We’re only one week away from Wrestlemania. And there is only one question to ask about the Show of Shows…Which Undertaker will we get?
The Undertaker is arguably the most iconic character in professional wrestling history. This character made his debut at the 1990 Survivor Series.
Wrestlemania has always been what The Undertaker is best known for. His unprecedented winning streak and subsequently when it was broken the last time that Mania was in New Orleans.
This year’s annual Undertaker match has a bit of a different intrigue to it as his opponent is John Cena. Cena versus “Taker” at Mania has been listed as a potential “Dream Match” by the WWE. The build to this match has been unconventional, to say the least, as the Undertaker has not appeared at all for the “Road to Wrestlemania”. The responsibility for making this match something worth “subscribing” to the network for has fallen on the shoulders of John Cena.
Cena has done a wonderful job of trying to antagonize The Undertaker. John has done so with incredible promos like this one on the Mania “Go-Home” episode of Monday Night RAW.
"Hey #Undertaker, it's obvious that you left your hat in the ring, but it's clear to everybody here that you left your balls at home!" – @JohnCena #DoSomething #WrestleMania #RAW pic.twitter.com/2jVD2gwauH
— WWE (@WWE) April 3, 2018
We know that this Sunday there’s going to be a segment where “John Cena the fan” will take center stage. He will speak about his love for the WWE and take one last pop shot at The Undertaker. John will cut another great promo then we will hear the most recognizable gong in history followed by…
That’s Not The Undertaker
This version of The Undertaker is the worst version in my opinion. The character of The Undertaker is one that is so recognizable and iconic. Yet when Taker donned the leather trench coat and started riding his motorcycles to the ring it felt less like the Undertaker and more like a man struggling and going through a midlife crisis.
Yes, in the wrestling business it is important to grow as a performer and the character being portrayed must evolve. However, the American Bad Ass Undertaker was the complete antithesis of what and who the Undertaker character was and is suppose to be.
Think back to the beginning the Undertaker, when he just came out beat people up and carried them back to the “depth of hell”. And even as the character became dark and the Undertaker formed the Ministry of Darkness the essence of the character remained the same. Hence, why my opposition to this version of the Undertaker being the version we get this year in New Orleans. But this is the version we will be getting for Wrestlemania 34.
John Cena gave us all a little insight into what’s coming with the hint in his promo from the Mania Go-Home episode of Monday Night RAW when he said: “You can ignore me all you want, but Undertaker the second you ignore these people, you are a dead man walking”. This signals that the motorcycle riding Undertaker is the one we will see on Sunday. At last year’s Wrestlemania we saw the end of the Undertaker we all knew and loved and this year will signal the end of his legendary career as this version of an otherwise amazing character should finally REST IN PEACE.
