Reaction Zone - One era ends, and another begins (we think)

Long ago, William Shakespeare wrote, "all good things must come to an end". Never was this more true than at Wrestlemania 30.

The Undertaker's Wrestlemania winning streak had come to an end at 21 after Brock Lesnar, who'd never lost to Undertaker on PPV, needed three F-5's to finish the legend. Time and injuries had made the Dead Man vulnerable, and it has been speculated on other newsboards that, yes, Undertaker had decided that this would be the appropriate time to end the streak. Some say Lesnar was the opponent he wanted for this occasion. Beneath their feuds in 2002-3, the Beast and the Phenom had developed a mutual respect and a friendship. I'm sure you remember that Undertaker, in civvies, was in attendance for at least one of Lesnar's UFC PPV fights.

So much for the idle speculation that it would've been left to someone like current stars John Cena or Antonio Cesaro (don't laugh) or even a visiting icon like Sting to be The One. Undertaker was injured during the match, and was treated for neck injuries and a possible concussion at a New Orleans hospital. It was such that WWE Chairman-CEO Vince McMahon left the Superdome and missed the main event. More on Vince later.

In reading the account of the match, nowhere did I see anything that suggested that Paul Heyman, Lesnar's friend and manager, was involved. He didn't need to be. If Lesnar had any help, it was from Father Time, telling Taker that, yes, it was time. I'd not be surprised that in another few weeks, Taker returns to TV, and, like Edge three years ago, announces his retirement on Raw.

And, like Edge, Undertaker would headline the Hall of Fame class the next year. Trust me. This scenario is likely.

On a more aesthetic level, it was a night where today's stars proved to be better than the ones of a past era.

Earlier, the Shield had made quick work of three bastions of the Attitude Era--Kane and the New Age Outlaws. Couple this with Daniel Bryan defeating Triple H in the PPV opener, and you could see that a message was sent. The torch was being passed from the veterans of the 90's (HHH, Kane, UT) to, aside from Lesnar, this generation (Shield, Bryan, Cesaro). The only way that this rite of passage isn't completed tonight is if McMahon insists on continuing the Bryan-Authority storyline, which by all rights should be over.

Bryan's 7 1/2 month journey back to the championship was culminated in the main event, and Triple H just couldn't help himself, it seemed. He wanted Scott Armstrong to screw Bryan over. Bryan prevented that, and by the end of the night, 3/4 of Evolution, HHH's self-indulgent faction of 2003-5, had been vanquished, as Batista, whom a lot of people originally thought would win the title, instead tapped out.

To be sure, Bryan will get a steady diet of brutes like Batista and Lesnar, plus a rematch with Randy Orton, who didn't figure into the final decision, a point that will be played up big for sure, will be looming quickly.

Meanwhile, WWE quietly bid farewell to Ezekiel Jackson, who broke the news himself. Sidelined for what seemed like forever and forgotten ever since losing the IC title, Jackson (Rycklon Stephens) must've asked for his release. There are reports that America's least favorite Diva, Vickie Guerrero, is saying goodbye after 8 years with the company, most of it as an annoying, selfish, bullying authority figure over-protected by Vince McMahon, though the latter would never admit to any sort of extra-marital affair, a story that could've written itself. That leaves an opening on Smackdown. Hmmmmm. Could they give the ball back to Teddy Long? Or do they have someone else in the pipeline, like JBL, who's currently a quiet GM on NXT?

Tonight, let's savor the start of the Bryan era as WWE champion. If I'm Triple H, I'd be better off not spoiling it, and starting a new chapter, once and for all.


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