10 Fascinating WWE WrestleMania 19 Facts
3. The Rock Actually Defeated Brock Lesnar In An Untelevised Match Two Weeks Before WrestleMania
It was pretty much a given that Lesnar would be defeating an injured Kurt Angle for the WWE Championship come WrestleMania 19. Before that match would come to pass, Lesnar would tangle with The Rock on a Saturday night house show in Miami on March 15, two weeks before the grand showcase. Lesnar was under the assumption that he would be going over in order to keep him strong for Angle, but apparently didn't take into consideration that it was Rock's home city.
According to Lesnar, about 90 minutes before their untelevised match, Rock nervously informed Lesnar that he would be beating him cleanly. Lesnar says he had no problem losing, but took offense to Rock (and apparently others) knowing the finish long before he did, and being kept out of the loop.
Lesnar felt that his being left in the dark was McMahon screwing with him from afar, and had no inclination to play the political game. Although he wouldn't leave WWE for another year, he says this occurrence soured him on WWE in general, and planted the seed for his eventual exodus.