Daniel F'n Bryan
Main Eventer
Joined on: Oct 24, 2011 0:33:48 GMT -5
Posts: 2,929
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Post by Daniel F'n Bryan on Sept 23, 2012 22:47:57 GMT -5
I've been watching the new Taker streak DVD and it got me thinking.....is Taker the only wrestler to truely never have a "prime"? And by that I mean guys like Hogan, Austin, HHH, etc. all had a time period of their careers were their work was top notch and at its peak, however over the course of 22 years Taker has pretty much always been great at what he does. His in-ring work never really changed at all....sure he evolved and added new things but overall its been the same for 22 years. Its a tough question to answer but its a good question. Do you think Taker had a prime? And if so please explain why.
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Deleted
Joined on: Jun 14, 2024 16:17:33 GMT -5
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Post by Deleted on Sept 23, 2012 22:52:25 GMT -5
I think the mid to late nineties were his zenith. Theres a lot of crap matches in his past though
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Post by Johnny Wrestling on Sept 23, 2012 23:34:00 GMT -5
Yes, probably back in 2002-2003.
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B Dubya
Superstar
Joined on: Dec 25, 2011 2:46:44 GMT -5
Posts: 961
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Post by B Dubya on Sept 23, 2012 23:41:17 GMT -5
I personally prefer his stint as ABA Taker. It allowed him to work a different style and actually cut promos which he didn't/doesn't do much in the current stage of his gimmick.
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Post by paperbackhero on Sept 23, 2012 23:53:35 GMT -5
Early Undertaker was classic monster heel stuff. Tough to knock off his feet, not talking, controlled by others....plodding, slower matches. I acTually think he improved greatly over time. I also liked his ABA stuff.
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Daniel F'n Bryan
Main Eventer
Joined on: Oct 24, 2011 0:33:48 GMT -5
Posts: 2,929
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Post by Daniel F'n Bryan on Sept 24, 2012 0:09:25 GMT -5
Idk man from 04-11 Taker had Great matches with so many people...
Batista
Shawn Michaels
Kurt Angle
Randy Orton
Triple H
Edge
JBL
Kennedy
Rey Mysterio
And im sure quite a few others that I missed. And his in ring work was top notch.
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threehgame
Main Eventer
Beyond Bored By You and Your Wrestling
Joined on: Sept 22, 2008 19:09:45 GMT -5
Posts: 2,399
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Post by threehgame on Sept 24, 2012 3:27:13 GMT -5
Mid to late 90's were Taker's best period. Great matches with a host of people and good character development. The ABA period was okay but he bounced from a tag team specialist to a main eventer and really lost some of his shine. Since his return to the Dead Man gimmick he has had some bright spots but the last few years his ring work has dropped off and his last 3 Mania matches have been lackluster.
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Post by y2yay on Sept 24, 2012 4:35:23 GMT -5
The Undertaker is one of the most improved guys in the last 20 years.
You're hard pressed to think of many great matches he had from 1991-2004, but a lot of that is down to who he was working with. 2005-2012, he's been brilliant. So many great matches. 2005-2009 was his prime.
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Deleted
Joined on: Jun 14, 2024 16:17:33 GMT -5
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Post by Deleted on Sept 24, 2012 5:15:11 GMT -5
Undertaker's prime was easily from 91-98.
He had the best matches of his career with Bret Hart, Shawn Michaels, Kevin Nash, Yokozuna, Steve Austin, Jake Roberts and Kane during this time.
Personally, his match with Diesel at WM12 is a perfect testament to his prime. It's easily in my top 5 matches ever.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Sept 24, 2012 5:36:09 GMT -5
Takers prime IMO was 95-99.some of the names AF mentions had awesome matches with him.but 96 brought the Mankind feud.....which brought out the absolute best in him.after that he was just better.....
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Post by y2yay on Sept 24, 2012 5:47:10 GMT -5
Taker is one of the few wrestlers who have gotten better with age imo. The matches Anvil Fan listed with Diesel, Yokozuna, Jake Roberts and Kane were all decent but far from his best work.
Although I personally feel 2005-2009 was his best, you definitely make a good case with 1996-1999. His matches with Mankind, Bret Hart, Shawn Michaels and Steve Austin were great.
From 2005-2009 he had some really great matches with Randy Orton, Kurt Angle, Mr. Kennedy, Batista, Edge and Shawn Michaels.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Sept 24, 2012 7:05:37 GMT -5
when he came back as the badass he was still great but had missed a step IMO.....but then in 2002 he found it again and has been steller(mostly)ever since really......now I know he has had GREAT opponents but still the man brings it.
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Post by OverTheEdge on Sept 24, 2012 9:02:31 GMT -5
I don't really think so. He's a case like Shawn Michaels, where as the more time passes, the better they get (in terms of match quality). As for his actual character, I think his days in the Ministry were the best, but that's just my opinion.
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Post by k5 on Sept 24, 2012 9:56:37 GMT -5
96 - 99 would be my pick.
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Post by irreversible on Sept 24, 2012 11:50:43 GMT -5
Ministry or ABA. His in-ring prime was definitely ABA. Character wise? I'd say Ministry Taker.
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Post by punksnotdead on Sept 24, 2012 12:02:50 GMT -5
96 - 99 would be my pick. Same. I think he was having great matches with everyone he got in the ring with around 97ish. I love the match with Nash though as well, and Taker coming up from under the ring at IYH6 in the cage is still a fantastic moment to go back and watch imo. I thought ABA Taker was a step back for him for the most part. I know it was different but I didn't feel like he was having a string of one great match after another, and he didn't feel important at that point to me. While I think the guy is able to pull a rabbit out of his hat once a year, he is still in the twilight of his career right now if for no other reason than his body is forcing him to slow down. So, I'm not about to call anything he has done over the last few years his "prime." |
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Post by Rule 30 on Sept 24, 2012 13:39:42 GMT -5
I think he was at his best in the Ruthless Aggression Era. He may have had some great matches with Bret, Austin, Foley, etc. in the 90s, but over the past decade you could put nearly anyone in the ring with Undertaker and the match was great.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Sept 24, 2012 15:23:56 GMT -5
I don't really think so. He's a case like Shawn Michaels, where as the more time passes, the better they get (in terms of match quality). As for his actual character, I think his days in the Ministry were the best, but that's just my opinion. This. Although, his stuff in 96-97 was very good as well. |
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Sept 24, 2012 16:18:47 GMT -5
I think 'Takers most throw-away years are his ABA years. He went from imposing, powerful and tremendous to a tag team wrestler and being eliminated by Maven in the Royal Rumble...
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Sept 24, 2012 16:33:59 GMT -5
I hated ABA Undertaker.
Literally hated.
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