In retrospect, how did Undertaker...

[Sephiroth]

Not get injured in his match with Bray Watt? He got injured during the beatdown by the Shield, he got injured in the first match with Brock, got injured in the second match with Brock...how did Bray not take the guy's head off? Is Bray just that safe of a worker-or was he booked as such a b***h in the match that there was no opportunity for him to inflict any damage?

[Sparkybob]

Because Bray was also hurt and they barely did anything risky in the match.

[Vice honcho room temperature]

Because I don't believe he was injured in all those other matches other then Brock at Mania

[Toilet Paper Roll]

I think the day of the show Bray sprained his ankle working out  eating pies

[rippo]

Why did he even bother wrestling Wyatt? He couldn't even be bothered to properly feud with him.

[salsorino]

Aug 28, 2015 22:49:53 GMT -5 Vice honcho room temperature said:

Because I don't believe he was injured in all those other matches other then Brock at Mania

[br

This. Some people have a hard time distinguishing when something is real (waiting to get behind curtain to collapse/loaded into ambulance) and when it's just selling and being used to further the story.

WM 30 was the most legit f***ed up takers ever been in the ring. He fell right on the back of his skull onto the floor. I bet everything around him was just varying degrees of light and murky sounds from that point on for him. That's the only reason that match was the way it was.

Always thought the Bray match is judged too harshly. It's clear now it was supposed to be the "testing the waters" and "go easy out there guys" type of match Vince probably wanted to see if taker was ok and physically able to hold up for after such a huge head injury, especially since another Brock match was already on the horizon. I get that and can see why putting him in such a physical bout against Brock right away upon return would have been medically in advisable in every way. Taker took some hard-ass bumps at summerslam, impressed the hell out of me. Also I don't think Bray was booked like a bitch at all. He was injured, Taker gave him 95% of the offense and sold for him like a motherf***er.

[ben:friendship frog]

Basically all what salsorino said.

I really dislike how a 25 year career has basically boiled down to "this old f*** can't go anymore" because he's had ONE bad match because he suffered a bad head injury. The Bray match was absolutely fine, especially considered Wyatt was injured, and the Summerslam match was fantastic, some huge bumps and told a great story.

[Bang Bang Bart]

I still love the spot of Bray doing the spider walk, then Taker sitting up in response, causing Bray to just crumple in fear.

[Ryushinku]

Yeah, the "melting spider" as I called it, heh. Fun spot.

Anyway, I think only the Brock WM bout was a legit injury. For the Bray match, it was pretty safe.

[Deleted]

The injury in the spot with the Shield didn't seem to be a work. I guess it could've served as a write-out, but we're used to Taker leaving after Mania every year, there's no real point for a write-out. They also didn't talk about that injury on TV, at all.

[Juice]

Aug 28, 2015 22:49:53 GMT -5 Vice honcho room temperature said:

Because I don't believe he was injured in all those other matches other then Brock at Mania

This. Nothing but internet rumors taken for fact mixed with the narrative of the stories.

[Deleted]

Aug 28, 2015 23:30:00 GMT -5 ben:friendship frog said:

Basically all what salsorino said.

I really dislike how a 25 year career has basically boiled down to "this old f*** can't go anymore" because he's had ONE bad match because he suffered a bad head injury. The Bray match was absolutely fine, especially considered Wyatt was injured, and the Summerslam match was fantastic, some huge bumps and told a great story.

Because he's 50, also has a permanent loss of strength in one of his arms, and if memory serves had hip replacement, plus he doesn't really actually add much anymore besides a name on the marquee which, as a viewer, isn't something that appeals to me. He can still go, certainly, and I liked the second Lesnar match (even the first on rewatching I think is okay, but mostly due to the ending giving the thing a sense of foreboding throughout), but I still think he needs to call it a career.

[A Platypus Rave]

Aug 28, 2015 23:33:08 GMT -5 Bang Bang Bart said:

I still love the spot of Bray doing the spider walk, then Taker sitting up in response, causing Bray to just crumple in fear.

All of the facial expressions in that match were great.

From the beginning where Bray freaks out when the Undertaker first comes out.

his eyes BULGE out of his head... then a few seconds later he starts nodding and hyping himself up.

[salsorino]

Aug 29, 2015 17:57:13 GMT -5 Lizuka #BLM said:

Aug 28, 2015 23:30:00 GMT -5 ben:friendship frog said:

Basically all what salsorino said.

I really dislike how a 25 year career has basically boiled down to "this old f*** can't go anymore" because he's had ONE bad match because he suffered a bad head injury. The Bray match was absolutely fine, especially considered Wyatt was injured, and the Summerslam match was fantastic, some huge bumps and told a great story.

Because he's 50, also has a permanent loss of strength in one of his arms, and if memory serves had hip replacement, plus he doesn't really actually add much anymore besides a name on the marquee which, as a viewer, isn't something that appeals to me. He can still go, certainly, and I liked the second Lesnar match (even the first on rewatching I think is okay, but mostly due to the ending giving the thing a sense of foreboding throughout), but I still think he needs to call it a career.

Undertaker never gives interviews and nobody close to him who might be in the know about his health and physical condition is ever given the ok to divulge personal info about him. While given his duration and the level of intensity at which he's wrestled in his career it's safe for us all to assume he's been pretty "banged up", the problem is none of us can ever say with certainty what is condition is and what procedures he's had done. Everything (including what may or may not have been done with his hips) has all been Internet speculation. Even those "reporters" who should be in the know have never been able to confirm anything. I can say its highly unlikely that he's had actual hip replacement and has never missed a year of appearing, not to mention participating in a highly physical match in the wwe. Can't see how that's possible or how any surgeon would clear such a activity after a procedure like that.

My assessment is Taker proved a lot of people wrong at Summerslam. He showed he can still put on a hell of a match, take some huge bumps, a deliver on some real interest and hype as a main eventer for second biggest ppv of the year. He also yet again put over Brock by making him look like even MORE of an unstoppable monster in this loss which I didn't even think could be possible. Those who take shots at Taker for being around still often fall into this "anti-legend," ageist backlash that seems to be taking over many of these forums. Seems to have started with CM Punk's comments and complaints and just took off from there. However after Takers comeback this year the "he doesn't have it, he needs to leave, he's seconds from dying" sentiments appear baseless and like grasping at straws for reasons why it's so cool now to be hating him.

[Deleted]

Aug 29, 2015 18:31:05 GMT -5 salsorino said:

Aug 29, 2015 17:57:13 GMT -5 Lizuka #BLM said:

Because he's 50, also has a permanent loss of strength in one of his arms, and if memory serves had hip replacement, plus he doesn't really actually add much anymore besides a name on the marquee which, as a viewer, isn't something that appeals to me. He can still go, certainly, and I liked the second Lesnar match (even the first on rewatching I think is okay, but mostly due to the ending giving the thing a sense of foreboding throughout), but I still think he needs to call it a career.

Undertaker never gives interviews and nobody close to him who might be in the know about his health and physical condition is ever given the ok to divulge personal info about him. While given his duration and the level of intensity at which he's wrestled in his career it's safe for us all to assume he's been pretty "banged up", the problem is none of us can ever say with certainty what is condition is and what procedures he's had done. Everything (including what may or may not have been done with his hips) has all been Internet speculation. Even those "reporters" who should be in the know have never been able to confirm anything. I can say its highly unlikely that he's had actual hip replacement and has never missed a year of appearing, not to mention participating in a highly physical match in the wwe. Can't see how that's possible or how any surgeon would clear such a activity after a procedure like that.

My assessment is Taker proved a lot of people wrong at Summerslam. He showed he can still put on a hell of a match, take some huge bumps, a deliver on some real interest and hype as a main eventer for second biggest ppv of the year. He also yet again put over Brock by making him look like even MORE of an unstoppable monster in this loss which I didn't even think could be possible. Those who take shots at Taker for being around still often fall into this "anti-legend," ageist backlash that seems to be taking over many of these forums. Seems to have started with CM Punk's comments and complaints and just took off from there. However after Takers comeback this year the "he doesn't have it, he needs to leave, he's seconds from dying" sentiments appear baseless and like grasping at straws for reasons why it's so cool now to be hating him.

Wha? Even as far back as Mania 27 a decent bit of this board was groaning when Taker showed up and hoping he'd hang it up already. Granted, big part of that was probably due to how bad his 2009 and 2010 full-time runs were, but still.

[salsorino]

Aug 29, 2015 18:33:47 GMT -5 Lizuka #BLM said:

Aug 29, 2015 18:31:05 GMT -5 salsorino said:

Undertaker never gives interviews and nobody close to him who might be in the know about his health and physical condition is ever given the ok to divulge personal info about him. While given his duration and the level of intensity at which he's wrestled in his career it's safe for us all to assume he's been pretty "banged up", the problem is none of us can ever say with certainty what is condition is and what procedures he's had done. Everything (including what may or may not have been done with his hips) has all been Internet speculation. Even those "reporters" who should be in the know have never been able to confirm anything. I can say its highly unlikely that he's had actual hip replacement and has never missed a year of appearing, not to mention participating in a highly physical match in the wwe. Can't see how that's possible or how any surgeon would clear such a activity after a procedure like that.

My assessment is Taker proved a lot of people wrong at Summerslam. He showed he can still put on a hell of a match, take some huge bumps, a deliver on some real interest and hype as a main eventer for second biggest ppv of the year. He also yet again put over Brock by making him look like even MORE of an unstoppable monster in this loss which I didn't even think could be possible. Those who take shots at Taker for being around still often fall into this "anti-legend," ageist backlash that seems to be taking over many of these forums. Seems to have started with CM Punk's comments and complaints and just took off from there. However after Takers comeback this year the "he doesn't have it, he needs to leave, he's seconds from dying" sentiments appear baseless and like grasping at straws for reasons why it's so cool now to be hating him.

Wha? Even as far back as Mania 27 a decent bit of this board was groaning when Taker showed up and hoping he'd hang it up already. Granted, big part of that was probably due to how bad his 2009 and 2010 full-time runs were, but still.

Ah, then I stand corrected. He's just pretty much always hated and should never be around, even in years where he put on 2 of arguably the greatest matches of all time. Makes even more sense.

[Deleted]

Aug 29, 2015 19:02:55 GMT -5 salsorino said:

Aug 29, 2015 18:33:47 GMT -5 Lizuka #BLM said:

Wha? Even as far back as Mania 27 a decent bit of this board was groaning when Taker showed up and hoping he'd hang it up already. Granted, big part of that was probably due to how bad his 2009 and 2010 full-time runs were, but still.

Ah, then I stand corrected. He's just pretty much always hated and should never be around, even in years where he put on 2 of arguably the greatest matches of all time. Makes even more sense.

You have to keep in mind when Taker came back in late 2009 he was moving at half speed, beating everyone for no apparent reason, suddenly looked like he was 70, and couldn't put on a good match to save his life, then in 2010 he came back long enough to get his nose broken, leave, then come back again to have a series of terrible matches with Kane. Outside of the Michaels stuff those years (and even the second Michaels match I don't really think is that great, just a good match on a bad show), he wasn't doing much to inspire much confidence.

[salsorino]

Aug 29, 2015 19:10:14 GMT -5 Lizuka #BLM said:

Aug 29, 2015 19:02:55 GMT -5 salsorino said:

Ah, then I stand corrected. He's just pretty much always hated and should never be around, even in years where he put on 2 of arguably the greatest matches of all time. Makes even more sense.

You have to keep in mind when Taker came back in late 2009 he was moving at half speed, beating everyone for no apparent reason, suddenly looked like he was 70, and couldn't put on a good match to save his life, then in 2010 he came back long enough to get his nose broken, leave, then come back again to have a series of terrible matches with Kane. Outside of the Michaels stuff those years (and even the second Michaels match I don't really think is that great, just a good match on a bad show), he wasn't doing much to inspire much confidence.

I guess we'll have to disagree. Don't think he was moving horribly, looked 70 or was having bad matches then at all (outside of Kane who he's never had ring chemistry with). And you really can't lump in Rey Mysterio landing right on his face and breaking his nose as some sort of proof of his declining performance and dependability.

[Deleted]

Aug 29, 2015 19:15:40 GMT -5 salsorino said:

Aug 29, 2015 19:10:14 GMT -5 Lizuka #BLM said:

You have to keep in mind when Taker came back in late 2009 he was moving at half speed, beating everyone for no apparent reason, suddenly looked like he was 70, and couldn't put on a good match to save his life, then in 2010 he came back long enough to get his nose broken, leave, then come back again to have a series of terrible matches with Kane. Outside of the Michaels stuff those years (and even the second Michaels match I don't really think is that great, just a good match on a bad show), he wasn't doing much to inspire much confidence.

I guess we'll have to disagree. Don't think he was moving horribly, looked 70 or was having bad matches then at all (outside of Kane who he's never had ring chemistry with). And you really can't lump in Rey Mysterio landing right on his face and breaking his nose as some sort of proof of his declining performance and dependability.

I'm not saying it was, I was just saying it wasn't exactly something that did a lot to endear him to people, thus explaining the reason people held the sentiment at the time.