Welcome to the first installment of Point CounterPoint from the LWOS Wrestling Department, where two or more writers discuss a topic point by counterpoint and leave the readers up to their own conclusions on who won the discussion and what they think themselves. The first topic is one that has been debated ever since The Undertaker fought Triple H at WrestleMania X-7 and HHH mentioned how the Undertaker had never been defeated at the Showcase of the Immortals.
One of the highlights of WrestleMania each year is The Undertaker’s undefeated streak. Oftentimes it is a foregone conclusion that “The Deadman” will add another notch in the win column. However, the question on people’s minds isn’t always “Will The Streak be broken?” so much as “Should The Streak be broken?” The latter is the question that we’re going to look at. I, Jeff DeHaan, feel that The Streak should remain unbroken, while fellow LWOSWRESTLING writer James Carlucci believes that The Streak can’t end any other way but with a loss. Whose side are you on?
DeHaan: Ultimately, I feel that The Undertaker has more than earned the right to choose if The Streak should be broken, and by whom. And if he were to choose to have it be broken, I would be disappointed but respect his decision. However, from a black or white, broken or unbroken stance, I believe that when the dust settles on The Undertaker’s career that The Streak should remain unbroken. It isn’t a championship that needs to be passed on before he retires.
Carlucci: At least we’re starting this off in agreement. The ultimate say on who should break The Streak should come down to The Undertaker. If he wants to keep it, how could I, or any self-respecting wrestling fan, deny him that privilege? However, from a fan perspective I would like to see The Streak broken should the situation call for it. Records are made to be broken, and nobody will ever be able to take 2x-0 away from him. Anyone who respects the business like we all know ‘Taker does knows that the right way to go out in this business is on your back.
DeHaan: Some fans may dispute it because they want to see their favourite wrestlers go out on a high note, but it is a show of respect to exit the business with a loss. Passing the proverbial torch. But who says that ‘Taker HAS to retire at WrestleMania? Yes, it’s the biggest show of the year in WWE and one could argue that it is the perfect place to end a career. Shawn Michaels did it, so did “Stone Cold” Steve Austin. However, I feel it would be more fitting for The Undertaker to have his final match be at Survivor Series. It’s where he made his debut, it’s where he won his first WWE World Championship. It’s where he’s had Coffin/Casket matches, First Blood matches, Hell in a Cell, and he’s been buried alive. Survivor Series holds a lot of history for “The Deadman”, and is as worthy of a place to end his career and still have The Streak remain intact.
Carlucci: I definitely agree that Survivor Series is integral to The Undertaker’s career, and it would be as fitting an event for “The Deadman” to retire at as any. However, The Streak has definitely surpassed it in terms of relevance to ‘Taker’s legacy and I believe WrestleMania should serve as the climax of his career. Even if ‘Taker loses, he’ll undoubtedly be the last one to leave the ring. Imagine a defeated, prone Undertaker in the ring. Then, the ominous gong sounds, the all too familiar theme echoes through the arena, and a cadre of druids arrive to retrieve their fallen hero. They roll “The Deadman” out of the ring and begin to carry him, but at the top of the ramp, he awakens and pushes away his minions. He stands alone, and salutes his creatures of the night for one final time as WrestleMania goes off the air.
Undertaker gets the farewell he deserves, but not before giving the WWE a bonafide star in the process. WrestleMania doesn’t have to be where The Undertaker retires, but it sure seems like the best place for it.
DeHaan: You’ve painted a great scene, however, in that scene The Undertaker’s send off overshadows the person who just got the victory, arguably the biggest victory of their career. How do you balance someone breaking The Streak, with the final farewell of a legend such as The Undertaker? Who could deal with the insurmountable pressure? This person would be doing what was impossible for Shawn Michaels and Kane twice, Triple H three times, and a horde of others that include Edge, Ric Flair, and CM Punk. That is a lot to live up to.
The choice in who would break The Streak is equally important. What if CM Punk broke it at WrestleMania XXIX? He walked out of the company less than a year later, which in turn would have made the broken Streak a waste. It’s a risk for WWE to put that much stock in someone if it didn’t pay off.
Carlucci: You’re right Jeff, breaking The Streak could either go very, very wrong, or very, very right. However, keeping The Streak intact has almost nil value for the WWE once The Undertaker retires. What money will be left to be made? The DVD market is dead and ‘Taker has never been that much of a merch mover. Even at 2x-1, is there any doubt ‘Taker wouldn’t still headline a Hall of Fame class? Of course not.
For the Superstar who breaks The Streak, it is a potential boon. All you need to do is to look at the most notorious situation of a “torch passing gone wrong” in WWE history: Hulk Hogan to The Ultimate Warrior at WrestleMania VI. Like Punk, Warrior quickly flamed out. But here we are, over twenty years later, Hulk Hogan is still one of the biggest stars in the business and hosting WrestleMania XXX. And Warrior? He’s just headlining a Hall of Fame class.
DeHaan: You talk about how breaking The Streak would be such a boon for whoever does it, but the fact of the matter is The Streak and everyone’s quest to break it, has been and will always be about The Undertaker, not the opponent. The Streak, as an entity, overshadows anyone who goes against ‘Taker. That in itself is reason enough not to break it. While no one wrestler is bigger than the industry, or even a company, no one person is bigger than The Streak either, with the exception of The Undertaker.
There are several wrestlers who are currently undefeated at WrestleMania. Just to name a few, The Miz and Rob Van Dam are both 4-0, and all three members of The Shield are 1-0. While I realize a single win doesn’t sound impressive, and doesn’t technically constitute a streak, Ambrose, Rollins, and Reigns are all young, talented guys with a crazy amount of potential. And at one time, even “The Deadman” was only 1-0 at The Show of Shows. That is where I feel the value of The Streak staying intact lies. The Streak can only be broken one time, and only by one person, but chasing The Streak, that can go on forever. Who wouldn’t want to fight for the chance to eclipse the legacy of The Undertaker?
Carlucci: First, I agree that while The Streak is certainly more about The Undertaker than his opponent, I would argue that it is bigger than both men. It is, in it’s purest form, a marketing tool that can be used to elevate talent. Failing to utilize it if the right situation (I.e. Right wrestler) were to present itself would be a wasted opportunity.
Furthermore, having a superstar chase The Streak is something I don’t see working at all. Undertaker’s streak is a case of serendipity that cannot and should not ever be duplicated. Plus, logistically it simply wouldn’t work. Taker’s Streak matches, while certainly exceptional, have had foregone conclusions that have drawn the ire of some fans, and that’s only been for the last few years. Could you imagine if once a wrestler started piling up wins we had to sit through 20 more years of predictable outcomes? Fans would tire quickly.
And finally, all good things must come to an end. Nobody will look down on The Undertaker because he finally lost at WrestleMania. However, there is a good chance they look at the man who breaks it as a legend in his own right. The wrestling business, especially under the reign of Vince McMahon, has been built on high stakes gambles. The risk is worth the reward, and that is why The Streak should be broken.
There you have it, two very different but equally valid opinions on The Undertaker’s WrestleMania undefeated streak. Do you agree with me (Jeff) or are you on James’ side? Let us know using #KeepTheStreak or #BreakTheStreak. Don’t forget to include #LWOSWRESTLING and follow all of the Last Word On Sports wrestling writing team for WrestleMania updates and info.
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