10 WWE Matches That Were Meant To Be Epic (But Failed Miserably)
5. Brock Lesnar vs. Undertaker (WrestleMania XXX)
If you are beginning to wonder about the modern flavor of this column to this point, then the explanation is simple: super cards as we know them were only born in 1983, so it took about 15 years for expectations to be set for what the biggest shows of the year could produce and the critical community that helps shape such expectations to grow accordingly. The last decade has had higher expectations because of the success of the first twenty years of the WrestleMania Era. During that time, nobody other than Shawn Michaels built up a greater standard for his performances on major stages than Undertaker. The Deadmans run of Mania matches, dubbed The Streak within The Streak, from 2007-2013 was arguably the best in modern pro wrestling lore. Timing is everything, though, and Taker vs. Brock Lesnar came across from the start as about three years too late. Nobody cared. The people did not respond during the hype and a pin drop could be heard in the Super Dome at Mania XXX. For almost a half hour, Taker and Brock put on a match full of the same caliber of high spots that had become hallmarks of the Phenoms previous seven classics, but there was so little interest that there was not the same response. The only thing noteworthy in the entire effort was the utterly shocking result one of the most surprising finishes in WWE history. The Streak came to an end and so did the Streak within it. 21-1 was merely the rainbow glitter sprinkled on a giant turd. Taker apparently got concussed early on, but there was not a single moment in that match prior to that had the crowd buzzing.
"The Doc" Chad Matthews has written wrestling columns for over a decade. A physician by trade, Matthews began writing about wrestling as a hobby, but it became a passion. After 30 years as a wrestling fan, "The Doc" gives an unmatched analytical perspective on pro wrestling in the modern era. He is a long-time columnist for Lordsofpain.net and hosts a weekly podcast on the LOP Radio Network called "The Doc Says." His first book - The WrestleMania Era: The Book of Sports Entertainment - ranks the Top 90 wrestlers from 1983 to present day, was originally published in December 2013, and is now in its third edition.
Matthews lives in North Carolina with his wife, two kids, and two dogs.
