WWE's stated mission is as follows: "Put smiles on people's faces." The WWE Universe is, by and large, a just universe. The bad guys lose (eventually). The good guys triumph (eventually). And if WWE books it properly, the biggest heel and the biggest babyface will clash on a grand stage. Nothing puts smiles on fans' faces more than the spectacle of a dream match.
Wish fulfillment is a huge part of professional wrestling. Fans will wait for months, even years, to see an anticipated match, especially if it's a cross-generational "passing of the torch." But sometimes, even with all the time and all the compromise, there are matches that have never taken place. And many of them, owing to retirement, circumstance, or tragic death, never will.
Here are the 7 Greatest WWE Matches That Almost Happened. And if enjoyed this gallery, check out 27 WWE Movie Cameos and our up-to-date roster coverage of WWE 2K19.
7. "Dr. Death" Steve Williams vs. "Stone Cold" Steve Austin
When "Dr. Death" Steve Williams arrived in WWE, he signed up for the Brawl-For-All Tournament, an unscripted, televised toughman contest that anyone on the roster could enter. Williams was a collegiate athlete and had a reputation as a legitimate tough guy; he was expected to breeze through the tournament, establishing him as a legitimate threat to "Stone Cold" Steve Austin (link contains explicit language).
Unfortunately, Bart Gunn knocked Williams out in the semifinals of the Brawl-For-All; Williams had torn his hamstring, and he couldn't move to defend himself. His WWE career never recovered (link contains explicit language), and he never got his match against Austin.
6. Umaga vs. Jackass
In 2007, Steve-O and Chris Pontius appeared on WWE television, and Umaga beat them into next week. It was supposed to be the start of something bigger; WWE wanted the entire Jackass Crew to participate in an 9-on-1 match versus Umaga at Summerslam.
But then, the Chris Benoit tragedy happened. And Johnny Knoxville, the de facto leader of the Jackass crew, pulled out of the match. The match was then cancelled entirely. It would have been a silly match, no doubt, but silly in a good way.
5. Shawn Michaels vs. Eddie Guerrero
"The Heartbreak Kid" Shawn Michaels had a fast, hedonistic lifestyle during his first tenure with WWE. But when he returned to the company in 2002, he was a born-again Christian: squeaky clean, humble, and devout. So devout, in fact, that his faith affected his booking. At some point, WWE asked Michaels to move to from Raw to Smackdown--Eddie Guerrero's brand--and Michaels declined, explaining that the schedule would affect his and his wife's bible study group.
There were preliminary plans to have Guerrero and Michaels fight at WrestleMania 22. But then, Guerrero died in 2005, leaving Michaels to fight Vince McMahon instead. Michaels would later retire from in-ring competition at WrestleMania XXVI, after a Career vs. Streak match against the Undertaker.
4. Dean Ambrose vs. Mick Foley
Back when Dean Ambrose was still in developmental, he pitched the idea of feuding with Mick Foley. It would be two hardcore wrestlers, matching each other blow-for-blow. The two of them tweeted insults at each other, confronted each other in public places, and even posted the footage on social media.
But ultimately, WWE cancelled the match. Foley could not pass the impact tests that doctors gave him, due to previously sustained concussions. Fortunately for Ambrose, he went on to debut with The Shield, and the rest is history.
3. "Stone Cold" Steve Austin vs. Brock Lesnar
When Brock Lesnar debuted in 2002, WWE strapped a rocket to his back. He pulverized everyone on the card, and "Stone Cold" Steve Austin was booked to be one one of his victims in a King of the Ring qualification match on Raw. Instead of losing to Lesnar, Austin opted to quit WWE.
The situation forced Vince McMahon to give a speech on Raw, explaining to fans that Austin left the company. Austin, for his part, claims he had no problem losing to Lesnar. He just wanted to do it at a pay-per-view instead of at Monday Night Raw, which was the plan. Austin has since called the decision his biggest career regret.
2. Hulk Hogan vs. Ric Flair
Ric Flair won the Royal Rumble for the vacant WWE Championship in 1992. The potential storyline nearly wrote itself; Flair could now compete against challenger Hulk Hogan in the main event at Wrestlemania VIII. After years of working for opposing promotions, the two most popular wrestlers were finally under the same roof. And not a moment too soon; both men were at the ends of their respective primes.
But Hogan's relationship with Vince McMahon was at a low point. Hogan wanted to shoot his new TV show Thunder in Paradise, and Vince worried that Hogan might leave the company for Hollywood. So, at Wrestlemania VIII, Hogan fought Sid Justice. Flair fought Randy Savage, and dropped the belt to him instead of to Hogan. And the match every WWE fan wanted never materialized until the two met up years later in WCW. They finally fought on WWE television in 2002, but by then, neither man was in his prime, and the moment had passed.
1. "Stone Cold" Steve Austin vs. Hulk Hogan
The Rock battled Hulk Hogan at Wrestlemania X8, and it was an instant classic. But why was Rock the chosen opponent and not Austin? It was a matter of both timing and booking. The common sentiment in WWE Creative was that Austin vs. Hogan was a bigger match than Rock vs. Hogan. So, WWE decided to book Rock first and save Austin for further down the road, perhaps even at Wrestlemania XIX.
But the night after Wrestlemania X8, Austin no-showed Raw. And two months later, Austin quit WWE entirely, on account of the aforementioned Lesnar drama. By the time Austin mended bridges and returned in early 2003, the storyline had moved on. And the long-awaited dream match never came to pass.
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