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| Two legends. One ring. Photo Credit: WWE.com |
Undertaker vs. Triple H
How: The match was made after Triple H upstaged Undertaker's 2/21/11 return.
Heat Check: The story began about a month or so before Undertaker's vaunted return at the RAW after Elimination Chamber *sigh*. The WWE started running promos for a big happening on 2 21 11, featuring an old house, rain and a shadowy figure in a black trenchcoat. While the smarks on the Web all thought it was Sting, or Sting and Undertaker, what it really signaled was just Undertaker returning. And he did return, intending to make a new target for WrestleMania.
*record scratch*
That was until his target came gunning for him. Right after Undertaker completed his long walk to the ring, Triple H's music hit and he followed right out. Not a word was spoken, but the point was driven home. Trips wanted to be the one to end The Streak, he wanted to be the one to succeed where his best friend, Shawn Michaels, couldn't two years running. After this came promos in the ring and promotional videos out of it, done in the always-excellent WWE style. There wasn't a whole lot of real confrontation until RAW last night, when the two came to the ring face to face. It looked like a reprisal of the 2/21 confrontation until Michaels came down. The three put on a show of promos driving home the point that there was mutual respect, but that this was one last big challenge. Then, Trips asked Michaels if he thought that he could end The Streak. Michaels didn't answer, leaving everyone to ask if The Game bit off more than he could chew…
Analysis: The untold story of this match is one of redemption. Because Vince McMahon doesn't really want you to realize that this match happened at WrestleMania before (WrestleMania X-7, to be exact), they're burying a much more compelling story, one that could have been fleshed out over the last five weeks more than just what they've done. This could have been about Triple H realizing that when he had the world handed to him by his wife, he pissed away a golden opportunity to end the streak and become something greater than what he was. After years of being wizened and gaining insight, he would then come out and put a renewed focus into beating Taker, by himself instead of with the help of toadies. It's a redemption story because over that span of ten years, Trips would have grown up, learned so much and had a chip on his shoulder.
Instead, they decided that it'd be better if they just ignored the shit out of that match and built from scratch. Granted, what they've done has been good, but it wasn't great until that confrontation last night. Why it took them so long to have the two have a direct reason other than Trips wanting one last challenge and pedigreeing midcarders through the announce table to show that no one else was a challenge for him or have Taker cut promos at the top of the stage, I have no idea. However, the rumored plans of this match closing the show to me are a bad idea, as this match has been surpassed by the WWE Championship match in heat, or to be more specific, the intrigue for what Rocky and Cena are going to do to each other has surpassed this (although I think the Cena vs. Miz portion of it has been built well too).
As for what kind of match this will be? I don't have high hopes for the quality, although I didn't have high hopes for the first Taker/HBK match either. Trips now isn't the worker Michaels was before he retired, but he's surprised me before.
Who Should Win: I'm on record as saying that no one should beat Undertaker until he's ready to retire, and I stand by it. Furthermore, I don't think it should be a guy like Trips, Cena or Orton either. It should be someone who would stand to gain a rub from it. So it goes without saying that Taker should win this match, clean, and have a handshake with Trips at the end.
Who Will Win: I think this is the rare case where "should" and "will" will be 100% identical, unless they have the harebrained idea to turn Triple H heel. But yeah, Taker's winning this match.
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Meltzer says in the new Observer that Trips is on the History of WM DVD saying that Taker should never lose the streak. Like he says, it's doubtful anyone anticipated when it was filmed the bad timing of that coming out right before the show.
ReplyDeleteI highly doubt Taker is jobbing. A few days ago, WWE was advertising Miz vs. Cena as the Main and I hope it stays that way. This seems like the second most predictable match (more like 1a with Cole/Lawler) on the card given, as alluded, Trips shouldn't take this from Taker. Also, Shawn did answer by saying "I'm sorry, you can't win" which was probably the reason Taker almost laughed in HHH's face before tipping the cap.
ReplyDeletei didn't think taker could lose...until monday. as chris described, UT had the upper hand on the raw before WM. i guess something could change on SD, but it's doubtful. so going into WM, HHH is now the clear underdog. wrestling logic says that gives him a good chance to win.
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