Wrestlemania 28: Undertaker vs. Triple H - Hell in a Cell

[MrGameTime]

For me this match im fearful that im going to be dissapointed.

I had a rough idea as soon as this angle started that HBK was to get involved, as in they have to add spices to the mix in order to shake things up from being a repeat of WM27... so in comes hell in a cell and HBK as a Ref.

There was a guy on some forum (cant remember his name) who immediantly said after seeing the raw where HHH and taker hinted for the WM rematch that it was obvious too see whats going to happen and that HBK must be added because of the recent WM's between taker and HBK and hunters relationship with him...

So this is how i see it going down you guys tell me if you agree or disagree...

Taker cannot loose there is no chance in hell it ruins everything if he does, and especailly the 20-0 dvd WWE will make millions out of, So if HHH looses something different has to happen so the way I see it, paul bearer returns with takers entrance, taker debuts new bald scary look, plenty of finishers and near falls, chairs again,sledgehammers, trips gives taker the tombstone again, taker gives trips the pedigree, shawn playing straight the whole match, trips gets out of hells gate just, trips eventually finishes taker with a pedigree... and HBK stops the count on 2, big confused staredown ...out of no where HBK superkicks Trips, both men laying in the ring taker crawls over 5 mins later to pin, shawn gives him the 3 count and walks off without saying a word... next night on RAW HBK reveals that if he couldnt beat taker then no one will. simple as that.

It is incredibly easy to see what WWE has to do here, they have to make you truly beleive that the streak is ending (even the IWC - which is a bigger task at hand), so I say go all out, Make something incredible happen, its wrestlemania for gods sake, have the match last a good 30-40 mins (will have to be fairly slow paced because of ages) then have hhh beat taker HBK counts 1,2,3 BELL RINGS, entrance hits and even have a 19-1 in lights and fireworks setup in the dark go off like crazy (similair to last time) make everyone watching beleive the streak is dead EVERYONE TRULY SHOCKED, then have someone come out (mcmahon, JL etc) and reverse a decision or something maybe that michaels picks up on I dont know im not a wwe creative member im sure they could come up with some good plan... whatever it is happens, then the decision gets reversed and to everyones suprise the match carrys on and taker somehow wins in the end with a struggle... thats my take on how it would have to go down to make a guy like me beleive..... Thoughts??????

 

[Davi323]

Not saying you're right or wrong, but one potential argument to this came out in Shawn's promo this week when he talked about the irony of how being the ref he still has the power to end the streak.

So while you say HBK's pride can't let HHH end the streak after he couldn't do it himself, possibly HBK looks at screwing Taker as him being the one to end the streak, even if it is HHH who gets the pin. Hunter then could then flip out about how he didn't want the win like that, then HBK comes out and basically says mwahahaha I win, I ended the streak and struts on out.

I'm not going to try to call this one, but just one slant to take into consideration with that line of thinking you're going with. I hope the the streak never ends so.

I would buy that, however the professional rivalry between HBK and HHH, trying to outdo each other has been an ongoing theme between them for a long, long time. Even as best friends in real life, as a team in DX, there has always been that "anything you can do, I can do better" thing going on between them.

HBK doesn't hate the Undertaker, he doesn't have malice towards him. Their Wrestlemania matches were all about respect, about proving who was the best, not because there was ever any kayfabe feud between them that forced those two matches to happen. If their Wrestlemania matches had been booked as some kind of grudge match, yeah, I could see HBK screwing Undertaker out of the streak to get revenge. But because they were about respect, I just don't see it.

 

[CM Steel]

This will be Shawn Michaels first time since his retirement from wrestling that he will be back to play a special guest ref role in a match. The match between HBK's friend Triple H vs the Undertaker in a hell in a cell match to "end an era" in the WWE.

But doesn't anyone remember Shawn Michaels as the special guest ref in the match between then-WWF/E Champion the Undertaker (Babyface) vs Bret "The Hitman" Hart (Heel) for the WWF/E title? Shawn Michaels cost the Undertaker the match & the world title (for the very first time, Elimination Chamber '10) that night.

During the last few minutes of the match, Bret Hart spit in HBK's face (literily) after Shawn got under Bret's skin during the whole match. So Shawn go's and run to get a steel chair to take out Bret. But hits the Undertaker by mistake after Bret ducked. Therefore counting the 1-2-3 pin. That was the last time before HBK retired for the first time due to a bad back that he was made a special guest ref in a match.

Now can the same kind of thing happen in the match between Triple H and the Undertaker? To either man anyway?? HBK just cost's the one guy the match, or even the streak.

 

[Wald]

I don't see that happening. If you remember when HBK was the ref for Bret vs the Undertaker than you'll remember that there was a stipulation in place that said if Shawn screwed Bret he would get fired. That's not likely to work for this match now is it?

All in all, and I feel I might be in the minority here, I've become massively bored of this feud. It's been too repetitive when it comes to the promos, and I think we need to see some physicality next week, I would love for HBK to lay out Taker with a superkick before doing the same to Triple H, I thought we were going to get that this week when it closed the show. But I think they need to change it up slightly because another week of Triple H saying he will end an era, HBK saying he's not a loser and Undertaker saying he'll be the one to end an era just won't cut it.

For the match itself it really depends on if Taker can go any more. If he feels he's done I see Triple H defeating him to end the streak. There is no way Undertaker can walk away with that thing intact, it would mean every Wrestlemania after he does would be dominated by the same Will He, Won't He scenario and it would take away from future main events.

That said there is a lot of money in a Cena vs Undertaker match at Wrestlemania, so if Taker feels he can go for one more show after this one than he doesn't lose

 

[AmneonX]

Right now to me, this is looking like shades of Wrestlemania XIV. HBK appears to be impartial, but we all know better. HBK is going to be on one side or the other, but I'm not sure which yet...

1)HBK doesn't want HHH to do what he couldn't, and hits him with SCM and fast counts.

2)HBK and HHH work together as D-X to end the streak(however Big Show and A-Train couldn't beat Taker at Mania either.

For the sake of this argument, we will go with option two.

HBK calls it down the middle for a while, but out of no where, attacks Taker. HHH and HBK can't keep him down, and when it looks like he is beat, we hear a Car crash, and Mick Foley comes out(bare with me). After Foley gets out there, and cuts the lock on the door. He attacks HBK, and gets him out of the cell, there for allowing a different ref to take over. HHH is minorly distracted by Foley, Undertaker is able to get to his feet, they continue to battle back and forth for a while, but Taker gets the upper hand, hits the Pedigree and pins HHH.

What do you guys think?

 

[PunkTruster91]

Well last years Taker match was awesome, hopefully this year will be no different!! putting in the match that both these men made famous, sounds good. Im curious if taker does lose and it isnt as he says "Pure" will WWE bring back shawn to feud with him?? If so, I think WWE is smart. At the same time, Taker needs to go on one more run then lose, otherwise he will seem so washed up. So on that note hopefully Undertaker wins!! and if he does who will he face next year, kind of out of people with the potential to make people believe they can beat him.

 

[The Idiot]

I like how they are building this angle. One week they make you think Shawn will screw Hunter. The next, its about Shawn screwing Taker and HHH doing the crotch chop.

I think they will tease Shawn turning in HHH and when he goes to nail UT with a chair or sledgehammer Shawn will take it away from him and then hit the Undertaker himself with it. The crotch chops wilk fly and the end of an era, HIAC match has turned into a handicap cap match against DX.

Right when you think the streak is over, Taker will find a way. HBK gets taken out, another ref unlocks the cage and it will be the beginning of the end for HHH.

Thats what Im putting my money on.

 

[Truly Phenomenonal]

To be completely honest, I am. I just don't see Shawn Michaels screwing either The Undertaker or Triple H simply for the fact that, I truly believe Shawn will stay true to his word and never compete in the WWE again. But it isn't just that, most likely Undertaker will be taking another 10 month break after Mania. And Triple H is most likely going to be out for a few months to focus more on the behind the scenes stuff.

I can see how some people can make the argument of, "If he isn't going to screw anyone, what's the point of making him a special guest referee?" They're definitely going to tease it, and there is going to be tension between the the three men the entire match, and they are strongly going to tease Michaels trying to screw one of them, maybe hesitating a pin, or perhaps one of the men thinking he's counting to slow... but at the end of the day HBK is going to call it right down the middle.

Also, I do believe that any other outcome besides a clean finish might overshadow the rest of the show, and both us and the WWE do not want that to happen.

 

[hatehabsforever]

Without a doubt, there will be a clean finish to the Taker/Triple H HIAC match. There will be the potential for HBK to not do the right thing, to not keep the match pure, and it will keep the fans guessing as to what he will do. I absolutely don't see something as significant as the Undertaker's undefeated Wrestlemania streak being ended in a cheap fashion. Nor do I see it being prolonged in such a fashion. I see a conflicted, tempted Shawn Michaels struggling with the possibility of screwing someone over, but in the end, doing the right thing. That being, counting Triple H's shoulders on the mat to a count of 1-2-3, keeping the streak alive and well for the Deadman.

 

[The Dragon Saga]

Depends how they plan to play off of Shawn Michaels involvement.

I'm not Mystic Meg so I can't tell you the future and won't even hazard a guess, however if they plan to set-up for something next year involving Shawn Michaels and Triple H like someone has suggested than Shawn will probably kick Hunter's head clean off.

I don't see The Undertaker's streak ending to Triple H, I was neutral on the possibility but now I don't see it, WWE are building friction between Hunter and Shawn and unless they make something of it, there is no point of it. In the wrestling business everything is built around having a wrestling a match, so if WWE have Shawn in there you know things will be interesting.

 

[Hulk Hogan's Brother]

It's all about The Game once again here. There is little doubt that Undertaker will win this match but the question is, what will happen to HHH post Mania 28. The presence of HBK suggests that something other than a straight up match will happen. I would not go as far as to say that there would be an unclean finish because that only leads to rematches and I think that even WWE realizes that you cannot stretch this feud beyond a point.

What will happen, I think, is that HHH will turn heel. Shawn will possibly be knocked out when HHH will have Undertaker down. HHH would feel as if Shawn did that on purpose because Shawn did not want HHH to go down in history as the man who beat Taker at WrestleMania and thus prove that he was better than Shawn. I expect either a Sweet Chin Music by Shawn to HHH post match or a Pedigree to Shawn. Or it could be that Shawn lays out HHH at Mania and Hunter gets his revenge the next night turning heel for one final run.

Ironically, The Undertaker and his streak, one of the biggest WrestleMania draws in the last few years has been reduced to a sideshow for this ego war between the members of the Klique. Feels like 2002 all over again.

 

[cubuff37]

I'm glad that Triple H and Undertaker will be in a Hell In A Cell match given that both of them have been in the most HIAC matches in history. But like I stated in another thread, I really wish that this won't be Taker's final match. I'm alright with it possibly being his last Wrestlemania but I really do not want his last match to not be the main event of the night. The Rock/Cena match will most likely be the main even of Wrestlemania (and rightfully so) so I'd prefer that they find another way to retire Taker..like maybe a Taker VS Kane No-DQ match at a PPV or something.

Taker's last match is the same thing as his last Wrestlemania. Wrestlemania is what the Undertaker will always be known for, I think the only place suitable for the Phenom's last match is Wrestlemania. With that said, Undertaker is getting way too old to go past Wrestlemania 28. I hope for his sake that this is his final chapter.

 

[Mustang Sally]

.... but the question is, what will happen to HHH post Mania 28.

More than anyone else in WWE (maybe even in the history of pro wrestling), Triple H is in the unique position of not having to concern himself about what comes next for his character. He doesn't have to worry about pleasing the boss.....because he is the boss. His personal concerns extend far beyond those of other employees of the company because he's a stockholder, a family member, and one of the creative minds that guides the company. In other words, he can be whatever the hell he wants in the future. He determines where his character goes after (presumably) losing the HITC match to Undertaker.

Think about it. If Paul Levesque wanted to, he could set himself up as a tin god who, even while wrestling only on an occasional basis, steamrolls everyone in his path.....granting himself title matches when the urge strikes him, winning them.....and then finding some "administrative" reason to abandon the championship so that someone else can have it until he feels like winning it again.

After Trips beat Punk at a PPV, I was wondering if this was exactly what he had in mind for himself, even though a title wasn't at stake in that one. But he didn't, did he? He cast himself as a hero for one match, then went back to his suit-and-tie persona after disappearing from TV for awhile.

He's a legend without having to earn it week after week. That might sound like a knock, but it isn't. Not at all. He allows himself to function as the guy who can come in and knock the block off someone who needs to be taken down a peg (arguably, that was Punk, at the time). Triple H can appear as a face or heel, a bully or hero, a savior or spoiler.....and he can do it all because he's earned the spot with years and years of hard work and accomplishment, augmented by the power he holds at present.

Here's food for thought: Can you imagine if Hulk Hogan had married Stephanie McMahon and possessed the power to shape WWE that Paul Levesque has? Can you imagine how Hogan would run roughshod over every other performer, in every other feud or situation? There wouldn't be room for anyone else in the company to win anything. If the WWF revolved around Hogan in the 80's when he was just an employee, can you imagine what he would do as an owner and stockholder? I shudder to think.

One more thing: if Triple H had set himself up as absolute despot of WWE, we wouldn't be wondering if he could beat Undertaker at WM. Instead, we'd be presuming that 'Taker was headed for 19-1.

But it isn't so, because Triple H is fair, he's smart....and he knows what's best for business......and yes, if Trips wins this, I'll take back everything I just said.

What comes next for him? Same as before; I don't think he'll involve himself in the chase for the championship, except perhaps in a transitional sense. Beyond that, he'll dispense justice where needed.....and not be shy about losing matches when it will benefit the company for him to do so. He'll show up on-air when he thinks it's in the company's best interest ....and stay away the rest of the time.

 

[Diet Soda]

What comes next for him? Same as before; I don't think he'll involve himself in the chase for the championship, except perhaps in a transitional sense. Beyond that, he'll dispense justice where needed.....and not be shy about losing matches when it will benefit the company for him to do so. He'll show up on-air when he thinks it's in the company's best interest ....and stay away the rest of the time.

Triple H's on-screen position as an authority figure has fallen to the wayside since John Laurinaitis has taken on a greater role. Assuming the result of the GM match at Wrestlemania is the be all and end all of that storyline, it would be somewhat irrelevant for Triple H to be around as the COO character, at least for the immediate future.

With the buzz going around about an overhaul of the development system, which I believe Trips wants to be his baby, it wouldn't surprise me if he took on more of a backstage role. The supposed relocation of the territory could just be a way of allowing Paul Levesque to be closer to home, his wife and 3 kids, whilst working on his own project.

I don't think he's anywhere near retiring in-ring. Then again, in his early forties, he's no longer at his prime. As Sally said, he could set himself up as an overlord who sweeps down and gets involved whenever he gets bored, much like Vince has been doing for the past decade or so.
If Triple H is going to be the one to inherit the empire, why not start by emulating your predecessor?

 

[VinnieSunshine]

So after watching CSR and Justin LaBar explain that there is an issue with WWE building the cage, and that they might debut a new look for it...

Wouldn't Monday be a good time for Taker to come out and declare that the old HITC was old, since this is the end of an era, they are going to battle it out in a NEW cell?

I just dont see WWE debuting a new HITC without bringing it up. Unless the changes aren't as dramatic.

 

[Wrestlemania 20-0]

the problem for Triple H is,Undertaker has participated to 13 matches in WWE history to this structures and he has more victories and few defeat.

He is clearly the master of this kind of match,remember Mankind and Punk three years ago.

 

[Aron Cane]

I think Shawn Michaels is going to screw Triple H. I think that since he could not end the streak, he's not going to let Triple H do it.

 

[Wrestlemania 20-0]

yes,and when you see the recent Raw you see clearly an pacte for to lose the game when Taker said that Shawn Michaels is better than him.
Maybe the victory of the dead man do must controversy.

 

[Australia's Finest]

If the Undertaker loses this match it will be a travesty. Not because it will end the streak but because Triple H would do it. Now the Undertaker is my favorite wrestler and i'd love the streak to never end but if it was to happen it should be against someone young and turn them into a superstar. Triple h doesn't need to win this match.

Either way it should be a great match and i'm very interested in what happens.

 

[Davi323]

Triple H's on-screen position as an authority figure has fallen to the wayside since John Laurinaitis has taken on a greater role. Assuming the result of the GM match at Wrestlemania is the be all and end all of that storyline, it would be somewhat irrelevant for Triple H to be around as the COO character, at least for the immediate future.

With the buzz going around about an overhaul of the development system, which I believe Trips wants to be his baby, it wouldn't surprise me if he took on more of a backstage role. The supposed relocation of the territory could just be a way of allowing Paul Levesque to be closer to home, his wife and 3 kids, whilst working on his own project.

I don't think he's anywhere near retiring in-ring. Then again, in his early forties, he's no longer at his prime. As Sally said, he could set himself up as an overlord who sweeps down and gets involved whenever he gets bored, much like Vince has been doing for the past decade or so.
If Triple H is going to be the one to inherit the empire, why not start by emulating your predecessor?

Missing Sally's point, I think. It's not about on-screen presence, it's about overall job security. In fact, you could say that the only reason Johnny Ace is taking up a greater role is because Triple H ALLOWS him to, and that he could resume command of the WWE as COO at any point he wanted.

Triple H's time as a full time competitor is over, it has been for the last couple of years. He still wrestles every now and then when needed or when he gets the bug in him, but for the most part, Triple H is an executive first, wrestler second. In fact, I wouldn't even say that Triple H is truly a professional wrestler anymore. His profession is backstage, any actual wrestling he does any more is a side project away from that.

Triple H is like Ron Howard. He went from being a full time actor to an actor who occasionally directed to being a full time director who occasionally acted, to a full time director only. Triple H is currently in the latter half of that 3rd phase, he is a full time WWE Executive who occasionally wrestles after a lengthy career as a full time wrestler, and will soon hang up the wrestling tights for good. We have to stop thinking of Triple H as a professional wrestler, because that just is not who he is anymore. Or, for you younger folks who might not even know who Ron Howard is, remember Will Smith. Will Smith went from rapper to a rapper who acted, to an actor who rapped, to full time actor. This is also a parallel to Triple H.

 

[Skinsley]

Does anyone else find the Metallica song playing during the HIAC segments really annoying?

Its not a bad song....it just doesnt fit the moment.....it just comes out of nowhere and is unpleasant to the ear unless you are listening to the whole song.

 

[Larry]

I am kind of disenchanted with the whole thing. I stated in another thread regarding Punk-Jericho that I am not so into it because I already know what is going to happen ultimately, and it's nothing I actually care to see happen.

I might be of a minority but I'd love nothing more than to see the streak end, I am fucking tired of it, year after year after year, another guy jobs out to The Undertaker to protect the company stock at WrestleMania. It's really hit a hard nerve the last few years because if anyone were to do it I wanted either HBK or HHH to do it and of course that is not happening. We all know that NO MATTER WHAT, Undertaker will win. Shawn Michaels being involved is only to create the illusion that anything but Undertaker winning could happen, but at the end of the day we all know he will.

I don't like sitting through matches I know the outcome of to a moral certainty. The last time an Undertaker Mania' match happened where I wasn't tired of The Streak, and where I didn't want him to lose was when he faced Batista. The only reason I objected that was because Batista was shit in the ring, and had not in any way earned that privilege. The next year I thought Edge was going to end it for sure, for about 30 seconds, then I remembered "Nope, it's "The Streak", and no one is ever going to beat it". After that I knew for sure it was never going to end. For me all the mystique is gone. I don't really even like The Undertaker much anymore because in my eyes he hasn't been the REAL Undertaker for YEARS. The real Undertaker was the guy putting motherf*ckers in bodybags, beating the crap out of Hulk Hogan like he was nothing, putting people in caskets, he was like a freakin zombie/monster of some kind that no one had ever seen before. That guy was gone a lot time ago never to return, and no matter how much the majority of fans would like to see him as the REAL deadman again, of course he's never done it and obviously never will, not even for one match.

What really grinds my gears as well, is that it seems The Undertaker for one reason or another will get to bow out of wrestling without having to lose at any point. It pisses me off because just about eeeeevery big superstar or legend before him has. Ric Flair did, Shawn Michaels did, and so did many many many before him, but because he's "The Undertaker" and he gets whatever he wants, he's going to bypass all that and get a waiver from doing his job and putting someone else over before he goes. That kind of shits on everyone else who DID go out the traditional way in my view, and I don't think he or anyone should be any acception. The streak should end, and it should end this Sunday against all gripes and complaints to the contrary. It's old, it's been long overdue, and it's a bunch of bullshit that everyone has to lay down for him every year, even guys like Shawn Michaels and Triple H. I'm tired of it, so are many others whether they pipe up and admit as much or not, and it's time for the show to end.

 

[Dagger Dias]

I am kind of disenchanted with the whole thing. I stated in another thread regarding Punk-Jericho that I am not so into it because I already know what is going to happen ultimately, and it's nothing I actually care to see happen.

So two of the biggest legends in pro wrestling (yes, Trips is a legend, even though some would never admit that) are going at it at the biggest show of them all, with an arguably bigger legend in Michaels as the guest ref in the match. So what if Taker is 99.9% likely to win? We are in for a show with this match no matter what happens. Don't you want to see Taker go 20-0? After their match last year, I know they are capable of putting on a match of the year candidate here, regardless of who wins or how obvious it seems.

I might be of a minority but I'd love nothing more than to see the streak end, I am fucking tired of it, year after year after year, another guy jobs out to The Undertaker to protect the company stock at WrestleMania. It's really hit a hard nerve the last few years because if anyone were to do it I wanted either HBK or HHH to do it and of course that is not happening. We all know that NO MATTER WHAT, Undertaker will win. Shawn Michaels being involved is only to create the illusion that anything but Undertaker winning could happen, but at the end of the day we all know he will.

And you call yourself a WWE fan? How can you even say something like that? The streak is a once in a lifetime achievement by a once in a lifetime superstar in The Undertaker. I highly doubt that anyone else will ever reach 20-0 like Taker (probably) will sunday. Each year the excitement grows in seeing who will be the next victim, even if we "know" the outcome already. This year Triple H gets his third opportunity and Michaels is the guest ref. Two of the best ever are putting the streak in danger. You can't possibly tell me that hasn't at the very least gotten SOME of your interest. Worst case scenario you could always use the match as an opportunity to grab a snack or something, but this is the type of match that most fans are really going to want to see.

I don't like sitting through matches I know the outcome of to a moral certainty. The last time an Undertaker Mania' match happened where I wasn't tired of The Streak, and where I didn't want him to lose was when he faced Batista. The only reason I objected that was because Batista was shit in the ring, and had not in any way earned that privilege. The next year I thought Edge was going to end it for sure, for about 30 seconds, then I remembered "Nope, it's "The Streak", and no one is ever going to beat it". After that I knew for sure it was never going to end.

Funny, that's also the year when Taker began to have excellent quality matches at Wrestlemania with each consecutive year. Batista in 2007, Edge in 2008, Michaels in 2009-2010, and now Trips in 2011-2012. The past 5 years have seen Taker provide some of his best Wrestlemania work. So what if the streak might never end? The point of these matches is to entertain the fans, which Taker has succeeded in and then some. You were honestly more interested in seeing him face Mark Henry or Big Boss Man than you were about seeing him face Michaels or Edge? Really?

For me all the mystique is gone. I don't really even like The Undertaker much anymore because in my eyes he hasn't been the REAL Undertaker for YEARS. The real Undertaker was the guy putting motherf*ckers in bodybags, beating the crap out of Hulk Hogan like he was nothing, putting people in caskets, he was like a freakin zombie/monster of some kind that no one had ever seen before. That guy was gone a lot time ago never to return, and no matter how much the majority of fans would like to see him as the REAL deadman again, of course he's never done it and obviously never will, not even for one match.

He's not the "REAL" Undertaker? I respectfully disagree. The Undertaker has been the "REAL" Undertaker ever since his 2004 return. The years when he played that horrendous biker gimmick were the only time that he spent not being the "REAL" Undertaker. Coming out in the dark with the trenchcoat, black cowboy hat, creepy music, and mist along with his torch bearing druids.... THAT is the "REAL" Undertaker. He's been doing that nonstop for nearly a decade now.

What really grinds my gears as well, is that it seems The Undertaker for one reason or another will get to bow out of wrestling without having to lose at any point. It pisses me off because just about eeeeevery big superstar or legend before him has. Ric Flair did, Shawn Michaels did, and so did many many many before him, but because he's "The Undertaker" and he gets whatever he wants, he's going to bypass all that and get a waiver from doing his job and putting someone else over before he goes. That kind of shits on everyone else who DID go out the traditional way in my view, and I don't think he or anyone should be any acception. The streak should end, and it should end this Sunday against all gripes and complaints to the contrary. It's old, it's been long overdue, and it's a bunch of bullshit that everyone has to lay down for him every year, even guys like Shawn Michaels and Triple H. I'm tired of it, so are many others whether they pipe up and admit as much or not, and it's time for the show to end.

So you're saying that Taker has no plans on losing his final match and that his streak needs to end ASAP. Where do I even start....

He never said he has no plans of losing his final match in WWE. Who says it has to be at Wrestlemania? It could be at Survivor Series, for all we know. He debuted there. It could be against Ted Dibiase to pay tribute to how his dad brought Taker in at his first show. Or a rising heel might get to deliver the final blow to the Phenom's career. No one said it had to be at Wrestlemania. Taker could leave having held his streak intact and go out undefeated at the biggest show of the year, or he could put someone over at another show. The streak is probably never going to end. Stop complaining about that and just enjoy the great matches we will be seeing. This match could be great even if it wasn't over the streak. That element, much like Michaels' involvement, just makes it all the better; although it appears you are not noticing that since you're too busy whining about getting the streak done away with as you personally dislike it yet countless people all over the world do.

 

[Davi323]

I might be of a minority but I'd love nothing more than to see the streak end, I am fucking tired of it, year after year after year, another guy jobs out to The Undertaker to protect the company stock at WrestleMania. It's really hit a hard nerve the last few years because if anyone were to do it I wanted either HBK or HHH to do it and of course that is not happening. We all know that NO MATTER WHAT, Undertaker will win. Shawn Michaels being involved is only to create the illusion that anything but Undertaker winning could happen, but at the end of the day we all know he will.

A couple of years ago, I would have agreed entirely with this. But, while I think the Undertaker will win Sunday, I can't say it with absolute certainty. In fact, I haven't been able to say that since Wrestlemania XXIV against Edge. Both of the HBK matches and last year's HHH match were against opponents of equal stature, and given the Undertaker's age and large nagging injury list, the chances that he is booked to lose increases each year. We all know that his time as an active wrestler is running short, we simply don't know how much longer he has. Had he lost and retired after HBK 1, it wouldn't have shocked me in the slightest.

I will say that knowing Shawn Michaels was retiring after the HBK 2 match did make that match more or less a certainty, so maybe after Edge, that was a genuine gimme...But last year, I believed there was a very real possibility that HHH could end the streak, if only because of the age/health of the Undertaker. Nothing changed from last year, other than the Undertaker being another year older. I believe the Undertaker will win this year still, but really, I can only state that with a 60/40 kind of certainty, not the 90/10 I would have been confident against Edge.

I start thinking about if I were the Undertaker, and I was ready to hang it up for good, and if I was willing to lose at Wrestlemania to end the streak, who would I want my opponent to be? Triple H seems as logical a candidate as anybody on the roster. Who would be the best guy on the roster to do it, if not Triple H? Maybe John Cena or the Rock (how in the hell has that Wrestlemania matchup never happened?), but other than those guys, who could legitimately retire the streak and have it be acceptable to the fans?

His time is ending, I just can't buy his streak as a guaranteed thing anymore, and every year I get less confident the streak will continue as long as the WWE continues to provide worthy opponents.

 

[Larry]

So two of the biggest legends in pro wrestling (yes, Trips is a legend, even though some would never admit that)

Thank you for acknowledging The Game and his Legend status. Major Kudos.

are going at it at the biggest show of them all, with an arguably bigger legend in Michaels as the guest ref in the match. So what if Taker is 99.9% likely to win? We are in for a show with this match no matter what happens. Don't you want to see Taker go 20-0? After their match last year, I know they are capable of putting on a match of the year candidate here, regardless of who wins or how obvious it seems.

I definitely feel where you are coming from. But, like I said, I personally don't like the fact that Taker is 99.9% likely to win. I never wanted this to go to 20-0. I agree wholeheartedly that we will be in for a show, and they very well could put on a MOTY candidate regardless of who wins or how obvious it is, but I do feel these other sentiments as well.

And you call yourself a WWE fan? How can you even say something like that?

Priceless.

The streak is a once in a lifetime achievement by a once in a lifetime superstar in The Undertaker. I highly doubt that anyone else will ever reach 20-0 like Taker (probably) will sunday.Each year the excitement grows in seeing who will be the next victim, even if we "know" the outcome already. This year Triple H gets his third opportunity and Michaels is the guest ref. Two of the best ever are putting the streak in danger.

I'm sorry man, and I AM a WWE fan all the way. It IS a once in a lifetime achievement by a once in a lifetime superstar, and I agree, no one will ever reach 20-0 like The Undertaker. For me, the excitement has declined year by year BECAUSE I know the outcome. It doesn't really compel me much BECAUSE it's Triple H's 3rd attempt, and I know how it will end as well. Michaels being there does throw quite a twist in it, but he's supposed to, and I know that too, which is even less compelling.

You can't possibly tell me that hasn't at the very least gotten SOME of your interest. Worst case scenario you could always use the match as an opportunity to grab a snack or something, but this is the type of match that most fans are really going to want to see.

I'd be lying if I said it hasn't got plenty of my interest in some ways. It's not like I'm not being sold on any of the build-up, I sit and watch it just like everyone else, and as I am watching it, I am fully drawn in. The fact that it's going to be a HIAC match makes me curious about how they will incorporate it into the match. I am curious to see if Shawn Michaels does indeed cost Undertaker or Triple H the match. The prospect of 20-0 becoming 19-1 does keep me coming to see it, just as the prospect of 13-1, 14-1, 15-1 and so on did. But then at the end of the day I know that all of that is a mere distraction, and that no matter what actually transpires, the one guarantee, the one thing I can put my money on, is that The Undertaker will not lose. It doesn't matter how bad he is beaten, how much better anyone is, nothing. Undertaker wins by default, 20-0.

Funny, that's also the year when Taker began to have excellent quality matches at Wrestlemania with each consecutive year. Batista in 2007, Edge in 2008, Michaels in 2009-2010, and now Trips in 2011-2012. The past 5 years have seen Taker provide some of his best Wrestlemania work. So what if the streak might never end? The point of these matches is to entertain the fans, which Taker has succeeded in and then some.

Agreed. He has succeeded in entertaining the fans and that IS what it's all about. That is also very interesting as you noted that-that was the year he started having his best WrestleMania matches. Let me make something clear though, it's not like I haven't enjoyed the matches every year, I have, thoroughly. But the whole "Streak" thing has worn it's welcome with me. I am so tired of that dictating whether he wins or loses, everyone has to lose at some point, and I don't think a "Streak" should make anyone exempt from that. Hell, the only reason the WWE hierarchy doesn't really see it that way in this case is because they know they can profit off of it, otherwise it probably would have ended by now.

You were honestly more interested in seeing him face Mark Henry or Big Boss Man than you were about seeing him face Michaels or Edge? Really?

GOD NO! That's not the impression I was trying to make. Just that the last time I truly thought it was going to end was back with Batista and Edge. Although I will say, last year when Triple H hit that Tombstone, I thought for just a moment that was it, then when he hit the 3rd Pedigree, I thought for just a moment that was it, but before it was confirmed to me that it wasn't, each time I knew it wasn't and that just made it feel like a cruel joke, like "Ha Ha, Gotcha! You actually thought it was going to happen, stupid you!"

He's not the "REAL" Undertaker? I respectfully disagree. The Undertaker has been the "REAL" Undertaker ever since his 2004 return. The years when he played that horrendous biker gimmick were the only time that he spent not being the "REAL" Undertaker. Coming out in the dark with the trenchcoat, black cowboy hat, creepy music, and mist along with his torch bearing druids.... THAT is the "REAL" Undertaker. He's been doing that nonstop for nearly a decade now.

Eeehhhhh, I get what you're saying but feel where I am coming from on this.

THIS IS THE REAL UNDERTAKER

AND THIS IS THE REAL UNDERTAKER

You feel me?

So you're saying that Taker has no plans on losing his final match and that his streak needs to end ASAP. Where do I even start....

He never said he has no plans of losing his final match in WWE. Who says it has to be at Wrestlemania? It could be at Survivor Series, for all we know. He debuted there. It could be against Ted Dibiase to pay tribute to how his dad brought Taker in at his first show. Or a rising heel might get to deliver the final blow to the Phenom's career. No one said it had to be at Wrestlemania. Taker could leave having held his streak intact and go out undefeated at the biggest show of the year, or he could put someone over at another show. The streak is probably never going to end. Stop complaining about that and just enjoy the great matches we will be seeing. This match could be great even if it wasn't over the streak. That element, much like Michaels' involvement, just makes it all the better; although it appears you are not noticing that since you're too busy whining about getting the streak done away with as you personally dislike it yet countless people all over the world do.

There is a very strong, almost certain possibility that this WrestleMania is it for The Undertaker, the end of the road. He hits 20-0 and calls it a wrap. With that being the case, he will go out without putting anyone else over, without going out the same way everyone else does. You know what happened the last time someone decided they weren't going to go out like everyone else does? The Montreal Screwjob. But you think Undertaker is going to get that kind of treatment? Not a chance. Shawn Michaels did it TWICE, once against SCSA in 98, and again 2 years ago. This guy won't even do it once.

Once it starts all of that will exit my mind, and I will just be fixated on the match itself. These are just the things that creep into my head though, and really take a lot of the fun out of it. I'm sure it will all hit me in the moment. Some of this is just the butterflies beforehand.

Thanks for being cool about it though.

A couple of years ago, I would have agreed entirely with this. But, while I think the Undertaker will win Sunday, I can't say it with absolute certainty. In fact, I haven't been able to say that since Wrestlemania XXIV against Edge. Both of the HBK matches and last year's HHH match were against opponents of equal stature, and given the Undertaker's age and large nagging injury list, the chances that he is booked to lose increases each year. We all know that his time as an active wrestler is running short, we simply don't know how much longer he has. Had he lost and retired after HBK 1, it wouldn't have shocked me in the slightest.

Ya see I feel that way too most of the time. Like you, I wouldn't have been shocked at HBK 1 ending it, or Edge or Batista, or Triple H last year, or Shawn Michaels the second time, primarily because of the age and nagging injury list you mentioned. In my mind his chances have been higher each year, and due to some of that stuff it has been warranted.

I will say that knowing Shawn Michaels was retiring after the HBK 2 match did make that match more or less a certainty, so maybe after Edge, that was a genuine gimme...But last year, I believed there was a very real possibility that HHH could end the streak, if only because of the age/health of the Undertaker. Nothing changed from last year, other than the Undertaker being another year older. I believe the Undertaker will win this year still, but really, I can only state that with a 60/40 kind of certainty, not the 90/10 I would have been confident against Edge.

Never going into it do I really feel like there is any possibility that Taker is going to lose, but there are those moments in the match where it seems like it's all over and for that brief second you think it is only to see The Undertaker kick out.

It's very hard for me in a way to watch these. I catch myself watching it and seeing it as a fan, and then also seeing it as the internet smark I am too. Like with Edge for instance, he seemed to have Takers number the whole time, it was a great match, but the smark in me said "He's been too dominant, too early, and then for too long, the tide is about to change" and sure as shit it did. Last year, There were a couple times it seemed DONE. But then the smark in me saw it coming and I knew exactly when it was over, when the last spot was coming, and what it was going to be well before it happened. That shit just ruins it. It's a let down. I don't want to sit there and just KNOW when it's over, or just KNOW the different transitions and spots the tell me which direction the match is headed in from that point.

I start thinking about if I were the Undertaker, and I was ready to hang it up for good, and if I was willing to lose at Wrestlemania to end the streak, who would I want my opponent to be? Triple H seems as logical a candidate as anybody on the roster. Who would be the best guy on the roster to do it, if not Triple H? Maybe John Cena or the Rock (how in the hell has that Wrestlemania matchup never happened?), but other than those guys, who could legitimately retire the streak and have it be acceptable to the fans?

I think Triple H and The Rock are the only ones ATM. I think they would resent Cena too much, and I don't think anyone else on the roster is up there enough to do it. Orton had his shot, and while we know already facing Taker once doesn't exclude you, I just don't know if people would buy it or accept it as you mentioned.

His time is ending, I just can't buy his streak as a guaranteed thing anymore, and every year I get less confident the streak will continue as long as the WWE continues to provide worthy opponents.

See for me it's the complete opposite. Each year that passes to me seems more and more like a sure bet because the streak gets bigger. When it got to 15-0 I was certain then it was going to 20-0 and that's when he would retire, and finally here we are. You guys are doing a good job of putting it in my head that he could actually lose this time around though, but DAMN IT, then again that little voice in the back of my head says "Bullshit, you know better. There's no way the streak is ever broken" and I'm back to square one.