8 Stars Who Walked Out On WWE WrestleMania

5. Jay-Z (WrestleMania XIX)

John Cena's considerable WrestleMania legacy got off to a somewhat inauspicious start, as the emerging star, then a rapper bedecked in chains and a reversed snapback, engaged in a lyrical showdown with cardboard cutouts of recording artists Jay-Z and Fabolous on WrestleMania XIX's Sunday Night Heat pre-show.

Was this WWE's way of trying to goad a couple of celebrities into a future rhyme-rumble opposite their budding diss-librettist, in pursuit of that ever-valuable mainstream rub? No - but only because that had been the original plan.

Rather than verbally sparring with two-dimensional replicas, John Cena had originally been advertised for a rap battle with the real deals. Within weeks of the show, Fabolous was arrested for possessing an unlicensed gun; he'd found himself booked for a similar charge that January. His appearance was cancelled, whilst Jay-Z, citing a scheduling conflict, pulled out of the show. Ultimately, it left the resulting segment, featuring a micro-effigy of the Roc-a-Fella man a little flat.

Editorial Team
Editorial Team

Benjamin was born in 1987, and is still not dead. He variously enjoys classical music, old-school adventure games (they're not dead), and walks on the beach (albeit short - asthma, you know). He's currently trying to compile a comprehensive history of video game music, yet denies accusations that he purposefully targets niche audiences. He's often wrong about these things.