Rewatched The Undertaker vs. Batista from Wrestlemania 23

[jmt225]

And I must say, I think it's better than The Undertaker's match against Shawn Michaels from Wrestlemania 25.

I hadn't watched the Taker/Batista match since Wrestlemania 23 was first released on DVD. I really dug it then, but rewatching it last night I came to appreciate it even more.

When the WWE Network first started up, I randomly turned on the live feed and they were airing Wrestlemania 25 and the Undertaker/Shawn Michaels match was just about to start, so I decided to watch it again. It too was my first time watching it since Wrestlemania 25 was released on DVD.

And while I still enjoyed the HBK/Taker match, let's be honest... it's only good because Taker nearly killed himself on the suicide dive, and also because of the cheap false finishes. I call them cheap because the kicking out of multiple finishers is a very cheap way to pop a crowd on a false finish, something Wrestlemania matches have become riddled with the past few years. It also deludes fans into thinking a match is better than it is.

Rewatching Batista vs. Undertaker last night... I was blown away how fast paced it was, how fucking aggressive Batista was all throughout the match, and how he put Taker on the defensive the whole time, beating the shit out of him and doing things he'd never done before to win the match, letting the fans know there was nothing he wouldn't do to win it. And Taker ate it all and delivered the punishment right back whenever he could. There was no long breathers throughout the match, nor did Batista have to kick out of the Tombstone to get that cheap pop. Fuck, the crowd thought Batista was done after a chokeslam. When a match is that fast paced and hard hitting, especially between two guys as big as Batista and Taker, it feels like the match can end at any second.

Also, the suicide dive in this match was every bit as impressive as the one in the Michaels match, strictly because of Batista's selling of it. Batista did a whole backwards roll after getting nailed with that thing. It was incredible and actually made the move look effective. Batista's selling period was superb all throughout the match.

Anyways, I'm not trying to be "cool" by expressing what will be a very minority opinion, but I was just really impressed with that match last night, much more impressed than I was rewatching Taker/HBK a few months ago. Check it out if it's been a long while since you last watched it (or especially if for some reason you've never seen it) and see if you can appreciate where I'm coming from.

 

[Good Golly It's Ollie]

Fair enough man if that's what you feel. You backed that opinion up, so kudos obviously. I still prefer Shawn/Taker II myself for the ending and Taker just being like lightning for so much of the match.

I think main event Batista is underrated by a lot of people though, his showmanship and crowd-working is damn good at times

 

[Blade]

Eh. They're both good.

 

[Uncle Sam]

I pointed out at the time that the first Michaels match was basically finisher, rest break, finisher, rest break, finisher, rest break, etc. etc. With the second Michaels match, and the two Triple H matches, this just got more and more extreme and ridiculous. This is why the CM Punk match is comfortably the best out of the last half dozen Undertaker matches, why the crowd was so flat for the Lesnar match, and why the crowd was in shock at The Undertaker losing to a mere three finishers.

The Batista match is indeed pretty good.

 

[Big Nick Dudley]

I'll take story over a quick pace any day of the week. Still, that was a really good match.

 

[ABMorales787]

Batista had better mystique at the time than Shawn Michaels, since he pretty much chewed up anyone and didn't lose unless it was a stupid screw job at the time. He was a top star at the time and there was reason to see why him breaking the streak would be good as opposed to Mr. Wrestlemania who happens to have a pretty lousy track record despite his namesake.

 

[MrHashasheen]

I'm with you on preferring the Batista match, but that shit was my bread and butter during my formative years as a fan.

 

[jmt225]

I'll take story over a quick pace any day of the week. Still, that was a really good match.

What was the story in the first HBK/Taker match?

 

[Nate DaMac]

I always thought the Taker/HHH match at WM27 got a bad rap. Sure it was finisher after finisher, but it's really the only time I've ever felt like someone was actually throwing EVERYTHING they could at him in order to beat him. Triple H Pedigreed him like 3 times, Tombstoned him, even hit him in the head with a chair. It was the only time I've ever seen the idea that Taker has some sort of power to not be defeated at Mania put into play in a match.

 

[Big Nick Dudley]

What was the story in the first HBK/Taker match?

The first time someone went after The Streak with nothing else to gain. Shawn was the first to make a point of sacrificing everything in a match just to break The Streak.


Anyhow, I was making a larger point of how people today seem to care way too much about how quickly guys move around inside the ring.

 

[ABMorales787]

What was the story in the first HBK/Taker match?

Shawn beat JBL for his freedom, then said he wanted to make an impact at Wrestlemania due to being free so he beat Vladamir Kozlov to get the right to challenge The Undertaker. "I'm a Christian and you're like a demon", then the match.

 

[jmt225]

The first time someone went after The Streak with nothing else to gain. Shawn was the first to make a point of sacrificing everything in a match just to break The Streak.

Shawn beat JBL for his freedom, then said he wanted to make an impact at Wrestlemania due to being free so he beat Vladamir Kozlov to get the right to challenge The Undertaker. "I'm a Christian and you're like a demon", then the match.

That was the storyline, but not the story they told in the ring. The story in the ring, imo, is basically what Sam said. There was no story... just finishers.

Anyhow, I was making a larger point of how people today seem to care way too much about how quickly guys move around inside the ring.

I can respect that, but as long as they're selling properly then I very much appreciate a fast paced match, especially between two huge guys like Batista and The Undertaker. Batista's two matches against Cena were also fast paced and awesome.

 

[The Holy One]

So per your suggestion jmt, I went onto the WWE Network (which you can get for 9.99 btw) and watched both the WM23 and WM25 matches and I actually liked the 23 match better. Of course, I never thought the 25 match was the Holy Grail of the Streak anyway. Unlike Michaels, I think Batista did try everything to truly end Taker except he was about 7 years too early for his attacks to have any effect. I find the entire Taker/Batista feud pretty good including the Last Man Standing match and the Hell In A Cell.

 

[The Brain]

I find myself liking the WM25 match less and less as time goes by. Like most I thought it was incredible at the time. I was at mania and was really caught up in being in the middle of that awesome crowd. When I watch it now I see it's kind of sloppy at times. Don't get me wrong, it's still a great match but I certainly wouldn't call it the greatest match in mania history like many have. It's hard to say which match was better but I've always been high on the Taker vs. Batista match. I was at that mania too and the crowd was almost as good. I was expecting that match to be good but not as good as it was.

 

[Aeon Mathix]

Not surprising considering that Undertaker vs Michaels match is the most overrated match in history. It's a good match until Taker botches his dive, then they just went into the lame finisher kickout finisher sequence. Almost like saying oh shit Taker almost killed himself, we better improvise the finish after that 5 minute stall. I never once bought the streak as in jeopardy in that match. Batista was the last one I thought would end it.

 

[Kodo Sawaki]

In terms of storyline no(not storyline in ring, just storyline overall where Batista and Undertaker just fought because of title and it was far more personal and emotional in Michaels/Taker storyline even if it was just about "The Streak"), in terms of a match yes, it may even be better match then Taker/ Shawn. Batista was and is injury prone but yes, he is heavily underated in the eyes of IWC. He was pretty good worker back then(still is but was little rusty when he comed back and needed little time to adjust) and was arguably no2 guy in company and someone who lead Smackdown as much as Cena lead RAW. Heck, if he wasnt so "injury prone" (and some other factors as quick rise of John Cena), after 2005 he could be no1 guy in company. Didnt think it was necessery of him to brake "The Streak" especially at the time Undertaker still had few good years on him and fought on Smackdown week after week instead of one appereance a year but it was pretty good match.

 

[Mighty NorCal]

Nah, your right though.


This and the Orton one from 21 were truly the best two. Really not even close, as well.

 

[The Butcher]

Maybe I'm the only one that thinks it's up there or maybe WWE did too good a job nullifying it, but Taker/Haitch at X-7 is one of the best Undertaker 'Mania matches.

 

[Stormtrooper]

Maybe I'm the only one that thinks it's up there or maybe WWE did too good a job nullifying it, but Taker/Haitch at X-7 is one of the best Undertaker 'Mania matches.

Taker/HHH 1 is easily among the most underrated Taker matches. It was incredible, yet it's been forgotten. Not even just because of Taker/HHH 2 and 3, but even before then it's pretty much forgotten about because it's Biker Taker.

 

[Pay Per Ghost]

I always thought the Taker/HHH match at WM27 got a bad rap. Sure it was finisher after finisher, but it's really the only time I've ever felt like someone was actually throwing EVERYTHING they could at him in order to beat him. Triple H Pedigreed him like 3 times, Tombstoned him, even hit him in the head with a chair. It was the only time I've ever seen the idea that Taker has some sort of power to not be defeated at Mania put into play in a match.

Pretty much. I have seen this match a few times and I do think there is a genuine story being told. H threw the kitchen sink and Taker only won kinda coz Hunter was caught off guard. Good match.

Having said that I'm a big fan of the 25 match. The crowd was electric and buzzing and coming in with all the oohs and aaahhhs. It was after a long time that someone kicked outta the tombstone too and Taker sold that well with JR's "I just had an out of body experience" line sealing it. In the first few minutes it was the cliched I'm not afraid of you by Shawn and then juking and jiving and using his speed to hit and dash. It is sloppy in places but the spots are well placed for me.


WM 21 match was great. That whole PPV was solid. Was my fav Mania for a while too.