5 WWE dream matches that didn’t live up to expectations

The WWE Universe has seen its fair share of dream matches throughout the company's history.

Many iconic matches in WWE history have been long anticipated bouts between legendary performers, with some exceeding expectations and delighting the crowd in attendance and the viewers watching at home.

AJ Styles v. Shinsuke Nakamura dream match for the WWE Title at WrestleMania, Streaming Live This Sun. on WWE Network

— WWE (@WWE) April 2, 2018

However, unfortunately, some WWE dream matches did not meet the high bar set by the WWE Universe.

There are various reasons as to why a match doesn't live up to the hype. Lack of chemistry, the wrong crowd, the performers' age, injuries, and much, much more. Nevertheless, sometimes a dream match should be left just to the imaginations of the WWE Universe.

With that in mind, let's take a closer look at five WWE dream matches that didn't live up to expectations.

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#5 Hulk Hogan vs. Shawn Michaels (WWE SummerSlam 2005)

Hulk Hogan and Shawn Michaels faced off for the first time ever at WWE SummerSlam 2005 in a match dubbed "Icon vs. Icon."

The match was initially scheduled to be the beginning of a trilogy of matches between the two WWE Hall of Famers. The final match was tentatively planned for WrestleMania 22 the following year.

However, plans changed, and Hulk Hogan backed out of doing the best out of three matches. Instead, Hogan decided to only do the SummerSlam match against Michaels, which he was scheduled to win.

This led to Shawn Michaels comically overselling Hulk Hogan's offense during the match, much to the confusion of Hulk Hogan in the ring and viewers watching at home.

The match and spectacle itself was fine. However, the dream match is most remembered for Shawn Michaels' frustration with Hogan's creative control clause playing out before our very eyes.

#4 Bret Hart vs. Mr. McMahon (WWE WrestleMania XXVI)

WWE Chairman Vince McMahon transformed into his evil Mr. McMahon persona when he "screwed" Bret Hart in Montreal at Survivor Series 1997.

After the infamous "Montreal Screwjob," many WWE fans often dreamt about what would happen if McMahon and Hart ever came face-to-face again.

That dream scenario came true at WrestleMania XXVI when Mr. McMahon faced Bret Hart in a No Holds Barred match. However, with McMahon being 65 years old and Hart being 52 years old at the time, it was never going to live up to expectations.

Furthermore, Bret Hart was forced to retire from wrestling in 2000 after suffering a severe concussion at the end of 1999 in WCW. The Hitman later suffered a stroke in 2002.

Due to Hart's physical limitations, the WrestleMania match was turned into a lumberjack that featured several members of the Hart family and included Bruce Hart as the Special Guest referee.

Despite this, it gave Bret Hart much-needed closure on the Montreal Screwjob incident, firmly placing it in the past where it belongs.

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#3 Shinsuke Nakamura vs. AJ Styles (WWE WrestleMania 34)

The WWE Universe cried out for Shinsuke Nakamura and AJ Styles' match after both stars joined WWE from New Japan Pro Wrestling in 2016.

They got their wish when Shinsuke Nakamura won the Men's Royal Rumble in 2018 and challenged AJ Styles to a WWE Championship match at WrestleMania 34.

The two stars had faced off before in New Japan Pro Wrestling, much to critical acclaim. Therefore, their clash on the grandest stage of them all was billed by WWE as a "dream match."

However, their WrestleMania 34 showdown didn't live up to their very, very high expectations.

The match itself was ok, but it followed Ronda Rousey's in-ring debut, plus the return of The Undertaker. Furthermore, the crowd in attendance at the Superdome in New Orleans was beginning to tire from a lengthy WrestleMania card.

Because of this, the match fell relatively flat in stark contrast to the high expectations going into the encounter.

#2 John Cena vs. The Undertaker (WWE WrestleMania 34)

The WWE Universe had long dreamt of seeing The Undertaker and John Cena face off on the grandest stage of them all.

John Cena and Undertaker did have a few matches earlier on in Cena's career. However, this was before Cena's rise to WWE's main event status.

After Roman Reigns defeated The Undertaker in the main event of WrestleMania 33, it appeared that The Deadman had retired from in-ring competition.

But 12 months later, it appeared that The Undertaker was set to return to face John Cena at WrestleMania 34 in New Orleans. After weeks of Cena calling out The Phenom, The Undertaker accepted the 16-time WWE World Heavyweight Champion's challenge and appeared at WrestleMania 34 for the dream match to take place.

Despite WWE fans dreaming about the match, The Undertaker and John Cena's WrestleMania 34 showdown lasted less than three minutes. The Deadman quickly defeated Cena, hitting a tombstone piledriver to get the win.

While it was great to see The Undertaker and Cena square off, many fans expected more than a 3-minute encounter.

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#1 The Undertaker vs. Goldberg (WWE Super Showdown 2019)

The Undertaker vs. Goldberg was considered to be a dream match for many professional wrestling fans.

Two icons from WWE and WCW, respectively, the two professional legends finally faced off for the first time in one-on-one action at WWE Super Showdown in Saudi Arabia in 2019.

Despite both men being in their 50s, the WWE Universe hoped that the two legends could pull off one more classic.

Unfortunately, that wasn't the case. Goldberg attempted to spear The Undertaker early on into the match, only to cut himself open on the corner turnbuckle and suffer a severe concussion.

From then on, the match featured several mistakes and serious botches, some of which could have been life-threatening. Arguably the most severe botch saw Goldberg nearly drop The Undertaker entirely on his head during his signature Jackhammer finisher.

The Undertaker eventually won the match after hitting a Tombstone Piledriver. But, the once dream match is now infamous for how bad the final product truly was.