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-------------------- As I was getting ready to write about Monday Night RAW, I was all set to hammer the WWE for yet another go-around of Triple H as the televised authority figure again ("Chief Operating Officer") while also ranting about how the WWE should merge the damn rosters already instead of blending RAW and Smackdown rosters together on RAW. Simply put, if you're going to have separate brand and separate titles, why hurt the integrity of both by mixing wrestlers. But then HE showed up... Just as Triple H was about to relieve John Laurinaitis of his duties as the on-screen authority figure, the Undertaker shows up to officially put the Triple H vs. Undertaker match at Wrestlemania 28 in motion. They didn't do much, as they stared at each other, the Undertaker looked at the Wrestlemania 28 banner, and then Triple H walked away as if he wasn't interested. Still, the Undertaker is back and his return is a welcome one. I started to write as "Mr. Tito" in October 1998. Back then, after a brief period of awesomeness from the Undertaker during his Shawn Michaels feud and then his Steve Austin feud, we were treated to the ridiculous Ministry angle and then later, the Corporate Ministry. The Undertaker got too caught up in his "evil" gimmick that it took away from the actual improvements he made as a wrestler in late 1997 and during 1998 against Michaels/Austin. If you read my work back then, as a 18 or 19 year old, I'm just hammering the Undertaker. But things changed in the 2000's... I eventually went from bashing the guy to praising him heavily during the 2000's... It all started when he changed the gimmick to the "Bikertaker" and took his gimmick less seriously and started to actually wrestle decent matches. Then, his match with Triple H at Wrestlemania 17 was incredible... It was at that moment that I believe Undertaker realized that improving as an in-ring performer would cement his legacy. Fast forward to 2002 and Brock Lesnar pushed the Undertaker to invite mat and MMA techniques to his moveset. From there, many great opponents came and went. His 2 matches with Shawn Michaels at Wrestlemanias 25 and 26 were incredible and I give the Undertaker as much credit to those matches as Michaels. And of course, Triple H vs. Undertaker from Wrestlemania 27 was my 2nd Best Match of 2011, only just slightly behind the John Cena vs. CM Punk match from the Money in the Bank Pay Per View that's earning everybody's "Match of the Year" honors for 2011. That match was an absolute battle and I wouldn't doubt that the Undertaker needed serious time off to heal from that match. And now, the American Badass is back to have another rematch with Triple H? SIGN ME UP! So yeah, Undertaker's return somewhat nulls the rest of what I have to say... WWE did a good job fooling me into not even thinking that the Undertaker would appear and that's a credit to the WWE. That, and the WWE is hyping their match in advance and I appreciate that given the seriousness of Wrestlemania. To know in advance that Rock vs. John Cena and the possibility of Undertaker vs. Triple H is going to happen in LATE January for Wrestlemania 28 is a great, great thing. I guess we can forgive the fact that the WWE blended the RAW & Smackdown rosters for this evening. What's at stake? It's only the credibility of both brands and each having their own recognized titles... What could go wrong by disrespecting that? Better yet, the WWE did a World Champion vs. World Champion match for FREE! Sure, it was wonderful to see CM Punk vs. Daniel Bryan, but for free? For some random RAW match? Wow... But hey, why complain about that? Bryan vs. Punk facilitated Chris Jericho to officially attack CM Punk and we could officially get our THIRD possible Wrestlemania 28 match with CM Punk vs. Chris Jericho (although we have to get through the Elimination Chamber, first). And actually, I liked the Kane vs. John Cena stuff this evening... Kane stated his purpose clearly this evening and their brawl was fun and much better than beating the piss out of poor Zack Ryder. I would NOT do a Last Man Standing match, however, as it's being reported as a match consideration. Those have to be the lamest matches ever conceived... *Yawn* at a 10 count. Why can't we do a one-on-one match that's straight up? As much as I could rip the WWE for needing to "shit or get off the pot" for merging the rosters officially already, the Undertaker came back... CONCLUSION: A potential booking mess that was saved by the Undertaker and of course Chris Jericho officially attacking CM Punk. Looks like the WWE is at least taking Wrestlemania 28 seriously, although I want it sold to me a bit more as to why Sheamus won the Royal Rumble last night. Overall, good show thanks to a very satisfying ending. A- CONTACT MR. TITO - Email: [email protected] - Twitter: @titowrestling - Join LoPForums.com: Feedback Thread BLOG is TITO Archive on LoPForums.com © Mr. Tito 1998 - 2012
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