Joined
·
364 Posts
Triple H/Cena was a fantastic main event. Urgent, compelling, brilliant.
WrestleMania 22- The Greatest Wrestlemania that NEVER happened
So I was surfin around the internet the other day, and an interesting thought came to my mind. After watching the new DVD WWE released the other day The True Story of Wrestlemania (Which is a REALLY GREAT DVD BTW. Highly recommanded). It got me thinking about how Hogan/Flair, quite possible the greatest match to never happen, didn't occur at Mania 8.
So, like I said, I searched up other greatest matches that were originally planned, but never happened at the greatest Stage of em' all. And by the looks of it, here's what I dug up. Wrestlemania 22 was quite possibly the greatest Wrestlemania that never happened the way it was supposed to go (for the most part)
Now, I'm not saying Mania 22 was bad or anything. Mania 22 was amazing. I watched it on PPV back in 2006, and it was just great. Definately worth the $50. But what I did find online was that it could have been so much better then it was, and in my view, would have surpassed WrestleMania 17 as the best WWE PPV of all time.
First off, the original plan was to have Orton win the Rumble, and face off against Batista for the WHC (who was schedueled to keep the belt until Mania 22) as the SmackDown! main-event. This would have been an amazing main-event (not pure wrestling wise), but I could see the buildup being great seeing their Evolution roots and history. And really, the match could have had to potential to be great as well. We know that didn't happen because Batista got injured.
After Batista got injured, the plan was to still have Orton win the Rumble, and go against Kurt Angle in a one-on-one sitution. This would still have had an amazing buildup, and the match would have bee awesome as well. Obviously, we still got Angle vs. Orton, but with Mysterio added to the mix as a sign of respect to Eddie Guerrero.
Next up, we would have had Eddie Guerrero vs. Shawn Michaels as an interpromotional SD vs. RAW brand supremecy match. I really don't know about the buildup, but this match would scream Wrestlemania. I'm actually really sad this match didn't happen because it would have absolutely torn the place down of off Chicago. Obviously, the reason this match didn't happen was because Eddie had passed away months prior to Mania.
Last but not least, we would have had Bret Hart vs. Vince McMahon in quite possibly a Hardcore match stipulation of some sort. If you remember, Bret was inducted in the 2006 HOF ceramony, and there were rumours that Vince had offered Bret to work at Mania with him in a revenge match for the Screwjob. Vince We just saw this match last Wrestlemania XXVI and it was one of the worst matches in Wrestlemania history. But atleast back in 2006, Vince McMahon could have bladed a bit here and there. Plus, more weapons could have been used, and the match would have been much better then it was last year. Bret declined that offer obviously, and that's why we got Shawn Michaels vs. Vince McMahon instead.
So, as I said Wrestlemania 22 could have quite possibly been the best Wrestlemania of all time. Along with the bouts I mentioned above, we would have witnessed Triple H vs. John Cena (I don't care what anyone says. That match was amazing!), Edge vs. Mick Foley, the great MITB, and Mickie vs. Trish.
So, what are your thoughts about this? Also, don't hesitate to share some others planned big matches that were supposed to happen at a big WWE event/PPV. I would love to here some.
So, like I said, I searched up other greatest matches that were originally planned, but never happened at the greatest Stage of em' all. And by the looks of it, here's what I dug up. Wrestlemania 22 was quite possibly the greatest Wrestlemania that never happened the way it was supposed to go (for the most part)
Now, I'm not saying Mania 22 was bad or anything. Mania 22 was amazing. I watched it on PPV back in 2006, and it was just great. Definately worth the $50. But what I did find online was that it could have been so much better then it was, and in my view, would have surpassed WrestleMania 17 as the best WWE PPV of all time.
First off, the original plan was to have Orton win the Rumble, and face off against Batista for the WHC (who was schedueled to keep the belt until Mania 22) as the SmackDown! main-event. This would have been an amazing main-event (not pure wrestling wise), but I could see the buildup being great seeing their Evolution roots and history. And really, the match could have had to potential to be great as well. We know that didn't happen because Batista got injured.
After Batista got injured, the plan was to still have Orton win the Rumble, and go against Kurt Angle in a one-on-one sitution. This would still have had an amazing buildup, and the match would have bee awesome as well. Obviously, we still got Angle vs. Orton, but with Mysterio added to the mix as a sign of respect to Eddie Guerrero.
Next up, we would have had Eddie Guerrero vs. Shawn Michaels as an interpromotional SD vs. RAW brand supremecy match. I really don't know about the buildup, but this match would scream Wrestlemania. I'm actually really sad this match didn't happen because it would have absolutely torn the place down of off Chicago. Obviously, the reason this match didn't happen was because Eddie had passed away months prior to Mania.
Last but not least, we would have had Bret Hart vs. Vince McMahon in quite possibly a Hardcore match stipulation of some sort. If you remember, Bret was inducted in the 2006 HOF ceramony, and there were rumours that Vince had offered Bret to work at Mania with him in a revenge match for the Screwjob. Vince We just saw this match last Wrestlemania XXVI and it was one of the worst matches in Wrestlemania history. But atleast back in 2006, Vince McMahon could have bladed a bit here and there. Plus, more weapons could have been used, and the match would have been much better then it was last year. Bret declined that offer obviously, and that's why we got Shawn Michaels vs. Vince McMahon instead.
So, as I said Wrestlemania 22 could have quite possibly been the best Wrestlemania of all time. Along with the bouts I mentioned above, we would have witnessed Triple H vs. John Cena (I don't care what anyone says. That match was amazing!), Edge vs. Mick Foley, the great MITB, and Mickie vs. Trish.
So, what are your thoughts about this? Also, don't hesitate to share some others planned big matches that were supposed to happen at a big WWE event/PPV. I would love to here some.
1 - 20 of 51 Posts
Orton vs Batista or Orton vs Angle doesn't sound much better than the triple threat that we got.
Guerrero vs Michaels + Bret vs Vince would had been cool.
One of the matches they could had done was Undertaker vs Angle. They had a classic match at No Way Out 2006 that was Wrestlemania-worthy. Maybe Angle ends the streak?
I didn't like HHH vs Cena much. It should had been Edge (Champion) vs Cena. If you remember, Edge won the title and lost it 3 weeks later. That should had been reserved for Mania 22!
Guerrero vs Michaels + Bret vs Vince would had been cool.
One of the matches they could had done was Undertaker vs Angle. They had a classic match at No Way Out 2006 that was Wrestlemania-worthy. Maybe Angle ends the streak?
I didn't like HHH vs Cena much. It should had been Edge (Champion) vs Cena. If you remember, Edge won the title and lost it 3 weeks later. That should had been reserved for Mania 22!
Joined
·
7,572 Posts
OH CRAP! Sorry man. I TOTALLY forgot about that match. Yeah, the original plan was Orton/Batista. And Angle/Taker was what was originally prepared. But obviously, they pushed it back to No Way Out 2006! Undertaker vs. Kurt Angle at No Way Out 2006 had to be the most underrated match of all time. I swear
Joined
·
587 Posts
-HHH vs Cena sucked for me. It wasn't WRESTLEMANIA worthy to me.
-Angle vs Taker SHOULD have happened. Obviously Angle was scheduled to lose anyway
-Michaels vs Guerrero would have been an instant classic. Its weird how they NEVER
been in the ring together.
-Flair vs Hogan, eh. Its looks good on paper but not sure about match quality. Poor Flair
got stuck in MITB.
-Hart vs McMahon for whatever reason didn't happen. Didn't they say when they introduced
the Hall of Famers at Wrestlemania that "Bret was uncomfortable" with being there that
night? Either way we got a great match with HBK and McMahon.
-Angle vs Taker SHOULD have happened. Obviously Angle was scheduled to lose anyway
-Michaels vs Guerrero would have been an instant classic. Its weird how they NEVER
been in the ring together.
-Flair vs Hogan, eh. Its looks good on paper but not sure about match quality. Poor Flair
got stuck in MITB.
-Hart vs McMahon for whatever reason didn't happen. Didn't they say when they introduced
the Hall of Famers at Wrestlemania that "Bret was uncomfortable" with being there that
night? Either way we got a great match with HBK and McMahon.
I was there that night. And I can tell you right now that the only match that was a let down was Taker vs Henry. Everything else was amazing. And Cena vs Triple H was so WM worthy at that time it wasnt even funny. The crowd interaction in that match was nothing like id ever heard before.
Joined
·
2,352 Posts
What, that match was electrifying! It was not as good as their later encounters, but I haven't seen the crowd(at the time) that into it since Rock vs Hogan. The match was unpredictable as well, because Triple H had been so dominate on Raw the past few years, while Cena was going through everyone. And Cena making Triple H tap out really solidify him as the main man, it was a great Wrestlemania main event.
Joined
·
7,572 Posts
HHH-Cena was awesome bro! I loved that match!
Angle/Taker would haveb been amazing even if Angle lost
LOL. I think they did. And yeah, Michaels/McMahon kept me uptight for the whole match.
Definately agree with the Michaels/Guerrero match. It would have been just amazing. And that's what I was thinking too!
Joined
·
587 Posts
Ok I will say it got the crowd involved with the ring pyschology, but the overall
match just felt like a RAW match imo. That Chicago crowd was GREAT in general. They
gave so much feedback to a DIVA match as well (Trish vs Mickie James). I mean don't get me wrong, the storyline was awesome, but it made the made more special and well worth the payoff.
Joined
·
5,005 Posts
The original plan was indeed orton/batista then batista got hurt then it became orton/angle then orton started being a prick towards the divas and mysterio got his spot. Ultimately orton fucked up and instead of losing his wrestlemania match (which would have made it mysterio/angle) he was given the match anyway and made to take the pinfall. Orton got into the match because there were folks worried about angle being able to work the match with mysterio alone (the match ended up being short anyway only about 9 mins). This is the story compiled from many different sources I have seen the past few years.
Joined
·
8,239 Posts
The only match that I'm upset we never got was Shawn vs Eddie. Orton/Batista is just kinda meh. Bret vs Vince would probably just be a little better than the match we got last year.
Joined
·
2,204 Posts
Joined
·
20,682 Posts
Triple H/Cena was decent, but not one of the better main events of the last decade though, and pales in comparison to a couple of their later matches. Never the less, it was a big time match, so you can't fault WWE for going with it. Though I can't see what people who think it's amazing sees. The only thing I've been able to agree with that people who love the match brought up was the electric crowd, which did bump the match up a bit for me already. I just can't get into this match otherwise.
Edge/Foley stole the show, and was just a fun, brutal hardcore match which added another memorable (spear) moment to Edge's list of WM Moments. Also gave Foley a WM moment.
Shawn/Vince was pretty poor, so it's a shame Shawn/Eddie didn't happen. That would have stolen the show no doubt, and would have been an entertaining feud.
Orton/Batista would have been a good world title match, but then I think the triple threat that happened was solid enough. Now if Taker/Angle had been the World Title match... well, we saw what happened at NWO, so yeah, would have been an amazing Main Event.
WM22 was a solid Mania from top to bottom. Truth be told though, I'll always prefer all the Mania's around it.
WM20 just for the big time feel and it being the 20th show with an amazing Main event and the return of the deadman, along with one of the best endings to a Mania you'll ever see, maybe even the best.
WM21 had crappier main events than WM22 had, but it had one of if not the best undercard of Mania ever, and the most entertaining build up to Mania with the parodies.
WM23 had a worse undercard and MITB than WM22, but the title matches blew WM22's title matches out of the water like WM21's undercard did to WM22's undercard.
WM24 was one of the best Mania's, period. Top 5 easily. WM22 doesn't stand a chance. Had a much better main event, much better MITB, had Flair "retiring" and giving one of his best performances in WWE since he came back in 2002, and even the celebrity match was good by all accounts. The show from top to bottom was excellent. I know I'd put WM17 and WM19 over it, so it may even be number 3, but I'd have to really think about it.
Because of those Manias surrounding it, for me, WM22 just gets lost in the shuffle.
Edge/Foley stole the show, and was just a fun, brutal hardcore match which added another memorable (spear) moment to Edge's list of WM Moments. Also gave Foley a WM moment.
Shawn/Vince was pretty poor, so it's a shame Shawn/Eddie didn't happen. That would have stolen the show no doubt, and would have been an entertaining feud.
Orton/Batista would have been a good world title match, but then I think the triple threat that happened was solid enough. Now if Taker/Angle had been the World Title match... well, we saw what happened at NWO, so yeah, would have been an amazing Main Event.
WM22 was a solid Mania from top to bottom. Truth be told though, I'll always prefer all the Mania's around it.
WM20 just for the big time feel and it being the 20th show with an amazing Main event and the return of the deadman, along with one of the best endings to a Mania you'll ever see, maybe even the best.
WM21 had crappier main events than WM22 had, but it had one of if not the best undercard of Mania ever, and the most entertaining build up to Mania with the parodies.
WM23 had a worse undercard and MITB than WM22, but the title matches blew WM22's title matches out of the water like WM21's undercard did to WM22's undercard.
WM24 was one of the best Mania's, period. Top 5 easily. WM22 doesn't stand a chance. Had a much better main event, much better MITB, had Flair "retiring" and giving one of his best performances in WWE since he came back in 2002, and even the celebrity match was good by all accounts. The show from top to bottom was excellent. I know I'd put WM17 and WM19 over it, so it may even be number 3, but I'd have to really think about it.
Because of those Manias surrounding it, for me, WM22 just gets lost in the shuffle.
Joined
·
7,572 Posts
I gotta agree with everything you said there.
As for Wrestlemania 24, the triple threat match between Cena/Orton/Triple H was laughable :lmao
Joined
·
4,638 Posts
Triple H vs. John Cena has the greatest atmosphere to any WrestleMania main event EVER! And, the match itself is terrific. Only three WrestleMania main events have been better than it.
Joined
·
12,497 Posts
- Randy Orton vs. Batista
- Undertaker vs. Kurt Angle
- Shawn Michaels vs. Eddie Guerrero
- John Cena vs. Triple H
- Edge vs. Mick Foley
- Vince McMahon vs. Bret Hart
- Trish Stratus vs. Mickie James
- MITB
Yeah, that probably is the greatest that never happened.
- Undertaker vs. Kurt Angle
- Shawn Michaels vs. Eddie Guerrero
- John Cena vs. Triple H
- Edge vs. Mick Foley
- Vince McMahon vs. Bret Hart
- Trish Stratus vs. Mickie James
- MITB
Yeah, that probably is the greatest that never happened.
Joined
·
364 Posts
In regards to HHH/Cena; what does this post mean?three years later he finaslly got itback as if this match never happened
![]()
Joined
·
7,601 Posts
I've said for a few years now that the originally planned WrestleMania 22 could have been the greatest WrestleMania ever outside of WrestleMania 17 because the card for the top six or seven matches would have been HUGE, it would have looked like this.
John Cena/Triple H for the WWE title
Batista/Randy Orton for the World title after Randy Orton won the Royal Rumble
Shawn Michaels/Eddie Guerrero
The Undertaker/Kurt Angle
Mick Foley/Edge Hardcore match
Bret Hart/Vince McMahon
Trish Stratus/Mickie James for the Womens title
Money in the Bank with Rob Van Dam winning
Chris Benoit/JBL
Rey Mysterio/Booker T
Kane and Big Show/Carlito and Chris Masters for the tag team titles
It is crazy how just two men in Batista and Eddie Guerrero can change a PPV as big as WrestleMania because their not being available for different reasons changed almost the whole card and the whole lead up to WrestleMania 22. For the most part i would say that WrestleMania 22 was still a great PPV and one that i would rank in the top ten WrestleMania's of all time but i believe it could have been in the top two if WWE had been able to go with original plans.
John Cena/Triple H for the WWE title
Batista/Randy Orton for the World title after Randy Orton won the Royal Rumble
Shawn Michaels/Eddie Guerrero
The Undertaker/Kurt Angle
Mick Foley/Edge Hardcore match
Bret Hart/Vince McMahon
Trish Stratus/Mickie James for the Womens title
Money in the Bank with Rob Van Dam winning
Chris Benoit/JBL
Rey Mysterio/Booker T
Kane and Big Show/Carlito and Chris Masters for the tag team titles
It is crazy how just two men in Batista and Eddie Guerrero can change a PPV as big as WrestleMania because their not being available for different reasons changed almost the whole card and the whole lead up to WrestleMania 22. For the most part i would say that WrestleMania 22 was still a great PPV and one that i would rank in the top ten WrestleMania's of all time but i believe it could have been in the top two if WWE had been able to go with original plans.
1 - 20 of 51 Posts
