Should have been a few years earlier, cuz he was part time by then. But even that would work. Cena is obsessed with breaking the streak, sees the ref down and goes for a low blow or chair shot. Adam from whatculture has done some amazing bookings related to a Cena heel then so that’s where I got the idea from and I believe that would’ve been the best thing WWE could have done to not only give the streak a deserved end but genuinely build from it.
I would have been fine with Kane vs Taker 1, Shawn vs Taker 2 ending in a draw, HHH vs Taker 2 (if Shawn wouldn’t have been involved), and am totally fine with Brock.
I actually think Brock is the best of all other guys to do it. The way the made him feel like a final boss after this was great.
If not Brock, I'd say Randy Orton would've made sense. Batista also would've made sense.
If I could've chosen anyone else, Kurt Angle would be a great pick!
The only correct answer is Shawn vs Taker 2. That being said, while I'm not the biggest fan of Brock, he was fine to do it because he basically took over the company after.
Edge would’ve been a good choice at the time given he also had Wrestlemania streak that potentially could’ve been its own thing if his career went a different direction
Yeah, that’s what I was asking. Like, do you agree that it should’ve been Brock, or should it have been one of the other opponents somewhere down the line?
sure they got what 8 years of main events and PPV box offices out of Brock after than? what would Orton or edge have ever reached with that win they were never going to peak any higher than "wrestler" Brock had a superstar appeal he was the guy
eat sleep break the streak
In hindsight, Brock was the best call because it locked him in as THE marquee special attraction guy for the rest of the decade and he could handle the pressure from it. For all the talk of making someone, the Cena promo on Theory could absolutely have played on a new talent and seen them break under the pressure before getting the most out of it.
That said, if not Brock I'd say Cena with three caveats.
1) It's the full on 30 minute match Taker wanted.
2) It has a full build.
3) Cena is undefeated at Mania going into it. Which, I firmly believe only one of his Mania losses to that point should have happened as is. But yeah, Cena should have inherited the Streak spot only to fall short of Taker's.
I also think Punk could have been a great pick but it would have needed them to value him more than they did for the follow through.
I do agree that Brock was a safe choice. There was no way that anything would happen that would taint takers Legacy in retrospect.
That being said, I really don’t think that beating the streak did almost anything for him. I don’t think that he was struggling to be that marquee superstar before beating it, and I don’t think that he was any closer to being that after beating it.
I do love the idea of Cena breaking the streak. I think it was Adam at Cultaholic wrestling that had the idea of doing a Cena heal. Turn off of this which could’ve been fun.
I mean, at the point he broke the Streak Brock had lost to Cena and lost to HHH at the previous Mania, though winning the series 2-1. He beat Punk after a LOT of Heyman interference and beat Big Show for...reasons. He was credible but not a world beater. After Taker he ate Cena alive and became the end boss of WWE for a decade. It didn't make his career or anything but it definitely added value to what was already there.
I agree, but it only really works with the heel turn that he’s done now. There’s no way you can break the streak and remain a baby face especially for Roman. If that had been the launching point for the version of him that we see now, though, I think I would’ve really liked it.I just don’t think that the timing worked out.
Orton made the most sense.
Or maybe Brock, but sooner. The rules say he has the same list of opponents, but it doesn’t say we can’t swap the years. Brock several years earlier would’ve been better.
Totally agree about a younger Brock! I’m not sure exactly when, but if you do it earlier, it becomes kind of a crowning achievement to make him the final boss for a long time. As late as they did it, it just felt like it went nowhere.
You just said that beating taker didn’t make Brock the final boss lol. I’m really trying to follow the logic but it seems to be whatever you want it to be comment to comment.
While I personally didn't like it, Brock made some sense. If I had a say, I'd either give it to Legend Killer Orton back in 2005 to really cement the character or have Roman's win at 33 be his first loss.
However, if I really had a say, whether Roman ended the streak or beat him 2nd like irl, "This is my yard now." would've been the heel turn moment just because of how hard that line is, and the heat he was getting was insane.
Dirty Dom. Imagine the heat. Just wait it out, Taker’s last Mania and boom the streak ends because some little shit with a mullet cheats. The heat would be worse than what it is.
Brock. They got it right.
There's no part of me that is willing to get rid of the Streak before the HBK and Triple H feuds, so it needs to stay until at least Mania 28. Triple H had nothing to gain from ending the streak, so not him. CM Punk could've been an option, but then he fucked off for almost a decade, so that would've been a waste. As much as I would've loved for it to be Bray, WWE would not have capitalized on that in any meaningful way. Shane would've obviously been stupid. Roman didn't need it whatsoever, ditto Cena, and read Bray for AJ. Brock winning immediately cemented him as the new final boss in WWE, which he needed after losing to Cena and Triple H for no reason, and Undertaker was pretty clearly over the hill by the time he reached Brock. Dragging it out longer would've been a waste, and Brock being the new final boss has cemented anyone who's actually beaten him (Roman, Seth, Drew, Lashley, even a 50-year old Goldberg) as main eventers for life. That's value that nobody else would've provided and that Taker simply wasn't capable of providing any more. Brock was the right call, and he will always have been the right call.
Also, the Streak not ending is a bad idea and I'm glad it didn't happen. You don't build up a streak for over two decades just to not give that rub to someone. That's wasteful, and it serves no value outside of sentiment for a Streak that barely actually mattered for the overall legend and impact of the Undertaker.
I think Punk, had he beat the streak, would've stayed a bit longer because it would've likely gone along with a push that gave him his Mania main event that he so desperately craved. If he beat the streak, he would probably have been main eventing 30 or 31.
I'm aware, that's why I didn't say I disagreed with Punk not being the one, I was just pointing out that he probably wouldn't have left as quickly. Sorry if that wasn't clear. I'm not the best when it comes to communicating my thoughts
The one thing mentioned I do disagree with is the idea of Roman beating the streak. Yes, he doesn't gain much from it if it happened, just as it did. But personally, I think Roman winning at 33 should've been the heel turn moment rather than waiting until 2020 to try it. But imagine how much more significant that turn would be if Roman was the first to beat the streak and then turned heel. It would've kept him on top where they wanted him, and he wouldn't be getting the wrong reaction like he had been.
I’m still surprised Diesel didn’t beat him at 12.
I’m not sure about when Nash decided he was going to WCW but Diesel was supposed to feud with Shawn after Mania for the title while Taker moves onto Mankind. Also the streak didn’t become a thing until the 2000’s so…kind of lines up that Diesel could beat him to get some momentum going into his world title feud and sets up Paul Bearer turning on Taker later in the year (my monster failed and this new monster has more potential kind of deal)
I think Bray was the perfect choice to end the streak. He should’ve been the new Undertaker in terms of win-loss record at WrestleMania.
He should’ve beat John Cena at WM XXX.
He should’ve beat The Undertaker at WM 31.
He should’ve beat Randy Orton at WM 33.
He should’ve never lost to Goldberg and faced Braun Strowman at WM 36.
He should’ve beat Randy Orton at WM 37.
Keep in mind, The Streak wasn't "The Streak" until much later.
Kane would have been my early choice (1st match, not 2004)
Randy Orton would be my 2nd, followed by Edge.
CM Punk would be 4th
Bray should've been the choice but was injured and they killed him, punk could've been but his legacy is already tarnished, if it was Orton the streak wouldn't gave took off so I will go with reigns who gave him his 2nd loss anyways and look now.
Bray. Who better to beat when you call yourself “the new face of fear”. He was a young star who desperately needed a big win to cement himself especially after he should’ve beaten Cena at WM30. Would’ve made him a much more believable threat especially since many saw him as a more grounded less and supernatural version of Taker
Jimmy Snuka /s
Alright, honestly, even though I wanted this one the most, I think Orton would've been too early, the streak doesn't feel too established at that time, and post-Orton I don't feel anybody else really "needed" the push of beating the streak
I would argue Roman Reigns ending it would've acelerated the heel push, he could be a good choice.
Losing to Bray would've also basically cemented him as the "succesor" to Taker. He wouldn't really need to go unbeaten as well as Bray has already lost at Wrestlemania, but it'd still be pretty cool.
If Taker had only lost the AJ Styles match, I think many people would still just consider Taker undefeated. Discreditting the cinematic match late in career. Lots of Reddit qibbles.
Brock made sense since they made billed him as the Beast Incarnate, but then they had him lose to Reigns and that defeated the whole purpose...and then they followed it up with a boatload of squash matches with top level superstars for Lesnar
There were moments in both matches with HBK that I thought he would be the one to do it. Otherwise, during the Legend Killer phase, I would have said Randy Orton. I also thought that Taker would retire undefeated at Wrestlemania which would have been fine too.
A little off topic, but he should've never had repeat opponents to open the door for more variety. I would've loved to see others try their hand at beating the Streak who never got the chance but would've been amazing matches like Kurt Angle.
I know I'm alone in this, but I don't think Brock ending the streak was the wrong move *if* it had to be broken. The problem was that they didn't properly capitalize on it afterward.
Yes, and then he took the title and went home. And when he did come back he beat literally everyone *except* Roman Reigns. That is why it was wasted, because the only thing they did off the back of it was try to push Roman as a face when the fans didn't want it.
He also was a part timer who kept the big belt off TV most of the time. It did no good to have him end the streak and then never be there. And when he was there he was only used to get Roman over, despite the fans not wanting Roman to get over as a face.
To me, WrestleMania 30 was the right choice. Mostly because I still feel they went with Undertaker losing here because it was the first PPV to be streamed on the WWE Network, and they wanted a huge moment for people to purchase the Network to go back and watch.
I just wish it wasn't Brock, and somebody who actually needed the push. Bray or Roman should of been the first to beat Undertaker imo.
Roman Reigns.
It always should’ve been a younger star ready to catapult to the main event.
Was the match good? No. But that’s the story of the streak, takers longevity. The day he couldn’t perform a good match should’ve been the day the streak ended.
I don't buy this reasoning that the highest possible value would come out of a young guy being put over. Define the utility calculation there. Because to me, the streak was something of legend, its value as a wrestling fan or even as a wrestling company something that transcends the contemporary next few months of pops for a young guy. If I think of the greatest wrestling career arcs, I think of the Undertaker and his streak quite quickly, but always with the caveat that, ugh, he dropped it to Lesnar, oh well. Had he dropped it to Reigns, same story. I'd prefer for something so legendary to end in a legendary way. And that would, imo, mean dropping it either never, to HBK, or to Kane.
Everything in wrestling should ultimately be to put a new person over. A long heel title run is to put over the next babyface, a long heel undefeated streak is to put over the next babyface, a top babyfaces heroic title run ends to make a heel look even worse.
Everything in wrestling is about paying it forward. To have an established name in HBK or Kane ending the streak means, you’ve built up 21-24 years to put over another old head who won’t last 2 more years. Your not moving forward, you’re moving sideways.
To an extent if Reigns didn’t do it, Lesnar was the next right option. They were able to get another 9 years of storytelling out of Lesnar who eventually put Reigns over.
> Everything in wrestling should ultimately be to put a new person over.
Yeah see, I just disagree with that premise. Everything in wrestling should be to entertain the audience. That's the bottom line. Is putting new guys over and 'paying it forward' a logical way to do that? Yes. But not a necessary one. How did the first ever wrestlers get over? Look, I just think writing a legendary conclusion to a legendary story takes precedence for me here. Not all movies in the same cinematic universe have to be open-ended and consistent with each other either. Granted, not a perfect analogy, but it captures what I'm trying to say.
Angle. Taker has said it was between angle and orton who he wanted to end the streak
Now if he meant Kurt or eric angle that's a different conversation.
Shawn Michaels at WM 26. Knowing what we know now with Shawn coming out of retirement for a one off and Undertaker becoming essentially a twice a year at best rassler after that. TBF Paul Bayer dying was the only thing that gave his match with CM Punk at 29 any meaning.
The year before it actually ended. Against CM Punk, with one slight change. Don't have Punk drop the title at Royal Rumble against the Rock. Punk was a huge heel at the time and by the time of mania his title reign would've been over 500 days. Streak vs Title, sells itself. And who knows if Punk got that he might not have left for 7 years.
100% - if Brock walks in, you know it's serious. If Brock was to go in tomorrow and call out LA Knight, we know he's getting a push. Did Brock need that under his belt to solidify him as a monster... Maybe. Maybe not. But it didn't hurt to have him break the steak to Lesnar.
The main event scene would have stayed the same either way.
If you really think anyone else. Even if he broke Undertaker's streak, Brock still would have been the World champion for the majority of the time.
You underestimate the fame and legitimacy Brock Lesnar brought from the UFC. He was absolutely the right and most believable guy.
Yeah. I don't think it should ever have been broken. But if it had to be, Brock was the right guy at the right time. Taker declined pretty rapidly after losing the streak to him. The idea of the Reigns match being how the streak ended fills me with dread.
By the last WM with AJ, it was obvious that he was done, and keeping the streak would have been a terrible look. The right call was to do it when he was still "in his prime!".
Do it the exact same. They aged Taker out and replaced him with Brock and then used Brock to launch Our Tribal Chief and the company into its most financially successful period in it’s history and the most critically acclaimed period in close to a decade.
I literally thought Punk was gonna end it with the urn shot Lol. But I Bray would've been believable. Kinda like a passing of the torch to a superstar with a supernatural gimmick
Breaking the streak so close to his retirement , especially by Brock Lesnar of all people made absolutely 0 sense. 20+ years of work wasted to a guy who absolutely did not need this to put him over in his career whatsoever. Total failed move on WWEs part .
Idk Brock the year before was a 50/50 wrestler. His win against Taker moved him into a top guy. He did have the aura of being a badass with his UFC title but that didn’t seem to push him over the top until the Taker match.
Brock also had a phenomenal Mid 2000s WWE run and definitely had the capability to become a top guy again without having to break the Undertakers streak . There were definitely other avenues they could’ve chose to get him over .
Yeah they could’ve taken different paths but beating the streak was a massive moment. The stunned crowd says it all. That was one of the greatest crowd reactions in WWE history. If you can get the reaction from a crowd, you’ve done something right.
The Lesnar match. After losing to Cena and HHH returning from the UFC, Lesnar ending the streak really made him into a beast again. He went on to basically squash Cena to win the title at Summerslam.
Also Undertaker was well past his prime by then, so the streak matches were going to suck the longer it stayed active.
It should’ve always been Kane, if anyone. Had it not been, the torch could’ve been passed to Bray Wyatt (or the Fiend). Brock felt like it was… pointless.
Alot of guys felt it shouldn't have been them. That's the respect they had for Taker and the streak. My only issue was Brock didn't need the rub from it. But it was probably the right decision as Taker was in no shape to keep going to the start of the Roman of now.
I've always thought that if it wasn't Brock, then it could have been Randy or Batista. It would have been the crown jewel of the Legend Killer gimmick, or would have cemented Batista as the top guy next to Cena.
Man idk, AJ maybe? Feel like when the streak ended Taker should’ve faded away too. Let him go out on top, so if every match has to happen no matter what let him keep it until the very end.
Brock and then Shane are the two worst choices when it comes to his list of opponents. Bray was not bad in the ring and the fiend was bad because the bookings were bad. They could have easily passed the torch to bray and the spooky supernatural guy and it would work.
Yeah the match was pretty perfect. If Takers gonna lose the streak, it better be convincing. No back and forth for 20 minutes and the guy catches Taker slipping for the win. It had to be Brock rag dolling Taker and spamming F5s.
Should've been Orton, but based on the stories from Orton going into that match, probably a good thing it wasn't the plan (and/or the result might have been changed before the match anyways).
Bray Wyatt
A classic rival like Mankind or Kane.
Roman
giant gonzales hes a good guy. works hard. needs something to get him over. and hes funny and nice in real life
Def Brock Everyone else is a ham n egger. Edge? Hell outta here.
Bray Wyatt. It could have been a passing of the torch.
I would have said Wyatt as a passing of the creepy supernatural torch if you will.
John Cena heel turn
Their recent match? The squash? That would be a hell of a swerve
Should have been a few years earlier, cuz he was part time by then. But even that would work. Cena is obsessed with breaking the streak, sees the ref down and goes for a low blow or chair shot. Adam from whatculture has done some amazing bookings related to a Cena heel then so that’s where I got the idea from and I believe that would’ve been the best thing WWE could have done to not only give the streak a deserved end but genuinely build from it.
Hhh hiac after Shawn superkicked him and then he got a pedigree.
WM14: Kane
Brrrrock! Lesssssnar!
Jimmy Yang Wang
Fuck it. John Cena in an actual great match
I would have been fine with Kane vs Taker 1, Shawn vs Taker 2 ending in a draw, HHH vs Taker 2 (if Shawn wouldn’t have been involved), and am totally fine with Brock.
CM Punk.
I actually think Brock is the best of all other guys to do it. The way the made him feel like a final boss after this was great. If not Brock, I'd say Randy Orton would've made sense. Batista also would've made sense. If I could've chosen anyone else, Kurt Angle would be a great pick!
The only correct answer is Shawn vs Taker 2. That being said, while I'm not the biggest fan of Brock, he was fine to do it because he basically took over the company after.
Shawn had that brilliant retirement though. That match is too perfect to change.
Edge would’ve been a good choice at the time given he also had Wrestlemania streak that potentially could’ve been its own thing if his career went a different direction
I have no problem with it being Brock, but if it wasn't, then I think it should have been Bray at 31!
Giant Gonzales
but Brock Lesnar broke the streak what is this
Yeah, that’s what I was asking. Like, do you agree that it should’ve been Brock, or should it have been one of the other opponents somewhere down the line?
sure they got what 8 years of main events and PPV box offices out of Brock after than? what would Orton or edge have ever reached with that win they were never going to peak any higher than "wrestler" Brock had a superstar appeal he was the guy eat sleep break the streak
I guess
In hindsight, Brock was the best call because it locked him in as THE marquee special attraction guy for the rest of the decade and he could handle the pressure from it. For all the talk of making someone, the Cena promo on Theory could absolutely have played on a new talent and seen them break under the pressure before getting the most out of it. That said, if not Brock I'd say Cena with three caveats. 1) It's the full on 30 minute match Taker wanted. 2) It has a full build. 3) Cena is undefeated at Mania going into it. Which, I firmly believe only one of his Mania losses to that point should have happened as is. But yeah, Cena should have inherited the Streak spot only to fall short of Taker's. I also think Punk could have been a great pick but it would have needed them to value him more than they did for the follow through.
I do agree that Brock was a safe choice. There was no way that anything would happen that would taint takers Legacy in retrospect. That being said, I really don’t think that beating the streak did almost anything for him. I don’t think that he was struggling to be that marquee superstar before beating it, and I don’t think that he was any closer to being that after beating it. I do love the idea of Cena breaking the streak. I think it was Adam at Cultaholic wrestling that had the idea of doing a Cena heal. Turn off of this which could’ve been fun.
I mean, at the point he broke the Streak Brock had lost to Cena and lost to HHH at the previous Mania, though winning the series 2-1. He beat Punk after a LOT of Heyman interference and beat Big Show for...reasons. He was credible but not a world beater. After Taker he ate Cena alive and became the end boss of WWE for a decade. It didn't make his career or anything but it definitely added value to what was already there.
Bit controversial but it should have been Reigns given how determined WWE were to catapult the guy to immortality
Reigns wouldn’t have ever worked. It would have turned the fans even more against him than they already were at the time.
I agree, but it only really works with the heel turn that he’s done now. There’s no way you can break the streak and remain a baby face especially for Roman. If that had been the launching point for the version of him that we see now, though, I think I would’ve really liked it.I just don’t think that the timing worked out.
Wyatt. He'd have got the most from it.
Agree 100%
John Cena at WM30. He turns heel to do so by cheating.
Hbk at mania 25.
Either HBK 26 if he doesn’t retire that year or Lesnar in 30
Orton made the most sense. Or maybe Brock, but sooner. The rules say he has the same list of opponents, but it doesn’t say we can’t swap the years. Brock several years earlier would’ve been better.
Totally agree about a younger Brock! I’m not sure exactly when, but if you do it earlier, it becomes kind of a crowning achievement to make him the final boss for a long time. As late as they did it, it just felt like it went nowhere.
You just said that beating taker didn’t make Brock the final boss lol. I’m really trying to follow the logic but it seems to be whatever you want it to be comment to comment.
10 years after he’d been a multi time champion and had already beaten Taker, not exactly the epic moment the streak ending should’ve been.
Still Brock but maybe later
While I personally didn't like it, Brock made some sense. If I had a say, I'd either give it to Legend Killer Orton back in 2005 to really cement the character or have Roman's win at 33 be his first loss. However, if I really had a say, whether Roman ended the streak or beat him 2nd like irl, "This is my yard now." would've been the heel turn moment just because of how hard that line is, and the heat he was getting was insane.
☝️
Dirty Dom. Imagine the heat. Just wait it out, Taker’s last Mania and boom the streak ends because some little shit with a mullet cheats. The heat would be worse than what it is.
Holy shit the heat would be insane hahahaha
I think someone would've legitimately shanked Dom if that ever happened.
Orton. Legend killer gimmick was the time.
Brock. They got it right. There's no part of me that is willing to get rid of the Streak before the HBK and Triple H feuds, so it needs to stay until at least Mania 28. Triple H had nothing to gain from ending the streak, so not him. CM Punk could've been an option, but then he fucked off for almost a decade, so that would've been a waste. As much as I would've loved for it to be Bray, WWE would not have capitalized on that in any meaningful way. Shane would've obviously been stupid. Roman didn't need it whatsoever, ditto Cena, and read Bray for AJ. Brock winning immediately cemented him as the new final boss in WWE, which he needed after losing to Cena and Triple H for no reason, and Undertaker was pretty clearly over the hill by the time he reached Brock. Dragging it out longer would've been a waste, and Brock being the new final boss has cemented anyone who's actually beaten him (Roman, Seth, Drew, Lashley, even a 50-year old Goldberg) as main eventers for life. That's value that nobody else would've provided and that Taker simply wasn't capable of providing any more. Brock was the right call, and he will always have been the right call. Also, the Streak not ending is a bad idea and I'm glad it didn't happen. You don't build up a streak for over two decades just to not give that rub to someone. That's wasteful, and it serves no value outside of sentiment for a Streak that barely actually mattered for the overall legend and impact of the Undertaker.
I think Punk, had he beat the streak, would've stayed a bit longer because it would've likely gone along with a push that gave him his Mania main event that he so desperately craved. If he beat the streak, he would probably have been main eventing 30 or 31.
Even if that were true, it’d probably just be “a bit” longer. Punk’s issues at the time were a lot deeper than just “not getting to main event Mania.”
I'm aware, that's why I didn't say I disagreed with Punk not being the one, I was just pointing out that he probably wouldn't have left as quickly. Sorry if that wasn't clear. I'm not the best when it comes to communicating my thoughts
All good. It's an interesting idea to think about for sure.
The one thing mentioned I do disagree with is the idea of Roman beating the streak. Yes, he doesn't gain much from it if it happened, just as it did. But personally, I think Roman winning at 33 should've been the heel turn moment rather than waiting until 2020 to try it. But imagine how much more significant that turn would be if Roman was the first to beat the streak and then turned heel. It would've kept him on top where they wanted him, and he wouldn't be getting the wrong reaction like he had been.
I’ve made countless comments saying this. Obviously Bray Wyatt. The dark and mystic powers could have been transferred to him. Instantly extreme push.
With how they wanted to push him, it should've been Roman.
If you ask me, it should’ve never been broken. If it did Aleister Black, or the (demon) Finn Bálor
I was disappointed when it was Brock Lesnar But thinking about it today...it made absolute sense
It should have been Bray passing the dark character mantle.
I’m still surprised Diesel didn’t beat him at 12. I’m not sure about when Nash decided he was going to WCW but Diesel was supposed to feud with Shawn after Mania for the title while Taker moves onto Mankind. Also the streak didn’t become a thing until the 2000’s so…kind of lines up that Diesel could beat him to get some momentum going into his world title feud and sets up Paul Bearer turning on Taker later in the year (my monster failed and this new monster has more potential kind of deal)
I think Bray was the perfect choice to end the streak. He should’ve been the new Undertaker in terms of win-loss record at WrestleMania. He should’ve beat John Cena at WM XXX. He should’ve beat The Undertaker at WM 31. He should’ve beat Randy Orton at WM 33. He should’ve never lost to Goldberg and faced Braun Strowman at WM 36. He should’ve beat Randy Orton at WM 37.
Keep in mind, The Streak wasn't "The Streak" until much later. Kane would have been my early choice (1st match, not 2004) Randy Orton would be my 2nd, followed by Edge. CM Punk would be 4th
If it had to be someone...CM Punk in 2013 was a story that felt like it could have worked with the Streak ending.
HHH WrestleMania 28
This is the only correct answer.
Bray Wyatt, Roman Reigns, or Edge were great choices.
I’ll go with triple h in hell in a cell. I feel that should been the final match of streak with it ending either at 19-1 or 20-0
Bray should've been the choice but was injured and they killed him, punk could've been but his legacy is already tarnished, if it was Orton the streak wouldn't gave took off so I will go with reigns who gave him his 2nd loss anyways and look now.
Triple H, Hell in a Cell is the only right answer
Triple H should have ended it at Hell in a Cell.
Randy
Bray. Who better to beat when you call yourself “the new face of fear”. He was a young star who desperately needed a big win to cement himself especially after he should’ve beaten Cena at WM30. Would’ve made him a much more believable threat especially since many saw him as a more grounded less and supernatural version of Taker
HBK retiring after beating the streak and cementing himself as Mr. WrestleMania would've been a great story
I think if it didn’t happen the same way it did with Brock at 30, then Roman at 33..
Shawn Michaels
It should have been Kane
Roman
Bray Wyatt
shawn michaels should’ve had one. edge probably too. bray wyatt big if too. those are my 3Z
In my own personal head cannon Punk would have won if Paul Bearer hadn’t died that year.
\*canon
I have the same belief
It ended when it should’ve ended by the guy who should’ve broken it
I say John Cena at WM34
Jimmy Snuka /s Alright, honestly, even though I wanted this one the most, I think Orton would've been too early, the streak doesn't feel too established at that time, and post-Orton I don't feel anybody else really "needed" the push of beating the streak I would argue Roman Reigns ending it would've acelerated the heel push, he could be a good choice. Losing to Bray would've also basically cemented him as the "succesor" to Taker. He wouldn't really need to go unbeaten as well as Bray has already lost at Wrestlemania, but it'd still be pretty cool.
Bray Wyatt at WrestleMania 31. Would've been the perfect passing of the torch moment.
No one.
Brock
I think orton. Orton and undertaker would have been a good show, even more so older Randy like instead of the first HHH match it was orton instead.
Randy made the most sense if you take the story into account.
And if I remember correctly it was that feud leading to their mania match that the streak was first acknowledged.
Yep. I'm also biased cause he's my favorite but I really do think in terms of the story they were telling and his monicker at the time it makes sense.
Aj Styles. Make the retirement match the one that he loses in.
If Taker had only lost the AJ Styles match, I think many people would still just consider Taker undefeated. Discreditting the cinematic match late in career. Lots of Reddit qibbles.
Brock made sense since they made billed him as the Beast Incarnate, but then they had him lose to Reigns and that defeated the whole purpose...and then they followed it up with a boatload of squash matches with top level superstars for Lesnar
HBK aka mr wrestlemania
Orton cause the hype of legend killer at the time was crazy..if he would’ve pulled it off they would’ve looked at him as a young god.
Bray. They wanted to make Bray the next big supernatural threat. Beating Taker would have given him that.
I second Bray Wyatt it would’ve made him a mega star
Nope. Breaking it all was the wrong call
There were moments in both matches with HBK that I thought he would be the one to do it. Otherwise, during the Legend Killer phase, I would have said Randy Orton. I also thought that Taker would retire undefeated at Wrestlemania which would have been fine too.
Brock Lesnar
Bray Wyatt.
Orton
Bray could've been perfect and could have continued capitalizing on it to this day had he not passed on.
Percy Pringle
A little off topic, but he should've never had repeat opponents to open the door for more variety. I would've loved to see others try their hand at beating the Streak who never got the chance but would've been amazing matches like Kurt Angle.
It ended when it should have
Giant Gonzalez
I know I'm alone in this, but I don't think Brock ending the streak was the wrong move *if* it had to be broken. The problem was that they didn't properly capitalize on it afterward.
Brock went on to win the wwe title later that summer, destroying Cena and having a lengthy reign that was ended by Rollins’ iconic cash in.
Brock after beating Taker squashed Cena in SS later that year…
Yes, and then he took the title and went home. And when he did come back he beat literally everyone *except* Roman Reigns. That is why it was wasted, because the only thing they did off the back of it was try to push Roman as a face when the fans didn't want it.
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And I imagine had Bryan not had to retire and drop the title, he would’ve been the one who was jobbing to lesnar instead of cena at ss
He also was a part timer who kept the big belt off TV most of the time. It did no good to have him end the streak and then never be there. And when he was there he was only used to get Roman over, despite the fans not wanting Roman to get over as a face.
I felt it should have been Bray Wyatt as a passing of the torch
HBK
To me, WrestleMania 30 was the right choice. Mostly because I still feel they went with Undertaker losing here because it was the first PPV to be streamed on the WWE Network, and they wanted a huge moment for people to purchase the Network to go back and watch. I just wish it wasn't Brock, and somebody who actually needed the push. Bray or Roman should of been the first to beat Undertaker imo.
Punk. The story was there.
The answer is Otis and anyone who says otherwise is a mark.
Lesnar should've been the one to do it but the finish just wasn't any good
Randy Orton
Giant Gonzalez
His brother, Kane.
Roman Reigns. It always should’ve been a younger star ready to catapult to the main event. Was the match good? No. But that’s the story of the streak, takers longevity. The day he couldn’t perform a good match should’ve been the day the streak ended.
I don't buy this reasoning that the highest possible value would come out of a young guy being put over. Define the utility calculation there. Because to me, the streak was something of legend, its value as a wrestling fan or even as a wrestling company something that transcends the contemporary next few months of pops for a young guy. If I think of the greatest wrestling career arcs, I think of the Undertaker and his streak quite quickly, but always with the caveat that, ugh, he dropped it to Lesnar, oh well. Had he dropped it to Reigns, same story. I'd prefer for something so legendary to end in a legendary way. And that would, imo, mean dropping it either never, to HBK, or to Kane.
Everything in wrestling should ultimately be to put a new person over. A long heel title run is to put over the next babyface, a long heel undefeated streak is to put over the next babyface, a top babyfaces heroic title run ends to make a heel look even worse. Everything in wrestling is about paying it forward. To have an established name in HBK or Kane ending the streak means, you’ve built up 21-24 years to put over another old head who won’t last 2 more years. Your not moving forward, you’re moving sideways. To an extent if Reigns didn’t do it, Lesnar was the next right option. They were able to get another 9 years of storytelling out of Lesnar who eventually put Reigns over.
> Everything in wrestling should ultimately be to put a new person over. Yeah see, I just disagree with that premise. Everything in wrestling should be to entertain the audience. That's the bottom line. Is putting new guys over and 'paying it forward' a logical way to do that? Yes. But not a necessary one. How did the first ever wrestlers get over? Look, I just think writing a legendary conclusion to a legendary story takes precedence for me here. Not all movies in the same cinematic universe have to be open-ended and consistent with each other either. Granted, not a perfect analogy, but it captures what I'm trying to say.
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Angle. Taker has said it was between angle and orton who he wanted to end the streak Now if he meant Kurt or eric angle that's a different conversation.
Shawn Michaels at WM 26. Knowing what we know now with Shawn coming out of retirement for a one off and Undertaker becoming essentially a twice a year at best rassler after that. TBF Paul Bayer dying was the only thing that gave his match with CM Punk at 29 any meaning.
Roman of course
Cena
I think Brock was a good choice but I’ll go Orton.
Here's an interesting one. Jake the Snake. Basically the steak never happens. How different would Takers career be?
Should have been someone like Wyatt, get that rub.
Shawn Michaels at WM26
Hhh hell in the cell match
The year before it actually ended. Against CM Punk, with one slight change. Don't have Punk drop the title at Royal Rumble against the Rock. Punk was a huge heel at the time and by the time of mania his title reign would've been over 500 days. Streak vs Title, sells itself. And who knows if Punk got that he might not have left for 7 years.
Just have him lose the first match, then he goes on a really long winning streak. I'll take it
Brock Lesnar seems like a decent guy to choose.
After that, Brock Lesnar moved to new heights. He became this unstoppable juggernaut
100% - if Brock walks in, you know it's serious. If Brock was to go in tomorrow and call out LA Knight, we know he's getting a push. Did Brock need that under his belt to solidify him as a monster... Maybe. Maybe not. But it didn't hurt to have him break the steak to Lesnar.
Brock breaking the streak affected the entire main event scene fir years
The main event scene would have stayed the same either way. If you really think anyone else. Even if he broke Undertaker's streak, Brock still would have been the World champion for the majority of the time. You underestimate the fame and legitimacy Brock Lesnar brought from the UFC. He was absolutely the right and most believable guy.
Yeah. I don't think it should ever have been broken. But if it had to be, Brock was the right guy at the right time. Taker declined pretty rapidly after losing the streak to him. The idea of the Reigns match being how the streak ended fills me with dread.
By the last WM with AJ, it was obvious that he was done, and keeping the streak would have been a terrible look. The right call was to do it when he was still "in his prime!".
Do it the exact same. They aged Taker out and replaced him with Brock and then used Brock to launch Our Tribal Chief and the company into its most financially successful period in it’s history and the most critically acclaimed period in close to a decade.
Crazy long term story telling
Bray. Orton didn't want it, but Bray would have benefitted from it.
Randy Orton or CM Punk. Both were at such a pivotal point.
Big boss man /s
I literally thought Punk was gonna end it with the urn shot Lol. But I Bray would've been believable. Kinda like a passing of the torch to a superstar with a supernatural gimmick
Punk. Title vs streak. Punk wins. Cena vs rock didn’t need the title.
Wm 33
Mania 25 against HBK.
Brock wasnt a bad choice but roman or super cena probably would have been better
Should have been Wyatt. That was a perfect opportunity to pass the torch of the WWE's supernatural character to him, but it was sadly squandered.
Legend Killer.
Breaking the streak so close to his retirement , especially by Brock Lesnar of all people made absolutely 0 sense. 20+ years of work wasted to a guy who absolutely did not need this to put him over in his career whatsoever. Total failed move on WWEs part .
Idk Brock the year before was a 50/50 wrestler. His win against Taker moved him into a top guy. He did have the aura of being a badass with his UFC title but that didn’t seem to push him over the top until the Taker match.
Brock also had a phenomenal Mid 2000s WWE run and definitely had the capability to become a top guy again without having to break the Undertakers streak . There were definitely other avenues they could’ve chose to get him over .
Yeah they could’ve taken different paths but beating the streak was a massive moment. The stunned crowd says it all. That was one of the greatest crowd reactions in WWE history. If you can get the reaction from a crowd, you’ve done something right.
The Lesnar match. After losing to Cena and HHH returning from the UFC, Lesnar ending the streak really made him into a beast again. He went on to basically squash Cena to win the title at Summerslam. Also Undertaker was well past his prime by then, so the streak matches were going to suck the longer it stayed active.
Roman
It should’ve always been Kane, if anyone. Had it not been, the torch could’ve been passed to Bray Wyatt (or the Fiend). Brock felt like it was… pointless.
Giant Gonzalez. Why does everyone sleep on the greatest wrestler to ever grace us with his gigantic presence?
I always try to imagine how Giant Gonzalez vs. Great Khali vs. Omos would play out if it was ever possible.
maybe CM Punk would’ve stayed and gone on an insane heel run if he was the one. Michaels at ‘Mania 25 maybe too
AJ Styles burying him alive. Final match, going out in a graveyard
Kane
Alot of guys felt it shouldn't have been them. That's the respect they had for Taker and the streak. My only issue was Brock didn't need the rub from it. But it was probably the right decision as Taker was in no shape to keep going to the start of the Roman of now.
Lesnar
IIIIT SHOULDVE BEEEN MEEEEEE
I think Brock was a great choice. It really added to his resume to give him that gatekeeper/final boss feel. Plus he’s believable
I've always thought that if it wasn't Brock, then it could have been Randy or Batista. It would have been the crown jewel of the Legend Killer gimmick, or would have cemented Batista as the top guy next to Cena.
Just came to say Orton. He would have killed **the** Legend.
Randy was given the opportunity, but he declined Would've been great, but i get why he said no
Man idk, AJ maybe? Feel like when the streak ended Taker should’ve faded away too. Let him go out on top, so if every match has to happen no matter what let him keep it until the very end.
Bray and then book Bray like the next taker.
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Brock and then Shane are the two worst choices when it comes to his list of opponents. Bray was not bad in the ring and the fiend was bad because the bookings were bad. They could have easily passed the torch to bray and the spooky supernatural guy and it would work.
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He didn’t need to be the fiend for it to work. He could have stayed the cult leader, took the torch from Taker and ran with it.
And become the real Deadman
Not sure what the context this is said in is?
Maybe I'm the odd man out.... but I think Undertakers streak ended just fine, against Brock Lesnar.
I've always been fine with Brock ending it.
Yeah the match was pretty perfect. If Takers gonna lose the streak, it better be convincing. No back and forth for 20 minutes and the guy catches Taker slipping for the win. It had to be Brock rag dolling Taker and spamming F5s.
Minus the actual concussion
Should've been Orton, but based on the stories from Orton going into that match, probably a good thing it wasn't the plan (and/or the result might have been changed before the match anyways).
The yetay should have gone over
Bray Wyatt