Could Taker/HBK II have been more anticpated if the World title was up for grabs?

[rko57]

At WrestleMania 26, we saw possibly the most anticipated match ever, if not, then one of the most in Undertaker-Shawn Michaels II. On the same night, we saw Chris Jericho retain the title against Edge. Jericho won that very title from the Undertaker to face Edge since he won the Rumble. But since Jericho retained, would you have done it differently?

Would you have had HBK win the Rumble and go on to face Taker for the title and make this match officially the most anticipated and just have Edge face Jericho in a normal grudge match as the original plan was?

HBK could have still gotten his send off and everything, just wanna know if ya'll would had the title up for grabs

 

[klunderbunker]

Nah. At this point those two are bigger than the world title. The Streak is one of the most mythical things in wrestling history and it's against Mr. Wrestlemania. This didn't need to be about the title as the Streak is almost a championship in its own right. Shawn has his career on the line so both guys were putting something up. Without the title, this was. WIthout the title, Jericho vs. Edge wouldn't have felt nearly as big. This was fine the way it was.

 

[Ferbian]

No. It wouldn't have been needed to be up for grasp. If the world title had been up for grasp the career of Shawn wouldn't be needed. Considering this was all about career vs streak. It shouldn't have revolved around career vs streak & world championship. It was better to let someone else fight for those, while Shawn and Undertaker battled it out for what I can only imagine was their "most priced possessions"

I actually believe that if the world title was involved, it would've caused a smaller anticipation of it. Because of the fact that it would've revolved around the wrong thing, that being the world title. It would've become rather messy as well to work both a feud for a world title, which needs a big hype usually, as well as to work these two against each other on separate shows when they both rarely ever worked two nights.

So it was just fine as the way it was booked this year.

 

[The Crock]

I think the world title would have actually been a distraction. Their feud was on an epic, personal level... It wasn't about the strap. Their feud was, like KB said, above the world title. These two guys are legends, and they had some of the best matches of all time. There was no need for the world championship, it wouldn't have changed a thing.

 

[enterkey]

Not at all, both of them have proven to be massive draws without having any titles and Taker's streak could even be thought more prestigious than the world title itself. The feud had everything it needed for success, revenge, jealousy, losing something that could never be brought back (streak), and the possibility of someone forcibly retiring. I don't think that your idea of HBK winning the rumble would have worked, the man has already won 2 of them and didn't need another win at that point in his career. To me the sendoff was perfect the way it played out, they wrestled arguably the best WM match, got the fans intensely into the feud, and let HBK live up to his "Mr. Wrestlemania" title without ever needing the championship.

Also why would we want to do it differently just because Jericho retained his title?

 

[Ruthless-RKO]

No...these two don't need a title in their feud...its bigger with or without a title because these 2 had a good story going into Mania...also Taker going into Mania with the title isn't something everyone would approve off...Taker & Shawn don't need to feud over a title when it comes to WrestleMania and either one of them can steal the show!!

 

[Yrrab]

Looks like I disagree with the entire thread. The belt would have added wonders to the match, at least to me.

I was pulling for the Undertaker all the way, knowing full well that HBK was bound to retire soon anyways. But had the strap been on the line, I would have feared that HBK might end up with it one last time before he retires. The cost of that last title reign would have been the Undertakers streak, which would have absolutely killed me. I would've been much more thrilled had the title been on the line, considering this was the second year in a row they faced off. Their first match blew me away, but the only thing that could have really kept my attention in their last match was if there was a belt on the line.

 

[The Vintage One]

The World Title should not have been up for grabs for this match. This match was focused on one thing only and that is the streak, the title would've been a distraction and really have no purpose here at all.

 

[The Shockmaster]

The match didnt need the belt to be more anticipated. Most of the people I know including myself and probably thousands of people around the world bought that wrestle mania because of that match. That makes that match more anticipated than any other match on the card. So in conclusion the belt didnt need to be there.

 

[NXTrookie2013]

No it didn't need the world title, streak vs career was enough. A world title may have overshadowed the spectacle of the streak and career thing. (sorry if that didnt come out clear enough). This match was too big for a title anyway.
Chris Jerico vs Edge i think needed the world title more, and it turned out to be a great match (not as great as taker vs hbk obviously). The only thing that was kinda pointless about the fued is that it pretty much just lasted form royal rumble to wrestlemania and didnt go anywhere after that, jerico lost the title and he and edge went to raw but then edge returned to his heelish ways.
but yeah, no i wouldnt have changed it, the world title would have done nothing for taker vs hbk.

 

[SpoodBeest]

This match alone without the title was the biggest and most anticipated match that night. This match was also the first non world title match to main event a WrestleMania since WrestleMania 11. Anyway back on subject, HBK vs. Taker II was built before any of the other Mania matches were probably even thought up. HBK first challenged Taker to a rematch at WrestleMania during the Slammy Awards show back in December before Christmas. After multiple declines from Taker for a rematch Michaels was poised to win the Royal Rumble so he could get to challenge Taker who was World Heavyweight Champion at the time, so he could get his Mania rematch.

When he failed to win the Rumble Michaels had thought all his chances were up and he had blown his shot to get a rematch with The Undertaker. That is when he thought up the idea to cost Taker the title at the Elimination Chamber pay-per-view. Due to this Taker accepted Michaels' rematch offer, only to make up the deal that if he (Taker) had to put up his undefeated WrestleMania streak then Michaels would have to put his career on the line and retire if he were to lose again. Shawn with nothing else to lose gambled and accepted Undertaker's offer.

See all of that build up on a match that had a serious stipulation: Career vs. Streak. There didn't need to be a title on the line to make this match anymore suspenseful or anticipated as it was because it was already the most anticipated as it was. A man's entire career on the line, just to try and defeat a man who was never beaten at the event of WrestleMania was a pretty deep inclusion to this match. And I'm sure everyone who watched that night wanted to watch HBK vs. Taker II just to see what was coming to an end, whether it was HBK's career or even Taker's precious Mania winning streak. This match never needed the title to be as great and anticipated as it was.

 

[Spaceman Spif]

No this match did not need a title in the picture to make it more anticipated or some how better. This match was already anticipated after their first encounter. You have two legends, icons going at it on the biggest stage of them all, with ones retirement on the line and the iconic streak on the line. Dude you can't get any better than that.

In fact a title in the picture would have stolen from what the match was really about, two of the greatest going at it.

 

[GameOver]

Having the world title up for grabs woulda just been a waste really
It wasn't about a title it was purely a career long grudge match on an epic scale
2 of the biggest names in Mania history
"This is what the word WrestleMania was meant for"
2 guys that were around in the 80's and early 90's
2 guys that were a huge part of the start of the attitude era

effectively career vs career,

If Taker had lost his whole careers biggest claim to fame was done (sure he won world titles but only briefly, he was about the streak)

If Shawn loses his career is done (for a second time)

Mr WrestleMania vs The WrestleMania Streak

Throwing a world title into that woulda been like meh!!! and taken another big match out of the equation, something that is lacking from Mania in general

plus alot of people already woulda guessed HBK was retiring

 

[Kenny Powers]

I don't think a world title being at stake in any match makes the match more special in any event. There have been many WrestleMania main event world title matches that just weren't special at all. Triple H vs. Orton, Triple H vs. Booker T, Bret Hart vs. Yokozuna, Lex Luger vs. Yokozuna, Hogan vs. Yoko, and Chris Jericho vs. Edge just to name a few. Undertaker's undefeated streak at WM was on the line against Shawn Michael's career. It doesn't get much bigger then that. A world title wouldn't do anything to make the match anymore special.

 

[mrbrownstone]

No you didnt need to add anything else to add to the anticipation of that match, knowing that either the streak or HBK's carreer was going to end was more than enough adding the world title to the match would have been pointless as the focus would be less on the world title and more on which one was going to end. Besides the Jericho/Edge the title more anyway.

 

[Aeon Mathix]

Not at all. The problem was they really didnt start building taker and HBK till after HBK cost Taker the title at elimination chamber. Before that it was at the slammy's where HBK wanted another shot and idk about everyone else but i was just thinking "i hope that doesnt happen, they shouldnt tarnish what the first match was" and im sure everyone else was thinking it shouldnt of happened so I really didnt care about it because i didnt think vince would be that stupid and egotistical to have a mindset of "wow these guys did amazing last year i have an idea lets do it again this year!". But little did i know he did it and dont get me wrong I loved the match, but it seemed like they really rushed HBK's retirement. Like i said earlier it only REALLY started to build about 3 weeks before the event cause thats when the stipulation was drawn out that if HBK lost his career would be done. Who knows maybe that was to get me confused telling myself he cant be done already he wont lose, but taker's streak cant end. But anyway back to the topic, No the title being on the line wouldnt have made it more anticipated at all. at least for me. Cena-Batista the title was on the line and i actually kept forgetting that it was cause they made it seem like it was way more personal then for the title. The storyling going into that was Cena never beat batista and batista "broke cena's neck" and Cena overcoming the odds blah blah blah same storyline everytime with Cena. So if the title was on the line for Taker-HBK people wouldnt have even noticed just because its TAKER AND HBK like someone else said they dont need a title at all their names speak for themselves. I payed to see the match between 2 legends going at it, but not for a title. IT would have made no sense.

 

[People's Champ]

Been said in just about every post, but I'll say it anyway. No need for a title to be on the line. This was a more personal match than anything. Shawn wanted so badly to beat the Undertaker he would do anything to get that opportunity. So he was made to put his career on the line. Career vs Streak? Much bigger than any title match they could have had. I think a lot of people knew what would happen, but there was still more that had no idea which way this was going to go, which made this match all the more better.

And as was mentioned before, Jericho vs Edge needed the belt. The feud didn't really get the buildup as poriginally planned because of the injury to Edge, and when it did get going, it just didn't feel right. The belt was needed because it just didn't feel as personal as it should or could have been. So everything was done right, never any need for changes.

 

[Stephen11]

I don't think it would have made a difference, the title might have taken away from it in a way. HBK already had a legendary career then you have the well-known amazing Wrestlemania streak of the Undertaker. You really don't need anything else in the mix as those two things already add a lot to it, no reason to have a title too.