5 WrestleMania matches that should've been the main event

The winner of the Men's Royal Rumble has usually earned a main event slot at WrestleMania ever since the concept was introduced in 1993. However, not all winners are given the headliner spot like Shawn Michaels in 1995, Stone Cold Steve Austin in 1997, Rey Mysterio in 2006, and Jey Uso in 2025.

The YEET Master will challenge Gunther for the World Heavyweight Title on Night One this weekend. However, the night will be headlined by CM Punk vs. Roman Reigns vs. Seth Rollins.

Some main events were made due to a variety of reasons, from a compelling story to a star's popularity. There have been several main events since The Show of Shows started in 1985 that should not have been in that position, and another match deserved the spot.

Let's look at five matches that should've main-evented WrestleMania:

#5. The Rock vs. Hulk Hogan at WrestleMania 18

WrestleMania 18 was one of the biggest events in WWE history, held at SkyDome in Toronto, Canada. The most memorable match was the Icon vs. Icon bout between The Rock and Hulk Hogan. It was the clash of two of the biggest stars of their respective generations on The Grandest Stage of Them All.

The atmosphere of the match was much bigger than anticipated, with the Toronto crowd turning on The Rock and beginning to cheer Hogan. The dynamic of the match was so different, as well as the stature of both legends, that it warranted the main event slot over Triple H vs. Chris Jericho for the Undisputed WWE Championship.

#4. The Rock vs. Stone Cold Steve Austin at WrestleMania 19

The main event of WrestleMania 19 was between Brock Lesnar and Kurt Angle for the WWE Championship. It was a great match, but The Rock vs. Stone Cold Steve Austin III should have been the final match of the night. They were the faces of the Attitude Era and were on their way out.

The history was too much to ignore, even though The Great One was down 0-2 heading into the match. Their rivalry is one of the greatest ever, and it needed a proper send-off. The Rock would put over Goldberg a year later and start his career in Hollywood, while Austin never wrestled again until WrestleMania 38 against Kevin Owens.

#3. Batista vs. The Undertaker at WrestleMania 23

There were two major reasons why Batista vs. The Undertaker for the World Heavyweight Championship should have headlined WrestleMania 23. The Undertaker won the Royal Rumble that year and deserved to have the final bout of the night.

WWE also built it as Title vs. Streak, which added a lot of weight to the match. Batista was the second-biggest star in the company at the time, behind John Cena, while The Undertaker's Streak had started to become a legendary part of The Showcase of The Immortals.

#2. Randy Savage vs. Ric Flair at WrestleMania 8

It was probably a slap in the face for Randy Savage and Ric Flair when they were put in the middle of the match card for WrestleMania 8. The Nature Boy was the WWE Champion, while Randy Savage was one of the most popular stars at that time.

They put on a great match that deserved to be the headlining act over Hulk Hogan and Sid Vicious. Hogan vs. Sid was a personal feud, and Hulkamania was running wild at that point.

#1. John Cena vs. Batista at WrestleMania 26

The Undertaker and Shawn Michaels deserved to main event at WrestleMania 26, especially after their legendary match the year before.

If it wasn't getting the final slot on the card, John Cena vs. Batista was equally deserving to get it. They were the faces of the company at the time, so it was a dream match coming to fruition.

The build to their match was rushed, though it really started at SummerSlam 2008 when The Animal inadvertently caused a neck injury to Cena.

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