to go another year.” [H/T Wrestling Inc.]
Angle ended up losing against Corbin in the final match of his career at WrestleMania 35. At the same event, Cena did not compete in a match but he did take part in a segment with Elias.
