10 Biggest Swerves WWE Made Before WrestleMania
Title changes, classic angles and retirement returns...
Since Yokozuna ousted 'Macho Man' Randy Savage from the ring and was declared winner of the 1993 match, the Royal Rumble has acted as a precursor to WrestleMania.
Theoretically, he who emerges as the Rumble winner goes on to main event WWE's biggest show of the year, but what would any 'Road to WrestleMania' be without a few bumps along the way?
The period between January-March/April each year is the most exciting time to be a wrestling fan as sweeping changes, epic twists, and even shock title switches often await fans before the 'Show of Shows'. WWE themselves routinely tweak the final 'Mania card in the weeks and months before, meaning not every proposed or expected WrestleMania main event actually ends up happening.
Sometimes these changes/tweaks are deliberate, but on other occasions they occur organically; unable to account for injuries or fan demands, WWE have been forced to drastically alter their 'Mania plans more than once.
Each year, these swerves are a constant source of deliberation, causing endless chatter amongst fans about what 'might have been' during WWE's busiest time of the year...
10. The Big Show Debuts Amidst Cage Match Chaos (1999)
The fact a villainous Mr. McMahon character won the 1999 Royal Rumble match is something of a swerve to begin with. Steve Austin was chasing a third consecutive Rumble win in '99, only to be foiled by his arch nemesis. The box office appeal of Austin vs. McMahon continued the next month at the St. Valentine's Day Massacre pay-per-view.
Locked inside a steel cage with one another, the warring duo were set to determine whether or not Austin would go on to WrestleMania XV and receive a shot at the WWF Title. As if that wasn't dramatic enough, the cage bout witnessed the company debut of The Big Show.
Show would aid Austin unintentionally by hurling him against the cage wall. Breaking the structure, Stone Cold tumbled to the floor and was declared the winner as McMahon stood aghast inside the ring.
Many had been expecting Austin to defeat McMahon, although there were few accounting for the idea of Big Show accidentally helping his cause. The swerve here is that McMahon's Rumble victory meant little in the end, as the WWF eventually promoted Austin vs. The Rock come 'Mania anyway.