10 Dream WWE Matches Fans Never Got to See

Stone Cold Steve Austin and Brock Lesnar

10- Stone Cold Steve Austin vs. CM Punk

This highly anticipated match was contingent on Austin coming out of retirement while Punk was active in WWE between 2005 and 2014. The possibility of the match seemed strong, highlighted by their memorable 2011 run-ins on WWE television and discussions during a promotional interview for the WWE '13 video game. The contrast between the anti-establishment beer-drinking Austin and the anti-establishment straight-edge Punk offered incredible potential for both in-ring action and, more excitingly, unmatched promo battles. While fans hoped for it as recently as WrestleMania 39, the clash between the two rebel characters remains an enduring dream.

9- Brock Lesnar vs. Batista

Though both were part of the celebrated "Class of '02" and wrestled in developmental territory OVW, Lesnar and Batista never met on the main roster. Upon their debuts, Lesnar was immediately pushed into the main event scene on SmackDown, while Batista served as the muscle for the Evolution faction on Raw. Lesnar's departure in 2004 directly opened the door for Batista's rise to the main event. Despite a very brief interaction following Batista’s 2014 return, the two physical powerhouses never came to blows, robbing fans of a pure spectacle of raw strength.

8- Kurt Angle vs. Daniel Bryan

Kurt Angle, an Olympic Gold Medalist, has openly stated that Daniel Bryan was the opponent of his dreams, making the fact that they never had a WWE singles match a true shame. Angle had left WWE in 2006 before Bryan arrived in 2009. While they nearly wrestled in Ring of Honor, WWE never booked a match upon Angle's 2017 return and Bryan's 2018 comeback. The reason cited was a brand separation, but this has never stopped WWE before. Their only interaction was a brief encounter at the Greatest Royal Rumble in 2018, leaving a massive void for technical wrestling purists.

7- Shawn Michaels vs. Brock Lesnar

This match fell victim to Brock Lesnar’s abrupt 2004 departure from the company. Otherwise, it almost certainly would have happened before Michaels' 2010 retirement. From 2002 to 2004, they were also separated by the brand split. Their minimal interaction included Michaels delivering a Sweet Chin Music to Lesnar on an episode of Raw during the build to SummerSlam 2002. Given Lesnar's history of having spectacular matches with smaller, athletic opponents like AJ Styles and Daniel Bryan, a showdown between "The Beast Incarnate" and "Mr. WrestleMania" promised an amazing spectacle.

6- Shawn Michaels vs. Eddie Guerrero

Two of the most charismatic, talented, and universally beloved wrestlers of all time, Michaels and Guerrero, never had a true singles encounter, largely due to being on different brands (Raw and SmackDown) between 2002 and 2005. Before Eddie's tragic death in November 2005, a major dream match was allegedly set for WrestleMania 22. The plan reportedly involved Latino Heat winning the World Title in early 2006, with HBK challenging him after winning the Royal Rumble. This proposed match between two exceptional performers would undoubtedly have created magic on the grandest stage.

5- Stone Cold Steve Austin vs. Brock Lesnar

This highly anticipated clash imploded in the summer of 2002. Austin was controversially booked to lose a King of the Ring qualifying match to the red-hot rookie Lesnar on free television with zero build. Austin felt this was disrespectful to both himself and Lesnar, who he believed deserved a bigger stage for such a momentous win. This booking decision added to Austin's mounting frustration, leading him to walk out on the company. The only interaction fans received was a brief confrontation during the build-up to Lesnar’s WrestleMania 20 match with Goldberg.

4- Shawn Michaels vs. The Rock

A clash between two of WWE's greatest showstoppers never happened due to unresolved personal issues stemming from the 1990s. During his controversial earlier years, Michaels allegedly mistreated The Rock, even disrespecting his grandmother. While Michaels had reformed upon his 2002 return, persistent rumors suggested The Rock was unwilling to work with him, although this has never been definitively proven. It remains a strange anomaly, especially since Michaels' best friend, Triple H, and The Rock had one of the most storied rivalries of the Attitude Era.

3- The Undertaker vs. Sting

The ultimate Monday Night Wars dream match featured the mythical characters and standard-bearers of WWE (The Undertaker) and WCW (Sting). While they faced off early in their careers (1990), it was before either assumed their iconic personas. Sting was famously the last great holdout, only joining WWE in 2014. His only WrestleMania match was against Triple H, not The Undertaker. Later, Taker admitted he felt he could not live up to the immense fan hype due to his declining physical condition. This iconic face-off remains an agonizing missed opportunity from the Monday Night Wars.

2- Hulk Hogan vs. John Cena

This match would have pitted the two greatest white-meat babyfaces and long-time number-one guys in modern WWE history against each other. Cena was the closest successful replication of the Hogan formula. Despite Hogan's return in 2005, when Cena was WWE Champion and Hogan was facing other top stars like Shawn Michaels at subsequent SummerSlams, their major singles match never materialized. They did share the ring in a six-man tag match alongside Shawn Michaels, a dream team, but never the desired generational clash. The absence of this match is a puzzling void in WWE's historical timeline.

1- Stone Cold Steve Austin vs. Hulk Hogan

This is arguably the biggest missed opportunity in wrestling history, pitting the biggest stars of the 1980s (Hogan) and 1990s (Austin) against each other. When Hogan returned in 2002, this was the match fans demanded, but instead, he faced The Rock at WrestleMania 18. Austin reportedly doubted they could have a "good match," a belief that failed to recognize how star power overrides technical skill, as proven by Hogan/Rock. Combined with potential backstage politicking, this clash between the two most pivotal figures in WWE remains the ultimate fantasy booking that will never occur.