10 WWE WrestleMania Matches That Failed To Live Up To The Hype

8. John 'Bradshaw' Layfield Vs. John Cena - WrestleMania 21

Nobody is going to try to argue that JBL vs. John Cena at WrestleMania 21 had the potential to be an all-time classic when it came to action in the ring. JBL was always more of a character than a performer, and John Cena is a modern example of how being over is far more important than being good. What is also forgotten is the relative inexperience of both at the time; JBL was a veteran on the roster but a baby in terms of main events, and this was Cena’s first step into superstardom.

JBL vs. Cena was never going to be Savage vs. Steamboat (or even Savage vs. Warrior) but it didn’t need to be. This was the crowning of John Cena, the man who would be king taking to the throne for the first time. It had been building for a long while, and one victory over the dastardly JBL was all that stood between Cena and immortality.

Then eleven minutes passed, Cena hit an AA (well, an FU as it was then known) and won the title. JBL’s near-10 month reign ended with a whimper. The match was little more than an extended TV match, with no drama, no tension, no nearfalls and nothing in the way of excitement. JBL may as well have walked into the ring and handed Cena the title, saving everyone 11 minutes of their lives. A new king was crowned in undeniably underwhelming fashion.