The WrestleMania Main Event That Almost Was: A Tale of Creative Chaos and Missed Opportunities
Let’s start with a question: What if one of the most historic moments in women’s wrestling had been hijacked by a bizarre creative decision? It’s not just a hypothetical—it’s a story that almost became reality. Personally, I think this tale is a perfect microcosm of the wrestling industry’s struggles with innovation, representation, and, frankly, common sense.
In 2021, Sasha Banks and Bianca Belair made history as the second women’s match to headline WrestleMania. It was a moment that felt long overdue, a testament to the evolution of women’s wrestling in WWE. But what many people don’t realize is that Vince McMahon, then the creative force behind WWE, had a very different vision for that main event. One that involved a man—Reginald the Sommelier—and a love story that, frankly, no one asked for.
The Pitch That Could Have Derailed History
Reginald (now known as Scrypts) recently revealed that McMahon pitched an intergender triple threat match for WrestleMania 37, featuring him, Sasha Banks, and Bianca Belair. What makes this particularly fascinating is the reasoning behind it. McMahon reportedly wanted Sasha to fall in love with Reginald, culminating in him inserting himself into the main event. Yes, you read that right. A love story as the catalyst for a WrestleMania moment.
From my perspective, this idea wasn’t just out of touch—it was tone-deaf. Here were two women who had worked tirelessly to prove their worth in a male-dominated industry, only to have their moment potentially overshadowed by a storyline that felt like a relic from the 1980s. What this really suggests is that, even in 2021, WWE’s creative team struggled to see women’s wrestling as a legitimate, standalone entity.
The Chemistry That Wasn’t
McMahon’s justification for the idea? Chemistry. He claimed Sasha and Reginald had “great chemistry,” a term he couldn’t define but seemed convinced was enough to build a WrestleMania main event around. One thing that immediately stands out is how vague and unconvincing this reasoning was. If you take a step back and think about it, this isn’t just about a bad idea—it’s about the broader issue of creative decision-making in wrestling. Too often, storylines are built on intuition rather than logic, and the results can be disastrous.
Sasha Banks, to her credit, pushed back against the idea. She repeatedly asked McMahon to explain this so-called chemistry, but he couldn’t. This raises a deeper question: How many other wrestlers have had to endure ill-conceived storylines simply because someone in power had a “feeling” about it?
What Could Have Been—And What Thankfully Wasn’t
Imagine, for a moment, if this idea had gone through. A historic women’s main event, reduced to a sideshow for a love story that no one wanted. It would have been a missed opportunity, not just for Sasha and Bianca but for the entire women’s division. What many people don’t realize is that moments like these can set precedents. If WWE had gone down this path, it might have signaled that women’s wrestling still wasn’t ready for the spotlight—a narrative that the industry has spent years trying to dismantle.
Thankfully, cooler heads prevailed. Sasha and Bianca went on to deliver a match that will be remembered for its athleticism, storytelling, and cultural significance. But the fact that this idea was even considered is a reminder of how fragile progress can be.
The Broader Implications
This story isn’t just about one bad idea—it’s about the systemic issues within wrestling’s creative process. Personally, I think it highlights the need for more diverse voices in the writers’ room. If there had been more women, or more people who understood the nuances of women’s wrestling, this idea might never have gained traction.
It also raises questions about Vince McMahon’s legacy. While he’s undoubtedly a visionary, stories like this show that his creative instincts weren’t always aligned with the times. In my opinion, this is a cautionary tale about the dangers of unchecked power in creative decision-making.
Final Thoughts
As I reflect on this story, I’m struck by how close we came to a very different WrestleMania. It’s a reminder that progress isn’t linear, and that even the most historic moments can be derailed by a single bad idea. But it’s also a testament to the resilience of wrestlers like Sasha Banks and Bianca Belair, who fought to ensure their moment wasn’t taken away.
If you take a step back and think about it, this story is about more than just wrestling—it’s about the fight for representation, respect, and the right to tell your own story. And in that sense, it’s a story that resonates far beyond the squared circle.
