20 WWE WrestleMania Matches We Almost Got (And Why We Didn't)
3. Shawn Michaels vs. Eddie Guerrero - WrestleMania 22
The phrase "dream match" is something purely in the opinions of wrestling fans. There are some who consider Stone Cold Steve Austin vs. CM Punk a dream match. But there maybe some odd folk out there who consider a dream match to be the Great Khali vs. Giant Gonzales.
In the mind of Bruce Pritchard, a dream match looked like a pure wrestling match between Shawn Michaels & Eddie Guerrero. The two men have had very similar journeys throughout their pro-wrestling life, two very talented technical wrestlers but fought battles against the demons of drink and drugs, both found salvation in Christianity when hitting rock-bottom and going on to have a career renaissance.
Pritchard put forward the match to Vince McMahon himself who pencilled it in for WrestleMania 22.
Why didn't it happen?
In a tragic twist of fate, a matter of days after the match was proposed, Eddie Guerrero suddenly passed away at the young age of 38, thus the dream match would never take place. The death had further reaching consequences as he was due to win the World Heavyweight Championship from Batista before the end of the year.
Rey Mysterio won the title at WrestleMania in tribute to Guerrero, whereas Shawn Michaels fought Mr. McMahon in an unsanctioned match.