WWE 100 Greatest Matches Review

Recently, I purchased a copy of WWE's latest book of the 100 Greatest Matches of all-time. The concept intrigued me from the moment that I saw the Cover. It also made me think about the Top 100 Matches Countdown that they did on WWE.com. The Countdown that they did on the Website was interesting yet insightful, with a combination of matches from WWE to NWA, WCW, WCCW, etc., with quotes from fans and writers. However, it did raise many eyebrows because of the fact that the ONLY Women's match on the Countdown was Charlotte vs. Natalya from an NXT event. So are they telling me that Trish Stratus and Lita did not have matches that were up to par? Whatever. I was expecting this Book to be very similar. However, there would be some surprises and rather not so surprising differences compared to the WWE website:

• All of the matches are only from WWE History: If you are looking for your fix of Ric Flair vs Ricky Steamboat, this book is not for you. Instead, go to the WWE Network. If you are not a subscriber, it is just for the great price of $9.99. (Mick Foley Cheap Pop). When they say Greatest Matches in "WWE History", that is EXACTLY what they mean. No Sting matches to be found. The furthest that this book goes back to is the match where Bruno Sammartino defeated "Nature Boy" Buddy Rogers to win his first WWWF Title (5/17/1963). This book also has the match where Bruno lost the title to "Superstar" Billy Graham. The ONLY Dusty Rhodes match that you will ever find is his Texas Death Match with "Superstar" Billy Graham (10/24/1977). Clearly, Dusty's WWF/E Polka Dot years were nowhere near what he did down South in NWA. It looks like they needed to add Dusty in as a tribute to keep up with the theme. Other maches include Bob Backlund vs. Stan Hansen in a Steel Cage match for the then WWF Championship (4/6/1981). Stan's best work was in Japan, but they probably felt that he should be in considering his recent Hall of Fame Induction. For crying out loud, the book even includes Sgt. Slaughter vs. Pat Patterson. How could you talk about WWE History without the man that wrote most of it's history? Hulk Hogan himself. The book even includes the match where he defeated Iron Sheik to win his first World Title in MSG. Other matches include his matches with the likes of Andre, Savage, Piper, and Warrior. Enough said.  
• The Addition of Chris Benoit: Even though he is a pariah and a blight to WWE History and will NEVER join the HOF, Chris Benoit surprisingly has a match in this book. It looks like WWE and the publishers did this to make the obsessed Benoit fans shut up. Benoit only has one match in this collection of great matches, and it is NOT his WrestleMania XX match (his shining moment). Instead, it is his Ladder Match with Chris Jericho at Royal Rumble 2001 for the Intercontinental Championship. As the book was put together, they were very strategic by not showing Benoit's face and only highlighting one match. If they included his crowning moment at WrestleMania XX, that would send a message that they are trying to Champion him in spite of what he did. The match itself is too tainted and WWE did not want to touch that with a 30-foot pole. 
• No Rankings: None of the matches in this Book are ranked. Doing a list about ANYTHING can be a difficult task, let alone a Top 100 List. That in itself is daunting and mentally exhausting. Instead, some matches receive awards that were voted by fans, superstars, etc (Greatest Match, Favorite Match, etc). Undertaker vs. Shawn Michaels from WrestleMania 25 won the Award for being voted Greatest Match of All-Time by WWE.com. Savage vs Steamboat, and Shawn vs Razor (WM X) also won Awards. 
• More than one Women's Match: It was great to see that WWE gave more shine to Women's Matches. I would also go on as to say these matches were better than Nattie vs. Charlotte. The matches included Trish vs. Lita from Unforgiven 2006 (Trish's Retirement Match), Trish vs. Mickie James (WM 22), as well as Sasha Banks vs Bayley from NXT Takeover: Brooklyn. That NXT: Brooklyn match won the PWI Match of the Year. 
• Sketchy Match Selection: With the Great matches that are included, there are some that are missing that you would expect to be in there. For example, no Cena vs HBK from WM 23, or HBK vs Taker from WM 26. Instead, you have Paige vs Emma, Ziggler vs Bryan and USO's vs Wyatts to name a few. Not exactly the ideal matches when talking about the "Greatest" matches in history. I'm guessing that they don't want to overexpose certain wrestlers that have more than one great match, so they are probably trying to spread out the variety. 

Overall, this book is still a great addition to any wrestling fan's collection. Just remember to take whatever WWE makes with a grain of salt. Though politics make certain selections questionable, the overall package is a classic. 

I give this 4 out of 5. As far as a belt ranking, I give this 4 out of 5 Shawn Michaels WWF Championship Belts. 

Seth Rollins: Redesign, Rebuild, Reclaim

Out of the many returns post WrestleMania, the return of Seth Rollins is the one that I have been the most excited about. Recently, WWE did their 24 Special on Seth's road to recover as it was appropriately named "Redesign, Rebuild, Reclaim". It was a behind the scenes look into Seth's journey to recovery. His peers from AJ Styles, Kevin Owens to Sami Zayn were all amazed at how exceptional Seth is as a performer. Styles mentioned the story of when he wrestled Rollins 10 years ago. At that time, he knew that Seth would be a big deal. Even though he is a heel, I felt bad not seeing him around for so long. Seth's injury was so severe that he obviously missed out on WrestleMania 32 in Dallas, TX (a record breaking crowd of 101,763). In the special, you can tell that it was eating away as Rollins himself let everyone know. It is sad for anyone who is a top star to lose their momentum with one bad injury. John Cena gave encouragement by saying that Seth will not have to worry about missing WrestleMania like that anymore. He said that Rollins  has many more WrestleManias ahead of him. Cena is right. The footage was tough to watch. Seth's motto is "Redesign, Rebuild, Reclaim". In a way, Seth also said it was needed so that he could regroup and appreciate what he already had. Rollins is on a mission to Redesign who he is as a performer. It is time for him to Rebuild that which was broken as he is out to Reclaim the WWE Championship that he did not lose by pinfall or submission. He was the Undisputed MVP last year. Not only was Seth "Superstar of the Year" but he was also the PWI "Wrestler of the Year" as well as "Most Hated Wrestler of the Year". This past week also marked two years since the Shield disbanded. In the aftermath, no one expected Seth to break out the way that he did.

As we quickly approach "Money In the Bank", let's look forward to finally having the chance to see Seth and Roman start the war we have been waiting for. I'm looking forward to big things from Rollins as I expect to see The Architect build something even greater than what he built over the past two years.

Reigns Retains; Rollins Returns

After defeating AJ Styles in yet another phenomenal match (no pun intended), Roman Reigns retained the WWE World Heavyweight Championship. In these two recent battles with Styles, Roman has proven that he has what it takes to dance in a high quality match by bringing his very best as AJ brought his best. Roman proved that he is no slouch despite what the IWC critics say, and that he has improved gradually as an in-ring performer. The match at Payback was very thrilling, even though they had to restart thanks to Shane and Stephanie. However, I would say that this match tops it just because it did not have those interruptions. Roman is truly an athletic stud in the ring, and he let it be known with what he pulled out of his arsenal. He even turned a Razor's Edge into a Sit-Out Powerbomb. This match was a straight-out war. The veteran AJ Styles did the Styles Clash not once but twice and Roman kicked out. I'm not surprised because that is how WWE likes to book someone that they have chosen to be the franchise star. That is why fans are tired of John Cena. Then again, if Roman gets criticized, look how many times Styles kicked out of Roman's signature moves. It's all about adding suspense to the match and telling a story and both of these men did that. The USO's and "The Club" would get involved, but "Super" Roman survived the onslaughts and won with a Spear. This was easily a candidate for "Match of the Year".

I am not the number 1 Roman Reigns fan, but I am willing to give him a chance. I see plenty of upside in him to make it as the Marquee Star that WWE desires him to be. After Roman emerges victorious, Seth Rollins surprises everyone by attacking Reigns from behind. Seth ends the night by giving him the Pedigree. Rollins would stand over his former Shield partner while holding the WWE Championship. The sight of Seth holding the title in the air was reminiscent of when he held the gold high at the end of WrestleMania 31. The fans cheered Seth for attacking Roman, even though Rollins is naturally a heel. Seth colored most of his hair black as he has gotten rid of the "Rogue" hairstyle with the streak in his head. Seth's injury was so severe that he was expected to be out for 9 months going into Summerslam. Instead, he returned in 6 months.

The next night on RAW, Shane McMahon set up the match between Seth Rollins and Roman Reigns for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship. Seth missed out on WrestleMania, which was a huge void for the overall match card in spite of the 101,763 fans in attendance that night. I believe that Mania STILL would have reached that number with Rollins healthy.

Either way, I believe WWE still had big plans for Seth going into the Summer. It seems as though Roman has moved on from this chapter with AJ Styles. The feud with Styles was beneficial in the sense that it challenged Roman to improve as an in-ring worker.

Now that this chapter with AJ Styles has come to an end, Roman can now transition to his primary rival, his former brother in The Shield. The match with Seth at Money In the Bank could be the launching pad for bigger matches down the line. This chapter with Rollins is what is "Best for Business" for both Roman and Seth.

Greatest Hall of Fame Classes

With the WWE Hall of Fame approaching, we would like to celebrate the best Hall of Fame Classes of all-time:

2005

Class: H. Hogan, Piper, Iron Sheik, Jimmy Hart, Bob Orton, Jr., Paul Orndorff, Nikolai Volkoff
This Class was Special because these were the stars of the first WrestleMania. I always call it the "WrestleMania I Crew". The Class was headlined by none other than H. Hogan himself, the focal point of the "Rock & Wrestling" Golden Era from the 80's. Along with him would be his friend Jimmy Hart, rivals Roddy Piper, Iron Sheik, Paul Orndorff, Nikolai Volkoff, and "Cowboy" Bob Orton, Jr. The induction took place the night before WM 21 in Los Angeles, CA.

2006
Class: Bret Hart, Eddie Guerrero, The Blackjacks, Sensational Sherri, William Perry, Tony Atlas, Verne Gagne

The Headliner for this Class was "The Hitman" Bret Hart with his presenter being Stone Cold Steve Austin. Bret and Austin had their Iconic WM 13 match in Chicago, so it was fitting that Bret chose him given their history. As a long time fan of Bret, this was very special for me. I also believe that the seeds were slowly being planted for Bret to be eased back into WWE one step at a time even though he finally made his return to WWE Television four years later. Bret still had his grudge with HBK, as that explains why Shawn was not present that night. This was also done to promote Bret's DVD "Best There Is, Was and Ever Will Be." The impact of Bret's appearance in years since the "Montreal Screwjob" was enough to boost the credibility of this class. Eddie Guerrero was inducted posthumously following his death in November 2005. His induction was very emotional and pulled the heartstrings of the fans that night.

2014
Class: Ultimate Warrior, Razor Ramon, Jake "The Snake" Roberts, Lita, Mr. T, Paul Bearer, Carlos Colon

This was a fantastic HOF Class for the 30th Anniversary of WrestleMania. It was significant because it presented closure as The Ultimate Warrior was the Headliner for this Class. Warrior just made amends with WWE thanks to Triple H in order to break the ice between himself and Vince McMahon. Before his death, The Ultimate Warrior signed a Legends Contract that would allow him to be an Ambassador for the WWE. This also included Warrior's commercial promoting WWE 2K14. Warrior was the marquee attraction during HOF Weekend and gave the best speech in my view. This was also a night to welcome back Jake Roberts and Razor Ramon (Scott Hall) after they were cleaned up thanks to DDP Yoga. The quote that stuck out the most in Hall's speech was "Bad Times don't last, but Bad Guys do." Lita was presented by her arch rival Trish Stratus. Mr. T had one of the best speeches of the night, as he was a huge part of the first WrestleMania. Paul Bearer was inducted by Kane and Undertaker while his sons accepted on his behalf. Carlos Colon (World Wrestling Council) was inducted by his sons.

2015

Class: "Macho Man" Randy Savage, Kevin Nash, Tatsumi Fujinami, Madusa/Alundra Blayze, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Larry Zbysko, The Bushwhackers, Rikishi
This Class was special because there were inductions that were LONG overdue. This was an HOF that represented closure. However, it was also bittersweet because the Headliner for this HOF Class was not alive to accept this honor. "Macho Man" Randy Savage passed away in a Car Accident four years earlier. His brother Lanny Poffo accepted on his behalf. Madusa was finally welcomed back to WWE after 20 years of bad blood for her infamous act of dropping the Women's Title in the trash can at the start of the Monday Night Wars. Natalya was her presenter. Madusa made a light-hearted joke of the situation by bringing a trash can to the stage with the Title. Arnold Schwarzenegger was the Celebrity Choice with Triple H as his presenter. At WM 31, Triple H paid tribute with his Terminator Entrance. Larry Zbysko took his place in the HOF as well. Japanese legend Tatsumi Fujinami was honored. The head scratching choices for this class were The Bushwhackers and Rikishi. Fans did not understand because they were mostly comedy acts in WWE, and that is all that was shown in their video packages. Meanwhile, their body of work was stronger outside of WWE for the most part. Kevin Nash closed out the night with Shawn Michaels as his presenter. The Kliq ended things on a high note as they celebrated together.

2012
Class: Edge, Four Horsemen, Mike Tyson, Yokozuna, Ron Simmons, Mil Mascaras

This HOF Class had great quality. What helped to make it special for me was that it took place on the weekend of WM 28, one of the best of recent memory. The headliner for this class was Edge because of how his career was sadly cut short due to injury. The Four Horsemen and Mike Tyson were the next big names for induction. Yokozuna was the posthumous induction presented by Rikishi. Ron Simmons was inducted by JBL and Mil Mascaras was the International pick presented by Alberto Del Rio.

2011
Class: Shawn Michaels, LOD, "Hacksaw" Jim Duggan, Sunny, Abdullah The Butcher, Bob Armstrong, Drew Carey

In 2011, Shawn Michaels added another moniker to his resume: "Mr. Hall Of Fame". HBK was the Marquee Headliner for the Class of 2011 and it was special for his best friend Triple H to present him into the HOF. Shawn is highly regarded as the Greatest In-Ring Performer of all-time. This came off the heels of his retirement after his finale with Undertaker at WM 26 as well as WWE naming him the Greatest of All-Time on their Top 50 "Superstars" list. HBK is one of the most decorated stars in history. Along with Shawn, The Road Warriors/LOD were inducted. According to many fans, LOD is the Greatest Tag-Team of all-time. So it was rather fitting that they were inducted with HBK. Plus, The Road Warriors enjoyed some of their best success in the NWA along with WWE and other promotions. Abdullah The Butcher and "Hacksaw" Jim Duggan were also inducted along with Bob Armstrong, Sunny and the most head scratching induction, Drew Carey.



2004
Class: Harley Race, "Superstar" Billy Graham, Bobby "The Brain" Heenan, Sgt. Slaughter, Junkyard Dog, Pete Rose, Jesse Ventura, Tito Santana, Big John Studd, Greg Valentine, Don Muraco

On the 20th Anniversary of WrestleMania, WWE brought back the Hall of Fame in a huge way. In 2004, WWE inducted their largest class in HOF History with 11 Inductees. The names included were former NWA Champion Harley Race, "Superstar" Billy Graham, Bobby Heenan, Sgt. Slaughter, JYD, Jesse Ventura, Tito Santana, Big John Studd, Greg Valentine, Don Muraco, and the first celebrity induction Pete Rose. Much of this class consists of stars that were part of the late 70's/early 80's and midcard/upper main eventers. Harley was essentially the headliner because of his body of work even though he was a huge star outside of WWE. It was similar to how Ric Flair was the headliner for 2008 although he was a major star outside of WWE as well. Superstar was a huge attraction for MSG in the late 70's as WWWF Champion. Sgt. Slaughter was also a mainstay in the Garden with his feuds with Tito Santana, Bob Backlund, etc. Muraco, Valentine and Santana were all mainstays as IC Champion during their time. JYD and Studd were both supporting cast members during the Rock & Wrestling Boom Period. Jesse and Bobby were star commentators during the 80's.

2009
Class: Stone Cold Steve Austin, Ricky "The Dragon" Steamboat, The Von Erichs, Terry and Dory Funk, Howard Finkel, Koko B. Ware, Bill Watts

During the 25th Anniversary of the Grandest Stage of them All, WrestleMania took place at the Astrodome in Houston, TX. This was certainly a Texas based HOF Class with Stone Cold Steve Austin as the Headliner with his best friend Jim Ross inducting him. Ricky Steamboat was inducted by his arch rival Ric Flair. Texas Legends and WCCW headliners The Von Erichs were inducted by Michael Hayes. Terry and Dory Funk were also inducted along with "Cowboy" Bill Watts. Legendary Ring Announcer Howard Finkel joined the HOF as well as Koko B. Ware.

2008
Class: Ric Flair, Rocky Johnson, High Chief Peter Maivia, Briscoe Brothers, Mae Young, Eddie Graham, Gordon Solie

In his farewell, Ric Flair was the Center of Attention for WrestleMania Weekend in 2008. Flair was the headliner for the class of 2008 as Triple H was his presenter. Meanwhile, The Rock inducted his father Rocky Johnson and grandfather "High Chief" Peter Maivia. The Briscoe Brothers, legendary Women's wrestler Mae Young, Florida Championship Wrestling Legend Eddie Graham and NWA Announcer Gordon Solie were also inducted.




2013
Class: Bruno Sammartino, Bob Backlund, Mick Foley, Booker T, Trish Stratus, Donald Trump

This HOF weekend took place in the New York/New Jersey area. So naturally, it would be a NY themed HOF with Bruno Sammartino as the headliner along with other NYC mainstays like Bob Backlund and Mick Foley. Sammartino and Backlund were two of the longest-reigning WWWF Champions before the explosion of business during the Golden-Era. This was also a sense of closure for Bruno and Backlund, especially in the case for Sammartino. Booker T was also inducted with his brother Stevie Ray. Booker entertained the crowd with a Spinarooni as well. During Foley's speech, he mentioned that he never defeated Chris Jericho. Y2J and CM Punk joined Mick on stage. Foley gives Jericho the elbow drop as Punk counts to 3. Trish Stratus was the staple of the Women's Division during the 2000's and it was great to witness her induction. Finally, Donald Trump was the celebrity involved considering that it was in NYC. I don't agree, but WWE loves publicity.

Sting joins the WWE Hall of Fame

Congratulations to Sting for officially becoming a member of the WWE Hall of Fame. It is a great honor for WWE to recognize his contributions to the sport of professional wrestling itself and reward him in a fantastic way. Sting was not only the face of WCW, but he was the backbone of that company. He was the ultimate constant when others came and went through the revolving door of WCW as the times changed. Sting initially received his big break in the NWA when he wrestled Ric Flair at Clash of the Champions I to a 45-minute draw. That match put Sting on the map as a major player in wrestling. Sting would feud with the likes of Ric Flair and Great Muta along with Lex Luger.

At the Great American Bash in 1990, Sting reached the mountain by defeating Ric Flair for the WCW Championship. When Flair left for the WWF in 1991, Sting stayed to keep things steady. During that time, business in WCW was pretty tough but Sting made the best out of what was given to him. He feuded with Luger over the title and did what he could to make his friend look better. The best feud that Sting had in Flair's absence was with Vader from 92-93. Sting would reinvent himself during the dawn of the Monday Night Wars in the mid-late 90's as he became the Crow. As the Crow, Sting would be chosen to save WCW from the NWO when he defeated Hollywood Hogan at Starrcade 1997. Sting would enjoy a decorated legacy in WCW. He was to WCW what Undertaker was to (WWF) at that time.

However, there have been some detractors lately that feel as though Sting does not "deserve" to be in the WWE Hall of Fame because he was not a "WWE guy" and because he "lost too many matches". First of all, if Drew Carey, Pete Rose and William "Refrigerator" Perry can go to the Hall of Fame, there should be NO complaints about Sting. Apparently, today's fans either have never seen Sting, were too young or just plain forgot how good Sting really was. When it comes to stars that built legacies without Vince's help, Sting is the greatest. Abdullah the Butcher has NEVER, EVER stepped foot inside of Vince McMahon's ring, but he is in the HOF. His career was nowhere near Sting's level. Nick Bockwinkel was predominantly an AWA Star. Yet, he is in the Hall of Fame because WWE respects his AWA legacy. Why can't people appreciate Sting having that same kind of honor? Nothing against Nick (RIP) or Abdullah, but they did not have the same level of impact that Sting has had. Sting was something special and unique during his heyday as I grew up watching him. He had what it took to survive and thrive as the culture started to shift in wrestling. However, Sting spent quite a number of years in TNA. In a way, that did not do his legacy any favors when it comes to the modern fans that couldn't care less about TNA. For years, Sting kept holding off making his move to WWE because he was skeptical about Vince's track record when it comes to WCW talent. He had a point to an extent. In the end, he came to realize that no matter what, WWE is the place to be for his career to fully receive its ultimate recognition as the Hall of Fame would be his final reward.

2015: Year of the Shield

When you think of 2014-2015, the most frequent players in WWE have been the rising stars of the Shield (Roman Reigns, Seth Rollins, Dean Ambrose). Throughout their tenure, these three have made a huge impact in their own way. As the Shield, they were a dominant force to be reckoned with. They left a trail of destruction. From John Cena, The Rock, Undertaker, etc, the Shield spared no one. The Shield won every title except for the WWE Title and the IC Title. Even when the group split, they were still highly featured in storylines. As we know, Roman was the muscle of the group. Ambrose was the voice. Rollins was the workhorse.

Fast forward to 2015, each star has made their own separate mark as singles competitors. With the exception of John Cena, Randy Orton and Brock Lesnar, the former Shield members have been the biggest standouts from start to finish. Now, time to take a look at their journeys through the year.

Roman Reigns:

Roman Reigns has been a central figure for the WWE throughout the year. From the time that he won the Royal Rumble, Roman has been under the microscope of the Wrestling Community. Like him or hate him, Reigns has been a talking point. Reigns went from being prematurely positioned as The Rock/John Cena 2.0 by being in the Main Event of WM 31 to enduring a roller coaster ride to the top of the mountain. Fans in Philadelphia booed Roman out of the building when he won the Royal Rumble. Even when The Rock raised his hand, the fans still were not happy because they looked at Roman's journey as too predictable. The fans all across the IWC could clearly see Vince's plans for him to be the face of the company and they rebelled. The backlash against Roman was among the most intense that I ever witnessed for anyone besides John Cena. They felt that WWE was forcing Roman to become a megastar when in their eyes he was not their ideal choice (ex: Daniel Bryan). Like the year before with Batista, the fans were dissatisfied because WWE did not let their Internet Hero Daniel Bryan win the Rumble. Fans even threatened to cancel their Network Subscriptions (how many REALLY did it?). To make matters even worse, Reigns defeated Bryan at Fastlane to keep his spot as number 1 contender for WrestleMania. People that were anti-Roman were only supporting him because they did not want to see Brock Lesnar hold the title any longer. As a result of the heat from the fans, WWE pulled the plug on crowning Roman as WWE Champion. Instead, they pulled the trigger for Seth Rollins to cash in his Money In The Bank Briefcase as he pinned former Shield colleague Roman Reigns to win the WWE Championship. After the carpet was pulled from under his feet at WrestleMania, Reigns participated in the MITB Ladder Match. Instead, Bray Wyatt cost him the match as Sheamus won the Briefcase. During this time, Roman was severely scrutinized by the IWC for his lack of mic skills. They continued to make fun of him and count him out because they thought he was too green. Fans thought he was more style than substance and heavily compared him to Cena. After losing his shot to be the number 1 contender, Roman went into a feud with Bray Wyatt that reached its culmination at Hell In A Cell as Reigns conquered his enemy. Along the way, Roman worked hard to improve himself in the ring as he delivered better quality matches compared to where he was after the Shield split. Many fans still were not satisfied. When Rollins was sidelined due to injury, people started to put their stock in another Ring Of Honor Alum, Kevin Owens. The Roman hate was so out of control that fans cheered when Sheamus cashed in his MITB Briefcase at Survivor Series to defeat him for the Title. I can understand someone supporting a Kevin Owens, but Sheamus?! That is ridiculous. People were so bent on hating everything about Roman that they picked someone who is basically a caricature as WWE Champion. Clearly, Sheamus was not the answer as WWE went back to the drawing board with Reigns. The night after TLC, Roman Reigns wrestled Sheamus in Philadelphia. Vince McMahon booked the match with the stipulation of Reigns being fired if he did not win. So, it was meant for him to win that night. After multiple times of being close and falling short, Roman finally reached the mountain and stayed there. That night, Reigns defeated Sheamus to recapture the WWE World Heavyweight Championship. Roman won the title in the same building where the fans booed him at the Royal Rumble 11 months earlier. Roman's journey came full circle from winning the Rumble in January to winning the Title in December in the exact same arena. Instead of boos, Roman was greeted with cheers from the crowd. Roman's friend Dean Ambrose and his cousins The USO's came to the ring to celebrate with him. Not to sound like a cliche, but it was great to see this journey reach a happy ending at the end of the year. Losing at WrestleMania turned out to be a blessing in disguise for Reigns, because it gave him time to make adjustments to improve. The WWE probably wanted to test Roman to see how he could handle adversity and he has clearly passed this test. 2015 ends with the rise of the Roman Empire.

Seth Rollins:

The Self-Proclaimed "Architect" of the Shield has enjoyed a banner year as he has built upon his success from last year following the Shield's breakup. Seth entered the year as the MITB Winner with the opportunity to cash in at any event. He was involved in the Triple Threat Match for the WWE Championship at the Royal Rumble involving Brock Lesnar and John Cena. In that match, Seth brought everything he had to the table and put everyone on notice about his abilities. Even in a loss, he showed how effective he can be in the Main Event. However, Rollins was caught in a controversy earlier in the year when he was caught in a Twitter Scandal. Seth's girlfriend leaked out nude pictures of him on Twitter. He became the Social Media Punchline all around the world. It looked as if the biggest push of Seth's career would be derailed because of this controversy because of how ignorant this mistake was. However, Vince McMahon, Triple H and the higher ups still stuck with their plan of keeping Rollins in their back pocket as future Champion. If this happened to anyone else, their career could be over. Not in the case of Rollins because WWE did not issue any punishment towards him. Instead, Seth apologized on Twitter. Even though Seth was not punished, this was a lesson for him to "Keep his Money In the Bank". Fast forward to WrestleMania. WWE is in panic mode from the outrage of the fans towards Roman Reigns. At the last minute, they push the Panic button by sending Rollins to the WWE Title Match to cash in his Briefcase. Seth delivers the Curb Stomp to Roman as he pins him to become the new WWE World Heavyweight Champion. It was a crowning moment and a form of redemption for Rollins as he closed the show holding the WWE Crown above his head. It created the spark that WrestleMania needed to create headlines for their main event. WrestleMania is all about the unexpected and this was the right moment. Rollins would fight off challengers from Dean Ambrose to Randy Orton. However, the big issue that faced Seth was how he was made to look weaker with J & J Security and Kane bailing him out. It made him look like he could not win any of his battles on his own. It felt like WWE was going to have them by his side forever to cover him. Rollins always had the ability, but the booking was weak. To make things worse, WWE banned the Curb Stomp. Instead, he had to use the Pedigree. Seth was becoming one of the heel champions that was made to look weak instead of looking strong while cheating. (Ric Flair, Edge, etc) Things changed when Brock Lesnar stepped into the picture and destroyed J&J Security and Kane. Seth proceeded to turn on Kane going into his title defense with Brock at Battleground. Once the chains came off and Rollins was on his own, his matches could be more respected. Seth's match with Brock ended in No Contest as Undertaker returned. Seth's next opponent was John Cena. Rollins had a fantastic match with Cena at Summerslam as he defeated him for the US Championship, making him the WWE World Champion and US Champion. Seth's reign as US Champion was short lived as Cena defeated him at Night Of Champions to win back the title. On the other hand, Rollins defeated Sting that same night to keep the WWE Title. Rollins would defeat Kane at Hell In A Cell to remain Champion. At this rate, it seemed as if he could have broken CM Punk's record of 434 Days as WWE Champion (I was supporting him). Unfortunately, Seth's reign came to an end thanks to an injury at a House Show during a match with Kane. Rollins spent 221 Days as WWE Champion. Nonetheless, Seth enjoyed an outstanding year. For much of the year, Seth was World Champion and dominated the Main Event Storylines. He proved that he could perform an outstanding match even in the midst of poor storylines and booking in between. When J&J Security were taken away, Rollins was able to shine brighter and carry himself better as Champion.

Dean Ambrose:

Dean Ambrose has been on quite a roller coaster in 2015. Early in the year, Ambrose was in the chase for the Intercontinental Title. The booking was awful (as usual lately) with multiple wrestlers stealing the title from R-Truth, Dolph Ziggler, Bad News Barrett to Ambrose himself. This was to set up for the IC Title Ladder Match at WrestleMania 31. Daniel Bryan ultimately won the title, but would forfeit due to injury. Dean would then set his sights on John Cena's US Title as he entered the Open Challenge. From the time that the Shield split, Dean could not win a Pay Per View Match. Finally, he defeated Luke Harper at Extreme Rules. Dean would then have a great match with former Shield member Seth Rollins for the WWE Championship at Elimination Chamber. Ambrose nearly had the match won, but Rollins got himself disqualified for shoving the referee. At Payback, Ambrose wrestled in a Fatal Four Way Match for the WWE Championship that included Seth Rollins (Champion), Randy Orton and Roman Reigns. Dean would soon team with Roman Reigns to feud with the revamped version of the Wyatt Family (w/Braun Stroman). At Night of Champions, Dean and Roman added Chris Jericho as their mystery partner. However, they would lose to the Wyatt Family. When Seth Rollins vacated the WWE Title due to injury, Dean joined the Survivor Series tournament for the vacated title. Ambrose would lose to Roman Reigns in the finals. Ambrose recently became the number one contender for the IC Title as he feuded with Kevin Owens. At TLC, Ambrose defeated Owens to become the new Intercontinental Champion. 

In August 2014, WWE Network aired a special about each of the Shield members on the start of their singles journey since they disbanded. This would lead up to Summerslam. Their was also a DVD called "The Destruction of the Shield". Dean Ambrose himself said that they would own this business. So far, you can say that they have owned 2015. Collectively, they have dominated. On their own, they are on their journey to greatness. I have always been a fan of the Shield, and I would like to see them do great things on their own. 

Undertaker: 25 Years of Destruction (Greatest Matches)

Over the Course of WWE History, there have been gimmicks that have come and have fallen. Many fell victim to the changing times in an industry that is constantly evolving. However, there is one gimmick that has been able to adapt with the forever changing landscape. There is one character that is able to whether the different storms that have come against wrestling while still standing strong. That legend is the Undertaker. For 25 Years, The Phenom has seen it all and done it all. Recently, I purchased the Book "25 Years of Destruction". It is a great encyclopedia that chronicles the transcendent career of one of the wrestling world's iconic attractions. It stays true to Kayfabe form and is very comprehensive as it gives the blow by blow details on the Phenom's legacy and his influence on the landscape of wrestling as we know it today.

Western Mortician (1990-1994):

Undertaker made his debut at Survivor Series being accompanied by Brother Love as a mystery partner for Ted DiBiase's Million Dollar Team. He made an impact pretty much from the time that he walked in the door. The Deadman was very impressive in his debut, taking out Koko B. Ware and Anvil with his classic Tombstone Piledriver. By early 1991, Brother Love announced that he could no longer guide the career of the Undertaker. That night, he introduced the man that would forever be linked to The Phenom, Paul Bearer. Undertaker and Paul Bearer were a perfect combination for each other. Paul's face was just as pale as Taker's. Plus, he carried an urn. Undertaker started his path of WrestleMania destruction by decimating Jimmy "Superfly" Snuka. During this period, Taker would also end his matches by placing his opponents in body bags. In the Spring of 1991, Undertaker would feud with Ultimate Warrior. The most significant moment of the feud came when Undertaker stuffed Warrior inside of a casket. Many thought Warrior was actually dead. That shows the impact of a character like The Undertaker. He would also align himself with Jake "The Snake" as Roberts feuded simultaneously with both Warrior and Randy Savage. At Survivor Series, Undertaker surprised everyone by defeating Hulk Hogan for the WWF Championship. However, The Undertaker surprised everyone when he stopped Jake "The Snake" from attacking Savage and Liz with a chair. Roberts asked him what side he was on. Taker answered "Not yours". This would change the perception of Undertaker from being an ominous villain to a protective figure that the fans would soon love and respect. Undertaker would vanquish Jake at WrestleMania VIII. During this time, Undertaker would start to refine his look. He would go from having a mullet to growing his hair out to make him look even more mysterious. Taker would then feud with Harvey Wippleman's henchmen such as Kamala and Giant Gonzalez. These were not quite the best dance partners for Undertaker, but he made the most out of what was fed to him. At Survivor Series, Undertaker dominated Kamala in the first-ever Casket Match. Taker would run into a roadblock with Giant Gonzalez in what would be the worst match of the Streak at WM IX. However, The Phenom put the Giant away once and for all at Summerslam '93. At the 1994 Royal Rumble, Undertaker challenged Yokozuna for the WWF Championship in a Casket Match. Yoko was known for having a fear of Caskets, which played right into Taker's advantage. When the Phenom was on the verge of putting the 550+ pound champion in the Casket, Crush, Adam Bomb, Diesel and others attacked Undertaker and put him in the Casket to help Yoko win the match. However, this would not be the last of the Undertaker. 

Highlights:

WWF Debut at Survivor Series

WrestleMania debut: 

Undertaker made his WrestleMania debut at WrestleMania VII, where he made short work of Jimmy "Superfly" Snuka. 

Feud with Ultimate Warrior

Survivor Series 1991: Defeated Hulk Hogan for WWF Championship

WrestleMania VIII: Defeated Jake "The Snake" Roberts

Royal Rumble 1994: Casket Match vs. Yokozuna for WWF Championship

Deadman Rises (1994-1996):

Undertaker emerged from his grave just in time for Summerslam to battle Ted DiBiase's counterfeit version of the Undertaker. He claimed that his Taker was the real version he claimed responsibility for introducing the Deadman to the WWF in 1990. Paul Bearer did not believe Ted's claim to have the real Undertaker. Bearer had been around Undertaker long enough to know who he really was, and he could tell the difference between the original and the imposter. Paul brought his Undertaker to battle DiBiase's Undertaker at Summerslam. The Real Undertaker returned at Summerslam, but with purple gloves and the purple tie as opposed to his traditional black and gray combination. Taker's appearance took on a better quality with darker hair, a goatee, more tattoos and even paler than before. The two Takers started the match staring each other down. The match told a great story as Undertaker conquered his counterfeit counterpart with the Tombstone Piledriver for the win. He overcame the likes of Kama and King Kong Bundy from the Million Dollar Corporation. After conquering Diesel, Undertaker was faced with an opponent whose gameplan he was not prepared for. That opponent was Mankind. Undertaker was wounded both physically and psychologically. Never before had an opponent gained a mental edge on Undertaker until Mankind came on the scene. To make things worse, Paul Bearer betrayed Undertaker at Summerslam.

Highlights:

Defeated Yokozuna in a Casket Match (Survivor Series 1994)

Defeated Diesel (WrestleMania XII)

Started feud with Mankind

Introduced the Buried Alive Match

Defeated Mankind (Buried Alive 1996)

 Lord of Darkness (1997-98):

By the start of 1997, Undertaker would dawn a new look. He would do away with the traditional image that fans have associated with him (Mortician) into a much more gothic image. He would sport a black v neck with black spandex along with black crosses. Instead of the classic gloves, he would exchange those for black leather gloves with holes for the fingers. Instead of the classic Undertaker black trenchcoat, he would wear a long black leather sleeveless robe. Taker would also get rid of the hat. However, Undertaker would bring back his classic attire for a special occasion at WrestleMania 13. The Streak was not even a topic of conversation at the time, WM 13 was the first time that Undertaker was in the Main Event during his WrestleMania career. To celebrate, Taker wore the gray gloves and tie for this special moment. That night, he defeated Psycho Sid to capture his second WWF Championship in six years. The match was not among Taker's best, but the moment where he held the belt high was more than enough. This period was when Undertaker enjoyed his longest title reign as WWF Champion from WrestleMania 13 to Summerslam. As Champion, Taker would fight off challengers from Stone Cold Steve Austin, Vader, and others such as a young Hunter Hearst Helmsley. In May 1997, Paul Bearer attempted to rejoin with Undertaker by using an ultimatum of revealing a "deep, dark secret" about his past involving his brother Kane. Taker was troubled with this secret for months as he continued to feud with Bearer. In July, Undertaker defeated Vader in a Casket Match. He would ultimately lose the WWF Title to Bret Hart at Summerslam after Special Referee Shawn Michaels nailed him with the steel chair. Shawn promised to call the match down the middle, because he said that if he did not, then he would not wrestle in the United States anymore. Bret Hart made a similar promise. Taker already had his hands full with the news about Kane, but he had another problem to deal with as this started a feud with him and Shawn. Michaels himself had problems with Bret, and he made another enemy out of Undertaker. When the fans thought they could present sympathy to Shawn, they were wrong. HBK admitted that he meant to hit Taker with the chair. This led to Undertaker challenging Shawn Michaels to the first ever Hell In A Cell Match at Badd Blood 1997. This match was made to determine the number 1 contender for Bret Hart's WWF Championship. The match was absolute warfare and was another revolutionary element of wrestling history from both Taker and Shawn. Just as Taker was ready to put the final nail in the coffin for HBK at the end of the match, Kane arrives with Paul Bearer. The Big Red Machine rips the door off of the cell and climbs into the ring to stare down his older brother. Kane gives Taker a Tombstone Piledriver so that HBK would pick up the win. Undertaker had two feuds running at the same time. Taker would challenge HBK for the WWF Title at the Royal Rumble in a Casket Match. It seemed as though Kane was on his brother's side against DX. However, that was not the case as The Big Red Machine costs The Deadman the Championship. After the match, Kane locked him in the casket and set it ablaze. When the casket lid was reopened, The Undertaker disappeared. Two months later, he returned and decided to fight Kane at WrestleMania. Undertaker defeated Kane at WM XIV and once again at Unforgiven in an Inferno Match. Undertaker would also rekindle his feud with Mankind as he defeated him at King of the Ring in an HIAC (Hell In A Cell Match). He would also win the World Tag Titles with Stone Cold. He would also challenge Austin for the WWF Title at Summerslam. Taker would later join with Kane to form the Brothers of Destruction as they would both challenge Austin for the Title.

Highlights:

Defeated Psycho Sid for the WWF Championship at WrestleMania 13

Started feud with Shawn Michaels

Wrestled in first ever HIAC (Badd Blood '97)

Started feud with Kane

Defeated Kane at WrestleMania XIV

Defeated Mankind at King of the Ring '98

Ministry of Darkness (1999):

By 1999, Undertaker's character took on an even more sinister twist than before. He became more of a cult-like leader of a group called the "Ministry of Darkness". This version of Taker was known for some very infamous moments in WWF/E History. First, he hung Stone Cold on his Undertaker symbol as if he was crucifying Austin. This moment put WWF in very hot water with the media. Parents and others were outraged because it was a very controversial moment. As times became edgier, so did Undertaker. You can't talk about the "Attitude Era" and not bring up how much controversy they created. He hung the Big Boss Man with a hangman's noose after he defeated him in a Hell In A Cell Match at WrestleMania XV. Taker also abducted Stephanie before Stone Cold saved her. During this time, Undertaker defeated Stone Cold to win his third WWF Championship. He would also team with Big Show to win the Tag Titles from The Rock & Sock Connection. 

Highlights:

Defeated Stone Cold Steve Austin for the WWF Championship

Won WWF Tag Titles with Big Show

The Biker Era (2000-2003):

The Undertaker made his long awaited return to the WWF at Judgment Day 2000. Only this time, he returned in a way that was non-traditional of the legendary gimmick. In the middle of the Ironman match between The Rock vs. Triple H for the WWF Title, The Undertaker arrives on a motorcycle blasting Kid Rock's music. The fans explode with cheers as Taker clears the ring with Chokeslams and a new finishing move called The Last Ride. Instead of the typical Undertaker ring attire that signified death, The Phenom wore sunglasses, jeans, a scarf and a leather jacket while riding Harley Davidsons. At this time, Undertaker started to talk more. He claimed that he would make his opponents "famous". This was closer to Mark than Undertaker. Not only did he become more humanized but he also put on some extra weight to be honest. During his matches, Taker would wrestle in jeans or leather pants. He would also start to wear the larger black gloves similar to the gloves that they wear in UFC. This would fit in line with Taker being more of a brawler. This version of Undertaker gets mixed reviews. Not my favorite version, but I along with others prefer this over the Ministry version of Taker. During this phase, Undertaker wrestled in the 6-man HIAC Match at Armageddon. He also defeated Triple H at WrestleMania X7. Undertaker would also make Diamond Dallas Page another notch on his belt during the time of the Invasion of WCW/ECW. The Brothers of Destruction would win the WCW Tag Team Titles during the Invasion as they helped Team WWF defeat The Alliance. After the Invasion, Undertaker returned in his Biker form, but as a heel. He would also cut his traditionally long hair. Taker defeated RVD at Vengeance for the Hardcore Title before losing it in February 2002. This version of Undertaker was known as "Big Evil" as he went everywhere demanding respect. Undertaker attacked The Rock and nailed him with a Tombstone on a car backstage. Ric Flair tried to reason with Taker but only made things worse. Undertaker attacked David Flair, which drove Flair past his limit. Flair challenged Big Evil to a match at WrestleMania 18. Undertaker would win as he pummeled the Nature Boy, closing the match with the Tombstone Piledriver to extend his streak to 10-0. Undertaker would defeat Steve Austin at Backlash to become the number 1 contender for Hulk Hogan's Undisputed WWE Championship. At Judgment Day, Undertaker defeated Hulk Hogan to become a four-time WWE Champion. This was the second time Taker defeated Hogan for the Title. The first time was 11 years earlier at Survivor Series. Much like their first match, Taker won with interference. Only this time, it was from Vince McMahon. Taker would hold the title until Vengeance where he lost to The Rock in a Triple Threat Match involving Kurt Angle. After losing the title, Undertaker would find a new rival in the rising phenomenon known as Brock Lesnar. Taker challenged Lesnar for the WWE Title. After their Match at Unforgiven went to a no-contest, Taker and Brock took things inside of the Cell at No Mercy. Their match was a bloodbath with Lesnar winning to retain the title. Taker would close out this gimmick with a Buried Alive Match vs. Vince McMahon at Survivor Series. When Taker had the win in the palm of his hands, in typical little brother fashion Kane interferes. 

Highlights:

Defeated Triple H at WrestleMania 17

Won WCW Tag Titles with Kane

Helped Team WWF defeat The Alliance

Defeated RVD for Hardcore Title

Defeated Hulk Hogan for WWE Championship

2004-Present:

After losing the Buried Alive Match at Survivor Series 2003, The Undertaker resurfaced at the 20th Anniversary of WrestleMania (WM XX) on March 20, 2004, at Madison Square Garden. That night, he gained his revenge on Kane, as he defeated his younger brother with the Tombstone Piledriver for the second time on the grandest stage of them all. Taker returned in Deadman form, as he made his entrance with the classic druids. This version of Undertaker has become a hybrid of the classic Taker gimmick mixed with the Biker because he still does the Last Ride. Early on, he also wore the leather pants like the Biker version. Over time, Undertaker has added new weapons to his arsenal of moves. With the inspiration of UFC/MMA, Undertaker has added a Submission hold to his repertoire (Hell's Gate). It is similar to the Triangle Holds in UFC. After defeating Kane, Undertaker would feud with the likes of Booker T, The Dudley Boyz, and JBL throughout 2004. A new, hungry young challenger would look to make a name for himself at the expense of Killing a Legend like Undertaker. That young man's name was Randy Orton. In 2005, Randy Orton was hungry to prove himself and to prove to WWE that he was truly a Legend Killer. From Sgt. Slaughter to Shawn Michaels Cactus Jack to Ric Flair, Randy defeated them all. Now, his biggest test stood in the form of the 6-10 300 lb mythic giant known as The Undertaker. Randy would do his best to show that he was not intimidated by Taker's famous mind games. Orton even gave Jake Roberts the RKO to show that he was ready for Undertaker. At WrestleMania 21, Randy put up a great fight but was killed by the Legend of the Undertaker. Orton would become another statistic of the Streak. Randy would feud with Taker for the rest of the year until the Deadman defeated him at Armageddon to settle the score. Undertaker would also defeat Mark Henry in a Casket Match at WrestleMania 22. In 2007, The Undertaker accomplished something that he had never done before during his illustrious career in WWE. He won the Royal Rumble. Taker drew number 30 and finished as one of the final two men in the Rumble with Shawn Michaels. The fans enjoyed a mini match between them before Taker sent his long-time rival over the top rope. Undertaker was on his way to WrestleMania, as he decided to challenge Batista for the World Heavyweight Title. At WrestleMania 23, Undertaker defeated Batista in a very intense battle to become WHC (World Heavyweight Champion). This was the first time in 10 years that Undertaker left WrestleMania as a Champion, the first time being WrestleMania 13. During this time, Undertaker became the Cornerstone for Smackdown, making him one of the feature stars with the likes of Edge, Batista, and Randy Orton. The quality of his matches greatly improved, especially at WrestleMania. UT and Batista feuded throughout the year over the WHC. When Taker defeated Batista in a Steel Cage Match on Smackdown for the WHC, Edge cashed in his MITB Briefcase on a wounded Deadman. Edge speared Taker to win the Title. Undertaker transitioned from feuding with Batista to feuding with The Rated R Superstar. Taker defeated Edge to regain the World Heavyweight Title at WrestleMania 24 to close the show. Their feud would come to a close at Summerslam, where Undertaker defeated The Ultimate Opportunist in a Hell In A Cell Match. After finishing off his feud with Edge, Undertaker turned his sights to long-time rival Shawn Michaels. They continued what they started in the late '90s. Only this time, the stakes were higher. This was a battle of who was the bigger WrestleMania Legend as Shawn Michaels stepped up to the plate to battle the Streak in a War of Light vs. Darkness. UT and HBK delivered back to back classic WrestleMania Matches as Taker was victorious in both while he sent HBK into retirement at WM XXVI. Taker would feud with Shawn's long-time friend Triple H in back to back WM matches including an HIAC Match at WM XXVIII (End of an Era) with HBK as the Referee. Taker would also defeat CM Punk at WM 29 to defend the honor of Paul Bearer. At WM XXX, the Streak came to a crashing end at the hands of Brock Lesnar. Taker would take a hiatus only to return at WM XXXI to defeat Bray Wyatt before returning to his business with Brock Lesnar. Taker's feud with Brock would pick up again when he cost Lesnar a chance to win the title at Battleground. Undertaker would defeat Brock at Summerslam before Lesnar would defeat him for the last time at Hell In A Cell. The Brothers of Destruction teamed up to defeat the Wyatt Family at Survivor Series. This looks like Taker's farewell. Much like Shawn Michaels, this has been a time where Undertaker has produced some of the best matches of his career.

Highlights:

Defeated Kane at WM XX

Feuded with Randy Orton

Defeated Randy Orton (WM 21)

Won Royal Rumble 2007

Defeated Batista for WHC at WM 23

Feuded with Batista

Feuded with Edge

Defeated Edge at WM 24

Defeated Shawn Michaels at WM XXV & XXVI

Defeated Triple H at WM XXVII & XXVIII

Defeated CM Punk at WM XXIX

Feuded with Brock Lesnar 

Innovator:

Undertaker's influence goes beyond his WrestleMania Streak. Taker was an innovator when it came to Specialty Matches. His gimmick introduced Casket Matches, Buried Alive Matches, Boiler Room Brawl, Inferno Matches and HIAC.

Casket Matches:
vs. Kamala (Survivor Series 1992)
vs. Yokozuna (Royal Rumble 1994)
vs. Yokozuna (Survivor Series 1994)
vs. Kama (In Your House- 7/23/95)
vs. Kama (Summerslam 1995)
vs. King Mabel (Seasons Beatings)
vs. Goldust (Beware of the Dog)
vs. Vader (7/21/97)
vs. Shawn Michaels (Royal Rumble 1998)
vs. Kane (10/19/98)
vs. The Rock (5/17/99)
vs. Heidenreich (Royal Rumble 2005)
vs. Randy Orton (No Mercy 2005)
vs. Mark Henry (WrestleMania 22)

Buried Alive Matches:
vs. Mankind (Buried Alive 1996)
vs. Stone Cold Steve Austin (Rock Bottom 1998)
w/Big Show vs. Rock & Sock Connection (RAW 9/9/99)
vs. Vince McMahon (Survivor Series 2003)
vs. Kane (Bragging Rights 2010)

Inferno Matches:
vs. Kane (Unforgiven 1998)
vs. Kane (RAW)

Boiler Room Brawl Matches:
vs. Mankind (KOTR 1996)

HIAC Matches:
vs. Shawn Michaels (Badd Blood 1997)
w/Stone Cold vs. Kane & Mankind (RAW 6/15/98)
vs. Mankind (KOTR 1998)
vs. Austin vs. Rock vs. Triple H vs. Kurt Angle vs. Rikishi (Armageddon 2000)
vs. Brock Lesnar (No Mercy 2002)
vs. Randy Orton (Armageddon 2005)
vs. Batista (Survivor Series 2007)
vs. Edge (Summerslam 2008)
vs. CM Punk (HIAC 2009)
vs. Kane (HIAC 2010)
vs. Triple H (WrestleMania 28)
vs. Brock Lesnar (HIAC 2015)

Title History:WWF Championship:11/27/91-12/3/913/23/97-8/3/975/23/99-6/28/995/19/02-7/21/02World Heavyweight Championship:4/1/07-5/11/073/30/08-5/2/0810/4/09-2/21/10World Tag Titles:7/26/98-8/10/988/22/99-8/30/999/9/99-9/20/9912/18/00-12/21/004/19/01-4/29/018/19/01-9/17/01WCW Tag Titles:8/9/01-9/27/01Hardcore Title:12/9/01-2/7/022007 Royal Rumble Winner




Undertaker has enjoyed some of the greatest matches and feuds in WWE History. In honor of his 25th Anniversary, I have compiled a list of his 25 Greatest Matches. They range from the quality of the match itself, the storyline surrounding the match and the significance involved. Ladies and Gentlemen, here are Undertaker's Top 25 Matches.

Top 25 Matches:
1. vs. Shawn Michaels (WrestleMania 25)
2. vs. Shawn Michaels (Badd Blood 1997)
3. vs. Shawn Michaels (WrestleMania 26)
4. vs. Triple H (WrestleMania 28)
5. vs. Kane (WrestleMania 14)
6. vs. Mankind (KOTR 1998)
7. vs. Edge (WrestleMania 24)
8. vs. Triple H (WrestleMania 27)
9. vs. Batista (WrestleMania 23)
10. Royal Rumble 2007
11. vs. Kurt Angle (No Way Out 2006)
12. vs. Bret Hart (Summerslam 1997)
13. vs. Edge (Summerslam 2008)
14. vs. Brock Lesnar (No Mercy 2002)
15. vs. CM Punk (WrestleMania 29)
16. vs. Hulk Hogan (Survivor Series 1991)
17. vs. Randy Orton (WrestleMania 21)
18. vs. Edge (One Night Stand 2008)
19. vs. Mankind (Boiler Room Brawl)
20. vs. The Rock vs. Kurt Angle (Vengeance 2002)
21. vs. Mankind (Buried Alive 1996)
22. vs. Brock Lesnar (HIAC 2015)
23.  Survivor Series Debut
24. vs. Diesel (WrestleMania XII)
25 vs. "Undertaker" (Summerslam 1994)

Undertaker has been one of the single most influential figures to ever step into a squared circle. He has changed the perception of Big Men in Wrestling. There was no other Big Man/Giant before him that wrestled the way that he did and accomplished what he did. The Phenom is a one of a kind character that will only be seen once in a lifetime. Enjoy it while you can, because we will never see another star like this again in our generation. As far as the Book, I would give it 5 out of 5 Undertaker WWF Championships. I would give it 10 Tombstone Piledrivers out of 10.

Hell In A Cell Review (Brock vs Taker Finale)

This past Sunday, WWE hosted Hell In A Cell at the Staples Center in Los Angeles California. It had its share of violence and carnage, along with certain surprises along the way. There were chapters that closed while others opened. Now, time to get into the action.

Kickoff Match:

Dolph Ziggler, Cesaro and Neville vs. King Barrett, Rusev, and Sheamus

The show kicks off with a typical babyface vs. heel 6-man tag match. The heels gained control early in the match with a methodical pace. Ziggler and Neville took the most punishment. Cesaro led the charge to make the comeback for his team to win. There was no real buildup or story, other than the fact that Ziggler and Rusev had a feud over Lana and Summer Rae (Glad that is over). Barrett also has issues with Neville. Meanwhile, Stardust is nowhere to be found. It had plenty of action, but narratives that really need to go away.

Winners: Cesaro, Ziggler, and Neville

Grade: B-

US Championship Match (John Cena Open Challenge):

John Cena presents his open challenge for the US Title. Zeb Colter rode in on a scooter and called him a "divider". The ultimate surprise of the night came when Zeb introduced Alberto Del Rio as the crowd gave him a positive reaction. WWE hit the crowd with something they did not anticipate with the surprise return of ADR.

After being fired from WWE last year because he attacked an employee over racist remarks, Del Rio went to Lucha Underground. Some people did not expect him to ever return, or at least for a long time. Then, he returns with a bang. Cena and Del Rio sized each other up from the beginning. ADR outwrestled Cena and kept him on the ground for most of the match. The match was fairly short with Del Rio winning the title with a Backstabber followed by a kick to Cena's jaw. knocking him out for the three-count to become US Champion.

Two years ago, John Cena made his return at HIAC to defeat Del Rio to become the World Heavyweight Champion. ADR returns the favor in the same fashion on Sunday night. I guess turnabout is fair play.

Great to see that WWE realized the error that they made in firing him so that they could make things right.

Winner: Alberto Del Rio

Grade: B+

Roman Reigns vs. Bray Wyatt:

This was the first match inside of the Cell. Roman Reigns and Bray Wyatt circle each other like caged animals. Roman charged in and punished Bray with right hands. Wyatt answered with a Kendo Stick to the face before beating Reigns multiple times with it. Bray continued his onslaught but replaced the Kendo Stick with a Steel Chair before slamming him into the cage wall. Roman answered back with his own weapons after pulling some toys out from under the ring. Wyatt proceeded to slam Reigns through a table. The Hound of the Shield made enough of a recovery in order to return the favor by slamming Wyatt through a table. In the end, Roman avoided more kendo stick attacks and overcame Sister Abigail with a spear to seal the win.

This was the perfect match to end this feud because it had a barbaric feeling about it. Roman proved that he has what it takes to survive matches like this, and we can finally conclude this chapter. Roman has redeemed himself after the debacle earlier this year when he was pushed to the top prematurely. Now, he is ready to climb the ladder for the WWE Title. This was a story of a warrior overcoming his greatest threat. Meanwhile, Bray continues to look like the big bad wolf who huffs, puffs but cannot blow the house down.

Winner: Roman Reigns

Grade: A

Tag Team Championship Match (New Day vs. The Dudley Boyz):

With Xavier Woods at home nursing an injury, one would think that the Dudley Boyz had the win locked. Early in the match, Bubba Ray and D-Von had very little trouble with the champs as they dominated Kofi Kingston. However, things started to change when Big E got involved as he changed the dynamic with his power. Kofi pulled an Eddie Guerrero and tried to make it look like Bubba Ray hit him with the trombone. The Ref did not fall for it. Meanwhile, Big E used the trombone to stun Bubba just in time for Kingston to nail him with Trouble in Paradise.

The New Day defeat the Legendary Dudley Boyz to keep the Tag Team Titles. Bubba and D-Von are at their best when Tables, Ladders, and Chairs are involved. This goes to show that they are simply back to enhance talent without a title run (a la Chris Jericho).

The New Day continue to elevate their status by defeating the Best Tag Team of our Generation via pinfall.

Winner: The New Day

Grade: C-

Divas Championship Match (Charlotte vs. Nikki Bella):

In the rematch for the Divas Title, Nikki Bella made improvements compared to her match at Night of Champions. Like the previous match, Nikki focused on Charlotte's injury. However, she was more physical in this match. Nikki pulled out all of the stops, from hurling Charlotte into the guardrail, slingshotting her into the ring ropes, along with an Alabama Slam on the ring apron. Much like the NOC (Night Of Champions) Match, Charlotte won with a comeback as she rolled out of the Rack Attack and hit the Figure Eight.

Winner: Charlotte

Grade: B+



WWE Championship Match (Seth Rollins vs. Kane):

Going into this match, the expectations were never high. Kane and Seth have had a feud because of how Rollins turned on him, but working with Kane does not do him any favors at all as Champion. Nobody realistically had Kane on the radar as the Champion, even if it were out of revenge. Seth did his best to make the most out of this match, as he used his speed and agility to get the best of the Big Red Monster. Kane fought back with a Chokeslam but failed to hit the Tombstone. The fight moved to the announce table. This match was so lame that even the Spanish Announce Table did not sell for the match. Seth hit a Powerbomb, but the table did not break. After a succession of kicks, Seth finishes the match with a Frog Splash followed by a Pedigree for the win.

Seth has had some shining moments as Champion, and this was his dullest.

Winner: Seth Rollins

Grade: C


Intercontinental Championship (Kevin Owens vs. Ryback)

Not much to expect from this match. Ryback dominated the slugfest of the match, but Owens raked the eyes to set up for the Pop-Up Powerbomb. Sound familiar? Night Of Champions on repeat. Owens needed to move away from Ryback because this was not working.

Grade: D

Undertaker vs. Brock Lesnar

This is the marquee showdown that everyone has been waiting for. Heading into this match, WWE promoted this as the Undertaker's final HIAC Match. Taker's retirement looks even clearer than ever before because this year marks 25 Years of his Dominance in WWE. The buildup of this match created a level of uncertainty about the outcome. On one hand, it would make sense for Undertaker to go off into the sunset winning this match. On the other hand, he could still be involved in Survivor Series since it will be the 25th Anniversary of his debut. That means that it would make much more sense for Brock to win. Undertaker slams the cell door shut before going into the ring. Before locking horns, Taker stares down Brock. Meanwhile, Lesnar laughs.

This match exceeded my very expectations, as both Monsters told a great story. When you put Undertaker and Brock Lesnar inside of a Cell, expect a violent bloodbath. Expect destruction. They brought it in every way. Undertaker delivered a methodical punishment as he rammed Brock into the ring post. Lesnar started to bleed profusely. Brock responded with some vicious chair shots. Taker would bleed afterward.

The WWE Officials tried to get in the way, but Brock was not going to let the match stop because of blood. He pushed them to the side. Lesnar drilled Undertaker with a pair of F5's. Even those could not keep the Deadman down. Even a shot from the ring steps couldn't stop him.

Brock's frustration grew as he tore the canvas off of the ring. I have never EVER seen that before in any match. This match was far from anything of the Modern PG Era. It draws similarities to the matches of the Attitude Era and Ruthless Aggression Era. In fact, this is shades of their match from No Mercy 2002, when Undertaker's face was flooded with blood. His entire face was crimson red.

In this match, both Taker and Lesnar were bleeding excessively. but not to that extent. Taker hit Lesnar with a chokeslam and Tombstone Piledriver on the exposed wood but still could not get a three-count. During one point in the match, Brock pounded the Undertaker with some heavy punches. His ground and pound game is nothing to take lightly, and I am sure that Taker did not want him to go easy at all.

Lesnar finally defeated The Deadman with a Low Blow after an F5. This match was absolute carnage from start to finish. The level of Intensity was at 10 throughout. This was not just a match, but a war.

After the match, the cage is lifted. The Undertaker struggles to get up as he pulled himself up by the ropes. Suddenly, he was attacked by the Wyatt family. The night ends with the Wyatt Family carrying him away.

Grade: A+

Overall, the PPV went above the expectations of many fans. The Central Storyline for the PPV was Brock vs. Undertaker. It was very simple: Brock Lesnar conquered a Titan, but paid a heavy price to win. I still prefer the 2002 match, but this war had enough drama and suspense to keep me excited.

Meanwhile, Undertaker is in a war with the Wyatt Family heading into Survivor Series (Silver Anniversary) and possibly into WrestleMania Season.

This has been a great element to add to the Final Chapter of a very Storied Career of a Titan that has left many bodies in his wake.

I give this show 4 Edge Rated R Superstar WWE Titles out of 5.

Stone Cold Podcast w/Brock Lesnar Review

This week, Monday Night RAW took place at the American Airlines Arena in Dallas, Texas. For weeks, there were conflicting reports about the status of Stone Cold Steve Austin. He was promoted to be part of the show with Undertaker, Shawn Michaels, Ric Flair and Brock Lesnar in the lead up to the "Hell In A Cell" PPV. As great as RAW was, the highlight of the night was the Interview between Austin and Brock Lesnar.

This Interview was highly anticipated in every way, considering the fact that Brock normally is an introvert when it comes to doing media appearances. However, when Lesnar speaks, he has no problem sharing his thoughts no matter who he offends. Austin also jokes about not wanting to go to Suplex City.

Anytime Lesnar does an Interview without Paul Heyman as his mouthpiece, it is something to look forward to.

Now, time to get to the points:

• Working with Others: Brock thanks Steve for having him on the show. Austin and Lesnar joke by saying that if this episode isn't good, it might be the last one. Stone Cold talks about Brock's reputation as being hard to get along with and not liking people. Austin wants to know if Lesnar does it on purpose. Brock responds and says that he realizes that he may come off as arrogant, but it is not intentional. That is just how he was built. Brock opens up about how he always had a chip on his shoulder growing up. Lesnar said that he always had a chip on his shoulder and was the kid beating up other kids. Steve asked if he had ever been picked on. Brock said no because he was the one doing the picking. Brock said that he had to work hard to achieve what he has and that his passion is what made him who he is today. Lesnar applied his passion into weightlifting, and we clearly see the results. 
• Working on a Farm: One thing to know for sure about Brock Lesnar is that he is a true farm boy. When asked about growing up on a farm, Brock says that if he could cut it on a farm, he could cut it anywhere. Growing up in South Dakota, there was no extra money. All of your income was based on how well you produced, calling it a way of life. Austin said that it was a lot of work, and Lesnar agreed. Brock said that you had to be married to farming. No matter the weather, you had to wake up at the crack of dawn to milk the cows. Brock says that he applied that same work ethic to every stage of his life. Then they joked about never hunting together and discussed linking up to kill some animals.
• Country Life: Austin comes up with quick questions to give people an idea about the life of Brock Lesnar. Steve says that he knows that Lesnar is a truck man, so he asks if he prefers Ford, Chevy or Dodge. Brock prefers Dodge. He is currently driving a 2014 Dodge Ram, and Stone Cold shows a picture of Brock's million dollar project: a 1978 Dodge Power Wagon. Lesnar's favorite gun is a .300 Remington Ultra Magnum, and for scopes, he won't buy anything but a Leica. One of the other topics was food. No surprise that Brock's favorite food is Steak. He loves to grill steak (the kind he probably killed himself). He prefers medium well ribeye on the big green egg grill (he has four of them). Austin asks about music. Lesnar likes country and metal. From Willie Nelson to Johnny Cash to AC/DC to Motley Crue, as well as Metallica. Once again, no surprise.
• Pro Wrestler or Sports Entertainer: Everybody knows where Stone Cold stands on this topic, but he asks Brock what he identifies himself as. Brock responds by asking "Is there a difference?". Austin says he thinks there is. Lesnar replies by saying that he is in the entertainment industry because he sells tickets and puts butts in seats. He says that it is the American Dream, and he is doing something that he loves while getting paid for it. Brock says that he is fortunate to make a pretty good living from this business.
• Not Growing up a Wrestling Fan: Brock Lesnar says that growing up he never watched wrestling because growing up he was never exposed to it. They only had two television channels and they only worked part time. Instead, he watched Little House on a Prairie. Just imagine a genetic monster like Brock watching Little House on a Prairie. Austin chuckled himself. The conversation moves to Football. Brock says that he played virtually every position in high school. He says that he never received scholarships from wrestling. When Brock tried out for the NFL, he says that he knew that he was a fish out of the water but went through the process because he is not a quitter. 
• Breaking Into Wrestling: Brock says that after winning the NCAA Championship, he fell into a rut because he did not know what he would do with his life. He says that he fell into a depression and went into hibernation for two months. Lesnar started visiting wrestling coaches again to put a game plan together. Austin transitions into how Brock signed to Ohio Valley Wrestling and the rest is history. 
• Start in OVW/Learning from Veterans: Austin reveals the famous OVW class picture that features Brock Lesnar, John Cena, Randy Orton and Batista and asked what were his initial thoughts when he first reported there. Lesnar credits Shelton Benjamin (another member of that class) saying that they were College roommates and moved together in Louisville. He called the OVW weight room "barbaric" and compared it to the gyms and weight rooms that he was used to. Lesnar also gives credit to the veterans like Curt Hennig and The Big Bossman who took him under their wings. Lesnar says that they were very influential in his learning process. Lesnar also says that he offered to buy the gas for Undertaker and Kane whenever he would jump into the car with them. Brock says having veterans like that in his ear smartened him up for what the business had to offer. 
• Working With The Rock: Stone Cold comments about how impressed he was when Brock went from being an OVW Rookie to wrestling The Rock in a Main Event within less than a year. Lesnar tells the story about how he was in a Triple Threat Match with The Rock & Triple H in Australia. Brock jokes about how they hung him out to dry and out of the loop for a teaching tool. Brock says that The Rock did a lot for him. People could say what they want to about the Hollywood Megastar, but Lesnar says that The Rock taught him to watch his back and to be selfish. He says that in this business, you have to have a certain element of selfishness. The Rock ultimately gave back to Lesnar by dropping the WWE Title at Summerslam. 
• Not Liking People: Here is another part of the Interview that is not a surprise. Brock Lesnar does not like people! He says that he feels more comfortable in a ring surrounded by 20,000 people compared to being in the middle of a crowd in public. Lesnar says that when he is inside of the ring, he feels like he has a dome protecting him. Austin asks if it is a phobia, but Lesnar just says that he gets uncomfortable. 
• The Shooting Star Press at WrestleMania XIX: Long before breaking the Streak, Brock Lesnar's WrestleMania Moment involved him doing the Shooting Star Press at WM XIX. However, he botched the move and almost injured himself. Stone Cold shows the video and says how painful it was to watch it. Brock says that he was talked into doing the move by a wrestler who will remain nameless. 
• WrestleMania XX: The Conversation transitions into Brock's last match with Goldberg at WrestleMania XX. Austin talks about how he was the Special Referee for that match and how they were just booed heavily by the fans. He then asks why Brock decided to leave after only two years into the WWE and at the top of his game. Lesnar said that he did not care anymore. Stone Cold wanted to know if it was the life on the road, the pace of the business, etc. Brock said that it was all of those things that factored into his decision to leave. 
• Getting Along with the Boys: Stone Cold asks Brock if there was any dissension or resentment from the locker room when he returned because of his part-time schedule. Brock says that he doesn't pay attention to that. Instead, he looks at it like a job where he clocks in and clocks out. He says that working for WWE is no different than putting on his singlet to wrestle for the University of Minnesota. The only difference is that Minnesota was not putting money into his bank account. Of course, that made Austin and some people off camera start to laugh. 
• Joining UFC: This is where things start to heat up. Steve asks Brock how he got his start in mixed martial arts. Lesnar says that after trying out for the NFL he went to New Japan Pro Wrestling to perform. NJPW tried to get him to try some MMA. Brock used his connections to sign a one fight deal with K1 where he beat Min Soo Kim. After unsuccessfully hooking up with Dana White, Brock told his manager that he wanted to attend the UFC event that featured Randy Couture vs. Gabriel Gonzaga. Lesnar bought his own tickets and sat in the crowd. After the fight, Lesnar jumps the rail to grab Dana so that he could introduce himself. They went backstage to discuss everything but money because that was not his goal. Brock said that he just wanted to prove himself to Dana and that if he could not draw money, then he would not return for a second fight. 
• Losing to Frank Mir/Winning UFC Title/Diverticulitis: When talking about UFC, Austin and Lesnar start off by talking about the fight with Frank Mir. Stone Cold said that it was a really good fight before talking about Brock tapping out to the kneebar. Steve wanted to know if it was unlike any other hold that he had been put in before. Brock says that he was disgusted with himself because he trained to get out of that exact hold. Yet, he did not have an answer for it. Meanwhile, Dana White was excited and impressed with Lesnar's performance. They signed a contract extension as Brock would later win the UFC Heavyweight Title. The discussion later moves into Brock's diverticulitis. Lesnar says that it was unfair and that if he had not had to fight that illness, he could still be in UFC smashing heads. I am sure Vince loved to hear that. Brock says that he felt he was at his best against Randy Couture, but he knew there was something physically wrong. Brock says that he was too stubborn at first to get a CT Scan until he fell out of his deer stand in Canada. The Dr. focused more on saving Brock's life than his career. 
• Returning to WWE/Comparing Vince McMahon & Dana White: Steve asks Brock what it was like to mend the fence with Vince McMahon, admitting that he burned some bridges himself in the past. This leads into something I had been waiting for. Austin talks about his decision to walk out of having a match with Lesnar. Brock said that he understood where Austin was coming from, because it is still a business. Austin wants to compare and contrast Vince and Dana. Brock says that he thanks them both for giving him opportunities. 
• Place in the Locker Room: Austin asks if Brock feels like there is any competition among his peers. Lesnar says that he doesn't deal with colleagues that much, but instead is hands-on with Vince. 
• Breaking the Streak: Steve talks about the surprising and career-defining moment at WrestleMania XXX when Brock Lesnar snapped The Undertaker's streak and asks what that honor meant to him. Brock says that as a businessman, it was huge for him because of how special the streak is. Lesnar says it was his biggest honor next to winning the WWE Title. He also gets criticized for ending the streak before asking who within the current industry has the credentials and credibility of ending the streak (honestly, nobody else does). When asked about the misconception from fans, Brock simply says, "I really don't care, Steve". 
• Hell In A Cell vs. Undertaker: The Interview concludes with Stone Cold bringing up Sunday's match with The Undertaker inside of Hell In A Cell. Brock says that he is going to end Undertaker inside of the Cell. 

Overall, this was simply a look into the Journey of Brock Lesnar. Brock has never been a man of many words, so it was good to get his insight without Paul Heyman involved. When Heyman was the guest, he provoked Austin by bringing up Brock Lesnar's name up. Stone Cold went into full form saying that he would welcome a match with Brock Lesnar. Unfortunately, they never had a face to face stare down. Stone Cold was not talking trash like he did with Heyman. Looks like that "match" for WrestleMania XXXII was just smoke and mirrors. 

This Interview was not as highlight-filled as Austin's episodes with Vince, Triple H and Heyman, but it was much better than the Paige Interview. 

In Conclusion, I give it 3 out of 5 Brock Lesnar WWE Titles.