Thoughts On The Undertaker

Motley Crue

I just wanted to share some thoughts, my opinion, on the current state of what's happening with The Undertaker. It seems to be that Undertaker (who has not been seen on TV since his Wrestlemania 31

defeat of Bray Wyatt

) is now wrestling on a match by match basis, or at least a PPV by PPV basis....but who does this benefit exactly?

At 50 The Undertaker is nowhere near the oldest professional wrestler, and he certainly has a few "good years" left in him (I mean, if you ignore his injuries and look at the possibility of him at least being active in the ring) so maybe retirement isn't on his mind. However, for all intensive purposes he is retired, because he's wrestled just a handful of on screen matches in the last few years. Is he saving himself (attempting to avoid any possible further injuries) to reach a pre determined number or is he just feeling his way through and seeing what he can achieve.

I can't ever see The Undertaker back on WWE television to the same appearance level as he held in late 2000, or anytime before that, it just doesn't seem to make sense to me that he would suddenly reappear and start main eventing standard PPV events.

Vince McMahon admitted that Undertaker was initially shocked when the decision was made for the streak to be ended. But Taker went with it and agreed. Is McMahon now gearing up to properly retire Undertaker with dignity or just waiting to see what happens....

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yf-jj_k8fJY

And if he is looking for a retirement match, who is it actually going to be against? Hogan? Sting? Ric Flair? Who is he actually going to fight in anyway that's going to top his performances against Triple H and Shawn Michaels in recent Wrestlemania's - hell (no pun intended) - has he lost the opportunity to retire with dignity? There's been no induction to the Hall of Fame and nowhere near mention of it, so what are the plans for Undertaker and where is this all leading?

Kankan14

I imagine(as do many others) he'll make WM 31 his last as its his home town.

He doesn't need the money it seems.
He doesn't need to put his body through WWE's rigorous week to week schedule.
He wants to spend time with his family.

On top of these what has he left to achieve. He has had to show stopping matches at WM during the streak.
He was leader of Ministry of Darkness which led to the corporate ministry. An angle which was awesome all over.
He is a multiple time world champion.
King of hell in a cell matches (obv special mention for Mankind at KoTR)

So he will have one last day out next at WM imo. It will most likely be Sting he faces as a match for the ages or aged in their case.


As for the hall of fame. Most guys go in after they have finished actively wrestling. I'm pretty sure Vinny Mc would let him go in whenever he wants. Be awesome if he did it next year though the next before his final match.

MitchKoobski

I always thought the retirement match would end up being him vs Kane where they both retire trying to decide who the better one is (it's clearly Taker).

The match would be terrible, but it would be senitmental at least.

Then Sting happened.

Stereomaniac

To be honest, I'd like to see himself and Kane bow out together also, for sentimental reasons as well. But with Paul Bearer now deceased there's a certain amount of sizzle already taken out of it. They'd have to set Kane on that path now, of returning to the darkness.

Cheese Wagstaff

*intents and

Sorry...ðŸ˜

Motley Crue

Are we agreed then that there's no chance of a Summerslam or Survivor Series match (Survivor because it would be where he made his debut and Summerslam because I felt the WWE were attempting to push that event to be the "2nd Wrestlemania" of the year and wanted a little gravitas added)

Frank O. Pinion

Of course there's no chance of a SummerSlam or Survivor Series match. Why even ask?

Motley Crue

Frank O. Pinion wrote: »

Of course there's no chance of a SummerSlam or Survivor Series match. Why even ask?

Because I thought that perhaps WWE would attempt to push The Undertaker to wrestle a match now as opposed to the possibility that they turn to him in January and ask him if he's alright for Wrestlemania, to which he then says "no, changed my mind" or something like that....plus the bigger gaps he leaves between actual wrestling matches the bigger chance there is that he will gain an injury when returning to training

So surely he's got to be training to some extent on a consistent basis outside the ring? And organising at least developmental training matches etc

A Primal Nut

He's been wrestling once a year for the last 4-5 years and its worked well so no reason that's going to change.

He probably wouldn't have continued for so long if not for the streak. Now that's over there isn't much reason to continue much longer.

I think he might leave the hall of fame until the following year when he's retired and he can be fully out of character.

Is Ric Flair the only person to enter hall of fame the night before a match?

Motley Crue

A Primal Nut wrote: »

Is Ric Flair the only person to enter hall of fame the night before a match?

Hulk Hogan was inducted in 2005 and came out at Wrestlemania 21 to fight a little bit

Steve Austin did the same when he was inducted and there was a little piece with him driving around the ring

the groutch

A match at Survivor series would make sense as it will be 25 years to the exact day since his debut.

beakerjoe

He really should just reitire.

I didnt care for his match with Bray. The allure of his streak is gone and hes past his prime. He didnt even put Bray over. Him wrestling once a year on the biggest stage takes a spot from a younger guy who id most likely rather see.

Ruu

He doesn't need to wrestle anymore or anything to prove obviously. He doesn't look in the greatest of shape these days anyway, very skinny, not much meat on him at all! Don't think it was the best decision to put him in the ring with Lesnar, no way he could handle the punishment, banged him up pretty good.

JohnMarston

the groutch wrote: »

A match at Survivor series would make sense as it will be 25 years to the exact day since his debut.

Bring back Bruce Prichard as manager.

But seriously, I think any angle for SS could feel very forced if Taker was on it. Unless you had a traditional 4 vs 4 team match. Kane vs Authority. A recently turned Sting fighting in HHHs corner after taking Kane's job. Kane calls in his brother for a last stand with two others. a sting vs taker match at mania could be set up

beakerjoe

JohnMarston wrote: »

Bring back Tom Prichard as manager.

The Undertaker and Dr Tom? He could pass as a taller Jimmy Del Ray I suppose :pac:

You mean Bruce I take it.

bur

He wasn't even involved in any of the build up for that WM match, it's literally as if he worked a single day as a wrestler all year.

Palo Alto

I found the lack of recap video on Mania this year to be very underwhelming. I know they screwed up the timing but it further took away from the match to quite a large extent.

Itssoeasy

I'm of the opinion he is the greatest character ever in the business. A first ballot HOFer when he decides to retire completely from the ring. I actually can't wait for his speech as I'm a huge undertaker mark.

Palo Alto

Mark is also a huge Undertaker.

Scavenger XIII

Palo Alto wrote: »

Mark is also a huge Undertaker.

He's totally taller than the Underfaker.

briany

Itssoeasy wrote: »

I'm of the opinion he is the greatest character ever in the business. A first ballot HOFer when he decides to retire completely from the ring. I actually can't wait for his speech as I'm a huge undertaker mark.

If he gives his speech in character, it'd probably be annoyingly short as 'Taker has traditionally been a character of few words. He's never been one for dropping character, and the closest he's ever gotten to a shoot is that interview he did as ABA/BE, talking about the business, but even that was kind of in the character he was doing at the time.

brianregan09

Would love to see him have one last run leading up to next years wrestlemania and finish it off with Kane and have both of them retire together and both go in the Hall of Fame

Stereomaniac

I really don't think that's going to happen but if we're fantasy booking, I really wanted to see him get his win back over Brock Lesnar. But we're getting into totally unrealistic territory.

briany

brianregan09 wrote: »

Would love to see him have one last run leading up to next years wrestlemania and finish it off with Kane and have both of them retire together and both go in the Hall of Fame

Maybe it's an unpopular opinion, but I didn't think either of Taker's WM matches with Kane were all that good. Another one would not provide the bang he'd want to go out on.

brianregan09

We all know anyway its going to be Sting vs Taker next year

briany

brianregan09 wrote: »

We all know anyway its going to be Sting vs Taker next year

Sting has completed all of the dates on his contract. Therefore him reappearing to face Undertaker to face Undertaker is in no way a certainty. Besides, I don't he'd be wanting to job twice in a row at WM and surely the WWE would be wanting to put Taker over squeaky clean in his go home match. If Taker were to put someone over, they ought to be looking long term with someone who could use the rub.

Stereomaniac

The time for looking for someone to take the rub from him was at the end of 2013/start of 2014. The Streak will never again be something which can be taken from him. He is a beatable legend now. The match with Sting would now have some intrigue to it if it happens.