WWE loves to have a PPV every month to represent the culmination of the storytelling and feuds to get built on television. Most calendar years since the monthly PPV change, witnessed all twelve months having at least one major event. However, there are the rare instances of WWE going a month without a PPV due to timing or needing a break in between top tier events.
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The unique occasion of not having a PPV will usually see WWE trying to have a couple of bigger television matches than usual. It is necessary to pay off stories and make the shows feel important by booking some attraction bouts for ratings. The months in question featured WWE not having a PPV with the following television matches as the biggest bout.
10 December 2021: Becky Lynch Vs Liv Morgan (Raw: December 6, 2021)
The most recent instance of WWE going a full month without a PPV saw them closing out December 2021. Day 1 was scheduled for the first day of 2022 as a new PPV, so it made sense to go without one in December to build towards it.
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The biggest television match was the first big title bout of Becky Lynch retaining the Raw Women’s Championship over Liv Morgan in a Raw main event. WWE also had a few big matches for Big E during his WWE Championship reign, but they were all non-title matches until the PPV.
9 March 2014: Daniel Bryan Vs Randy Orton (Raw: March 17, 2014)
The WWE Network launching in 2014 saw the company wanting to go through March without a PPV to build to WrestleMania 30.Daniel Bryan entering the world title scene for his feuds with Triple H, Randy Orton and Batista became the hottest story in the industry.
Orton was still the WWE Championship and had a non-title bout with Bryan on the March 17th episode of Raw. Bryan scored the huge victory to gain momentum heading into the biggest show of the year. WWE even added a No DQ stipulation to make it more exciting as a singles match.
8 March 2013: CM Punk Vs Sheamus Vs Big Show Vs Randy Orton (Raw: March 11, 2013)
WWE came up with a unique scenario for the build towards WrestleMania 29 in March 2013, in the absence of a PPV. The Undertaker’s undefeated streak at WrestleMania was such a draw that WWE had four main eventers facing off to get the shot at facing the legend.
CM Punk defeated Big Show, Sheamus and Randy Orton in a star-studded match on March 11th 2013 to become Undertaker’s next foe. WWE running with the title match of The Rock vs John Cena meant that Punk needed something important, and this match accomplished that.
7 March 2012: Chris Jericho Vs Sheamus (SmackDown: March 16, 2012)
The tradition of March not having a PPV to invest more time into the build for WrestleMania continued in 2012. Chris Jericho and Sheamus had the biggest PPV match of that month since both men were the WrestleMania 28 challengers to CM Punk’s WWE Championship and Daniel Bryan’s World Championship respectively.
There was also the added story of Jericho and Sheamus finishing in the final two of that year’s Royal Rumble match. WWE used the match to build Bryan vs Sheamus by having Bryan help Jericho win the match via count out.
6 March 2011: Edge & Christian Vs Alberto Del Rio & Brodus Clay (SmackDown: March 11, 2011)
The build for WrestleMania 27 saw Edge vs Alberto Del Rio for the World Championship as one of the biggest matches. However, Christian reuniting with Edge was a huge part of the story. WWE booked their first match together in about six years for an episode of SmackDown.
The big win for Edge and Christian over Del Rio and his bodyguard Brodus Clay created a feel-good moment in a month without a PPV. Rumors indicated WWE wanted to have Christian turn on Edge a few months later, but Edge’s real injury forced his retirement before it happened.
5 March 2009: Shawn Michaels Vs Kane (SmackDown: March 20, 2009)
WWE had a lot of time to build the program between The Undertaker and Shawn Michaels for WrestleMania 25 without a PPV in March 2009. A PPV quality match featured Michaels going against Undertaker’s brother Kane on SmackDown.
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Michaels wanted to test himself before one of the biggest challenges of his career and scored the victory over Kane. The schedule of Michaels saw him rarely ever working SmackDown, so that added another rare boost to make the match an attraction.
4 March 2007: Batista & The Undertaker Vs Shawn Michaels & John Cena (Raw: March 26, 2007)
WWE came up with a unique scenario to keep March 2007 important without any PPV before WrestleMania 23 in early April. The two main events would see the opponents teaming up on the go-home Raw before the big event.
Batista and The Undertaker were already at odds as partners, but they scored the victory over John Cena and Shawn Michaels here. Michaels finally betraying Cena after weeks of tension saw him delivering the Sweet Chin Music to truly heat up WrestleMania season.
3 March 2006: Shane McMahon Vs Shawn Michaels (Saturday Night's Main Event: March 18, 2006)
The timing of Saturday Night’s Main Event returning to NBC TV in March 2006 was perfect since WWE didn’t have a PPV that month. An old school show concept created excitement for fans getting something new for the first time in many years.
The main event of the show featured Shane McMahon vs Shawn Michaels in a violent street fight. Vince McMahon cost Michaels to match to both help his son win and create more drama for the big WrestleMania 22 match. WWE could have easily slotted this as a PPV match at any point in the feud.
2 March 2001: Steve Austin & The Rock Vs The Undertaker & Kane (Raw: March 26, 2001)
WWE put huge emphasis on the build for WrestleMania 17, and it paid off as fans often call it the greatest show in company history. The Rock vs Steve Austin was the perfect main event of two generational mega-stars facing off for the WWE Championship.
Debra becoming the manager of Rock as part of the story led to Austin being forced to team with his upcoming opponent. Austin and Rock scored a win over The Undertaker and Kane on Raw in a massive attraction bout that could have headlined any other PPV that year in the right context.
1 March 2000: The Rock Vs Big Show (Raw: March 13, 2000)
One of the first months to not have a PPV once WWE started the twelve PPVs per year schedule was March 2000. WWE used hot shot booking to keep changing the WrestleMania 2000 main event that eventually became a fatal four way.
The March 13th episode of Raw featured Rock putting his career on the line in a No DQ match against Big Show for the chance to get added to the main event. Vince McMahon made his big return as a face to attack his son Shane and help Rock score the win to a massive ovation as the biggest match of the month.
