One MIND-BLOWING Secret From EVERY WWE WrestleMania

10. WrestleMania 32 | Laying The SmackDown On The Authority

Triple H The Rock
WWE.com

WrestleMania 32 was meant to feel significantly bigger in scale than it eventually did. Vince McMahon expected to draw in excess of 100,000 people to AT&T Stadium, or at least he pretended to expect to draw in excess of 100,000 people to AT&T Stadium. 

A wave of injuries did not help; headliners John Cena, Randy Orton and Seth Rollins were all forced off the show. The intended main event was scrapped; well over a year before it happened at, of all shows, No Mercy 2017, Cena was meant to hand over the keys to Roman Reigns. Would that match have actually headlined? Possibly not, if the November 16, 2015 issue of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter is to be believed. 

WWE was adamant that Triple H would wrestle an Attitude Era mega star in the mid-2010s. It makes sense; Triple H was the top heel on the show, and Vince would have been stupid to not at least inquire as to whether the two biggest needle-movers available to him were interested in working WrestleMania. In 2015, WWE wanted Steve Austin; in 2016, they apparently wanted the Rock. 

The Rock’s approach to promos - sometimes too vicious and counterproductive - would have been exhilarating, if the feud actually happened. Somebody with power desperately needed to bury Triple H for being so defensive and outright dull during this period. The misery was relentless for about three years. 

Alas, it wasn’t to be: the Rock never truly fancied it until WWE actually got hot, did he?

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!