Undertaker vs Kane WM 14 and WM 21, Undertaker vs. Shawn Michaels WM 25 and 26

[Attitude]

First I want thank everybody for posting replies on my last thread. I hope you guys continue to post replies. I really do want to hear what people think and hope even more people post. I'm still new to this so I hope my threads continue to get better.

With that being said on this thread I want to see which match you guys think was the best between the four I posted in the title. Undertaker has only faced Kane and Shawn Michaels twice at wrestlemania and both men are probably Undertakers greatest opponents. So between Undertaker vs Kane at WM 14, Undertaker vs Kane at WM 21, Undertaker vs. Shawn Michaels WM 25, and Undertaker vs. Shawn Michaels WM 26 which was the best.

 

[FutureChamp328]

Why is this even a question? It's obviously WM 25 and 26. When Taker faced Kane the first time it was a good match nothing special besides Kane surviving two tombstones but an ok match. WM 20 was also decent but nowhere near a classic match. WM 25 has been called on of the greatest matches in history and it had all the parts:
1. The big legendary force who will stop at nothing to get the win
2. The smaller extraordinarily skilled fighter who does all of the technical moves
3. Both men are extremely talented wrestlers and have showy crowd pleasing moves
4. They put on a clinic and set standards for the entire industry
WM 26 may not have been as good but it came pretty damn close and it was one of the better matches on the card. For these reason the HBK vs Taker saga will always best Taker vs Kane.

 

[Tenta]

This is going to get me shit more than anything else I think I've ever said; I will happily take Taker and Kane's match at Wrestlemania 14 over any other of these matches. Sure, Taker and Michaels may have gotten 5 Starz, but there was something magnificent about Kane and Undertaker that Shawn and Taker didn't have.

By magnificent, I mean a legitimate story. Sure, 26 was all about the Streak Versus The Career, but that isn't a story so much as it is a stipulation. Career matches are a story within themselves, but it's also just about the easiest thing to book. Make one guy look desperate not to retire, have him go through his career right before his eyes, blah blah. Kane and The Undertaker, meanwhile, was new. Yes, it came from a story that was about two thousand years old, and may have been in the New Testament, but the build up to this match was absolutely perfect. Paul Bearer's blackmailing of The Undertaker was so perfect for so long, and when he finally dropped the bomb, literally everyone watching was left with mouths wide open. Everyone was stunned; after all these years, Kane had come back to get his vengeance on The Undertaker. He cost him matches, he physically assaulted him, Hell, he burnt the guy in a casket with everyone watching. Kane was on a mission to destroy his brother.

The match played out exactly like the storyline; no matter what The Undertaker did, he couldn't stop Kane from coming after him. The Undertaker tried everything in his power, desperately, to subdue Kane, but Kane just kept charging after Taker, on a mission to destroy his brother. When he finally put down Kane, it was as though we all could breathe easier; we became so entranced in that match, that it felt almost like a relief the match was over. Sure, Shawn and Taker pulled off the same thing, but without that tangible story to pull them through. The electricity was always there for Taker and Kane in their prime, and for that reason, I just have to give it to Undertaker and Kane, from Wrestlemania 14.

 

[wushady]

I agree the matches with Kane had better storylines leading up to the matches. Although it's a no brainer the matches with HBK were much better matches. Last year was match of the year and this years most likely will be too.

 

[BWEEZY2009]

Wrestlemania 25..

I think 26 was probably all out a better match-up but it was more predictable at the time and we expected a lot of the same stuff. It was still top 20 match of all time in my mind (North American Wrestling for those who want to bring up Misawa)

 

[dame3e]

WM 25 stroy line with taker and hbk was good (good vs evil)

WM 26 didnt need a story it was the rematch hbk was obessed with breaking the steak that was the story line

 

[The Mark of Zur-En-Arrh]

I'd probably go with Taker/Kane at WM14 as well.

Now obviously neither of the Kane matches were as technically sound or as fast paced as the HBK/Taker matches, but there are 2 reasons i'd pick WM14 specifically.

1. The 6 month build to Taker v Kane was so much better than Kane trashing coffins and throwing urns and running from the dark in 2004, or HBK simply winning a match with Taker in 2009, or HBK whining about losing for a year (the segments themselves were golden, but that was the jist of the angle).

Taker spent months being manipulated by his long time manager Paul Bearer, and then has his quest for revenge against Michaels ruined with Kane's debut. Then there were months of Taker getting beaten on by Kane, while refusing to fight his own flesh and blood, and then Kane and Bearer tried to kill Taker off. It then seemed like Kane would assume the mantle of the Phenom, until the Deadman returned and vanquished his brother in one of his biggest challenges at WM. Logically the face won, but Kane was solidified as a ME'er after that, as was shortly crowned champion after that (and in an even shorter space of time, lost it again).

2. We all expected HBK vs Taker to be a classic. We then knew HBK v Taker II would also be a classic match. We all probably assumed that Taker v Kane II would be shit considering how Kane's character had been raped of all interesting aspects, and he had let himself go a little bit by then.

After having failed to get over as Isaac Yankem and Diesel II, i don't think anyone would find the idea of Glen Jacobs immitating Taker, in a match against Taker, would be anything worth seeing (assuming people actually knew Kane was Jacobs). However, for 2 7 foot, 300lb monsters, they put on quite the athletic match. Ok there was a lot of choking in the corner, and pounding against the ropes and slow paced wrestling, but for some reason people only remember the fact that Kane took 3 Tombstones before laying down.

No one remembers that Taker jumped up on Kane's shoulders to attempt a Victory Roll. A FUCKIN' 300LB MAN TRIED TO EXECUTE A VICTORY ROLL FOR GOD'S SAKE! The only reason it didn't happen was because Kane countered with an Electric Chair Drop. So there's an example of outstanding atheticism AND great counter wrestling in the same exchange.

People also seem to forget that Taker did his signature suicide dive into the Spanish Announce Table. Typically Taker would propel himself towards the ramp way, giving him and whoever was underneath, plenty of room to work with. On this occassion, Taker went in the opposite direction, and Kane side stepped him and directed his body straight into the announce table with an almighty crash. The camera angle they used made it totally unexpected as well. The camera was focused entirely on Kane (with his back to it), with the ring to the left so that you could only see the ring post in front of him. Suddenly Taker is descending out of the ring like a bat out of hell, and Kane countered again into a nasty bump for Taker, all in the space of 5 seconds, and is probably the best spot in the whole match.

So for exceeding expectations, plus being the perfect culmination of one of Taker's best fueds, if not the best Taker fued, plus giving us a new ME'er and company main stay in Kane, i'd have to give my vote to Undertaker vs Kane at WM14 for all round best match of those 4.

For pure enjoyment value it'd be WM25, but just because i was there for that live, which isn't a valid reason for saying one match was better than the other.

 

[PedigreeTHE619Chokeslam]

I have to say WM25 and both 26. I saw WM 21 on a DVD but I dont think it was anything near what UT and HBK did at both WM's. 10 years from now i think we will all be looking back and seeing WM25 and WM26 in our head and not 14 and 21.

 

[DL23]

I was around when Kane debuted way back at Badd Blood 1997, and the 5 months of build up was amazing, 9/10 people weren't fans when that happened, but for 5 month Kane came out in matches and beat the guys up, some of them it was there leaving present (Crush, Ahmed Johnson) they had Kane take out Mankind with relitive ease, who at the time was known as the Undertakers worst nightmare the one guy who traded wins with Taker and hold s KO victory over the deadman, they had Kane beat the Undertaker, with Taker talking about his dead parents how he vowed NEVER to hurt Kane, they even had Kane turn face and chase DX when they beat on the Undertaker only for Kane turn on The Undertaker at Royal Rumble 1998, with Undertaker gone the question was who could stop him, they had Vader have a bash at it, getting his skull caved in (who ironically beat the Undertaker at RR 97, they kind of had Kane beating the gusy who beat Undertaker) which built up Mania 14, you truly believed Kane was the Undertakers biggest threat, even at that time the streak wasn't talked about but you honestly believed Kane was the Undertakers kryptonite.

Like I say I was around back in 1998 and I by far believe Kane/Undertaker I (Mania14) was more built up, more excitement around the match then HBK/Undertaker I (Mania25)
Taker/Kane II was pretty much WWE rehashing an old storyline from 1996 with Taker being buried by the heels but he returned a month later witha leathered look, this time he from American Badass to Deadman theme song and looking like American Badass, people know Taker would win the rematch, but they did play it off well over the months from November-March, but HBK/Taker II was the better rematch, but over all feud Taker/Kane Mania14 was more packed, nothing really happened with HBK/Taker apart from a bunch of superkicks and one chokeslam then the match, then HBK crying about a rematch, getting eliminated and taking time off returns at a PPV to cost Taker the match, like I say Undertaker/Kane I seemed more personal, more exciting, just an overall feel Kane was the one to who had Undertakers number.

 

[jmyers19]

First off I agree with what you said about Kane and Shawn being Undertaker's greatest opponents, when have they ever had a bad match against Undertaker?

Anyways, here's my take. Match-wise, definitly the Undertaker/HBK matches. HBK will go down as one of if not thee greatest wrestler of all time. When did he ever put on a bad performance? He made Cena look like a ton of gold, especially in their epic 40 minute match (I've heard this went on for an hour but I remember only seeing 40 minutes, it might be the commercial break and it probablys was an hour but nevermind) on Raw before Backlash 2007. And the quality of his matches, any of his matches, with 'Taker were just off the chart. But the storyline involving Kane I'd say tops the Undertaker/HBK storyline, Undertaker's half 'brother' debuting, screwing the odds on favourite out of winning the first ever HIAC, Paul Bearer eventually teaming up with Kane (I didn't watch it back then and have only saw so much of their storyline so forgive me, if I did this would have definitly been more detailed) and so on. Now in 2004, something I did live through, Undertaker was ready to bury McMahon alive and Kane comes out of nowhere, screws him from winning (Damn ironic huh?) which sets up the return of 'The Deadman' (Both in gimmick and in person) for WrestleMania XX, Undertaker freaking Kane out with the smoke, the lightning, the lighting, and the ring collapsing and so on. Another thing I noticed which is ironic is the fact that Kane debuted in a match involving both Undertaker and HBK, and both HBK and Kane have faced Undertaker at WrestleMania, twice. But the storyline this year I felt was much more stronger, both WrestleMania 25 and 26 had a lot riding, but this years storyline with how HBK put his career on the line over-shadowed them all in my opinion.

 

[vampirek]

Well I start by pointing out it was not Wrestlemania 21 but 20.

As for the question, in my own opinion Wrestlemania 14 had the better build up and match play out. There was a stake too in terms of storylines, Kane wanted to end the Undertaker's life nevermind his career. The second match though, lets be honest it was only a stepping stone to bring back the Deadman gimmick.

In terms of putting the matches together, 25 and 26 are much better than 14, 20 put together.

 

[ABMorales787]

This is going to get me shit more than anything else I think I've ever said; I will happily take Taker and Kane's match at Wrestlemania 14 over any other of these matches. Sure, Taker and Michaels may have gotten 5 Starz, but there was something magnificent about Kane and Undertaker that Shawn and Taker didn't have.

By magnificent, I mean a legitimate story. Sure, 26 was all about the Streak Versus The Career, but that isn't a story so much as it is a stipulation. Career matches are a story within themselves, but it's also just about the easiest thing to book. Make one guy look desperate not to retire, have him go through his career right before his eyes, blah blah. Kane and The Undertaker, meanwhile, was new. Yes, it came from a story that was about two thousand years old, and may have been in the New Testament, but the build up to this match was absolutely perfect. Paul Bearer's blackmailing of The Undertaker was so perfect for so long, and when he finally dropped the bomb, literally everyone watching was left with mouths wide open. Everyone was stunned; after all these years, Kane had come back to get his vengeance on The Undertaker. He cost him matches, he physically assaulted him, Hell, he burnt the guy in a casket with everyone watching. Kane was on a mission to destroy his brother.

The match played out exactly like the storyline; no matter what The Undertaker did, he couldn't stop Kane from coming after him. The Undertaker tried everything in his power, desperately, to subdue Kane, but Kane just kept charging after Taker, on a mission to destroy his brother. When he finally put down Kane, it was as though we all could breathe easier; we became so entranced in that match, that it felt almost like a relief the match was over. Sure, Shawn and Taker pulled off the same thing, but without that tangible story to pull them through. The electricity was always there for Taker and Kane in their prime, and for that reason, I just have to give it to Undertaker and Kane, from Wrestlemania 14.

I agree. The buildup for Kane/Taker at WM 14 was a year in the making and it all revoled around the unspoken history of "The Deadman". The match was great, it had a fantastic blowoff. When you compare it to HBK/Taker however the matches are obviously inferior. However the build-up wasn't as great. It revolved around the streak, twice. It has been done since 2005. Storyline-wise Kane/Taker was definably superior.

 

[whatalife1683]

If we are going to talk about just the matches itself then it is easy. Both Taker vs Michaels matches were far superior than Taker vs Kane. The Kane matches were not good at all, but 14 had the storyline to build on. This made the Mania 14 match much more enjoyable, and JR's calling the match made it better than it was. However, the last two Taker matches were great while his match with Kane were bad. If we are talking about storyline, then it is easily Wrestlemania 14. As someone has mentioned, the streak as been the storyline for Mania the past 5 years. This is another reason I would not mind seeing Taker lose. If he retires soon then it is fine, but him continuing to wrestle for another 5 years will make his storyline for Mania horrible. It will revolve around the streak.

 

[thewrestleranurag900]

Its undertaker vs shawn michaels at wrestlemania at 26

 

[The Ace of Knaves]

Storyline wise, Taker vs Kane at WM 14 will never be topped.

Match quality wise, WM 25 & 26 hands down!