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The planned WrestleMania match cards that never happened, including Mike Tyson vs Triple H and The Rock vs Brock Lesnar

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WrestleMania 36 is less than two weeks away and it is set to have a very different feel.

The Show of Shows will take place on April 4 and 5 in several locations without any fans in attendance due to the coronavirus pandemic.

WWE’s Performance Centre in Orlando will be one of the locations for WrestleMania 36
WWE

The deadly disease has infected more than 240,000 people worldwide and killed more than 14,000.

These are unprecedented times we live in, but WWE are battling on by scheduling some high-profile matches for WrestleMania 36 such Brock Lesnar vs Drew McIntyre for the WWE Championship, ‘The Fiend’ Bray Wyatt vs John Cena and The Undertaker vs AJ Styles.

Brock Lesnar vs Drew McIntyre is one of many high-profile matches scheduled for WrestleMania 36
WWE

However, for all the fantastic upcoming and classic matches fans have been treated to, there are the monumental ones that never quite came to fruition.

Below, talkSPORT.com looks at some of the best that were in the works, but for one reason or another did not make it on to The Grandest Stage of Them All.

Triple H vs Hulk Hogan, WrestleMania 17

Hogan eventually made his second return to WWE in 2002, but he could have come back a year earlier to face Triple H at WrestleMania.

During his time with WCW, the legend was in talks with WWE about a potential return ahead of WrestleMania 17.

However, the Hulkster reportedly ended negotiations when he was told he would be losing to Triple H at the Show of Shows.

Hogan was infamous for refusing to put over certain wrestlers during his time with WWE – and this appears to be an example of that.

Hulk Hogan did not want to put Triple H over at WrestleMania 17
WWE

Mike Tyson vs Triple H, WrestleMania 17

Triple H was rumoured for a different WrestleMania 17 match, this time against boxer Mike Tyson.

Given their past alliance in D-Generation X, The Game vs Tyson in a boxing match was also an option at one point for the boss, Vince McMahon.

Tyson had the role of ‘special outside enforcer’ in Shawn Michaels’ match against Stone Cold Steve Austin at WrestleMania 14.

But Iron Mike turned on DX as he counted a fast pinfall which saw Michaels lose his WWF Championship to Austin.

Tyson added insult to injury when he knocked out Michaels afterwards – so a potential WrestleMania 17 programme with Triple H would have made sense storyline wise.

Triple H explained why the fight never happened.

“We were going to do six rounds,” he told WWE.com.

“I don’t remember if it was going to be full boxing rules, or whether I was wearing gloves.

“But it ended up being a deal where the whole thing just would have been a ludicrous amount of money, and it got pushed off.”

Sting vs Kurt Angle, WrestleMania 18

Following the demise of WCW in 2001, there were constant rumours about Sting joining Vince McMahon and co.

According to former WWE writer Dave Lagana, Sting signing for the company was seen as a done deal and he was to make his debut against Kurt Angle at WrestleMania 18 in 2002.

However, WWE failed to bring in Sting as Angle competed in a WrestleMania match against Kane.

WWE were unable to bring Sting to WWE in time to face Kurt Angle in 2002
WWE

Shawn Michaels vs. Eddie Guerrero, WrestleMania 22

Eddie Guerrero’s tragic death in November 2005 ended any possibility of seeing this dream match at WrestleMania 22.

Former WWE writer Court Bauer revealed plans were in place for a mega Mania bout between the pair, a claim that was validated by ex-WWE chief Bruce Prichard.

Michaels ended up defeating Vince McMahon in a gruesome No Holds Barred match at the Show of Shows.

Eddie Guerrero tragically passed away before WWE were able to make any concrete plans to have him face Shawn Michaels at WrestleMania 22
WWE

Bret Hart and John Cena vs Vince McMahon and Batista, WrestleMania 26

In February 2010, reports claimed Bret Hart and John Cena were set to team up to face Vince McMahon and Batista at WrestleMania.

The WWE Championship, held by Batista at the time, was to be put on the line… with Hart shockingly winning the belt!

Both Cena and Batista were involved in Hart and McMahon’s feud, so it made sense.

Cena passed on Hart’s WrestleMania challenge to McMahon, while Batista was involved in a few physical altercations with The Hit Man.

The match never happened, though, and instead, two Singles matches took place.

Cena beat Batista for the WWE Championship and Hart was victorious against McMahon in a No Holds Barred Lumberjack match.

Bret Hart ended up beating Vince McMahon in a No Holds Barred Lumberjack match
WWE

The Rock vs Brock Lesnar, WrestleMania 29

After The Rock defeated John Cena at WrestleMania 28, plans were reportedly in motion for the Hollywood star to face Brock Lesnar in a year’s time.

Lesnar returned to WWE on the post-WrestleMania 28 Raw episode to set up a feud with Cena.

The WrestleMania 29 bout with The Rock never happened, and instead, Lesnar lost to Triple H in a No Holds Barred match.

Meanwhile, The Rock faced Cena in a WrestleMania rematch with the latter coming out on top.

The Rock faced John Cena in a WrestleMania rematch instead of taking on Brock Lesnar
WWE

Daniel Bryan vs The Undertaker, WrestleMania 30

The Undertaker lost his undefeated 21-0 WrestleMania streak to Brock Lesnar in 2014.

The result shocked the WWE Universe as Lesnar brutalised the Deadman with three F-5s.

But it could have been very different.

Originally, it is believed that The Undertaker wanted to work with Daniel Bryan at WrestleMania.

With Bryan unlikely to beat The Undertaker, the streak could have lived on for another year.

WWE: Daniel Bryan relinquishes Intercontinental belt
Daniel Bryan (pictured) won the world title as The Undertaker lost his undefeated WrestleMania streak to Brock Lesnar
WWE

But it worked out for Bryan as he ended up beating Triple H in the opening match at WrestleMania 30 to book his place in the main event against Randy Orton and Batista for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship, which he won.

Shaquille O’Neal vs Big Show, WrestleMania 33

After a showdown between Shaquille O’Neal and Big Show during the Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal at WrestleMania 32, there were rumblings of a future one-on-one match.

WrestleMania 33 was penciled in as a potential date in what would have been a match involving two giants – O’Neal is 7ft 1ins, while Big Show is 7ft.

But former basketball star O’Neal blamed WWE for the match falling through.

He said: “They kept playing. First, they said it was me and Big Show.

“Then, they said it was going to be three-on-three. Then, they cancelled it, so when they cancelled it, I made other arrangements.”

“They messed it up.”

Roman Reigns vs Dean Ambrose, WrestleMania 35

After months of feuding with Brock Lesnar, Roman Reigns finally beat The Beast for the Universal Championship at SummerSlam in August 2018.

But just two months later, The Big Dog was forced to relinquish the title due to his leukaemia diagnosis.

Reigns returned in time for WrestleMania 35 to defeat Drew McIntyre in a Singles match.

However, the Wrestling Observer’s Dave Meltzer claims WWE’s original plan, before Reigns’ illness, was to have him defend his Universal Championship against Dean Ambrose.

The original plan for Roman Reigns (middle) title defence at WrestleMania 35 was to have Dean Ambrose (right) return and turn on his former Shield brother
WWE

Whether the match would have been in the main event spot, it would have definitely been a highly anticipated one.

Instead, Ambrose let his WWE contract run down before leaving the company in April 2019 and joining rival promotion AEW a month later.

Sasha Banks vs Bayley, WrestleMania 36

Sasha Banks and Bayley tore the house down with two NXT TakeOver matches in 2015, but have never had the chance to face each other one-on-one on the main roster.

The teasing of a main roster feud occurred in 2018 when the pair fought backstage, however, that resulted in ridiculous Anger Management sessions – not a match.

When Banks was drafted to SmackDown last year and with Bayley as the blue brand’s Women’s champion, fans thought they might finally be getting a WrestleMania match between them.

But, once again, that won’t be the case as Bayley is set to defend her title against Banks – and four other women in Lacey Evans, Dana Brooke, Naomi and Tamina.

There have been reports that Bayley and Banks were scheduled for a one-on-one match at WrestleMania 36, but WWE felt there was not enough time left to build a memorable feud.


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