NGN FAVORITES: PRO WRESTLING III-ENTRANCES

Now I must admit that you won't find any of The Undertaker's string of Wrestlemania entrances. It isn't that they don't belong on here, it is because they would take up most if not all of the list. So, that will be saved for a future installment haha

Finn Balor (The Demon)

Th music for starters is one of the rare songs without lyrics that I like haha Combined with the body motions in sync with the music makes it good "normal" or "demonized". But, with the paint, the lights, and the anticipation to what Finn will show us next. So far my fav was the various Demons coming and going individually from the smoke, then having just Balor in Demon garb. Visually epic. I cannot wait to see this on a Wrestlemania stage. It is clear Taker has given him some pointers.

Kane/The Brood

I put them together because I love both, but always felt that the whole rising in a ring of fire should have been part of Kane's entrance. At Wrestlemania in the least. Kane is the music, lighting and pyro. The Brood was the ring of fire and blood ritual thing by Gangrel.

Undertaker

I said his Wrestlemania entrances wouldn't be on here haha It all starts with the lights cutting out and that bell tolling, followed by his music. Which has also evolved during the years, personal favorite was his Ministry Of Darkness days music wise. The trademark lights on routine is still a must have classic. The lights and visuals have gotten better over time. The titan tron and it's evolution has added to all of this.

Triple H

Another Mania entrance guy, but I like the basics of it all. It did look better when he had the long hair, but still works with the corporate buzzcut. Lights, Motorhead (The Game or King Of Kings), occasional laser lighting, and a bottle of water. Yes, a bottle of water. And the simplicity of it perhaps adds to it all. But, the water spews (initial and follow-up) just looks amazing in that light haha

Baron Corbin

It is kind of different on the RAW stage, but on NXT it looks amazing. Again with simplicity. Darkness, then a massive flash of blinding light, and as your eyes adjust Corbin fades into your view. The added footstep spotlights cutout thing is great too, but loses it again on a RAW stage. At Mania it would look great, but only in a closed arena or at night. Pitch black night, not the "evening" haha

The Wyatt Family

This started off very cool all in itself. You got the "new age Undertaker" vibe in the sense of the darkness from it. The crowds have added to the effect with the "fireflies". Which looks better and better with growing supporters and bigger arenas. This would still be cool in the pre cell phone era with thousands of lighters lighting up the pitch black arena.

As like most things I list, it is ever evolving. New superstars, evolution of established stars. As technology gets better, I can't wait to enjoy things to come. Until then, Stay Nerdy!

NGN FAVORITES: PRO WRESTLING I-SUPERSTARS
NGN FAVORITES: PRO WRESTLING II-FINISHING & SIGNATURE MOVES

UNDERTAKERS LAST MATCH

In the world of professional wrestling and sports entertainment, we as fans never really know until we are told when it is an official last match.  There may be a final WWE match, ie Ric Flair, but the list of people who would be finished with the business after that is pretty low. Even now with WWE being the only big promotion right now (sorry indy peeps), a lot of WWE's roster would simply go back to the independents, even TNA if they are desperate for a late pay cheque haha Names on that list would be John Cena or  Randy Orton. Top of that list though would be, The Undertaker. Sure, Kevin Nash reference him coming to WCW at one  point, but that could have possibly been simply bullsh!t (which Nash likes do to mess with the IWC haha) or possibly that WWE was in rough shape at that time. There was almost a chance we'd be watching WCW right now. With Taker, there isn't going to be independent shows like Scott Steiner and other legends. And it isn't because WWE owns the name. Mark Calaway would still draw without it at this point.

So, how would my non-geeky nerd butt book Underaker's final WWE match and moment? As always, I am so happy that you asked haha Many people would have the match come at the grandest stage of them all, Wrestlemania. Understandable, given the spectacle the event is and how much the Deadman has been a major part of that.  Taker was and is much more than his Wrestlemania streak. It hadn't even become a "thing" until late into the streak. His greatest matches came with Triple H and HBK at Wrestlemania, but he still had great and just as memorable moments outside of Wrestlemania. Ya, we're getting Hell In A Cell at Wrestlemania 32, but the best Undertaker HIAC matches were Badd Blodd and King Of The Ring (obviously). Buried Alive matches, Casket matches, etc. He won his first WWE Championship (against Hogan of all people) at Tuesday In Texas. And of course, his origins that stem from Survivor Series.
That is where I would have it happen, Survivor Series, his opponent and type of match that is the hard part for me. A Casket and Buried Alive matches are the choices for me, being the almost soul Taker matches. However, with these options I would have the Phenom lose his final match (which is almost the norm in the business). In a straight up match, I would prefer Taker get the win. My choices for the opponent are Bray Wyatt, Kane, and John Cena. If Taker is losing, then Bray. If winning, then why not one last time with his "brother" (who wouldn't be effected at all character wise). Why is Cena an option? Just one of the many things he could do as a heel to garner heat. Beat Undertaker in his last match, almost especially cleanly, fans would garner even more hate. But, that was covered before (and likly again).

It almost all falls onto how Taker exits things post match. Does he walk out of the arena through the massive gratitude  and applause of the crowd? He's earned it. It could be the one time we saw him "crack". If I am sticking with the character, going classic with new day upgrades. Lights cut, lightening strikes (ring, casket, or headstone, smoke, sound effects, etc. If a Casket or Buried Alive match, druids or Kane come out to reveal an empty casket or grave. Steal from the Wyatts and have the lights cut again, everything disappears. If in the ring, then Taker doing his trademark kneel, lights cut out, lightening strike, spotlight on the center of the ring. The ring would be empty, with only an urn in the middle. Done. If I am being honest, that would be better. Taker doesn't need to put anyone over on his way out, and it would be a thank you to both fans and the man behind the legend that is Undertaker.

Survivors Series. Possibly against Kane. Win. Trademark kneel. Lights out. Lightening and smoke. Spotlight. Urn. End of the greatest WWE career of all time. Hogan, Stone Cold, Cena, anyone. Always be second in comparison. And will be an emotional moment for everyone wrestlers and fans alike. I am similar to that of Big Show, and not afraid to show some tears haha Yes, he always has more reason to do so, but still he's my "save" for ridicule. "Oh ya? Would you make fun of Show for this? Look at him. Ya, that's what I thought" haha

THE UNDERTAKER MOVIE

Awhile ago, there were reports that WWE was planning to do an Undertaker movie. Not an autobiography of Mark Calaway, and not directly of the WWE Hall Of Famer (matter of when, not if) we've seen in the ring. It would be a movie simply about The Undertaker with the Hollywood touch of scripts, action sequences, special effects, etc.

Everyone has their own opinions on how they would go about this and would like to see in the film. Personally, it would be a cross between The Crow, Fight Club and a Western movie, with added sci-fi vibes to the script and presentation. I don't think I would have guns really, but a lot of hand to hand combat. With a majority of Undertakers move sets involved in the fight scenes with twists of course. Imagine an enemy laying off the edge of a building or something, Taker does the classic leg drop. Except this time there is obviously no apron, but he does the move and actually decapitates the person before vanishing into a cloud of smoke in midair. I would also consider having Kane be involved as well. Now that I think of it, he could play the roll of the main instigator, or the muscle of the main villain. Can show a flashback of Takers home being burned to the ground, his family inside. Only to have this monster return later. Not far from what they did in WWE, but with a major Hollywood upgrade.
I don't know if I would have Undertaker (Mark Calaway) play himself or have a hunt for someone who looks like him and can actually act. If it were done a few years ago, or made right now? The real Deadman for sure. As of right now he could do most of the work himself, and if need be, make him younger looking via however they do it haha

As for how I end it. Remember then ending of Conan The Conqueror? With Arnold as an aged King? That is when the Taker we see today appears sans young effects, or the real Undertaker will appear if we used another actor.

It is of course likely to "never" get made, or will be at least a few years from now. However, that doesn't mean it shouldn't. Undertaker is one of the few characters from over the years that you wouldn't necessarily need to make a "wrestling" movie. Till next time, stay Nerdy!

TIMES WE GOT WHAT WE WANTED & IT BACKFIRED IN WRESTLING

Just saw a highlight of when John Cena pinned JBL to win the WWE Championship at Wrestlemania 21. I remembered how that was something majority wanted, and how we couldn't wait for Cena to be drafted to RAW. That was truly the start of the John Cena we see today, as the "Thuganomics" gimmick began to be rolled back. It wasn't the first nor the last time things wouldn't turn out how we wanted them, or at least how I felt about them. Examples would be...

Goldberg V Brock Lesner

Two beasts locking horns on the grandest stage of them all. The type of match that could've even been the main event if a different time. Problem was both Goldberg and Lesner were making their last appearances for WWE (Brock of course later returned), and weren't looking to go in in style. What we were left with was a below mediocre match, and the highlight being Stone Cold Steve Austin hitting both with Stone Cold Stunners after the match concluded. That was only cool because it was as close as we'd get to Austin V Goldberg, and Lesner flipping the crowd which now feels like a "Watch what I am going to become, biotches!".

The Invasion

I'll be honest, this is only disappointing in hindsight. During that time, sure it was obvious big WCW names weren't there, but we did get guys like Booker  T and Diamond Dallas Page in a WWE ring. A dream match for me was The Rock V Booker T (sorry, DDP), and w got that. For some of that talent, it was probably best that nWo (Hogan, Hall, Nash) and others came later. Gave them an opportunity to show Vince and WWE Universe what they had.

Ultimate Warrior V Hulk Hogan

The first time, not the second. Nobody asked, nor deserved that. I am not even knocking the quality of match. Warrior didn't last long as champ, when he could have been bigger than Hogan. No offense to the memory of the Warrior, but Hogan is a bigger name. Love or hate him. I can't really remember Warriors run as champ either, his IC run yes, as the main man, no.

Zack Ryder Got A Push

You can replace Zack with a few names really, and it isn't that they got a push, or that said push was a flop and it was their fault. No, sometimes it is a simple case of fans get behind someone, WWE finally notices and orhastrates a push, and then creative expects them to turn sh!t into gold. That can happen, but shouldn't be needed. Ryder's deal with Kane and Brie Bella was a no-win situation. Ironically, if WWE kept ignoring him, he would probably be at least a Intercontinental/United States title contender if not holder.

I know most of the reasons for why these things turned out the way they did, and I understand them. It doesn't take away the disappointment though. WWE did do a pretty good job at "saving" things like The Invasion. That has to be said. For a business that plans and plans, they are pretty good at recovering on the fly.