A new column debuts here on PWPNation.com as Jay Alletto brings you the first installment of “Booking The Finish.” In this debut, he dives into one of the more intriguing matches in recent WrestleMania history: Shane McMahon vs. The Undertaker at WrestleMania 32
Massive storyline implications have shocked the WWE Universe! Shane McMahon made his unexpected return to Monday Night Raw to crash Stephanie McMahon’s acceptance speech for the Vincent J. McMahon Legacy of Excellence Award.
He made his intentions known quickly as we found out that he bailed Vince out somehow in the past (they were very vague about it) & that Shane is back to take control of WWE. However, Vince wasn’t going to go down without a fight. He convinced Shane that they should handle this situation like they do: in the ring.
Vince booked Shane for a match at WrestleMania 32 against The Undertaker at WrestleMania 32…in a Hell in a Cell match! Sick, right?
Nobody saw this coming. It was the kind of shock value that WWE used to be known to give us on a weekly basis. And oh yeah, if Dave Meltzer knew who Undertaker’s opponent was the entire time and kept his lips sealed, bravo to you, Mr. Meltzer.
Analyzing The Match
As soon as this match was announced, my brain started firing off on all cylinders about how WWE will handle this unique situation. Doesn’t it seem kind of odd that The Undertaker, a perennial babyface who seems to be in the twilight of his career, will go into battle with the returning hero Shane McMahon? WWE needs to make the undying loyalty that The Undertaker has to Vince McMahon a focal point of this story heading into April 3rd.
Even though we’ve heard the stories multiple times, WWE needs to tell the tale of how The Undertaker put the company on his back during the Monday Night Wars & led the locker room throughout that entire time period.
They should even go back in time and bring up Shane’s attempt to take the WWE down when he invaded with The Alliance. Even though the angle is largely dismissed, this would be a perfect time to bring it back to the limelight. It would make logical sense. Undertaker stood by Vince & Team WWE against The Alliance. See the similarities here?
Also, Shane McMahon needs to continue to put over the importance of taking down The Authority. He planted some seeds on Raw, but to go into further detail of how WWE has been moving in a downward direction would help build heat going into the match.
WWE needs a new direction & I feel like they’re aware of this. They know that a constant reliance on The Authority to be the power figure on Raw for nearly 3 years has been redundant for a long time. They’ve gone against, and ultimately defeated, every rival that has stood in their way…
There’s no question that we are going to see a war. Shane McMahon has been known for his ‘throwing caution to the wind’, risk-taking style in a variety of hard-hitting matches throughout his career. And the majority of the time, he was on the losing end. He did whatever he could to make the opposing superstar look like a million bucks; and he’ll do the same for The Undertaker.
Whether it was Steve Blackman, Kurt Angle, Test, Big Show, Kane or X-Pac, Shane McMahon gave them EVERYTHING that he had. And again, usually came out on the losing end. This year, Shane McMahon will defeat The Undertaker at WrestleMania with the help from an unlikely ally.
Booking The Finish
It wouldn’t be a shock to me at all if WWE is already working on some incredible spots to take place during Hell in a Cell at WrestleMania 32. Maybe we’ll see Shane take a crazy dive off the top of the cell, Mick Foley style? Or how about the return of fire and/or barbed wire? You just never know what you’re going to get when Shane McMahon is involved.
I expect a hard hitting match that is heavily dominated by The Undertaker with a resilient, defiant Shane McMahon fighting to kick-out of everything The Undertaker can dish out. But the finish is where I see Shane McMahon get the victory and ultimate control of WWE.
We’re almost certain that this won’t be The Undertaker’s final match in WWE or at WrestleMania. One match that people have been clamoring for since the Monday Night Wars: The Undertaker vs. Sting.
In the waning moments of the match, The Undertaker has Shane in position for a final tombstone & the lights go out. Sting appears in the middle of the ring. He destroys Undertaker with a baseball bat and drops him with The Scorpion Death Drop. Shane drags Undertaker to the corner and goes coast-to-coast with a dropkick into a garbage can or a chair or the steel stairs and defeats The Undertaker.
Think about the logic involved in this. Who was the man responsible for taking The Authority out of power back at Survivor Series 2014? Sting. Now he can finally put the final nail in The Authority’s coffin by helping Shane gain control of WWE.
Who is being inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame as the headliner the night before? Sting. He will be showcased heavily throughout WrestleMania weekend. A WrestleMania 32 appearance is more than likely.
And what better way to book the Sting vs. Undertaker showdown than doing it essentially a YEAR in advance?
If we knew that Sting vs. Undertaker is set to headline WrestleMania 33, wherever it may be residing from, and you had a year to build the anticipation, wouldn’t you be excited?
Leave your “they’re too old and past their prime” arguments at the door & think about the moment where these two iconic figures are set to lock-up for the first time…EVER!
I think thats a major sell for WrestleMania 33. Book that match a year in advance & then let the other pieces fall in place around them. If they really want to sell it, promote it as the FINAL time you will see both men step foot inside the ring to compete. Talk about breaking records?
What do you think? Am I pipe-dreaming here or is this a finish you would want to see take place at WrestleMania 32?