Regarding HHH vs. Taker From Mania

[klunderbunker]

When did I miss this match becoming some be all end all classic? I watched it happen and it was good, but I can think of a few dozen matches that are better. It has nothing on either Shawn vs. Taker match, especially the one at Mania 25. People talk about it like it was hands down the greatest match either has ever had. It's simply not that great. Very good yes, but it's not even their best match at Wrestlemania.

 

[Paralyzer Z]

I believe it all is credited to the tombstone by triple H. Others and I absolutely believed at that moment that Tue streak was over.

 

[Shocky]

It was the best match on the card at Mania, so it'll get bonus points. Good match, but there were better matches this year alone.

It was the Undertaker's best match of 2011.

 

[Little Jerry Lawler]

That match to me made HHH/HBK from 2004 look like Angle/Benoit.

 

[Nate DaMac]

I like storytelling. This match more than exceeded my expectations and in my eyes, it's a classic.

 

[Thriller Ant]

It was better than I thought it would be, but far from the level that most people seem to think it is at

 

[FunKay the Inevitable]

It was solid and better than most expected. Plus it told a good story. Not anywhere near as good as some claim, but indeed it was good.

 

[Harthan]

I think, viewed against the Undertaker vs Shawn matches (particularly the second), it pales, but as an entity unto itself, it's an excellent match with a good story behind it. I think the story will only get better the second time around, as it did with the Shawn/Taker matches, as well. I think it's the best thing that Undertaker could do at Mania this year, probably. The only thing that worries me is the possibility of HHH going over, which would be the worst thing to happen in the history of wrestling.

 

[The Dragon Saga]

It isn't a classic, but the storytelling was startling, there were some points in the match that surely made people contemplate that the Streak was ending. And, I did mark-out for the moment below:

[youtube]u8ZsHFZn4ng&feature=related[/youtube]

 

[Little Jerry Lawler]

I think WM 28 could do fine without Taker this year.

 

[Blue Chipper]

I think, viewed against the Undertaker vs Shawn matches (particularly the second), it pales, but as an entity unto itself, it's an excellent match with a good story behind it. I think the story will only get better the second time around, as it did with the Shawn/Taker matches, as well. I think it's the best thing that Undertaker could do at Mania this year, probably. The only thing that worries me is the possibility of HHH going over, which would be the worst thing to happen in the history of wrestling.

You don't have to worry; this will never happen. WWE, and HHH himself, are smart enough to realize that, at this point, there's no benefit in having HHH break the streak. The person that breaks the streak will be instantly majorly over, and that would be the point in having someone break it - to help them get over. Therefore, there would be no point in having HHH break it when he's already a well-over star. If someone was to break the streak, I'd imagine that it'd be a fairly new guy, that would benefit greatly from breaking it.

I sincerely doubt the streak will ever be broken. It's something the fans hold to a high regard, and the WWE seem to be pushing its sacredness until he retires. However, if it was to happen, have a young guy do it instead of a veteran.

 

[Harthan]

You don't have to worry; this will never happen. WWE, and HHH himself, are smart enough to realize that, at this point, there's no benefit in having HHH break the streak. The person that breaks the streak will be instantly majorly over, and that would be the point in having someone break it - to help them get over. Therefore, there would be no point in having HHH break it when he's already a well-over star. If someone was to break the streak, I'd imagine that it'd be a fairly new guy, that would benefit greatly from breaking it.

I sincerely doubt the streak will ever be broken. It's something the fans hold to a high regard, and the WWE seem to be pushing its sacredness until he retires. However, if it was to happen, have a young guy do it instead of a veteran.

I'm not as confident in HHH's humility as you are. He hijacked Punk's angle this summer for the purpose of getting himself over. I love HHH, but there is no limit to what he'll do to stroke his ego. I won't be able to stop worrying about him breaking the streak until Taker beats him.

Maybe that's the point, actually. Perhaps it's a kind of meta-booking, aiding a layer to the match for us smarks.

 

[Blue Chipper]

I'm not as confident in HHH's humility as you are. He hijacked Punk's angle this summer for the purpose of getting himself over. I love HHH, but there is no limit to what he'll do to stroke his ego. I won't be able to stop worrying about him breaking the streak until Taker beats him.

Maybe that's the point, actually. Perhaps it's a kind of meta-booking, aiding a layer to the match for us smarks.

At the end of the day, I think HHH puts his ego away for the betterment of the business. That's probably an outlandish stance considering the litany of things he did, but I think he understands the business more than we give him credit for.

 

[Muffin Top Merkley]

I believe it all is credited to the tombstone by triple H. Others and I absolutely believed at that moment that Tue streak was over.

It wasn't the first time 'Taker has been hit by that move, and it won't be the last.

Not for one second did I EVER believe HHH to be a legit threat to the streak and that is probably the biggest reason that the match was a let down in my eyes.

When HBK and the Undertaker wrestled their first match, I went in with the mentality that although Shawn's career didn't need it, with everything that he has been able to accomplish, if ANYONE could end the streak, it would be him.

IF HHH and 'Taker went for a third match, I'd buy into it more if 'Taker's career was also on the line. We all know The Undertaker's career is near its end, and can be assumed that once he hits 20-0, he can retire. Having that thought, would bring a lot to the match.

 

[The Brain]

I don't think the match itself was anything special. I think the entire purpose of the match was to make Taker look vulnerable and have him escape with the steak in tact by the skin of his teeth giving us the impresstion that maybe the streak could soon end.

 

[The Brain]

I think WM 28 could do fine without Taker this year.

Agreed

Shameless plug for an old thread of mine explaining why

http://forums.wrestlezone.com/showthread.php?t=163292

 

[keehlnate]

Although I agree that WM 28 could be fine without Undertaker, but I still want to see him. One match a year in wrestlemania is not too much to ask.

 

[Mighty NorCal]

I'm not as confident in HHH's humility as you are. He hijacked Punk's angle this summer for the purpose of getting himself over. I love HHH, but there is no limit to what he'll do to stroke his ego. I won't be able to stop worrying about him breaking the streak until Taker beats him.

Maybe that's the point, actually. Perhaps it's a kind of meta-booking, aiding a layer to the match for us smarks.

My goodness...are we STILL doing this? Old habits die hard....

 

[Pay Per Ghost]

It isn't a classic, but the storytelling was startling, there were some points in the match that surely made people contemplate that the Streak was ending. And, I did mark-out for the moment below:

[youtube]u8ZsHFZn4ng&feature=related[/youtube]

I was scared the way Hunter dropped him right on his head. Seemed like 'Taker's skull got the full brunt of that impact.

I do wanna see Taker at 'Mania just wouldn't be the same without him to be honest. He heals up the entire year for one show and that's good enough.


Also, I really don't get the 'Hunter shamelessly got the rub from Punk' argument. The guy came in the storyline as COO, Punk was in his James Dean mode, it made complete sense. They should've kept teasing them coming to blows over the weeks and then maybe gone on to a match at Survivor Series.

If anything it ended prematurely and now Hunter is stuck with Nash.

 

[klunderbunker]

It isn't a classic, but the storytelling was startling, there were some points in the match that surely made people contemplate that the Streak was ending. And, I did mark-out for the moment below:

[youtube]u8ZsHFZn4ng&feature=related[/youtube]

See that's the problem: I never thought the Streak was in danger in that match. Not once. On every near fall I didn't even move an inch. Especially the Tombstone. With Taker, unless your name is Kane, it's a running joke that Tombstone doesn't work on him. Everyone either counters it or he kicks out of it. I don't get why that one was such a big deal. In the first Shawn match, there were moments where I was literally on the edge of my bed and about to lose my mind from the drama of it.

 

[Smartie]

I'm sorry but this match wasn't anything special, And It couldn't be because after the previous year, It was obvious that Streak won't end.

The match itself was relatively predictable. Yes the Tombstone was cool but rest of it, was seen before. Rest of it was a couple of cool spots that we could expect from both Taker and HHH. Hell I even think Taker didn't do his dive-out that was a prominent part of his WM routine.

 

[Aeon Mathix]

Match was not that great but that was expected. Undertaker vs Shawn Michaels at Mania 25 is not as good as it's made out to be either. Not one time did I think the streak would end at either one of their matches. Really Undertaker's matches with HHH and HBK followed the same formula. Big spot, rest, big spot, rest, dramatic kickouts etc.

Taker and HBK at Mania 25 was a damn good match until the botched spot with Taker's dive over the top rope. Then after that both Shawn and Taker just went straight to the finisher, kickout routine. But hey its Undertaker vs Shawn Michaels. They could have went out and played a game of candy land and people would have said it was the best match ever. I personally think their Mania 26 match was the overall better match from a wrestling stand point. Everyone knew Shawn would retire, but we all knew at Mania 25 that he wasn't going to win.

 

[Uncle Sam]

I'm of the opinion that both CM Punk versus Randy Orton and Cody Rhodes versus Rey Mysterio on the same card were better matches. It's unfortunate that they didn't have weeks of video packages following on, putting their matches over.

 

[Daniel]

How good that match was depends on whether you felt The Undertaker's was in any danger in that match.

I knew that the streak wouldn't end throughout the entire build-up. But when Triple H hit the Tombstone Piledriver, the rational and analytical part of my brain stopped working for about two seconds. I was convinced the streak was going to end. That brief moment alone makes it a great match for me.

 

[Lee]

I like storytelling. This match more than exceeded my expectations and in my eyes, it's a classic.

This. I couldn't care less if it has high spots, logical wrestling or anything. If a match makes me go "awww shit" then it's a good match.