Rewriting The Undertaker's Wrestlemania streak.

[LODemolition]

Ever since Taker's streak came to an end at WrestleMania XXX, I've said that I loved the call, but it was the wrong opponent. Bray Wyatt had so much more to gain from it than Brock Lesnar did, since he still has his entire career ahead of him. With WM31 around the corner, it appears we will see The Undertaker vs. Bray Wyatt, but a year late in my opinion.

But looking back at The Undertaker's Mania opponents since his debut at WM7, I've realized that there are many more opponents that I would change as well. In fact, I would only keep 8 of his 22 opponents the same. With hindsight always being 20/20, I think it's safe to say that Vince would have done some things differently as well. So if you could go back in time, what matches would you change and why?

*The only rules are you must of course choose opponents who were on the roster at the time of each WrestleMania. Also, The Undertaker was not a part of WM10 or WM16, so those must be left alone. Face or heel opponents are completely up to you, as Taker has been part of several face vs face (and even 1 heel vs heel) Mania matches. You can also add/remove match stipulations at your discretion.

Here is my version of The Streak: rewritten.

WrestleMania VII

Actual Opponent: Jimmy "Superfly" Snuka
Revised Opponent: Hulk Hogan

I am sure that if Vince McMahon had a crystal ball back in 1991 and could see the longevity of The Undertaker's career and that he would be around for 22 of the next 24 WrestleManias, he would want Taker's streak to start off a much bigger name than Jimmy Snuka. What about Hogan's title match against Sgt. Slaughter? Easy. I'd go back and keep the Ultimate Warrior champion at the Royal Rumble instead of losing to Slaughter. His career match vs Randy Savage would have also been for the WWF Championship.

WrestleMania VIII

Actual Opponent: Jake "The Snake" Roberts
Revised Opponent: The Ultimate Warrior

I almost feel bad for changing this one, because I actually did love Taker's feud with Jake Roberts. However, it always kind of irked me that Taker and Warrior never squared off in a ppv match. I mean, it was such a natural fit for them to feud and I don't understand why it didn't happen. So, I'd push back Taker's face turn and feud with Jake to SummerSlam '92 in Wembley Stadium. I'm not sure when Warrior officially signed on the dotted line to return to the WWF, so it's possible that this match might not have been able to be built up properly. But even if Warrior had been unveiled as a mystery opponent at WM8, it would've been better use of him than the way it played out at the end of Hogan vs Sid.

WrestleMania IX

Actual Opponent: Giant Gonzalez
Revised Opponent: Papa Shango

This is another guy that would've been a natural fit for a feud with The Undertaker, and it just didn't happen for unknown reasons. Yes, Gonzalez was an impressive 7'6" tall, but for those who never saw him in the ring...imagine a less coordinated version of The Great Khali. Brutal.

WrestleMania XI

Actual Opponent: King Kong Bundy
Revised Opponent: Bam Bam Bigelow

This might not have fixed one of the worst WrestleManias of all-time, but it certainly couldn't have hurt. Putting celebrities in matches is always a bad idea, but in the main event of the biggest ppv of the year? Wow.

WrestleMania XII

Opponent: Diesel

No reason to change this. The match was a good one and Nash would soon be off to WCW, so they needed to get the best feuds possible out of him before he left. They did that with his storylines with Taker and Shawn.

WrestleMania XIII

Opponent: Sycho Sid

I'd also leave this one the same. At the time, Taker hadn't been champion for 6 years and hadn't main evented a WrestleMania yet. He was due.

WrestleMania XIV

Opponent: Kane

3 in a row that shouldn't be changed. This one is the most obvious.

WrestleMania XV

Actual Opponent: Big Bossman
Revised Opponent: Mankind

With all the battles that Taker and Foley had, it's pretty surprising looking back that they never faced off on the grandest stage of them all. Taker's Hell in a Cell match with Bossman was one of the worst matches of all-time, so it's safe to say that nobody would miss it.

WrestleMania XVII

Opponent: Triple H

No need for change here. This was a pretty memorable match that saw action all throughout the Astrodome. The first of their 3 WrestleMania contests might have been the most memorable.

WrestleMania XVIII

Actual Opponent: Ric Flair
Revised Opponent: "Stone Cold" Steve Austin

While I liked seeing Taker face Flair, in hindsight I would've had him face Austin, knowing what we all know now that he only had one more Mania match left in him. Also, as big of a Scott Hall fan as I am, I'm still not sure that Austin vs Hall is a Mania-caliber match.

WrestleMania XIX

Actual Opponent: Big Show & Albert
Revised Opponent: Ric Flair

So I've simply taken Taker and Flair's WM18 match and pushed it back a year. His handicapped match versus the team of Big Show & Albert was ridiculous. At the very least, it should've just been Taker and Show one on one.

WrestleMania XX

Actual Opponent: Kane
Revised Opponent: The Rock

I'm not a fan of WrestleMania rematches whatsoever, but if there's one I can get behind, it would of course be Undertaker vs Kane. However, seeing how this was The Rock's last Mania match in 8 years, of course in hindsight he would want to go out knowing if he could be the man to end the streak.

WrestleMania XXI

Opponent: Randy Orton

Definitely see no point in changing this. Orton made perfect sense with his "legend killer" gimmick at this point in time.

WrestleMania XXII

Actual Opponent: Mark Henry
Revised Opponent: Kurt Angle

Now if this were the dominant, badass version of Mark Henry who was World Heavweight Champion in the fall of 2011, then I'd be all for keeping this the same. But since it obviously wasn't, then I'd have much rather seen a Taker/Angle showdown.

WrestleMania XXIII

Opponent: Batista

I thought about changing this to Umaga, but if it's not broken, don't fix it. Batista was a fresh victim for Taker in 2007 and worked just fine.

WrestleMania XXIV

Opponent: Edge

I personally enjoyed these 2 a lot in a feud. Not sure it needed to be for the WHC since Taker won it the previous year, but I'm definitely fine with them facing off here.

WrestleMania XXV

Opponent: Shawn Michaels

I'm obviously keeping this the same as it's a match a lot of people consider the greatest of all-time. I might have included the retirement stipulation in this one, since as I said, I'm not a fan of the rematches.

WrestleMania XXVI

Actual Opponent: Shawn Michaels
Revised Opponent: CM Punk

I just didn't feel the need for Taker and Shawn to square off again in 2010. Not only was it obvious Shawn wasn't going to win, but I just got the feeling they were trying to catch lightning in a bottle twice with how great the first was. I think CM Punk would've been a great choice here back when he was the leader of the Straight Edge Society.

WrestleMania XXVII

Actual Opponent: Triple H
Revised Opponent: John Cena

I've said many times that Cena vs The Miz was an awful choice for the WWE Championship match at this WrestleMania. I feel Randy Orton should've been the champion going in, CM Punk should've won the Royal Rumble, and their match should've main evented. I think the timing would've been great here for Cena vs Taker.

WrestleMania XXVIII

Actual Opponent: Triple H
Revised Opponent: Chris Jericho

Now if there's one of Undertaker's WrestleMania rematches I can live with besides Kane at WMXX, it would be this one. The story telling was pretty great in this one with it being the end of an era and Shawn Michaels' involvement as referee. However, if I could, I would insert Jericho here. Remember the cryptic vignettes for Jericho's return to WWE back then? They could've very easily fit the mold for a different Jericho who was out to take down Taker and wipe out the streak.

WrestleMania XXIX

Actual Opponent: CM Punk
Revised Opponent: Brock Lesnar

I've basically taken everything that happened in reality and moved it up a year. And changed the result, as I wouldn't have had Lesnar be the 1 to end the streak. Lesnar could have still looked every bit as strong as he does today without beating Taker. He lost at WM29 to Triple H and that didn't change anything, just as this wouldn't have.

WrestleMania XXX

Actual Opponent: Brock Lesnar
Revised Opponent: Bray Wyatt

They got the time and place right for the streak's end, just not the opponent in my opinion. Bray Wyatt would benefit from this so much more, not to mention he's more than likely going to be in WWE for at least the next 10-15 years. Brock Lesnar already has one foot out the door and might not come back this time. It would've been a much smarter move to give bragging rights to someone who is sticking around for the long haul. This might have been the best time to bring Undertaker's amazing career to an end as well, with his deteriorating health in recent years.

 

[AustinHartLesnarHBKTaz80]

WOW. 100% agree with everything you've said here.

As great as those matches were, we definitely didnt need to see HBK vs Taker, or Triple H vs Taker twice. Definitely would have loved to see Jericho vs Taker and Cena/Taker at Mania, while Taker was still capable of producing ***** matches.

 

[relentless1]

if Taker have faced Hogan he wouldn't have had a streak to begin with

 

[LODemolition]

if Taker have faced Hogan he wouldn't have had a streak to begin with

He beat Hogan the first time they wrestled at 1991 Survivor Series.

 

[relentless1]

yeah, then Hogan won it back less than a week later

 

[Rane]

WrestleMania XXVI

Actual Opponent: Shawn Michaels
Revised Opponent: CM Punk

I just didn't feel the need for Taker and Shawn to square off again in 2010. Not only was it obvious Shawn wasn't going to win, but I just got the feeling they were trying to catch lightning in a bottle twice with how great the first was. I think CM Punk would've been a great choice here back when he was the leader of the Straight Edge Society.

WrestleMania XXVII

Actual Opponent: Triple H
Revised Opponent: John Cena

I've said many times that Cena vs The Miz was an awful choice for the WWE Championship match at this WrestleMania. I feel Randy Orton should've been the champion going in, CM Punk should've won the Royal Rumble, and their match should've main evented. I think the timing would've been great here for Cena vs Taker.

WrestleMania XXIX

Actual Opponent: CM Punk
Revised Opponent: Brock Lesnar

I've basically taken everything that happened in reality and moved it up a year. And changed the result, as I wouldn't have had Lesnar be the 1 to end the streak. Lesnar could have still looked every bit as strong as he does today without beating Taker. He lost at WM29 to Triple H and that didn't change anything, just as this wouldn't have.

Everything besides these 3 WM matches were spot on. Especially the Kurt Angle match. Their matches at No Way Out in 2006 and the SD match two weeks later were awesome. I also believe Bray Wyatt was a credible choice to end the streak. Although I think it could be the case of Cena not having to work with anyone which is why the did it. I believe Cena could have faced Cesaro in a rematch instead and have a good build around it, but that's going off topic.

WrestleMania XXVI

The Shawn Micheals rematch for me had to be done one more time. The whole build up to the match made me want to see what I witnessed at WM 25 one more time. It made perfect sense for Shawn to have his last match against the Undertaker. If anything it's like a dream come true for wrestlers to end their career against one of the best. Ric Flair felt the same way when Shawn did the same for him.

WrestleMania XXVII

As much as I enjoyed the No Holds Barred match between Taker and HHH. I believe someone else should have faced Taker at WM 27. Cena in atleast one point in his career should have faced Taker at WM. Although at this particular WM, his match with the Miz was a sacrifice for The Rock to face Cena as WM28. You're probably gonna think this is ridiculous but I felt Wade Barrett could of been his opponent. If he was still leader of the Nexus, they could have used the angle where they helped Kane bury him alive at Bragging Rights in 2010 and go off that. Could have possibly given him a good rub as oppose to getting squashed in a 4-man tag match.

WrestleMania XXIX

I'm purely basing this match off quality and think there couldn't have been a better opponent for Taker than CM Punk at WM 29. It was the best match of the night.

 

[Mac]

Taker wasn't ready for a Hogan match that soon into his career. The Snuka match served its purpose. Taker and Jake had been built up for a few months so it made sense to blow it off at WM 8. WM 9 is the first one I agree with so far. Shango would make for a better opponent. I agree with WM 11, and 12. They thought they would get a repeat of Taker/Diesel from the year before with Taker/Sid. But the chemistry was off. I would've done Taker/Shawn at WM 13. I'd keep WM 14 as is, no change needed there.

Taker/Mankind was done to death at that point so no one wanted to see that match again. The storyline leading up to that match made sense. Bossman looked like a weak opponent on paper but it made sense. I'd leave it as is. No need to change WM 17. I disagree with you about WM 18, Taker/Flair was the best built feud/angle/storyline heading into that Mania, and not to mention that it was a dream match as well. We've seen Taker/Austin millions of times, and it isn't like the matches were that good outside of Summerslam 1998.

I disagree about WM 19, Taker/Flair wouldn't logistically make sense from a kayfabe standpoint. Raw and SD wrestlers couldn't wrestle each other outside of the Royal Rumble. They changed this the following year. The match that made sense was Taker/Big Show one on one. I disagree with WM 20, imo that would've been a waste of the Rock. Kane was the right opponent even though I hated this storyline and subsequent match. I agree no need to change WM 21, Orton was the right opponent, perfect considering Orton's legend killer gimmick at the time. I agree with you about WM 22, they should've did Taker/Angle at that Mania instead of No Way Out.

Batista was the right opponent for Taker at WM 23, no changes needed there. No changes needed for WM 24 and 25. I hated the Shawn rematch for WM 26 because it was lazy booking. Imo it should've been HHH/Shawn at that Mania. CM Punk and Taker feuded throughout the fall of '09 so going back to Taker/Punk made no sense imo. The match I would've done was Taker/Sheamus. I agree with you about WM 27. I disagree with you about WM 28, this Mania would've been perfect for Taker/Triple H. I'd keep WM 29 as is with Taker/Punk. WM 30 stays as is but the result would've been different.

 

[ilapierre]

WM7 Undertaker vs Andre the Giant
I know. Andre was done. But he was still alive. It could have been done. Andre's last match. What a way to kick off the streak!

WM8 Undertaker vs Jake Roberts
WM9 Undertaker vs Ultimate Warrior
WM10 Didn't wrestle. Should have wrestled Savage.
WM11 Undertaker vs Yokozuna
WM12 Undertaker vs Diesel
WM13 Undertaker vs Sid
WM14 Undertaker vs Kane
WM15 Undertaker vs Mankind
WM16 Didn't wrestle? shoulda fought Jericho
WM17 Undertaker vs Triple H
WM18 Undertaker vs Ric Flair
WM19 Undertaker vs Hulk Hogan
WM20 Undertaker vs Steve Austin
WM21 Undertaker vs Randy Orton
WM22 Undertaker vs Kurt Angle
WM23 Undertaker vs Batista
WM24 Undertaker vs Edge
WM25 Undertaker vs Shawn
WM26 Undertaker vs Shawn
WM27 Undertaker vs Cena
WM28 Undertaker vs The Rock
WM29 Undertaker vs CM Punk
WM30 Undertaker vs Brock Lesnar
WM31 Undertaker vs Bray Wyatt
WM32 Undertaker vs Sting

 

[Goldie]

if Taker have faced Hogan he wouldn't have had a streak to begin with

Agree with this.
Hogan would not have jobbed out 2 Wrestlemanias in a row (after losing to Warrior the previous year).

Taker was still working his way up the ladder at this point.... (even though he would face Hogan later in the year) and was yet to start fueding with the top guys (he would fued with Warrior soon after WM7).
Facing Hogan at W7 would not have been good for Taker, despite the rapid progress he was making... he was a new rising star.... and not yet established as the main eventer he would become.

In the rare occurance Hogan lost in this era... it was to guys who were already established as top 3 in the copmany

 

[LODemolition]

WrestleMania XXVII

You're probably gonna think this is ridiculous but I felt Wade Barrett could of been his opponent.

I don't think that's ridiculous at all. I almost picked Barrett also.

 

[LODemolition]

I'm not so concerned with when Taker faces Hogan on this timeline. Like ilapierre, I nearly put it at WM19. I just think it's more important that we all realize the match should've happened at some point. I just happened to think it would be best to start the streak that way to show everypne everyone that Taker was for real right off the bat. And if Vince had known that Taler was going to be the glue that held Mania together for the next 23 years, I'm sure he would've thought long and hard about booking this match instead of Hogan/Slaughter.

I'm not stubborn though. Piper, Roberts, Davey Boy, or Von Eruch would have been fine also. Especially Roberts, since that was the toughest one for me to change at WM8 when I put Warrior in his place.

 

[dd23beatlesfan1]

WrestleMania VII

Actual Opponent: Jimmy "Superfly" Snuka
Revised Opponent: Hulk Hogan

I am sure that if Vince McMahon had a crystal ball back in 1991 and could see the longevity of The Undertaker's career and that he would be around for 22 of the next 24 WrestleManias, he would want Taker's streak to start off a much bigger name than Jimmy Snuka. What about Hogan's title match against Sgt. Slaughter? Easy. I'd go back and keep the Ultimate Warrior champion at the Royal Rumble instead of losing to Slaughter. His career match vs Randy Savage would have also been for the WWF Championship.

As huge as it would've been for Taker to start the streak off against Hogan, it just wasn't realistic. Taker's stock in the company has increased big time by the time of their first match later that year at the Survivor Series, so it made more sense for Hogan to lose to Taker at that point. But at Wrestlemania VII, this was only Taker's third ppv and his first singles match. Hogan just was not gonna lose at Wrestlemania to a guy that had been in the company for 6 months. Not the Hogan of 1991 obviously. I'm more intrigued by the idea someone brought up of Andre the Giant wrestling Taker at WM 7 in Andre's last match. Now that was more realistic. Andre by that point was at the very end of his career, so it would've been more plausible for Andre to job to Taker in a passing of the torch so to speak. The match would've sucked, but obviously that's not the point as the Snuka match wasn't much better than the match with Andre would be. But it would be absolutely huge for Taker to demolish Andre in his first match to kick off the streak. I'm more into that idea as it was more realistic and would've been just as big.

WrestleMania VIII

Actual Opponent: Jake "The Snake" Roberts
Revised Opponent: The Ultimate Warrior

I almost feel bad for changing this one, because I actually did love Taker's feud with Jake Roberts. However, it always kind of irked me that Taker and Warrior never squared off in a ppv match. I mean, it was such a natural fit for them to feud and I don't understand why it didn't happen. So, I'd push back Taker's face turn and feud with Jake to SummerSlam '92 in Wembley Stadium. I'm not sure when Warrior officially signed on the dotted line to return to the WWF, so it's possible that this match might not have been able to be built up properly. But even if Warrior had been unveiled as a mystery opponent at WM8, it would've been better use of him than the way it played out at the end of Hogan vs Sid.

I pretty much agree here, though I also hate to lose the Taker/Roberts match. Although you recovered it nicely by having it go to Summerslam 92, which would've been much, much better than Taker/Kamala. Two problems though, by your own rules. You stated you have to use guys that were actually in the company at the time. Roberts was gone right after Wrestlemania VIII, so he was not there at Summerslam 92 to be used. So by your rules, either we keep the Roberts/Taker match at WM, or we lose it all together. Obviously, all Vince had to do was give Jake a rightful spot on the booking committee that he earned, and Roberts would've stayed making room for the Summerslam match with Taker. If that happens, awesome plan! As it would be a great farewell for Roberts to transition from full time wrestling to being on the booking committee, and Taker turns face and his run is off and running. The other problem is as you stated Warrior was not around until literally WM 8, so he would've had to return sooner to get the match with Taker going. He could absolutely not come in as a mystery opponent. I was actually there at WM 8 (lived in Indianapolis my whole life), and the biggest pop of the night that I can remember was Warrior coming back. That same pop would be there if he had been a mystery opponent and came out after Taker. It would be disastrous for him to get the biggest pop of the night on his return, only to lose. You absolutely can't do that. So Warrior has to return a bit early to get the match with Taker going. If he does, I'm all for it. The good news is that Taker and Warrior were feuding right up to when he left (Summerslam 91), so they can just pick up right where they left off whether Warrior comes back a month or a week before WM. Don't have to have a lot of stuff to go on to get the match built properly, luckily.

WrestleMania IX

Actual Opponent: Giant Gonzalez
Revised Opponent: Papa Shango

This is another guy that would've been a natural fit for a feud with The Undertaker, and it just didn't happen for unknown reasons. Yes, Gonzalez was an impressive 7'6" tall, but for those who never saw him in the ring...imagine a less coordinated version of The Great Khali. Brutal.

While Papa Shango is a logical opponent and would've made for a better match than Giant Gonzalez, Papa Shango is still a huge step down for Taker compared to back to back matches against Hogan/Andre (in my version) and Warrior. A huge step down. Unfortunately the roster was much thinner at this point, so anyone would be a step down compared to Hogan/Andre/Warrior. However there were plenty of great, credible heels for Taker to feud with and wrestle.

One would be Bam Bam Bigelow, whom is someone Taker should've wrestled at WM, especially in the 93-95 period. You have that match set up for WM 11, which would be good, but I have a different idea in mind for that WM. So ultimately I'll go with Bam Bam, as it would've fit more of Taker's style of opponents in this period, and Bam Bam could work (he was a better worker than Taker at this point in his career actually), so they would have a pretty good big man match, I imagine. A match that could've definitely saved WM 9 from the disaster it was (along with a Savage/Hart main event, but that's off topic).

Two other choices could be either Ted Dibiase or Razor Ramon. Ted was part of Money Inc. at this point as the tag champs, but you could always throw Dibiase into singles competition and have it make sense. You could play on Dibiase and Taker's history (which they did later on for Summerslam 94), and Dibiase would give Taker an even better match than Bam Bam. For that time though, Bam Bam made more sense as Dibiase had a good gig co-headlining that year with Hogan/Beefcake/IRS. But Dibiase could've worked too.

Razor Ramon would've been another great opponent who was incredibly wasted that year in a meaningless match with Bob Backlund (whom I would've put against Yokozuna in a squash match to put Yoko over). Razor could lose and it could lend more credence to Razor's "slump" storyline which culminated with the eventual loss to the 1-2-3 Kid on Monday Night Raw, which ultimately turned him into a babyface. A loss to Taker would not hurt him, yet at the same time would help his storyline of losing a lot which led to his babyface turn.

Ultimately, I would go with Bam Bam though.

WrestleMania XI

Actual Opponent: King Kong Bundy
Revised Opponent: Bam Bam Bigelow

This might not have fixed one of the worst WrestleManias of all-time, but it certainly couldn't have hurt. Putting celebrities in matches is always a bad idea, but in the main event of the biggest ppv of the year? Wow.

At this point, I would've kept Bret Hart to be champion from Wrestlemania X to Wrestlemania XII (where he "passed the torch" to Shawn), which would've given Bret his very long run as champion that he deserved, and would've more than likely helped business be stronger than it was (Bret wasn't an amazing draw by no means, but he was a way better draw than Diesel). At this point I would put Taker in there with Bret for the championship. Diesel and Shawn can still have their blow off match at WM, but not be for the title, and I'd keep the Bam Bam/LT match because it garnered a lot of mainstream press, and it was a good storyline and a solid match, but it wouldn't main event over Taker/Bret. In real life, Taker has one DQ win in his streak against Giant Gonzalez, which is really crappy. I'd give Taker his one DQ win in this match against Bret, which allows Bret to stay champion for another year, but lose so Taker's streak remains intact. You can have some guys from Dibiase's Corporation (Kama, King Kong Bundy, IRS, etc) interfere and cause Bret to get DQed. Backlund and Owen can also interfere and try to cost Bret the title. Have Taker and Bret go for a 20-25 minute classic, until everyone starts interfering and you get a DQ win for Taker, and Taker and Bret teaming up to fend off the bad guys and shake hands afterwards. Much better ending for WM 11 in my view.

WrestleMania XII

Opponent: Diesel

No reason to change this. The match was a good one and Nash would soon be off to WCW, so they needed to get the best feuds possible out of him before he left. They did that with his storylines with Taker and Shawn.

Agreed. Keep the same

WrestleMania XIII

Opponent: Sycho Sid

I'd also leave this one the same. At the time, Taker hadn't been champion for 6 years and hadn't main evented a WrestleMania yet. He was due.

Agreed. Keep the same.

WrestleMania XIV

Opponent: Kane

3 in a row that shouldn't be changed. This one is the most obvious.

Agreed. Keep the same. All-time classic feud and match.

WrestleMania XV

Actual Opponent: Big Bossman
Revised Opponent: Mankind

With all the battles that Taker and Foley had, it's pretty surprising looking back that they never faced off on the grandest stage of them all. Taker's Hell in a Cell match with Bossman was one of the worst matches of all-time, so it's safe to say that nobody would miss it.

I could go with Mankind, although I agree that that match had been done so many times, it might be redundant. And Taker, by this point, was feuding with the Corporation, and Mankind doesn't really fit in there. Though it would've been better than what Mankind and Taker both got (Big Show and Bossman). But to keep with the Corporation/Ministry of Darkness feud, perhaps Ken Shamrock would've been a better opponent for Taker. Shamrock could have better matches, and his UFC background kind of gives him more credibility in Hell in a Cell cage. Same result, but perhaps a better match?

WrestleMania XVII

Opponent: Triple H

No need for change here. This was a pretty memorable match that saw action all throughout the Astrodome. The first of their 3 WrestleMania contests might have been the most memorable.

Agreed. Keep the same.

WrestleMania XVIII

Actual Opponent: Ric Flair
Revised Opponent: "Stone Cold" Steve Austin

While I liked seeing Taker face Flair, in hindsight I would've had him face Austin, knowing what we all know now that he only had one more Mania match left in him. Also, as big of a Scott Hall fan as I am, I'm still not sure that Austin vs Hall is a Mania-caliber match.

I'm kind of indifferent on these next two Wrestlemanias. I agree the Albert/Big Show handicap match was dumb, but a singles match with Big Show would've been ok. Overall I'd probably agree with your changes, beings Flair wasn't used in a high profile match at Wrestlemania 19, so moving his match with Taker up a year sounds like a good plan. And it would add yet another great match to the legendary WM 19 lineup of matches. And putting Taker against Stone Cold would've been much better than Scott Hall against Stone Cold. The only problem I see is that as bad a state as Austin was in at that point, I think he would actually veto losing to even Taker. I could be wrong, but I'm not sure he'd want to do the job. If that's the case, then the match can't happen. If he's willing to lose, then it works.

WrestleMania XIX

Actual Opponent: Big Show & Albert
Revised Opponent: Ric Flair

So I've simply taken Taker and Flair's WM18 match and pushed it back a year. His handicapped match versus the team of Big Show & Albert was ridiculous. At the very least, it should've just been Taker and Show one on one.

As I stated previously, I'm good with this.

WrestleMania XX

Actual Opponent: Kane
Revised Opponent: The Rock

I'm not a fan of WrestleMania rematches whatsoever, but if there's one I can get behind, it would of course be Undertaker vs Kane. However, seeing how this was The Rock's last Mania match in 8 years, of course in hindsight he would want to go out knowing if he could be the man to end the streak.

I disagree here. While the Taker/Kane match was disappointing, it was absolutely the right match to go with. The storyline for the match was perfect. The American Bad-Ass version of Taker getting buried alive only for the "Deadman" version to return 6 months later against the man who buried him alive and his brother he's long been feuding with. Absolutely the right storyline and feud and match. A match with Rock at this point would've made no sense with where Taker's character was at that point. Gotta go with Kane here.

WrestleMania XXI

Opponent: Randy Orton

Definitely see no point in changing this. Orton made perfect sense with his "legend killer" gimmick at this point in time.

Agreed. Keep the same.

WrestleMania XXII

Actual Opponent: Mark Henry
Revised Opponent: Kurt Angle

Now if this were the dominant, badass version of Mark Henry who was World Heavweight Champion in the fall of 2011, then I'd be all for keeping this the same. But since it obviously wasn't, then I'd have much rather seen a Taker/Angle showdown.

Agree with your change here. Henry would've been a stronger opponent years later, but at this point he was more or less a jobber. Angle and Taker at WM 22 would've pushed WM 22 from being a top 10 WM contender to a top 5. Imagine Eddie Guerrero staying alive and having a match with HBK at that year's mania too. Holy cow. WM 22 would've been behind X-7 and 19 for the best Wrestlemanias ever, match lineup wise. Angle was the right choice here.

WrestleMania XXIII

Opponent: Batista

I thought about changing this to Umaga, but if it's not broken, don't fix it. Batista was a fresh victim for Taker in 2007 and worked just fine.

Agreed. Keep the same.

WrestleMania XXIV

Opponent: Edge

I personally enjoyed these 2 a lot in a feud. Not sure it needed to be for the WHC since Taker won it the previous year, but I'm definitely fine with them facing off here.

Loved this feud. Keep the same.

WrestleMania XXV

Opponent: Shawn Michaels

I'm obviously keeping this the same as it's a match a lot of people consider the greatest of all-time. I might have included the retirement stipulation in this one, since as I said, I'm not a fan of the rematches.

Duh. Keep the same.

WrestleMania XXVI

Actual Opponent: Shawn Michaels
Revised Opponent: CM Punk

I just didn't feel the need for Taker and Shawn to square off again in 2010. Not only was it obvious Shawn wasn't going to win, but I just got the feeling they were trying to catch lightning in a bottle twice with how great the first was. I think CM Punk would've been a great choice here back when he was the leader of the Straight Edge Society.

I wouldn't change a thing with this one. I'm in the minority that thinks the WM 26 match was better than 25 match. Simply because it meant so much more and had far more at stake. The Wrestlemania 25 match is considered the best ever mainly because it took everyone by surprise at how amazing it was. Everyone knew it would be good, even great, but Taker and HBK still exceeded everyone's expectations and made a classic. But there was really nothing at stake other than the Streak. The rematch had a much more emotional, more dramatic story to it, and the workrate was literally at the same level. Wouldn't change this a bit.

WrestleMania XXVII

Actual Opponent: Triple H
Revised Opponent: John Cena

I've said many times that Cena vs The Miz was an awful choice for the WWE Championship match at this WrestleMania. I feel Randy Orton should've been the champion going in, CM Punk should've won the Royal Rumble, and their match should've main evented. I think the timing would've been great here for Cena vs Taker.

This to me is the timeline where it starts to get tricky. For the next few Manias, you have Triple H, Brock Lesnar, CM Punk, John Cena, and Bray Wyatt as potential opponents. And it's really tough to choose. The one thing I am adamant about is the Wrestlemania 28 "End of an Era" match with Triple H stays. That was a bonafide classic, and one of the best examples of storytelling in a wrestling match I've ever seen. It was masterful. WM 27 is tricky, because I do think a match with Punk here would've been good, and losing to Taker I think would've ultimately hurt Punk less at 27 than it did at 29. To me, losing to Taker at WM 29 was sort of the final nail in the coffin of Punk's peak in the WWE, as the last 8 months he was more going through the motions and was in the mid-card until he left. But at the same time, you kind of need the WM 27 match with Triple H to build to the story of the WM 28 match. I think it was important. Ultimately, I think I'm gonna stick with the Triple H match, and go with Punk/Cena at WM instead for the title. Have Punk win the Rumble, have him lose in the main event and that can create for an even stronger build to the Summer of Punk storyline later in the year. Taker/Triple H can remain as the legend attraction of the card.

WrestleMania XXVIII

Actual Opponent: Triple H
Revised Opponent: Chris Jericho

Now if there's one of Undertaker's WrestleMania rematches I can live with besides Kane at WMXX, it would be this one. The story telling was pretty great in this one with it being the end of an era and Shawn Michaels' involvement as referee. However, if I could, I would insert Jericho here. Remember the cryptic vignettes for Jericho's return to WWE back then? They could've very easily fit the mold for a different Jericho who was out to take down Taker and wipe out the streak.

As I stated previously. Keep the same.

WrestleMania XXIX

Actual Opponent: CM Punk
Revised Opponent: Brock Lesnar

I've basically taken everything that happened in reality and moved it up a year. And changed the result, as I wouldn't have had Lesnar be the 1 to end the streak. Lesnar could have still looked every bit as strong as he does today without beating Taker. He lost at WM29 to Triple H and that didn't change anything, just as this wouldn't have.

This is actually where I would end the streak. Would I have Punk hold on to the title and have a Streak/Career vs. Champion match, with Punk winning? Nope. I think even if Vince had Punk keep the title, end the Streak and build a statue of Punk next to the Statue of Liberty and make Punk President of the United States, Punk still probably wouldn't have been happy and left, lol. I would've had Punk lose the title to Cena at the Royal Rumble, and have Rock and Lesnar fight at Wrestlemania. Where does that leave Punk? Not sure. Honestly, in the grand scheme of things it really doesn't matter. Maybe a match with Daniel Bryan? Yeah that works. The main event would be John Cena vs. Undertaker. Championship vs. Streak. I'd have Cena win and turn heel. Simple as that. Cena could win triumphantly like a hero only for the crowd to shit on it and riot, and thus force WWE's hands into turning him into a heel or just do what they've done for the last 5-6 years and not listen to the crowd and keep him babyface. No, I'd have Cena cheat to win, something dastardly and heel-like to win, just to stick it to the crowd even more. This would be Cena's "joining the NWO" moment, only much bigger as him ending the streak would darn near cause a riot which would garner massive mainstream attention to WWE and perhaps create a new golden age. Start the Authority angle right after WM, with Cena being the champion and going on a tear in the company similar to Hollywood Hogan. At the same time, build up Daniel Bryan, which would ultimately lead to Bryan finally winning the title and dethroning Cena at WM XXX. Taker losing the Streak would lead to WWE having their new No. 1 guy, and their biggest heel possibly ever, which would do good for the company for years to come. That's how it should've went. But Vince wants Roman Reigns instead. But yeah.

WrestleMania XXX

Actual Opponent: Brock Lesnar
Revised Opponent: Bray Wyatt

They got the time and place right for the streak's end, just not the opponent in my opinion. Bray Wyatt would benefit from this so much more, not to mention he's more than likely going to be in WWE for at least the next 10-15 years. Brock Lesnar already has one foot out the door and might not come back this time. It would've been a much smarter move to give bragging rights to someone who is sticking around for the long haul. This might have been the best time to bring Undertaker's amazing career to an end as well, with his deteriorating health in recent years.

With the Streak being over, at this point, I would have gotten whatever it took to get Sting to sign and have the Dream Match fans have been waiting for for almost two decades, Taker vs. Sting. At this point, the Streak is over, so it would no longer be about the Streak, but about a legit dream match that fans have been wanting to see for years. As for who wins? Does it matter?


That's how I would re-write the Streak. My ultimate list...

WM 7: Andre the Giant
WM 8: Ultimate Warrior or Jake Roberts (depends on Vince giving Jake a spot on the booking committee)
WM 9: Bam Bam Bigelow
WM 11: Bret Hart
WM 12: Diesel
WM 13: Sid
WM 14: Kane
WM 15: Ken Shamrock
WM 17: Triple H
WM 18: Stone Cold Steve Austin (if Austin will do the job)
WM 19: Ric Flair
WM 20: Kane
WM 21: Randy Orton
WM 22: Kurt Angle
WM 23: Batista
WM 24: Edge
WM 25: Shawn Michaels
WM 26: Shawn Michaels
WM 27: Triple H
WM 28: Triple H
WM 29: John Cena
WM 30: Sting

 

[LODemolition]

I would definitely have to reconsider putting Taker up against Razor Ramon at WM9 and Bret at WM11. Both guys were wasted against Bob Backlund. I don't know how I missed that.

 

[Dagger Dias]

I would leave a lot of the older Undertaker Wrestlemania matches alone. The first thing I would rewrite is the biggest piece of controversy in the entire history of The Streak. I'm talking of course about the match at Wrestlemania 9 with Giant Gonzales. The Undertaker won, but BY DISQUALIFICATION. Therefore this always felt like a part of the streak that just gets akwardly swept under the rug, rarely to be addressed. Simple solution.... have Undertaker win clean. Or have him face Razor Ramon with Taker winning clean instead while Backlund gets the DQ win against Gonzales. Either way, problem solved.

Then things remain as they went in the actual matches up until.... Wrestlemania 27. While Trips VS Taker 2 did save that show from being the worst Wrestlemania ever, I would still change this match (along with MANY other changes, but that's for a whole other thread topic). Undertaker could have faced Sheamus or even John Cena that year. Wrestlemania 28 instead of the 3rd Triple H match we would have had Undertaker VS Chris Jericho. Despite Trips VS Taker 3 being one of the better matches of that card, did we REALLY need a 3rd match in that series? Finally, at Wrestlemania 29 CM Punk ends the streak. 20-1. Unlike Lesnar, Punk actually deserved that chance and would have benefited from it. No match takes place at Wrestlemania 30, freeing up another spot on the card for that event.

 

[willross]

OMG you seriously changed the HHH/Taker Hell in a Cell match? Really? Jesus Christ man.

Taker hadn't been built enough by WM7 to get to Hogan. Things didn't happen that fast. He only got to Warrior so they could put him with Jake.

 

[MMK]

I'm leaving out any Wrestlemania's where I wouldn't change anything.

Wrestlemania 7: Jake The Snake
(Do this one year earlier so Jake can face Savage at WM8. After Jake loses to Taker he turns to the darkside and joins forces w/Taker. If you can't beat em, join em. This would have explained Jake's heel turn in 91 and his association with Undertaker)

Wrestlemania 8: Sid Vicious
(Do a double turn. Taker enters as heel, Sid enters as face, but both switch by the end of the match.)

Wrestlemania 9: Evil Doink
I think if booked properly this could have had a real Batman vs Joker vibe. Evil Doink is underrated.

Wrestlemania X: Diesel
(Diesel wasn't used at this event and wasn't even allowed at ringside during the ladder match)

Wrestlemania 11: Bret Hart
(This should have been the WWF title match and the main event. Have Undertaker win the Rumble. Bret never should have lost the belt to Backlund only to have him drop it to Diesel. Diesel vs Shawn for the IC title would have been fine)

Wrestlemania 12: Vader
(Since I have Taker/Diesel at Mania X that opens the door for a new opponent at Mania 12. Vader had just arrived on the scene and I think if he wanted to make a bigger impression he needed a top feud with the likes of Undertaker)

Wrestlemania 13: Mankind
(Taker's greatest rival. They should have had at least one Mania match. In fact, instead of having Undertaker come back at Survivor Series 1996 I would have saved his comeback for the road to Wrestlemania)

Wrestlemania 15: Sting
(If only Sting had joined Jericho and The Giant in leaving WCW for WWF in 1999. Crow Sting vs Ministry of Darkness Undertaker. Imagine Sting fighting off all the ministry members. It could have been as great as his feud w/the nwo)

Wrestlemania 16: Big Show
(Big Show in the title picture was a mess. A match against Undertaker would have made more sense. Especially since they formed a short lived tag team in late 99. Have Show turn on Taker and challenge him at Mania. Taker turns back to a face)

Wrestlemania 18: Undertaker and Kane vs Hall and Nash
(This was the year of the wcw/nwo invasion. Since I already have Sting vs Taker a few years back, I'll have Taker and Kane defend WWF against the Outsiders)

Wrestlemania 19: Stone Cold Steve Austin
(Seeing as how we already seen Austin vs Rock twice at Wrestlemania, I would have had Austin use his last match to try and end the Undertakers streak. If anyone could do it would be Austin, and if he couldn't then he'd retire.)

Wrestlemania 20: Goldberg
(Seeing as how everyone crapped all over Goldberg vs Lesnar, why not put Goldberg against Undertaker to give the crowd someone to cheer for and to write Goldberg off tv properly.
Goldberg tells Undertaker "youre not the only one with a legendary undefeated streak. Mine came to an end and now yours is next".

Wrestlemania 22: Kurt Angle
(These two had a classic at No Way Out the month before Mania. It simply should have been saved for the show of shows)

Wrestlemania 28: Sheamus
(I always thought a heel Sheamus would have made a great opponent for Undrtaker. Plus this way we avoid the needless Taker/Triple H sequel and the even more needless burial of Daniel Bryan who lost to Sheamus in a 13 second squash match)

Wrestlemania 29: John Cena
(No need to Cena/Rock twice. At some point Cena should have faced Undertaker. Let CM Punk face The Rock instead.)

Wrestlemania 30: Brock Lesnar
(The only thing I'd change would be the finish. The streak should have continued. It was nice shock value at first, but it should only end at the hands of someone who could be the next Undertaker. Lesnar is not the future)

 

[Judah's Lion]

I will take several liberties over the years with the Streak, but mostly because I have the wonderful advantage of hindsight. at the time, of course, some of the matches made semi-decent sense, but looking back, what could have been?!?!

WrestleMania VII
Actual Opponent: Jimmy "Superfly" Snuka
Revised Opponent: n/a

it's too hard to picture Taker beating Hogan here. and as cheesy as it was, I was okay with Hogan vs. Slaughter as the main event, keeping in mind that I was like 8 years old. but it felt very good vs. evil and that was enough for me then. as for Taker, I would actually keep him off the card this year. I can't think of a suitable opponent that's actually freed up. I like the matches that Hogan, Jake Roberts, Dibiase and Warrior are in and I would leave them all as is. I almost went with Piper, but it doesn't make a lot of sense and I like Piper being with Virgil for his match too. Superfly was very underwhelming as an opponent, both then and now, so I'd just leave Taker off the card. he was new and I doubt people would have freaked at his absence.

WrestleMania VIII
Opponent: Jake "The Snake" Roberts

here is where I have Taker debut and I think it'd be a perfect opponent, even setting up for future matches that tell a more "psychological" story than a "monster of the month" theme. Jake is a legend, both in the ring and especially on the mic. I loved this feud and the match wasn't bad either. let them feud here as they did, especially since in real life it was a "now or never" deal given that Jake left for WCW immediately afterwards. that can free up Taker/Warrior for SummerSlam to blow off their feud once and for all.

WrestleMania IX
Actual Opponent: Giant Gonzalez
Revised Opponent: Ted Dibiase

easy story to tell given their history. bring that up and let Taker begin his feud with the Million Dollar Corporation. it can eventually end at SummerSlam with the infamous Taker/Taker match way down the road, but it begins here with the Million Dollar Man himself. another much better worker and legendary name that adds some credibility in those early Streak matches.

WrestleMania XI
Actual Opponent: King Kong Bundy
Revised Opponent: Razor Ramon

Mania 11 was rough for sure, but not for lack of talent. mostly, in my opinion, for lack of creative writing and really odd match choices considering what was available. keeping in mind that I had Taker start his feud with the Million Dollar Corporation at Mania 9 by defeating Dibiase and end said feud at SummerSlam 94 by defeating the other Undertaker, this would be a Corporation-free match for the Dead Man. I'm thinking Taker vs. Razor Ramon. Razor was red-hot as a face and had a very special quality about him. I think these two could have had a great match on the grand stage. maybe make Taker a heel here? but go with Scott Hall on this night and keep the Streak alive, not just in matches won but also in match quality.

WrestleMania XII
Opponent: Diesel

totally agree with LODemo. it was a logical feud and made sense given Nash leaving for WCW shortly thereafter. plus, amazingly enough, I actually enjoyed the storyline and match. despite his size and his many criticisms, I always thought that Nash was a decent worker inside the ring, especially given the right opponent and story. this was one of those times for me. keep it as is.

WrestleMania XIII
Actual Opponent: Sycho Sid
Revised Opponent: Bret Hart

Taker was definitely due for a main event at Mania and for the World Title again. I just can't decide if Sid was the best opponent for him. especially one year after Taker/Nash. it just seems almost like a repeat -- given their height and signature maneuvers -- which I'm very much against at Mania. I know it's absolute craziness, maybe even downright blasphemous, but I think I'd do Taker vs. Bret Hart. first of all, I'd have Bret win the Rumble for his only time (in my world, Luger alone wins the 94 Rumble) by screwing Austin, simply reversing what actually happened. Taker goes into Mania as the World Champion and beats Bret after some Austin interference. this, again in my world, allows the amazing Bret vs. Austin match that we did get at Mania 13 to actually happen at Mania 14, but with Austin winning and beginning the new Attitude Era with the right opponent. off topic. Taker vs. Bret with Taker retaining the World Title is my match this year.

WrestleMania XIV
Opponent: Kane

LODemo said it already, but this is the most obvious. the story stays the exact same. perfect storytelling and really fun match. Kane worked hard on this one and it was a great debut for his character. I might make this one an Inferno Match though since it was a natural fit and might have deserved a bigger stage than the next month.

WrestleMania XV
Actual Opponent: Big Bossman
Revised Opponent: n/a

I promise that there is a method to my madness in keeping Taker off the card this year. Taker could still appear at the event, but as more of a manager. he wasn't wrestling that much around this time anyway. he was always on the show, but more as a manager/director-of-traffic type of role. let him accompany the Ministry in their different matches, but there's really not a lot of good opponents for him. Mankind is an option, but Foley really needed either Rock or McMahon in a match to continue his storylines. Taker takes the night off, which actually would be better than the Hell in a Cell travesty we did get. my opinion.

WrestleMania XVII
Actual Opponent: Triple H
Revised Opponent: Mick Foley

I LOVED and still do LOVE the match between Triple H and Taker at Mania 17. in fact, all three of their matches have been very good. but I really don't like rematches at Mania. Foley was with the company at the time, albeit retired. still, it's not like Foley actually stopped wrestling. just given their history, I would want to see this match on the Grandest Stage of All. and I would book it almost exactly as the match we did get with Triple H. make it a Street Fight and let these two go all over the arena. save Triple H for the next decade, literally.

WrestleMania XVIII
Actual Opponent: Ric Flair
Revised Opponent: Big Show or with Kane vs. Outsiders

I like the Austin idea, but in my world, Austin is in the main event with Triple H for the World Title, so he's busy. I like the idea of teaming with Kane to go against the Outsiders, but I also like DX vs. NWO for Mania. and I really like the idea of Taker always having one-on-one matches at Mania for his Streak. and given that Taker has already beaten both Hall and Nash in my timeline, this would feel almost like a rematch, which of course is a sin in my universe. so I'm gonna stick with Big Show in a one-on-one match. also, this would be Streak vs. Streak as I would have booked Big Show to be undefeated since his debut in the WWE. this wouldn't be the best match in the world, but Big Show is a credible opponent if only for his size. around this time, Big Show and Taker (as the biker) had a pretty decent match with a big-pop finish... Big Show was pounding on Taker with some mounted punches and Taker used that position to get Show into the Last Ride. pretty impressive spot. what if that happened at Mania for Show's first televised loss since debuting with the WWE? that'd be a pretty big deal, even if it wasn't the prettiest match. that's my switch.

WrestleMania XIX
Actual Opponent: Big Show & Albert
Revised Opponent: Ric Flair

So I've simply taken Taker and Flair's WM18 match and pushed it back a year. His handicapped match versus the team of Big Show & Albert was ridiculous. I totally copied the OP word-for-word here, but I agree with the trade. plus, it'd just make more sense this way since at 18, Flair was a face and Taker a heel and at 19, Flair was the heel while Taker was face. given Flair's dirty tactics and the Arn Anderson interference, it flat out makes more sense to bump this match back by one year.

WrestleMania XX
Actual Opponent: Kane
Revised Opponent: Brock Lesnar

the idea of the Rock is intriguing, but I think Brock makes more sense. Brock had just spent the last year kicking Taker's @$$ every chance he got, even inside the Hell in a Cell. but all those matches were against the Biker Taker. so why not have Taker return as the Dead Man to finally get his revenge against Brock? Lesnar does the job on his way out the door at Mania 20, as he did, but against Taker instead of Goldberg.

WrestleMania XXI
Opponent: Randy Orton

Orton was a great opponent and I believe (in real life) a really legit option for ending the Streak. he was, as best as I can remember, the first person to challenge Taker at Mania with the whole storyline being based on ending the Streak. everyone else had making Taker no longer undefeated at Mania as kind of a side note, but Orton made that the entire focus. and so the Streak became an annual thing; a storyline all by itself. Legend Killer vs. the Legend of the Streak stays the same.

WrestleMania XXII
Actual Opponent: Mark Henry
Revised Opponent: Kurt Angle

Angle/Taker had one of the best matches I've ever seen at No Way Out a month prior. I'd simply move that match back a month, keep the World Title on the line and have the ending switched up just a bit (since Angle won the actual match). while Angle is in the triangle choke, he rolls Taker up and gets the pin. do the same setup for the ending, but have Angle tap before he gets the final 3 count. Taker wins the World Title, keeps the Streak alive, and this also allows for future rematches between the two as it was a almost-too-close-to-call finish.

WrestleMania XXIII
Opponent: Batista

yeah, this worked for me. I never thought Batista had a chance of beating the Streak, but he worked his tail off in the ring and delivered a pretty great performance.

WrestleMania XXIV
Opponent: Edge

this is another one that worked for me. again, I never thought Edge was gonna win, mostly because of his booking at the time, but I freaking loved this feud and match. I would keep it for the World Title though, but only cuz it just feels better that way for me.

WrestleMania XXV
Opponent: Shawn Michaels

this is my absolute favorite match of all time and I do consider it to be the best of all time. feel free to argue with me all you want. I will, of course, think that you're wrong. the only change I would make is in the build up to the match itself. I would use the best of both Mania 25 and 26 leading to the two matches these two had and put it all here... with HBK's career on the line. this would be my Streak vs. Career Match. and it would have made it that much better, on the Silver Anniversary of Mania, when it would actually be possible that HBK might win and beat the Streak. but otherwise, yeah, greatest. match. ever.

WrestleMania XXVI
Actual Opponent: Shawn Michaels
Revised Opponent: Triple H

and now, a decade later, enter Triple H. this would be my "End of an Era" Match inside Hell in a Cell. I know we got this at 28, but I'd do it here instead. again, I hate rematches at Mania, so this would be fresh. and with special referee HBK, it would make sense to this match at this time. cuz honestly, this really was becoming (or had already become) the end of the era. even in real life, Taker, HBK, Triple H, etc, were all part-timers, and the bringing in of even more part-timers was becoming the new WWE Motto, so this tagline would feel more appropriate to me two years earlier than we actually got it.

WrestleMania XXVII
Actual Opponent: Triple H
Revised Opponent: John Cena

for the record, as I'm writing my responses, I'm seeing others that said the same thing way earlier, but I promise that I felt the same way before reading theirs too. I have always felt that Cena/Miz was an abomination, both then and in hindsight. whoever thought this was a good idea? Royal Rumble winner Punk vs. Orton in the main event for the World Title was such an obvious choice. and Cena vs. Taker absolutely had to happen here. it never would have a better or more suitable time to do it. also, in my world, Cena at this time is undefeated at Mania, always winning or successfully defending a singles title at Mania. so his loss at 24 is actually a win. thus, Mania 27 is the undefeated at Mania Champ vs. the undefeated Streak.

WrestleMania XXVIII
Actual Opponent: Triple H
Revised Opponent: Goldberg

okay, I will admit that I am more-than-slightly cheating on this one. Goldberg has not been with the company in 8 years at this point. but I bet money he would be willing to come back for one more match, here at Mania, against Taker, the most respected man in the business today, perhaps of all time. easy booking; Goldberg's streak vs. Taker's. who has the greatest streak of all time? one match to determine...

WrestleMania XXIX
Opponent: CM Punk

this match was so freaking incredible and I feel that it's quite a bit under-rated, here and elsewhere. it was so good. the build up was pretty fortunate (how terrible does that sound?!?!) with the passing of Paul Bearer as it gave Punk some great heat. he honestly had more people caring about Urn Anderson than some of the superstars that were alive and on tv every week. talk about talent! the only change I would make is Punk would keep the World Title, so this would be, again, Streak vs. Streak, for the World Title, in the Main Event of Mania. if Brock can win the World Title and then disappear for months at a time, why can't Taker? he's a guy that at least appreciates, loves and respects the wrestling business. Taker can win the belt and drop it at SummerSlam. Punk finally loses the World Title, but does so against Taker at Mania instead of Rock at the Rumble, and Punk gets his long-awaited and much-deserved main event at Mania. I bet Punk would still be with the WWE if this happened instead.

WrestleMania XXX
Actual Opponent: Brock Lesnar
Revised Opponent: Sting

this is the biggest stage of all time in the wrestling world. and this is one of the few dream matches that has never been done. Sting was pretty much with the company at this time. do whatever it takes to make this match happen. Sting/Taker at Mania 30 would have been so freaking epic. and Taker could retire, undefeated at Mania, with a perfect streak of 20-0.

as for Bray Wyatt, I absolutely love what he's doing with Taker now and so looking forward to his match at Mania. I hate for it not to happen at Mania, but since I believe that Taker should have retired at Mania with a perfect 20-0, I would do Taker vs. Wyatt at either SummerSlam or Survivor Series -- the latter of which where Taker debuted, so it might be more poetic there, although obviously a bigger stage at SummerSlam -- and have Wyatt go over as the new "face of fear". great stuff. just a half a year too late.

so there's my re-writing of history, for better or worse. thanks so much to LODemolition for the start of an amazing thread series. looking forward to the rest!