Brooklyn Brawlin 04.23.08: The Wins That Should Not Be

Posted by Dan Torkel on 04.23.2008

Why the term "Forgone Conclusion " should never be involved in pro-wrestling...

Hello all and welcome back to my little hindsight haven as we continue to explore the past and totally rip apart the horrors of WWE booking. To address some comments from last week: we all have our opinions. I did love the build to Batista/Triple H, but that always was Randy's spot as is proven now. Last week's column touched another little debate as the great Taker - Streak question got breached.


Before getting to Mean Mark, some weekly thoughts on television programming: Impact was good but I don't at all get taking the tag straps off StyleKo on TV and giving them to Kaz/Eric rather than LAX. I missed Raw due to some late night spring break partying...the absolute best thing about being a teacher, being paid to go on vacation! Congrats to William Regal who I was shocked as hell won the thing, as I have no clue where he goes now. From General Manager to title threat to KOTR in two weeks in pretty damn impressive.

One man has wreaked havoc the WWF/E for nearly 20 years, Mark Callowey...The Undertaker. Let me start with a plea to the Taker fans (No, I won't call you marks). I like Taker, and some of his matches are some of my favorites (Austin from Summerslam 98, and Angle from NWO 06), plus everything with Shawn and Bret over the years. My complaints are not that he wins ALL the time, although we can certainly argue that. I believe if you remove the name Stone Cold from the wrestling lexicon, Taker has been cleanly pinned less time than fingers on my hand since 2000. But when we talk Taker, as always we talk Wrestlemania and The Streak. Now again, I am NOT going to argue that Taker should have jobbed to King Kong Bundy, Giant Gonzalez, Jimmy Snuka or even Edge, who I am a mark for. My issue here is simple, losing is a part of wrestling, without it there are no winners. As cliche as that sounds, Undertaker at Wrestlemania has over the years become the true definition of "Forgone Conclusion" and that my friends is a term that should never be uttered by fans of professional wrestling, since once we know the outcomes, why watch the matches, it removes all the luster and excitement. Taker Wrestlemania 22, did anyone seriously sit back and think, wow I wonder if Taker will job to Mark Henry. Even this year; after Orton (a heel) retained earlier, there was no way in hell Edge was walking out the champ. That was why I loved the match so much, because they actually made me believe he had a chance. So without further ado: the 4 times Undertaker should have absolutely lost at Wrestlemania.

The Wins the Should Not Be

1. Wrestlemania XII – Diesel
- I know. Most of you are thinking, "wait wasn't Diesel (Kevin Nash) going to WCW." Yes he was, but he had something to do before he left.

Build: The build was great for this match up. Diesel was WWE Champion for a full year before losing it to Bret Hart at Survivor Series. Before he got his rematch, he was entered in the Royal Rumble, where his former friend Shawn Michaels blindsided him with Sweet Chin Music eliminating him to win the match. Diesel left to watch his title defended against Undertaker. He interfered as Taker delivered a Tombstone on Bret thus costing Taker the title. At the February IYH PPV, Taker returned the favor and cost Diesel the title in his rematch.

Alternate Ending: Diesel and Taker had a pretty damn good big man match. The match would go as it did until the end. After kicking out of a Jackknife, Taker hits the Chokeslam and goes for the Tombstone. Diesel slips off and shoves Taker into the referee. Taker hits the Tombstone but the ref is down and all of sudden, MANKIND hits the ring and puts Taker out with the Mandible Claw. Diesel, knowing nothing, picks up Taker and hits the Jackknife for the pin.

Reason: Mankind debuted on Raw immediately after WM 12 and spent the rest of the year feuding with Taker. This would spark the feud one night earlier on a grander stage and we could find out that Paul Bearer was in on with Mick from the beginning. Diesel, despite being on his way out was Main Eventing the next PPV against Shawn for the WWE Title. A victory over Taker at WM would've made him look like an even bigger threat to the title. Having him go after the title and Shawn after a loss made him look vulnerable, a position a man 7'0 feet tall should never be.

2. Wrestlemania XIV – Kane
- I know. It took 3 Tombstones to beat him and it kept Kane strong. But this was Kane's first feud, and first main event type match. Basic story telling in wrestling is: the heel wins first, and face gets revenge later. If the face wins first, the feud is OVER.

Build: Again, awesome build up as Kane debuts in October and costs Taker the Title from Shawn in HIAC. He destroys Mankind at Survivor Series and again screws Taker at the Rumble. Taker finally mans up and wants revenge.

Alternate Ending: If you saw the match what we do is flip the ending sequence a bit. Taker kicks out of a Tombstone to Paul Bearer's shock and horror. Kane goes for a second but Taker counters to his own and Tombstones Kane. Paul Bearer gets up on the apron and distracts the ref, leading to Taker grabbing him and pounding him down to the floor. Kane does the zombie sit-up and Taker turns right into a second Tombstone and Kane scores the win.

Reason: Kane looks like an unbeatable monster here. He beats Taker with his own move and Taker is strong because the Bearer interference cost him. The feud continues and Taker scores the win at Unforgiven in the Inferno Match (a non-pinfall win) and thus we get one more match later on. Kane in my opinion has never been the same since 1998 because his inability to beat Taker in a big match, mixed with his one day title reign made him look like a very beatable monster.

3. Wrestlemania X-7 – Triple H
-I know. Taker was going into a 2 month Title feud with Austin, but Triple H (pre first injury) was lighting it up. He had made a grand return, and cost Austin the title on Raw, and got the biggest win of his life in one of the greatest matches ever a month earlier in the 2/3 falls match with Austin.

Build: Triple H defeated Royal Rumble winner Stone Cold at No Way Out but with Austin going to main event it left nothing for him. He claimed to have beaten everyone, which drew out Taker to prove him wrong. Hunter responded by destroying Taker's bike, and Taker threatened the life of Stephanie to set this up.
Alternate Ending: The AE is in the match. Taker goes for the Last Ride Powerbomb, only for Triple H to grab the sledgehammer and KO Taker with it mid move. Pedigree, 1, 2, 3, and we go home.

Reason: Another loss for Taker but again it takes a weapon behind the ref's back to do it. Triple H defeated Austin at N.W.O and Austin won the title later that night. The writing on the wall was there for the mega-feud between Austin and Hunter and with Vince siding with Austin we could've seen the double turn instead of the beginning of the alliance angle. It turned out because of injuries and the rushed Invasion to be the feud that never happened.

4. Wrestlemania XXI – Randy Orton
I know. Orton had injured his shoulder right before the show and would be out a few months. But this was Legend Killer vs. Legend. This was a guy in Orton who had had a remarkable year. In 2004 he was scored the pinfall in a match with Rock and Mick Foley at WM XX, won a crazy brawl with Foley at Backlash and became the youngest WWE Champion ever beating Benoit at Summerslam. He turned face and feuded with Triple H and Evolution for the rest of the year, even pinning Triple H to win the Survivor Series main event.

Build: Despite all the momentum the fans began to discover Batista late in 2004 and thus Randy's Mania rematch against Triple H was moved up to the Rumble to clear the way for Batista at WM. In that match with HHH, Orton was defeated after getting what appeared to be a concussion. Orton needed to do something big at Wrestlemania. He was the Legend Killer and had a monster year but was seemingly being passed over, so he because the first man to openly challenge the Undertaker and his perfect record. He claimed he would kill another legend and his career needed the boost. Taker obliged the challenge. With his father, Ace Cowboy Bob Orton being inducted in the HOF, Papa Orton made a surprise appearance leading to Orton attacking Taker with the RKO.

Alternate Ending: I just watched the match today on WWE 24/7 and it's a very good match. They make sure to run down the laundry list of legends Orton has "killed". Problem is that not only does Taker win, but he again survives all odds, and kicks out of an established finisher. The alternate ending again is simple enough. After the ref is bumped, new inductee to the HOF Bob Orton runs out with his classic cast and KO's Taker. Orton gets a nearfall and is shocked. He goes for the RKO but gets pushed into Bob on the apron and Taker hits the Chokeslam for 2. He signals for the end and goes for the Tombstone but Orton drops behind and nails the RKO for the pin. Legend killed!

Reason: This was the most obvious place for Taker to job and his most annoying of his wins. Orton severely needed the win, not only to save the momentum of his push but to firmly reestablish the Legend Killer gimmick. Even the injury could've been turned into an angle with Taker wanting revenge but Orton claiming injury and thus avoiding a rematch and adding to his cocky and chicken shit heel status. Taker didn't wrestle on ppv again till July when he defeated Muhammad Hassan in a # 1 Contender match. So his win didn't lead to a monster push. Orton could've planned his return for when Taker was getting his shot and cost him that and their rematch at Summerslam could've gone to Taker evening the series and leading to their later series of gimmick style matches.


16 – 0 certainly looks impressive. But 10 – 5 is pretty damn impressive too. So is 13 – 2, and 12 – 3. Take Triple H for instance. Despite being the clear "Top Man" of the company, his record at WM is 5 – 7. Shawn Michaels, often dubbed the greatest WM performer ever is only 6 – 9. Even the almighty Hulk Hogan is blemished with an 8 – 3 – 1 record. Taker's wins over Mark Henry, Jake the Snake and even his title wins over Sid and Batista were good necessary victories. But winning for the sake winning sometimes made no business sense. The wins over Kane, Triple H and Orton are most peculiar as they seemed to go against all natural booking thought. So there enlies the question: who should end the streak?

My pick right now, April 22, 2008 is Mr. Kennedy. The company looks like they want to push Kennedy as a main event heel but keep getting in their own way (and he in his own way). Have him unseat Cena or Triple H for the WWE Title during 2008 and by the time 2009 comes around he can look for another feud with Taker.

Who do I think will end the streak? Shawn Michaels: Next year, Wrestlemania XXV - Houston Texas - Two Texas sized legends go at in the main event. How sweet for Shawn, Flair one year, Taker the next.

Keep the comments and emails flowing, and till next time, have fun storming the castle.