10. Goldberg/Lesnar Could Have Been Prevented
Let's talk about how bad the match was between Goldberg and Brock Lesnar at WrestleMania XX. At a show commemorating 20 years of The Showcase of the Immortals, held in the historic Madison Square Garden, this mid-card match had no business existing. On paper, a clash between these two psychotic heavyweights made sense, but in reality, neither man was equipped to take the lead on it. The low effort put in by both men, coupled with their imminent departures from the company, resulted in a match made memorable for how awful it was. Steve Austin was right in the thick of it, as the GM who played a large role in the feud leading up to the event. Not only did Austin play puppetmaster in bringing these two together, but he was also designated the special guest referee for their showdown at WrestleMania XX. Austin's presence was a blessing throughout, as his brash personality and expertise on the microphone compensated for Lesnar and Goldberg's shortcomings. But once the bell rang at the famed MSG, not even Stone Cold could rescue the sinking ship that was this match. The fans in attendance chanted "You sold out" and "Boring", even prompting a middle finger from Goldberg. But perhaps more telling was the "Austin" chant that also rang out for the special guest referee, who delivered a Stunner to both guys and had his own beer bash thereafter: when all else failed, they relied on Steve Austin to revive the crowd. If he'd been cleared to compete, Austin would have been a much better opponent for either Goldberg or Lesnar, and his winning would have been a more satisfying send-off to the guy who was abandoning WWE. Steve had the ring experience to guide a "blunt object" through a match that could tell a compelling story, with some well-executed spots throughout, and a hell of a lot more personality. He was already heavily invested in the storyline as the General Manager, and possessed the tenacity to stand up to either one when he announced his departure. If he hadn't retired, Austin could have turned this into a huge adrenaline rush for the crowd, instead of a fecal stain on the record of this milestone event.