This Hunter/HBK fued

So what do you think about it?

I am loving every minute of this. I like how HBK is playing more of the heel in this. What are your thoughts?

Out of the big four matches planned, I think Triple H v Undertaker is the one that's had the best build. Jericho v Punk has been pretty underwhelming, Sheamus v Bryan is pretty generic and Cena v Rock can be great a times, infuriating at others, and we've known that the match was going ahead for 11 months now so it's not exactly fresh.

I'm really digging Michaels' involvement in the whole thing, in the past four years, the streak has meant just as much to HBK as it has done to The Undertaker, so it feels right for him to be embedded into this current storyline. I wouldn't say Michaels is playing the heel in this, they're just playing off the 'his best friend says he's better than him, and only accepted the match to prove it' angle so that when it comes to April 1st, there's that seed of doubt over how Michaels will call the match. Last nights promo had the intention of both announcing Michaels as the special guest referee, and floated the idea around that Michaels won't be doing Hunter any favours in it because of the comments made by Triple H upon accepting the match. Next week Michaels is going to be in a promo with The Undertaker and I'll guarantee the main theme running through that promo will be 'Undertaker and the streak retired Michaels, Michaels wanted the streak to end more than anybody in the company, Michaels might be tempted to screw over Taker to get revenge for WM26'. The end result from both promos is that Michaels will have issues with both superstars, and the WWE will use the 'will Shawn call the match fair?' angle to make people believe the streak could end, even though there is 0% chance that the streak will ever end.

I find the interjection of Shawn Michaels as special guest referee in this match to be a bit...unnecessary.

I know that's probably not a popular opinion, but let me explain.

What has been the storyline up until this announcement? Triple H, the COO of World Wrestling Entertainment, not wanting to fight Undertaker due to his new responsibilities to the product as a whole and Undertaker wanting to redeem himself after his embarassing victory at Wrestlemania the prior year (being carted out when Trips got to walk away). It was a well-executed angle to run with: Triple H, who at one point gladly chased the ending of the streak as a matter of personal pride and glory (with the hint of putting Taker down "out of respect") who now finds himself on the corporate side of things, wanting to do what's right for the company and for business. He was the one who had to be goaded into this match because he feared that ending the Streak would end The Undertaker, and the end of a legend's career is a scary proposition from the company's standpoint. And on the other side, you have The Undertaker, who for the last few years has been barely clinging on to the Streak, his last and most enduring legacy as a WWE Superstar. But pride compels him to avenge what was, in actuality, a victory and show the world that, for lack of a better term, he still has it in him.

All in all, this angle has told the story of two men from a different era in professional wrestling struggling with a changing climate and the rigors of time. It's a story of one's man's struggles with his new responsibilities and another's willingness to pay any price necessary to preserve his legacy and, more importantly, his pride.

In other words, it's a friggin' awesome story.

But then you inject HBK as the special guest referee. And suddenly, the story shifts. It's not so much about the Streak anymore as it is "bestest best friends squabbling about who's better." And I know that's a really cynical look at it, but you can't deny that it's not somewhat true. Now the story's about HBK and HHH's relationship and whether or not HBK as ref is going to screw over Trips or Taker.

To put it into perspective...this HBK-HHH mini-feud is using the Streak as a vehicle for which to tell it. And I'm sorry, but what the hell?

I don't mind using HBK to further hype the match between Taker and Trips. I just disagree with him being named special guest referee because it takes focus away from the original, awesome storyline and instead makes it a "will he or won't he" story with HBK.

I think Michaels is in the match for two reasons:

1) He's Mr Wrestlemania and just like how they bring Austin back for a ref spot now and again, they're eager to find a way to get him on the show. At least this doesn't feel random, Michaels has been connected to the streak more than anyone after Taker obviously, so if you're going to have a special guest referee, he's the natural choice.

2) Injecting HBK into the match adds a layer of uncertainty because you don't know how Michaels is going to call it (he'll call it down the middle, but the commentators will push the idea of a screwjob) and it's something to differentiate it from last years match. If Michaels wasn't in this, then we'd just have one brutal match stipulation replacing another brutal match stipulation and it would feel too close to last years match - not that it would be a bad thing, I just see where the WWE are going with the referee angle.

I'd agree that the storyline was already awesome enough before last night, and that I'd hate this to turn into a Triple H/Shawn Michaels best buddies bickering storyline that turn Taker into a 3rd wheel, however I have hope that it won't come to that, hell Taker has a one on one promo with Shawn Michaels next week so I'd expect tension to build between the two of them.

I'd have loved to see Foley ref it just cause of his Cell matches with both guys.

Yes Death Dealer said it right, Mick Foley could have been the better choice to referee this match since he has had a troubled history with both men. One retired him while the other threw him off the damn structure and created a moment that is remembered by millions around the world.

To be honest I do not care for HBK's involvement, this is what they do with Austin who has retired and keeps coming back, I just don't care HBK's place in this feud he already did his program with the Undertaker, I feel he shouldn't be there to referee, so it would have been better with just a regular Cell match.

How would Foley be a better choice for special guest referee than Michaels, Foley has no link whatsoever to the streak, Michaels has been heavily involved in the past 4 streak matches.

If we're just going to toss around people who've had high profile matches with both Taker and Triple H, then the list could go on and on, but Michaels is the only guy retired by the streak and is the best friend of Triple H, it's impossible to find an alternative referee who has a stronger conflict of interest than HBK.

Originally Posted by Death Dealer

I'd have loved to see Foley ref it just cause of his Cell matches with both guys.

HBK has had cell matces with both guys, also he has more recent history with the two men.

Originally Posted by Crocker

HBK has had cell matces with both guys, also he has more recent history with the two men.

Never said Shawn was a bad choice just said I'd have liked Foley in the role too.