This might be hyperbolic, but Shane McMahon versus The Undertaker is the worst booked main event in WrestleMania history.
Let’s get the positives out of the way. First, Shane McMahon is super over upon his return. Second, The Undertaker is always over and even more so at WrestleMania. Third, the crowd seems to have been popping for these two guys and the match
Okay, the match is more over than some of the lesser WrestleMania main events. That is one point in its favor. However, let us look at the other side of the coin.
How was this match introduced?
Shane McMahon has a lock box. It has secrets that could ruin Vince McMahon. What does this mean? It means that Shane McMahon can take over the WWE at any point he wants. When he reveals this, what happens? Vince McMahon says that is fine and all, but I have a challenge for you. I will give you a match at WrestleMania and if you win you get to control WWE Raw. Lets stop right there. If Shane wins, he gets exactly what he deserves even if the match was not booked. So why accept that challenge? Let’s make it worse though, he faces a challenge of Vince’s picking. Why would Shane accept this horrible offer? Then when it turns out to be The Undertaker in Hell in a Cell why would he accept that? So many questions, how do you address them?
The Undertaker
We are off to a bad start, but The Undertaker would return to Raw the next week and there was a chance to make sense of the initial mess. The question was, why would The Undertaker wrestle a match where if he won he gets to keep the corrupt Authority in power? Why would he fight for their honor? Why would he be Vince McMahon’s puppet?
He returned and said almost nothing. He just stated that he would kill Shane McMahon and he would have no mercy. Why? I think it’s clear there was no good answer.
Is the WWE a good product?
The heel authority figures keep telling us they are doing what’s best for business. That means the WWE must be giving opportunities to the best wrestlers possible and putting on the best matches possible. However, they are heels and heels are known to lie.
On the other hand, the babyface Shane McMahon has returned and told us that they are not putting out the best product. In fact, ratings suck, good stars are not getting chances and the product is bad. Babyfaces are known to tell the truth.
I guess the WWE sucks.
More stipulations!
In an attempt to add more intrigue to this match the WWE decided to add some more stakes!
Vince has said if Shane wins, Triple H and Stephanie McMahon will quit the WWE and he is out of the will and disowned. Not much of a victory present.
Vince also added the stipulation that if The Undertaker loses he will never wrestle at WrestleMania again. Did someone hire Vince Russo again?
Who are we supposed to cheer for?
If Shane wins then we get rid of the authority. The WWE product will be better. If The Undertaker wins then he gets to continue to wrestle at WrestleMania, where he is Mr. WrestleMania.
If The Undertaker loses then The Undertaker never gets to wrestle at WrestleMania gain. If Shane loses then the WWE product will continue to suck and the evil Authority stays in power.
The true losers in this are the fans, as either way they get screwed out of something good and something awful happens.
The promise of reckless danger
What have they used to hype up Shane McMahon? Video packages have shown him doing crazy, reckless, dangerous things in the ring. Things that the WWE has tried to get away from in recent years and things that are not needed as they are just stunt shows.
At least in the go-home show all they did was a dive off the top rope through a table, which is ridiculous to waste on a TV show and not save for the big show. However, it is toned down from previous stunts.
The overhype
Why should an old non-wrestler who hasn’t competed in seven years be competitive against a legend who has only lost once at WrestleMania? Well, according to Vince “Shane is the most formidable opponent the Undertaker has ever faced at WrestleMania.” Yes, more formidable than Giant Gonzalez, King Kong Bundy, Brock Lesnar, and Kane. Also Shane said he has heart and really wants us. I guess the reason Shawn Michaels couldn’t beat The Undertaker at WrestleMania is because he didn’t want it enough.
We had a bunch of legends saying it was too close to call. Including Edge who said normally it would be fair, but since it’s in the Hell in the Cell that means The Undertaker has a slight advantage.
The Undertaker made a great point on the go-home show that WrestleMania is his yard and that it doesn’t matter that Shane McMahon is going to try hard. It’s funny the only one who understands this is the heel JBL, while the babyface announcers Michael Cole and Byron Saxton both think that Shane is on The Undertaker’s level. The guy who had the Streak at Wrestlemania is somehow being tested by Shane McMahon. No wonder CM Punk walked out of the company.
It’s incredible how uncredible all of this hype of Shane McMahon has been.
In conclusion
This match will probably be a lot of fun. There is a small chance they may bring in some logic after this to make it make sense. However, going into the match none of this makes any sense. It’s weird and confusing and hurts the product a lot. Plus, no matter who wins, the fans lose something. The road to WrestleMania 32 has been very bumpy.
