'%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)
WWE, like most other forms of entertainment, often relies on teases to build suspense and hype for big showdowns or some other kind of memorable moment. While this has worked favorably for the company on many occasions, there have also been times when they've been quite disappointing.
There have been times where WWE has appeared to build towards something big only for absolutely nothing to come out of it. To this day, many of these teases have been left unresolved and swept under the rug.
In this list, we will look at five such examples of WWE teases that went absolutely nowhere. Without further ado, let's begin.
#5. Who raised the briefcase at King of The Ring 1999?
In 1999, Austin vs McMahon was the hottest storyline in professional wrestling. The feud between the owner of WWE and the Texas Rattlesnake seemed to be coming to a climax at the 1999 King of The Ring event.
Austin was set to face both Vince and Shane McMahon in a ladder match with the ownership of the company on the line. The added stipulation to the match was that no other member of the Corporation could interfere and so the McMahons were on their own.
After laying quite the brutal beatdown on both McMahons, Stone Cold's victory seemed well in hand. However as he climbed up the ladder to retrieve the briefcase, it was mysteriously raised. This made it impossible for Austin to win and the ownership of WWE remained in the hands of the McMahon family.
Following this, speculation was rife as to the identity of the person who raised the briefcase. It seemed that someone outside Vince McMahon's inner circle had decided to mess with Austin and excitement was building for the eventual revelation of this person.
Unfortunately, this was never addressed. The most plausible theory was that the person behind this was the Big Bossman who was fired from The Corporation the week before King of the Ring but returned to the group without any explanation the night after the event.
Even that possibility was never explicitly mentioned. Thus, the actual identity of the person who raised the briefcase has and always will be a mystery. What could have been a tease to a new enemy for Stone Cold Steve Austin, unfortunately went absolutely nowhere.
#4: Ric Flair vs Hulk Hogan at WrestleMania 8
If you were to ask any WWE fan in the late 80s to early 90s what their ideal dream match is, chances are they would say Hulk Hogan vs Ric Flair. Hogan was the larger-than-life superhero who stood tall over WWF while Ric Flair was his over-the-top, more villainous equivalent from the NWA and WCW.
When Flair joined the WWF in 1991, the writing was on the wall for these two icons to meet in battle on the Grandest Stage of Them All. The two men engaged in bitter promo battles against each other and Flair even cost Hogan the WWF Title at Survivor Series before winning the belt himself at the 1992 Royal Rumble.
A WrestleMania clash between the two was all but inevitable and to further build towards their eventual showdown, Hogan and Flair began wrestling one another at house shows. As was the norm at the time, future WrestleMania opponents would work together at non-televised events in order to grow their chemistry.
However, the company decided to go another route at the last minute. Instead of Hogan going against Flair, he was put up against Sid Vicious. Flair, on the other hand, dropped the WWF Title to Randy Savage. By 1993, both Hogan and Flair had left the company.
The two icons eventually did have a match for a televised audience whilst in WCW. However, the mystique behind such a big match had noticeably diminished. To this day, Hogan vs Flair for the WWF Title at WrestleMania remains one of the biggest teases in WWE that did not lead to anything.
#3. The Rock vs Triple H in 2016
A prolific rivalry in WWE's Attitude Era, Triple H and The Rock seemed all set to renew their longstanding animosity in the mid 2010s. Starting with a confrontation on a 2014 episode of Smackdown, the two legends continued to cross paths over the coming few months.
At the 2015 Royal Rumble, The Rock made a surprise appearance to help Roman Reigns win the titular match and exchanged glances with the leader of The Authority. The Brahma Bull appeared once again at WrestleMania 31 and humiliated The Game with the help of Ronda Rousey.
It seemed that a match between the two longtime rivals was in the works somewhere down the line. However, nothing more came out of it and it was soon forgotten by fans.
Triple H himself has confirmed that these confrontations were meant to build up to a big showdown between himself and The Rock at Wrestlemania 32. Unfortunately, The Great One's busy schedule and the slew of injuries around that time meant that plans had to change. Despite that, both men ended up competing in separate matches on the show.
Based on The Rock's current schedule and the uncertainty over Triple H's in-ring future, it is unlikely that this feud will ever be revisited. Thus, it has become yet another case of a big WWE tease that never took off into something bigger.
#2. The Identity of the Anonymous RAW General Manager
First appearing on WWE TV in 2010, the Anonymous Raw General manager was a tease in itself. As soon as the laptop and podium began appearing on Monday Night Raw, fans waited with bated breath at the eventual reveal of this elusive figure.
As the weeks went by, fans soon noticed some familiar catchphrases in the GM's emails and speculation was rife as to the true identity of the Anonymous RAW General Manager. Possible candidates included Stone Cold Steve Austin, Roddy Piper and a member of D-Generation X.
However, these teases soon stopped and no further attempts were made to hint at the identity of the person behind the computer. In 2011, the character was phased out in favor of Triple H as Raw's authority figure. By then fans had grown quite weary of the mysterious general manager, especially when it became apparent that there were no plans to reveal the GM's true identity.
In 2012, the GM returned for a single night and was revealed to be none other than Hornswoggle. It seemed that for better or worse, WWE had put a definitive end to the unresolved mystery.
However, in 2014, the infamous laptop returned once again for a one night only appearance, thus leaving the actual identity of GM unresolved once more. Despite the many teases and an apparent identity reveal, WWE never had any solid plans as to who the person behind the Anonymous Raw General Manager was.
#1. Steve Austin vs Hulk Hogan in 2006
No two men have ever been bigger in WWE history than Hulk Hogan and Steve Austin. For years, fans clamored to see the two icons clash in one of the most hotly anticipated dream matches in professional wrestling history.
When Hogan returned to WWE in 2002, it seemed that a match between the two was inevitable. Despite not happening right away, the plans were set in motion for a feud between the two legends in 2005. On a 2005 Raw Homecoming special, Hogan would call out Austin. The Rattlesnake would respond in turn at the 2006 Hall of Fame ceremony and engaged in a brief staredown with the Immortal one.
The wheels were spinning for the two to meet at WrestleMania 22 but it did not happen. In fact, the feud between Austin and Hogan was put out before it even properly began.
The two legends would not be seen on WWE TV together until WrestleMania 30 in 2014. By then, both men were no longer in the right condition to work any sort of extensive match with one another. However, fans were still thrilled that they could at least see them share the spotlight together in some capacity.
Austin himself has confirmed that his mistrust of Hogan and his doubts that they could put on a good match with each other was the reason why their teased feud was never followed up upon. However, in recent years, a friendship between the two legends has developed and Stone Cold has gone on record to say how much he regrets not being able to work with Hogan.
No angle has been so hotly teased and so disappointingly not followed up upon as the dream match between Austin and Hogan. While fans may be disappointed to never see the two icons clash between the ropes, they are at least able to rejoice at the blossoming friendship between them behind the scenes.
