Taker's Opponent For WM28

Charisteas

the flananator wrote: »

And Punk/Austin won't happen. Even if Austin could be persuaded to wrestle another match, such a massive bout would not be wasted on a mid-carder like Punk.

I kinda agree with that, but I think once Punk signs his new contract, he will (or at least should be) main eventing on a regular basis. Punk is different class compared to Miz, Truth and Barrett, who have been Cena's most recent feuds.

And if Austin/Punk were to happen at WM28, then they still have 10 months to build up Punk.

I would say book Cena Vs Punk for Summerslam, and then push Punk to the moon from then onwards by having him win the title at SS.

stiffler123

Why_So_Serious? wrote: »

and why did Lesnar draw big??? mainly because people wanted too see him lose, could hardly be because of his MMA ability since he has none

Absolute bull. It's amazing how far Lesnar has come in such a short space of time in mma. He has great wrestling, phenomenal cardio and he showed how good his chin was against Shane Carwin. If he works more on his boxing, he will be tough to beat. You don't become champion by having no ability.

jaykhunter

Let it go. If someone doesn't want to believe/accept that a NCAA Division 1 champion, who won the UFC Heavyweight championship after FOUR professional MMA bouts "has no ability", just move on.

Back on topic; WM27 was the time and place for Sting vs Taker. But it'd still be a huge draw; I believe 20-0 should be with Cena @ WM30. That said; if Taker can get healthy taking off the rest of the year; i wouldn't begrudge him going up to 25-0. It'd be an honour to face taker at that stage, as it is now.

the groutch

jaykhunter wrote: »

Let it go. If someone doesn't want to believe/accept that a NCAA Division 1 champion, who won the UFC Heavyweight championship after FOUR professional MMA bouts "has no ability", just move on.

Back on topic; WM27 was the time and place for Sting vs Taker. But it'd still be a huge draw; I believe 20-0 should be with Cena @ WM30. That said; if Taker can get healthy taking off the rest of the year; i wouldn't begrudge him going up to 25-0. It'd be an honour to face taker at that stage, as it is now.

Taker will do well to make it through this year let alone to WM30, or another 5 Manias. that's why he changed his finisher from the Chokeslam/Last Ride/Tombstone to submissions, to protect his body just to make it to 20-0.
After that he'll definitely retire, he doesnt want to end up like Hogan, barely able to walk.

parker kent

the flananator wrote: »

And Punk/Austin won't happen. Even if Austin could be persuaded to wrestle another match, such a massive bout would not be wasted on a mid-carder like Punk.

CM Punk has been a main event heel for about 18 months. He is the perfect person to wrestle Austin.

rossie1977

Charisteas wrote: »

Undertaker's Wrestlemania opponent doesn't need to be a good wrestler though, it just needs to be a big name. Sting fits the bill perfectly. Even Undertaker Vs Hulk Hogan would still draw massive numbers in 2012, and Hogan can barely walk.

i think we are so used of motys involving taker last 5 or so manias that we often forget he wrestled mark henry at 22, kane at 20, big show and albert at 19, bossman at 15

GTR63

rossie1977 wrote: »

i think we are so used of motys involving taker last 5 or so manias that we often forget he wrestled mark henry at 22, kane at 20, big show and albert at 19, bossman at 15

Not to mention the dire ones he had with the likes of Bundy & Giant Gonzalez.If Taker isn't able to go by next year they shouldn't ask him to have another match so phisical that it puts him on the shelf with another surgery.

Charisteas

GTR63 wrote: »

Not to mention the dire ones he had with the likes of Bundy & Giant Gonzalez.If Taker isn't able to go by next year they shouldn't ask him to have another match so phisical that it puts him on the shelf with another surgery.

I think there's no doubt about it, Taker will wrestle at WrestleMania next year, even if he can barely move or has just left the surgery room.

Vince is a business man, part of his business is selling merchandise, and a nice round number 20-0 sure looks better than 19-0 on the cover of a DVD, t-shirt and magazine.

GTR63

Charisteas wrote: »

I think there's no doubt about it, Taker will wrestle at WrestleMania next year, even if he can barely move or has just left the surgery room.

Vince is a business man, part of his business is selling merchandise, and a nice round number 20-0 sure looks better than 19-0 on the cover of a DVD, t-shirt and magazine.

Oh I wasn't questioning his participation I was thinking if he was to beat Sting in a short match rather than having a hard hitting 30+ minute matches he's been having at mania the last few years.

jaykhunter

Do you think The Streak will ever be not the big draw at Mania again?

Charisteas

GTR63 wrote: »

Oh I wasn't questioning his participation I was thinking if he was to beat Sting in a short match rather than having a hard hitting 30+ minute matches he's been having at mania the last few years.

Yeah that's true, any match he has at WrestleMania from now on is going to be a spot-fest, with a high spot followed by 2-3 minutes on his back recovering. (Leave out the Michelle McCool jokes!).

Which is another reason why Sting would be the perfect opponent as he could easily work a match of this calibre and not have to adjust his style and slow himself down.

SlickRic

jaykhunter wrote: »

Do you think The Streak will ever be not the big draw at Mania again?

have we proof to say it is the draw?

WWE make it the centrepiece, but it's not why i would buy WM.

i wouldn't have bought last year for HHH possibly ending the streak, or even the match itself, it was down to The Rock.

The Streak only meant something to me when HBK was going up against it. i can honestly say i've had no interest in it in any of these years where WWE has tried to make it the centrepiece and a huge deal.

but maybe it's just me, and it is a draw.

and maybe it's because the thing is a waste of time, because let's be honest he ain't dropping the Streak, which means the whole thing, IMO, has been a waste of time, and you're only getting half the mileage out of it.

if it has been a draw, great, Vince has made money on it, but why not make even more money in the future and have someone beat the Streak and send them into the stratosphere? Orton should've been that person years ago, but thankfully it didn't stunt him.

right now, it should be Punk. all day long, it should be Punk.

and until that happens i have no interest in the Streak....unless the other alternative happens, and Cena goes against it one day. that would maybe peak my interest, purely from a 'watching Internet explode' perspective.

Wolfe Tone

The streak is a draw for me, but maybe I'm a rarity in that I like to pretend its real and try to avoid all the backstage things. I enjoy it more that way.


/cue ITS STILL REAL TO ME DAMMIT vid.

krudler

Cena, just to watch the internet collapse on itself

mixed up

It doesn't matter to me who taker fights at wm i would never buy it it's a joke.I meant to believe taker can't be beat when he has been beat so many times before just not at wm?I cant believe people care about a man that can hardly walk.

jaykhunter

SlickRic wrote: »

have we proof to say it is the draw?

Last year is definitely an exception (the majority bought it mainly to see The Rock) but in general over the last few years; with the world titles (plural :mad:) being severely devalued, the streak is by far the most important thing at mania.

Granted it only started being a big draw 07-08.

parker kent

SlickRic wrote: »

if it has been a draw, great, Vince has made money on it, but why not make even more money in the future and have someone beat the Streak and send them into the stratosphere? Orton should've been that person years ago, but thankfully it didn't stunt him.

The streak wasn't really pushed at that stage, it would have been a big boost for Orton obviously, but it was the next few years where the streak became a major angle.

right now, it should be Punk. all day long, it should be Punk.

If he ever loses, it should be Punk. Absolutely.

the flananator

parker kent wrote: »

CM Punk has been a main event heel for about 18 months. He is the perfect person to wrestle Austin.

No he isn't. He's had his ass handed to him consistently and decisively by the likes or Orton etc, how could he possibly be taken seriously as a threat to the biggest superstar of all time?

parker kent

the flananator wrote: »

No he isn't. He's had his ass handed to him consistently and decisively by the likes or Orton etc, how could he possibly be taken seriously as a threat to the biggest superstar of all time?

Heels always lose to faces. All you need to do is a few months building him up.

They did that anyway with Punk in the build up to his match with Cena at MITB.

Who exactly has been clearly ahead of his as a main event heel? He has feuded with Orton, Cena and Mysterio in the last 18 months (i.e the 3 biggest faces in the WWE). He is a 3 time WHC. Only The Miz would rival him for any hypothetical match with Austin.

the flananator

parker kent wrote: »

Heels always lose to faces. All you need to do is a few months building him up.

They did that anyway with Punk in the build up to his match with Cena at MITB.

Who exactly has been clearly ahead of his as a main event heel? He has feuded with Orton, Cena and Mysterio in the last 18 months (i.e the 3 biggest faces in the WWE). He is a 3 time WHC. Only The Miz would rival him for any hypothetical match with Austin.

Heels don't always lose. They may cheat to win, but they still need to win to be kept looking strong. Punk hasn't even been doing that in his big matches. WWE have never treated or presented him as one of their top guys, all his World title reigns were transitory. He's never been 'The Man'.

The Miz would be a better choice alright, but I also doubt he'd get the nod, nor should he. HHH would be a great, 'Mania worthy opponent. A match with Cena would be huge, if Cena wasn't already engaged. Orton would be worthy, and would make sense in a terms of passing the torch. But I think if Austin does decide to come back for one match at 'Mania, then the only real choice is The Undertaker. It would a truly poetic swansong for both men.

parker kent

Orton already is the top face on Smackdown. Why would he, as a face, wrestler Austin? What benefit would there be to the match? The only way the match would work would be for Orton to go heel (as the fans will cheer Austin no matter what). So you would be ruining the number 2 face in the company (and possibly the number 1 should Cena go heel) for one match.

A match with Taker and Austin may work if it were booked like the HHH match as a special attraction. But I think they need to elevate CM Punk to true superstar status. A bit like how Bret Hart elevated Steve Austin. You forget that to have stars, you need to actually make them. A programme with Austin or The Undertaker would cement Punk at the top. He already is a main event heel, that match would move him to the next level.

JP Liz V1

jaykhunter wrote: »

Do you think The Streak will ever be not the big draw at Mania again?

I think when Taker was facing HBK it was in 2009 and 2010 it very much was the main draw

I think we are forgetting about the man who is 1-0 at Manias after this year - Michael Cole

I think I'd prefer Taker retire with the streak

gimmick

the flananator wrote: »

No he isn't. He's had his ass handed to him consistently and decisively by the likes or Orton etc, how could he possibly be taken seriously as a threat to the biggest superstar of all time?

If some people still do not see him as a top dog going into that match, the rub he would get from being Austins opponents would certainly make him a star in those peoples eyes.

WWE have never treated or presented him as one of their top guys, all his World title reigns were transitory. He's never been 'The Man'.

While transitionary, they are still reigns. Not every new top guy can be fast tracked to the top like Cena or Orton. The way Punk has risen has been quite steady, and he is now a perfectly dependable performer, whether he jerks the curtain, or main events. WWE need more guys like him. In years past they had Eddie, Benoit, Jericho to do this job. At the moment they have cultivated Punk into this sort of verstaile character. Much the same as what Rey is.

He is not just another mid carder. He is young and for my money is the future heel top man should he hang around.

Bounty Hunter

another option would be a HBK return with both HHH & HBK going for third time Lucky at mania vs the deadman,this time in a triple threat match, even though I wouldnt like to see Micheals return only for the factidlike his to be a real retirement.

the groutch

Bounty Hunter wrote: »

even though I wouldnt like to see Micheals return only for the fact id like his to be a real retirement.

I assume you're referring to Naitch, who definitely shouldnt be allowed wrestle any more (although I did love his feud with Jay Lethal)

parker kent

JP Liz V1 wrote: »

I think we are forgetting about the man who is 1-0 at Manias after this year - Michael Cole

I think I'd prefer Taker retire with the streak

The Miz is 2-0 as well you know :pac:

I think Taker should retire with the streak. Somebody like Punk could still have an epic match with him and lose whilst getting elevated. You don't have to end the streak to get the rub. Just being the guy that wrestles The Undertaker in his last ever match is enough of a rub.

Anyway, I imagine it will be Triple H v Taker next year. Although I'd rather Taker had 2 matches a year in him and they had the rematch at Summerslam or Survivor Series.

Bounty Hunter

the groutch wrote: »

I assume you're referring to Naitch, who definitely shouldnt be allowed wrestle any more (although I did love his feud with Jay Lethal)

referring to almost all PW "Retirements", they are very rarely real long term.

waltersobchak

Bounty Hunter wrote: »

another option would be a HBK return with both HHH & HBK going for third time Lucky at mania vs the deadman,this time in a triple threat match, even though I wouldnt like to see Micheals return only for the factidlike his to be a real retirement.

That would actually be an incredible match..

jaykhunter

I'm sick of Michaels and HHH "hogging" the undertaker; both have faced him twice at mania each. Give someone else the rub.

See this is the problem where world titles don't matter, nobody cares. Even this year, it was "What was Rock gonna do" rather than who the WWE title will end up with. Now WWE are too terrified to put in a lesser guy with Taker, who could really use the spotlight in lieu of the big star. Maybe we'll just have to wait until after 20-0 for people like Barrett, Punk, Sheamus, Miz etc to get their badge of honour, jobbing to Taker at Mania.

parker kent

I know what you mean about HHH and HBK hogging Taker, but that triple threat match would be awesome.