My Main Event Road To WrestleMania
By Mia Tucker
Then, how would Barret follow or surpass The Undertaker's work with Shawn Michaels two years in a row? What has he won? What has he achieved? How many legendary feuds he's had? The thing about Barrett is Taker wouldn't gain any new credibility by defeating him, just like when he defeated Mark Henry at WM 22 in the worst casket match of all time. At least when Orton faced Taker at WM 21, he was on his peak as The Legend Killer and was fresh from becoming the youngest world champion ever.
Let's see The Undertaker's Wrestlemania Opponent's Credibilities in the last Four Wrestlemanias and see if Barrett can actually follow even any of them:
1. Batista (Wrestlemania 23)
# Pro Wrestling Illustrated
* PWI Most Improved Wrestler of the Year (2005)
* PWI Wrestler of the Year (2005)
* PWI ranked him #1 of the 500 best singles wrestlers in the PWI 500 in 2005
# World Wrestling Entertainment
* World Heavyweight Championship (4 times)
* World Tag Team Championship (3 times) with Ric Flair (2) and John Cena (1)
* WWE Championship (2 times)
* WWE Tag Team Championship (1 time) with Rey Mysterio
* Royal Rumble (2005)
* Match of The Year 2007 vs. Undertaker at Wrestlemania 23
# Wrestling Observer Newsletter awards
* Feud of the Year (2005) vs. Triple H
* Feud of the Year (2007) vs. The Undertaker
He also main evented Wrestlemania 21 prior to meeting The Undertaker at Wrestlemania 23.
2. Edge (Wrestlemania 24)
* World Wrestling Federation / World Wrestling Entertainment
o World Heavyweight Championship (5 times)
o World Tag Team Championship (12 times) with Christian (7), Chris Benoit (2), Hulk Hogan (1), Randy Orton (1) and Chris Jericho (1)
o WWE Championship (4 times)
o WWF/E Intercontinental Championship (5 times)
o WCW United States Championship (1 time)
o WWE Tag Team Championship (2 times) with Rey Mysterio (1) and Chris Jericho (1)
o King of the Ring (2001)
o Mr. Money in the Bank (2005, 2007)
o Slammy Award for Couple of the Year (2008) with Vickie Guerrero
o Fourteenth Triple Crown Champion
o Royal Rumble (2010)
3. Shawn Michaels (Wrestlemania 25 & 26)
* Pro Wrestling Illustrated
o PWI Feud of the Year (2008) vs. Chris Jericho
o PWI Match of the Year (1993) vs. Marty Jannetty on Monday Night Raw on May 17
o PWI Match of the Year (1994) vs. Razor Ramon in a Ladder match at WrestleMania X
o PWI Match of the Year (1995) vs. Diesel at WrestleMania XI
o PWI Match of the Year (1996) vs. Bret Hart in an Iron Man match at WrestleMania XII
o PWI Match of the Year (2004) vs. Chris Benoit and Triple H at WrestleMania XX
o PWI Match of the Year (2005) vs. Kurt Angle at WrestleMania 21
o PWI Match of the Year (2006) vs. Vince McMahon in a No Holds Barred match at WrestleMania 22
o PWI Match of the Year (2007) vs. John Cena on Raw on April 23
o PWI Match of the Year (2008)] vs. Ric Flair at WrestleMania XXIV
o PWI Match of the Year (2009) vs. The Undertaker at WrestleMania XXV
o PWI Most Popular Wrestler of the Year (1995, 1996)
o PWI ranked him #1 of the top 500 singles wrestlers of the year in the PWI 500 in 1996
o PWI ranked him #10 of the top 500 singles wrestlers of the "PWI Years" in 2003
o PWI ranked him #33 of the Top 100 Tag Teams of the "PWI Years" with Marty Jannetty in 2003
* World Wrestling Federation / World Wrestling Entertainment
o WWF Championship (3 times)
o WWF European Championship (1 time)
o WWF Intercontinental Championship (3 times)
o WWF/E World Tag Team Championship (5 times) with Diesel (2), Steve Austin (1), John Cena (1), and Triple H (1)
o WWE Tag Team Championship (1 time) with Triple H (1)
o World Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
o Royal Rumble (1995, 1996)
o Fourth Triple Crown Champion
o First Grand Slam Champion
o Slammy Award for Best Slammin' Jammin' Entrance (1996)
o Slammy Award for Best Threads (1996)
o Slammy Award for Squared Circle Shocker (1996) Won for collapsing; Owen Hart accepts the award for making Michaels collapse
o Slammy Award for Master of Mat Mechanics (1996)
o Slammy Award for US West Match of the Year (1996) vs. Razor Ramon in a Ladder match at SummerSlam
o Slammy Award for Leader of the New Generation (1996)
o Slammy Award for Best Finisher (1997)
o Slammy Award for US West Match of the Year (1997) vs. Bret Hart in an Iron Man match at WrestleMania XII
o Slammy Award for Match of the Year (2008) vs. Ric Flair at WrestleMania XXIV
o Slammy Award for Match of the Year (2009) vs. The Undertaker at WrestleMania XXV
Wrestling Observer Newsletter
* Wrestling Observer Newsletter Hall of Fame (Class of 2003)
* Best Babyface (1996)
* Feud of the Year (2004) vs. Triple H and Chris Benoit
* Feud of the Year (2008) vs. Chris Jericho[180]
* Match of the Year (1994) vs. Razor Ramon in a Ladder match at WrestleMania X
* Match of the Year (2008) vs. Chris Jericho in a Ladder match at No Mercy
* Match of the Year (2009) vs. The Undertaker at WrestleMania XXV
* Most Charismatic (1995, 1996)
* Tag Team of the Year (1989) with Marty Jannetty as The Rockers
So? Does Barrett's credibility even begin to rival any of those three? If Taker vs Barret happens, I think we will have a match on the same level with Undertaker vs Mark Henry or Undertaker vs Big Show & A-Train. The match would be below average and predictable as hell. Same goes for Sheamus.
