At times, WWE has no choice but to cancel a previously advertised match, and even more unfortunately, canceling premium live event matches.
Certainly the card is subject to change but these matches faced last minute switch-ups that for some even had a ripple effect into other storylines at the time.
Here are seven WWE PLE matches that were canceled.
7. Kevin Owens vs. Randy Orton (WrestleMania 41)
While their heated feud was set to culminate at WrestleMania 41, Kevin Owens was scheduled to face Randy Orton until he made an unfortunate announcement.
Owens would confirm on TV that he was medically unable to compete due to needing neck surgery, and therefore would be missing this year’s WrestleMania.
Although this match would not end up coming to fruition, it did end up making way instead for another very unique WrestleMania moment.
In his 20th appearance at WrestleMania, Randy Orton faced a surprise opponent in fan favorite Joe Hendry to pick up his ninth career victory on the grandest stage of them all.
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6. Roman Reigns vs. Brock Lesnar (WWE Day 1)
While the recent break-up of Roman Reigns and Paul Heyman is fresh in fans’ minds, they nearly fell apart in 2022 as well when Heyman was set to be stuck between Reigns and his other client, Brock Lesnar.
With Reigns believing that Heyman had been aware of Lesnar’s surprise return ahead of time, he would go on to fire the Wiseman, thereby creating mystery around Heyman’s loyalties and next moves.
However, on the day of WWE Day 1, it emerged Roman Reigns tested positive for COVID-19, ultimately canceling his appearance and the match.
Instead, Lesnar would enter the Raw main event match where he won the WWE Championship in a five-way featuring then-champion Big E, Seth Rollins, Bobby Lashley and Kevin Owens.
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5. Goldberg vs. Roman Reigns (WrestleMania 36)
Roman Reigns was set to face Goldberg at WrestleMania 36 in 2020 – a match that would end up being canceled with Reigns pulled from the event due to concerns related to the pandemic.
Instead, Goldberg defended the Universal Championship against Braun Strowman, who defeated the Hall of Famer to win the title.
Goldberg’s last WWE match to date was a singles bout against Roman Reigns at Elimination Chamber 2022 in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Goldberg lost that match via referee’s decision.
Some time this year, Goldberg will be returning to WWE for his retirement match.
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4. Rey Mysterio vs. El Grande Americano (WrestleMania 41)
El Grande Americano made a splash upon his debut in WWE (or rather, if you believe some theories – it is just Chad Gable in a luchador mask) and picked up some enemies.
With Americano feuding with Rey Mysterio, their match at WrestleMania 41 was set – however, on the SmackDown before WrestleMania, Mysterio would be injured during a six-man tag match pitting the LWO against American Made.
Instead, Rey Fenix would end up subbing in for Rey Mysterio, making his first appearance at the showcase of the immortals just a couple of weeks after his WWE debut.
Fenix would end up losing to the cheating El Grande Americano, who continued his winning streak through shady means, using a “steel plate” in his lucha mask.
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3. The Shield vs. The Bar, The Miz, Braun Strowman & Kane – Tables, Ladders & Chairs (TLC 2017)
This lopsided battle was always meant to see The Shield face overwhelming odds – pitting Dean Ambrose, Seth Rollins and Roman Reigns against a squad of five men out to get them in The Bar, The Miz, Braun Strowman and Kane.
However, when Roman Reigns had to be pulled from the match due to health reasons, The Shield was not able to compete as its full original unit.
Instead, Ambrose and Rollins welcomed the addition of an honorary member replacing Reigns for the night – Kurt Angle.
In Angle’s first match in WWE in over a decade, the trio of Ambrose, Rollins and Angle would ultimately pick up the victory.
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2. Demon Finn Balor vs. Bray Wyatt (TLC 2017)
Ahead of WWE TLC 2017, the ‘Demon’ version of Finn Balor was feuding against Bray Wyatt, but it was actually Wyatt being billed as “Sister Abigail”.
There were vignettes featuring “Abigail” and the match was confirmed
However, due to illness, Wyatt had to be pulled from the match.
The event would instead go on to feature a memorable match between ‘Demon’ Finn Balor and AJ Styles.
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1. Bayley & Lyra Valkyria vs. Liv Morgan & Raquel Rodriguez (WrestleMania 41)
The pair of of Bayley and Lyra Valkyria won a gauntlet match on WWE SmackDown against five other teams to win a title match at WrestleMania 41.
This match would end up being canceled for storyline reasons – after Bayley was victim to an unwitnessed attack, Lyra Valkyria’s partner for the match was up in the air.
However, a returning Becky Lynch would team with Lyra at WrestleMania 41 to capture the Women’s Tag Team Championship – only to lose it back to Liv Morgan & Raquel Rodriguez on the Raw after Mania.
With a subsequent heel turn from Becky Lynch – also claiming responsibility for the attack on Bayley which canceled the original match – the pair of Valkyria and Lynch have gone on to feud for the Valkyria’s Women’s Intercontinental Championship.
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