The 411 Wrestling Top 5 3.25.09: Week 15 – Feuds to Never Headline WrestleMania

Posted by Michael Bauer on 03.25.2009

The Top 5 begins our WrestleMania Previews with a look at the greatest to never Main Event on the grandest stage of them all!

Hello everyone and welcome to 411 Wrestling's Top 5 List. What we are going to is take a topic each week and all the writers here on 411 wrestling will have the ability to give us their Top 5 on said topic, plus up to three honorable mentions. At the end, based on where all these matches rank on people's list, we will create the 411 Wrestling Top 5 list. The scoring is very similiar to the Wrestler of the Week as it looks like this:

#1 Choice – 5 points
#2 Choice – 4 points
#3 choice – 3 points
#4 Choice – 2 points
#5 Choice – 1 point
Honorable Mentions will break ties, but get no points.

Also, in the case of a tie, the most votes win, regardless of where it is listed in the individual Top 5. I will also use this rule in the event that one item is mentioned more often, but is one point behind. For example, one second place vote and two Honorable Mentions will defeat simply one first place vote.


So, on to this week's topic…

THE TOP 5 WWE/WWF FEUDS NEVER TO HEADLINE WRESTLEMANIA

And the 411 Wrestling Top 5 begins our WrestleMania Preview with a very interesting topic. For every feud that did get the spotlight in the Main Event (or Main Events) of WrestleMania, several are left out of the grandest stage of them all. Many are due simply just to the timing of the feud, like when HHH kicked Orton out of Evolution right after SummerSlam, the build grew and grew, but the climax happened at the Royal Rumble, which is still pretty long for a modern feud. Other never happened due to injuries, like many planned matches involving Triple H, Batista, and countless others over the years had to be scrapped. And then… well… there is always the what if the Montreal Screwjob never happened. Many feuds have come and gone and while some have been great, many could have greater.

Before we get to the results, I want to set down the ground rules for what was acceptable and not acceptable in terms of the feuds that count for this Top 5 List. And pretty much, it boils down to the concept bolded below.

Just because a match happened at WrestleMania, it doesn't mean the feud did.

What that means here is that while Triple H did face Randy Orton at WrestleMania 24 (technically), the feud back in 2004, where Triple H kicked Randy Orton out of Evolution, did NOT have a match that occurred at WrestleMania.

Likewise, Rey Mysterio vs. Eddie Guerrero did happen at WrestleMania and it could be considered that start of their feud, yet it did not headline WrestleMania and could also be considered.

So for that, we asked that the writers be very specific as to which feud they were selecting with their choices.

So what did our great group of writers select? Let's find out…



Ryan Byers

HONORABLE MENTIONS

WWF vs. WCW (2001) - I'm including the Invasion angle not because what was actually booked was an epic feud worthy of a 'Mania match but rather because, on paper, this concept was so huge that, if booked properly, matches related to it should have been on top of one if not two installments of wrestling's biggest show.

Chris Jericho vs. Shawn Michaels (2008) - I have a hard time putting recent contenders on my main list in any of these columns, mainly because we don't yet know how history will treat them. However, if anything from the last two years is worth of a mention here, it's the intense feud between these two which took up the majority of last year.

Shawn Michaels vs. Triple H (2002-2004) - I've bumped this to the "honorable mention" section because you could argue that this feud headlined Wrestlemania by virtue of the Michaels/HHH/Benoit three-way on top of WMXX, but I always felt that was more based around a Benoit/HHH feud with Michaels tacked on than it was anything else. Even though they were cranking out great singles matches left and right in three different calendar years, these two founding members of DX never had that one-on-one encounter at the big show.

5.Bret Hart vs. Owen Hart (1994) - The brothers Hart jerked the curtain at Wrestlemania X and, in the process, put on what most critics will call between a **** and a ***** match. It was hardly the "headliner" of the show, though. It was an afterthought to the two WWF Title matches which would be occurring on that evening, a match literally booked in storyline terms just so that Bret would have wrestled once before his championship match so as not to have an unfair advantage over the titleholder. Also, the Hart/Hart match at WMX occurred well before Owen was considered a legitimate main event. In fact, it was his win in the bout with Bret which propelled him to that status. Had the cage match between the brothers at Summerslam '94 not provided such a conclusive ending to their feud and had the WWF found a way to extend their rivalry further, this definitely could have been a better-remembered championship match than the Diesel/Michaels encounter that we ultimately got on top of Wrestlemania XI.

4.The Rock vs. Mankind (1999) - I don't know if my memories are representative of the majority of pro wrestling fans who were watching at the time, but several of the Rock and Mick Foley's matches from the early part of 1999 have stuck in my head more than any other bouts from that year, including anything on Wrestlemania XV. Specifically, I can't get certain images from Foley's first upset title win, from the Royal Rumble "I Quit" Match, and from Halftime Heat out of my head, whereas I remember little to nothing from the subsequent Rock/Steve Austin feud aside from the bump that Rocky took off of the stunner at the end of the championship match which the two had at 'Mania. Thus, at least in my twisted head, Mankind and the Rock tying it up just before the turn of the century is an incredibly memorable feud which was never highlighted on the industry's premier event.

3.The Rock vs. Triple H (2000) - Yes, these two were technically in the four-way main event of Wrestlemania XVI. A quick look around ringside during that match will reveal that it was much more about the rivalry between the McMahon family than it was about any of the issues between the actual wrestlers, though. Once they shed Foley, Big Show, Vince, Linda, Shane, and Stephanie (at least as much as was possible in those days), Rocky and Trips went on to have one of the most memorable feuds of the year. Their encounter at Backlash 2000 was top notch, and they had an outstanding Iron Man Match at Judgment Day that year which virtually no analysis thought that they had a chance of pulling off. Yet, because the rapid-fire mentality of "Crash TV" was still prevalent in many ways in the WWF of that era, the real meat of the feud was rushed through in a couple of months and then forgotten about. Thus, it never even had a chance of making its way to 'Mania in 2001.

2.Steve Austin vs. The Undertaker (1998-1999) - The Rock is clearly THE quintessential Wrestlemania opponent for Steve Austin. The two have had three matches against one another on the big stage, and each was more impressive than the last. However, before the Rock became Austin's quintessential Wrestlemania opponent, the Undertaker was Austin's quintessential opponent in general. With UT sometimes being manipulated by Vince McMahon and sometimes acting on his own, he and the Texas Rattlesnake were great foils for one another at the height of the Attitude Era. I still remember the "Highway to Hell" promotion for their match at Summerslam in 1998 as being one of the most heated (if nonsensical) storylines that I have personally witnessed unfolding. One has to wonder how much bigger it could have been if the timing was right for the full force of the Wrestlemania hype machine to get behind it.

1.Steve Austin vs. Vince McMahon (1998-Eternity) - Bar none, this was the biggest feud in professional wrestling history. Austin and McMahon did have several sanctioned matches against one another, McMahon has made numerous in-ring appearances at 'Mania, and the rivalry between the two did play in to a few main events of wrestling's greatest spectacle. However, the stars never aligned just right for us to have a straight up, one-on-one match between Stone Cold and the chairman at Wrestlemania. In some ways, that is probably for the best. Though the employee/boss feud was red-hot, the idea of a non-wrestler in his 50's being in the highest profile match of the year would not be appealing to a significant percentage of fans, and Vince's physical limitations would in a likelihood prevent him from delivering a main event against Austin that would live up to the standards that WWF fans had come to expect from marquee 'Mania matches by the late 1990's. Though there are valid reasons why the feud did not headline Wrestlemania, it is still far and away the most legendary of rivalries that the "sport" has ever seen, and it never did secure the main event of the big show . . . so it still has to top this list regardless of what the excuses for the match's non-occurrence may be.



Scott Rutherford

HONORABLE MENTIONS

Steve Austin vs HHH (2001) - I only mention this because of how good their match was the month previous at No Way Out and believe it was truly a WM main event match that would have been better than Austin/Rock.

5.The Rock vs Mankind (1999) - This feud did so much to establish both guys in the main event scene that it's a pity they weren't given the ultimate stage to have a final battle. Funnily enough, it doesn't make me that sad I never saw it because the shape Foley was in at the time meant him working an intense match was out of the question and The Rock was quite god enough to carry the full match yet. I pick this match-up purely for nostalgic reasons because they were so important to me as a fan rekindling my love of wrestling as an adult after fading away as a teenager.

4.Hulk Hogan vs Rowdy Roddy Piper(1985-1986) - True they were part of the tag teams that formed the main event of WM1 but ultimately, these two should have blown off their feud at WM2. They engaged each other so many times and created so much hype and energy that a singles showdown really should have been given the main event slot a year later. Nothing against Hogan/Bundy but really, Hogan/Bundy is a 5 minute match on Saturday Night Main Event, not your big showcase PPV headliner. The fact there was no decisive winner in their feud at the time meant a final showdown would have been an easy sell at WM2.

3.Steve Austin vs Kurt Angle(2002) - These guys were made to wrestle each other and the string of stellar PPV main events in 2001 only proves my point. They had great chemistry in and out of the ring and when you add some WM fairydust and turn the hatred up, this would have been an epic main event for WM19 and a damn sight better than Jericho/HHH. While history shows us that Kurt probably hastened Austin's exit from the sport and maybe this match never happening was a good thing since both have a habit of not paying attention to their bodies and would have beat the crap out of each other regardless of the consequences…part of me wishes to have seen this feud blown off proper on the big stage.

2.Bret Hart vs Steve Austin(1998) - Imagine at WM14 if Bret and Steve went at it? With all their history and all the hype it would have been fitting to have Hart pass the torch to Steve. While rumor has it this was planned to happen, Montreal assured us that one of the easiest main events ever to book would never happen. Sadly we never got to see these two perfect opponents in the ring together again and we're the poorer for it.

1.Hulk Hogan vs Ric Flair(1992) - This one falls squarely into the "What the fuck was I thinking?" basket for Vince McMahon. You have the two biggest names in the sport that came to represent the different ideals of wrestling as a sport, as theatre and as entertainment and you DON'T have them blow off one of the biggest money matches of all time on your biggest stage. It's not many times WCW managed to handle a situation better than the WWF but they put Hogan over Flair in his first match popping a huge PPV buyrate that paid for Hogan's contract without breaking a sweat. Seriously Vince, what the fuck?



Julian Bond

HONORABLE MENTIONS

WWF vs. WCW/ECW (2001) - This was a crazy hot feud when it first arrived on our TV screens and definitely provided some interesting moments. But instead of making the entire war complicated with 20 zillion turns from both sides and having it blown off at that year's Survivor Series, the company should have maybe saved up all of the build-up for the next year's Mania' in some big main event...especially cause 2002 needed a much better one than HHH vs. Jericho.

John Cena vs. Batista (2008) - This match could easily still happen at Wrestlemania next year, but I still feel that the company kind of blew it when they jumped the gun and had it instead to little build-up at this past year's Summerslam. It could have been one of the most anticipated matches in some time if they would've had held off.

The Rock vs. Mankind (1999) - These two were mere weeks away from possibly headlining a bout together for that year's Wrestlemania in 99', especially with their excellent series of matches. But fate was with the Stone Cold/Rock feud. Shame Foley and Rock didn't get to mix it up one last time for the big event.

5.Kurt Angle vs. Stone Cold (2001) - The series of matches that Austin and Angle had in the summer of 2001 were one of the best feuds I've ever seen. All of the boiling drama between the two (between McMahon/the Alliance) and the great moments that occurred (the "Milk Truck", Angle kidnapping Austin) were all picture-perfect Mania' material. Again (which we'll see as a theme here), here is a great match-up that happened during the summertime instead of at the big one.

4.Triple H vs. Ric Flair (2005) - This had "EPIC FEUD" written all over it. Triple H and Ric Flair were close friends not only in the mega heel group Evolution, but also in real-life. So when HHH came back from vacation on to Raw to team back up with Flair (who was now a face) and then turned on him big-time at the end of the match with a major beatdown, it should have led to a major series of matches between the two. Two former stablemates, two former friends, going against each other for respect. Younger generation vs. older generation. All of these taglines would have been awesome for Wrestlemania, but instead the feud was slowly played off at that year's Survivor Series. A shame.

3.Randy Orton vs. John Cena (2007) - This Summerslam is another summer built-up that could have been saved for much greater results at Wrestlemania. I remember the huge hype for this match just based off of the fact that these two never really faced each other and both were the polar opposites of each other…but yet in the same mold. Both were the young faces of the new batch of World Champs and both were finally going to see who the better man in the ring was. Even though they did meet up in the Triple Threat match (with HHH) the next year at Mania' 24, it wasn't the same feeling and I was left imaging what it would have been like if the one on one was kept until then.

2.Stone Cold vs. The Undertaker (1998) - The build-up to the match was one of the sickest I had EVER seen in my years of wrestling watching. It was truly a good 4-5 months in the making after Stone Cold's feud with Dude Love that Undertaker kept being in Austin's business in one way or another. So eventually something had to give and it all boiled over ever so perfectly leading up to their World Title bout at Summerslam aka the appropriately titled "Highway To Hell". The two put on an epic match-up that had some really cool spots (including Taker doing a leg drop from the top rope down to the announcers' table below on Austin) and had so many close calls. No one really knew who was really going to walk out the champ that night. So if the WWE decided to give Austin some other feuds during this time and maybe pushed this until the next year's (or another year due to the rapid rise of the Rock) Wrestlemania, then it would have been even more of a memorable epic instead of the semi-forgotten classic that it is today.

1.Chris Jericho vs. Shawn Michaels (2008) - Some may say that it's too early to call this. Some may be too quick to name it one of the best. But all I say is that if this feud would have blown off at this year's Wrestlemania, it would have been considered an automatic classic considering the assumingly continuous build-up that these two were seemingly doing so easily. The great storyline. The intense promos. The spectacular matches. If these two would have capped it all off with a World Title bout at Mania' instead of the still awesome Ladder Match at No Mercy, then this feud would had more than likely got itself on the permanent Wrestlemania highlight reel for years to come.



Aaron Hubbard

HONORABLE MENTIONS

The Rock vs. Mick Foley (1999) - I'll discuss this more in another entry, but I think a title match between these two at Wrestlemania XV would have been spectacular, and a Foley win would have been a huge moment.

Chris Jericho vs. Shawn Michaels (2008) - This feud was nothing short of spectacular, and was definitely worthy of a Wrestlemania payoff, but at least we have their XIX match.

Mr. Perfect vs. Bret Hart (1991) - With a few small booking changes, Perfect could have passed the IC Title to Bret at ‘Mania VII, and given Warrior-Savage a run for its money as match of the night.

5. Randy Orton vs. Jeff Hardy (2008) - Let's pretend that John Cena's injury actually kept him away from wrestling as long as it was supposed too. Who do we have to face Randy Orton? Triple H again? Shawn Michaels? Or do we push a guy who had white-hot babyface heat into the main event? Jeff Hardy was the hottest guy in the company going into Wrestlemania XXIV, and it would have been smart business to try something new instead of the same old same old.

4. Brock Lesnar vs. Chris Benoit (2003) - Going into Wrestlemania XIX, there was a lot of speculation that Kurt Angle would not be able to make it to the big show due to his neck injury. The next best option would have been to have Brock beat Angle for the title, and defend against Benoit. A year later, signs seemed to be pointing to a possible Benoit-Lesnar match for XX, until Benoit decided to use his title opportunity against Triple H. Two years in a row this match had every reason to happen, and two years in a row it didn't.

3. Eddie Guerrero vs. Rey Mysterio (2005) - Byers used a similar feud in Bret-Owen. These two had the opening match at Wrestlemania XXI, but the feud was nowhere near as big as it would be. Going into Survivor Series, many assumed that Eddie would take an injured Batista's title, but Eddie passed away before that came to fruition. Imagine if Eddie had been champion and Rey won the Royal Rumble, and these two had a Wrestlemania blow-off to their epic feud of 2005, culminating in a Rey Mysterio title victory. I would have preferred that to the "Eddie's in Hell" storyline we got that seemed more like a pity party for Rey than a celebration of his accomplishments.

2. Steve Austin vs. Vince McMahon (1998-2001) - This is arguably the greatest rivalry in wrestling history, and they never locked horns at the biggest show of the year. Would it have been a letdown to have ‘Mania 15 headlined by Rock-Foley with a Foley title win and Vince vs. Austin in a cage? I don't think so. Austin didn't NEED the title at that point, and it would have been cool to give Foley and Austin big victories over their respective rivals at ‘Mania XV.

1.Hulk Hogan vs. Ric Flair (1991-1992) - The single biggest missed opportunity in Wrestlemania history. So, you have the biggest superstar of the last decade and arguably the best wrestler of the last decade in the SAME company. One is the biggest babyface, the other is the greatest bad guy ever. Fans have been fantasizing about this match since the mid-80's and salivating at the chance to see since Flair debuted for the WWF. And this match DOESN'T headline the biggest show of the year? While we will never know the exact circumstances for why this match never came to fruition, we ALL know that it's a shame that it didn't. Sure, Flair and Savage's ****+ title match was a great consolation prize, but it just didn't have the same feel that a first time match between Hogan and Flair would have had.



Larry Csonka

HONORABLE MENTIONS

The Rock vs. Mankind (1999) - This was a great feud at the time, and one that I always wanted to see headline WM, but unfortunately didn't.

Bret Hart vs. Owen Hart (1994) - The brothers feud that gave us many great matches, but unfortunately due to the fact that it WAS Bret and Owen, they never had a prayer in headlining the biggest show of the year.

The Rock vs. Triple H (2000) - While others will mention that they were a part of the FOUR CORNERS OF MCMAHONS match, the Rock vs. HHH feud should have main evented a WrestleMania, as it really would have cemented that feud in a stronger place in history.

5. Steve Austin vs. The Undertaker (1998-1999) - Steve Austin vs. The Undertaker had their fair share of matches, and I think that most figured that they would headline the big show at sometime. I really think this one was more of a case bad luck rather than cold feet or not pulling the trigger. With Austin and Taker missing a lot of time due to injuries, WrestleMania 2000 was without both men, I think that could have been the year, but we'll never know.

4. Shawn Michaels vs. Triple H (2002-2004) - When Shawn Michaels came back from his short lived retirement due to a back injury, he and HHH essentially feuded for 2-years, and for the most part, it was some very good stuff. I know some will mention as Ryan did that they did main event in the three way match, but I really felt that with Michaels being, well, Shawn Michaels, and HHH being part of the family, that THE KLIQ would get their chance to shine one on one on the biggest stage. It didn't happen, but hey that three way with Benoit was awesome.

3. Hulk Hogan vs. Roddy Piper (1986) - Some may be surprised here as I am not the biggest Hogan fan in the world but the man will get two mentions on my list. Now, while they actually built Hogan vs. Bundy well for WrestleMania II, I really feel that Piper vs. Hogan in the cage would have been a MONEY main event for the show. MANY BUYS! Piper vs. Hogan was such a big part of the WWF's development in the 80's, I honestly look back and am amazed that they never got to main event the big show.

2. WWF vs. WCW (2001) - I have said time and time again that the Invasion was a license to print money that Vince McMahon burned for various reasons. The facts are that if done correctly, they kicked it off at WM 17 and they could have ran the angle hot for a whole year, MINIMUM, and they could have blown it all off in a big way at WM 18. Don't we all love to think what could have been?

1. Hulk Hogan vs. Ric Flair (1992) - In another instance of HATING MONEY, this one tops my list. While I am a Flair fan through and through, the fact is that heel Flair vs. face Hogan at WM would have been big business. Sure it would have been the predictable Hogan victory, but this was a match that SHOULD have happened, and one so big that it didn't need the title to sell it. Unfortunately WCW got to do the match first on a much smaller stage, and that is a shame.



John Meehan

5. Steve Austin vs. The Undertaker (1999) - Two of the biggest stars of The Attitude Era set all sorts of television rating records as they did battle in their "Highway to Hell" leading up through SummerSlam in August of 1998. Less than six months later? Undertaker was spinning his wheels against The Big Boss Man while Austin was busy preparing for the first of three WrestleMania encounters against The Rock. While a few untimely injuries might well account for at least one omission of a WrestleMania clash between these two men, how in the world The Dead Man never managed to face off against The Rattlesnake at The Showcase of the Immortals in the years that followed is completely beyond me.

4. The Invasion (2001-2002) - Timing is everything, and the fact that WCW folded just days before WrestleMania XVII pretty much doomed its chances for a high-profile match at The Grandaddy of Them All from the word "go." Had WCW died just two weeks later, Vince and company would have had plenty of time to script a tailor-made "reboot" to their booking cycle, and all of the feuds that wrapped at WrestleMania could have easily transitioned into a yearlong WrestleMania-bound war between the WWF and WCW rosters. Instead, WCW was reduced to an in-attendance afterthought of B-teamers at WrestleMania 2001, and the angle had become so horribly mismanaged (buried?) that it simply wasn't worth a high profile payoff by WrestleMania X8 just one year later.

3. Hulk Hogan vs. Steve Austin (2002) - In the end, WrestleMania X8 managed to feature the high profile throwdown between Hulk Hogan and The Rock, which was -- in its own right -- a modern-day WrestleMania classic. However, Steve Austin was always a bigger WRESTLING star than Rocky (Hollywood? Not so much), and it's a real shame that fans never had the chance to see The Rattlesnake square off against The Hulkster in a WrestleMania match pitting the two most marketable stars in WWE history. This was *such* a "dream match," as a matter of fact, that fans *still* speculate TO THIS DAY that both men might just sneak out of retirement one last time for a WrestleMania war to settle the score.

2. Hulk Hogan vs. Bret "The Hitman" Hart (1993) - WrestleMania IX is long remembered by wrestling fans as being the single weakest installment in this heralded franchise, and perhaps no single match-that-never-was is more responsible for that fact than the "passing of the torch" bout that SHOULD have transpired between The Hulkster and The Hitman. The publicity photos were taken, the storyline was tailor-made, and WrestleMania IX could have been the launchpad for WWF's "The New Generation" of younger, faster performers. Instead? We got a bogus mini-screwjob and an impromptu main event that still ranks among the lamest in WrestleMania history (and you wonder why nobody cashes in Money in the Bank on that same night...). Granted, I can totally understand why Hogan was unwilling to do the J-O-B to the "NEXT" heir apparent to his throne after the debacle that was The Ultimate Warrior's disasterous run at the top just a few years earlier, but this one was a classic case of "coulda', shoulda', woulda."

1. Hulk Hogan vs. Ric Flair (1992) - Wrestling's two biggest names never had the opportunity to face one another on The Grandest Stage of Them All, and that's an absolute travesty when you consider the fact that BOTH Hulk Hogan and Ric Flair just so happened to be under contract with World Wrestling Entertainment AND in the thick of the company's title hunt during its sluggish and oft-forgotten Road to WrestleMania in 1992. It's a shame that backstage drama and egos never let this one happen, because The Nature Boy verus The Immortal One may well indeed have scored a buyrate that rivaled Hogan vs. Andre.



Jeremy Thomas

The Rock vs. Mankind (1999) - I loved the feud between the Rock and Mankind at the beginning of '99, and I thought this would have made for a fantastic match at 'Mania. Sure, we got Rock/Austin and that's always great, but I think the Rock worked just as well with Foley and this would have saved us from Mankind/Big Show.

Demolition vs. Legion of Doom (1990) - Purely a personal preference choice here. Obviously, the feud between Demolition and the LOD was a no-brainer, and it ended up happening...kind of. By that I mean LOD cost Demolition the tag belts, beat them a couple of times, and that was that. I would have loved to see this feud be extended out and be a semi-main event, all-out tag team brawl for the belts at WrestleMania VII; hey, it would have been a lot better than LOD squashing Power & Glory in less than a minute.

Steve Austin vs. HHH (2001) - This match would have done a couple things. First, it would have extended the fantastic feud between these two past No Way Out, letting them save Three Stages of Hell for 'Mania. Second, it would have meant that Austin's heel turn wouldn't have happened, or would have at least been delayed. I would have approved.

5.Steve Austin vs. The Undertaker (1999) - If we do Rock/Mankind (see above) at WrestleMania XV, then we need something for Stone Cold to do. Of course, at the time Austin had been in the middle of a feud with Vince McMahon and the entire Corporation, which is where the Rock/Austin match came about. Meanwhile, there was another heel stable on the rise, the Ministry of Darkness as headed by the Undertaker. 'Taker would go on to face the Big Boss Man in a pretty iffy Hell in the Cell match at 'Mania; how much more awesome would it have been if the Corporate Ministry had merged together a few weeks before 'Mania, which would have led into an Austin/Taker Hell in the Cell for the title?

4.Steve Austin vs. Vince McMahon (2000) - You know, the only reason this is so far down my list is because I don't know of a year when it would have been better than what Austin was doing that year. The best chance would have been WrestleMania 2000--if Austin hadn't been injured, of course. This was one of the biggest feuds ever, and while a lot of people hated it when Vinnie Mac would get into the ring, it would have been natural to see them face off in the ring on the grandest stage of them all in some sort of crazy No Holds Barred, Street Fight-like stipulation.

3.Hulk Hogan vs. Rowdy Roddy Piper (1986) - Yeah, this totally should have happened. Hogan and Piper had a great feud going between them, and while Bundy/Hogan was good for what it was, a match between the Rowdy One and the Hulkster on the top of the card would have been absolutely off the charts. I was always a huge Piper fan, and not just because he's a hometown hero for me; seeing him battling Hogan for the WWF Championship at WrestleMania would have been a dream come true.

2.Hulk Hogan vs. Ric Flair (1992) - How the 'F screwed this one is still beyond me. Yes, we got a great Flair/Savage match out of it, but this is the match we SHOULD have had. Flair holding the title taking on the face challenger in Hogan would have been fantastic, and while we all know Hogan would have won the match, it would have still been the spectacle every wrestling fan deserved...and would have prevented the infamous rumor that Sid kicked out in an attempt to double-cross Hogan. We have enough weird Sid WrestleMania rumors as it is.

1.WWF vs. The Invasion (2001) - More ink, digital and real, has been spilled about the ways this angle was botched than I can even fathom. The 'F had the ultimate money feud on their hands...and by mismanaging it so badly, it only made it through seven months before ending with a whimper. WrestleMania could have been THE place for them to end it all, the culmination of an epic year-long battle between the WWF loyalists and those within the Invasion. By that point the 'F would have had Hogan, Hall and Nash which would have added legit star power to the Invasion and made for some marquee matches. The entire show could have had the Invasion theme, they could have done the title unifications here; everything could have been done so beautifully. Instead, we had...well, what we had. So depressing.



Robert S. Leighty Jr.

HONORABLE MENTIONS

Michaels vs Jericho (2009) - This should have been built all the way to Mania XXV before Michaels wins the World Title in front of his home state against uber dick Chris Jericho.

Batista vs John Cena (2009) - They were probably building to this, but the fact they gave away their meeting away at SummerSlam took any magic away from an eventual Mania meeting for now.

5.WCW vs WWF (2001-2002) - This angle seriously needed a build much like WCW gave Hogan vs Sting. Fans seemingly had wet dreams about this angle for years, and Vince had the angle in the palm of his heads, and fucked it up beyond repair. Things were rushed way too much, and WCW were made to look like pussies. Sure, the big names came later on, but Vince should have taken a cue from Bischoff and opened the check book to get the big names in sooner.

4.Rock vs HHH (2000) - Backlash got the WrestleMania Main Event. I repeat Backlash the WrestleMania Main Event. Foley and Show had no business in that match, and the fact that it came down to Rock/HHH anyway proves that. The McMahon in 4 corners thing was horrible. It should have been exactly what we got at Backlash.

3.Goldberg vs Austin (2003) - They should have thrown a shit load of cash at Goldberg sooner and given us Austin vs Goldber at WrestleMania XIX instead of just the announcement that Goldberg was coming. This match may only be topped by Austin vs Hogan in terms of dream matches from the Monday Night War Era. Again, Rock got the nod over Austin (who gutted his way through the Mania XIX match).

2.Hulk Hogan vs. Steve Austin (2002)While I love Rock vs Hogan, and think it deserved to headline a WrestleMania, nothing would top Hogan vs Austin. Fans are still begging for this match 7 years later, and could care less that both men are cripples. Rock would have been far more entertaining (than Austin was) feuding with Hall at the time of Mania and that would have given us the dream match of all dream matches: Hogan vs Austin.

1.Hulk Hogan vs Ric Flair (1992) - How did they blow this one again? They even had a press conference to announce Hogan as the #1 contender, and then they just pulled it away from me. Seriously, even WCW was smart enough to sign Hogan vs Flair on PPV the minute Hogan signed his WCW contract. If WCW got it right, why couldn't those at Titan?



Michael Bauer

HONORABLE MENTIONS

WWF vs. WCW/ECW (2002) - This is more due to timing then anything as the acqusition of WCW happened right before WrestleMania.

Hulk Hogan vs. Ric Flair (1992) - The match was set, it was there, and they had to go with the Psycho Sid route. Honorable Mention for me because it wasn't the feud it should have been.

5. Hulk Hogan vs Rowdy Roddy Piper(1985-1986) - I gotta go with what everyone else said. Hogan and Piper was the big feud of the 80s before Andre was a legit title threat. And while they did have the tag team match at the first WrestleMania, they never did have that huge one on one blowoff on the grandest stage. Maybe not the most money match, but this is one that should have happened.

3/4.The Rock vs. Mankind (1999)
3/4.Steve Autsin vs. Vince McMahon (1999)
I'm taking a cop out here and putting these two feuds together into one entry, because in all honesty, you couldn't change one match without the other. What we got was Rock vs. Austin and Manking fighting to be the referee. But Rock and Foley went balls to the walls for two months from I Quit to the Empty Arena Brawl to Last Man Standing to a definitive Ladder Match… what would have been so wrong with one more match at Mania? And Austin facing McMahon is cage at No Way Out was fine. But picture McMahon winning, giving Rock his shot at Mania and Austin getting revenge at Mania. That would have been so awesome and Austin could have still won the title the next month.

2.Triple H vs. Ric Flair (2005) - That feud had dollar signs all over it. Instead, we got a two month quickie feud that was brutal as it should have been, but with much less of a satisfying feeling. Picture these two going at it at WrestleMania instead of what did happened, which leads me to….

1.Edge vs. John Cena (2006) - For me, this is pretty much a no brainer. While all of the other choices could have happened but didn't simply due to injury or retirements or politics, this feud simply went for the majority of 2006, but was skipped over when it is was time for the grandest stage of them all. It started when Edge cashed in the Money in the Bank title shot after John Cena went through the Elimination Chamber. Cena won the title back at the Royal Rumble and after another successful defense, Triple H came in to challenge Cena and Edge turned his attention to Mick Foley. After RVD came it for has cup of tea as the top dog (thanks to Edge screwing Cena), Edge won the title back and went back to facing Cena for the next few Pay Per Views, including beating Cena in Boston before losing the belt in Toronto… in a TLC Match. Great feud and one that I still feel should have been at WrestleMania, but what we got was probably better.



So with all said and done, here is the 411 Wrestling's Overall Top 5 Feuds of the WWF or WWE to never Headline WrestleMania.


5. Hulk Hogan vs. Rowdy Roddy Piper (1985-1986) - 9 points (2 3rd place votes, 1 4th place vote, 1 5th place vote)

4. Steve Austin vs. The Undertaker (1998-1999) - 11 points (2 2nd place votes, 3 5th place votes)

3. WWF vs. The Invasion (2002) - 12 points (1 1st place vote, 1 2nd place vote, 1 4th place vote, 1 5th place vote, 3 Honorable Mentions)

2. Steve Austin vs. Vince McMahon (Any year) - 14 points (1 1st place vote, 1 2nd place vote, 1 3rd place vote, 2 4th place votes)

1. Hulk Hogan vs. Ric Flair (1992) - 29 points (5 1st place votes, 1 2nd place vote, 1 Honorable Mention)