Why Undertaker and HBK 2 should NOT happen at Wrestlemania.

[It's...Baylariat!]

Common sense should tell a booker that going to the well one too many times doesn't bode well for promotions. Take the example of World Class Championship Wrestling. Besides Fritz Von Erich being a heartless bastard, the promotion was about as good as ECW was to Philadelphia. Sure the place was cursed by losing stars like Gino Hernandez or Bruiser Brody, but what they did as far as booking was a cardinal sin in wrestling... repeating angles/matches.

The first time we had the Von Erichs vs. The Freebirds, it was electric. Nothing of that kind was seen in wrestling. Some great buildup and a wonderful pay off. One problem. Once it was over, they wouldn't let it die. They put it on life support and to be honest, simply couldn't come up with better stories. So they actually tried to retread the feud WITHOUT Michael PS Hayes. As much as I dislike Hayes, he IS the Freebirds. It's like having the Four Horsemen without Ric Flair. You can't do it.

But WCCW did, and it ended up causing fans to lose interest even more than they did once the fans realized that the Von Erichs were not who they seemed to be.

How does this tie in with HBK/Taker. Well, they're both from Texas. Kidding. Doing a match at Wrestlemania AGAIN spells desperation and disaster. Lightning does not strike twice in the WWE, unless you're Hogan or DX. And we're talking about a feud, not a person or faction. Bottom line is, HBK/Taker from last year was awesome. And to attempt to repeat that benefits NOBODY. What if HBK wins? Doesn't matter, because maybe he caught Taker on an off night, because Taker beat HBK before. Or what if Taker wins? Wow, Taker beats the same guy again. His streak means crap if he's beating the same people time in and time out, and maybe HBK is washed up. See, no benefits from either parties.

Now, here's what they should do instead.

HBK vs. HHH. And here's how it would go down.

Before the Royal Rumble, have DX drop the tag belts. Fuck them, they don't need them. Give them to the Hart Dynasty. It'll be a nice way for Hart to get some momentum back by screwing someone like HHH instead of HBK.

You have HBK and HHH going into the Royal Rumble. What you do is have HHH, HBK, and a random guy left in the Rumble. Preferably Cena. What happens is As HHH goes to eliminate Cena, he turns around and is met with Sweet Chin Music, which eliminates him. HHH is dumbfounded, and HBK says he's sorry. Cena attacks HBK from behind and nearly has HBK over the ropes, then HHH pulls a Hulk Hogan and pulls HBK out of the ring, eliminating him from the match. Cena wins the Rumble. HBK and HHH argue about what happened. Then HHH snaps, pedigrees HBK on the floor, and yells at him for focusing on Taker and not DX, then says, "See ya at Wrestlemania, Shawn."

Then you have HBK come out on Raw, cut a heartfelt promo about HHH and how HBK didn't want this to happen and feels that maybe his time's running out. So he challenges HHH at Wrestlemania and says if I lose, my career's over. Instant buys.

There's my idea for what should happen instead of HBK/Taker Part Deux. What do you guys think? Am I nuts? Exactly right? Would you want to see this match again?

 

[Coco]

While I agree that Taker-Michaels is the wrong move (mostly because I want Cena vs. Orton, perhaps even for Taker's belt), I'm not sure I'm wild about Michaels vs. Triple H. We saw it bunches of times between 2002 and 2004 and it REALLY clicked... maybe twice. It's something they ran into the ground and I'm not sure I'm dying to see it again, especially with Trips as the heel just like last time. Michaels has a heel would be something though and considering how much more serious he's been than Trips in recent weeks, I think there might be a SLIGHT chance of that going down.

But in an ideal world, they would be building fresh feuds to get fresh main eventers over. Punk-HBK is such an obvious feud. Why aren't they going there? How about Triple H getting Sheamus over? I think these would be better uses of both men. Both HBK-Taker and HBK-HHH seem stale and uncalled for at this point, IMO.

I will say though that I think this Michaels-Taker talk is a bait and switch. So you will probably get your wish.

 

[Blade]

You're quite right Lariat. The Undertaker vs HBK build up leading up to Wrestlemania was pretty much just HBK going "I know I can beat him!". This year it appears the build up is just gonna be HBK "I know I can beat him.... This time!" It shouldn't work and WWE shouldn't get away with trying to make it work.

Are WWE trying to cling to the notion that they can put on a great wrestling match by having a rematch of MOTY from 2009 and hoping that the same magic can be recreated this time around? The same magic won't be recreated this time around, it won't be as good. Shawn Michaels kicking out of a god damn Tombstone Piledriver. They really can't top the marking out that kicking out of the Tombstone caused without doing something just ridiculous. Michaels kicking out of the Tombstone was a big damn deal and I'm pretty sure him and Kane are the only ones who have ever done it. And Michaels isn't exactly the monster that Kane was in 1998. So yeah, I don't think they can really top that without the match just being stupid. They pulled off Kane taking 3 Tombstones because it worked. They can't do anything like that with Michaels.... The Wrestlemania 25 match cannot be topped.

Triple H vs Shawn Michaels in a retirement match would be a much bigger draw than a repeat match, because anything could happen in that match. Whereas, Michaels ending Undertaker's streak would be stupid. Triple H and Michaels have been not feuding long enough for it to be somewhat exciting if they made the match for Mania. It's been what, over 5 years? That's plenty of time to reignite an old feud with the new retirement twist. I'm desperately hoping that it'll happen. I don't want to see Michaels vs Undertaker again and I don't want to see Triple H in the WWE title match again.

 

[tehblogger]

Yeah. Um, this would be ******ed. There isn't actually any excuse for going back to the same old storyline as last Mania, apart from just lazy-ass booking. I can't really see this happening, though. Michaels should really be involved with Hart in some way - and I don't see his retirement match with HHH being until next year, or possibly the year after. Meh. I really hope they don't. It would suck. And there's no way HBK is going to break the streak, he just isn't. No one is, unless the next Lesnar turns up (and sure as hell that ain't Sheamus).

On the Taker side of things, it's not as if he's exactly short of opponents. The obvious one, of course, is Jericho, assuming as we must that Edge isn't going to be back for Mania (although this isn't a cert: I always think WWE tends to oversell slightly the extent of legit injuries so it's a bona fide surprise for everyone when that wrestler comes back "early"). I figure Y2J kind of deserves his time in the spotlight against Taker before he spends most of 2010 putting over Morrison etc, as I think he probably will. That could perfectly easily be the title match, or they could put the belt on Batista and maybe have him in a triple threat with Mysterio and Morrison.

 

[avi01]

I am against Taker-Michaels rematch and hope there is some twist that will prevent that from happening. I`ll remember last year`s match as one of the best Wrestlemania matches ever. They are both fantastic performers but I doubt they`ll be able to top that, let alone be on par. I think they should just leave it as it is or at least leave it for another wrestlemania(maybe Taker`s or Michaels` last).

Besides I would hate to see the streak end but I don`t see Michaels loosing again.

I think Taker-Cena would be a good alternative.

Michaels should be involve in the Hart-Vince saga...something like that. Or why not use the whole Hart-Michaels reconciliation thing to turn HHH heel and have HBK vs. HHH at Wrestlemania. Now that would be great. I think having those 2 matches would be much better than having another Taker-Michaels that will probably remain in the shadow of their last match. meh

 

[rko57]

Im thinking either HBK/Orton at WM26, or HBK/HHH. I've been thinking of maybe HHH getting pissed that HBK doesn't care about DX anymore and he's tired of hearing HBK calling out Undertaker. As for Orton, maybe Shawn winning the Rumble or a #1 Contenders match at Elimination Chamber while Orton wins at Rumble and retains at Elimination Chamber.

As for Undertaker, I can see him facing John Cena. The Streak vs. The Face of the WWE. Yeah, no matter how much ya'll dont like Cena, ya'll have to admit this would be a HUGE match for the WWE, and I can see this one happening instead.

Undertaker/Michaels was classic. Undertaker/Michaels II could be done again and still be a good match, but I dont know if it should be at WrestleMania. Just like Angle/Michaels II was done at Vengeance in 2005, the match was still amazing. But then again, I dont know what the point in a feud for Undertaker/Michaels would be if not at WrestleMania unless they were both on the same brands...

 

[classicviolence]

I agree with another poster said, Taker v HBK is a swerve.

I think that WWE should go with the Cena v Taker WM match because Cena needs a real big time match and this would fit that bill. The build-up and match would change Cena's career and it will be a refreshing spin on the John Cena character.

HBK needs to wrestle a very solid up and comer. John Morrisson or CM Punk would be great WM matches for HBK and another good way of solidifying those two wrestlers. I would like to see HHH do something different then put himself in the F'N WWE title match. HHH could go on to fight Edge, Show, Batista, Swagger anybody else to bring up and make them look credible against the "Bosses Son".

 

[AutumnHeartBreak]

I don't really think that the creative is that stupid to book Taker Vs Michaels 2 back to back on Wrestlemania. But then again they let hornswoggle run around and get more TV time than other guys that are more deserving so I could be wrong. I think the whole point of this HBK-Taker was to bring taker to RAW and maybe plant the seed for Cena vs Taker. I highly doubt that HBk's going to wrestle a singles match since he's part of the tag team champions and I don't see them dropping the titles anytime soon.

 

[Razor]

I agree, Lariat. It's like we're really good posters or something.

Taker/HBK just breeds laziness. Taker/HBK will also lead to Cena/Orton and Triple H/Legacy or something so tired and unoriginal it'll make me cry a long and depressed sigh.

While your idea of HHH/HBK is a good one, since it hasn't been done in a long while (A rarity these days, it would seem), I don't think I'm all for it. HHH/HBK would have a great buildup, but I think I like HBK in a "I want to win the WWE title, and if I don't at WM, I quit" angle. Have Orton win the title this Rumble, and bam. Orton/HBK. You're welcome. HBK can even lose, and leave us alone for 5 years before he comes hobbling back to yell at Orton some more.

HBK/Taker being nixed as I want it to be would open up Cena/Taker, which I would love to see. It's that sort of mystique that we don't get from a Taker Mania Streak match. Cena has what, another 10 years in a company? And that's being conservative. Cena could very well win and break Taker's streak, using it to push himself along to epic levels of awesome. Or Taker could win, putting down yet another main event opponent to help boost his streak until a new comer (Cough*SWAGGER*Cough) comes along and breaks the streak. No one really, honestly believed HBK would win. However, people can be convinced Cena can win.

Cena/Taker and HBK/Orton would leave Bret/McMahon with Trips as ref, Kofi to win MITB, and possibly a Jericho/Edge rematch if my perceived hopes of a Edge Rumble return and a Jericho title win come to fruition. Batista and Mysterio can have a random match that I don't give a shit about, because I don't give a shit about the two of them anyway.

In short, I agree that HHH/HBK would be better than HBK/Taker. However, I feel that HBK/Orton and Cena/Taker would be a better use of our superstars.

 

[VintageWWE]

I too agree that HBK/Taker is a swreve. I don't see why WWE would want to have the two of them go at it again. Taker has nothing to gain from it and I don't see Taker losing at Wrestlemania. It worked the first time because it's a fresh idea but if it happens again there will definatley not be as much anticipation for the match. What I think will happen is that Taker will say on the next Raw that if he wants to face him at Wrestlemania he will have to win the Rumble. Then during he Rumble Shawn eliminates Triple H and then is eliminated himself by whoever is left.

 

[JoeyDice420]

Yea i agree with lariato,they should not do this match again,Maybe if it was for the World title,but will taker have it that long?..and let us hope that cena doesnt win this years rumble...

 

[Genius_Deadman]

that would kill the momentum and be a huge contradicting swerve if Bret did that. i think they'll tease it like they are now with HBK challenging and Taker might accept it, but it'll change somehow. the Rumble still has to happen. what if Cena wins it and wants to fight Taker for it, even after HBK challenges him? i think that'll most likely happen, the winner of the Rumble will challenge Taker

 

[WRESTLING_GENIUS]

You guys are crazy yo, Im a Wrestling Genius and i think that HBK vs Undertaker rematch would be great only if they still have Undertaker as the World Champion and HBK wins the Rumble for thid time tieing Austin, You see guysUndertaker has never ever gone into Wrestlemaina as A CHAMPION and that isa fact, now have Taker as Champion vs HBK te Royal Rumble winner, and DUB it THE REMATCH... I mean for me aker as Champion going into Wrestlemania is the only ting Taker has left to do in his Wrestlemania Career, The only person Taker needs to face other than this match is John Cena, or Chris Jericho and Im hoping Edge comes back in time for Mania so Jericho can have a good opponent othe than three old guys that can barely move(even tho Steambot impressed the hell out of me last year) but really Taker doesnt hjave many good optios left ill go down the list of people hehas beaten in Wrestlemania before close this out(WM7:Jimmy Snuka,WM8:Jake "The Snake" Roberts,WM9:Giant Gonzalez,WM11:King Kong Bundy,WM12iseal Kevin Nash,WM13:WWF Champion Psyco Sid,WM14:Kane,WM15:Big Bossman Hell in a cell,WM17:Triple H, WM18:Ric Flair,Wm19:Big show & Albert Handicap Match,WM20:Kane(rematch),WM21:Randy Orton,WM22:Mark Henry Casket Match,WM23:World Champion Batista,WM24:World Champion Edge,WM25:HBK,WM26:HBK(THE REMATCH),Chris Jericho(If Edge doesnt make it back in time),or eventis would be good REY MYSTERIO and Undertaker for the first time is the World Champion in each of these matches. What do yall think....

 

[Mitch Henessey]

You guys are crazy yo, Im a Wrestling Genius and i think that HBK vs Undertaker rematch would be great only if they still have Undertaker as the World Champion and HBK wins the Rumble for thid time tieing Austin, You see guysUndertaker has never ever gone into Wrestlemaina as A CHAMPION and that isa fact, now have Taker as Champion vs HBK te Royal Rumble winner, and DUB it THE REMATCH... I mean for me aker as Champion going into Wrestlemania is the only ting Taker has left to do in his Wrestlemania Career, The only person Taker needs to face other than this match is John Cena, or Chris Jericho and Im hoping Edge comes back in time for Mania so Jericho can have a good opponent othe than three old guys that can barely move(even tho Steambot impressed the hell out of me last year) but really Taker doesnt hjave many good optios left ill go down the list of people hehas beaten in Wrestlemania before close this out(WM7:Jimmy Snuka,WM8:Jake "The Snake" Roberts,WM9:Giant Gonzalez,WM11:King Kong Bundy,WM12iseal Kevin Nash,WM13:WWF Champion Psyco Sid,WM14:Kane,WM15:Big Bossman Hell in a cell,WM17:Triple H, WM18:Ric Flair,Wm19:Big show & Albert Handicap Match,WM20:Kane(rematch),WM21:Randy Orton,WM22:Mark Henry Casket Match,WM23:World Champion Batista,WM24:World Champion Edge,WM25:HBK,WM26:HBK(THE REMATCH),Chris Jericho(If Edge doesnt make it back in time),or eventis would be good REY MYSTERIO and Undertaker for the first time is the World Champion in each of these matches. What do yall think....

Okay, out of all that, I'm going to pick out the part where you suggest Shawn should win the Rumble. There is no way in hell that would happen. First of all, I don't think someone would tie Austin. Just like like Taker's streak, it's something sacred, and will probably be a bar that Vince won't let people reach. Shawn winning the Rumble wouldn't make any sense because then not only will have won the Rumble, the match with Taker would probably be the main event. Now that's the only way I see this match going beyond the very high standards WWE held their first encounter to.

HHH VS Shawn does make more sense. DX will likely split up soon. I can see WWE doing a storyline, where Shawn gets pissed at HHH for bringing him back, and this would be a golden premise for a match at Mania. I know these two have faced off a before, but it's never happened at Mania.

 

[Rokitka]

I'd be shocked if Triple H and Shawn Michaels aren't two of the last three remaining participants in the rumble. If not for the purpose of one of them turning, then for DX > You purposes.

I really can't see DX continuing as a tag team leading up to Wrestlemania, so whether they break up to face off against eachother or seperate opponents, I see it ending at the Rumble. I do enjoy your idea though, Mr L.

 

[smagfx]

I personally wouldnt want to see either Taker/HBK or HHH/HBK.
Simple fact: For Taker to beat HBK in two years straight means nothing. It doesn't further either career. Well all know (whether we believe it is another thing) that taker will win at wrestlemania. Vince wouldn't have started a 17 year winning streak to end it because he thinks 'why not'. Both these guys have fought countless times and quite frankly last years mania match was what I remember wrestling being. It was a classic and it should be left alone.

HHH/HBK: Still not over how many bleedin' times I had to watch every other PPV with these two fighting with a new stipulation for the match. Hell in a cell, street fight, last man standing and to have one match at wrestlemania would, to me, not really be anything special. Unless it was something ridiculous like a Last Man Standing Street Fight inside a Hell in a Cell, (something I will claim credit for when TNA do this).

In saying all of this though, who can Taker face, he's gone through all the top guys at the moment with the exception of Cena, Jericho, Punk. Lets face it, Jericho is being sidelined till Elimination Chamber to find out if Edge will make it to Mania or not. A match with Punk would be a squash thus leaving Cena. I dont know about you guys but Cena vs Taker sounds like a pretty sweet match, imagine the crowd reaction to Cena.

 

[italyanstallyan]

I would only want HBK/Taker II if it's for the World Heavyweight Championship and HBK wins it. I'd also have Jericho win the WWE Championship and bring it to SmackDown so the WHC is on Raw and the WWE Title is on SmackDown. That's how HBK and Taker could top last year's match. If this doesn't happen, I'd be fine with a HBK vs HHH match, but I'd want Shawn to win as Triple H has beaten him too many times in the past.

 

[CorporateLewis]

yes i agree, they should not try to out do themselves. Instead, i would like to see Triple H vs Shawn vs Orton (C)

 

[Jack-Hammer]

I've got no real problem with Taker/HBK II because it'll be a great match in my opinion. When it all comes down to it, I want to be entertained and these two know how to put on an entertaining match together.

I can't say that I'm against the idea of doing this match because we don't know what the WWE is going to do. To say that it's lazy booking on the WWE's part is pure speculation at this point. Taker's appearance on Raw next week could provide some clues as to how the WWE is going to go about this. Just because the two are having another match doesn't automatically mean that it's going to be exactly like the last one or that it's automatically not going to be as good as the last one. HBK might cost the Undertaker the WHC at the Royal Rumble and give this upcoming match more of a personal feel about it. If that happens, the match becomes about revenge and bragging rights for the Undertaker. The match at WM might be for the WHC. It might be a retirement match. It might be an iron man match. It might be a falls count anywhere match. There are lots of ways in which this can turn out to be a very interesting feud for WM.

I know that asking to not jump the gun and shit all over anything that the WWE does before we even know how they're going to do goes against the nature of some posters, but I just don't get all the negativity surrounding this match.

 

[JayBriscoe2010]

yes i agree, they should not try to out do themselves. Instead, i would like to see Triple H vs Shawn vs Orton (C)

Hell no to a triple threat, that's been done to death at Mania. I got a gut feeling it's gonna be HBK/3H and Taker/Cena which along with Bret/Vince is a sweet card. I REALLY REALLY dont want 3H or Cena to win The Rumble,been there done that. I wouldn't object to 3H/HBK at WM because it hasn't been done at Mania and at all in a few years. As long as Shameless looses the Title soon we could also have a Taker/Sheamus Match at WM, I wouldn't want it but I could see it. For Shameless to go over Cena and presumably Orton at RR only to drop it to 3H at WM would be some egotistical bullshit! The next 4-6 weeks should be some fun tv!

 

[Kanye South]

I completely agree. HBK/Taker has no benefits. The match will be shitty, because they would just try to re-enact their WrestleMania 25 match, thus resulting in a spot-fest. Another reason is that there are no possible exciting outcomes. If Michaels wins, yay, but it would be pointless because he, at the most, will be retiring in 3 years. Plus it would be looked at as a fluke because Taker beat him a year ago. The match everyone wants to see is Cena vs. Taker and Vince knows it. It's the last money match The Undertaker can have. Triple H can put over Sheamus in some way. You don't know how hard it was for me not to make a gay sex joke just now. Shawn can somehow be involved in Bret vs. Vince. I don't care as long as he's not in a match with Undertaker.

 

[Miko]

Yeah I agree, they shouldnt have another match at WrestleMania, the first match was good, not exactly the classic I was expecting considering the rave reviews it's got from everybody. I reckon these two can do better, only problem is having another match does nothing for anybody.

Dont get me wrong, I am not the kind of fan that has to see the point in everything, not everymatch should be used to get some nobody over etc. but Taker/HBK 2 can have 2 outcomes, it makes HBK look weak because he just cant beat Taker, or it ruins the winning streak, giving the honour of ending it to a guy who's not going to be around for much longer and who is at best, a jobber to the champions.

Something new please WWE, Taker/Cena, Taker/Jericho, Taker/Punk fuck do Taker/Sheamus if you have too but not Taker/HBK.

 

[Lancer]

Once I heard that HBK / Undertaker II is pretty much a lock at this point, I got kind of disappointed. One, because of the many reasons just about everyone has stated in this thread. It really benefits nobody, and the two performers will have to work that much harder to top their last match. And in the end, it will always be compared to the first encounter.

Plus, how will they top the buildup to last year's match? When Taker appeared behind Shawn at Royal Rumble and uttered the classic "Sometimes it's Hell trying to get to Heaven" line, I marked the fuck out. The weeks of buildup after that were awesome: HBK wearing the Taker attire, HBK's funeral for Taker, and of course Taker's simple yet scary promos...were all done very well. How can you top that? HBK: "I can beat him."...Taker: "A second trip to Hell" or whatever...

I agree with Lariat, give us HBK / HHH at Mania. They don't need the belts, and one of these guys needs to be a heel already. They have run their course as happy, goofy, smiling faces who play around with midgets.

Then again, Vince has been known to throw the IWC some swerves (Cena in the Rumble 2008, Christian's debut....) so maybe we will still see...

 

[straightedge martyr]

I know that not everyone wants to see HBK vs Taker part 2. But IMO the build up to their first match was one of the most creative feuds in recent years.

Heaven vs Hell

It kept me hooked while i was watching, and if you possibly throw in the WHC on top of that... Well i'd pay to see WM just on that match alone. And as to neither man gaining from the match, well i think HBK winning match of the year 3 times in a row wold be a great feat.

Lets face it. Neither of them have that many WM's left, and i know WWE creative isn't going to lets this feud go yet, not with the build up they already started.

You may not want to see it now, but i have a feeling that once they're gone; the heaven vs hell feud will be a highlight of their careers, and we will want to have seen more.

 

[italyanstallyan]

How about Shawn Michaels vs Triple H vs Undertaker? That could be an excellent match and it would be different than last year's.