The Finish and Aftermath of Taker vs. Triple H Made Me Wet

[Coco]

Anyone else? Or are you all doing that Internet Wanker thing I predicted you would?

 

[ABMorales787]

Take a wild guess.

 

[Coco]

Yeah, but you're one of the head Internet Wankers.

 

[ABMorales787]

So it should be easy to know then.

 

[Vega]

The beginning was very good and I agree, the finish and post-match scene was great. I still think the Gate wasn't properly applied, it looked like Taker just pressed Trips' head on his crotch. I didn't like the 20 minutes where they were just laying around, with four finishers by Triple H and four kickouts by Undertaker in between, because you know, kicking out of finishers apparently makes a match awesome. Ridiculous, but overall solid. Not bad, not great.

 

[Coco]

I'm still trying to figure out how finisher-kickoutery makes a match "old school."

 

[Барбоса]

I mean how dare a match attempt to tell a story?

 

[ABMorales787]

I mean how dare a match attempt to tell a story?

And the same one as last year to boot.

 

[Shocky]

Guys want to end the Streak, and since the Streak is only at Wrestlemania, then yes it is the same story as last year. So what?

 

[ABMorales787]

Guys want to end the Streak, and since the Streak is only at Wrestlemania, then yes it is the same story as last year. So what?

The "stay down" part and beaten to the point of undisputed defeat? Couldn't they just do the same spot from WM 17 to end it? Seemed far better.

 

[Remix]

Because it's impossible to tell a good story without multiple kickouts?

'Taker's wrestlemania matches of late have degraded into spotfests and they're universally praised for it. There is litterally nothing to them other than big spots spaced out by both men having a lie down. Just stop, 'Taker. Leave the memories alone and just hang up the boots.

 

[Барбоса]

And the same one as last year to boot.

The "ending the streak" story was there but it certainly was not the same match story as last year.

 

[Lion's Sacrifice]

I love how people get pissed for them laying down for a minute or two in this match. Same thing with Michaels matches. Since when was telling a story lost? The guys were beating the hell out of each other and you want them to get right back up? lol whatever. I loved the whole thing, and the ending and aftermath were icing on the cake.

 

[Vega]

Like some guy in the LD hinted, with a little creativity you could make something truly memorable without dozens of kickouts, like:
- late in the match, both men laying, slowly standing up simultaneously and dazed
- Shawn storms into the ring, they look at each other, Shawn superkicks Taker
- Trips stands there baffled for some seconds, tries to go for the pin
- Shawn superkicks Trips, pins Taker and counts 1-2-3 by himself
- Shawn jumps up celebrates in the ring, Trips gets up, furiously pedigrees Shawn
- Trips turns around into a Tombstone - 1-2-3

 

[Барбоса]

Like some guy in the LD hinted, with a little creativity you could make something truly memorable without dozens of kickouts, like:
- late in the match, both men laying, slowly standing up simultaneously and dazed
- Shawn storms into the ring, they look at each other, Shawn superkicks Taker
- Trips stands there baffled for some seconds, tries to go for the pin
- Shawn superkicks Trips, pins Taker and counts 1-2-3 by himself
- Shawn jumps up celebrates in the ring, Trips gets up, furiously pedigrees Shawn
- Trips turns around into a Tombstone - 1-2-3

What would be the point of all of that is HBK was not going to return to have a match with HHH?

HHH/Taker told a great story, taking everything we know about the Streak and turning up the amperes. With his previous 18 matches and in particular the two contests with HBK, it was suggested that Taker might be unbeatable at Wrestlemania.

Last night it was proven by highlighting the unnatural resilience of the Dead Man. Even though he could not stand and barely move under his own power, something supernatural enabled him to not only kick out time and again but to force one of the modern day greats tap out

 

[Shocky]

The HBk involvement scenario is just so out of touch. No purpose whatsoever.

 

[Remix]

Or alternatively when HHH went for the tombstone, Taker reverses it (possibly onto a steel chair put down by Hunter with the intention of piledriving 'Taker onto it), hoisting HHH by his own petard to end the match.

Working end sequence in this case:

Triple H hits the pedegree, but doesn't pin. Gets a chair uses it a few times then puts it down.
Throatslash as 'Taker slowly gets up
HHH lifts 'Taker up for the Tombstone. and moves towards the chair
'Taker reverses the Tombstone into one of his own and hits it on the chair.

1-2-3 -> 19-0

 

[Smooth Sexual Chocolate]

After trips hit the Tombstone I was second guessing the streak, suspended disbelief = success.

 

[Барбоса]

Or alternatively when HHH went for the tombstone, Taker reverses it (possibly onto a steel chair put down by Hunter with the intention of piledriving 'Taker onto it), hoisting HHH by his own petard to end the match.

Working end sequence in this case:

Triple H hits the pedegree, but doesn't pin. Gets a chair uses it a few times then puts it down.
Throatslash as 'Taker slowly gets up
HHH lifts 'Taker up for the Tombstone. and moves towards the chair
'Taker reverses the Tombstone into one of his own and hits it on the chair.

1-2-3 -> 19-0

Opening the doors to accusations of copying the end of Orton/Taker...

 

[Remix]

Opening the doors to accusations of copying the end of Orton/Taker...

They were going to get shat on for something anyway (case and point: this thread), but it's an ending that makes sence and tells a story (HHH could have beaten 'Taker if he'd gone for the pin, rather than the tombstone) without becoming a full blown finisherfest.

 

[Coco]

After trips hit the Tombstone I was second guessing the streak, suspended disbelief = success.

Pretty much. They were selling the beating Trips put on Taker pretty hard leading up to that, with the "stay down" thing somewhat similar to the end of last year's match. I bought it for a minute.

Triple H being unable to defeat Taker even while Taker was on death's doorstep was pretty sweet.

 

[Vega]

The HBk involvement scenario is just so out of touch. No purpose whatsoever.

What would be the point of all of that is HBK was not going to return to have a match with HHH?

HHH / Taker just screams for HBK if you ask me. When he hits the ring, you'd have to ask what happens. When superkicking Taker, you'd have to think this could end the streak, no matter what. When turning on Trips as well, you'd see the purpose - not friendship, but still nagging pride. It would make sense if you ask me. And don't try to tell me Shawn pinning Taker at this Mania wouldn't be a picture for the history books. It would've also fit with the interaction on the last RAW episode, where HBK stood in the middle of them and doubted Trips' chances.

At least that would be the stand out moment of this Mania, something to remember.

Rock hitting the Rock Bottom? Set-up for future match, I doubt it will be a big deal in the end and wasn't totally surprising.

 

[Shocky]

I thought back to Austin/Rock 3 mostly during this match. The similarities were moreso with that match then last year. The undertaker sold the hell out of a beating of a lifetime, and I legit thought for sure it was done after the tombstone by HHH.

 

[Big Nick Dudley]

This was great. I know those with attention deficit issues were probably upset over the amount of resting, but I thought it worked. This match told a story and was a hell of a lot better than the feud leading up to it.

 

[The Bearded One]

After trips hit the Tombstone I was second guessing the streak, suspended disbelief = success.

Exactly. I had a blast throughout much of the show because I didn't allow my smarkdom to take over. We need to stop watching with a criticizing eye and watch wrestling (or sports entertainment) the way we used to when we were kids and enjoy the product.