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Wrestlemania 25 took a lot of people off guard. I think most were expecting a great match, but not the match we ended up getting. I think some people's opinion of it can be based on the fact that it didn't have nearly the expectations of this years.
This years easily met or surpassed expectations.
Also, they really worked in a lot of amazing things I noticed that make it an incredible sequel. Shawn and Taker at various points did things that acknowledged their "mistakes" from last year. Shawn didn't try the moonsault in the ring. Taker refrained from the dive over the top.
So many great spots and counters. The facebuster on the Last Ride, and the knee block to the elbow drop were amazing.
Very rarely does a rematch meet or live up to the expectations. There's an effect where people build things up so huge in their minds, they reach mythic status and nothing can even compare, even when it does.
Even with that handicap, I think tonight's match met or surpassed expectations.
The epic hype worked to it's advantage. It allowed it close the show. It had a HUGE match feel. And of course, the career vs streak stipulation added immensely to the matchup.
Overall, I think the matches were probably about equal in terms of the in ring action, but I felt a far better story was told this time around.
Last years story was about two legends squaring off for the first time in years. It was about the match.
This years story was about both of their legacies and careers, and at the same time all about the epic rematch. It was about Shawn needing to snap the streak, and refusing to quit. The finish was incredible. Last years was more abrupt, but this years was more dramatic.
This match seals this as one of the greatest sagas of wrestling. Even with only two matches, the whole story told in both is incredible.
It's now the defining rivalry/storyline in both of their careers, I think.
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