11 Things WWE Announced Then Wrestlers Said No
Times when wrestlers said "no" after WWE had already advertised it on TV.
Two tiny letters, one difficult word to say.
Most wrestlers would quake in their boots at the thought of saying "no" to Vince McMahon. The WWE ruler is, after all, one of the most intimidating figures in the entire industry; Vince is the man most of us have grown up with. He revolutionised wrestling, and turning him down can't be easy.
The Undertaker admitted on his stunning 'Last Ride' documentary series that even he struggles to say "no" to McMahon despite being one of Vince's good friends. The boss respects 'Taker more than most, but that doesn't make the task any less daunting for a 30+ year company veteran.
Then there are those who don't really mind saying, "Nah!".
This can be problematic when WWE has already ploughed ahead and advertised a match or appearance publicly though. It's even worse when those dates are circled for a major TV special, pay-per-view or international stadium show. Wrestlers saying "no" forces WWE to alter their plans and come up with something else.
Daniel Bryan, Roman Reigns, Steve Austin, The Ultimate Warrior and even Akeem have all done it...
11. Roman Reigns Pulls Out Of ‘Mania 36
Here's a biggie. Why wait?
Roman Reigns challenged then-Universal Champ Goldberg for the title on the 28 February 2020 SmackDown. Throughout March, WWE set about the task of hyping the mega-match as one of the biggest showdowns in WrestleMania history. Then, suddenly, it all changed and Reigns was removed from the pay-per-view.
Braun Strowman was announced as Goldberg's new opponent on 3 April, and fans scratched their heads. That's when news leaked that Roman had taken himself out of the frame due to ongoing fears about the COVID-19 pandemic; Reigns deserves credit for turning down a huge payday, prioritising his health and keeping his family safe.
He said no to 'Mania 36, and probably doesn't regret it. WWE were left with no other option - they had to promote Braun as a serious threat to Bill's belt and pretend the match was just as big as Reigns vs. Goldberg. Fans knew the truth, but Roman pulling himself out wasn't WWE's call.