Did anyone prefer the 97-98 HBK/Taker feud over 09-10?

[The Rick Jericho]

Their Ground Zero and Hell in a Cell was a classic and throw in the 1998 Rumble as a bonus.

Versus the Wrestlemania 25 and 26 matches.

Did anyone here prefer their set of 1997-98 matches?

[Venti]

I definitely prefer those matches.

I just find them more enjoyable and plus I prefer watching 90s Shawn, just because of the in-ring persona he had.

Hell in a Cell was their best match imo.

[Oh Cry Me a Screwball]

I'd say the matches in 2009-2010 were slightly better, but the TV leading to Badd Blood was fantastic.

That said, getting out of the Cell was a mistake psychology-wise, especially if you remember the angles leading up to it. The Cell was made so no one could enter or leave, specifically to prevent Shawn's friends from interfering. The future D-X should have been out there the second that door was open. Same could be said for then debuting Kane, but at least he didn't need the door to be open.

["Evil Brood" Jackson Vanik]

Yep. And that's not to put down their later feud. But the original was perfect storytelling where the matches elevated it whereas the latter was matches that had a storyline built around it to an extent. I prefer the former dynamic. Also their Hell in a Cell match is one of my favorite matches of all time that still holds up. Their Mania matches do hold up to an extent but they lose a little luster when you know the finish going in. I don't feel the same applies to the Hell in a Cell match.

[tirtefaa]

I mean it depends on what you prefer.

In terms of match quality? Yeah, their 90's no limitations style definitely worked.

But as far as story investment? I can't think of many other matches that felt more important than WrestleMania 26, which I still argue is better than 25, simply because of what was on the line.

But yeah, that HIAC match is an absolute classic. It was the first and still the standard bearer for every match to this day.

[David-Arquette was in WCW 2000]

I didn't see hardly anything of the 2009-2010 feud, but I popped in here to say their original feud is a classic, and so well executed.

[Super Nintenjoe KBD]

Yes since basically everything in WWF felt like it mattered in 97-98 and it was the reverse in WWE by 09-10, no matter how good the actual matches might be.

[Clash, Never a Meter Maid]

My favorite match of theirs is the Ground Zero match, and that first Hell in a Cell match is a legendary St. Louis wrestling moment, so I’m biased towards that program even though the WrestleMania matches are damn great.

The way in which face announcer Vince yells “No, no, no” when Taker is press slamming Shawn on the roof always makes me laugh.

Also the best part of that press slam spot is the crowd. The Kiel Center isn’t screaming in horror, they’re popping with joy. They’re like “Do it Taker! Do it!” They’re ready to see Shawn f***ing die, or at least some carnage. That’s how great a heel he was.

[Jindrak Mark]

09-10 was a masterpiece. Shawn wanting to end the streak as the last major goal of his career was a great story. Then the following year the desperation and hurdles he had to jump through to get another shot and eventually being forced to put his career on the line. It also produced one of the greatest hype videos of all-time. And unlike My Way which in my opinion was so great it made a poorly booked feud (Debra managing Rock?) look epic, the Running Up That Hill video for Taker and Shawn was an actual amazing story that the video just accentuated.

97-98 was good but it felt like even during their feud they were both more interested in other stuff. Undertaker with Paul Bearer and Kane and Michaels with Bret and dicking around with DX. I remember Shawn hitting Taker with the chair at Summerslam and the HIAC match but I have no recollection of anything else really.

["Gizzark" Mike Wronglevenay]

The TV was better in 97 but the matches weren't as good.

I never rated the casket match that much, myself and the Cell match is obviously a classic but it had a lot of bells and whistles and was the middle point of a longer story at that point

That said I prefer the second Mania match over the first so don't listen to my shit

[Jindrak Mark]

Jun 9, 2022 10:43:32 GMT -5 "Gizzark" Mike Wronglevenay said:

That said I prefer the second Mania match over the first so don't listen to my shit

I don't see that as being too controversial.

Match quality wise they're both great and around the same level but the added emotion the second time around knowing it was Shawn's last match puts it over the top for me.

Here's something probably controversial though, I think I prefer Taker/HHH 2012 slightly over them both. I've rewatched that one so many times. And Shawn played a huge role in that too with probably the greatest guest referee performance ever and arguably the greatest nearfall ever with the SCM-Pedigree combo.

[fw91]

The later feud had better long term and big time story telling.

[Limity (BLM)]

I don't know that I prefer one over the other, but the original feud was during a great time when the WWF was building up steam, and had tremendous and compelling energy. For that reason I'll give the original feud the nod.

[cornettesracket]

It’s not that I like one over the other as there are really good matches in both. Their original hell in a cell match was obviously the first and the best one IMO as they told a great story which after the foley match which I’ve come to dislike more and more because of what it started, it became a reason to do stupid unnecessary stunts off the top which meant less and less.

[nickcave]

The matches were good but it was barely about HBK-Taker, HBK was more preoccupied with Kane and Paul Bearer and Shawn was more preoccupied with forming DX and feuding with Bret

[thegame415]

I prefer 97-98, yeah

[Mochi Lone Wolf]

The feud all the up to the first Hell in a Cell is still one of the best pieces of wrestling storytelling I’ve ever seen.

[chronocross]

I liked the HIAC match a lot, especially the part where Lawler shouts "Incoming!" right before HBK falls off the side of the cell through the table.

However I preferred the 2009-2010 program over the 97-98 feud as I wasn't really into HBK around that time period.

[Deleted]

The HBK-Taker HIAC is still, IMO, the best HIAC match of all time.

[Stu]

I wouldn’t even say 09-10 or as a feud. It was more HBK trying to convince Undertaker to have a match.

In 97-98, though, they really hated each other and had multiple matches over a matter of months.