10 WWE Celebrity Matches That Came So Close To Happening

7. Brock Lesnar Vs. Lennox Lewis

Brock Lesnar was once supposed to legitimately fight former undisputed boxing Heavyweight Champion Lennox Lewis in WWE.

WWE enjoys promoting wrestlers vs. boxers in big time collisions (Tyson, Mayweather, Fury) and Lewis was already familiar with WWE, having carried the Union Jack to the ring in support of the British Bulldog before his classic with Bret Hart at Summerslam in ’92.

Lewis claimed he was close to signing a deal with WWE in 2002 that would have had him square off against Lesnar in a match that would have been something of a modern-day Muhammad Ali vs. Antonio Inoki.

WWE was very keen for this to take place, even going so far as offering Lewis close to a $5 million pay day for one match and several appearances to promote it. It was even rumoured Kurt Angle would square off with professional boxer Butterbean on the undercard of the show.

Lewis claims the deal didn’t go ahead because WWE wanted him to wear gloves, whilst Lesnar supposedly didn’t have to:

“Wrestling Brock Lesnar, is one thing. Wrestling Brock Lesnar without the ability to grab anything, but he can grab you and throw you backwards onto your head all he wants, is completely different.”

Bruce Prichard has claimed on his Something To Wrestle podcast why it fell it apart ultimately was Lewis’ schedule at the time, with him already being contractually obligated to fulfil his other fights.