A Mania match a day

[Undefeated Steak]

Love this thread. I don't think there's been a Wrestlemania spot as good as that piledriver on the steps since (there were a few before). Undertaker's missed dive to the outside is up there but that was a botch.

[air_raid]

I think it's my favourite 'Mania show-closer.

Yeah, there's definitely a case for it :

 

The main event of John Cena vs Shawn Michaels is an utterly fantastic match and I think its fabulous that Shawn had that chance, even though not the original plan, since he had been one of the companys two best wrestlers (with Kurt Angle) for a good few years. I understood Cena winning but would have loved Shawn to win so the match gave me all the right ingredients - two very good performers, no obvious winner, and an emotional investment (i.e. I cared about who would win). There's a case for Shawn/Cena as the best WrestleMania main event ever in my eyes so on the strength of two really good title matches it deserves to be right up there.

 

 

Love this thread. I don't think there's been a Wrestlemania spot as good as that piledriver on the steps since (there were a few before).

 

For me the winner is Batista & Randy's combination powerbomb and neckbreaker through the table on Danny Bry last year. I mean OK, it's hard to watch Orton landing back first on that monitor, but the execution of what's done to Bryan is glorious. The "Hunter & Shawn suplexing Benoit through the table" of Mania XXX, as if enough comparisons haven't been made already.

[HarmonicGenerator]

I'd put a case forward for Triple H's Tombstone at XXVII. Yeah, it's just a Tombstone, it's not a big stunt or anything, but the context of it, i.e. every bugger watching it thinking for a second that he'd ended the Streak - surely puts it up there as one of the great Mania spots.

 

Meanwhile… With a week to go until 31, It's WrestleMania 24 time for me. I'm going to watch another main event, this time between two of my personal all-time favourites. It's… The Undertaker vs. Edge.

 

 

The match:

 

I remember watching this match, and enjoying it. I watched WM24 in bursts, in between completing my dissertation and MSNing she who was referenced in the 'who was champion when you lost your virginity' thread. (Facebook chat didn't appear until just after this, I believe. I remember logging in on a uni library computer somewhere around April '08 and there being this new option. It's like MSN! But on Facebook! Look at this! That'll never last, stupid idea.) Great show. The Belfast Brawl, MITB, Flair vs. Michaels, Mayweather vs. Big Show, the Chavo squash, and this match there's lots to enjoy. I'd rank it high among the Manias.

 

I also recall Bryan Alvarez gushing over this match in FSM, which I bought every month at the time.

 

PS3 version of the Network's just added a 'Vault' section to its 'Shows' menu, to go along with 'Pay-Per-Views', 'In-Ring' and 'Originals', for what that's worth. (Answer: £9.99)

 

We are now officially in the modern era. We are TV-PG, and we are in a post-Benoit world. We also have another show with no chapter breaks so I'll have to hope I hit the right moment via fast-forward.

 

I loved the WM24 open-air set-up, incidentally. Looked great in daylight and when it got to night-time. It had a cool logo too.

 

Kim Kardashian! Fucking hell. She sounds so insincere as the announces the attendance, 74,00-and-something. She doesn't give a toss, really, but I wonder whether she brought much publicity to the event. Can you imagine how much they'd have to pay to get her these days?

 

Video package time. The Streak is at the forefront here, but Edge, as World Champion and Ultimate Opportunist, is looking to 'cement his legacy' and end it. You know what, I bought him as a potential Streak-ender at one point. In retrospect, you'd have only got three years out of it, but it would have utterly made Edge's career and cemented him at the very very top. Discussion of who might end the Streak tended to focus on 'making' someone, just like defeating Brock this year has. And Edge, like Orton in '05 and I suppose Punk in '13, was a contender for that. 

 

That above paragraph is important because that's the only way Edge is going to get a win here - if you don't latch onto that notion, there's no way Edge is winning.

 

Druids! You know what's missing this year? A Wyatt segment which cuts to some kind of mountainous castle keep in a stormy landscape, or an old abandoned monastery, something out of Bram Stoker basically, where you see these druids marching through the cloisters and corridors, doing their chanting, flaming torches in their brackets on the walls, as they congregate in a central hall or quadrangle, with the Undertaker symbol carved into or marked on the floor, and they LITERALLY PERFORM INCANTATIONS TO BRING HIM BACK TO THIS PLANE OF EXISTENCE HOW FUCKING COOL WOULD THAT HAVE BEEN. If you're going supernatural, go all the fucking way with it. These druids turn up over a period of years, they must go somewhere else the rest of the time.

 

Come on, that would be awesome.

 

Undertaker is making his entrance. Bone-chilling and legendary are two words Michael Cole uses to describe it. He's absolutely right. Goosebumps, every time. Every. Single. Time.

 

Streak currently stands at 15-0. Who's that talking with Cole? Is that Coach? When my internet reconnects (it's terrible at the moment, but only on the laptop, and only in one room of the house, it sometimes take me 20 minutes of constant turning things on and off to trick it into connecting. I blame BT) I'll look.

 

Here comes the champion, Edge! He's got the potential for a great big Alter Bridge entrance but instead he has to snog a wheelchair-bound Vickie Guerrero who's brought out by Teddy Long. Probably could've done that bit backstage and focused on the FIIIIREWORKS! 

 

The championship is definitely taking second priority to the Streak here, but Edge is not only also undefeated at WrestleMania (I'd forgotten that), but has never lost to Taker.

 

Jimmy Korderas is wearing one of those nice blue SmackDown referee shirts. I always like those, they don't still have them do they? It's been a long time since I watched SmackDown. NXT should have yellow-y ones.

 

Edge starts off strong with loads of strikes, but Taker clotheslines him down and knocks Edge out of the ring. I can't think who that could be other than Coach, but still without connection on the laptop, I'll have to wait to find out.

 

Taker hits the somersault clothesline thing and starts working on the arm… Crowd goes "oohhhhhHHHHH" because they know Old School's coming, but Edge counters, but Taker recounters into an arm drag.

 

Oof! Undertaker went for a big knee in the corner and went tumbling over the top rope to the floor. He climbs back up onto the apron and Edge barges into him, knocking him into the barrier, while Cole finally name checks Coach to confirm my suspicion, which is just as well because the wifi is not playing ball. Why the fuck it does this, just in the one room of the house (the room with the home hub in it, no less) and only on a laptop - while it claims there's no connection, the WWE Network is running perfectly - I cannot fathom. 

 

Edge is playing the game of keeping Undertaker out of the ring. Would it count as ending the Streak if he won by count out? I suppose so, since Taker's win against Gonzales was a DQ and still counts.

 

Taker's in trouble already, as he's allowed back in the ring, with a series of elbows to the back as Undertaker's down. Taker tries to pick him up but can't, and ends up being pinned. Cole suggests Taker won't be able to hit a chokeslam, which makes me sad, I haven't seen one since WM14.

 

Edge goes up to the top rope and Undertaker just pushes him off. He lands on his back on the floor which is wince-worthy as you hear his body just splat on the mats right on his back. Taker then does the top rope dive onto Edge, always impressive, but I'm still recovering from that bump Edge just took. Ouch ouch ouch. Taker hits the apron leg drop and is now firmly in control. Coach points out that although these moves are hurting Edge, they can't be helping Taker's back. Good point.

 

When did they stop mentioning referees by name? Korderas just got a namecheck there. Is it a very recent thing?

 

Taker goes for the Last Ride but his back's not holding up and Edge is now back in it. Both men are now on the outside, and Undertaker gets a back suplex onto the barrier (his back landing right on it) and almost wipes out part of the front row. For someone who's supposed to be so invulnerable, Undertaker doesn't half do vulnerable well. Very clever way of doing it here, too, with Edge the psychologist picking him apart bit by bit - if he can't do the big moves, he can't beat you, is his thinking I expect.

 

Undertaker counters a submission with a pin attempt, it doesn't work, and Edge goes back to the submission. Back on their feet a minute later they exchange punches, with the crowd doing a yay-boo exchange (Undertaker gets the yays. Good crowd). Punch punch punch punch, faster faster faster faster, until Taker wins out, he's back in it, he hits a couple of corner clotheslines, followed by snake eyes, followed by… an Edge dropkick, ah. Taker kicks out.

 

Edge is about to get chokeslammed, no, cut off, no, cut off, Edgecution, dammit! Taker kicks out. The Streak was not almost over, Michael Cole, stop being silly.

 

Edge went for the spear, got cut off himself this time, CHOKESLAM CHOKESLAM CHOKESLAM YEEEESSSS. Edge kicks out.

 

WrestleMania project Chokeslam count: 5.

 

So Edge is going for the Streak, Taker is going for the title, that's the story here. Cole points out that Edge has countered Taker's every move, which is very true as he's just blocked Old School and hit a superplex. Both men down. Pin attempt, the Streak is not over Cole, I am not buying it, Taker kicks out.

 

Last Ride! Countered by a leapfrog type move onto his feet behind Undertaker, neck breaker! Taker can't get a break here. He goes for it again… and hits it! Last Ride! Edge kicks out! The crowd are really getting into it now. Throat movement, Tombstone coming up… aaand countered. Taker kicks out. This is a really brilliant way of doing back and forth - Edge is holding his own by countering absolutely everything.

 

Old School attempt number 3 and he finally gets it. Taker goes for a big boot - and yep, it's countered! Korderas eats a boot to the side of the head and Edge takes Taker down. "That's unfortunate for referee Jimmy Korderas", says Coach. You're not wrong. Chokeslam? Countered with a low blow! Edge sneaks a look to check Korderas is still down, then pops out to assault a cameraman and nick his camera to hit Taker with (he'd previously attacked Taker while posing as a cameraman at Survivor Series). Camera to the face, but Edge can't go for the pin, so he goes to get the ref and Korderas responds by flopping off the apron onto the floor. Poor bloke.

 

TOMBSTONE! But there's no ref! RUN CHARLES ROBINSON RUN RUN RUN THE ENTRANCE RAMP IS TOO LONG HE CAN'T RUN FAST ENOUGH! Edge kicked out. I would like to see a Network series of referee training camp, where they have to do a bleep test to practice their ramp rundowns.

 

"If he was two steps quicker we'd have had a new champion", don't rub it in, commentators, he ran as fast as he could.

 

Curt Hawkins and Zack Ryder turn up - remember them as mini-Edges? - and Taker chokeslams one of them onto the other.

 

Chokeslam count: 6

 

SPEAR! Edge hit the spear, but Taker kicked out! I was kind of expecting that, and not just because I've already seen the match. Another spear! But Taker locks in Hell's Gate! In some foreshadowing of WMXXVII, Edge taps out despite having virtually finished off Undertaker.

 

Taker's the new champion, and is 16-0. Edge is bleeding but has absolutely held his own in the main event. And my wifi is WORKING, I repeat, WORKING. Victory and fireworks and a Red Hot Chili Peppers video package!

 

My thoughts

 

Great match, great main event. Edge was excellent, they told a great story in him keeping up with the power and moves of Undertaker, but in the end, you give him an opening and Undertaker will beat you. I could happily watch that match again right now.

 

Dear WWE Network: Referee series and a druid series, please.

[HarmonicGenerator]

We're in the home stretch - it's WrestleMania week! And I'm up to WrestleMania 25. I was almost going to watch Chris Jericho vs. the Legends. For a time, the Miss WrestleMania Battle Royal was going to be my pick here (I do like a battle royal). But in the end, I've gone for the Money In The Bank Ladder Match for two reasons:

 

1. It was a six-year WrestleMania tradition so I should really watch one of them, and

 

2. I've had a shite day at work so watching eight blokes getting smashed in the face with ladders for my entertainment may cheer me up.

 

The match:

 

It's amazing how many editions of WrestleMania start the same way. Shots of 80s stadiums with Vince's voice and inspirational music. This particular opening package is so good I've watched the whole thing. Can't wait to see what they come up with this year.

 

Loadsa people in the stadium for 25. AC/DC let them use one of their songs too, I'd forgotten that. 

 

Just the announcement of the Money in the Bank match gets a big reaction here, this is a crowd that's up to it.

 

CM Punk is out first. He had great music back then, fitted him perfectly - but then so did 'Cult of Personality'. It's not often someone gets two great entrance themes. Mark Henry next out, another great theme. He's got Tony Atlas with him. He looks like he's going to split every wig in the building. Our announcers are Cole, JR and Lawler (on a side note, what happened to Hugo Savinovich from the Spanish announce team?)

 

MVP doesn't get much of a reaction, but he is US Champion. Finlay is next out, to Hornswoggle's music and a bloody odd looking jacket. Did they make a shoulder pad out of a plastic hubcap or something? The music's definitely taken a downturn, Shelton Benjamin's coming out. I wouldn't mind having him back for a little mini-run. Shelton in NXT would suit me fine.

 

Kofi Kingston has good music. He's out now for what is in fact his Mania debut. And next, a big reaction from the crowd for Christian - they love him in … where was Mania 25? Texas… Reliant stadium? That's not the same as the Reliant Astrodome, is it? I should know this.

 

The screens go all fire-y for Kane coming out. How many's that now? Is that all eight? Yes it is. They all do the looking-up-at-the-briefcase thing and get straight to clattering each other. Mark Henry is veeery slowly clobbering Kane, but gets a ladder to the chest from Shelton and Christian and goes down with a huge thud. Kane gets a ladder too, but Kingston jumps OVER THE LADDER and dropkicks it, followed by a leg drop! Go Kofi!

 

Kane and Henry are back up and they're both climbing! 'That must be the World's Strongest Ladder', remarks JR. I agree. The rest of the guys get rid of them and then they ALL CLIMB UP THE LADDERS, I can see where this is going… Kane and Henry 'part the steel sea' (another good JR line) and knock everyone else off the ladders. Kane then goes up again after almost killing Shelton outside the ring with a ladder, but Henry gets rid of him and THROWS ONE RIGHT AT FINLAY'S FACE which misses but would have destroyed anyone in its path.

 

Finlay did a dive! Then Christian did a bigger dive! Then MVP did a dive with a flip in it! Then Kofi and Punk did two dives at once! Then SHELTON CLIMBED TO THE TOP OF A MASSIVE LADDER AND DID A FLIP DIVE OFF THE TOP OF THE MASSIVE LADDER BECAUSE HE'S ABSOLUTELY MAD. Seriously, that was crazier than Jeff Hardy at X-Seven, at least he had tables to break his fall, Shelton you mentalist.

 

Ah Christ, here's Hornswoggle with a little ladder. Oh, I see. Finlay helps him up to the top rope (standing on Mark Henry's back) and he did a dive as well. Finlay then smacks Henry with the little ladder and goes to get a big one. KOFI! Kofi just swung THROUGH THE LADDER with a dropkick and then hit Finlay in the head with one. He goes for a splash and gets the little ladder to the guy. Kofi's been the best one in the match so far.

 

Finlay hits everyone with the little ladder and puts the big one back up again. Kofi just gets booted in the face this time, but I missed Kingston making a comeback to knock Finlay off the ladder. Kofi climbs but Henry's back in to push him off. I love how Henry just doesn't give a fuck how those ladders land, he'll just fucking make you hurt. Wig. Split.

 

Henry holds the ladder vertical and KOFI CLIMBS UP IT. It goes badly, of course, and he ends up eating a World's Strongest Slam on a ladder. 

 

Are you keeping up with all this? There's loads going on, constant action. MVP and Benjamin are in at the moment. Shelton does some bloody lovely Ladder Ninja stuff before finally eating a power bomb, and MVP climbs up. But Punk's there to meet him! And Christian, who's not been in for ages! Christian gets rid of MVP, and he and Punk are fighting over the briefcase. There's a second ladder balanced between a rung of the big one and the top rope. This is important because Christian and Punk were both standing on it and Punk got an Unprettier off the ladder for his trouble.

 

There was a third ladder leaning against the second ladder on the outside. This is important because Benjamin just ran up the third ladder, across the second ladder, and onto the first ladder to try and power bomb MVP off it. It went wrong, but Shelton recovers by power bombing MVP over the top rope onto Henry and Tony Atlas on the outside.

 

Shelton and Christian on the ladder now - well, ladders, there are two up. The one they're on tips over, Christian keeps his balance and tips it back up while Shelton fell off the top and landed on the outside. Punk's back up now! Punk gets tangled up in the ladder while Kane turns up again CHOKESLAM CHOKESLAM OFF THE LADDER TO CHRISTIAN.

 

WrestleMania Chokeslam count: 7.

 

Kane wants to make it 8 and chokeslam Punk as well, but Punk kicks him away and unhooks the briefcase to win what is his second successive MITB Match. And I'll just catch my breath now...

 

My thoughts

 

Good fun! There were so many moves and spots that I'd never seen before (well, except for the fact I've seen this match before, that is). But I think where the MITB matches struggle is that they don't really stand out as distinct from each other. With the exception of the first one, which had the angle of a new concept, the gimmick became much the same from year to year - a bunch of people who didn't get featured singles matches do loads of big moves involving ladders, so consequently you remember the big moves (Shelton's massive dive here, Jeff breaking the ladder at 23) but you'd be hard-pressed to differentiate between the matches themselves year on year. It's difficult with so many competitors, I know, but after watching TLC II a week ago, there's a huge gulf between matches like this one and matches like that with such a heated rivalry and a consequent feeling of specialness behind them.

 

Kofi was the best one in this match, incidentally. Definitely. The crowd started off cheering Christian, but they were Kofi fans by the end, and matches like this are where he shines.

[HarmonicGenerator]

For some mad reason, for WrestleMania 26 I've picked Bret Hart vs. Mr. McMahon despite thinking it was awful at the time.

 

I think my reasoning is either (i) bloody hell, I've just realised I've watched no Bret Hart matches except the battle royal from WrestleMania IV, or (ii) I'm curious to see whether five years later, it's still as bad as I found it at the time.

 

Here goes...

 

The match

 

Vince's 'Mania matches always had interesting build-ups. This one was, frankly, surreal. It was mad seeing Bret back, just mad. I don't think they use him to his full potential now, though saying that I don't know quite in what capacity you could best use him. But they should.

 

This one is No Holds Barred. I knew going in that this match was going to have to take shortcuts… I was okay with that. But how it turned out, or at least how I remember… it was weird.

 

Bret's out first. People were talking in another thread about his 2010 run having different music, but that sounded like Bret's proper music to me? Commentators are Lawler, Cole and… Matt Striker?

 

Vince comes out, and he's got a microphone. This is possibly where it starts to go wrong, and I know I shouldn't be writing this in the style of 'analysis of a shit-wreck' and give it a fair chance, but fuck it, I know this is going to be poor. Vince has a whole load of lumberjacks, including a guest referee.

 

So out comes (to only very faint boos) Natalya, Tyson Kidd, David Hart Smith and… the Hart family, basically, but none of them get any introductions. I could hazard at Bruce and Diana. Yeah, anyway, the audience are pretty much already not that bothered.

 

Smith Hart, there's another one. 'This is pathetic' says Cole. 'Why?' says possibly-Striker. 'Because it's pathetic', replies Cole. Yeah.

 

Bruce is the referee. He keeps his sunglasses on and is wearing jeans.

 

It is Matt Striker, I just checked while Bret's going on about how the Hart family are actually on Bret's side and it was a double cross. He gets a reaction anyway, but mostly for 'Bret screwed Vince' rather than anything to do with the rest of the Harts.

 

Bret punches Vince a couple of times and stomps him in the corner. The Hart Dynasty beat Vince up on the outside, and Smith Hart does a bit. Natalya slaps Vince, and Striker… well, it's definitely him because he just did a 'future endeavours' reference.

 

This has already descended to 'group assault on an old man'. I know Vince is the bad guy but this is uncomfortable to watch. Bret's just standing there watching, which is almost as bad. They shove Vince back in the ring following a Hart Attack.

 

Bret does some forearms and Vince goes outside again. He's trying to hide under the ring. I wish I could. He's got some sort of wrench and for some reason that evens the odds despite there being about thirty of them out there. But it means fuck all because he gets back in the ring and it's straight back to Bret beating him up.

 

Cole assures us the Harts are enjoying every single moment of this. I am not. Bret is now beating Vince with the wrench. This is horrible. This really is just beating up an old man. If they were going for a massive Bret heel turn and Vince to be a pitiable baby face then mission accomplished, but in any other circumstance, please, someone, just let it end.

 

There's been basically zero crowd reaction to this point, 'this point' referring to Bret indicating for the Sharpshooter. That's all people wanted. A couple of punches and a Sharpshooter with Vince tapping would have been just fine.

 

But no. They can't do that. He hits him with the wrench instead and then kicks him in the groin. Twice. Cole points out that Vince is begging for mercy. I wish someone would listen to him, this is not the Vince of X-Seven, XIX or even 22 or 23. This is not a Vince I want to see get a prolonged, utterly one-sided beating.

 

Bret's having a breather on a chair. JUST MAKE IT END, PLEASE BRET I BEG YOU. I think this might be worse than I remember. And here come the chair shots.

 

1 chairshot. 2. 3. 4. 5, 6, this is horrible to watch, 7, and not at all in a, 8, 'bad match' way, though (9) it (10) completely is a bad match. This is seriously uncomfortable. 11. 12. 13. WHO WOULD HAVE ENJOYED THIS? 14. 15, for fuck's sake, 16, 17, even Lawler is finding it hard to watch. Who the fuck thought this was the way to do this?

 

Bret's signalling for the Sharpshooter again, and thank the Lord he actually puts it on this time and Vince taps instantly. But of course this isn't enough and Bret doesn't break the hold.

 

Thank FUCK that's over. The crowd seem to think so too. Basically silence.

 

(Side-note: It's just cut to the announcers and I've just spotted Seth Green and Freddie Prinze Jr in the audience.)

 

My thoughts

 

That was awful. It was undoubtedly worse than I remembered. Of all the ways they could have gone with that match, even with the limitations of both guys, they went with that?! Seventeen chairshots. SEVENTEEN. If you ever get the inclination to rewatch this match, ever… don't. Just don't.

[gmoney]

I think Bret's ego told him that the WWE audience were begging to see a cathartic retribution for all Vince had done to the Hart family, and given that he basically wasn't allowed to do any real wrestling this was the only way they could do it. Really though I think as must as Bret is really liked by fans, they're weren't up for a 20 on 1 kicking of an old man. Maybe if it was 97 Vince in a sandy couloured sportcoat, but fans had been through too much with the Vince McMahon character to see him given such a one sided beating. It's so misjudged. I wonder how Bret feels about it now. 

[marc2j]

I imagibe he thinks it was a 'nice little match' as he does with all of his matches...

[HarmonicGenerator]

WrestleMania XXVII now, and it can only be Undertaker vs. Triple H. Put simply: this is my favourite match. I love it.

 

One thing I do have to do in this review is live up to the amazing job ShortOrderCook did when he reviewed it a couple of years ago. I'm not going to read it because I'll want to copy it and it's better than anything I've written below. Trust me on this. Read it. I love it.

 

I'm excited. I can't wait to watch this again.

 

The match

 

JR and Lawler are commentating. I'm so glad they brought JR in for this. For all his faults, he's the right man for a match like this.

 

I will also note that I'll be playing 'Ain't No Grave' over the top of Undertaker's entrance because I know they'll have dubbed in his usual music for the Network. But it needs the Johnny Cash song, so I will be writing as if that's what's on the stream.

 

Video package first.

 

We see Taker make his return from his cabin on 2-21-11. But he's interrupted by Triple H. I already have goosebumps. They look at each other. Triple H glances at the WrestleMania sign. Undertaker looks and smirks at it. And walks away. But he stops. He cuts his throat. Triple H does the 'suck it' motion. They stare each other down. I'm going to have to pause it here for a second.

 

This was perfect. That was all the build-up they needed, right there. It told you everything. I am going to be heaping the praise on this match throughout, and that's because I honestly believe it is a GIFT to wrestling fans. The ones who spend their time watching the shows, talking about them with their friends, online, in their own heads, spending their money, those who have dipped in and out for decades, those who never dipped, those who are invested, this match is here to tell them 'it was worth it' - for moments like this one, it's worth all the other shit you've put up with. 

 

No words are spoken. No moves are hit. But there are three huge long-term character-based story lines going on here. One is the five-year story with Undertaker, Triple H and Shawn Michaels that is woven in and out of everything they did from 2007-2012. The second is the Streak, which I covered in a post last year. The third is exactly what Max Landis spoke about in his video - this is Triple H to a tee. His obsession with being the best, or being better than Shawn Michaels, has led him to interrupt the Undertaker and do what Shawn couldn't, what Shawn gave up his career for. That glance tells you everything. And Undertaker's smirk tells you just as much. But he can't turn down the challenge.

 

Anyway, back to the video. Triple H calls ending the Streak 'the only true challenge I have left'. 'I will do what no man has ever done before'. 'I will beat the Undertaker'. 'If [the Streak dies], you die. And if I can't end it, I'll die trying'. Consider the simplicity of those statements, and how high the stakes are despite - no, because of - the simplicity of them.

 

Undertaker is calling himself the Last Outlaw here, which is a bloody cool name.

 

The match is No Holds Barred. The lights go down and a bell tolls. But it's not Undertaker's gong - it's Metallica's! They've overdubbed 'For Whom The Bell Tolls' as well, so I'm imagining Metallica are playing here. An army of blokes brandishing shields are on the stage, and they part to reveal Triple H in his King of Kings getup. The lights go off and there's silence. Then BOOM! Green, and Motorhead, and a huge pop. Triple H looks like the absolute man and an utter star here. The stature of this match just feels so huge. Two undisputed legends, it really feels like the stakes cannot be higher, the match cannot be bigger, it's what WrestleMania was made for.

 

As Triple H surveys the crowd, he looks extremely determined. There's a very slight hint here of 'what have I let myself in for' as he looks towards the ramp. The character work in this match, by the way, the body language and the facial expressions, are perfect. Perfect.

 

Gong. Gong. Gong. As the stage lights up purple, and then fire. Cut to Triple H's face. You want an intimidating entrance, you've got it. And Johnny Cash starts playing. More goosebumps. The floor of the stadium fills with mist and there's The Undertaker. Seriously, there's chills running up and down my arms watching. The lyrics and the music of 'Ain't No Grave' are, and I'm going to use this word a lot, perfect. Ain't no grave can hold my body down… that's the story of the match summed up eight words. Of the Undertaker's entire WrestleMania career. The look on his face is completely stoic. How, as an opponent, you're not scared to death at this point, I don't know. Triple H looks it. Undertaker is staring right through him. Triple H is staring back but he must know he's in for the fight of his life.

 

(The song has finished by this point so I'm back on Network music and you know what? The regular Undertaker music works just as well)

 

Huge ovation before the match has even started. What a fucking treat to have been there live for this match. They back into their respective corners and they go straight into it, exchanging punches all over the place. There's no feeling-out process, no locking up, just all out destruction from the word go. Triple H is FLUNG over the top rope and they're brawling on the outside now. Triple H again FLUNG into the steps and Undertaker gets the Spanish announce table ready but Triple H spears him into the Cole Mine. Undertaker is down. They go right into the big stuff early here - TAKER JUST SAT UP and Triple H tells him to come and get him - and again, that is perfect for the match. If you are trying to beat the Streak you HAVE to go all out IMMEDIATELY. There's no other way.

 

Taker hit his somersault clothesline and starts barging himself into Triple H's arm for Old School, but Triple H throws him from the top rope, and he lands hard on the mat before being clotheslined out of the ring. Undertaker is thrown through the air into the barrier, and the replay shows the impact of it. Triple H then gets the other announce table ready and chucks Taker onto it. He tries for a Pedigree, countered into a chokeslam, countered into a Pedigree, countered into A BACK BODY DROP OFF THE ANNOUNCE TABLE. Again, the replay - in super slo-mo - shows the impact. JR keeps using that word and it's totally apt.

 

We're only a few minutes in and they're both exhausted. It's the way this match has to be. TAKER JUST DID HIS MANIA DIVE and fucking hell, he nearly killed himself there. They really are both out of it now. We get a couple of full-screen replays, and that's a man in his late forties (at least), who's almost a legit 7 feet tall, launching himself through the air like that. It's insane, and it's glorious. Taker has got up now and slams Triple H's head against the steps, which are in front of the Spanish table. He goes for the Tombstone, it's countered, he counters that and positions Triple H by the table. He takes a run up and TRIPLE H HITS A SPINEBUSTER THROUGH THE TABLE. The timing on that was just beautifully done. Now Triple H has the advantage. He rolls Taker back in the ring and Taker is struggling to stand. JR and Lawler are wondering if this is the day the Streak ends.

 

CHOKESLAM! 2 count. We're into finishers now. They've pummelled and battered each other, and now it's time for each one to do everything they can to end it.

 

WrestleMania chokeslam count: 8.

 

He goes for the Last Ride but is pushed into the corner with most of the energy Triple H has left. He climbs the turnbuckle to land some punches and is caught in the Last Ride - he escapes, Triple H goes for the Pedigree, he escapes - Snake Eyes, he takes a run and ANOTHER SPINEBUSTER for a 2 count.

 

Triple H gets a chair but is booted in the face before he can use it. Taker picks up the chair and WHACKS him across the back with it. Taker motions for him to get up and goes for a head shot but TRIPLE H HITS THE PEDIGREE and that really wakes the crowd up. He gets a 2 count. We see each of them reacting - Triple H is in shock, his breath coming in short bursts. Taker is hurting, he's dazed. There's just enough character-drama here without overdoing it. Triple H is up first and positions Taker on the turnbuckle, but this time he does hit the Last Ride! 2 count! Taker has now moved to frustration, and his own kind of disbelief at the fact that didn't do it. He doesn't quite know what to do to put Triple H away… except for the Tombstone, which he signals for.

 

He picks Triple H up, and HITS THE TOMBSTONE. Traditional Taker cover, with the tongue out AND TRIPLE H KICKS OUT. HUGE crowd reaction - you can see the audience reacting with 'OH!' or 'Whoa', it's brilliant. Triple H is now out of it completely. Taker grabs the chair, but tellingly he has to use it as support to get up. Little details like that which build up to create the big picture is another part of why I love this match.

 

Taker goes for another Tombstone, but Triple H counters with a DDT onto the chair. Both men are down. Taker starts moving first and shoves his hand into Triple H's head. The way Triple H's legs are moving tells the whole story with him.

 

They each crawl to opposite ropes just to pull themselves up. There has been zero give either way, and it's perfect. PEDIGREE. Straight into the cover, leg hooked, KICK OUT. Reaction close-ups, and they're both clutching their head, but most of Triple H's pain seems to be the shock of not having won yet. Taker looks afraid. He does not lose at WrestleMania. HE DOES NOT LOSE. But Triple H hits a THIRD PEDIGREE AND UNDERTAKER STILL KICKS OUT. I may end up writing this whole thing in capitals. Huge reaction for that kick out. 'You don't survive one, much less two Pedigrees. But the Undertaker has withstood three', points out Lawler. JR wonders what the cumulative effect of all this will be on Undertaker.

 

Triple H now has the chair. Shot to the back of Taker but Triple H staggers back, selling both his exhaustion and the power behind each shot. Taker starts to get up and he gets hit again. He gets up again. 'Stay down!' cries Triple H, and he means it. Six more chair shots follow, and they are the polar opposite of the Bret Hart ones last year. So much reason - and feeling- behind each one. Triple H is desperate, just desperate. He needs Taker to not get up. But he does. The disbelief is now anger.

 

Chairshot TO THE HEAD. At the time, this was a massive deal. You just didn't get chair shots to the head in 2011. The crowd are buzzing. Taker looks like he has no idea where he is, or what's going on, but he is still trying to get up. There's a primal instinct that has kicked in. I DO NOT LOSE AT WRESTLEMANIA. Triple H is now looking distressed, and JR points out that his voice tells a better story than they ever could. 'Stay down, what's wrong with you?!' he shouts at Taker, and shakes his head. He doesn't want to win like this, there's no honour in it. BUT TAKER STILL GETS UP. 

 

Triple H is now standing there like he doesn't want to do it anymore. But Taker keeps fighting. TRIPLE H GETS UNDERTAKER UP AND HE IS GOING TO HIT THE TOMBSTONE HE HIT THE TOMBSTONE ON UNDERTAKER AND UNDERTAKER KICKS OUT AND THE REACTION, MY GOD, THE REACTION IS MASSIVE, TRIPLE H'S FACE LOOKS LIKE HE'S SEEN THE FUCKING DEVIL AND I HAVE GOOSEBUMPS AGAIN.

 

I've paused the match again to talk about this moment.

 

This moment, where Triple H hit the Tombstone on Undertaker, and Undertaker kicked out… this is why I love wrestling. Throughout the match, they've been dragging people in, hooking them, grabbing them, and it all culminates here, at this stretch of a few seconds. Because everyone believed again. I know I did. For these moments, I was 100%, completely and totally invested, I was sucked in. I thought he'd won it. Everyone did. I can remember myself going 'no no no no no YES, thank God, thank God' when it was happening. The number of times in the 15 years I've been watching regularly again, I could count on one hand the number of times I've felt like that. Actually, it's probably three. One was the ending of WrestleMania XX ('tap, Triple H, TAP') and one was the Streak ending ('No. No, no no nononononononononono.') and one was this moment here. This one is the only one that didn't actually end the match. They sucked me in so completely and it wasn't even the finish. Because you've been watching these guys for years and years, and you're so invested in them as characters, and in what they've been doing to try and end each other in the match, and like I said, it all builds to this one moment where disbelief is completely suspended and you're in the moment completely. No other match has done that for me like this match did.

 

Back to the match.

 

'What did we just see?!' cries JR. Triple H's face is astounding here, he sells it so well. There is no way he can beat Undertaker at WrestleMania. He now understands why Shawn Michaels couldn't do it, and why Shawn kept trying until he career ended. Undertaker is barely functioning, but HE DOES NOT LOSE AT WRESTLEMANIA. Triple H has the sledgehammer now but TAKER LOCKS IN HELL'S GATE HE LOCKS IN HELL'S GATE but Triple H doesn't drop the sledgehammer, he does drop it, but he's trying to escape, this hold is basically all Taker knows in the world now and he is NOT letting it go. Triple H's body starts to droop, but he's trying to stand, he DOES, but he falls down again, there is genuinely no way out of the hold, but he manages to grab the sledgehammer… no, he drops it again, he's really fading, and Taker has not shifted an inch, he is NOT GOING TO LET GO. Triple H taps, limply, it goes against everything he stands for but there was no choice. He gave up because he had to give up, basically.

 

The 19-0 fireworks go off, but neither man has moved since the bell rang.

 

Several minutes later, Triple H is just about able to stand up, and is staring with venom at Undertaker, who has still not moved. A medic is checking over him. The supernatural, demonic, immortal Undertaker is mortal, like the rest of us. He will never give up the Streak but he can be beaten to within an inch of his life in the attempt. This is the beginning of the end of the Streak. Brock Lesnar's victory began here, with Undertaker unable to walk out of the ring. Triple H, clutching his arm, looks back at Taker, who is reeling on the apron. He sits up as Triple H looks on, regret evident in his body. Taker just flops forwards onto the floor, and Triple H's first instinct is to rush over to him.

 

Let's pause that as well.

 

Triple H went into this match determined to end Undertaker and his Streak. He did not do the latter, but he may have done the former - and I don't think that's what he really wanted. I think Max Landis would agree with me. He realised partway into the match that he wasn't going to win without destroying Undertaker, and as much as he wanted to end the Streak, he didn't want to go as far as he did. That rushing towards Taker says so much. But after a moment, he walks on, leaving Taker to be helped onto a cart that will take him away. Vulnerable, hurt, and still undefeated, but at what cost?

 

What a match.

 

My thoughts:

 

I quite like this one. Don't know if you noticed. 

 

(Read ShortOrderCook's review if you didn't at the start, by the way. It's great.)

[gbacon85]

• This moment, where Triple H hit the Tombstone on Undertaker, and Undertaker kicked out… this is why I love wrestling. Throughout the match, they've been dragging people in, hooking them, grabbing them, and it all culminates here, at this stretch of a few seconds. Because everyone believed again. I know I did. For these moments, I was 100%, completely and totally invested, I was sucked in. I thought he'd won it. Everyone did. I can remember myself going 'no no no no no YES, thank God, thank God' when it was happening. The number of times in the 15 years I've been watching regularly again, I could count on one hand the number of times I've felt like that. Actually, it's probably three. One was the ending of WrestleMania XX ('tap, Triple H, TAP') and one was the Streak ending ('No. No, no no nononononononononono.') and one was this moment here. This one is the only one that didn't actually end the match. They sucked me in so completely and it wasn't even the finish. Because you've been watching these guys for years and years, and you're so invested in them as characters, and in what they've been doing to try and end each other in the match, and like I said, it all builds to this one moment where disbelief is completely suspended and you're in the moment completely. No other match has done that for me like this match did.

   

  Amazing. That sums up wrestling for me

[JNLister]

I love that Meltzer tells the story that he knew (as in had been specifically told rather than it just being obvious) Undertaker was winning, but for that brief moment he thought they must have changed the finish.

[air_raid]

Yeah, I will echo all the love in the world for that sequence. I'm the smarkiest smark you can imagine a lot of the time and even though the build and the entrances for the match were amazing, I was extrememly dismissive of Hunter having chance to win even though I acknowledged "Undertaker might lose to someone he really respects like Triple H" but I really didn't think it was happening, not even remotely. Not 1%. At that point when Undertaker was on his knees looking virtually dead and making "come on" motions with his hands, seemingly in vain, our whole room suddenly started buzzing with the feeling of "OH MY GOD, he's going to do it." I think I even started shouting "Put him down!!" at one point. We really thought he had him. God damn it.

[Undefeated Steak]

Yeah, the best near fall ever. By miles. Really enjoyable read again. The streak was something else wasn't it?

[PunkStep]

Totally had me, too. I've always been of the opinion that they'd never end the streak (whoops) and IF they did, it would be as a way of making somebody. I never, ever thought in a million years Triple H would win, no chance. Until he hit the Tombstone (Burial Driver~). I thought it was over there and then. Utterly compelling.

[Onyx2]

As you hit the go-home HG, a quick word to say thanks for writing all these up and sharing. Really enjoyed them and made me revisit matches I'd not seen since first airing, like Triple H v Batista. Helluva blade job.

 

Special mention to recapping Savage v Hogan, which was the match that got me into wrestling proper.

[HarmonicGenerator]

Cheers Onyx. 

 

I love that Meltzer tells the story that he knew (as in had been specifically told rather than it just being obvious) Undertaker was winning, but for that brief moment he thought they must have changed the finish.

 

Really? That's brilliant to know. Glad to see people share my love for that near fall. 

 

As Onyx said, I'm hitting the go-home, which means tonight it WrestleMania 28. Any further Triple H or Undertaker matches are now ruled out as I've watched three matches from each. But that doesn't matter because I'm giving myself an easy night and watching Sheamus vs. Daniel Bryan.

 

The match:

 

This match is for the World Heavyweight title.

 

I love the way the stadiums look at the start of WrestleManias, in the daylight. More than the massive set, this makes WrestleMania feel different. 

 

Sheamus is the Royal Rumble winner, too. And here comes Champion Daniel Bryan, with AJ Lee behind him. Bryan's doing 'Yes! Yes! Yes!' but he's an obnoxious heel at this time, so he's doing it to make the point that he's the Champion and nobody else is. It's Bryan's Mania debut, and he's the Champion. Not many people can claim that.

 

The bell rings and Bryan does a 'hang on a minute' signal and goes in for a kiss from AJ. Sheamus hits the Brogue Kick and pins Bryan! Sheamus just won the World Title! The crowd are going mad - absolutely nobody expected that! Brilliant.

 

Bryan is appalled as Sheamus celebrates. AJ knows her charms have foiled her man. Sheamus is pleased. Bryan is furious. That's kickstarted the crowd!

 

They show a replay that actually lasts longer than the match. Easiest-earned WrestleMania bonus ever? Sheamus celebrates with some guys who have the Irish flag. Lawler says he can't wait to hear what Bryan will have to say about it. Cole points out that nobody could have expected it. The end!

 

My thoughts:

 

Can you imagine the uproar if that happened today? They got away with it on the night in 2012, but if you pulled that in 2015 Dem Wans Copyright Pitcos would ruin the entire rest of WrestleMania by chanting for Bryan.

 

I actually think it was a brilliant move. Firstly, it popped the crowd and woke them up. Secondly, it showed you that anything can happen at WrestleMania. Thirdly, there's a grand tradition of quick squashes at WrestleMania. From Bundy-Jones through to Warrior-HHH, along to Kane-Chavo and Mysterio-JBL, and this one can proudly join that pantheon. Fourthly, it actually gives Bryan's character at the time a world of potential stuff to play with - as a heel there's so much you can do with the embarrassment, the demanding of a rematch, the blaming of AJ and /or the fans, the humiliation… as a character exercise for him it's an excellent choice. And it's not like it did him any harm. Of the two men in the match, Bryan's the one winning in the main event two years later, while Sheamus wasn't even on the WM30 card because he was injured, and he lost at 29 anyway. And hell, it took Triple H himself four years to go from squash victim to main event winner - Bryan halved that record!

 

Finally, we have now entered the Endless Rematches Era (or ERE because initials are fun) and we know that Bryan and Sheamus are going to have a shit-ton of 'good matches' with each other over the following months. So why not do something unique, fun and memorable for WrestleMania? Great stuff.