10 Wrestlers Who Narrowly Missed A WWE WrestleMania Main Event

Since January 2016, AJ Styles has had the sort of WWE run few would have predicted as late as the prior December.

A strong debut year, credible runs as the company's figurehead and top Champion and enough good matches to prove the "form is temporary, class is permanent" rule still true, Styles has just about done it all in his time with the company.

All, that is, apart from headline a WrestleMania.

He's been in a few conversations - his WWE Championship clash in 2018 with Shinsuke Nakamura was billed as a dream match even if it couldn't really match the hype, Chris Jericho, Shane McMahon and Randy Orton have at one point been main eventers even if they weren't top-lining any show with 'The Phenomenal One' - but for whatever reason, he's never quite been the guy to get the big pyro, the closing shot or the last and longest look at the lights.

If it’s scant consolation AJ’s after, though, then he’ll be pleased to hear that he’s not the only one to have been in this kind of position. Plenty before him have fallen at the final hurdle and narrowly missed out on headlining WrestleMania, whether it be due to storylines changing, injuries cropping up, or simply being overlooked in favour of more glamorous, part-time names...

Though WrestleMania XV was ultimately headlined by the Rock vs. Stone Cold Steve Austin, at one point it looked like Mankind would be the one to take on Austin in that show-closing WWF Championship match.

Mankind had still been WWF Champion coming out of St. Valentine’s Day Massacre - the final pay-per-view before WrestleMania XV. But on the Feb. 15 showing of Raw, he was forced to defend his title against the Rock in a hastily-arranged ladder match. And while Mankind had actually been on the verge of retaining his belt, he was soon stopped in his tracks when the Big Show interfered, Chokeslammed him off the titular ladder - and gifted the Rock the victory, the belt, and a ticket to WrestleMania.

Technically, Mankind would still go on to play a part in the PPV’s main event, emerging as the special guest referee to count Austin’s decisive pinfall, though that doesn’t quite compare to his original role.

Adding even further insult to injury, rumour has it that Mankind was initially pencilled in for a Triple Threat with the Rock and Austin before plans were changed.

Then again, it’s a rumour that comes courtesy of Vince Russo, so take it with a pinch of salt.