WrestleMania Pros Pick: Triple H Vs. Undertaker Predictions From The Media, Writers & Wrestlers
WrestleMania XXVIII is just days away and I took a little time this week to catch up with some of our friends in the business to talk about Sunday's PPV.
After discussing our predictions for The Rock vs. John Cena yesterday, here are predictions for Sunday's "Hell In A Cell" match between The Undertaker and Triple H.
In what may be a bit of foreshadowing, The Undertaker goes 19-1 with the picks, with only one person picking Triple H to win this Sunday.
THE UNDERTAKER
Raj Giri (@RajGiri_303, WrestlingINC.com owner): "The only way an Undertaker loss makes sense here is if this is indeed his last match, and even in that case it makes more sense to just have 'Taker retire with the streak intact. It truly appears that Shawn Michaels plans on sticking to his retirement promise, so I don't see him screwing Triple H to setup a match between them down the line. My prediction is that Undertaker pins The Game clean, with HBK calling it straight down the middle. However... I wouldn't be surprised to see Brock Lesnar (if the deal can be made by then) head to the ring after the match and plant 'Taker with an F-5, setting up a match between the two for next year's WrestleMania." Winner: The Undertaker
Headbanger Mosh (@ChazMosh, Former WWE tag team champion:): "The streak stays alive! 'Taker comes back for WrestleMania 29 and wins a handicap match for 21 in a row!" Winner: The Undertaker
Sir Rockin' (@Wildtalkradio, Executive Producer of Wild Talk Radio Network): "This has to be the best built match up of the entire show. Each week on RAW, Triple H, The Undertaker and Shawn Michaels stole the spotlight away from everyone else on the show and sucked you in to their feud with tons of added drama, especially when you added Shawn Michaels as the referee and the 'Hell in a Cell' to the battle. You have two legends of the WWE squaring off, its honestly going to be a brutal match up, but in my view The Undertaker keeps the streak in tact." Winner: The Undertaker
Chris Van Vliet (@ChrisVanVliet, CBS Cleveland Entertainment Reporter): "There is absolutely zero chance that The Undertaker will walk away from this 19-1. What kind of a legacy would that leave? However, I also feel like there are so many other things going on with this match that will take away from the focus of what's going on in the ring (or in this case, the cell). Much of the match will have fans staring at Taker's newly bald head and the rest of the match will be us wondering why on earth Shawn Michaels is the guest referee." Winner: The Undertaker
Stu Saks (@OfficialPWI, Pro Wrestling Illustrated editor): "Next to the rafter-hanging Sting in WCW, Undertaker has the best gig in wrestling history. At this point, all he has to do is wrestle one match a year, and as long as he adds to the WrestleMania intrigue (and buy rate), WWE is perfectly happy to sign his check. Who understands his value better than Triple H? Undertaker wins after a methodical, drama-filled struggle (sound familiar?), and unless Shawn Michaels has plans to wrestle on April 7, 2013, hopefully he stays mostly in the background." Winner: The Undertaker
Alex Greenfield (@alexdgreenfield, Former Smackdown lead writer): "I anticipate a lot of shenanigans, possibly with Shawn 'surprisingly' turning on HHH to keep his legacy intact. But at the end of the day I think 'Taker keeps the streak alive." Winner: The Undertaker
Jay Calderon (WrestlingINC.com writer): "I have to go with the general consensus. I simply don't see The Undertaker losing at WrestleMania to someone that doesn't need that sort of feather in his cap. Truthfully, I can't see 'Taker losing on the biggest stage of them all to anyone. If it happens, however, it will likely happen to someone that needs that sort of credibility. Triple H doesn't." Winner: The Undertaker
Wade Keller (@thewadekeller, PWTorch founder and editor): "I don't see Triple H ending the streak. It'd be ridiculed forever like the Kevin Nash streak-ending win over Goldberg as a politically self-serving bad-for-business decision from someone in a position of influence. People more and more expect and want 'Taker to retire with the streak in tact. If there is a wrestler who deserves to end the streak, and would benefit from it, I can't think of him at this time. No one should be saddled with the rep of being the person who ended The Streak. Fans love it and think 'Taker deserves it. So Triple H will do the right thing, and the obvious thing, and lose again this year. The real question is whether Shawn Michaels will end up influencing the finish, such as an errant superkick that lands on Triple H's chin and leads to a Triple H vs. Michaels match at SummerSlam or WrestleMania in the future." Winner: The Undertaker
Jackie Fiest (@JackieFiest, Co-Host of "The Rack"): "This match between 'Taker and HHH is going to be completely off the hook and I'm predicting that The Deadman goes over here. This is Triple H's third attempt to take down 'Taker and I see no reason why this time will be any different. As far as HBK, as long as we don't have a repeat of Summerslam '97, I won't have to kill him." Winner: The Undertaker
Scotty Riggs (@REALScottyRiggs, Former WCW tag team champion): "Undertaker will win after Shawn Michaels 'accidentally' causes Triple H a loss like he did years ago between The Undertaker and Bret Hart." Winner: The Undertaker
Andrew Goldstein (@AngeGold, Former WWE writer): "False finish-palooza as usual with 'Taker's WrestleMania matches. [We] definitely could see a misplaced superkick at some point, knocking out Triple H eventually leading, not directly, to Taker's win, setting up some sort of Triple H/HBK deal at WrestleMania 29." Winner: The Undertaker
Brian Soscia (@THEBrianSoscia, The Soscia Network Radio Show): "I don't think Undertaker's streak should be broken at this WrestleMania. It's one of the last things that remains untouched in the modern wrestling world. The only way I could see someone breaking his streak is if it means that person getting over and WWE having long term plans for that person. Triple H has nothing to gain by breaking Taker's streak, but the fact that he would be feeding his own ego and I truly think he is smarter than to do that in this situation. Taker takes this one!" Winner: The Undertaker
Paul Belfi (@sportstalkNET, sportstalkNETWORK.com): "The challenge for WWE was to create a possibility that the Undertaker can lose at WrestleMania. Enter Shawn Michaels and mission accomplished. It is now plausible and believable that the Undertaker can lose. All that said, the Undertaker will NOT lose. Ever. The streak continues until Undertaker decides to retire. The streak is as important to WrestleMania as anything else booked for the PPV." Winner: The Undertaker
Daniel Pena (WrestlingINC.com writer): "Shawn Michaels will inadvertently cost Triple H the match with Sweet Chin Music, leading to The Undertaker going 20-0." Winner: The Undertaker
Arda Ocal (@arda_ocal, Host of Aftermath on theScore Television Network): "I think Triple H will come as close as anyone has ever come to breaking the streak – 1...2... special referee HBK can't count to three because what Triple H did to get to that pinfall was so dastardly that HBK has a moral decision to make and decides.. 'not this way.' I can also see this match, being that it involves superstars who are 'the last of a dying breed,' that we see 'the last of a dying match' involving violence and blood we aren't used to seeing in today's WWE. In the end, after Triple H finds a way out of Hell's Gate (which finished him at WrestleMania 27) it will be something spectacular that will put 'The Game' away for good and the WWE Universe celebrated an astonishing 20-0 streak while feeling a sense of closure." Winner: The Undertaker
Court Bauer (@courtbauer, Former WWE creative team member): "Undertaker goes over after Shawn Michaels refuses to help Triple H." Winner: The Undertaker
Lindsey Ward (@Linsward, Co-Host of "The Rack"): "There are rumors swirling that this is not Taker's last year at 'Mania. Also at 19-0, it makes no sense to end the streak now. I see Shawn and Hunter's egos getting in the way throughout the match. Because of this, I'm sure 'Taker will take advantage and continue the streak. Furthermore, I don't see a repeat of last year where Taker was carted out. He will at least leave the cell under his own power while he leaves Triple H where he lies." Winner: The Undertaker
The Big Mosh & "The Chairman of the Board" Todd Vincent (@FeelTheMayhem, Monday Night Mayhem): "The story and build-up leading into Sunday's collision between these two future WWE Hall of Famers has been quite effective. Great storytelling from 'The Game' and 'The Dead Man' on the mic. Sprinkle in the addition of Shawn Michaels as the special guest referee. Then, toss in in some wonderfully-produced vignettes (including the one from this past Monday's RAW), plus the musical backdrop of 'The Memory Remains' by Metallica. Onto the bout itself... This very well could be 'Taker's biggest challenge yet to date. A focused and consumed 'Cerebral Assassin' hell bent on correcting his mistake from last year at WrestleMania XXVII in Atlanta. It will be a close, competitive contest. The cell will be a perfect way to close the feud between these two future WWE Hall of Famers. Could we see a little crimson from either one? Would be nice, but don't count on it. With the rumors of a Shawn Michaels-Triple H match for next year's 'Mania, expect Michaels to cost Triple H as revenge, with The Undertaker making history once again in his backyard." Winner: The Undertaker
TRIPLE H
Gary Spears (@_big_poppa, WSKS/WSKU-FM "KISS-FM"): "One last go around for both of these guys on the grandest stage of them all! This will be a brutally physical match inside the cell. But the question is: will 'Taker do the job after taking a year off? Will his last match end in a loss? The fact is Taker is one of the last 'Old School' guys and if he IS going to do the job in his last match, he'd do it to Triple H. Look for 'Taker to kick out of everything that Hunter can throw at him, and then Shawn Michaels getting involved to make sure the streak ends at the hands of his longtime friend." Winner: Triple H