The Official WWE / NXT Discussion Thread *May Contain Spoilers*

[xphen0m]

That said, it's all Taker really has. Never really had a great title reign, no major records or numbers, he's only really had one proper feud in his career (Kane). Undertaker is the streak and I don't see it ever ending.

 

I actually disagree with this.

 

1. Undertaker's title reign in 1997 was pretty good, and he had quite a few great defenses against Steve Austin, Mankind, and Bret Hart.

 

2. I'm not too sure what you're referring to when you say records or numbers, but from what I understand, Taker was and is a draw.

 

3. His original feud with Kane is my all time favorite feud. However, don't forget about his feuds with Shawn Michaels (the original from 1997-1998), Mankind, and Steve Austin (Come on, one of the most controversial angles ever took place in that feud in 1998).

 

4. I will agree that I think the streak won't end though.

[Gabbo]

You sound like a Taker mark.

 

By numbers I mean, nothing like first ever triple crown champion, grand slam, record number of world titles, world champ in the big three American promotions, first ever IC and WWF/E champ simultaneously, first ever undisputed champion, royal rumble wins, royal rumble eliminations record, KOTR win, amount of wins and titles, main events and all that etc etc. He holds nothing like that.

 

Taker's legacy is the streak.

[The Shape]

You sound like a Taker mark.

 

By numbers I mean, nothing like first ever triple crown champion, grand slam, record number of world titles, world champ in the big three American promotions, first ever IC and WWF/E champ simultaneously, first ever undisputed champion, royal rumble wins, royal rumble eliminations record, KOTR win, amount of wins and titles, main events and all that etc etc. He holds nothing like that.

 

Taker's legacy is the streak.

 

Look at his career and compare it to most other people's, he's not going to be forgotten. I don't buy that he has to have some sort of quantifiable measure of success in a business where everything like that is relatively meaningless. Kane holds the most eliminations, big show all three big titles, stuff like IC/WWE champ at the same time I don't even know, KOTR is long forgotten...you really think anything like that takes precedence over the significance of Taker's presence for two decades if he loses one match at wrestlemania?

 

I'm not saying it should end, just that if it does, I don't think the "young up and comer" idea would appeal. Then we'd just have a guy mentioning how he ended the undertaker's streak years from now. And that's what the primary memory of the undertaker would be. THAT would reduce him to a statistic of sorts. It'd be like jericho still mentioning him beating rock and austin in the same night. Big deal at the time, not as big as this would be obviously, and it didn't do that much for him long term, but still, eventually nobody would care.

 

edit; the only way I'd want the streak ending to be done with a younger guy would be the ultimate OMG moment that catapults them INSTANTLY. That being, next year, Taker vs. Cena for the World title. Better if Taker's challenger. Taker wins. Out comes MITB winner from earlier in the night (The Miz would far and away be the best at pulling this off) and end the streak, win the title, and become the biggest heel in a very, veeery long time. THAT would be awesome. But having someone end it....they have to already be or instantly become one of THE top guys.

 

Or if Cena ended it, it'd have to be with the much-denied heel turn.

[Hyde Hill]

Anyway, who's watching Mania tonight and what're you most looking forward too?

 

Jericho vs Edge despite the crappy storyline

Punk vs Mysterio

Taker vs Michaels although it won't be as good as last year

MITB

[Hyde Hill]

On the streak it really depends on what you define young up and comer someone who has been around for a while and could use true solidification in the main event scene would not be a problem. CM Punk would be the current example. Some new super pushed midcarder would be a bad idea. Sheamus as a current example.

[Self]

On the streak it really depends on what you define young up and comer someone who has been around for a while and could use true solidification in the main event scene would not be a problem. CM Punk would be the current example. Some new super pushed midcarder would be a bad idea. Sheamus as a current example.

 

I agree. Sheamus. McIntyre. Dibiase. Those guys are too new for my tastes. While I like the idea of a sudden superstar, we haven't really seen how well they connect to the crowd, and whether they can handle what comes after taking the streak. Those rookies are still getting comfortable, still finding their feet. To me, it should be Punk or Miz or Morrison or MVP. Someone who's been around a couple of years and has developed a rapport with the fans, but hasn't quite made it as a 100% top guy yet.

 

It should either put over a new Main Eventer (who would then main event the majority of the next 9 months of PPV's) or make way for a ground-breaking, earth-shattering event (heel Shawn, heel Cena, heel Jeff Hardy) or they should just leave it be, and let him retire streak-intact.

 

Me? I'd start pushing Miz & Morrison super-strong right now, leading to them fighting at Royal Rumble. The winner fights 'Taker at Wrestlemania. The winner gets the streak.

[Tha Black Phenom]

I think someone in the perfect role to end Taker's streak would be someone with Punk's status at the moment. Can't really think of anyone else, I guess Miz fits the bill, or indeed a present main-eventer like Cena or Orton. As said though, I hope it doesn't end. But at the same time, I don't wanna see Shawn go.

 

This will truly be Canada's WrestleMania, two canucks(one of them, sorta) headlining the event, you got Bret giving his one last call, and with a hopeful Christian win this will truly be one for ours to remember.

[Prophet]

I think someone in the perfect role to end Taker's streak would be someone with Punk's status at the moment. Can't really think of anyone else, I guess Miz fits the bill, or indeed a present main-eventer like Cena or Orton. As said though, I hope it doesn't end. But at the same time, I don't wanna see Shawn go.

 

This will truly be Canada's WrestleMania, two canucks(one of them, sorta) headlining the event, you got Bret giving his one last call, and with a hopeful Christian win this will truly be one for ours to remember.

 

You already won the gold in hockey ... now ya gotta take Wrestlemania too?

 

When it comes to the streak ... man, I don't know. I lean towards it ending intact, simply because I don't trust the brain trust at the `E to handle it's end properly. I say this as someone who doesn't claim to be a storyline writer, but I have a feeling that if someone was adamant about ending the streak, they'd build it up with some flimsy storyline with someone who doesn't deserve the opportunity to even get in the ring with`taker. For example -

 

Big Zeke shows up on television again, after being missing for 4 months, because he's forgotten on the bloated roster of Smackdown. Someone says "I have an idea" and the story begins where Zeke claims to be the most dominant force in wrestling, blah-blah-blippity-blah. Says something about wanting to prove it against the benchmark, to succeed where others have failed, do the impossible. Zeke begins his run, crushing R-Truth, crushing Rey-Rey, crushing Morrison, as he builds momentum to take on `taker, who keeps scoffing at the notion of this nobody challenging the hallowed record. Flimsy story, but maybe passable.

 

Zeke becomes a thorn, belittles and mocks `taker, `taker finally blows his stack, we progress to WM with these two essentially beating on each other every show. The actual match happens, and it's back and forth, and before you know it, big Zeke's in the tombstone ... except he wiggles out, drops to his knees, and clips `taker between the legs, school boys him, and blammo! The most hallowed record in WM is wiped away with a cheap finish. And that bothers me.

 

If I were to end the streak, it wouldn't be to Punk, because I don't think Punk "needs" it. And Miz would work perfectly, except that the way I'd do it, he wouldn't fit. If I was gonna have `taker drop the streak, I'd have him do it as a heel. To whomever was going to assume Cena's role pushing forward. Someone like a Kofi Kingston (although probably not actually Kofi Kingston.) I'd have `taker heel turn in November and build from there. At the Rumble, they face off in the Rumble match, where `taker decimates him. Pillar to post. Someone else enters, `taker pauses long enough to throw them out, before returning to the beaten face. I may mirror the Rumble with `taker and Maven to an extent, except go the Piper/Bad News route of eliminating (both go over, and `taker beats him to the back.)

 

We head into No Way Out with the face being involved in the chamber with `taker, and 4 other guys, with `taker being obsessed with regaining the gold, and ignoring the challenges by our loveable face, calling him a worthless pissant or whatever. NWO happens, and after some back and forth, `taker eliminates the face. He pauses to gloat about his victory, and the kid takes the chance to distract `taker long enough for him to walk into a Codebreaker/Spear/619/Future Shock/etc ... whatever happens to be there at the time. `taker's pinned, and for the second straight ppv, we see these two fight to the back. `taker's so flustered and frustrated by this annoyance that he poses the challenge, to which the kid accepts. I give them a good chunk of time at the event, `taker fights through finishers, while the kid barely kicks out of brutal moves to show the heart of a champion. And in the end, after a strong sequence, the kid hits a rolling sunset off the top rope, the suddenness of it stuns `taker, we get a 1-2-3, and the streak ends on a flash pinfall, building this kid to a mega-star. `taker stands, shocked, as replays of the abuse this kid has endured is shown on the big screen, and he extends his hand in a sign of respect. The kid accepts, they shake, and the kid ducks out, clapping with 78 bajillion people, as `taker takes a long walk back.

 

Not sure I even like that ending a whole lot, though ... so I'd probably just leave it intact. lol

[The Shape]

Good in theory. But Taker cannot be booked as a heel at this point. Anybody going up against him will get bood and if they end the streak it's HEAT, pure and simple heat that will last for a good while.

 

For me, it's a Cena heel turn or Miz cashing in MITB after winning it that night. Preferably the latter. He's probably gonna be a heel for all of his career so might as well solidify it lol.

[Prophet]

Part of why I wasn't completely sold. Tenure has probably ruined the chances of a full fledged `taker turn. If done with him as a face, though, yeah, I'd vote Miz. The major difference between Punk and Miz at this point, in my opinion, and the reason I think Punk doesn't "need" this, is that he's a lot like Jericho and Michaels, and even HHH now. CM doesn't need a belt to make a feud more interesting. At this point, Miz does. If Miz beat `taker for the belt, after cashing in MiTB, he could ride that for years. lol

[James Casey]

The streak won't end until and unless Taker chooses it to end. It won't end tonight, because HBK is on the verge of retiring for good this time, and this is the way of phasing him out to come back fit, healthy and energised once a twice a year for DX/WM spots.

[PeterHilton]

Because it would be a mosntrous money maker and it's one of the last 'dream matches' the WWE has left...Cena vs Taker would be my guess as to how the streak ends.

[ampulator]

Actually, I heard Undertaker wanted to end the streak, or at least give the rub to someone. He offered it to Kane, but he refused. I think Orton was another, but he refused too. It was supposed to be Edge until Vince McMahon got cold feet and changed it back.

 

Although his streak shouldn't end, if he remains a face, it would be a good rub to someone that isn't a heel.

[Franchise22]

im the opposite of most of you on this streak piece. i feel an established name/legend kills it if it is to be ended. ive said this before regarding new guys beating him, what if the ending of the streak does nothing for who beats him? what if they "brock lesnar" the situation and leave alltogether? possible bust?

 

no sir, you let an hbk, HHH, type end it. a company man. Similiar to hbk and flair. i think it would mean LESS if an up and comer beats him.

 

overall i feel he should stay perfect. its part of WWE lore, its his legacy. coming up big on the biggest stage. not to be duplicated again.

[benjacko]

Going through the Day 4 of Bret's diary on the WWE website, check out the last pic which hints at what he might wear tonight

[shawn michaels]

If it is to end, then end it with Michaels, if not, don't. That's what i would like to see.

[Wrestling Century]

One of the more random questions, but I think you Strong Grapple your opponent, then waggle the stick. Could be wrong though, it's been a few years.

 

Err...How do you strong grapple your opponent? Sorry, but I bought the game used and it didn't come with a manual.

[masterded]

Err...How do you strong grapple your opponent? Sorry, but I bought the game used and it didn't come with a manual.

 

Hold the grapple button instead of taping it.

[Wrestling Century]

Hold the grapple button instead of taping it.

 

Thanks.

[LoNdOn]

On the streak it really depends on what you define young up and comer someone who has been around for a while and could use true solidification in the main event scene would not be a problem. CM Punk would be the current example. Some new super pushed midcarder would be a bad idea. Sheamus as a current example.

 

spot on sir.

[LoNdOn]

Actually, I heard Undertaker wanted to end the streak, or at least give the rub to someone. He offered it to Kane, but he refused. I think Orton was another, but he refused too. It was supposed to be Edge until Vince McMahon got cold feet and changed it back.

 

Although his streak shouldn't end, if he remains a face, it would be a good rub to someone that isn't a heel.

 

Where did you hear this?

[Tha Black Phenom]

I heard about the Orton bit around WM21(dunno if before or after), didn't hear about Kane but that wouldn't surprise me.

 

My pick would be a company man of sorts, but who still has years ahead of him. Punk was my main pick, but can't really label him as a 'company man' yet, that would be more along the lines of Cena/Orton/Jericho.

[sebsy]

As long s if Taker's streak ever is ended, it isn't through any foul or dodgy means then fair enough. They won't end his streak lightly and they will hopefully think very seriously about who should end it, as long as the person who beats him does so fairly.

[Hyde Hill]

Part of why I wasn't completely sold. Tenure has probably ruined the chances of a full fledged `taker turn. If done with him as a face, though, yeah, I'd vote Miz. The major difference between Punk and Miz at this point, in my opinion, and the reason I think Punk doesn't "need" this, is that he's a lot like Jericho and Michaels, and even HHH now. CM doesn't need a belt to make a feud more interesting. At this point, Miz does. If Miz beat `taker for the belt, after cashing in MiTB, he could ride that for years. lol

 

I think CM is more like Jericho, Michaels and HHH in the IWC's eyes not so much the marks.

 

spot on sir.

 

Thanks.

[ampulator]

I think CM is more like Jericho, Michaels and HHH in the IWC's eyes not so much the marks.

 

 

 

Thanks.

I think that speaks volumes on their confidence in Punk from the IWC, despite what the WWE is doing. We all thought that WWE would misuse him, and a lot of us never thought he would get to a main event champoin, as much as we believe he deserves it.