The following was reported by Mike Johnson from PWInsider.com:
"The Undertaker was telling those backstage after his match with Bray Wyatt that he felt great and intended to work next year's Wrestlemania in Dallas, Texas.
Given how strong Taker looked in the ring and how well he was moving around before and after the show, a lot of people noted that he really must have been concussed far worse than anyone really understood the year before against Brock Lesnar.
Undertaker shared a locker room backstage with Sting and the two actually shared the same flight back to Texas. There was a lot of "if we do this" talk between the two about a potential match. The original idea when Sting came in was to eventually lead to the Undertaker bout at a Wrestlemania, although WWE management has cooled on long-term plans for the former WCW World champion."
http://pwinsider.com/article/92761/undertaker-at-wrestlemania-update.html?p=1
"The Undertaker was telling those backstage after his match with Bray Wyatt that he felt great and intended to work next year's Wrestlemania in Dallas, Texas.
Given how strong Taker looked in the ring and how well he was moving around before and after the show, a lot of people noted that he really must have been concussed far worse than anyone really understood the year before against Brock Lesnar.
Undertaker shared a locker room backstage with Sting and the two actually shared the same flight back to Texas. There was a lot of "if we do this" talk between the two about a potential match. The original idea when Sting came in was to eventually lead to the Undertaker bout at a Wrestlemania, although WWE management has cooled on long-term plans for the former WCW World champion."
http://pwinsider.com/article/92761/undertaker-at-wrestlemania-update.html?p=1
Translation: Triple H got a win over Sting, so the WWE sees no need to use him anymore.
ReplyDeleteIf UT wants to work a WM match with Sting, I'm sure WWE will find a way to accommodate him.
ReplyDeleteTo be honest, I kind of hope they do this Bo Dallas thing with Sting for the long term. Dallas's character is perfect to berate Sting for being a "loser" ... its something you can stretch out to Summerslam and give Sting a ppv win if you are building to WM
ReplyDeleteOf the NXT guys coming up, who gets it and who doesn't? Neville obviously not, KENTA obviously not, and I don't think Finn Balor gets it either, unless he winds up getting a shit ton of media attention. Sami definitely, Owens definitely, and let's face it...Baron Corbin will be hand picked by Vince sooner or later.
ReplyDeleteWWE should not have had long term plans on Sting to begin with..that being said what exactly did he do to "cool" these plans? you know other than not being able to make Vince forget he is a WCW guy? He did a great job on the go home Raw and ...was about all you could expect of a 56 year old guy in the mania match.
ReplyDeleteI think they're pretty high on Balor. He's the most likely candidate at the moment. Corbin maybe if he improves but as far as having the "look" they'll sure as shit try at least once a year to get him over. Owens is for sure a lock. Zayn....hard to say. His schtick is over but if they treat him anything like they have Bryan that won't mean a thing. But I do think he has a better shot than Bryan at being a multi time champion.
ReplyDeleteLet's not forget about the Russian Chain Match at GAB 1991, receiving gifts from Lex Luger and fake Sting. WCW didn't always treat their top star with dignity.
ReplyDeleteI've never been clamoring for Sting/Taker like some, but if they both want it then I'd just go for it. Cena is the only other opponent that makes sense for Taker, but I'm sure they can find something else for him.
ReplyDeleteFor Zayn I think his height & charisma save him. He's about Seth's size and they obviously had no problems putting the belt on him. Owens is like the new Brock for whenever he's not around. Balor SHOULD be the biggest thing ever, but he's still a small guy. Better look than Bryan and not as small as Rey, but...I dunno. I sure hope so though.
ReplyDeleteBut if they already want to call Balor up it hopefully means they see what they have with him. Size is a bit of an issue but this guy oozes charisma and takes over with his presence not having to say or do anything.
ReplyDeleteI'm calling it right now, Balor/Bryan for the IC title at Summerslam. It's gonna be Bret/Perfect 2.0 baby.
ReplyDeleteSting vs Taker?
ReplyDeleteWhy the fuck not?
That would be what I would book as well. Could be a dark horse MITB winner to really skyrocket him up the card.
ReplyDeleteAlso good. And yeah, I'm being a little bit presumptuous as to how long they can hold out. Balor/Bryan at MITB is more likely.
ReplyDeleteYes. I'll revise to fit your statement. you're insane if you think there is *any* chance Cena doesn't win another one.
ReplyDeleteI'd be incredibly surprised
Who else is left for Taker at this point?
ReplyDeleteI like the tag match idea. The Viper and the Vigilante!
ReplyDeleteSting got the wrestling equivalent of being told how special he was, getting fucked and not getting called afterwards.
ReplyDeleteCena.
ReplyDeleteI doubt they ever do that match, which is a shame
ReplyDeleteThe way they booked the Sting match was embarrassing as shit. I'm disgusted that Triple H went over.
ReplyDeleteTaker would probably just have to ask for it.
ReplyDeleteShould have done Taker/Sting this year and then Taker/Cena next.
ReplyDeleteHUMAN TORCH MATCH, BROTHER!!
ReplyDeleteHow'd you know my real name was Justim?
ReplyDeleteYes, I absolutely want to see a 57 year-old, who has lost a step or two, versus an almost 50 year-old, who has lost a step or twenty, next year at WM because some version of fan fiction thinks it'd be a good match.
ReplyDeleteWhoever would benefit best from the rub of having Taker put them over at his retirement match.
ReplyDeletePretty far-fetched....as if Dunn would even support people coming up from NXT.
ReplyDeleteYou know, we've all just been assuming that WM32 will be Undertaker's swan song since it's in his home state. Who knows how things can change in a year's time, but if he's feeling good, could he actually keep wrestling for a few more years?
ReplyDeletePeople keep forgetting that Sting's association with WWE -- the video game, shirt, DVD, action figure, an Mania payday -- is his retirement fund. Let's be honest, Sting hasn't exactly made a whole lot of money over the last 14 years.
ReplyDeleteThis was really his possible last chance to cash out. He'll get a Hall of Fame payday at some point and any other bones WWE throws him are worth it.
Except they didn't even make time for him on on a 3 hour program to say goodbye in front of an audience that would surely be going nuts for him.
ReplyDeleteThe HUNTER System
ReplyDeletePrior to Mania 31, Triple H hadn't won a TV match since Mania 29, and last year he put over Bryan and The Shield. He's not exactly a Gagne.
ReplyDeleteThey will at least have the benefit of being able to do their entrances after it has gotten dark. So that is a plus.
ReplyDeleteThis guy gets it
ReplyDelete"Steve we want you to come do a nonsensical angle where I then beat you clean and you accept it."
ReplyDelete"How much, mark?"
Those that are whining about Sting's "legacy" just have to remember two things:
ReplyDelete1) Sting will always be considered the #1 or #2 top guy of WCW regardless of the Triple H job
2) Triple H will always be considered the #4 or #5 top guy of WWF's Attitude Era regardless of whomever he's beaten and regardless of how much WWE pushes the idea that Hunter was on Austin, Undertaker and Rock's level.
how to sell your dirtsheet with a single tweet pic? wrestling journalism 2015 for ya
ReplyDeleteBalor is more likely to be their Conor McGregor than Sheamus who hasn't really done anything after all this time (and also got humiliated on Twitter by the real Conor)
ReplyDeleteWhat would happen if a Make-A-Wish kid's wish was for him to turn heel?
ReplyDeleteFlair is really the only top WCW guy that Vince ever treated with complete respect on TV. I bet a lot of that had to do with him being in WWF from 1991-1993 though and already having a relationship with him.
ReplyDeleteVince was obsessed with "proving" WWE guys were better than WCW guys when it came to Sting, Booker T, DDP, Scott Steiner, and, more than anyone else, Goldberg. Even Vader and Luger never really got fair shots. Big Show is debatable.
5122 days since the War ended and Vince is still this petty and pathetic.
ReplyDeleteIt really is still real to him dammit!
And HHH being the #5 guy of the Attitude era>Sting being the #1 guy of WCW anyways. And I was a WCW fan but even I can admit that truth.
ReplyDeleteEspecially considering any money the wcw name makes nowadays goes straight to his bank account.
ReplyDeleteCan someone explain the Baron Corbin thing to me, he's tall but otherwise looks terrible with a genuinely awful body and overall goofy look.
ReplyDeleteHe's the poster child for the Wellness Policy actually being legit.
oh god no..
ReplyDeleteI have it as bad as Triple H beating Booker T at mania. Then you have the respect ending and an hour later H is out there still running down Sting to hammer home the point that if you didn't get what JBL was saying or missed the outcome of the match is: Sting is a loser. If he was going to lose all along it couldve been to wyatt, russev, hell even Cena or Reigns. Anyone except fucking Triple H. That match got me mad bro!
ReplyDeleteTrue, but for all those fans who are concerned about Sting's "legacy" can take solace in the fact that Sting was a huge deal in a national wrestling company for years.
ReplyDeleteLosing to Triple H doesn't change that.
Only if they tease Orton turning on Sting.
ReplyDeleteThose are people who didn't realize Sting's legacy died at Starrcade 97. The only real WCW guy they fucked up that WCW already hadn't was Booker T.
ReplyDeleteScott, you didn't mention the most important aspect of the match: Hogan throwing some punches and showing that he can still go.
ReplyDeleteI'm actually surprised WWE went with that. Hogan's return could've very easily overshadowed the entire match.
Is that still a rule?
ReplyDeleteHulk Hogan hasn't won his last world title either.
ReplyDeleteThere's plenty of young guys he could pin so they could get a rub!
ReplyDeleteLike Bray Wyatt.....oh.
ReplyDeleteI disagree with that ... no matter how hard HHH's tried he's never had a program that caught fire the way Sting's original Crow gimmick did.
ReplyDeleteI can't tell if that went over your head or you were just reiterating what I said. ????? Either way, good point!
ReplyDeleteplease no.
ReplyDeleteHHH will bump into him weeks later and try to remember his name.
ReplyDelete''Oh hi erm...Stu?''
and even the match against Cena isn't that interesting anymore. it's really true: the streak was the main thing keeping Taker relevant.
ReplyDeleteThat's a good point too. Sting reached his peak at Starrcade 1997, and WCW f'ed up the chance of making him any bigger. Same with Goldberg. Same with DDP. WWE was working with already damaged goods.
ReplyDeleteNow, could WWE have used Sting, Goldberg, and DDP better? Absolutely, especially Goldberg. But WCW screwed them up long before WWE even had a chance.
If I could go back in time and start booking any promotion at any point in time, I would pick Starrcade 1997. WCW had a white-hot Sting, Goldberg was on the rise, and they just landed the WWF champion who lost the title in real-life dramatic fashion. In one year they flushed all that down the toilet.
Cena, Bryan, hell...Ambrose/Taker could be cool.
ReplyDeleteI WOULD agree with that assessment but WCW fucked the blowoff for that feud so badly that it completely negates any of the buildup that came before it. At least when HHH was made into a main eventer by 2000 it was a legacy that stuck no matter how much the overestimate it's importance.
ReplyDeleteI think the amount of title defenses wasn't the problem. not mentioning the world champion for weeks was.
ReplyDeleteAfter about 5 minutes, Sting, to me and all my friends watching, was just an old broken down wrestler. He should have one more match against Taker and then they both call it quits. Also, Sting's theme music at Mania sucked and that entrance (the gongs) was too long and didn't have the desired effect in sunlight. Sting/Taker will have more hype and be a better match than Wyatt/Taker, so I'm fine with it AND it keeps the old timers to one match.
ReplyDeleteThis thread got me wondering. What is the best wrestling match with the 2 oldest wrestlers? Off the top of my head I got the undertaker matches with HHH, HBK and maybe Flair. I do recall Flair and Foley being "not terrible". And Sting/HHH was at least entertaining. Any more?
ReplyDeleteAgreed, I didn't mind it...but then they didn't pull the trigger on Cena vs. Brock HIAC which MADE COMPLETE SENSE TO HAVE IT IN THE CELL FOR THE FIRST TIME IN YEARS SINCE THE SWITCH TO THE HIAC PPV because Seth interfered in the Night of Champions match.
ReplyDeleteIt's why I didn't mind Cena getting another shot at him at the Rumble. In all honesty Cena overcoming the odds and pinning Brock would have made sense as much as Brock annihilating him clean again and ended the feud. Seth sticking his oar in worked alright though so c'est la vie.
Balor: yes.
ReplyDeleteOwens: maybe.
Zayn, Kenta, Neville: nope.
I was reiterating.
ReplyDeleteAmbrose is nowhere near that spot on the card right now.
ReplyDeleteThey're in the business of making money. See: the opposite of WCW. Sting isn't a draw in any way. He's a nostalgia mid-card attraction.
ReplyDeleteEven Vader. Hogan buried this monster on his way out so of course he didn't set the world on fire. Should he have beat Shawn? Sure but no way was he going to be the monster he was in 93.
ReplyDeleteI was really impressed with Sting at Mania. I honestly didn't think he could bring it like that. He was in far better shape than most of his TNA run and moving with an urgency we haven't seen in a while. That being said...why would the WWE have long term plans for him? It's not like he's going to wrestle every week. I hope we see him again, though.
ReplyDeleteI was ok with him losing to HHH because it doesn't matter. It was a fun match. The story in the match was the bad guy used every way he knew how to win while the good guy tried keeping it clean and lost. Sting shook his hand at the end because that's Sting's character. He trusts people and admits when he lost.
True ... but Sting drew ratings and ppv buys better than HHH ever did on his own - he was always dancing with Rock or Austin. In a legacy contest, I take Sting because Hunter will always have an asterisk next to his name - he married the bosses daughter. I will just never be convinced that the success he had was 100% warranted.
ReplyDeleteThen why did they bother in the first place?
ReplyDeleteI loved it, fuck y'all.
ReplyDeleteFinally gave some prestige to the title after years of random ''Del Rio gets a title shot on Raw just because''.
Best old timer match? Flair/Steamboat '94? Age 45 vs 41?
ReplyDeleteHunter got his fuck WCW win and now they've "cooled" on him, haha...same giant ego, same great taste.
ReplyDelete" He was in far better shape than most of his TNA run and moving with an urgency we haven't seen in a while. "
ReplyDeleteLarge paychecks tend to do that.
HHH needed to cement his legacy.
ReplyDeleteVideo game money.
ReplyDeleteInteresting question - are we going combined ages at the time? If so, I think the UT/HHH/HBK combos at WM would be up there.
ReplyDeletePut it like this. I thing Sting is a better self made man but due to reasons beyond Sting's control HHH has a better legacy because morons destroyed whatever good things Sting had done in the 80s to mid 90s. As a result HHH will go down with a bigger legacy and more will remember him.
ReplyDeleteHe damn near beggeed HHH/WWE to call him back on Monday.
ReplyDeleteHe could trip and stumble into the casket and have the lid flip shut on his way to the ring and get counted out.
ReplyDeleteWho's saying anything about "long-term plans?" Let these two old-ass motherfuckers have a match that will keep them away from anyone who still matters, and will probably be an enjoyable, nostalgic spectacle. That's the exact opposite of long-term plans. Sting can go away until next February or March, be a total non-factor in their "long-term plans," just like Taker.
ReplyDeleteNot getting paid in food stamps is good for morale!
ReplyDeleteI've seen a really good Bruno Sammartino/Randy Savage match.
ReplyDeleteI think there are several reason for it: for one Flair might have earned a good position with Vince due to him jumping ship and bringing the belt with him (and even agreeing to use it on tv!). and also, Flair being a complete suckup who pretty much buries/buried WCW and praised WWE every time he got the chance.
ReplyDeleteBank Manager: "Hello, Mr Borden? This is the Branch manager of the bank. It appears the check you deposited bounced."
ReplyDeleteSting: "DAMMIT! AGAIN?!?!"
Bank Manager: "April Fools! I can't believe you fell for that!"
Sting: "Obviously you forgot where I used to work."
Hogan/Sting at Bound For Glory had to have hit triple digits
ReplyDeleteTully vs Funk at Slamboree '94 is pretty fun. Most Slamboree "Legends Matches" were snoozers, this was good.
ReplyDeleteA lot of people saying Sting only did it for the money. If that were true Sting would have left TNA long before he did. By all accounts Sting held onto his money and did a reasonably good job managing it. And the WM one-off payoffs aren't nearly as large as some people seem to think. This wasn't a trip Uncle Scrooge's money pit. Legend's contracts aren't multi-million dollar deals. Steve is still doing this because he loves it. He wanted to do the one thing he hadn't done in his career yet, work Wresltemania. Not for the money, for the experience.
ReplyDeleteHow hard would it be for them to redo the Flair retirement angle with Sting over the next year culminating in Taker/Sting at Mania? Hell, even get Flair involved
ReplyDeleteWhere I disagree with you is keeping Sting away until the Mania build. Since we know there's no way in hell they'd put him over Taker, he NEEDS a win. Sting going 0-2 in WWE would piss me off to no end.
ReplyDelete"although WWE management has cooled on long-term plans for the former WCW World champion."
ReplyDeleteThis just in, WWE continues to hate money.
Vince could've easily built Vader back up though. Michaels definitely used his pull to put the brakes on that.
ReplyDeleteYeah ... I'm just so annoyed at this Triple H WAS the Attitude Era stuff they are putting out there now. And in 98-2000 I was a huge H mark. But it really annoys me as a fan that goes that far back and knows what really happened. That until the Foley match at the Rumble Chyna was more over than him. He wasn't healthy through half on 98 and the Rock was so clearly head of him in the mid-card pecking order.
ReplyDeleteSting, meanwhile, headlined Starrcade 97 which drew a 1.9 million buys which I do not believe a WWF/E pay per view has ever done.
Its more me just being frustrated that I think Sting was shit on at WM, even though he took it to the bank.
The entrance was weird, and the music they've used for Sting since he came in is awful and heelish.
ReplyDeleteBut I totally disagree on Sting's performance -- he brought it, let HHH lead him and delivered a strong match.
Interesting theory. I'd recommend looking at the DVD sales charts to see how little money the WCW brand is worth.
ReplyDeleteI think that's at least debatable.
ReplyDeleteI hate "news" articles like this because they are so vague. What exactly does "cooled on long term plans" mean? As you said, I can not fathom what he could have done to not make them want to work with him for years to come.
ReplyDeleteAnd I don't even mean as a wrestler. He would be a wonderful ambassador to the sport. He did the job at Wrestlemania in his one match to appease HHH who could not lose to the WCW darling and Vince who is the only person not over the Monday Night Wars.
We get it Vince, WWE is better than WCW. You win! Congratulations.
Not only that, but Sting was a huge part of selling that show. Every time he's been on TV ratings have gone up. And that match was talked about by everyone as one of the top 3 matches on the card.
But then again Vince did pull this kid off the streets and make him a star.
I have no idea why the Mania or go-home Raw performances did anything to cool the company on him. He had a better match with Hunter than Taker had with Wyatt. He was over as hell, too.
ReplyDeleteEven nostalgia attractions can draw money when booked right, even in the mid-card.
ReplyDeleteI mean it's Part-Time-A-Mania now, Sting Vs Taker retirement match will draw next year.
Since Wrestlemania seems to be about getting everyone on the card, why not use guys like Sting and Undertaker in tag or 6 man tag matches that blow off some multi-person angle? This year, instead of doing Sting vs. HHH to blow off the Authority angle, they could have done something like Sting and Undertaker vs. HHH and (god help me) Kane. Or Sting, Undertaker, and someone like Ryback or Rowan against HHH, Luke Harper, and Big Show. You can still do all of the overbooking/run ins but this way you condense all of the nostalgia acts down into one match. Plus, spreading the work among multiple guys hides the fact that these guys can barely move anymore.
ReplyDeleteThis. When they've got so many seats to fill next year, I don't know why they wouldn't want this match on the card.
ReplyDeleteNitro comp sales have nothing to do with Sting being a money draw as a wrestler in 2015.
ReplyDeleteWait a minute! This Sting character is a former WCW Champion? I was sure this was some nobody picked up out of obscurity!
ReplyDeleteBravo. It was one of the few things on an otherwise good show that really brought me down. I was kinda annoyed all night after that.
ReplyDeleteI don't think HHH has a Hogan like ego. I think it's more that he hates WCW so bad he won't shut up about it. They didn't see what a talent he was 20 years ago and he hated it ever since. Explains the rewriting of him helping to put them out of business, burying any former star of theirs and having Bischoff put their old title on himself in the ultimate act of fuck you.
ReplyDeleteWrestleMania will draw. Taker pre-announced "Last Ride/Match" will draw. Taker and Sting being on the card, even against each other, will not draw. The hardcores will already be going on the name of the event.
ReplyDeleteHe even took a (mild) bump! That's a first since he's been back, I think.
ReplyDeleteYeah, Flair's proven willing to kiss more ass than any of those other guys (particularly Goldberg and Steiner).
ReplyDeleteNot a draw, yet ratings went up every time he was on TV and the Sting/HHH match was one of the main selling points of Wrestlemania.
ReplyDeleteAlso I could point out at least 5 people who were over enough to make them money that they jobbed out because pushing their guys is more important than making money.
Oh Jesus.
ReplyDeleteTOTALLY disagree. More people on the street have heard of Sting and Goldberg than Triple H. At least in my opinion/experience.
ReplyDeleteI think the fact they put him on the Network after RAW was the nail in his coffin.
ReplyDeleteWho would have figured that making a guy look like a pussy would kill his fan reaction?
ReplyDeleteYes, but the ratings and PPV buys Sting drew to that point cancel out anything HHH has done on his own.
ReplyDeleteVince is the one who hates WCW.
ReplyDeleteAnd gets beat up by Yoshie Tatsu and Sin F'n Cara!
ReplyDeleteSpeaking of Bischoff ... you think they would put him in the Hall of Fame?
ReplyDeleteOf course! Anything to revisit the "Guess who won the Monday Night War?" topic.
ReplyDeleteI think if the name generator had pulled out "Shelton," I might have gone into cardiac arrest from laughing so hard.
ReplyDeleteWell he does too but who was the one burying most of those guys? HHH.
ReplyDeleteHow so? They've usually booked those segments to be important. After USA yelled at them after the Sheamus/Rusev US title match i had hoped that would be the end of them but with Vince in charge i'm not surprised he's out back playing with matches again.
ReplyDeleteI actually think countering the RKO into the death drop would be a cool spot. Actually, I know it would be, based on the Diamond Cutter counter.
ReplyDeletefor all the talk about smart fans and crowds being marks for themselves... Vince might be the biggest mark of them all.
ReplyDeleteremember, no big star ever laid down for him.
ReplyDeleteI don't think that the fan reaction were killed, because they barely used him!
ReplyDeleteI think Sting has still so many fans, that they could use him in every PPV and every RAW and the fans would still be there for him. For example, back then I was on the WWF side of the monday night war - I still watched WCW because I'm a wrestling fan no matter what company - and I was never a "WCW" fan BUT I was always a Sting fan since I first saw him against Vader or so.
IMO Sting was the John Cena of WCW before there was a John Cena. And if Vince don't realize what a star he could have... even with his age.
Didn't seem like they placed him in a position to be important at all. He's not a midcarder, he is a legend.
ReplyDeleteVince isn't going to have a match with Booker T, Goldberg, Scott Steiner, or Sting. But he can book the matches and angles so his surrogate (son-in-law HHH) goes over.
ReplyDeleteAre there even casual fans left who would care to see undertaker? That match was awful and assuming they don't use him on TV at all before next year...what's the point?
ReplyDeletein a dream world, Ziggler.
ReplyDeleteI have little doubt that Rock or Austin would have moved back to secondary titles once their runs were up, had other things not intervened (film career, neck injuries). Rock never hesitated to put people over, e.g. Hurricane beating him clean, and, IIRC, Austin requested to work with Eddy & Ric Flair before he took off in 2002. Granted, neither of these had title implications, but showed that both were willing to work with lower-on-the-card (at the time) talent.
ReplyDeleteAlso Hall took a surprising bump, the razors edge reverse flip on the outside
ReplyDeleteI challenge Worst in the World not to comment on this
ReplyDeleteHow bout Jericho?
ReplyDeleteWWE seems to change their booking plans every few weeks, so I'll take the news on their having cooled on Sting at this point with a few grains of salt.
ReplyDeleteI'm just going by the reaction I heard - maybe it was just the crowd audio settings they used, but his entrance at Mania just didn't get much of a pop.
ReplyDeleteFighting each other would be the best use of them.
ReplyDeleteExactly. The title seems more important than it has in years, not sure how that translates into "failure." Scott's fastball has lost some giddyup over the last few years.
ReplyDeleteBut HHH could've easily said, "Hey maybe Booker should win here." Nope. But is perfectly fine saying "Lets give this Shelton kid a win. "
ReplyDeleteWhat set me off was Show treating Itami like an annoying 2 year old pest and then dumping Sandow. At least that will be forgotten by next month.
ReplyDeleteYou don't get the Undertaker. His FIRST Wrestlemania matches were even worse: Jimmy Snuka, Jake Roberts, Giant Gonzales, King Kong Bundy... The Undertaker was always about the gimmick and not about match quality. Who cares?
ReplyDeleteRemember how much he mocked Bret for taking this shit too seriously? Pot-kettle-black.
ReplyDeleteFlair vs foley was actually really good. Funk must have had a great match with an old guy at some point
ReplyDeleteStephanie's dog says hello.
ReplyDeletePlus Flair was a former WWF champion and him and Vince had a great relationship from his first run in the early 90s.
ReplyDeleteNo kidding.
ReplyDeleteGotta be UT/HBK. But Flair had some pretty good matches post-50, and a ton of them in his 40's.
ReplyDeleteOthers off the top of my head:
RVD/Jericho (RAW last year I think? both guys are 44)
Sting/DDP (Nitro 1999, 40 and 42)
Gotta be some Angle matches too but I don't watch TNA. He's 46 and can still break 4 stars in his sleep.
relevance to the original post?
ReplyDeleteYou might have fucked up but its important to remind people of that travesty so we never forget.
ReplyDeleteIt wasn't THAT bad, and honestly it was probably about the best we could have expected at this point.
ReplyDeleteI bet Vince had his phone in hand, dialing Ted Turner after Hunter got the 3-count, ready to gloat until someone reminded him that Ted doesn't give a fuck about him or his company.
ReplyDeleteBy all accounts, he was making 500K a year on his TNA contract without having to travel much. I'd say he was doing OK. Not WWE "big star" money, but given all that goes with that, 500K a year to work a few times a week isn't a bad thing.
ReplyDelete"I beat em all jack..."
ReplyDeleteUgh
Hall and Nash have talked about in the 90s there was something called "Sting money." They jumped because they got "Sting money" from Bischoff. He was doing just fine.
ReplyDeleteYeah, there's that, too. Though probably not as notoriously stingy as Foley, I didn't ever hear accounts of Sting blowing his money like Flair. (Then again, who could?)
ReplyDeleteI do if I'm going to watch them. BTW the gimmick is finished too.
ReplyDeleteThe fucked up part it they gave me an upvote.
ReplyDeleteI don't think so... nobody has the stones to stand up to him, so Vince called a number that has long been disconnected, and waited for someone to answer. 2 hours later, he wrote a letter and sent it to cNN.
ReplyDelete2 years ago he was incapable of even doing that. It's amazing to see his progress in 2 years.
ReplyDeleteVince owns every inch of tape of Sting's prime years. I'm sure he's happy to be able to make money off of it and be appreciated.
ReplyDelete"He was the man that worked with the man."
ReplyDeleteMy big question is why they didn't used Ric Flair to help Sting (or to turn on him)? He was even in one of the segments with HHH on RAW.
ReplyDeleteIMO Sting is in so good shape, he could even be World Champion again. I think he can do at least as much as Brock Lesnar did in the last 6 months or so. ;)
I don't know, Show was messed with almost the day he arrived. Remember when he jobbed to Austin on RAW one month into his tenure, then turned face, then proceeded to lavish in the mid-card where he went on to turn face and heel 47 times a week to this very day?
ReplyDeleteGood to see that Taker is finally getting out of the fucking way as he moves north of 50 years old. Now we just need HHH, Big Show, and Kane to also decide that they don't wanna wrestle another match for the rest of their lives, and the palatableness(?) of WWE increases incredibly.
ReplyDeleteSo apparently Vince was pissed at Shawn from the HOF because he brought up that Nash was the guy that made it possible for every guy in the audience get paid a guaranteed contract LOL. Oh Vince ...
ReplyDelete"Wait, I use Bank of America..."
ReplyDeleteSeems like we may have finally seen the end of Undertaker nearly killing himself trying the dive over the top rope, which is a relief.
ReplyDeleteYes plus the "hazing" he went through months after he debuted, esp. from DX. He did not become an instant star after the Rock promo. Plus him being Savage/Flair to HHH's Rhodes/Hogan.
ReplyDeleteHe got the chances he did when he allowed to be WWE-tweaked.
Nice, at least one more year of this ancient person going over whoever he wants for a HUGE payday.
ReplyDeleteSo. Loyal.
Think about that ... nearly 2 million ppv buys. Insane.
ReplyDeleteI think he's also kind of like Kerry Von Erich...someone Vince always wanted to sign, so there was respect there.
ReplyDeleteThe Observer guys said the match was over HUGE live. And they love shitting on things.
ReplyDeleteHe came in at the wrong time. Michaels was well into his period of being a selfish asshole.
ReplyDeletethe old school fan in me just wanted to see him win, it was disappointing. I think back to getting on my knees as 9 year old begging my Dad to order GAB 90 to see him fight Flair.
ReplyDeleteThey've stripped people of their titles of it before when it was convenient.
ReplyDeleteSting, Undertaker, Balor.
ReplyDeleteSting either needed the cash badly or it's some weird passive aggressive "fuck WCW" on his part. I'm guessing he just thought it would be cool to work a Wrestlemania and he hasn't had a six-figure payday in a while. Sting never struck me as a guy who was a huge mark for himself, so the whole "legacy" thing probably doesn't eclipse bringing home a huge sum of money to his family and having fun in the process.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad Taker had a good performance, but I will keep beating the dead horse: I do not see the appeal of Undertaker vs. Sting. Especially now that Sting has worked (and lost in cartoonish fashion) his first WWE match. It ONLY worked as Sting finally arriving in WWE for the sake of challenging Taker's Streak. Now it's just two old guys who used to mean a lot to their respective companies.
ReplyDeleteAgreed
ReplyDeleteYep. What is this whole "we owe Undertaker" notion that WWE seems to have? He has never been the #1 guy and the whole "lockerroom enforcer" thing would not have been necessary if Vince would have controlled his fucking roster to begin with. Taker's usefulness was VERY limited over the course of a 25+ year career and was mostly related to the last few years of the Streak gimmick . The "loyalty" thing is way overblown. Of course the fucking guy was "loyal", he had the most protected gimmick ever and was always treated like a big deal from 1990 on. WCW could not have used his gimmick or anything that made the guy seem special, so it's not like he was ever on the verge of jumping ship. Let's not make him sound like this noble leader.
ReplyDeleteThat's the thing. Taker wasn't even involved in the RUN-UP to this match, let alone anything else throughout the year between Manias. His "novelty" was exclusive to the Streak and outside of his entrance usually being pretty cool, what is left for him to contribute?
ReplyDeleteI would've liked to see him win too. But I don't see his loss as a legacy-shattering Triple H burial like most do. He's still Sting.
ReplyDeleteI much like the idea of them teaming up with two guys who can carry them
ReplyDeleteI think a SummerSlam re-match is a decent possibility. Rock interferes to give Sting his win back, so that the Rock-HHH build can completely overshadow any importance Sting might gain
ReplyDeleteGood point - he's gotten in everyone's business at some point, hasn't he?
ReplyDeleteFactor in how Vince used to say WCW used The Giant terribly and how if he came to WWE Vince would book him properly.
ReplyDeleteI sometimes wonder how much pull Hunter really had back then. At WrestleMania 15, I never would've guessed that Hunter would have been in the main event of SummerSlam. How Hunter ended up in the SummerSlam main event while Rock was facing Billy Gunn makes zero sense to me.
Austin vs. Mankind vs. Rock in the match we didn't see at WrestleMania 15.
Not anymore, if ever. I seem to recall hearing that when Big Show jumped, they promised him a world title run, though I doubt it was in the contract. He did, however, get the belt for a minute. And lost it to Hunter on Raw.
ReplyDeleteNo way does he hold that belt past SummerSlam, unless they begin to let him go in the ring instead of running away.
ReplyDeleteIf it's going to be Taker's last match, in Texas, then I don't think he should be sharing the spotlight with anyone
ReplyDeleteWell, he made a lot of asses famous. Which seems kinda gay. Definitely something that wouldn't get you pizza at a gay wedding in Indiana.
ReplyDeleteI don't think he's tried that for at least 3 years now
ReplyDeletehttp://regressing.deadspin.com/heres-facebooks-2015-mlb-fandom-map-1695021778
ReplyDeleteThis makes me sad.
I don't remember if he tried vs Punk or not, but I know he didn't vs Brock or Wyatt. That's why I'm hoping it's done for good.
ReplyDeleteThere are certain things that will never get old. The Rock coming out and insulting people. Austin handing out Stunners. Hogan doing Hogan things. One-off appearances from Attitude Era guys. Sid power bombing some hapless motherfucker.
ReplyDeleteTaker, though? His schtick is old. I don't need to see two relics fighting each other in 2016. I didn't need to see Bray Wyatt job just because. Once The Streak ended, so should Taker.
As does my posting this in the wrong thread. Apologies.
ReplyDeleteThat's what old luchadores do in Mexico. Hell, Mil Miscaras and Dos Caras still wrestle in Mexico in six man matches infrequently, and they're even older that Taker and Sting.
ReplyDelete