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After making WWE fans wait for eight years, The Rock is finally making his in-ring return. Over the years, The Final Boss could've had multiple iconic WrestleMania clashes, but he didn't due to varying reasons.
There's no doubt that The Great One's WrestleMania catalog is... great. He had an evergreen trilogy against 'Stone Cold' Steve Austin. He took part in two all-time spectacles against The Cenation Leader. Yet, his WrestleMania portfolio could've been even beefier if he could've had the rumored dream matches that fell through.
Due to his Hollywood commitments, injury risks, and a plethora of other factors, WWE Universe never got to see The People's Champ squaring off against some of the biggest names, one-on-one, on The Grandest Stage of Them All.
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So, as he gets ready to lace his boots for WWE WrestleMania XL, let's look at five other major bouts he was supposed to have at The Show of Shows through the years:
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#5 Vs. Roman Reigns for the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship (WrestleMania 39)
Ever since The Shield started wreaking havoc in WWE, fans have been clamoring to see Roman Reigns clash with The Rock, his real-life cousin.
As The Tribal Chief's stock kept going higher throughout the mid and late 2010s, it became apparent that WrestleMania would be the only suitable event for a match of this caliber. However, owing to the injuries he incurred at WrestleMania 29 and the impact they had on his subsequent acting gigs, The Brahma Bull steered clear of the ring.
However, sometime in the last couple of years, The Final Boss decided to give wrestling another shot. Moreover, he knew who the fans wanted to see him against: The Tribal Chief.
Interestingly, The Bloodline stars were all set to collide at WrestleMania 39. It would've been fitting since the theme of the PLE was 'Hollywood.' But the looming materialization of the Endeavor merger prompted WWE to save the dream match for a later date.
#4 vs. Triple H (at WrestleMania 2000 and WrestleMania 32)
It's baffling that one of the biggest Attitude Era rivalries in Triple H vs. The Rock never translated to a blockbuster singles match at The Show of Shows. What's even more disappointing is that this match was close to happening... twice!
First, The Game and The Great One were set to lock horns in singles action at WrestleMania 2000. The Rock had won that year's Rumble and Triple H was on a mean streak of his own as WWF Champion. At one point, they were penciled in for an Iron Man Match. However, their one-on-one match got postponed after the 'Mania main event became a Fatal Four-Way Match.
That said, second chances are not a myth. Sixteen years later, WWE got another chance to run Triple H vs. The Rock on The Grandest Stage of Them All. They even had heated on-screen interactions in 2014 and 2015 to set up the marquee match in 2016.
Nevertheless, the curse of bad timing prevailed once again. The People's Champion's schedule changed in a way that prevented him from having a full-blown match at 'Mania. Alas, their epic rivalry never got the payoff it deserved.
#3 vs. Brock Lesnar (WrestleMania 30)
When it comes to dream matches that happened too early, The Rock vs. Brock Lesnar at SummerSlam 2002 could be a part of the list. It was only after he had defeated The Great One that The Beast went on to win a Royal Rumble, headline WrestleMania, and make a lasting impact outside WWE.
However, there were rumblings about the two running it back while they were in their prime. The Stamford-based promotion was reportedly planning on featuring this epic rematch at WrestleMania 30.
There was even a slight tease about this match after WrestleMania 29 when Brock Lesnar came across one of The Rock's posters and glanced at it with interest. Yet, despite the rumors and immense anticipation, the clash didn't take place, despite both megastars being at WrestleMania 30.
That said, The Final Boss could still try and wrestle the man who beat The Beast Incarnate to become The Undisputed WWE Universal Champion. That man is Roman Reigns. However, that blockbuster bout wouldn't take place until at least WrestleMania 41.
#2 Sting and #1 Rey Mysterio (WrestleMania 21)
Attraction matches have been a staple of WWE since the inception of WrestleMania. There's no bigger attraction than seeing two larger-than-life megastars go at it. That was what The Rock wanted at WrestleMania 21 in 2005.
After his iconic clashes with Hulk Hogan at 'Mania X8 and The Texas Rattlesnake a year later, The Great One wanted to face another the legendary Sting at WrestleMania 21. By that point, it'd been nearly four years since WCW shut down, and the bat-wielding legend still had his reservations about signing with WWE.
But one thing The Rock isn't is unreasonable. While he knew that he could've had a memorable showdown against Sting, he realized that there was a strong chance that the match wouldn't happen. So, he had a list of alternative names ready too, and that included Rey Mysterio!
Still in his physical prime at the time, The Master of 619 could've torn the house down with the 2000 Royal Rumble winner. Unfortunately, though, the authority figures at the time had no significant interest in setting up this match. Thus, The Great One sat out 'Mania 21 and didn't have a match until Survivor Series 2011.
