Speculation on The Undertaker’s future

"The Wrestling Observer reports that the talk backstage at Wrestlemania 28 in Miami was how great The Undertaker looked in the ring, and despite under going two surgeries last year, many believe that The Undertaker has several more matches left in him. It is almost certain at this time that Undertaker will wrestle at Wrestlemania 29."

No complaints here. He has paid his dues twice over. Wrestling more than once a year would take away from the mystique of his Wrestlemania matches. However, 21-0 or 22-0 doesn't sound right to me. Unless he's gonna get to 25-0, The man has sacrificed his health more than most wrestlers still wrestling today. Isn’t it time to retire & rest (in peace)?

I think you have a point there, I think he should retire with his record intact and call it a day, May be he could be some sort of manager if he still wanted to be involved at ring side.

I don't think Taker's character suits a manager role, in fact I'm not sure how he fits when he's retired in an on-screen role.

I don't think the number of wins matters so much as the 0 that follows them. If WWE can string Taker out at Mania for a few more years it buys them time and leaves them with a big PPV draw guaranteed while they try and find new ones.

The flip side to this is VKM. Taker may very well want to retire, but the streak match has now become one of the most important matches at WM. It has produced in my opinion the best bouts in the last 4 WM's, and is a huge draw when it comes to people, mainly casual fans, buying the PPV.

I am sure if Taker has slight doubts about his health and ability in the ring, then VKM will do everything he can to get rid of them.

I am sitting on the fence in regards to whether or not he should carry on or not. I just think it would be a shame if he pushes his body to such limits, that one sub standard WM does him in totally, and that would be our last memory of him.

For the purists, the ending of the HITC match this year was the perfect send-off.

I'm still backing HBK to come back for one last match to end the streak, but obviously time is ticking on that one. And I suppose the way it ended this year it didn't seem much like they were building towards that.

I'd say Cena may well get the spot this year if Rock/Lesnar comes off

This is ridiculous, I didn't think he looked good in the ring at all he looked worn out immediately. The only reason the match was able to drag out for aslong as it did was because of the whole involvement of Shawn Michaels in the match filling in all the long breaks when Taker was down.

He hasn't got what it takes anymore, stop holding onto the past and the streak itsat 20-0 that should be it....there is no point in naming a match 'end of an era' then continuing for another 2/3 years....If he did carry on I would have zero respect for the guy, because he simply would not know how to let the business go.

i dont mind the undertaker carrying on as long as the streak continues. Puts on good matches as long as the product and his health are ok im cool with it.

Do sort of agree with the voiceofthevoiceless a little, undertaker vs triple H wasnt the best match at wrestlemania in fact i would put it 3rd behind rock v cena and jericho v punk.

dont get me wrong i enjoyed it but wasnt much wrestling.

As an on-screen role that is non-wrestling...what about going down the Batman route and training someone to continue his legacy with the same/similar name? I like the idea of Taker searching for the one person to carry on his legacy, people all wanting it but failing miserably, Taker never actually saying anything but just appearing during matches to watch..then eventually he chooses the one and claims that his streak with continue with wrestler x.

Would give a helluva push to the person involved and means they could end the streak without technically ending Takers streak. Could make for some interesting storylines and they could make it last as long as they liked. Maybe the person who finally beats Undertaker at Mania would be the one he chooses or something.

I'm just typing out loud here..the whole legacy thing made me think of Batman when he starts training others to continue the fight thats all

I think he'd make a great on-screen caretaker

Just mopping the floors sullenly behind a Kelly Kelly promo

longrangeeffort wrote:As an on-screen role that is non-wrestling...what about going down the Batman route and training someone to continue his legacy with the same/similar name? I like the idea of Taker searching for the one person to carry on his legacy, people all wanting it but failing miserably, Taker never actually saying anything but just appearing during matches to watch..then eventually he chooses the one and claims that his streak with continue with wrestler x.

Would give a helluva push to the person involved and means they could end the streak with technically ending Takers streak. Could make for some interesting storylines and they could make it last as long as they liked. Maybe the person who finally beats Undertaker at Mania would be the one he chooses or something.

I'm just typing out loud here..the whole legacy thing made me think of Batman when he starts training others to continue the fight thats all

Best idea I've heard tbh, aslong as it was done over a long period leading up to mania and not just a quickly done storyline I think it could be brilliant, is there anyone in FCW with a similar Dark personality?

Brimstone?

Mr H wrote:Brimstone?

LOL

VoiceOfTheVoiceless wrote:

longrangeeffort wrote:As an on-screen role that is non-wrestling...what about going down the Batman route and training someone to continue his legacy with the same/similar name? I like the idea of Taker searching for the one person to carry on his legacy, people all wanting it but failing miserably, Taker never actually saying anything but just appearing during matches to watch..then eventually he chooses the one and claims that his streak with continue with wrestler x.

Would give a helluva push to the person involved and means they could end the streak with technically ending Takers streak. Could make for some interesting storylines and they could make it last as long as they liked. Maybe the person who finally beats Undertaker at Mania would be the one he chooses or something.

I'm just typing out loud here..the whole legacy thing made me think of Batman when he starts training others to continue the fight thats all

Best idea I've heard tbh, aslong as it was done over a long period leading up to mania and not just a quickly done storyline I think it could be brilliant, is there anyone in FCW with a similar Dark personality?

Heh thanks And yeah, definitely done over a long time..perhaps even over a year...start it just before one mania and end it at another or something. Although any longer than that and it would drag. However, once he has chosen the storyline could then progress again, although any training clips/montages (Garrett style) wouldnt really suit I dont think.

Plus making the guy chosen his "son" would be a bit pants...although no reason why they couldnt introduce a "son" later to continue a similar rivalry to Taker/Kane. "He chose you, it should have been me, I hate you both etc etc"

Suppose the big questions are...who on the roster would you trust with such a role? And who has the size/ability/personality to make it stick and be believeable?

longrangeeffort wrote:

VoiceOfTheVoiceless wrote:

longrangeeffort wrote:As an on-screen role that is non-wrestling...what about going down the Batman route and training someone to continue his legacy with the same/similar name? I like the idea of Taker searching for the one person to carry on his legacy, people all wanting it but failing miserably, Taker never actually saying anything but just appearing during matches to watch..then eventually he chooses the one and claims that his streak with continue with wrestler x.

Would give a helluva push to the person involved and means they could end the streak with technically ending Takers streak. Could make for some interesting storylines and they could make it last as long as they liked. Maybe the person who finally beats Undertaker at Mania would be the one he chooses or something.

I'm just typing out loud here..the whole legacy thing made me think of Batman when he starts training others to continue the fight thats all

Best idea I've heard tbh, aslong as it was done over a long period leading up to mania and not just a quickly done storyline I think it could be brilliant, is there anyone in FCW with a similar Dark personality?

Heh thanks And yeah, definitely done over a long time..perhaps even over a year...start it just before one mania and end it at another or something. Although any longer than that and it would drag. However, once he has chosen the storyline could then progress again, although any training clips/montages (Garrett style) wouldnt really suit I dont think.

Plus making the guy chosen his "son" would be a bit pants...although no reason why they couldnt introduce a "son" later to continue a similar rivalry to Taker/Kane. "He chose you, it should have been me, I hate you both etc etc"

Suppose the big questions are...who on the roster would you trust with such a role? And who has the size/ability/personality to make it stick and be believeable?

Yoshi? Ha! I think Crimson would be ideal!

How about Michelle McCool becomes the female Undertaker?

Electric Demon wrote:How about Michelle McCool becomes the female Undertaker?

no, just no! Although I take it you were just joking.

It was typed as a joke, but then when I thought about it... it could happen.

Personally i think he should have one last match at Survivor Series (Where it all began) possibly against Kane where they both get dragged to Hell never to be seen again

bad decision in my opinion, it's basically taken as agiven now that whoever fights Taker will lose; the Streak itself has become mythical and Taker has only been able to sustain the streak because of his deadman character (anyone else notice how he took a sledgehammer to the head and still kicked out of a 3 count!?). It's the biggest load of fiction in all of wrestling and I think taker should just retire now having made it to 20-0 and having had HBK and HHH two of the biggest stars of their generation selflessly put him over 4 years in a row! This year's Mania was an end of an era - that's what it has to be, not an end of an era between HHH and Taker but the end of the era of the Streak. I will stop watching WWE altogether if Taker comes back out next year and continues the Streak.

talkingpoint wrote:bad decision in my opinion, it's basically taken as agiven now that whoever fights Taker will lose; the Streak itself has become mythical and Taker has only been able to sustain the streak because of his deadman character (anyone else notice how he took a sledgehammer to the head and still kicked out of a 3 count!?). It's the biggest load of fiction in all of wrestling and I think taker should just retire now having made it to 20-0 and having had HBK and HHH two of the biggest stars of their generation selflessly put him over 4 years in a row! This year's Mania was an end of an era - that's what it has to be, not an end of an era between HHH and Taker but the end of the era of the Streak. I will stop watching WWE altogether if Taker comes back out next year and continues the Streak.

It is not a case of selflessly putting him over; it is the simple case of streak = $$$. If Michaels had won the very first match, we would have missed the additional 3 superb matches.

Face it, Wrestlemania would be a duller place without the streak match. Hence all the talk about it before Mania when he hadn't been seen for 11 months. You will be back mate for WM29, and so will the streak match

TwisT wrote:

talkingpoint wrote:bad decision in my opinion, it's basically taken as agiven now that whoever fights Taker will lose; the Streak itself has become mythical and Taker has only been able to sustain the streak because of his deadman character (anyone else notice how he took a sledgehammer to the head and still kicked out of a 3 count!?). It's the biggest load of fiction in all of wrestling and I think taker should just retire now having made it to 20-0 and having had HBK and HHH two of the biggest stars of their generation selflessly put him over 4 years in a row! This year's Mania was an end of an era - that's what it has to be, not an end of an era between HHH and Taker but the end of the era of the Streak. I will stop watching WWE altogether if Taker comes back out next year and continues the Streak.

It is not a case of selflessly putting him over; it is the simple case of streak = $$$. If Michaels had won the very first match, we would have missed the additional 3 superb matches.

Face it, Wrestlemania would be a duller place without the streak match. Hence all the talk about it before Mania when he hadn't been seen for 11 months. You will be back mate for WM29, and so will the streak match

VKM is a genius and people don't turn off.

He brings the rock back, boosts wm 27 sales, boosts SS (ok not as much as expected), boosts this years sales and fills a massive arena. Knows people will be disappointed with either outcome in the Rock cena match, signs Lesnar for £5million a year and leaks it - gets everyone to watch raw. Now the sales of ER (one of the lower selling ppvs) will do good numbers.

The man is a genius and will keep the streak going as long as he can - lets face it 20-0 is going to be one of the biggest selling wwe dvds ever, the last 4 streak matches would be worth the £15 alone.

I would of thought with the ending at mania then that was that. Also that match was truley amazing so how will any more of his matches top it.

Im happy to see him go on, but as someone said it should be a 20-0 or 25-0 to retire on. But 5 more matches at mania really? Does he really have that in him?

If he is going to be at Wrestle Mania 29 then i would have him face Lesnar.

to go for 5 more would be brilliant to see

he should turn up the night after mania like he did this year, choose his victim

unfortunately as already pointed out, we know the result of the match so that takes it away, unless they do go to say, 22-1 or 23-1 as a suprise. maybe not end the streak at all, 23-0?

vince would go for that wouldnt he? aslong as hes still cashing in on the streak, do you think he really cares if it doesnt end on a round number?

To be honest, I don't think the number of the streak really matters. More the WM that ends Undertakers career.

WM30 - XXX - sounds a good time. Make the main event for it Undertaker v ???? and let him have a proper send-off.

TwisT wrote:

talkingpoint wrote:bad decision in my opinion, it's basically taken as agiven now that whoever fights Taker will lose; the Streak itself has become mythical and Taker has only been able to sustain the streak because of his deadman character (anyone else notice how he took a sledgehammer to the head and still kicked out of a 3 count!?). It's the biggest load of fiction in all of wrestling and I think taker should just retire now having made it to 20-0 and having had HBK and HHH two of the biggest stars of their generation selflessly put him over 4 years in a row! This year's Mania was an end of an era - that's what it has to be, not an end of an era between HHH and Taker but the end of the era of the Streak. I will stop watching WWE altogether if Taker comes back out next year and continues the Streak.

It is not a case of selflessly putting him over; it is the simple case of streak = $$$. If Michaels had won the very first match, we would have missed the additional 3 superb matches.

Face it, Wrestlemania would be a duller place without the streak match. Hence all the talk about it before Mania when he hadn't been seen for 11 months. You will be back mate for WM29, and so will the streak match

If you hadn't of guessed it by now I'm not actually a Taker fan. The Streak for me is a secondary reason for watching Mania and although I concede it makes mega bucks for Vince and so therefore he will be reluctant to stop it, I'm just fed up of a guy can't actively wrestle more than one match a year always getting the glory. The end of an era match was great, yes of course it was but that's because of the storyline. Practically everyone was saying that HHH v Taker II at Mania 27 was over-rated and no-one really wanted a third match between them this year. The match surpassed expectations because of the storytelling. You are not going to get that if Cena faces him. Taker has been carried in many respects by his opponents over the last 4 years and due to his injuries there's only so many people he feels confident wrestling with. Anyway the WWE always put in a lot of effort into creating Wrestle Mania moments each year so when the Streak finally does come to an end, whether this year or in 5 years time Vince will think of something else. For several years MITB was a regularly Mania attraction and gained so much popularity they gave it its own PPV. Vince will create another innovative match to replace the Streak once its gone.

Anyone who thinks that WM28 was it for taker has got to be mad. When Undertaker decides to retire the WWE will make a massive deal out of it. Barring a legitimate career-ending injury, he will wrestle again.

Mark_Seven wrote:Anyone who thinks that WM28 was it for taker has got to be mad. When Undertaker decides to retire the WWE will make a massive deal out of it. Barring a legitimate career-ending injury, he will wrestle again.

This just proves the WWE is pure hype. For two years Taker and HHH fought at Mania with the rhetoric and rationale that it was all that was left for either of them. From the last outlaw moniker from Mania 27 to the end of an era this year, their feud was built around not just the end of the Streak but the end of Taker's career. HHH no doubt will continue to have an onscreen presence whether as COO or as active wrestler like his feud with Nash last year. I very much doubt this will be the last of HHH and if Taker continues to carry on at Mania extending his 'streak' then their matches at Mania are a complete sham. Why bother investing in Taker as a character if he has no integrity? People have criticised Cena for being the corporate poster boy, whose garish and outlandish ring apparel is just blatent commercialisation to sell merch. Cena for the last several years has been a cash cow for the WWE, but Taker is no different. He may not come to the ring wearing a Taker t-shirt but nevertheless his streak has no value or meaning other than PPV buyrates it generates. I'm sure there will be many who respond saying Taker is an infinitely better wrestler than Cena, who's wooden and can't sell or cut proper promos but really Taker is just as one-dimensional as Cena. His ring entrance is always the same, when he cuts a promo he talks in the same deep, sombre monotone voice; his ring attire rarely changes, just variations on the same theme (just like Cena) and then performs the same 5 moves of doom - old skool, snake eyes, leg drop, Tombstone and Hell's Gate. Taker gets beaten up and then 'supermans' up just the same as Cena to come back and win the match. People talk about how Cena rarely puts over anyone clean. Taker never puts anyone over anymore. People talk about the Rock and Brock coming back for the themselves and not to help put over the next generation but Taker is just as guilty if not more so, his streak has been built up to such mythical proportions that no-one bar Cena or the Rock could possibly take it now, but even they I very much doubt won't if HBK or HHH weren't allowed to take it.

I hope Taker calls it a day now. I'd hate for him to keep going until he has a terrible match at WM, and that being his last involvement with the company.

I really, REALLY hope thats the last we see of Taker at Mania. That way, Mania can go back to being about whoever won the Royal Rumble, like it used to be before they started putting so much focus on the streak.