How would you book Taker's retirement?

[Rysenberg]

What's your evidence to how this won't get over with the modern audience? All the casuals react to Taker, is this because they think "Oh he's a legend so this works you know, it's Mark guys, we need to approve this." or because it's actually a F**cking interesting gimmick? Not sure how Hogan got involved, I hate the person, I've never bagged on Hogan the character. I hate HHH personally, but is he one of the greatest heels of all time?

I'm not asking for an OTT Undertaker character where he transports into the ring and s*** like that. I'm just saying supernatural gimmicks in general - Ascention is a great example. That's what I'm talking about. Would you not buy into a dark mysterious "spiritual" type character? A guy you could build as being a sick teenager who used to go around doing X, Y and Z to the other kids? Serious question, because personally I'd find that pretty awesome though I'm a huge fan of Sci-Fi stuff.

I like the idea of the teenager gimmick as well. Even Ambrose could be used as another example though that is stretching it a little.

My problem is with the totally unrealistic stuff, the shitty eyeliner, the tacky long ass entrance, the supernatural pish, there's no way anyone else could get over with anything like that at all.

 

[seabs]

Mordecia and the Boogeyman are examples of supernatural shit not working. They were too much in your face, whilst looking around for various supernatural gimmicks I found this interpretation of Taker's gimmick which actually made me see things a different way with him. He's playing a man, who's playing the undertaker to intimidate his opponents. The extra layer explains a lot actually.

A lot of them are just too unrealistic, they're either too weird or made out to have powers. What a lot of people don't get is that The Undertaker isn't magic or anything, it's not and never was meant to be that. His gimmick is just of an intimidating wrestler who is a master of mind games. When The Undertaker makes the lights go out it's never meant to appear that The Undertaker is magically making it go dark. It's just meant to appear that he is messing with the opponents. At most that he intimidated someone backstage to get them to shut off the lights. That's the reason behind Jericho's "he's just a man" speech. Other supernatural gimmicks sometimes feel like they're either trying to copy the Undertaker or that they're trying to convince you they have some kind of power.

 

[Crayo]

Mordecia and the Boogeyman are examples of supernatural s*** not working. They were too much in your face, whilst looking around for various supernatural gimmicks I found this interpretation of Taker's gimmick which actually made me see things a different way with him. He's playing a man, who's playing the undertaker to intimidate his opponents. The extra layer explains a lot actually.

That's personally how I've saw the Undertaker but only in recent years. I was a belieber (made myself lol) that he had super powers when I was younger. But anyway, boogeyman was a great gimmick imo. That wasn't a supernatural gimmick was it? It was more psychotic/wtf. A lesser version of that is similar to Ambrose's Joker type gimmick.

I'm personally a BIG fan of those gimmicks but that's because I'm fed up with the shit we're fed in WWE. Bray Wyatt's gimmick is an example of improvement, as is Seth Rollins'.

 

[nWo1]

A guy you could build as being a sick teenager who used to go around doing X, Y and Z to the other kids?

.

 

[Crayo]

.

Was waiting for someone to do that. That gimmick was awesome at first right? See how it was ruined by booking?

 

[nWo1]

Was waiting for someone to do that. That gimmick was awesome at first right? See how it was ruined by booking?

Hell yeah, he dominated the WWF for so long then just jobbed till recently since like 2003. They could of built him up to real be one of the most memorable stars a real legend, I doubt he'll even get HOF because of how much he's been degraded the past 9 years.

 

[Crayo]

IMO he could have been something similar to Taker with that gimmick. Him taking off the mask was the demise I guess. But I don't condemn him for it, he's a selfless superstar who likes putting young stars over. A rarity now'adays lol. Jericho's the same.

 

[Farooq]

Him talking mainly killed it. He could have just been the silent man who took out whoever he wanted when he wanted, he does whatever he wants and he doesn't care who you are. His life has always been about people saying he was a freak, a psycho, and could never be anything, but then he came into the WWF and found pleasure in bringing pain unto those that say that.

 

[Leo C]

After DB makes Undertaker tap out at WM, Taker nods as a sign of "You're good, kid" and then leaves, which may be inside a coffin taken by druids or whatever. Bryan goes over. :boss1:

No, seriously. I still think he should put a young star over though, but how I'd explain his character leaving... I'd probably just make him disappear after a big match or something similar.

 

[nWo1]

It makes more sense with Jericho though because of how the storyline plays out, with Kane it's abit like he's the big guy, like how they used Big Show, Khali, Vader etc.

 

[Lockard 23]

Of course Kane will go into the HOF. They put anyone in there. I also loved him taking off his mask. One of the best things in 2003 (especially on Raw, which was dull that year) was the Kane/Shane feud. We got a lot of great stuff that Kane did late that year. He's just been mostly booked terribly a lot of the time.

Anyway, the way I see it happening is Undertaker beating Brock Lesnar at WM29 and then making Cena his last victim at WM30 and then retiring. I know it's wrestling tradition to 'go out on your back' (lose your last match) but I think for someone like Taker, they'd make an exception. I see Taker announcing ahead of time that WM30 is his last match before returning to the world of darkness or whatever (think of those cryptic speeches he used to give) for good. And he handpicks Cena as the guy who has one last chance to beat his streak at WM, because he (Cena) is the biggest challenge that is left for him. Then, after he beats Cena, he does something the next night that is very mysterious or something, like he disappears into thin air or something, like the way he's done in certain situations in the past, like at the '94 and '98 Royal Rumbles. Whatever it is, it needs to be a huge, huge deal and it will be what Raw the next night is all about and stuff. Something akin to this is what I see happening, and it seems fitting enough.

 

[Asskicker]

Yeah I would book his end the same way he was brought

 

[Leo C]

I could dig Ted DiBiase Sr. coming out and saying "OK dude, you did what you had to, time to go now, good bye." And he'd just leave. :haha:

 

[seabs]

It's a shame Jr isn't great tbh, it would have been a great way to "kill" Taker IMO, have a Dibiase take him out in the same way one brought him in.

 

[Stopspot]

It's a shame Jr isn't great tbh, it would have been a great way to "kill" Taker IMO, have a Dibiase take him out in the same way one brought him in.

Jr is grossly underrated in the ring, not great but definitely one of the better guys in the ring. He just needs some time to sharpen up and if they want to remove Taker after WM 30 I say they have plenty of time to build Ted as credible and then have a feud post WM 30 so that the streak stays intact and Cena is fed to Taker at WM.