I am curious why so many people want the streak to end?
Firstly, you wouldn't have this epic 220+ page thread of speculation to post in anymore. At the end of the day is that not the payoff for the streak? To have people talking about it. The streak is pretty much the only thing that keeps me coming back to Wrestling every March/April.
Secondly, why do people think that ending the streak is going to propel the victor's career? What would anyone get for ending the streak? I mean, what could you do with them afterwards? Wrestlemania is considered the big boy of all wrestling events, and the Streak is synonymous with Wrestlemania. It's so big, that the match has on more than one occasion overshadowed the title matches as the main event.
Beating the streak is pretty much the pinnacle of the business. Even HHH said so. I've done everything in this business, but beat the streak. If you have some up and coming youngster beat Taker, how do you do it? They already did the match where he took 100 chair shots and 4-5 pedigrees and it wasn't enough. The excitement of the streak match is no longer about if the person will beat it, it's about to what ends they will pull out the stops to try and beat it. That's the excitement behind it.
Now, for Punk and Taker. This has the makings of a fantastic match. Punk has built himself up as this stable leader who's willing to call in the hounds to win the match. Imagine if we go back to Yokozuna days where Taker is facing the impossible odds of Punk and his cronies.
So here's the scene. Punk vs Taker. Brad Maddox is inserted in as the ref. to 'screw' Punk and get his revenge on Heyman.
-Punk enters the ring with Heyman behind him. Taker comes out with his usual grandeur and blows the watchers away with the entrance. Bell rings.
-Match starts typical Taker. Punk tries to overpower him and fails miserably. Maddox calls it right down the middle.
-Heyman starts to interfere and distracts Maddox, allowing Punk to cheat to gain the advantage.
-Taker rallies back and the match spills out onto the floor.
-Do the usual run around, maybe break a table, Punk with Heymans help comes out on top and 'injures' Takers knowingly bad shoulder.
-Match gets back into the ring. Punk carries on working on Takers shoulder, does the wrestling he does best, gets in Maddox's face.
-Taker does a comeback. Punk reverses and hits his finisher, Maddox looks doubtful but does the count, Taker kicks out.
-Queue Punk kneeling in the ring with hands on head moment.
-Punk goes to cheat some more. Taker turns it around. Hits Punk with Tombstone/Last Ride, goes for the pin.
-Maddox doesn't count and instead turns and smiles at Heyman.
-Right now the crowds going wtf. Beliefs already set in that the streak might end with an almighty screw job.
-Taker goes out on a rampage. Clocks out Maddox and Heyman
-Shield/Lesnar arrive and take out Taker, then start to try and rouse Maddox for the pin.
-Queue arrival of HHH/Ryback/Shamus/Jericho/whoever Shield probably beat earlier in the night.
-The face's beat the Shield away
-Maddox starts to come around and sees Punk covering Taker, starts the three count. Taker kicks out.
-Taker now comes back, takes down Punk, covers again, Maddox still refuses to count.
-Heyman gets on the apron and distracts Taker, allowing Punk to recover.
-Heyman reaches into his pocket and pulls out powder. Goes to throw it in Takers eyes. Taker dodges and it blinds Maddox instead, then knocks out Heyman.
-Maddox is writhing around while Punk rallies back on Taker.
-Punk sets Taker up for a tombstone of his own and calls for Maddox to get ready.
-Taker reverses the tombstone and delivers one of his own on Punk, and then collapses on top of him.
-Maddox thinks its Punk covering Taker, and counts the 1-2-3.
That's how I'd do the match, and I think it would be great, and then you set up Punk to turn on the Shield/Maddox/Heyman holding them blame for the lose, and open up the doors to return him to face which is arguably where he works better.