10 Fascinating WWE WrestleMania 29 Facts

7. Ryback Claims The Ending Of His Match Was Done To Make Him Look Foolish

The Rock, John Cena
wwe.com

WrestleMania 29 took place a year after Ryback showed up on the main roster, and "The Big Guy" provided some fresh blood as a powerhouse on the babyface side of the roster. Plans were for him to turn heel the night after WrestleMania (which he did) and feud with John Cena for the WWE Championship (which he did).

It made zero sense, then, that Ryback lost to Mark Henry, after Henry squashed his head and neck on a failed Shell Shock attempt. Ryback alleges that he demanded an explanation from McMahon, whose reported response was that the deflating, undercutting finish would be the catalyst for the heel turn, that Ryback knew he "could't cut it" as a hero.

Ryback says he saw through McMahon's logic, that it was an attempt to kill off Ryback's momentum. He also adds that WWE removed his merchandise and his "feed me more" catchphrase as a way of diminishing his personal brand. After the feud with Cena, Ryback never caught the magic again.

Contributor
Contributor

Justin has been a wrestling fan since 1989, and has been writing about it since 2009. Since 2014, Justin has been a features writer and interviewer for Fighting Spirit Magazine. Justin also writes for History of Wrestling, and is a contributing author to James Dixon's Titan series.