The WWE is littered with stars across different generations. Because of this, it’s no surprise that wrestling fans have pieced together a list of dream matches. Although a lot of matches were far-fetched, WWE found a way to make some of them happen. But while these long-awaited matches look good on paper, there are times that fans realized they weren’t what they seemed to be. For this piece, let’s take a look at 10 dream WWE matches that failed to live up to expectations.
Brock Lesnar vs Goldberg
At their primes, both Brock Lesnar and Goldberg were nearly unstoppable. They were both in a class of their own as they wrecked through the locker room. Because of this, a collision course between the two had high expectations.
Unfortunately, the dream showdown was a fluke. Their Wrestlemania XX match was marred by off-the-ring rumors of both leaving the company. While Goldberg made an explosive in-ring return by beating Lesnar in 86 seconds at Survivor Series 2016, poor booking and age were factors that hampered the match. The same could be said at Wrestlemania XXXIII when Lesnar defeated Goldberg to ultimately end the feud.
The Undertaker vs Bray Wyatt
When it comes to the best supernatural wrestlers, The Undertaker and Bray Wyatt were up there. The former ruled the WWE in the past, while Wyatt was quite the modern-day version of The Undertaker. Unfortunately, given The Undertaker’s age and lack of long-term booking, the feud and the match was disappointing. Although The Undertaker finally ended his losing streak at the showcase of the immortals, Wyatt never elevated into the destructive force that people expected after the feud.
John Cena vs The Rock
Given how John Cena and The Rock electrified the crowds, a clash between the faces of the company from different generations was ultimately a dream matchup people looked forward to. Although the two had promos targeting each other personally, their two matches including the Once in a Lifetime match were predictable at best. The Rock took the first one at Wrestlemania XXVIII before Cena exacted revenge the year later.
John Cena vs The Undertaker
Heading into Wrestlemania XXXIV, the WWE booked John Cena as a star desperate to punch a last-minute ticket to make an appearance at the showcase of the immortals. Having lost several opportunities and was prevented from joining the Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royale, Cena made a challenge to The Undertaker. Although the two have faced previously, it would be the first time Cena faced him after winning several world championships. It would also be the first time they clashed at a Wrestlemania event. But instead of an actual match, people only got to see a squash match where The Undertaker defeated Cena in approximately two minutes.
AJ Styles vs Shinsuke Nakamura
AJ Styles and Shinsuke Nakamura were seasoned wrestlers with the most iconic clashes outside of WWE. Unfortunately, that failed to translate into the WWE ring. Despite finally making their much-awaited clash at Wrestlemania XXXIV, expectations were simply too high for the two superstars. Moreover, both of them heading into the Grandest Stage of them All as babyfaces certainly didn’t help their cause.
Bret Hart vs Vince McMahon
Vince McMahon and Brett Hart have had their fair share of fights on and off the WWE screens. While the feud between the two had a serious build-up that lasted for more than a decade, age, injuries, and sloppiness made this Wrestlemania clash a disaster. But for the Hart family, at least Bret Hart got the last laugh.
Drew McIntyre vs Goldberg
Another case of sudden high-profile matches with a lack of build-up, Drew McIntyre and Goldberg engaged in a feud after the latter claimed that the former was disrespecting legends in the locker room. While a match between these two decorated stars seemed like a good matchup of goliaths on paper, it was also forgettable. Outside of the championship belt, the stakes weren’t high enough and people were also confused with Goldberg’s reasons for starting the feud. Furthermore, the slow pacing and Goldberg’s age didn’t improve the championship match in Royal Rumble at all.
Seth Rollins vs Bray Wyatt (The Fiend)
Before their match at Hell In a Cell, Seth Rollins was booked as the next big-time superstar, especially after slaying Brock Lesnar at Wrestlemania XXXV for the Universal Championship. At the same time, The Fiend was an unstoppable force haunting several high-profile superstars. But while it was a star-studded matchup, people didn’t expect it to be so one-sided that it made Rollins look ultimately weak. The Fiend successfully survived 15 of Rollins’ finishing Curb Stomps. Although Rollins kept his Universal title, The Fiend still won via referee stoppage.
Goldberg vs The Undertaker
While part-timers allow us to see our favorite wrestlers from previous generations, they also take away screen time from the most-deserving up-and-coming wrestlers. Moreover, their lack of presence often leads to feuds that lack substance. Although Goldberg and Undertaker were decorated Hall of Famers, the dream match-up simply took place too late when both wrestlers were obviously on the way to being washed. In fact, it didn’t feel safe for both wrestlers to pull off their usual moves in the ring, with several botches and Goldberg even suffering a concussion before the match.
Triple H vs Sting
Sting’s WWE debut was one of the best. After ruling WCW, his entrance to the WWE was welcomed by wrestling fans. With Sting’s entrance to the WWE, this opened the door for a Sting vs Undertaker matchup given how the two have been compared during their respective wrestling careers. But instead, Sting feuded with The Authority, mainly Triple H. Although it was still a dream match-up that fans were willing to watch, the interference of old-school factions such as nWo and D-Generation X were confusing. Furthermore, people really expected Sting to earn his first victory at the Grandest Stage of Them All. However, Triple H emerged victorious after using his Sledgehammer.
Follow Us
Subscribe