Fansided

5 matches that should have been the main event of WrestleMania

By Adam Strangis

THE TONIGHT SHOW STARRING JIMMY FALLON -- Episode 0365 -- Pictured: The Undertaker on November 11, 2015 -- (Photo by: Douglas Gorenstein/NBC/NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images)
THE TONIGHT SHOW STARRING JIMMY FALLON -- Episode 0365 -- Pictured: The Undertaker on November 11, 2015 -- (Photo by: Douglas Gorenstein/NBC/NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images) /
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LAS VEGAS – AUGUST 24: (L-R) Wrestler Shawn Michaels, World Wrestling Entertainment Inc. Chairman Vince McMahon, and wrestlers John Cena and Triple H pose in the ring during the WWE Monday Night Raw show at the Thomas
LAS VEGAS – AUGUST 24: (L-R) Wrestler Shawn Michaels, World Wrestling Entertainment Inc. Chairman Vince McMahon, and wrestlers John Cena and Triple H pose in the ring during the WWE Monday Night Raw show at the Thomas /

3. WrestleMania 11 Dream Main Event: Shawn Michaels vs Diesel for the WWF World Heavyweight Championship

Actual Main Event — Lawerence Taylor vs Bam Bam Bigelow 

You’re not going to have to twist any arms to put Shawn Michaels in a main event, because he’s one of the greatest to ever lace them up. While this particular match wouldn’t have been the most memorable main event in history, almost anything would have been better than seeing Bam Bam Bigelow lose to a pro football player in that slot. Some have always had their criticism of Diesel, and that’s fair. Still, putting Michaels in the main event is one of the surest bets in pro wrestling, especially around the mid-90’s. The Bigelow match is far from the first or last time that WWE has succumbed to the allure of a mainstream attraction being more important than one of their own, but it doesn’t make it any less frustrating.

The funny part is that Diesel and Michaels were accompanied to the ring by Pamela Anderson and Jenny McCarthy, respectively. WWE could’ve built some mainstream appeal around that fact and used the championship at stake on top of it. It’s perfectly understandable for WWE to want to get as much buzz as possible for their biggest event, but how many people really tuned in to see Bigelow lose and then say “sure, I’ll stick around for more of this?” It came off as a very desperate attempt on WWE’s part and throwing a wrestler with the resume of Bigelow’s to the proverbial wolves just didn’t make a lot of sense in the long run. You can argue that WWE is still repeating those same mistakes with myriad choices involving part-time wrestlers that pervade the current product. Regardless of whether you like that type of booking or not, Lawrence Taylor should never be in the main event of WrestleMania.