Dead Man's Party

Undertaker VS CM Punk - WWE 9/25/2009

JJZ: As a person I think CM Punk is a jerkoff. As a wrestler he always brings psychology and story telling to his matches. He is also probably the best talker of the most recent generation. I only ever remember seeing the Mania match between these two before this and I think they work really well together. Punk trying to chop Taker down and keep him down to eliminate the size and power difference is basic but done so well. Even though Punk still needs to learn how to throw a kick the strike exchanges in the match are solid and I love love love the battle on the top rope. The finish of the match put this over the top for me. Very nice story building television match.

CJD: I don't remember these two feuding so many years before their famous Wrestlemania match. This makes me want to watch the Hell In A Cell match that follows. I remember people saying in podcasts and such that Undertaker never had a problem selling for smaller guys as long as you stay on him, and Punk did that in this match. This was definitely one that was more about building to a payoff than it was about the match itself but that's pro wrestling 101. Also if we ever pick a match between two wrestlers you think are shitty people who are both wearing the same color tights I'm pretty sure your brain will implode!

Market Crash

Undertaker VS JBL - WWE No DQ Match 6/16/2005

CJD: One of the best feuds from JBL's awesome run on Smackdown from around this time was against the Undertaker. They worked each other quite a bit so I figured I could dig up a match I either missed or didn't remember that well. This fit the bill and is a great example of one of the things I loved so much about this feud, which was how huge of a threat JBL made the Undertaker feel like. No doubt Taker is one of the best big men ever but I think JBL is the real star of this hoss match. Although I did mark out for Taker taking a page from an old rival's playbook (I think you'll catch what I'm laying down).

JJZ: I know JBL is a big dude but seeing him next to Taker puts it into perspective. Five years ago I would have said Taker is really good but not all time. Since then I've come to realize his greatness. His effort to make every match the best that it can be needs to mirrored by every wrestler. The amount of Smackdown matches that have been played on PIF so far is unexpected but not surprising. Totally a hoss battle Chris, super physical and stiff by WWE standards. BUT I gotta disagree with you. Mean Mark needs to get top bill. JBL was a stud in this match but Taker did things and took things that made me say goddammit! I totally picked up what you were throwing by the way. A big man's knees are his biggest weakness and to take that bump popped me huge. Also fucking fantastic falsies. Beautiful match CJD.