Should Taker retire?

Degag

No i don't think he should retire. He is still a huge draw and has stole the show at the last 4 (arguably 6) WM's. Can't see him going to much longer though. Lesnar is pretty much a lock next year, then maybe Cena the year after. Cases could be made for Rock, Seamus and Punk i guess too but really there aren't many with the star power for a match with him.

Stereomaniac

I really can't see how they could put him with Cena, unless they make drastic changes to his character over the next year or 2. Still though, I guess people actually are queuing up to lose to The Undertaker, whereas the thing with The Rock might've been more damaging to his ego. Anyway, it's gonna be Brock next year, The Undertaker chose him.

JoeSnow

I'm still thinking the Wrestlemania line up will be:

The Rock vs Brock Lesnar

The Undertaker vs John Cena

And in a dream world the main event will be Austin vs CM Punk, but the problem is the card would be TOO stacked. Three huge matches like that is too much, and I'd argue we've never had it before. There is no doubt two "classics" will have to be brushed to the side for this to happen.

Stereomaniac

I'm quite apprehensive about what is going to happen with The Rock. I'm sure he's going to dethrone CM Punk at Royal Rumble. But it's just so tiresome of the WWE to hand it to John Cena. In a perfect world, Daniel Bryan would win the Royal Rumble and take on Dwayne. I'm pretty sure we're gonna see Brock & The Undertaker next year. Maybe they'll have a Hell In A Cell match like that chaotic one they had years ago. Should be decent.

Charisteas

JoeSnow wrote: »

I'm still thinking the Wrestlemania line up will be:

The Rock vs Brock Lesnar

The Undertaker vs John Cena

Austin vs CM Punk

That would be a decent line-up, but I can't see any of the above three matches being for the WWE title, unless Brock signs a new contract.

Could also add Triple H vs Sheamus to that card.

JoeSnow wrote: »

but the problem is the card would be TOO stacked.

Is there such a thing as too stacked at a Wrestlemania? If you have the talent as your disposal, then use them. Austin is a long shot, but Lesnar, Taker, and Rock will almost certainly be on the same card next year and nobody thought that possible a year ago.

Keep those three guys in three separate matches, and you got yourself three main events by default.

Charisteas

By the way, why does every Undertaker thread turn into a Wrestlemania thread, must be driving the Mods crazy

I think there could be a Taker V Lesnar at WM not to mention a Taker V Sting . He can wrestle 1 match a year.

CastorTroy

Slater v Taker for WM with Slater ending the streak. Calling it now

naitsirhc

Charisteas wrote: »

By the way, why does every Undertaker thread turn into a Wrestlemania thread, must be driving the Mods crazy

It makes me think that people agree with me that he shouldn't retire, so I'm happy out

Charisteas

naitsirhc wrote: »

It makes me think that people agree with me that he shouldn't retire, so I'm happy out

Here's to five more Wrestlemania's for Taker.

jaykhunter

Charisteas wrote: »

By the way, why does every Undertaker thread turn into a Wrestlemania thread, must be driving the Mods crazy

No-one wants to chat with me about how great Purple-Cravat Zombie Taker was :pac:

Bounty Hunter

Charisteas wrote: »

By the way, why does every Undertaker thread turn into a Wrestlemania thread, must be driving the Mods crazy

ironically it would actually make me question my sanity if such things made me crazy :P

I'm a self confessed Taker mark and have said as much on this board even if i can recognize the mans limitations, and yes every Taker thread logically will end up being a Mania thread these days as people only really expect (might get more but it's not expected) to see him competing at Mania these days. With mania/Taker comes the streak and permutations of who is worthy and considered good enough to have a streak feud and match capable of emulating or bettering what has gone before it.

Only a select few names make the list and are big enough stars to take this spot at the moment it seems although if Taker does hang around for a few years then maybe 1 or 2 more could be ready.

Personally I see no reason assuming he continues to be physically capable (his almost 1 match a year schedule should help) both he and especially the WWE would want him to retire anytime soon. I am sure both parties benefit greatly financially and believe they are still capable of telling a story we the viewers will want to see. I also think the Kane thing was from several years ago (maybe from just before they met most recently at Mania) and was just Takers way of verbally putting over Kane who has since had world title runs.

As it stands the names suggested seem to be Lesnar, Cena & The Rock. Co-incidentally i've also just listed them in the order I see them likely and honestly I really cant see Taker vs Rock. Storyline wise the other options seem a lot more logical and even financially it doesent make much sense as you would be limiting the amount of main event size matches you can have.

The most obvious choice seems Lesnar. His contract will be up after Mania, he has a lot of history with Taker and he could be built as a legitimate threat to Takers streak.

My only worry with this theory is that the WWE isn't always as predictable as you would think, sometimes even despite themselves just because they dont want to be predictable. They might not go the obvious route of Rock/Cena 2 at Mania and instead need Brock or Taker to mix things up. Having said that Rock to win the title off Punk at the Rumble and then drop it to Rumble winner Cena at Mania would be my bet so Taker/Lesnar is a go for the mid-card main event.

naitsirhc

I don't really want to see Brock and taker. It's probably the most likely to happen, but I'd love a fully fledged heel taker feuded with cena and set up an epic good v evil storyline.

Then you could have cena turn heel not long afterwards because he was the good guy for do long and it's after posing at two wrestlemanias he feels he needs to be a bad guy to be mentioned with the likes of undertaker and rock.

But that's just my opinion

Bounty Hunter

naitsirhc wrote: »

I don't really want to see Brock and taker. It's probably the most likely to happen, but I'd love a fully fledged heel taker feuded with cena and set up an epic good v evil storyline.

Then you could have cena turn heel not long afterwards because he was the good guy for do long and it's after posing at two wrestlemanias he feels he needs to be a bad guy to be mentioned with the likes of undertaker and rock.

But that's just my opinion

wait a year and I think you will get Taker vs Cena.

At the moment the only people I'd like to see / think would be considered worthy of facing the deadman at Mania are, Cena, Brock and if he was with the WWE (never has been before so no expectations...) Sting. Each one is a money match anyway you look at it, even Sting which may not strike many as being as great in ring wise would no doubt be awesome from a storyline & feud standpoint while providing an iconic image.

If Cena was ever to be turned, after losing to Taker could make sense but I'd expect John to go into that one in a face vs face feud where he simply wants to do what nobody else could do and beat Taker at Mania (prove he's the best etc).

the groutch

I think Taker is past it and should retire at Survivor Series

*awaits barrage of verbal abuse*

KJY

If Sting finds himself anywhere near a Wrestlemania main event, I'd lose any of the minimal respect I have for WWE

Imagine Michael Cole saying "Inverted DDT! 1-2-3, and the streak is over"

naitsirhc

KJY wrote: »

If Sting finds himself anywhere near a Wrestlemania main event, I'd lose any of the minimal respect I have for WWE

Imagine Michael Cole saying "Inverted DDT! 1-2-3, and the streak is over"

I just can't imagine anyone at all saying "1-2-3, and the streak is over"...

Fenian Army

Sting vs Taker would be epic!

I'd imagine a bloody taker passing out in the scorpion death lock ala Stone Cold vs Bret Hart if Sting were to beat him.

Stings a beast, I hope he and wwe release a DVD set when he hangs up the boots (not for a while yet I hope)

D.Q

i dont get sting.

chopperbyrne

Pro wrestling, although a pre-determined piece of entertainment performed by people who are trying to keep each other safe, is still very physically demanding on the performers.

MOD NOTE : Deleted troll & related posts. Report them, don't breach the rules and netiquette. - jay

naitsirhc

Sting nearly signed a couple of years ago, but they couldn't dot the I's and cross the T's before TNA came back with an improved offer. So I guess it isn't entirely out of the question for a Sting - Taker match in the not too distant future.

In one way I'm kind of glad it didn't happen a little, because we saw two awesome matches with HHH and a great storyline this year with Taker shaving his head etc.

And while we're on the subject of the HHH matches - this video gets me every time :pac:

Ridley

jaykhunter wrote: »

Taker's match is the most anticipated Match at Mania and has been for at least the last 4 years imo. He's down to working one match a year and it really does pay WWE's bills, so he shouldn't retire. Not when he's still got a few more people to face - Brock next year, Punk & Cena down the line. FWIW i believe he'll retire at 25-0.

Undertaker's not allowed to retire until he does that awesome bounty hunter gimmick (neither of the mods) we both independently had.

Back when he was having a match a month on Smackdown years ago I thought he should wrestle more often or go away. These days, however, I'm fine with him turning up once a year. His streak matches are events now and, as long as he's healthy enough/willing to keep going, I'd like to see him go out on a clean number. 25-0 would be nice but WrestleMania XXX seems more likely to me.

I'd be fine with Lesnar/Taker but I do think the logical choice as the last credible threat is Cena. Although he'd need to be

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=84gbZmpJV9M

for a fair few months to the point that slapping the STF on Taker would scare the hell out of people. I envision Cena and Lesnar just needing similar reigns of terror to set up a match.

*sigh* Cena should have won at 'Mania then got destroyed by Lesnar the next night (he also should have lost to Kane at the Rumble). In my head, Cena getting the win back off The Rock isn't as effective as proving he's the man on the first go around such as the case in, oh I don't know, Rock v Hogan at WM18. Plus my protest didn't make as good a spectacle as the Florida arena would have.

The thing with Lesnar right now is that he's already lost to Cena so it's hard for me to summon up any anticipation for his match against Triple H. He's already lost to the guy who matters most whereas Lesnar steamrolling through Cena and Triple H would have made for a better story in making a WM match against Taker.

naitsirhc

You could have Brock lose to HHH and then get Pissed off and beat on everyone. Everyone is afraid of him, no one will challenge him, he's bullying everybody and then Taker comes in to challenge him. Match at survivor series where brock goes over taker and sets up a rematch.

Fenian Army

What about Rock vs Taker at mania?

naitsirhc

Fenian Army wrote: »

What about Rock vs Taker at mania?

How would you set that up storyline-wise though? Dwayne is facing Punk at the Rumble so you'd need Taker to maybe cost him the belt or something between then and 'Mania.

SirDelboy18

Think Brock has to go over HHH if he is to be built as a legitimate threat to the streak. Otherwise he will have been beaten by two faces already.

Would have been even better if he went over Cena and HHH, but anyway.

Stereomaniac

From what we know about Brock Lesnar and all the drama that's happened with him since returning, I really can't see him losing this match, it just won't be allowed to happen that way.

rovert

Never too early to start the annual excruciating will he or wont he wrestle at Wrestlemania talk :P :

Regarding Ryback, he's unsurprisingly a Vince McMahon favorite right now, and despite the strong build for a Punk vs. Ryback match, as of last week it was only a teaser and there were no real plans until around November or December. That match may not even happen as there has been discussion of doing Ryback vs. Undertaker at WrestleMania, and likely the stip would be streak vs. streak and it's hard to do a Punk vs. Ryback feud without beating Ryback, particularly if Ryback isn't in the WWE Title plans. What is interesting about the WrestleMania discussion is that from talking to people about the card this week, there is speculation that Undertaker might not work the show this year. Obviously, that would signal the end of the streak. It was noted that given the curtain call finish to his match with HHH at this past April's WrestleMania, and given his wife just gave birth to a new baby, it is possible that this past year's Mania was his final match. Originally, the idea was that he would work Mania 2013 and probably start building towards whatever that match would be around Survivor Series. The feeling from most is that, in the end, he'll wrestle on next year's show, but we're told it's not 100 percent. We were also told that whether he wrestles at Mania or not, the bottom line is that at this point in his career it's his decision and not Vince McMahon's.

As noted above, there is some talk of Taker not wrestling this year, which would mean Undertaker would be the one to end the Undertaker streak, but the decision is his and Vince has discussed Taker vs. Ryback. Taker vs. Brock is also a possibility, as is Brock vs. HHH II, which was the plan a few months ago. Punk vs. Taker has at least been suggested.

Credit: F4W Newsletter

The road to Wrestlemania is one of the more intriguing ones this year. As the Rumble has no clear winning candidate and Rocks title shot on that show.

token101

After seeing him at Wm, I think that bald look made Ric Flair look fresh faced. Him and Sting would have been great 10 years ago, they're both too old now I reckon. Doesn't mean I wouldn't pay to see it though!

DEFTLEFTHAND

The opportunity for Sting v Taker has come and gone imo. Stinger had multiple chances to join WWE and never did so. You've got to admire the guy in some ways, he's made a sh1t load of money over the past 15 years between WCW and TNA working exceptionally light schedules.

It's time for Taker to go now. Leave it at 20-0. He's a smart guy with other business interests outside of wrestling, no point in dragging this streak thing out any further.