10 WrestleMania Matches History Deprived Us Of (That Weren't Actually Impossible)

2. AJ Styles Vs. The Undertaker - WrestleMania 32

Bret Hart Randy Savage
WWE/WWE

At WrestleMania 32, AJ Styles lost to Chris Jericho in a diminished return of an already stale series. The Undertaker was somehow taken to his limit by Shane McMahon (!) in a tedious match that stretched suspension of disbelief beyond the pale.

By Monday morning, WWE will have promoted two WrestleMania matches involving Styles, 'Taker and Shane - and somehow contrived not to book by far and away the most promising of the theoretical three. They had the chance last year, but after 'Taker bristled at Vince McMahon's suggestion of a Braun Strowman match, Shane was contacted for an unexpected (and hardly anticipated, let's be honest) return.

There is a suggestion that 'Taker may not have been able to keep up with Styles, but AJ is as phenomenal psychologically as he is athletically. There is no suggestion that he could not have worked around him. Besides which, Styles' most devastating moves aren't as devastating as they look. That's why he's among the best workers on the planet. The Phenomenal Forearm requires just a flat back bump to take it.

Even a defeat would have represented a paradoxical victory for Styles; in just taking the Dead Man to his limit, he would have joined the most illustrious company in WWE history.

Styles obviously made it as a headliner, even without the match - but the journey could have been even more exciting.

Contributor
Contributor

Michael Sidgwick is an editor, writer and podcaster for WhatCulture Wrestling. With over seven years of experience in wrestling analysis, Michael was published in the influential institution that was Power Slam magazine, and specialises in providing insights into All Elite Wrestling - so much so that he wrote a book about the subject. You can order Becoming All Elite: The Rise Of AEW on Amazon. Possessing a deep knowledge also of WWE, WCW, ECW and New Japan Pro Wrestling, Michael’s work has been publicly praised by former AEW World Champions Kenny Omega and MJF, and current Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes. When he isn’t putting your finger on why things are the way they are in the endlessly fascinating world of professional wrestling, Michael wraps his own around a hand grinder to explore the world of specialty coffee. Follow Michael on X (formerly known as Twitter) @MSidgwick for more!