The Undertaker Reportedly In WWE’s Wrestlemania 31 Plans

JP Liz V1 wrote: »

If this is Taker's last WM which I assume it is, a rematch with Brock would be best imo


Although Wyatt could be good but his gimmick is confusing me tbh is he recruiting for his cult as with his his feuds he hasn't added anyone new instead has lost Rowan or he is "taking souls and spirits"


I would have thought a triple threat Wyatt family match with Bray Vs. Harper Vs. Rowan might happen at WM

That is the match that makes sense. Even I marked out a bit when Rowan came out and the 3 of them had a showdown.

I really hope Ziggler is taking back the IC title at Mania. Obviously Id like to set my sights higher for him but sure I'll take what I can get at this stage.

Very worried for Ambrose's Mania prospects too.

WinnyThePoo wrote: »

I was thinking I would like to see Ambrose against Orton, but nothing to do with the authority angle. Just have Orton start going berzerk again. Could be a good feud.

Yeah that was in my thoughts too. Reckon they'd work well together.

JP Liz V1 wrote: »

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cAIcWFS2W0o

I can't say I'm really looking forward to a Wyatt/Undertaker clash at WM31. Wyatt's a guy who has all the tools but has lately been lacking direction and I don't think a match with 'taker will really remedy that.

If the match were to happen, a 'taker loss would upset a lot of the smarks who want to see Undertaker win and regain some cred after the streak being broken last year. Wyatt gets the rub, sure, but it's a diminished one and a pointless one if he goes back dead end feuds, singing his little song and making his tirades with a lot of content but very little meaning. A 'taker loss also hurts the Undertaker brand. What would he be then? Some old guy who comes back every year to job at Wrestlemania?

Moreover, I'm getting a little bit tired of seeing Undertaker come back year after year to work one match. The problem of coming back like this (and usually within less than 3 TVs before 'mania) is there's zero psychology in it. The best matches are usually that because there's compelling reasons for this fight to happen and why the participants have a grudge. The idea of coming back to defend the streak was thin enough and without that there's even less.

If the match is to happen, instead of having Undertaker show up near 'mania time apropos of nothing, have Wyatt go looking for him. Do it vignette style. Give some sort of a story. At least in this way there is some sort of an emotionally compelling reason for these two men to fight.

JohnMarston wrote: »

I like this, maybe as part of the buildup, it cuts to Taker in a dark room, despondent, his loss last year still playing on his mind. He no longer feels like the Phenom he once was, just a broken down man.
Bray taunts him, Taker ignores him or feels there's no point in it.

Bray resorts to more extreme measures to seek him out by kidnapping Kane (seriously, there is no downside, its not like kane is doing anything) to draw him out. Taker feels he has something to fight for again and shows up on a Raw, Bray beats him down, claiming he wants to break his spirit as his body was last year, agreeing to free his little brother if he can beat him at WM.

If Taker loses, him and his brother become Wyatts disciples (or something to that effect)

Just a storyline off the top of my head

Have Wyatt kidnap Kane as a bargaining chip with the authority to be put in the title picture at 'mania. Have it that he's taken Kane to some little cabin out in the back woods and he's started sending in little recordings of his rants and demands, with Kane yelling in the background. Authority comes out, saying they won't respond to a lunatics demands, basically selling Kane up the river.



*BONG*

Pentecost wrote: »

Taker's wife hasn't been kidnapped in a while.

Yes must be Michelle's turn now, Sarah was taken a few times

Officer999 wrote: »

I wouldn't mind seeing Undertaker return with the American badass gimmick. Be nice to see him emerge through the curtain on his motorcylce towards Bray in the ring or as Taker would refer to it "his yard". I think it would get a huge pop.
Be a nice turn of pace...his Phenom gimmick is getting a bit stale

He definitely needs to revitalise his persona but I doubt there's much impetus to do so for a yearly appearance.

A lot of his character has become boring these days. He's given no mic time, he is beaten up and has entrance is like a funeral procession,
accompanied by silence from both announcer and crowd. He's supposed to be THE Undertaker, not AN undertaker. It used to be accompanied by a big sustained ovation and JR giving it welly on the mic - "BAH GAWD, KING!! THE UNDERTAKER IS WALKING THROUGH HELL FIRE HERE TONIGHT." etc. Now it's just the occasional flat comment from JBL or Cole, "The immortal Undertaker...." said with a listless affect.

Basically the WWE thinks 'takers' mere presence, rote entrance and predictable match at the event is enough, and I disagree. There's a lot you could do with the guy.

CSF wrote: »

Let's be honest here, it's going to be f*cking awful.

Awful? Doubtful, but it is a match with no setup, little psychology and dwindling interest in seeing the returning guy perform. The two would give it their all but it would not be a classic. I'd have it mid card and give the penultimate spot to a match more deserving.

I'd rather taker at 100% for WM32 in Texas, retire on a high

IncognitoMan wrote: »

Bray may not look in great shape but when you actually see him move in the ring I think that puts that idea to bed. He's deceptively quick

Yeah he is, he is still definitely in the lower mid range of the current roster in terms of ringwork though.

briany wrote: »

It's hard to think of anyone who 'taker could face who would play off him well and provide a reason for fans to care about the match. A D. Bryan encounter at this stage, for sake of argument, would have absolutely no justification.

At this stage, I'd have Hogan v. Taker. Don't get me wrong - it would be a horrible match with two guys who can barely move but, come on, it's Hogan v. Taker. If WWE wants to rely on a guy's mere presence to get a match over, as they seem to think is the case with Undertaker, then why not double down and go with....Hogan v. Taker (Mick Foley thumbs up). Hogan's been advertising for a match, too.

Still, Wyatt looks nailed on, if it's to be anyone, so get ready for your favorite spots such as Wyatt laughing, Wyatt singing, and Wyatt doing that cool walk that he can only do for 5 seconds. Undertaker will counter with eye rolling (both kinds), some sit ups and a lightning strike. In fact it could be less of a match and more of turn based RPG fight.

I'm tellin you man, Ambrose. It would work for the same reasons that CM Punk worked so well.

CSF wrote: »

I'm tellin you man, Ambrose. It would work for the same reasons that CM Punk worked so well.

A big part of CM Punk's WM run with 'taker was Heyman to generate that heat. Especially with the unfortunate passing of Paul Bearer and their playing off of that. Beyond that, there was Punk's own great work on the mic and that he'd already had several years in the WWE to cultivate his heel persona. Ambrose is great but he'd need to find that nuance to make us care about his end in a match v. 'taker. He's crazy - he's a 'lunatic', OK....what else?

Tugboats wrote: »

Ya but the match would be somewhat ok with Ambrose. Taker v Bray will be a car crash

I think Wyatt/Taker would be easier to sell to the more casual fan because of the clash of personalities and presences. Ambrose would sell better to the smarter fans. Question is which group do you pander to? The smarter fans may have already bought the PPV...or they may just be streaming it, so I think the 'E would go for the money on the table, even though they've had a chequered history of actually doing this.

That said, I don't think either match should happen. Let Taker stay home this year and be conspicuous by his absence and build toward a proper retirement match next year with a proper feud to go with it. At the end of the day, a match doesn't mean a lot if there isn't a proper program behind it.

Can you picture Bray doing his upside down face thing and all of a sudden Taker sitting him staring at him, would be a great moment

briany wrote: »

Ah now, here. He's not as good as Bryan in getting over, just yet. He'll get there one day, though.

He was doing just as well. The timing was just better for Bryan. Bryan is a small bit better in the ring, Ambrose on the mic.

IvySlayer wrote: »

I'd give anything to have the Undertaker of 2006-2009 back, he was huge and in the best shape of his career.

Undertaker's match against Kurt Angle at No Way Out 2006 is perhaps second only to HIAC KotR '98. The ankle lock sequence had me on the edge of my seat. Some truly great storytelling in that match. Would be so great, also, to see Kurt end his career in WWE, but I suppose that won't happen.

Let's remind ourselves...

I can see Taker and Sting fighting Triple H and Kane at Mania.
dont ask me why, but thats what I see on the cards if he does return.

Taker's entrance used to be accompanied by a sustained 'hot' reaction. Nowadays it's horrible sterile and lacking in all real atmosphere, so they have to pipe some in.

Tugboats wrote: »

Cnbc discussing CEOs biggest mistakes. Vince for ending the streak got a mention lol

Any link?

Was listening to Piper's Podcast, and he had Jim Cornette on. Corny made a great point, saying he did'nt ever want to see Sting vs Taker, and neither does anyone else.

Sure, the build up would be good, but then the realisation would set in - somebody would have to lose. Taker can't lose again, and Sting can't lose in his first/last match.

He also said that with Vince, the decision to end the Streak was likely a spur of the moment thing, cos Vince can be like that with crazy decisions

Tugboats wrote: »

Cnbc discussing CEOs biggest mistakes. Vince for ending the streak got a mention lol

Biggest mistakes? As far as mistakes go, ending Taker's streak is on the minor side, and there's plenty of people who would argue that it wasn't a mistake at all or a bad decision. Love it, or hate it, it's an absolutely iconic Wrestlemania moment, right up there with the best.

These controversial things WWE do sometimes - we can never be so sure there's not a method to the madness. If it gets people talking then maybe it's not so bad, especially is it's a work. As they say, 'The only thing worse than being talked about is not being talked about'. I forget who said that. I think it was a flamboyant gay man. Possibly Fandango, and no one's talking about him.

JP Liz V1 wrote: »

Be good to see badass biker Taker back once again

Yeah personally i dont think he should've gone back to the dead man character, yeah its probably the best creation ever, and it worked but as soon as he became the american badass with the kid rock music, that for me was when it should've stopped.