WEBVTT 1 00:00:00.400 --> 00:00:04.240 Hey everybody, and welcome to the Wrestling Nostallenger portion of the WWE podcast, 2 00:00:04.280 --> 00:00:11.839 and tonight we are taking a look at HBK versus The Undertaker WrestleMania twenty five. 3 00:00:12.279 --> 00:00:17.000 So we're going back twelve years to take a look and listen to one 4 00:00:17.000 --> 00:00:22.480 of the greatest wrestling matches of all time. This is gonna be awesome. 5 00:00:22.519 --> 00:00:25.839 Guys. Audio is on the way as well. We're gonna have a ton 6 00:00:25.879 --> 00:00:32.000 of fun. Let's get everything going right after this, it's time for your 7 00:00:32.039 --> 00:00:37.200 weekly fix of wrestling nostalgia. When we look at wrestling's past eras from the 8 00:00:37.240 --> 00:00:45.240 Attitude era, this is the reality era. I'd like to think then maybe 9 00:00:45.280 --> 00:00:49.759 this company will be better after Vince McMahon's dead, But the fact is it's 10 00:00:50.079 --> 00:00:54.119 it's gonna get taken over by his idiotic daughter and his dufest son in law 11 00:00:54.240 --> 00:01:07.159 and the rest of his stupid family. To today, here thee Montdast welcome 12 00:01:07.159 --> 00:01:15.840 to You're wrestling the Styalgia Show for this February third, twenty twenty one. 13 00:01:15.040 --> 00:01:19.879 And I have to say it's February, which means we're a month closer to 14 00:01:19.959 --> 00:01:25.319 Spring. Every day, every second here in the Northeast, we are counting 15 00:01:25.400 --> 00:01:27.719 the minutes until we can see a patch of grass. I mean right now. 16 00:01:27.799 --> 00:01:30.799 As far as how much snow you have on the ground here in upstate 17 00:01:30.879 --> 00:01:34.040 New York, I mean, we're talking like at least probably two feet just 18 00:01:34.200 --> 00:01:38.519 covering the ground. And it's been this way. We've had snow on the 19 00:01:38.519 --> 00:01:42.400 ground for several months now. It's not like we've seen grass and then we've 20 00:01:42.400 --> 00:01:46.560 had a snowstorm. It's pretty darn tough, especially come February. March can 21 00:01:46.599 --> 00:01:49.760 even be brutal, but hopefully wherever you are it is maybe sunnier, maybe 22 00:01:49.799 --> 00:01:55.040 warmer. Maybe you have it worse, but it is February, and once 23 00:01:55.079 --> 00:01:57.000 you get through February, which is a short month, March can be very 24 00:01:57.040 --> 00:02:00.799 back and forth. If you live in the northern half of the United States, 25 00:02:00.239 --> 00:02:06.640 March can be very brutal and very sweet. It's got a very skitzo 26 00:02:06.760 --> 00:02:09.680 personality. But I take that over just constant depression and snow and cold. 27 00:02:10.080 --> 00:02:13.840 So we have that to look forward to. How'd you like that for the 28 00:02:14.039 --> 00:02:17.360 weather report on the Wrestling Nostalgia Podcast. But guys, there's a ton to 29 00:02:17.400 --> 00:02:22.199 talk about tonight. Of course, we're going to get to HBK versus the 30 00:02:22.280 --> 00:02:24.960 Undertakert WrestleMania twenty five. And let me just say, I believe we have 31 00:02:25.039 --> 00:02:29.560 covered this in the past. I look through my recent show over the last 32 00:02:29.919 --> 00:02:32.400 couple of months and I don't see it there. Okay, I have done 33 00:02:32.400 --> 00:02:36.759 so many of these shows that I don't know exactly when we've done it, 34 00:02:36.800 --> 00:02:42.039 but I am almost positive that we've covered it. So obviously this is a 35 00:02:42.039 --> 00:02:46.960 different take given that it's not the same show, But you know, I 36 00:02:46.039 --> 00:02:50.719 want to give you guys different thoughts, different unique perspectives other than just maybe 37 00:02:50.719 --> 00:02:55.000 what I presented before. So either way, it's worthy of a second show. 38 00:02:55.039 --> 00:02:59.919 It is just that good of a match. And for God's sakes, 39 00:03:00.039 --> 00:03:07.520 if you haven't seen HBK Undertaker WrestleMania twenty five, I feel sorry for you. 40 00:03:07.520 --> 00:03:09.280 You need to. It's you know, I say that all the time 41 00:03:09.280 --> 00:03:15.280 about nostalgia. This one from a wrestling purist standpoint, from a storyline, 42 00:03:15.599 --> 00:03:23.719 from an in ring pacing to just everything A to Z characters, absolute professionals, 43 00:03:24.240 --> 00:03:29.520 the decades of experience in the ring. Jim Ross on commentary, it 44 00:03:30.039 --> 00:03:32.199 really single handedly saved WrestleMania twenty five. And we'll get to the card and 45 00:03:32.639 --> 00:03:36.680 what it looked like and what the build up to this WrestleMania twenty five match 46 00:03:36.879 --> 00:03:39.240 was, and obviously they met at WrestleMania twenty six. I don't think I've 47 00:03:39.240 --> 00:03:45.199 ever covered WrestleMania twenty six, which was the streak versus the career, but 48 00:03:45.280 --> 00:03:50.039 I think that WrestleMania twenty five overshadowed it and they tried to duplicate it at 49 00:03:50.039 --> 00:03:52.800 twenty six, which was it was a hell of an effort, But you 50 00:03:52.840 --> 00:03:55.599 can't duplicate magic. Magic just kind of happens, you know, when you 51 00:03:55.639 --> 00:04:00.520 try to, when you try to make magic happen again, it it just 52 00:04:00.639 --> 00:04:04.000 doesn't. And nonetheless, we'll talk about Wrestling E twenty five and a couple 53 00:04:04.080 --> 00:04:08.520 of short minutes. But first there's a couple of things that I want to 54 00:04:08.560 --> 00:04:12.680 address that I did not address in my past shows, of which I'm losing 55 00:04:12.680 --> 00:04:16.120 count many I've done over the last couple of weeks, especially with Rumble number 56 00:04:16.160 --> 00:04:21.079 one Lars Sullivan gone from WWE, I have not touched on this. Lars 57 00:04:21.079 --> 00:04:28.439 Sullivan is no more in WWE, to the surprise of exactly zero people. 58 00:04:29.519 --> 00:04:33.319 I'm pretty sure mathematically I'm correct on that that exactly zero people, zero points 59 00:04:33.399 --> 00:04:35.959 zero. I want to make sure I get the math right. Are surprised 60 00:04:35.959 --> 00:04:43.680 about Lars Sullivan exiting WWE? And do I have reasons? No? Do 61 00:04:43.720 --> 00:04:46.560 I need reasons to know why he was probably released? No? I think 62 00:04:46.600 --> 00:04:55.920 we can all draw the just smart estimation that he was released due to the 63 00:04:55.920 --> 00:05:00.279 fact that he is a liability, that he cannot be trusted. I mean, 64 00:05:00.319 --> 00:05:03.800 he has been given a chance after chance and he continues to blow it. 65 00:05:04.480 --> 00:05:08.800 So maybe he'll go back to the playground and get bullied, you know, 66 00:05:08.959 --> 00:05:13.399 maybe he'll go back to Instagram and just continue to message married women on 67 00:05:13.439 --> 00:05:16.759 Instagram. You know, he certainly has got a lot of or at least 68 00:05:16.759 --> 00:05:20.759 a couple of options two's from for a long term career. But honestly, 69 00:05:21.000 --> 00:05:25.560 I do wish him well. You know, I think that he had a 70 00:05:25.600 --> 00:05:30.040 lot of potential in WWE. I think WWE also saw that potential, which 71 00:05:30.040 --> 00:05:33.279 is why they gave him several chances. The locker room was not in support 72 00:05:33.279 --> 00:05:35.199 of him. The only one that was in support of him, the one 73 00:05:35.199 --> 00:05:39.439 that was in his corner fighting for him, was Vince. And it seems 74 00:05:39.439 --> 00:05:42.199 as if Vince has even kind of come to the conclusion that he cannot be 75 00:05:42.240 --> 00:05:46.319 trusted now again, do I know of a latest incident that led to this. 76 00:05:46.199 --> 00:05:50.000 No, maybe it'll come to light over the next several weeks and then 77 00:05:50.040 --> 00:05:54.360 we'll go, oh, that's why he was let go. Or they just 78 00:05:54.439 --> 00:05:56.279 kind of looked at this and said, guys, are we going to pull 79 00:05:56.319 --> 00:06:00.720 the trigger on this and roll the dice, you know, and hope that 80 00:06:00.759 --> 00:06:05.040 he cleans himself up and doesn't become a pr nightmare, or are we just 81 00:06:05.040 --> 00:06:09.959 got to cut bait and uh, just cut our losses and let him go 82 00:06:10.079 --> 00:06:14.439 and and uh, you know, say no future indev you And they took 83 00:06:14.560 --> 00:06:18.160 the latter. They took the safer road of deciding to not have to worry 84 00:06:18.160 --> 00:06:25.199 about him messaging people that she shouldn't be or having anxiety attacks, which was 85 00:06:25.199 --> 00:06:29.199 one of the reasons he didn't make a debut at one point and actually lost 86 00:06:29.199 --> 00:06:32.360 out on a big opportunity, or you know, become injured or whatever. 87 00:06:32.519 --> 00:06:36.160 The number of things that he's had happened bad timing, just bad behavior, 88 00:06:36.959 --> 00:06:40.920 bad luck over the last several years in w W, we could never get 89 00:06:40.959 --> 00:06:46.000 going. Regardless of the reason, it's probably this smart decision. Even though 90 00:06:46.000 --> 00:06:48.920 he does certainly have a lot of potential, and he had it. Did 91 00:06:49.000 --> 00:06:55.160 have a lot of a lot of untapped potential. There's no there's no doubt 92 00:06:55.160 --> 00:06:59.399 about it. He did, and it's it's it's a shame from a professional 93 00:06:59.439 --> 00:07:01.920 standpoint, not personal. It seems personally he's got a lot of issues going 94 00:07:01.959 --> 00:07:08.639 on there. But professionally it is a bit disappointing because I did. I 95 00:07:08.720 --> 00:07:12.199 was mildly interested in Larsolovan. I really was. You know, we didn't 96 00:07:12.240 --> 00:07:15.519 get a lot of time to learn about him other than he was beating up 97 00:07:15.560 --> 00:07:18.639 bullies, which then he became the bully and we're all supposed to feel sympathetic 98 00:07:18.720 --> 00:07:21.759 for that. I don't know, but who knows. Just check check for 99 00:07:21.839 --> 00:07:25.720 him at your local playground, guys. You know, if you see the 100 00:07:26.120 --> 00:07:30.000 big bearded man sitting there, just make sure there's a fence between you and 101 00:07:30.079 --> 00:07:30.920 him, and just, you know, yell freak and then you know, 102 00:07:30.920 --> 00:07:34.120 get in your car and drive off. Okay, or just watch your Instagram 103 00:07:34.160 --> 00:07:39.000 feeds. Be careful. If you're married and you're attractive, be careful, 104 00:07:39.199 --> 00:07:42.959 watch your dms. He might slide right on him. Okay, I think 105 00:07:43.000 --> 00:07:46.120 I made my silly point, but Lars Sullivan has gone guys. Secondly that 106 00:07:46.160 --> 00:07:53.000 I wanted to talk about is Edges promo that he cut on NXT tonight. 107 00:07:53.040 --> 00:07:57.040 Now normally, normally I do not comment on an XT. I do not 108 00:07:57.079 --> 00:08:01.600 comment on NXT because that is Zack Smith's tear. I do not encroach on 109 00:08:01.759 --> 00:08:05.839 Zack Smith's territory. He does an excellent job of covering NXT every week, 110 00:08:05.879 --> 00:08:09.160 and his podcast, by the way, will be dropping tomorrow night or tomorrow 111 00:08:09.160 --> 00:08:16.079 morning and maybe afternoon on NXT. But it came to my attention that I 112 00:08:16.120 --> 00:08:22.279 should do this, and it was from one of our listeners, and I'll 113 00:08:22.279 --> 00:08:24.199 just say her name is Lauren, and she DM me on Instagram, which, 114 00:08:24.240 --> 00:08:28.879 by the way, you can do so at WWE Underscore podcast, and 115 00:08:28.920 --> 00:08:30.839 she kind of said the same thing. You know, Look, Zach does 116 00:08:30.839 --> 00:08:33.159 his podcast, but I'm curious of what your thoughts are on the promo that 117 00:08:33.279 --> 00:08:39.159 Edge cut with Pete Dunn and Finn Balor on NXT. So I watched it 118 00:08:39.799 --> 00:08:41.559 and here are my thoughts, which, by the way, if you haven't 119 00:08:41.559 --> 00:08:46.759 seen NXT and you don't want to have me spoil it, fast forward the 120 00:08:46.759 --> 00:08:50.600 next couple of minutes. You're still here, Okay, you've been warned. 121 00:08:52.240 --> 00:08:56.639 So Edge came out, and I mean this only was a few minutes, 122 00:08:56.679 --> 00:09:00.559 but he came out, and the first thing he said was just so magic 123 00:09:00.559 --> 00:09:05.440 to my ears, just pure, pure harmony, like an angel stroking a 124 00:09:05.440 --> 00:09:09.360 harp. And he said that, you know, the other shows, there's 125 00:09:09.399 --> 00:09:15.120 a lot of emphasis put on the E, where an NXT the emphasis is 126 00:09:15.120 --> 00:09:20.000 put on the second W in WWE referring to wrestling. I've been saying that 127 00:09:20.679 --> 00:09:24.480 for many years. Okay, I don't know if he listens to this show, 128 00:09:24.559 --> 00:09:30.360 very unlikely, but I've been saying that WWE often forgets that they have 129 00:09:30.559 --> 00:09:33.639 a W in their WWE, and simply, I mean, they honestly should 130 00:09:33.679 --> 00:09:39.679 just be changing their acronym to E because they forgot about the W. So 131 00:09:39.759 --> 00:09:41.919 Edge comes out and he says that, and I'm like, this is beautiful, 132 00:09:43.120 --> 00:09:46.279 this is great. This is clearly something that Triple H would allow and 133 00:09:46.679 --> 00:09:50.519 something that Vince would not allow on his main shows, as he kind of 134 00:09:50.559 --> 00:09:54.559 heads up SmackDown and Raw and leaves the NXT's redheaded step child behind and leaves 135 00:09:54.559 --> 00:09:58.080 that to Triple H. But he came out and said that to Pete Dunn 136 00:09:58.159 --> 00:10:01.360 and to Finn Balor, and he, you know, looked at Pete Dunn 137 00:10:01.399 --> 00:10:07.519 and said he sees a lot of him himself and Pete Donn, both good 138 00:10:07.600 --> 00:10:13.360 and bad. And Pete Dunn shrugged his shoulders at Edge. And he also 139 00:10:13.480 --> 00:10:16.639 then got to Finn Balor and said that Finn Balor is operating on a whole 140 00:10:16.639 --> 00:10:20.679 new level. And then NXT is what really gave him his passion back, 141 00:10:20.759 --> 00:10:24.600 wanting to get back into the ring. And I think there's a lot of 142 00:10:24.600 --> 00:10:28.919 truth in that. I honestly believe anything Edge says is insane. How often 143 00:10:28.120 --> 00:10:33.600 we hear promos today and we simply don't believe what they're saying because it feels 144 00:10:33.679 --> 00:10:37.159 very scripted, it feels very forced, And Edge is the opposite Edge has 145 00:10:37.200 --> 00:10:41.919 made. Edge could make me believe the sky isn't blue, He really could, 146 00:10:41.039 --> 00:10:43.759 and water's not wet. I'd say, yes, sir, okay. 147 00:10:43.919 --> 00:10:48.399 Edge, He's so convincing. But regardless of whether he's lying to me about 148 00:10:48.399 --> 00:10:52.440 that or not, which I actually don't think he is, he started talking 149 00:10:52.480 --> 00:10:58.279 about Finn Balor operating on a whole new level and that he won the Royal 150 00:10:58.360 --> 00:11:00.759 Rumble, he got his fire back, and that gives him the right to 151 00:11:00.840 --> 00:11:07.000 challenge any champion in WWE at WrestleMania, and he looked at Finn Balor and 152 00:11:07.039 --> 00:11:11.679 said that, you know, it's intriguing because he's never had that, and 153 00:11:11.720 --> 00:11:18.240 he points to the NXT Championship and think about that, guys. You know, 154 00:11:18.279 --> 00:11:22.759 I don't think many of us, including myself admittedly, have not looked 155 00:11:22.879 --> 00:11:24.639 at the possibility of Edge versus s Finn Balor, because let's be honest, 156 00:11:24.679 --> 00:11:28.960 I don't think pet Dunn is going to capture the or the NXT Championship. 157 00:11:28.720 --> 00:11:33.600 I don't think it's going to happen. I think Finn Balor is truly operating 158 00:11:33.639 --> 00:11:37.200 on another level. I am somewhat familiar with the product. As much as 159 00:11:37.200 --> 00:11:39.840 I say that I hand it off to Zax Smith, I do try to 160 00:11:39.919 --> 00:11:43.320 keep up as best I can. And Finn Balor is as good as Edge 161 00:11:43.320 --> 00:11:50.799 says he is and has found a home beautifully in NXT. And I don't 162 00:11:50.840 --> 00:11:58.159 think that many podcasters fans have really considered Edge versus Finn Balor at WrestleMania because 163 00:11:58.440 --> 00:12:01.519 we always think it's the raw or a SmackDown option that there's no yeah, 164 00:12:01.639 --> 00:12:05.440 NXT's there, but it's not really a third option. It's not a realistic, 165 00:12:05.519 --> 00:12:13.159 plausible third option. And I think that maybe we need to consider maybe 166 00:12:13.159 --> 00:12:18.159 we do need to need to consider Edge versus Finn Ballot WrestleMania. That'd be 167 00:12:18.200 --> 00:12:20.919 awesome, It'd be I think it'd be great. And Edge has clearly moved 168 00:12:20.919 --> 00:12:26.320 on, by the way from Orton, so that that's both disappointing because of 169 00:12:26.320 --> 00:12:31.200 the way it ended, but also they had such great matches in chemistry. 170 00:12:31.240 --> 00:12:35.159 At the same time, it is nice to see as move on, to 171 00:12:35.159 --> 00:12:37.159 see what he can do with other people. I mean, since he's been 172 00:12:37.200 --> 00:12:43.600 back of the rumble, he hasn't done anything with anybody since he started with 173 00:12:43.639 --> 00:12:46.639 Randy Orton and and he r Kiyotam and they were off to the races and 174 00:12:46.720 --> 00:12:50.399 Edge got injured and COVID happened. So would Orton or I'm sorry, would 175 00:12:50.480 --> 00:12:56.320 Edge versus Finn Balor be something that would interest you guys. I mean, 176 00:12:56.360 --> 00:13:01.279 I'm on board because we're all thinking it's either it's Drew McIntyre, Roman reigns 177 00:13:01.039 --> 00:13:03.720 Now. If you're gonna put a gun in my head and you're gonna say 178 00:13:05.399 --> 00:13:07.720 it's got you gotta pick one. You gotta pick one of the three. 179 00:13:07.919 --> 00:13:13.000 I'm still going with Roman reigns. Now, am I saying that very confidently? 180 00:13:13.120 --> 00:13:16.320 No, I'm not. It just makes the most sense. I think 181 00:13:16.399 --> 00:13:20.559 Drew McIntyre is the least likely because you don't want Babyface versus baby Face in 182 00:13:20.639 --> 00:13:26.519 a massive baby Face return and having forcing the fans to choose you know, 183 00:13:26.639 --> 00:13:31.799 an awesome legacy star that is about ninety percent of what he was versus their 184 00:13:33.159 --> 00:13:37.559 resident champion that has done an excellent job since really holding onto the championship since 185 00:13:37.639 --> 00:13:43.480 last WrestleMania outside of three weeks, or having to choose between you know, 186 00:13:43.559 --> 00:13:48.159 Finn Balor and Edge. While I think that might be the best, highest 187 00:13:48.240 --> 00:13:54.360 quality match, the money might be in Roman reigns the hot heel, hot 188 00:13:54.559 --> 00:14:01.480 really hot heel versus the hot Edge baby Face. To me, I think 189 00:14:01.519 --> 00:14:05.679 that that's probably where they go. Now does that mean Edge wins? Who 190 00:14:05.720 --> 00:14:09.440 knows? I mean, we'll talk about that when the match actually becomes official. 191 00:14:09.480 --> 00:14:13.480 I think Edge is going to wait until maybe elimination Chamber to make his 192 00:14:13.600 --> 00:14:16.919 pick, which is also another hook for you to get the network, which 193 00:14:16.960 --> 00:14:18.879 would be smart and WWE's part. And there's only two and a half weeks 194 00:14:18.919 --> 00:14:24.120 until the Elimination Chamber so those are just my thoughts. I still ultimately think 195 00:14:24.120 --> 00:14:28.279 he's going to choose Roman Reigns. But my point about the promo and NXT 196 00:14:28.440 --> 00:14:31.679 tonight, if you haven't seen it, YouTube it. That's how I watched 197 00:14:31.720 --> 00:14:35.960 it. It may be third, third party bootleg, but you'll still be 198 00:14:35.000 --> 00:14:39.000 able to see it. Of course, if you have Hulu or whatever you 199 00:14:39.039 --> 00:14:43.440 know that streams n XT, you can also of course watch it in real 200 00:14:43.519 --> 00:14:48.879 time. So just a couple of thoughts there. All right, Well, 201 00:14:48.960 --> 00:14:56.759 let's get into the heart of the matter here, and that is WrestleMania twenty 202 00:14:56.879 --> 00:15:01.600 five, which let's get the stats on. It took place on April fifth, 203 00:15:01.960 --> 00:15:07.200 two thousand and nine, at Reliant Stadium in Houston, Texas. The 204 00:15:07.600 --> 00:15:13.799 by rate was nine hundred and sixty thousand buys. The attendance was seventy two 205 00:15:13.879 --> 00:15:24.759 thousand and seven forty four. Obviously headlined by HBK versus Undertaker. Now HBK 206 00:15:24.919 --> 00:15:26.879 Undertaker was not the main event, though I know it is saying it was 207 00:15:26.879 --> 00:15:33.200 headline, but it's headlined in our minds. On paper, what actually headlined 208 00:15:33.240 --> 00:15:39.320 this show was Triple H versus Randy Orton. So think about that when you 209 00:15:39.320 --> 00:15:43.600 think about WrestleMania at twenty five. It's insane, right you think about HBK 210 00:15:43.759 --> 00:15:48.720 Taker, Yet it was actually headlined by Triple H Randy Orton. So here 211 00:15:48.759 --> 00:15:54.039 we go. Here's what the match card was. It was the Colognes, 212 00:15:54.159 --> 00:16:00.440 Carlito and Primo defeating John Morrison and the Mizz. Sounds almost like it's a 213 00:16:00.519 --> 00:16:03.960 twenty twenty one card, doesn't it. I'm serious in a lumberjack match to 214 00:16:04.159 --> 00:16:12.320 unify the WWE World Tag Team Championships into the unified w Tag Team Championship Number 215 00:16:12.360 --> 00:16:18.480 one. I love this. Can we do this again? Carlito's back? 216 00:16:19.240 --> 00:16:22.960 I think Primo is Premo gone. I think Premom would be gone, but 217 00:16:22.960 --> 00:16:26.279 obviously we still have John Morrison in them is and guys, this is two 218 00:16:26.320 --> 00:16:30.879 thousand and nine. This is what I'm talking about. This is absurd. 219 00:16:30.120 --> 00:16:34.159 We still have this tag team happening. I'm not gonna go on that ran, 220 00:16:34.240 --> 00:16:38.480 but this was I think a smart move to unify the championships. I 221 00:16:38.480 --> 00:16:42.480 also think it's a smart move to unify the championships today. Not that we 222 00:16:42.480 --> 00:16:48.759 should do is brand split combination like, in other words, undo the brand 223 00:16:48.799 --> 00:16:52.799 split, but have fewer championships that have them float between brands makes sense to 224 00:16:52.840 --> 00:16:56.879 me. But okay, then we get a money in the Bank ladder match 225 00:16:56.879 --> 00:16:59.440 when the Money in the Bank Ladder Match was just a part of WrestleMania and 226 00:16:59.480 --> 00:17:06.079 not its own pay per view. CM punk one here he defeated Christian Finley, 227 00:17:06.720 --> 00:17:11.480 Cain, Kobe Kingston, Mark, Henry Montel, Vontavius Porter, MVP, 228 00:17:12.240 --> 00:17:18.240 and Shelton Benjamin. This is like, this is very striking right now. 229 00:17:18.000 --> 00:17:27.039 We still have active competitors. We have Christian, we have MVP, 230 00:17:29.200 --> 00:17:36.880 we have Shelton Benjamin, we have I guess i'd say Cain. I don't 231 00:17:36.920 --> 00:17:41.400 know Cain on a very temporary, awkward basis. So it's just funny. 232 00:17:41.400 --> 00:17:47.400 I mean, MVP and Shelton have been intertwined, not even knowingly. I 233 00:17:47.440 --> 00:17:51.480 didn't know that they were. Okay, this one, my god, imagine 234 00:17:51.480 --> 00:17:53.640 that this happened this year. Oh my god? Are you ready for this? 235 00:17:53.720 --> 00:17:56.319 And this has actually happened during the PG era. Don't forget this is 236 00:17:56.519 --> 00:18:07.240 p G Okay. Santina Morella won Miss WrestleMania the Miss Mess WrestleMania Battle Royal 237 00:18:07.160 --> 00:18:15.119 with May Young as the special guest timekeeper. Santina Morella won by last eliminating 238 00:18:15.200 --> 00:18:22.839 Beth Phoenix in seven minutes and twenty five seconds. Imagine if Santina Morella won 239 00:18:22.000 --> 00:18:29.640 a women's match at WrestleMania this you know today twenty twenty one. Imagine the 240 00:18:29.680 --> 00:18:34.400 outrage. I mean, people lost their minds when we had James Elsworth show 241 00:18:34.480 --> 00:18:40.000 up again and to help somebody. So, my god, imagine the outrage. 242 00:18:40.799 --> 00:18:44.160 Okay, just twelve years ago. It feels longer, but it's only 243 00:18:44.160 --> 00:18:49.279 twelve years. Chris Jericho defeated Jimmy Snooker, Ricky Steamboat, and Roddy Piper 244 00:18:51.240 --> 00:18:56.519 in a handicap elimination match. It was Chris Chris Jericho versus the Legends, 245 00:18:56.160 --> 00:18:59.319 and I remember saying to myself, you know, this would be a great 246 00:18:59.319 --> 00:19:03.400 time for stone Asa to come back, because that would have been awesome to 247 00:19:03.400 --> 00:19:07.839 see him stand up for the Legends. And it didn't happen. I was 248 00:19:07.920 --> 00:19:11.599 not happy. I don't know. I was disappointed in that match. Matt 249 00:19:11.640 --> 00:19:18.519 Hardy defeated Jeff Hardy in an extreme rules match. Raymys Stereo defeated John Bradshaw 250 00:19:18.680 --> 00:19:27.240 Layfield for the WWE Intercontinental Championship in twenty seconds twenty the Undertaker, Here we 251 00:19:27.319 --> 00:19:33.680 Go defeated Sean Michaels. I don't think that I'm spoiling anything here. Defeated 252 00:19:33.720 --> 00:19:41.480 Sean Michaels in thirty minutes and forty four seconds. Who John Cena defeated Big 253 00:19:41.519 --> 00:19:48.960 Show and Edge in a triple threat for the World Heavyweight Championship. And in 254 00:19:49.039 --> 00:19:56.039 the main event, Triple H defeated Randy Orton for the WWE Championship. And 255 00:19:56.160 --> 00:20:00.440 in this match, the stipulation was if Triple H had been counted out or 256 00:20:00.480 --> 00:20:06.599 disqualified, he would have lost the championship. I remember this, and I 257 00:20:06.640 --> 00:20:08.960 know this. This is not about this match, but my one comment will 258 00:20:10.000 --> 00:20:12.839 be that was a very, very very heated rivalry. If you remember, 259 00:20:14.079 --> 00:20:18.000 Triple H actually invaded Randy Orton's home. He threw him through his living room 260 00:20:18.039 --> 00:20:25.480 window. Randy Orton, in turn, also handcuffed Triple H while he ended 261 00:20:25.559 --> 00:20:30.720 up ddteing Stephanie and you know, kissing her while Triple H had to watch 262 00:20:30.160 --> 00:20:37.440 like really really intense stuff, especially for the newly implemented PG era. And 263 00:20:38.839 --> 00:20:44.119 this was a singles match with no extra stipulations. If there was ever a 264 00:20:44.160 --> 00:20:48.319 time to do stipulation, WrestleMania is not the time to hold back WrestleMania is 265 00:20:48.319 --> 00:20:52.319 the time to let go make stipulations, you know, go, I mean 266 00:20:52.440 --> 00:20:56.480 make stipulations happen, because that's when you need them, is when you have 267 00:20:56.839 --> 00:21:00.720 heated rivalries like this. And I think it was a huge miss even at 268 00:21:00.720 --> 00:21:03.119 the time. This is in twenty twenty hindsight, many people have said this, 269 00:21:03.160 --> 00:21:06.319 But during the time, during this time, during the match, I'm 270 00:21:06.319 --> 00:21:10.559 like, why the hell is this not? No DQ it should have been 271 00:21:10.880 --> 00:21:14.599 and it was just a straight up wrestling match. It's not a good payoff. 272 00:21:15.480 --> 00:21:17.680 It's not a good payoff. But Triple H ended up winning. I 273 00:21:17.680 --> 00:21:18.839 was still not happy about that. I think they could have done a whole 274 00:21:18.839 --> 00:21:22.160 lot more, would have made a whole lot of more storyline sense to not 275 00:21:22.279 --> 00:21:26.839 just have a straight up wrestling match. But all right, well it is 276 00:21:26.880 --> 00:21:32.759 time to take one quick break. But on the other side of this break, 277 00:21:32.839 --> 00:21:36.319 guess what's gonna happen. We're getting immediately to some audio, and that 278 00:21:36.400 --> 00:21:38.799 audio is gonna be beautiful, you know why, because it's gonna have the 279 00:21:38.839 --> 00:21:48.119 sounds of real people, real live human beings in an arena to react in 280 00:21:48.160 --> 00:21:52.759 the moment to what's going on in the ring. And as a bonus, 281 00:21:53.200 --> 00:22:00.200 you get to hear the beautiful pipes of none other than the good old j 282 00:22:00.480 --> 00:22:03.480 R. Jim Ross. So a lot is coming on the other side of 283 00:22:03.480 --> 00:22:07.519 this break, guys, hang tight, giving them a little love to our 284 00:22:07.519 --> 00:22:12.519 sponsor, and we'll be right back. Welcome back to the WWE podcast. 285 00:22:12.920 --> 00:22:23.079 Let's get back to more great wrestling audio. All right, and welcome back 286 00:22:23.119 --> 00:22:26.960 to the show. One comment, and I am about to press play here 287 00:22:27.039 --> 00:22:32.839 on our audio. I didn't realize how big Bad Bunny was. Okay, 288 00:22:32.839 --> 00:22:33.640 I got a lot of you saying, what are you talking about? Bad 289 00:22:33.640 --> 00:22:37.039 Bunny's huge. He's got you know, millions and millions of followers. I'm 290 00:22:37.079 --> 00:22:44.200 unaware, Okay, I am unaware about how a large Big Bad Bunny was. 291 00:22:44.279 --> 00:22:48.519 So if they're trying to reach a Latino audience, cool, except for 292 00:22:48.559 --> 00:22:52.000 the fact that he's not an active competitor. He's there as a well I 293 00:22:52.079 --> 00:22:56.079 was gonna say a one off, but for a very very short period of 294 00:22:56.079 --> 00:22:59.319 time. He's not going to be in an active in ring week to week 295 00:22:59.359 --> 00:23:03.680 competitor. And by the way, if you're you know, concerned about reaching 296 00:23:03.680 --> 00:23:08.640 your for your your your compadres speaking Spanish, well guess what you're gonna be 297 00:23:08.960 --> 00:23:12.039 able to understand what Bad Bunny is singing and saying, and then you know, 298 00:23:12.079 --> 00:23:15.079 the other ninety nine percent of the time, you're not gonna be able 299 00:23:15.119 --> 00:23:18.079 to understand if you don't understand English. So I don't know if they're trying 300 00:23:18.119 --> 00:23:21.640 to appeal to the Latino audience and feel like there's an untapped market there. 301 00:23:21.680 --> 00:23:25.799 Maybe, But I will just say I didn't realize how big Bad Bunny was, 302 00:23:25.839 --> 00:23:26.240 and some of you were like, what are you talking about? It's 303 00:23:26.279 --> 00:23:30.519 huge. So look, maybe it's just my age, my preference in music. 304 00:23:30.559 --> 00:23:34.319 I don't know, but you know I don't I don't sit here and 305 00:23:34.319 --> 00:23:38.359 listen to in sync, okay, Backstreet Boys. I mean, I don't 306 00:23:38.359 --> 00:23:41.440 know. I'm not sure, not sure. It just completely to me was 307 00:23:41.480 --> 00:23:45.200 irrelevant when I saw Bad Bunny. To me, it was channel changing. 308 00:23:45.240 --> 00:23:48.880 To me, it was just flat out uninteresting and it disconnected from me big 309 00:23:48.920 --> 00:23:52.400 time. But maybe that was the point and it was to reach a different 310 00:23:52.440 --> 00:23:56.759 audience. So I just want to say that about Bad Bunny regardless. I 311 00:23:56.759 --> 00:23:59.440 don't care how many followers he has. I don't care how you know how 312 00:23:59.519 --> 00:24:02.039 big he is is. The fact is I still don't want him on my 313 00:24:02.079 --> 00:24:04.559 screen. I find him uninteresting. I don't feel he's a good part of 314 00:24:04.559 --> 00:24:08.359 the show because I feel like he's there kind of as a guest. I 315 00:24:08.359 --> 00:24:14.119 don't feel like he's there as a true contributor to the product. He's there 316 00:24:14.200 --> 00:24:18.240 to promote something. He's there as a collaborative effort. He's not there to 317 00:24:18.960 --> 00:24:23.200 truly, you know, be a part of WWE just to really sell something. 318 00:24:23.319 --> 00:24:26.880 Oh he's you know, he has an a new album dropping or something. 319 00:24:26.079 --> 00:24:30.359 It feels very superficial. I mean ww has done this forever. I 320 00:24:30.359 --> 00:24:33.039 mean even the Rock at times has come back just to promote a movie, 321 00:24:33.039 --> 00:24:37.079 and I hate that. So either way, I'm not interested in seeing him. 322 00:24:37.079 --> 00:24:40.119 I understand how big he is now I'm getting I'm starting to get that. 323 00:24:40.200 --> 00:24:44.440 So maybe they're reaching a bigger audience. The ratings will tell the tale, 324 00:24:44.720 --> 00:24:48.039 but I don't think it's a good retention rate. Considering that he's gone 325 00:24:48.279 --> 00:24:51.480 right after last week. I don't think he's gonna be there every week. 326 00:24:51.519 --> 00:24:53.759 Okay, let's get two. Here's the promotion, guys, here's the promo 327 00:24:53.880 --> 00:24:59.359 for the build for HBK Undertaker, and let's listen to god, it's so 328 00:24:59.440 --> 00:25:03.160 nice to hear your Jim Ross in a live crowd. Just take a breath 329 00:25:03.200 --> 00:25:07.319 of fresh air on this one, guys, right, I am no longer 330 00:25:07.480 --> 00:25:15.640 Sean Michael's employee of the month. You are looking at the heartbreak kids, 331 00:25:15.640 --> 00:25:25.759 Sewn Michaels. The hell that shs Don Hoday. As I stand here today 332 00:25:26.359 --> 00:25:33.119 looking at my life, seeing WrestleMania on the horizon, I realize I am 333 00:25:33.200 --> 00:25:37.960 living heaven on earth. There's anybody that ought to face the Undertaker at the 334 00:25:38.000 --> 00:25:49.799 twenty fifth anniversary of WrestleMania music, You're looking at him, Shawn Michaels. 335 00:25:52.400 --> 00:26:02.799 Sometimes it is hell trying to get into heat. Sixteen now a WrestleMania, 336 00:26:03.079 --> 00:26:10.079 A feats so extraordinary, no one could ever think of replicating it up to 337 00:26:11.119 --> 00:26:34.319 a different let's go up costs. I know under Piper Streak continues you maybe 338 00:26:34.640 --> 00:26:41.519 sixteen to WrestleMania by mister WrestleMania. So I don't think I've ever seen that 339 00:26:41.640 --> 00:26:51.279 big. There's a main revolution of the latter map under the Man and Wrestles 340 00:26:51.319 --> 00:26:57.200 drove over and watch out the Champion to miles to that I never out and 341 00:26:57.359 --> 00:27:02.200 ran the stage of them all. You believe this guy that I never will 342 00:27:03.640 --> 00:27:15.519 I expect the Undertaker. I'm pra the Undertaker, Sawn Michaels. Good time 343 00:27:15.799 --> 00:27:22.759 for prayer has just begun, all right, so I'll pause it there There 344 00:27:22.839 --> 00:27:25.160 is more, but that was the first part of the promo. I don't 345 00:27:25.160 --> 00:27:29.319 want to subject you to many, many minutes of it. It's just again, 346 00:27:29.359 --> 00:27:30.720 it's one thing to hear it, it's another thing to see it. 347 00:27:30.839 --> 00:27:33.759 So I wanted to give you the promo here before we get into the match. 348 00:27:33.839 --> 00:27:41.720 But essentially, Sean Michaels was beholden to JBL as he had run into 349 00:27:41.880 --> 00:27:45.640 financial issues, as the storyline would go, and JBL was making him do 350 00:27:45.720 --> 00:27:49.920 things he didn't want to do for like a couple of months, and people 351 00:27:49.920 --> 00:27:52.799 were waiting for HBK to just finally break free, and he did. He 352 00:27:52.839 --> 00:27:57.000 was able to, I guess again, storyline wise, financially break free, 353 00:27:57.720 --> 00:28:03.119 and that JBL paid him out there, so the contract idiot him And so 354 00:28:03.240 --> 00:28:07.680 that's the story and HBK finally was able to superkick JBL. JBL one of 355 00:28:07.680 --> 00:28:10.680 the most just one of the greatest heels of all time. I don't like 356 00:28:10.759 --> 00:28:14.079 JBL on a personal level from the things he's done and said on Twitter but 357 00:28:14.160 --> 00:28:18.000 from a performance perspective, for everything he's contributed to the business, everything he 358 00:28:18.039 --> 00:28:22.640 did is SmackDown Champion, one of the you know, really one of the 359 00:28:22.720 --> 00:28:27.799 rags to riches stories in WWE. Certainly the guy is deserving of credit, 360 00:28:29.440 --> 00:28:33.559 but that was the story, and we had HBK versus Undertaker, and it 361 00:28:33.640 --> 00:28:37.960 was just a brilliant sight to see guys in two guys in their prime, 362 00:28:37.119 --> 00:28:41.680 or at least late prime, not in their I guess true prime, and 363 00:28:41.680 --> 00:28:45.279 they're not thirty thirty five years old, but they're still more than capable at 364 00:28:45.279 --> 00:28:48.319 this point twelve years ago to put on one of the greatest main events that 365 00:28:48.359 --> 00:28:52.200 we will ever see. And I consider this the main event of WrestleMania. 366 00:28:52.319 --> 00:28:56.319 I understand it wasn't on paper the actual main event of WrestleMania, but to 367 00:28:56.400 --> 00:29:03.160 me, this was the true rest main event of WrestleMania twenty five and really 368 00:29:03.160 --> 00:29:07.319 the match that saved the entire show. I think. So, all right, 369 00:29:07.359 --> 00:29:11.759 well, let's uh, let's take a little bit of audio from the 370 00:29:11.759 --> 00:29:15.240 match itself, and let's uh, let's let's dive run in. Guys. 371 00:29:15.279 --> 00:29:22.759 This is oh, it's just awesome. Here we go. That's it's shaking 372 00:29:22.799 --> 00:29:33.359 his hand with me while the Undertaker sits up in the ring on the nine 373 00:29:33.400 --> 00:29:45.839 gets darker. Don't stop there, I don't do that to look at this. 374 00:29:49.640 --> 00:29:56.759 Let's just think till the caravan under taking his curst into the paperman. 375 00:29:57.720 --> 00:30:03.000 I don't know how much a man took good you wouldn't taken after the school 376 00:30:03.079 --> 00:30:08.240 school first, oh man, And I just wanted to share that bump with 377 00:30:08.279 --> 00:30:15.319 you. If you guys, remember you talk about scary bumps, You talk 378 00:30:15.359 --> 00:30:19.000 about moments that take your breath away in actual concern for the health of the 379 00:30:19.039 --> 00:30:25.720 wrestlers. This was one of those moments. This is one of those moments 380 00:30:25.720 --> 00:30:30.160 that you you you you're really watching, You're you're you know, you're you're 381 00:30:30.200 --> 00:30:33.440 taking a look to see if you know Undertaker's moving, if he's conscious, 382 00:30:33.480 --> 00:30:37.920 And what had happened was if you didn't I mean obviously you didn't, duh, 383 00:30:37.920 --> 00:30:41.599 since you didn't see it, or if you don't remember and you've seen 384 00:30:41.640 --> 00:30:47.279 it. Undertaker dove on the outside of the ring into Shawn Michaels. But 385 00:30:47.400 --> 00:30:52.599 the problem was he over rotated and Michael's put the cameraman in front of him. 386 00:30:52.160 --> 00:30:56.839 But that really wasn't the problem. The problem was the Undertaker, as 387 00:30:56.880 --> 00:31:00.400 I said, kind of angled himself, over rotated a little bit too much 388 00:31:00.480 --> 00:31:04.960 where he almost he literally did go head first into the ground and he hit 389 00:31:06.039 --> 00:31:08.039 kind of the side of his head and face, and he protected him himself 390 00:31:08.200 --> 00:31:12.319 as best as he could and broke his fall really with his face and his 391 00:31:12.400 --> 00:31:22.480 shoulders and his hands. But it was a scary dive for Undertaker one that 392 00:31:22.559 --> 00:31:26.319 again I thought, you know, you think the worst in those moments, 393 00:31:26.519 --> 00:31:27.079 you know, like, let's call it like it is. I thought he 394 00:31:27.160 --> 00:31:32.079 might be dead or paralyzed. But luckily, somehow, some way, it 395 00:31:32.079 --> 00:31:34.839 didn't do anything to him. All that weight coming down on that part of 396 00:31:34.839 --> 00:31:40.640 his body. It really was. It was one of those moments that again 397 00:31:40.960 --> 00:31:45.240 it takes your breath away. You are worried for the actual wrestler themselves, 398 00:31:45.480 --> 00:31:49.039 the person behind the wrestler, and it takes you out of the moment and 399 00:31:49.240 --> 00:31:55.839 in a way that is of concern for the actual person. Again. So 400 00:31:56.359 --> 00:32:00.759 okay, let's let's take a listen to some more stuff than that isn't as 401 00:32:00.799 --> 00:32:07.119 scary in the match. So well, here we go too, to make 402 00:32:07.319 --> 00:32:10.799 up and turn on the groups. You know, I got them. It 403 00:32:10.880 --> 00:32:15.359 didn't end on the counter, John Michael, It's gonna end it with some 404 00:32:15.480 --> 00:32:19.920 sweet Jim music. Will it be strict three with sweet season? You say, 405 00:32:25.079 --> 00:32:28.640 come on, the Morney walks up, says I'm gonna get drunk. 406 00:32:28.720 --> 00:32:35.160 That I've ever seen or trying her? Could he do it here? Cops? 407 00:32:35.759 --> 00:32:43.119 But the resilience and then well and sound, Michaels is unrelabable, the 408 00:32:43.279 --> 00:32:46.559 disbelief in the eyes of the dead. There you under taking on all that 409 00:32:46.720 --> 00:32:53.559 cup slide and look it was a slim dum I can really do, Sam 410 00:32:53.720 --> 00:32:59.480 Michael, zam, there's some seing feet on the floor. I've never seen 411 00:32:59.480 --> 00:33:04.400 a her devastating, and it really was that devastating. I know. Jim 412 00:33:04.480 --> 00:33:07.720 Ross called it a close line, obviously misspeaking and meant to say choke slam, 413 00:33:07.759 --> 00:33:14.160 not clothesline. Kind of funny, but yeah, it was a perfectly 414 00:33:14.319 --> 00:33:17.680 executed choke slam. I mean, you couldn't have had a better chokeslam. 415 00:33:17.720 --> 00:33:22.720 There's been some pretty bad choke slams in our time. I mean just bad. 416 00:33:22.799 --> 00:33:27.359 If you want to see embarrassingly bad, look no further than Goldberg or 417 00:33:27.400 --> 00:33:30.880 Goldbergen Undertaker this past year, last year, two years ago, whatever the 418 00:33:30.920 --> 00:33:34.000 heck it was. I put that out of my brain, like most fans, 419 00:33:35.640 --> 00:33:37.559 look no further than that. Or Hulk Hogan versus Undertaker. I think 420 00:33:37.559 --> 00:33:42.240 that was in two thousand and two when they faced each other when he was 421 00:33:42.279 --> 00:33:46.079 the American badass under Hulk Hogan took some really really bad choke slam Say the 422 00:33:46.119 --> 00:33:51.960 same with DDP when he did the whole Stalker angle with Undertaker in the early 423 00:33:52.000 --> 00:33:55.319 two thousands. So there's been some very very bad ones. This was probably 424 00:33:55.359 --> 00:33:59.200 as good of a choke slam as you'll ever see. And I know it's 425 00:33:59.240 --> 00:34:01.960 again we're talking about the selling of a move, but it was the perfect 426 00:34:02.079 --> 00:34:07.119 backbump and it I love the way the announcers sold it, right, Jim 427 00:34:07.199 --> 00:34:10.119 Ross, Jerry the King Lawler, Michael Cole, the best of the best 428 00:34:10.119 --> 00:34:16.320 on commentary at that time, and they sold it as it should have been 429 00:34:16.360 --> 00:34:21.400 sold, talking about how he got all of it, and it's true, 430 00:34:21.559 --> 00:34:24.079 right, they didn't just talk about it as one and just another choke slamb 431 00:34:24.480 --> 00:34:31.400 because it was perfectly executed, and the announcers jumped on that and they should 432 00:34:31.480 --> 00:34:36.159 have. It was just a very very smart move on their part. And 433 00:34:36.519 --> 00:34:43.559 you also hear if you didn't notice or will notice in terms of audio. 434 00:34:43.599 --> 00:34:52.840 Obviously, the referees count was very nicely paced. It was one, two 435 00:34:52.880 --> 00:34:59.280 and a kickout. It's really been sped up times two, if you've noticed 436 00:34:59.320 --> 00:35:02.519 in today's product. And I don't need to have every count go as slow 437 00:35:02.559 --> 00:35:07.840 as molasses. I'm just asking that the counts are actually three seconds. I 438 00:35:07.840 --> 00:35:13.480 can guarantee you the counts today for the three times they hit their hand on 439 00:35:13.519 --> 00:35:16.960 the mat is probably two seconds in real time. I don't like how quickly 440 00:35:17.000 --> 00:35:21.000 the counts go today. I don't know what it is. It's just the 441 00:35:21.079 --> 00:35:23.599 way things are done. And nobody's even noticed or cared to bring this up. 442 00:35:24.719 --> 00:35:29.480 And I'm not looking for slow motion. I'm looking for more drama. 443 00:35:29.599 --> 00:35:37.280 Those three seconds are the slowest or the most I guess observed three seconds in 444 00:35:37.320 --> 00:35:43.719 the match because you're watching the referees hand that determines the outcome hit the mat. 445 00:35:43.800 --> 00:35:45.119 And so to me, it's like this, and I'm not going to 446 00:35:45.159 --> 00:35:49.679 try to clap into the microphone here, but it's this is how quick today's 447 00:35:49.719 --> 00:35:52.760 counts are. And I'm not exaggerating. Go look any match and you just 448 00:35:52.800 --> 00:35:54.960 pick one, pick one of the last like ten years. It's one two 449 00:35:55.400 --> 00:36:00.199 kick out right, one two? How fast was that? I'll clap three 450 00:36:00.239 --> 00:36:06.079 times and try it yourself, right, This is a do it at home 451 00:36:06.119 --> 00:36:12.400 experiment. Seriously, so it's it's this one two three. I'm serious. 452 00:36:12.519 --> 00:36:15.280 It is stupid fast, and I think that takes a lot of drama away, 453 00:36:15.719 --> 00:36:20.599 those fractions of a second meeting so much in a match, and so 454 00:36:20.719 --> 00:36:23.519 this it meant even more obviously in a high stakes match like this. So 455 00:36:23.800 --> 00:36:29.840 let's continue on in this just brilliance, just really Michaelangelo of a match. 456 00:36:30.079 --> 00:36:42.840 So here we go. What can choose? It goes counter wit for sweet 457 00:36:42.880 --> 00:36:55.960 two music again sleep stood music, that's its street. Just tempalize, that 458 00:36:57.239 --> 00:37:00.280 is the question. We saw the screep two music. You see the result 459 00:37:00.440 --> 00:37:21.280 someone's gonna do is he's a streak over here here. That's just super And 460 00:37:21.440 --> 00:37:24.280 just listen to the crowd. My god, that still gives me chills twelve 461 00:37:24.360 --> 00:37:28.320 years later. It doesn't matter. I mean, just really, any live 462 00:37:28.400 --> 00:37:30.519 crowd. I'll take anybody. I mean I'll take anything. I'll take any 463 00:37:31.000 --> 00:37:35.880 live human beings in an arena to hear what their reaction is compared to the 464 00:37:35.960 --> 00:37:38.920 pumped in crowd music crowd noise, and again not ww's fault just to rall 465 00:37:39.199 --> 00:37:45.000 just victims of the circumstance, but just God. The pacing of this match 466 00:37:45.079 --> 00:37:49.559 too, which I know that I've talked about a couple of times in the 467 00:37:49.639 --> 00:37:53.079 past and I will continue to talk about. Is the pacing of the match 468 00:37:54.480 --> 00:37:59.320 was so easy to digest. Yes, you have the amazing crowd. Okay, 469 00:37:59.679 --> 00:38:04.000 you have have the greatest commentary team of all time announcing this match, 470 00:38:04.119 --> 00:38:09.079 Thatt WrestleMania. You have seventy eight thousand people screaming. But the pacing, 471 00:38:09.920 --> 00:38:15.320 meaning this match doesn't go one hundred miles an hour. You feel every punch, 472 00:38:15.440 --> 00:38:17.880 every kick, every maneuver. There's a sense of urgency. It's not 473 00:38:19.079 --> 00:38:22.239 just oh well it'll be reverse reverse, you know. And it's this very 474 00:38:22.280 --> 00:38:25.320 fast paced you can't keep up. It's just a fireworks show. It's not 475 00:38:25.519 --> 00:38:31.519 an emotional investment. And these two had the pacing that a lot of people, 476 00:38:31.599 --> 00:38:35.840 by today's standards would feel like it's slow motion. I love it. 477 00:38:36.559 --> 00:38:38.960 I e fing love the pace of this match. This is the pacing of 478 00:38:39.039 --> 00:38:43.840 a match that I think is the best way really for people, human beings 479 00:38:43.920 --> 00:38:46.880 to be able to dissect what's going on in the ring and understand and feel 480 00:38:46.880 --> 00:38:51.320 it and be able to follow along. It's like speed reading versus reading at 481 00:38:51.360 --> 00:38:53.480 your leisure, and that's the difference. So okay, let's continue on with 482 00:38:53.559 --> 00:39:13.960 this match. H m hm. Turning a counter into the counter. Let's 483 00:39:14.000 --> 00:39:25.960 have stuck the tennis. This is the last Let's take impassible to Astacium is 484 00:39:27.119 --> 00:39:32.960 the undertaker? How the name of that's decent? Then let's take out of 485 00:39:34.079 --> 00:39:50.039 this. Listen to the same. Are you intact? Ither talker cannot believe 486 00:39:50.599 --> 00:39:53.840 anyone to take out of the last ride as we have just seen, Sho'm 487 00:39:53.880 --> 00:39:58.920 not Let's do well. I do have to believe that Seawn Michaels has the 488 00:39:59.119 --> 00:40:05.960 undertakers. Okay, so Undertaker again in shock Michaels is able to kick out 489 00:40:06.079 --> 00:40:10.639 of the last ride. And you'll notice the finishing maneuvers here. It starts 490 00:40:10.679 --> 00:40:15.440 kind of with your signature moves, the ones that you know aren't ever don't 491 00:40:15.599 --> 00:40:17.719 usually finish a match, but you give it a shot anyway, and then 492 00:40:17.719 --> 00:40:23.280 you work up to the finishers. It's just again it's great, great storytelling. 493 00:40:23.440 --> 00:40:27.599 So here we go. We're going to continue with the audio as things 494 00:40:27.760 --> 00:41:07.719 escalate to the finish toast the experience. Tucker's eye let me shut Slaves of 495 00:41:07.840 --> 00:41:21.840 slaves, two stoves kick kick kicking shown. Michael seems to be unconscious. 496 00:41:22.039 --> 00:41:27.480 How did he do that? He just will his show up instincts, maybe 497 00:41:27.599 --> 00:41:32.639 to burn an intervention. Michael, Oh god, I mean I literally got 498 00:41:32.719 --> 00:41:37.840 chills watching this. I mean, you get sucked right back in. This 499 00:41:37.320 --> 00:41:44.280 reminds me and should remind all of us why we love wrestling. It certainly 500 00:41:45.760 --> 00:41:50.360 it drags you right back in to whatever's going on in your life, doesn't 501 00:41:50.360 --> 00:41:53.119 matter. You are just completely emotionally invested in what is happening. And this 502 00:41:53.239 --> 00:41:59.800 was twelve years ago and I still still love every second. And then this 503 00:42:00.360 --> 00:42:04.239 beautiful, like this is all the stars aligning for one of the greatest matches 504 00:42:04.239 --> 00:42:07.320 of all time. And here we go. We'll get to the finish in 505 00:42:07.480 --> 00:42:10.880 just a minute. Here, but take a listen. It's like his body's 506 00:42:10.880 --> 00:42:14.840 a lot of pilot. It's like he doesn't even know what he's doing, 507 00:42:14.920 --> 00:42:27.679 but he's he's doing its trash body or body, all right. So Michael's 508 00:42:27.760 --> 00:42:32.679 hits his his elbow from the top rope and then we get to me one 509 00:42:32.760 --> 00:42:37.519 of the most believable finishes up to this point. Of course, there were 510 00:42:37.559 --> 00:42:42.960 more believable false finishes. The Undertaker could lose at WrestleMania after this with to 511 00:42:43.079 --> 00:42:46.000 me, the most believable, to me, the most believable false finish of 512 00:42:46.119 --> 00:42:51.559 Undertaker having his streak broken. Obviously, before Brock did at WrestleMania thirty was 513 00:42:51.559 --> 00:42:59.960 WrestleMania twenty eight with HBK as a special guest referee with Triple H facing undertake, 514 00:43:00.239 --> 00:43:02.320 where he hit the Sweet Chin music which went into a pedigree, and 515 00:43:02.400 --> 00:43:05.840 I thought that was the end of the streak. That was to me the 516 00:43:05.920 --> 00:43:08.760 most like chilling moment that I said, oh my god, it's over and 517 00:43:09.039 --> 00:43:12.840 he kicked out. But this, up to this point, this moment is 518 00:43:12.920 --> 00:43:15.360 that I'm just gonna listen, make you listen to right now, or let 519 00:43:15.400 --> 00:43:16.360 you listen. I gonna make you. Of course you don't have to, 520 00:43:16.800 --> 00:43:22.760 but this moment right now is the moment up till this point that I thought 521 00:43:22.880 --> 00:43:27.760 it really could be over. So let's take a listen. Is he had 522 00:43:27.880 --> 00:43:34.519 one big move left? It Seawan Michael's tune up the band one more time 523 00:43:36.199 --> 00:43:42.280 to the underticker, was stand any more Sweet ten music? No? He 524 00:43:42.400 --> 00:43:51.880 may not get it. The figure almost fell out of the ring. I'm 525 00:43:51.880 --> 00:44:01.280 gonna turn put him himself up. Damn's done them, didn't The live is 526 00:44:01.440 --> 00:44:13.119 talmasing, is the streak about? It's totainer lot's this plusser, this contain 527 00:44:13.159 --> 00:44:17.119 away. Can you believe that? Is into the mo we are godnessing, 528 00:44:17.360 --> 00:44:27.679 You're took under tonight the worldless mot nights passion so fitting for the twenty fifth 529 00:44:27.719 --> 00:44:45.360 Animals wee of WrestleMania. The legendary undertaker, the legendary Shawn Michaels. This 530 00:44:45.719 --> 00:44:51.360 this capacity, proud of shitty, this is awesome? Are they all right? 531 00:44:52.280 --> 00:44:54.960 So I will say this, and it did make me believe that that's 532 00:44:55.079 --> 00:44:58.840 one that the second sweet in music that made me believe that, oh my 533 00:44:58.880 --> 00:45:02.280 god, it could be over. And then of course you get the interjection 534 00:45:04.400 --> 00:45:08.760 the cardinal sin from announcers that always have to say kiss the streak goodbye in 535 00:45:08.840 --> 00:45:14.239 this case, or he's going to lose the championship, which immediately draws your 536 00:45:14.320 --> 00:45:16.360 mind to okay, wait, never mind, he's not going to It's the 537 00:45:17.079 --> 00:45:22.400 cardinal sin. Out of everything that I may complain about with announcers and things 538 00:45:22.440 --> 00:45:27.599 that they do and all of that. The number one sin that they have, 539 00:45:28.159 --> 00:45:35.000 that they project and that they commit sometimes on a weekly basis, is 540 00:45:35.119 --> 00:45:42.039 the this this on just this desire, this whatever, it is, this 541 00:45:42.239 --> 00:45:49.400 habit of always trying to swerve the audience to make you believe something could happen 542 00:45:50.280 --> 00:45:52.880 in the moment that you know is not going to happen, especially at the 543 00:45:52.960 --> 00:45:58.360 end of matches or when somebody hits a finish and the announcer that never gets 544 00:45:58.360 --> 00:46:01.639 anything right is suddenly saying, yeah, he's gonna win the championship. You've 545 00:46:01.679 --> 00:46:07.199 got he's got it won, and you know, immediately you go, gee, 546 00:46:07.320 --> 00:46:10.400 thanks, Now I know he doesn't. Can we move away from that? 547 00:46:10.679 --> 00:46:16.199 It's just been a it's been a just a cardinal unforgivable sin as long 548 00:46:16.239 --> 00:46:21.760 as I've been listening to wrestling. So Jerry Lawler really did that one here. 549 00:46:22.159 --> 00:46:27.559 I'm not a fan, but hey, that's the only complaint I've got. 550 00:46:27.679 --> 00:46:30.280 It's not even about the match, it's the damn commentary. Okay. 551 00:46:30.440 --> 00:46:35.639 So then, of course we get to the finish of the match, which 552 00:46:37.039 --> 00:46:39.920 I was rooting for Michaels here, I really was. I wanted to see 553 00:46:39.920 --> 00:46:47.480 Sean Michaels beat the streak and well he obviously didn't. So let's take a 554 00:46:47.559 --> 00:47:16.679 listen to that. Underts T was talking him to the test Superta septeen SAPs, 555 00:47:23.840 --> 00:47:29.239 ladies and gentlemen, sho Michael's crew time, that he was indeed mister 556 00:47:29.320 --> 00:47:36.519 WrestleMania. What the Undertaker through, that he is WrestleMania's feet up with Yes, 557 00:47:37.119 --> 00:47:40.280 the Undertaker through, and that he is in the seventh feet and all. 558 00:47:43.239 --> 00:47:52.880 And look at you and it's a fans on centertainer. I am murdered 559 00:47:52.920 --> 00:47:58.960 you to have the opportunity the Sea Green sign will see this. This is 560 00:47:59.079 --> 00:48:07.840 one wrestle you miss all about what it absolutely you wouldn't believeable. Ask what's 561 00:48:07.880 --> 00:48:17.119 the end? Though? I have the entertainers to do this crashing at the 562 00:48:17.239 --> 00:48:27.039 sweep set music instead be can what less too much to persevere gives part? 563 00:48:27.159 --> 00:48:36.159 Can beating that is to the pun Oh gosh, this is again. I've 564 00:48:36.159 --> 00:48:38.719 put over this match like I don't know how to put it over anymore. 565 00:48:39.159 --> 00:48:43.559 So I know you've heard it now, but to see it as another thing, 566 00:48:43.800 --> 00:48:46.880 to watch it start to finish, it's certainly another thing. Uh So 567 00:48:47.159 --> 00:48:52.320 you will you will certainly be you will be happy that you spend thirty minutes 568 00:48:52.360 --> 00:48:55.159 doing this. I mean you could spend thirty minutes on TikTok and blink and 569 00:48:55.280 --> 00:49:00.880 you look up and you know it's you haven't real accomplished any This will make 570 00:49:00.960 --> 00:49:04.360 you remember why you love wrestling. If you have maybe fallen out of love 571 00:49:04.639 --> 00:49:07.039 with wrestling, or you have your issues with wrestling, and you may not 572 00:49:07.119 --> 00:49:09.039 think you're a fan anymore, you're not sure what you know, if you're 573 00:49:09.119 --> 00:49:13.920 kind of on the fence, but watching you're just maybe gonna spend your time 574 00:49:13.960 --> 00:49:16.360 doing something else on a Monday and a Friday night. And I would encourage 575 00:49:16.360 --> 00:49:22.119 you to watch this. It may rejuvenate your soul with wrestling. It is 576 00:49:22.280 --> 00:49:27.760 that good this, You know again, to say this is my favorite match 577 00:49:27.800 --> 00:49:35.840 of all time is it's one of I don't think that saying or answering that 578 00:49:35.960 --> 00:49:37.599 question is easy. It's not easy for anybody. What's your favorite match of 579 00:49:37.639 --> 00:49:40.639 all time? It's kind of like, well, I have a lot of 580 00:49:40.719 --> 00:49:45.039 favorite matches. This is certainly one of them. On you know, Undertaker, 581 00:49:45.199 --> 00:49:47.880 HBK Hit to Helena Seale is another one at ninety seven for a lot 582 00:49:47.920 --> 00:49:54.760 of nostalgic reasons, but HBC Undertaker accommodation is just it's a match made in 583 00:49:54.960 --> 00:50:01.960 heaven. Undertaker HBK. There's styles there, their personas, everything matches up 584 00:50:02.000 --> 00:50:08.280 in interlocks perfectly. I've loved everything about these two when they hook up since 585 00:50:09.000 --> 00:50:14.719 they first did. And so anyway, okay, I think I've made my 586 00:50:14.840 --> 00:50:16.840 point about go watch the damn match. Go to the network, go on 587 00:50:16.920 --> 00:50:21.280 YouTube wherever you can find it, don't care. You'll spend thirty minutes loving 588 00:50:21.320 --> 00:50:27.119 wrestling and remembering why you love love this sport that we all do. And 589 00:50:27.559 --> 00:50:31.199 you'll also love the fact that, hey, fans are in an arena, 590 00:50:31.360 --> 00:50:36.239 Seventy some thousand of them are in an arena live. There's no people wearing 591 00:50:36.280 --> 00:50:39.800 masks, people aren't socially distancing. Socially distancing wasn't even a thing. We 592 00:50:39.840 --> 00:50:45.440 didn't even know what that meant. One of these days it'll be back, 593 00:50:45.880 --> 00:50:49.000 We'll be all those restrictions will be gone, and we can go back to 594 00:50:49.079 --> 00:50:52.159 our lives as we knew them. But it's nice to take you out of 595 00:50:52.199 --> 00:50:54.119 it. If you want to get out of the moment and get back into 596 00:50:54.199 --> 00:50:59.639 some fun and remember why you loved wrestling, there's no better place to look 597 00:50:59.719 --> 00:51:06.079 than HBK Versus Undertaker WrestleMania twenty five. All right, well, guys, 598 00:51:06.320 --> 00:51:08.880 thank you so much as always for joining me here on the WWE podcast. 599 00:51:09.280 --> 00:51:13.480 I will be recording the mail bag portion of the show. You guys got 600 00:51:13.519 --> 00:51:15.280 a ton for me. My god, you guys got a lot, So 601 00:51:15.440 --> 00:51:19.079 I'll see if I can squeeze it in one show. If I can't squeeze 602 00:51:19.079 --> 00:51:22.119 it in one show, I will be doing a separate show. Maybe I'll 603 00:51:22.119 --> 00:51:27.599 put it in the Sunday Review or something like that. But anyway, guys, 604 00:51:28.079 --> 00:51:30.880 thank you as always. Please give us a five star rating interview on 605 00:51:30.920 --> 00:51:36.079 Apple Podcasts or anywhere that you have podcasts or rating and review super it's a 606 00:51:36.119 --> 00:51:37.920 super way to help us. Also, if you do shopping on Amazon, 607 00:51:38.119 --> 00:51:43.480 go to wwepodcast dot com and click on the Amazon banner and it'll redirect you 608 00:51:43.519 --> 00:51:45.280 to Amazon. Kicks a little bit a little bit back to the show and 609 00:51:46.280 --> 00:51:51.719 helps with production costs and everything else. So thank you everybody, and I'll 610 00:51:51.760 --> 00:51:57.760 talk to you next time. Thanks for listening to the WWE podcast. Don't 611 00:51:57.800 --> 00:52:01.880 forget to subscribe on your favorite podcast so you don't miss a show, or 612 00:52:02.000 --> 00:52:07.679 head to wwepodcast dot com and for all of these shows add free head over 613 00:52:07.760 --> 00:52:15.039 to Patreon dot com Slash WWE Podcast. Until then, we'll see you next time.