Is Undertaker Injured? Did That Mess Up The ME?

[hoganhallnash]

I'm hearing rumors that Taker suffered a neck injury after the Tombstone Piledriver from Triple H.

[Rorschach]

So if Hunter botches a move and takes out the Undertaker PERMANENTLY....who gets the NUCLEAR HEATZZZ?

Oh God...they're gonna fire Bryan and Sheamus aren't they?

[saintpat]

Taker will be back this summer for a 1- or 2-month feud, and take off until December or January to get ready to WM. No worries.

[Raul]

Apr 4, 2011 1:45:45 GMT -5 hoganhallnash said:

I'm hearing rumors that Taker suffered a neck injury after the Tombstone Piledriver from Triple H.

If this is true, then why was Taker trying to move around on his own?

Was he just trying to stay in character?

[smoof]

Apr 4, 2011 1:25:36 GMT -5 sam_III said:

They could have easily cut Miz and Cena's video packages if they needed more time. Or cut out the "count out" finish and skipped straight to the Rocks run in.

Hindsight is 20/20 indeed.

[joebob27]

No way he broke his neck/got stung on that. He was selling the finish. Brock barely even knew where he was and Angle F5'd himself.

It was botched, though.

[Alex Shelley]

Apr 4, 2011 1:49:25 GMT -5 Rorschach said:

So if Hunter botches a move and takes out the Undertaker PERMANENTLY....who gets the NUCLEAR HEATZZZ?

Oh God...they're gonna fire Bryan and Sheamus aren't they?

Johnny Ace: Bryan, because you and Sheamus' match was bumped off the card, we had too much time for the HHH/Taker match. Because of this extra time, HHH injured Taker. We're sorry, you're being released from your contract.

Daniel Bryan: But it's not our fault. We didn't WANT our match moved.

Ace: It's your fault for being a wrestler. You should have spent more time trying to be a superstar. We had no choice. We HAD to remove you from the card.

Bryan: But that doesn't make any sen-

Ace: Get out of my office! >:C

[Tim]

I really think he injured his neck bad. He couldn't even lift his head off of the mat. I think that the spot with Triple H yelling at him was to stall (similar to Owen doing the Canada chant at Summerslam when Austin was down). Either that, or it's the best selling that I've ever seen. He never looked right after the second Pedigree, but he was so f***ing tough that he finished anyway.

[joebob27]

He took the second one on the shoulder and the third one on the knees. I went digging through that match looking for a sign of an injury and the only things are the plancha botch and the tombstone. But he was really into the submission after the tombstone. I guess it's possible but if someone saw him walking (albeit crippled-y) out of a limo, I think you can rule out anything too bad. He's a pretty decent seller for a guy who didn't sell for years.

[Tim]

The walking hasn't really been confirmed though. I think it's entirely possible that it was a bad stinger. He couldn't lift his head off of the mat. His post-match fall off of the apron looked ridiculously stiff. Triple H practically runs over to him. I think that they were supposed to walk out together, and Taker kept trying to get up to do it, until Scott Armstrong says something to HHH. Probably along the lines of, "Forget the plan, he's too messed up."

[joebob27]

Apr 4, 2011 2:27:51 GMT -5 Tim said:

The walking hasn't really been confirmed though. I think it's entirely possible that it was a bad stinger. He couldn't lift his head off of the mat. His post-match fall off of the apron looked ridiculously stiff. Triple H practically runs over to him. I think that they were supposed to walk out together, and Taker kept trying to get up to do it, until Scott Armstrong says something to HHH. Probably along the lines of, "Forget the plan, he's too messed up."

Yeah, it's possible, I mean, after the tombstone, I'm not sure if he got off the mat for the rest of the match. It could just be a totally inept medical team that make it look like a work. They kept taking his pulse at the neck over and over again and that just looked so dumb (especially considering he was awake and huffing on the mat), that you couldn't take it seriously.

[Tim]

Yeah, if it was real, the medical team f***ed up.

[Boozeman]

I think people are reading a little too much into him not walking out. Let's think back to the damage the Undertaker took in the match:

- Spinebuster through a table
- 7 or 8 chairshots to the back
- Head-on chairshot
- Tombstone piledriver
- Pedigree (3 times)

After all that, I think it's perfectly logical for him to need to be carted out. He got destroyed with a chair and took two of the most dominant finishing moves in WWE history (a total of four times).

You've got to consider the fact that they're acknowledging the fact that he is getting up there in age and the fact that he was facing HHH, who along with 'Taker is one of the most protected wrestlers in WWE history. I think this is a simple case of them wanting to put together a story that said.."Yeah, Undertaker kept the streak alive and pinned HHH, but look at the beating he took in the process."

And it worked. They did a great job of it. Kudos to the WWE for putting together such a realistic looking storyline and kudos to the Undertaker for his great work selling the injuries.

[The Cool Pup]

I was wondering if the length of the divas match had anything to do with the result of Taker appearing hurt.

[Rorschach]

Apr 4, 2011 2:37:52 GMT -5 Boozeman said:

I think people are reading a little too much into him not walking out. Let's think back to the damage the Undertaker took in the match:

- Spinebuster through a table
- 7 or 8 chairshots to the back
- Head-on chairshot
- Tombstone piledriver
- Pedigree (3 times)

After all that, I think it's perfectly logical for him to need to be carted out. He got destroyed with a chair and took two of the most dominant finishing moves in WWE history (a total of four times).

You've got to consider the fact that they're acknowledging the fact that he is getting up there in age and the fact that he was facing HHH, who along with 'Taker is one of the most protected wrestlers in WWE history. I think this is a simple case of them wanting to put together a story that said.."Yeah, Undertaker kept the streak alive and pinned HHH, but look at the beating he took in the process."

And it worked. They did a great job of it. Kudos to the WWE for putting together such a realistic looking storyline and kudos to the Undertaker for his great work selling the injuries.

So then they're acknowledging he's human again....but totally breaking character by having him carted out not by his personal Druids but by "real medics".

That doesn't make sense to me for some reason....and it still irks me that Hunter took a BANNED move that puts guys on the shelf for weeks (in kayfabe), resisted it for an eternity, and sprang up after like it was nothing. Talk about killing off that move. If anything, they should have BOTH been stretchered out of the rubble. Or better yet, Taker is carted off by his Druids and Hunter gets the stretcher ride, with a concerned Shawn by his side.

Would have been a much better ending, IMO.

[joebob27]

Yeah, Trips definitely shouldn't have walked out. At least as easily as he did. But the no-selling in the match I kinda understood on re-watch. As for Taker, his magical powers vary by the year. This time around he was cutting promos like Bikertaker. Reanimated corpses don't really tend to like Johnny Cash either, although I've never asked. I'd rather he be booked like that. I think the other character is stupid, dated and played out. I would have rather they dropped the gimmick altogether for this feud. Hell, they show the shorthaired Bikertaker tombstoning Flair in the promo for the match.

[The Cool Pup]

The mark of two professionals is when they can make the mostly far jaded fans actually get into a match on the levels that Undertaker can provide at Mania, when his streak matches are actually some of the most predictable matches on the card.

I would be completely saddened if Taker got injured due to this. He just came back, put his whole body on the line for a spectacular, show-stealing match for the third year straight. I don't want to imagine WWE without the Undertaker, but if he keeps getting hurt, it's time to call it quits.

This goes without saying, but I hope he's okay and everything works out for him to continue to provide such great moments in the business for as long as he can.

[Boozeman]

Apr 4, 2011 2:44:31 GMT -5 Rorschach said:

Apr 4, 2011 2:37:52 GMT -5 Boozeman said:

I think people are reading a little too much into him not walking out. Let's think back to the damage the Undertaker took in the match:

- Spinebuster through a table
- 7 or 8 chairshots to the back
- Head-on chairshot
- Tombstone piledriver
- Pedigree (3 times)

After all that, I think it's perfectly logical for him to need to be carted out. He got destroyed with a chair and took two of the most dominant finishing moves in WWE history (a total of four times).

You've got to consider the fact that they're acknowledging the fact that he is getting up there in age and the fact that he was facing HHH, who along with 'Taker is one of the most protected wrestlers in WWE history. I think this is a simple case of them wanting to put together a story that said.."Yeah, Undertaker kept the streak alive and pinned HHH, but look at the beating he took in the process."

And it worked. They did a great job of it. Kudos to the WWE for putting together such a realistic looking storyline and kudos to the Undertaker for his great work selling the injuries.

So then they're acknowledging he's human again....but totally breaking character by having him carted out not by his personal Druids but by "real medics".

That doesn't make sense to me for some reason....and it still irks me that Hunter took a BANNED move that puts guys on the shelf for weeks (in kayfabe), resisted it for an eternity, and sprang up after like it was nothing. Talk about killing off that move. If anything, they should have BOTH been stretchered out of the rubble. Or better yet, Taker is carted off by his Druids and Hunter gets the stretcher ride, with a concerned Shawn by his side.

Would have been a much better ending, IMO.

Well his "Last Outlaw" character does seem a little more human than usual.

There was no reason for Triple H to be stretchered out. I mean, he took a powerbomb and a tombstone, but that's it. He was in control most of the way and basically got caught at the end with a finisher. 'Taker took an assload of finishers and got demolished with a chair. IMO, the whole point of it is that it was a war between two guys who are the last of a dying breed in the WWE, and even though Triple H couldn't end the streak, he at least walked out on his own two feet, where 'Taker was beaten so badly that he couldn't (even though the streak is still alive). They could have had the druids come out there, but I think it would have added too hokey of an ending to such a great match.

[Deleted]

The Pedigrees and Tombstone didn't really have me going. The only point I thought it could go to Triple H was when he got his hands back on the sledgehammer, and that was very brief. Enjoyed despite that, though.

Still, definitely hope there's nothing major involved here. Taker was likely going to take the time off anyway, but he seriously needs to retire if he's taken yet another serious injury. That'd be a fine way to go out anyway, even if it does cut out before 20-0 - the idea that Triple H could end him as planned but could never end the streak isn't a bad one.

[Rorschach]

Apr 4, 2011 2:54:50 GMT -5 Boozeman said:

Apr 4, 2011 2:44:31 GMT -5 Rorschach said:

So then they're acknowledging he's human again....but totally breaking character by having him carted out not by his personal Druids but by "real medics".

That doesn't make sense to me for some reason....and it still irks me that Hunter took a BANNED move that puts guys on the shelf for weeks (in kayfabe), resisted it for an eternity, and sprang up after like it was nothing. Talk about killing off that move. If anything, they should have BOTH been stretchered out of the rubble. Or better yet, Taker is carted off by his Druids and Hunter gets the stretcher ride, with a concerned Shawn by his side.

Would have been a much better ending, IMO.

Well his "Last Outlaw" character does seem a little more human than usual.

There was no reason for Triple H to be stretchered out. I mean, he took a powerbomb and a tombstone, but that's it. He was in control most of the way and basically got caught at the end with a finisher. 'Taker took an assload of finishers and got demolished with a chair. IMO, the whole point of it is that it was a war between two guys who are the last of a dying breed in the WWE, and even though Triple H couldn't end the streak, he at least walked out on his own two feet, where 'Taker was beaten so badly that he couldn't (even though the streak is still alive). They could have had the druids come out there, but I think it would have added too hokey of an ending to such a great match.

Hunter took more than a powerbomb and a tombstone. He ate the chair too, and took a Last Ride AND got choked out by a banned move that's put countless other stars out for the count. He took his share of an asswhipping, and there's no WAY he should have left on his own two feet, IMO. He should have been helped out as well. Him being all "A-OK" at the end.....that just didn't sit right with me personally. It felt off, especially as Hunter had been the one with all the "die trying" stuff.

Which then brings me BACK to point 1 about how the ending seemed like an improv to cover something.