Notes from the Nosebleeds #70
June 12, 2010
By: Matt O’Brien of Wrestleview.com
Aside from the excellent angle WWE ran last Monday with the NXT rookies from its first season invading, and literally dismantling, Raw, the company has also created interest with a “who done it?” storyline with Undertaker suffering an attack the left him in a vegetative state and his brother Kane seeking justice. Just who the perpetrator is has fans guessing and Kane on the rampage. So who attacked Undertaker? We will soon find out. In the meantime, the possible perps generate curiosity for different reasons. What follows are just a few possible superstars that may have taken out Taker.
Sheamus
Like Sheamus said on Monday, if he were to attack Taker he would do so in front of everyone like he did Triple H. However, looking back at the facial expressions of the Celtic Warrior on Monday in his match with Kane may provide insight. After incurring Kane’s wrath, Sheamus stood at the top of the entrance ramp looking shaken by Kane’s aggressiveness. On one hand he may be glad he wasn’t the guy who attacked Undertaker as he would hate to see what Kane would do to the real perpetrator. On the other hand, maybe Sheamus was worried that he had awoken a monster in Kane he hadn’t counted on. Maybe by taking out the Dead Man, he made a living hell for himself.
Shawn Michaels
Taker ended HBK’s career at Wrestlemania. It would make sense for Michaels to want revenge. Perhaps WWE could tease this by having Kane confront Michaels at some point and generate interest for one night only, but that is about as far as it would go. Michaels just retired and nobody is clamoring to see him come back for a third match with Taker, especially as a heel. HBK had a great sendoff and it is doubtful he has any interest in tarnishing that right now by coming back so soon. One possibility is having HBK find a rookie to manage against Taker.
Triple H
Doug Lackey brought up Triple H’s name this week on Wrestleview Radio as a possible name for Taker’s attacker. These two have not had an all out program since 2002, and a big program between them right now would be very interesting. Taker was the guy who ended the career of Triple H’s best friend, and Hunter could lay claim to being the franchise of WWE, that this is his yard now, not Taker’s. It’s the two top veterans of WWE going at each other. It allows both men to do what they do best with Taker seeking revenge against a heel HHH. Their programs in the past were better executed when Taker was the baby face. At this point in his career, Hunter remaining a baby face to finish his career feels right, especially given his current program with Sheamus. However, HHH was always best as a heel. One final heel run for the Game would be nice to see.
Having a veteran as the mystery man can create a buzz, but this is an opportunity to push a new star to the moon. Putting a younger star in the role could make a career. Perhaps it could be…
Drew McIntyre
Or maybe not…
NXT Cast
Given what happened with the beat down last Monday, the NXT cast may have taken out Undertaker. The angle WWE ran that Barrett and co. has sparked great interest. They could capitalize on Taker’s injury and push the NXT guys even further by having them be the ones who put the dead man in a vegetative state. The problem with that scenario is that you end up spreading the NXT guys across all brands and end up overexposing them. WWE has been handling NXT angel so well that they would be very careful to hurt it. Also, at second look it is inconsistent to have them attack John Cena and CM Punk in front of the world but assault Taker behind the scenes.
Ezekiel Jackson
One of the better options would be the final ECW champion. He has the tools and the ability to become a top star and a feud with Taker would be great for both men. Because he has been around so long, Undertaker always feels most fresh when he is up against an opponent he has not fought before. Every now and then he needs someone out of the blue to go up against. Mick Foley is a great example of this. Foley provided Taker with a new breed of opponent to bring out a new side of himself. Kane was the same way back in 1998, and Jackson could be that guy now. The issue with having Jackson as the guy is timing. Kane can only keep up his rampage for so many more weeks before the mystery man is revealed. Money in the Bank would be the best time to have Kane go up against the attacker, with Taker returning to confront his assailant at Sumemrslam. Right now it looks like Jackson will be out past Sumemrslam. Unless Kane finds a distraction for a few months, Jackson is not the guy for the job.
Kane
In all honesty, this is the obvious choice. Kane is always at his best as a malicious heel. Some of the most prominent times for his character have been his confrontations with his brother. Back in 1998, Kane turned on his Undertaker and cost him the WWF title. He turned on his brother again in 2000 and 2004. As many times as these two have fought, they always find a way to keep it fresh. Each time they wrestle they get the audience to want to see them in the ring together. No one man has ever done to Taker the things that Kane has. Having put Taker in a vegetative state, it would only add to Kane’s dark streak and re-catapult his career to heights it has not seen for a few years.
It may or not be one of the above stars that took out Undertaker, but it is simply amazing what this storyline has already brought out in Kane. Much like he did in 2004, Kane is carrying this by himself. His anger complemented with his insanity captivates and enthralls. The man’s facial expressions alone pull you in. He is now unhinged and on a warpath that will soon culminate in either the exposure of the attacker, or Kane’s own guilt in all of this. Just who did this to Undertaker remains a mystery.
Thanks for reading
Matt O’Brien
mattman5436@yahoo.com