Lex Luger – WrestleMania 10 (1994)
When Hulk Hogan left WWE, Vince McMahon wanted another bodybuilding blond-haired hero. Thus, the American Hero Lex Luger was born, and his quest to win over the hearts of America began. The Lex Express carried him across the United States, and his body slamming of Yokozuna was a nice moment. However, he had his momentum squashed when he beat Yoko by countout at SummerSlam 1993. It was here that his aura died, and he lost the fans’support. There was no need to give Lex Luger another shot at the title.
WrestleMania 10’s Championship picture was unique but not needed. Luger had lost the crowd by this point, and Bret Hart’s star was on the rise. The world was behind The Hitman, and no one wanted Lex Luger wrestling Yokozuna. It was a distraction from what WWE should have put its full attention towards. Plus, everyone and their sister knew that Luger was just a stepping stone before the main event.
Alberto Del Rio – WrestleMania 27 (2011)
WWE is always on the lookout for its next Latin American star. Eddie Guerrero and Rey Mysterio held that mantle for a while, and when they were no longer around, WWE looked to The Mexican Aristocrat. Alberto Del Rio was introduced to WWE audiences and instantly had the entire weight of the office behind him. He was given high-profile matches and was booked to win the 2011 Royal Rumble, punching his ticket for a World Championship match. On paper, it seemed like a great idea, but then the issue arose that the fans didn’t accept Del Rio as a credible main event guy.
Alberto Del Rio was a great talent, but one that was never accepted by the audience. His World Championship match with Edge was met with little reaction and failed to get the crowd pumped as the opening match of WrestleMania 27. A match that ran 11 minutes and gave us no indication that Alberto Del Rio was ready for a true main event run. It was an experiment that didn’t work for WWE, and one that failed in Edge’s last match.
Jack Swagger – WrestleMania 29 (2013)
In the world of WWE, there is always room for experimentation. Sometimes, the office doesn’t know what kind of star they have until they try. And WrestleMania is not the time to test new things. The run of Jack Swagger to a World Championship match at WrestleMania 29 is a perfect example.
Jack Swagger had a few attempts to reach the next level, but it never worked. He had won Money in the Bank and cashed in successfully, but it was a short reign that WWE reneged on quickly. He was never accepted as a true challenger for the World Championships, and when he won the Elimination Chamber in 2011, the world was left wondering exactly what WWE was doing.
Jack Swagger and Alberto Del Rio did not scream main event program for WrestleMania. Swagger was a talent that never reached the heights expected of him, and he never connected with the crowd on any level. No one was interested in watching this match, and the finish was met with silence.
When we look at men like Daniel Bryan, The SHIELD, CM Punk, Sheamus, and Randy Orton, who were involved in non-World Championship matches, it’s hard to imagine what WWE was thinking. Swagger was damaged goods and not deserving of a World Title match at WrestleMania.
