The task of putting together a WWE WrestleMania card is one of the hardest things a booker can undertake. It takes months of planning and preparation to put together a card worthy of drawing a crowd that numbers in the tens of thousands. Also, wrestling fans are not the quiet type, and if there is any misstep in the card, we can be sure the internet is going to blow up.
These factors can put massive pressure on anyone putting the card together, especially regarding the main event.
Looking back at the main events of WrestleMania, most have become the things of legend and have hit all the notes that a booker would want. Still, some have fallen short of the mark, even being overshadowed by other matches on the card. They were the main events, but they should have been replaced by better matches that actually took place. Below, we will look at the matches that should have been the main event at WrestleMania.
WrestleMania 18 Main Event: Triple H v Chris Jericho (WWE Championship Match)
Much can be said about the build towards WrestleMania 18’s main event. Reigning champion Chris Jericho was shunted to the side in favor of the McMahon drama that consumed the match. This deflated any momentum they had, and nothing improved when these two made it into the ring.
The match was boring, containing no drama or exciting moments. Triple H’s eventual triumph was met with a whimper rather than the expected pop WWE would have desired. It also didn’t help that the crowd was already exhausted from another match that should have closed the evening.
Should Have Main Evented: The Rock v Hulk Hogan
The Icon v Icon match was the biggest selling point for WrestleMania 18. This was the big money program that the world wanted to see, and the match didn’t disappoint. It was a great reminder of what two great storytellers can do, and how a crowd can take a great match and turn it epic.
The audience was on fire throughout the match, and the switch in characters mid-match was spot on. Seeing Hulkamania run wild once again was worth the price of admission. The visual of Hogan’s signature pose should have been the closing moment of the night.
WrestleMania 25 Main Event: Triple H v Randy Orton (WWE Championship Match)
Working towards the WrestleMania 25 main event, Triple H and Randy Orton did a superb job of making the world care about their match. There was such a personal nature to the build, and the hatred was dripping from every promo and segment the two were involved in, which is why it was such a disappointment when the match fell flat.
Every bit of animosity flew out the window, and the match did not give us the WrestleMania feel. It didn’t help that the stipulation that Triple H could lose the title by count out or DQ was made. It prevented Orton and HHH from taking the match to a place that would have set it apart from other matches on the card.
Should Have Main Evented: Shawn Michaels v The Undertaker
HBK and The Undertaker’s instant classic should have ended WrestleMania 25. Anytime they squared off, we were given gold, but this match took everything up to 11. This match was 30 minutes of the two best wrestlers in the world creating and perfecting their craft.
Even the botch of Undertaker missing his outside dive worked so well in the narrative. He and HBK had the crowd in the palm of their hand from start to finish, and had us all believing that the Streak was about to end. From a Tombstone false finish to the skin the cat reversal, this match had everything, except final billing on the card.
