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#1 |
boop/bop/beep
Posts: 38,430
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Undertaker vs Roman---- the final verdict
Just want to hear everyone's opinion of this match after having a few days to let it simmer. Retirement at the end et all.
I'll post mine in a bit. Just think it's worth it's own thread because Roman is such a divisive guy and the match itself particularly closing was somewhat controversial. Everyone sort of gets lost in the mega thread. LET US HAVE IT TPWW (Owen Brown is not allowed to post in this thread, he loves Roman Reigns too much to be partial) Team Toxic 4 lyfe |
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#2 |
Skibbidy Lock Jaw
Posts: 88,672
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Not a fan of Roman but it was a "good ending", with the 9000 finishers in a row to put him away because he just kept coming...... and the attempted sit up..... just told the story that Takers heart was still there, but his body was starting to go.....
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#3 |
TPWW's #3 Peep
Posts: 20,903
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I thought the match was boring to be honest. Mad respect for the Undertaker, but his time has long since past.
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#4 |
Quality Meme Producer
Posts: 19,372
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The only mystique I felt in my loins was the unwanted chance to see my childhood hero die in the ring. Last year I finally got to see Undertaker @ WrestleMania and was glad he did not bump too hard. You shouldn't spend any time wondering when an old man is going to break down, he was immortal back in the day and that's how he should be remembered.
His potentially last WM match was theatrical, it was in front of a very passionate crowd who were distracted from the fact that this match was meant to catapult Roman to great heights. You can hear WWE try to prepare and sustain the backlash with their blanket statements on this week's set of shows RAW/SD. RAW read it correctly, then JBL goes and butchers the same sentence about how passionate the shows after Mania are. That makes it hard to some cause of the blatant lie being told. Vince even got a word in during his promo "You all really feel that way?" or something to that matter, I'm no good at quoting when I'm shooting off the hip. An Undertaker/Sting WM encounter could still go down, full of theatrics, each having a young guy to manage. Thunderbolts and scorpions graphics a la Wyatt/Orton match. Don't give up faith on that, it would be nice to see that happen. As far as wrestling a match, I don't really see that happening and that is alright with me. It's not worth the risk. |
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#5 |
It's a blood match!
Posts: 27,382
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I was entertained throughout the match, thoroughly. It was hard hitting, good spots, good pace, good heat. I disagree with the distain for Roman, I think he's pretty great in the ring. I loved the ending, the Undertaker's ceremony was perfect. The only black eye was the botched tombstone reversal but it didn't ruin the match, just made it awkward for a moment.
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#6 |
Posts: 1,398
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I was fine with it. I thought it was much better than I thought it would be.
Still hate Roman retiring him. |
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#7 |
Make the IWC Great Again
Posts: 8,922
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I thought it was the perfect end for Taker. His whole gimmick of having supper recovery powers were only trumped by his body giving out on him. Real life we know he's badly in need of surgery, so I thought that all worked well. Roman is physically the perfect guy to be the one to put Taker out once and for all.
The extra thing I liked is that you have this 25+ year investment into Taker's dominance at Mania, and he now set the table for a future big time main event between Lesnar and Reigns. |
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#8 |
Stickman
Posts: 15,119
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The match itself was actually very boring and anti clamatic. I think Taker should have gone out in a buried alive, casket, or body bag match as a tribute to the past. I appreciate the fact that Taker is old school enough to go out on his back and giving the rub to a younger guy but I think this match didn't deliver that rub. Brock Lesnar got that rub, Reigns flat out isn't good enough for that rub to mean anything.
I think regardless of your feelings of Reigns winning, this match didn't deliver the rub because there was really no storyline here. Not sure whose fault that is but this was a poorly delivered story. Why do these two guys hate each other? Why are they fighting? It was Strowman who called out Reigns then Taker comes outs then Reigns comes out, then somehow its Reigns vs Taker, wtf? There is no hatred, no back story, no history other than at the Royal Tumble, then they hype up, "whose yard is it?" Really? That's your basis for the Undertakers last match? The match itself was really all you could expect between these two, mad respect to Taker for getting in there but is Reigns really good enough to carry a 50+ year old to anything? The only guy around 50 who can look great all the time is HBK. The issue I have, and I have had it for years since PG began is finishers now a days are weak as fuck. Reigns is slightly above Edge in terms of the spear looking devastating, and the super man punch is fucking terrible. Not sure if that is Reigns or WWE to blame but what happened to devastating finishers? Spear/jackhammer is devasting, suplex city/F5 is devasting, jack knife powerbomb, rko, tombstone, Frog splash, any submission with intensity, styles clash, etc are moves that look like they'd finish a match. Reigns doesn't have that solid finisher that makes you believe. So for Taker to go out at Wreslefrickenmania to weak as fuck finishers just isn't believable. Reigns gets Cena hate, but the difference between the five moves of doom and Reigns is charisma. Cena can be gold on the mic. Whatever your opinion of Cena is and was, you have to agree at least the dude has charisma, works hard, has facial expressions, looks good and can get you invested. I have a hard time investing in Reigns. His ring gear is weird, why does he wear two belts? He has no facial expressions other than looking bored all the time. They talk about his power but he has yet to show us his feats of stregnth. I don't really know if he can wrestle because he is usally just throwing punches. To me he actually comes off as lazy. Maybe that's the wwe telling him what to do, maybe he is actually lazy, I don't know. But what I do know is they wasted UT retirement on a guy that I feel didn't deserve it. Hell, I think Strowman would have been better to end it, because that dude is believable (albeit still green). |
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#9 |
Amazon Affiliate
Posts: 42,694
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I can't wait to watch Wrestemania in 6 months.
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#10 |
I am the cheese
Posts: 51,467
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Match was flat. Partly due to the crowd being blown up partly due to taker being over the hill. It was good moment but would have been better done a few years ago.
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#11 |
Amazon Affiliate
Posts: 42,694
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Should have been 3 months after Brock ended the streak.
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#12 |
Best Poster
Posts: 57,049
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Taker looked like a wrestler from the 80's still trying to slog it out on the indies.
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#13 |
I am the cheese
Posts: 51,467
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Or just retired right then...
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#14 |
Reigning Tipsters Champ!
Posts: 2,088
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Reigns/Taker - Beautiful and emotional end for one of the greatest of all time. An all time great Mania moment if he sticks to it. The fact that he wasn't good enough was a theme (both on purpose and by accident) of the match and it feels like he has gone on a match too long and paid for it.
My only gripe is that Reigns is now THE star of the company and he is not good enough. He is athletic, but thats it. Here, he was going up against a performer, capable of nuanced reactions, timing and just the correct measure of emotion at certain moments. Undertaker has been so successful because he is such a great performer. Reigns is not. He is an athlete with no charisma and no real connection to the crowd. He doesn't know how to work them and his reactions and facials seem forced and the timing is completely off. It has denied Taker what HBK and Flair had before him - a performer fitting enough to create that match and that moment together with him. People will talk about his merchandise sales, but i think wwefan hit the nail on the head when he said, kids will like anything that is presented to them in a strong way. He is the "best" and wins all the time, so buy his shirt. It is sad because it means that he may never have the need to learn from guys like HBK and Taker on how to become a better performer, capable of bringing the crowd into the match and making them feel something. I think the company are doing him a disservice too by forcing the issue. The fact he has retired a truly great personality is ironic and sad at the same time. Those are my thoughts from the Mania thread. To summarise, don't think Reigns was good enough to give him the emotional send off he deserved and think it highlighted the problem with potential stars and their lack of all round skills going forward. |
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#15 |
Reigning Tipsters Champ!
Posts: 2,088
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Also, no charisma is harsh for Reigns, he is developing a bit of presence and star power, but the "can't work a crowd" stuff still stands. His "acting" looks hokey and fake and i don't think the emotion of the match came across primarily because he was the protagonist.
As an athlete and in ring, i have no problems with Roman, but he is severely lacking in key areas that THE GUY should have. |
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#16 |
I am the cheese
Posts: 51,467
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If not Roman than who? I wont debate the replies, honestly curious.
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#17 |
Stickman
Posts: 15,119
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Lesnar, AJ, KO, Rusev (with a revised gimmick), Strowman, Rollins. Maybe Orton, Wyatt. Those guys have more of an IT factor than Reigns. Again, not trying to hate on Reigns, he just doesn't do anything for me, Dolph Ziggler has more IT than Reigns and I can't stand Ziggler.
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#18 |
Amazon Affiliate
Posts: 42,694
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#19 |
I am the cheese
Posts: 51,467
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#20 |
Quality Meme Producer
Posts: 19,372
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"This is my thread now"
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#21 |
Make the IWC Great Again
Posts: 8,922
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About the t-shirt to kids comment, it's simply not true. If it was that easy, WWE would never have a guy at the top fail. At one point Chris Benoit was beating everyone, nobody bought his shirt. Our guys have received even stronger pushes and didn't get over like Roman is over right now.
The thing with Roman is the fans who never go to live events have no clue how over the guy is. He gets the biggest reactions night in night out. Look at Monday night. That had to be one of the loudest reactions in the history of the business. Not every guy who is pushed can garner that type of emotion. He was literally the perfect guy to end Taker's career. |
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#22 | |
Stickman
Posts: 15,119
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Quote:
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#23 | |
boop/bop/beep
Posts: 38,430
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Quote:
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#24 |
Make the IWC Great Again
Posts: 8,922
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#25 |
boop/bop/beep
Posts: 38,430
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Dave Meltzer knows WAY more than Vince. He's Dave Metlzer. Come on. Don't be ridiculous.
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#26 | |
Reigning Tipsters Champ!
Posts: 2,088
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Quote:
Who are these people who have gotten sustained pushes across years like Roman has? From what I remember, Benoit's title reign was not that strong, and he certainly wasn't given the dominant 2-3 year long run that Roman has. Only Cena... |
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#27 | |
Make the IWC Great Again
Posts: 8,922
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Quote:
You think Vince pushes a guy, the guy starts costing him bank and then he goes, screw it, I don't need more money im going to keep pushing him? Makes no sense to do that. Reigns had headlined three Manias, and they are the top three grossing Manias of all time. WWE Network has grown subs under Reigns. TV is down, but so is TV in general. So why would they stop pushing him? Because the newsletter fans don't like him? |
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#28 | |
boop/bop/beep
Posts: 38,430
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Quote:
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#29 | |
Former TPWW Royalty
Posts: 66,663
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#30 |
Former TPWW Royalty
Posts: 66,663
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Match itself was pretty bad but the post-match send off was great.
Biggest problems were Taker being in very rough shape and them trying to recreate the HBK/Flair and HBK/Taker feelings with Reigns. |
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#31 |
His name is Jeff Harvey
Posts: 5,256
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Are we actually for sure Taker is retired? He put his gloves down in the ring last year. He put his jacket and hat down this year. Maybe he wrestles next year... and strips naked after the match to cement the fact he's retiring.
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#32 |
Posts: 10,642
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Getting a reaction and getting the right reaction are two different things. If a guy goes out there and gets boring chants, it's a reaction. But it's the wrong one.
Reigns is written, wrestles, talks and walks as a face. But he's received as a heel. To the point that it hijacks segments. That's not a positive. A reaction is better than no reaction, but is the complete opposite reaction than the one desired good? I think there's an argument there. It'd be different if they were organic with it all and made changes based on it. But they don't. They force feed and its apparent. As far as the match, I thought, given the circumstances, it was exceptional. It was paced very well, there was some great spots, and the back and forth of it until Taker's body gave was a great story. Yeah, there were botches. Flair botched and bridge in his last match and took a phantom bump. It happens. Doesn't ruin or take anything from the overall story. I thought Roman did well. He really is a main event level performer. I just feel like he's a natural, cocky douche bag and wish they'd just let him play that up. But it was nonetheless a very good main event and much better than last year. |
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#33 | |
I am the cheese
Posts: 51,467
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Quote:
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#34 |
boop/bop/beep
Posts: 38,430
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#35 |
I am the cheese
Posts: 51,467
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#36 |
RIP SABU
Posts: 35,543
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#37 | |
I am the cheese
Posts: 51,467
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Quote:
For those playing along at home that's how you use heels. |
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#38 |
RIP SABU
Posts: 35,543
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I think this may have been 'Taker's worst opponent since Giant Gonzales @ WM IX, and that's saying something.
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#39 |
boop/bop/beep
Posts: 38,430
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#40 |
RIP SABU
Posts: 35,543
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