The Undertaker

[Mr. JL]

What do you guys believe The Undertaker is going to do?

A. Healing and resting up new/old injuries before he makes his last stand at WrestleMania as he goes for his 20th and RETIRING afterwards.

B. Healing and resting up new/old injuries before he makes his return at WrestleMania for his 20th win and CONTINUING his career afterwards.

C. Retired and only showing up for WrestleMania's to defend and add to his streak until he literally is a deadman.

D. Walking away from the WWE and The Undertaker persona to head to TNA to become "The Mean" Mark Calloway to finally face "The Insane Icon" Sting in a match Vincent K. McMahon is too scared to make!!!!!

-----

I just can't see The Undertaker retiring. The guy has been going for so long and I just see no way he'll throw in the towel until he absolutely has to. And based off his superb performance (my opinion) with Triple H this past year; in no way is he embarassing himself and doing damage to his career/legacy. So, I see The Undertaker returning for WrestleMania and then continuing on with his career.

Whud you guys think?

[Theo Dious]

I think he WILL continue in the vein of making only WM appearances. I'm sure WWE will do it (and beg him to do it) as long as he's willing.

I think he SHOULD do win #20 and then retire permanently. However the poll was what he WILL do.

[Stickman]

I woud like to see him on raw and major ppvs

[Mr. JL]

I think he WILL continue in the vein of making only WM appearances. I'm sure WWE will do it (and beg him to do it) as long as he's willing.

I think he SHOULD do win #20 and then retire permanently. However the poll was what he WILL do.

Yeah, I can potentially see him making the WrestleMania appearences each year.

It would be kind of cool to see which Undertaker shows up each year.

[XCaliber]

Call it quits after he reaches the perfect 20-0 record.

[Chavo Classic]

So we've given up on the idea he jobs at 19-1 and makes someone's career?

[Pintint]

I think he will keep going, and the streak wont be broken.

[Nicky Fives]

I do not think he is physically able to keep going..... one more match at Mania, and perhaps the greatest career of all-time is over.....

[Theo Dious]

Seriously it would be cool if they had like a mini-tournament between the Rumble and Elimination Chamber to determine who gets to be in the Undertaker match at Wrestlemania.

[Theo Dious]

So we've given up on the idea he jobs at 19-1 and makes someone's career?

I think we've given up on the idea that they sacrifice something as heavily built as the Streak and take the risk that the guy involved will pull a Lesnar.

[Mr. JL]

So we've given up on the idea he jobs at 19-1 and makes someone's career?

But who??

I don't really see anyone on the roster that could pull it off. And I'm not really convinced there is anyone of the roster that can go on to become a bankable, bonafide main event SUPERSTAR afterwards for the long term.

[Xero]

But who??

I don't really see anyone on the roster that could pull it off. And I'm not really convinced there is anyone of the roster that can go on to become a bankable, bonafide main event SUPERSTAR afterwards for the long term.

WWE could find someone.

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[Rollermacka]

But who??

I don't really see anyone on the roster that could pull it off. And I'm not really convinced there is anyone of the roster that can go on to become a bankable, bonafide main event SUPERSTAR afterwards for the long term.

WWE could find someone.

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Fixed it

[Xero]

Who are you Dieselmacka?

[Mr. JL]

WWE could find someone.

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Maybe if they wanted turn Cena full fledged heel.

[Aguakate]

I believe that when he comes back, he will have reinvented his character a little bit yet again, maybe a hybrid between The American Bad-Ass and The Deadman...somewhere in between...and will continue his career. I don't think he'll retire until WM30 (srs).

[Mr. C]

I don't know what Brock Lesnar's schedule is like after his next fight, but Lesnar vs. Undertaker at WrestleMania for 20-0 would do business and make lots of sense.

Have Lesnar at ringside for the Royal Rumble. The Undertaker returns in the 40th spot and is in the final four. Lesnar comes in and tackles Undertaker. The two brawl over the ropes in what’s meant to look like a fight, and security separates them.

Next night on RAW, Vince McMahon introduces Lesnar, and Lesnar addresses that he’s the baddest man on the planet and Undertaker came into his yard and provoked him, so he returned the favor at the Royal Rumble. Undertaker confronts him, WrestleMania challenge, Vince books it, two months of hype with a few appearances by Lesnar.

The match will be the closest that Undertaker has ever been to losing the streak, but in the end, he picks up the victory and retires from the WWE with the streak intact.

[Aguakate]

Lesnar is not going to come back to WWE for one match only to job to someone else. If he wrestles Undertaker at WM, it's a given he would lose, so...it won't happen.

[Mr. C]

He'll end up at WrestleMania if he takes another beating like he did last November... it's 2 million dollars for 30 minutes of work.

[bigslimjj]

I believe he wil end at 20-1.Then WWE can put out a 20-0 dvd and he can make someones career the following year, while still having the very respected 20-0. That way the record and making of a superstar are seperated. If the push doesn't work out then they can only refer to the record.

[Aguakate]

I believe he wil end at 20-1.Then WWE can put out a 20-0 dvd and he can make someones career the following year, while still having the very respected 20-0. That way the record and making of a superstar are seperated. If the push doesn't work out then they can only refer to the record.

LOL dude, if he hasn't "made someone's career" in 18 years, why would he do it now?

[Mr. Nerfect]

Great opponents for The Undertaker at WrestleMania:

The Miz
The heat for this would be pretty great. The Miz could be cut out of the WWE Championship picture, so to do something big at Mania, he calls out The Undertaker heading into the event. The Miz says that he has proven people wrong his entire career, and he'll prove them wrong again on April 1 in Miami.

CM Punk
If they can't get Austin to face Punk, or they don't put Punk in the WWE Title picture, a match against The Undertaker could be pretty special. Punk could say that he wants to prove he is the best, and his addiction to competition is driving him to challenge The Undertaker at WrestleMania.

Mark Henry
"At WrestleMania 22, Undertaker...you put me in a casket. After WrestleMania XXVIII, Undertaker...you're going into the casket. You truly are a dead man, Undertaker."

Michael Cole
Nah, not really -- but if the dude literally can't wrestle, I see no harm in him ending Cole's "perfect WrestleMania record" in an absolute squash. Or, hell -- if to join in on Cole's moment, heels ran out and tried to help him -- only to get flattened but giving Cole time to get a weapon or something -- some really intense heel drama could build. "Not this way!"

Teaming with Triple H against The Miz & R-Truth
This could combine the history between The Undertaker and Triple H with the story that's been dominating the WWE lately. The Miz & Truth keep making life hard for Triple H, and The Game needs a partner to face them at WrestleMania. He has a big name in mind -- for one night only, Triple H wants Shawn Michaels to come back and fight alongside him. "I...I can't, Hunter." "I need the Showstopper, Shawn! I need the Heartbreak Kid! I need Mr. WrestleMania." "I can't -- I'm not that guy anymore!" I need a partner, Shawn. Who else is there? *DONG*

Taker has never been in a tag team match at WrestleMania, and that's often been by design. But imagine the story they could tell with Triple H also competing for the streak. Two decades of dominance ruined because of Triple H's shortcomings. At Mania, you'd obviously have Triple H take the heat segment of the match, and really build to perhaps the most epic hot tag in wrestling history. You probably wouldn't end the streak in this sort of environment -- but you have R-Truth take the pin, and then The Miz makes it his mission to beat The Undertaker at Extreme Rules, or something, which he does -- and Taker takes the rest of the year off.

[Mr. Nerfect]

Something I've been thinking about: People would absolutely hate this (which is why it hasn't happened), but I wonder why on Mania night some dude just doesn't take the opportunity to make a name for himself in a big way. Taker is having a match against whoever. Let's just go with The Miz. Dolph Ziggler then runs out, with no connection to either The Undertaker or Miz, and starts beating the crap out of The Miz. The referee understands this is a special night, but the attack gets more and more ruthless, and the referee is forced to call for the bell.

The Undertaker recovers in the ring to hear the announcement: "The winner of this match, as a result of a disqualification...The Miz!" Taker's perfect record gone -- stolen from him by a young, cocky, disrespectful heel that wanted to be "made famous."

"The Undertaker's streak should not end by disqualification!" If it's a heel beating him, why not? Taker would go into the Hall of Fame if he got squashed by Santino Marella at Mania. It doesn't "hurt" Taker. In fact, it makes him look absolutely killer. The only way he could be stopped at Mania, even after 21 years, was technicalities to be exploited.

The heat for Ziggler, and even The Miz, if that shit went down? I suggest those two, because when it comes to heels on the WWE roster, I think they are the closest to being "made" and having that total package that the WWE looks for. Ziggler is so fucking great in the ring, has a tremendous look, is still young and is getting better on the mic all the time. If the WWE wanted to really make him something -- a dickish move like that would get him heat anywhere he went for the rest of his career. Also, The Miz bragging about it and actually having the WrestleMania win against The Undertaker on his record would be tremendous.

If The Undertaker had a match or two left in him; the post-Mania season could really feature the emotional revenge plot of The Undertaker against Ziggler and The Miz. People would really be in to seeing him hurt those thieving bastards.

[bigslimjj]

LOL dude, if he hasn't "made someone's career" in 18 years, why would he do it now?Why wouldn't he? He's helped out many new talent and tried to get them over. Giant gonzalez,Cena,Khali,Orton,Hardy, and more. Unless he's a dick like HHH and Hogan that is.

[Kane Knight]

So we've given up on the idea he jobs at 19-1 and makes someone's career?

Why on earth would he do that?

[Blakeamus]

The Undertaker recovers in the ring to hear the announcement: "The winner of this match, as a result of a disqualification...The Miz!" Taker's perfect record gone -- stolen from him by a young, cocky, disrespectful heel that wanted to be "made famous."


A DQ to break the streak? Are you serious bro?

[Kane Knight]

A DQ to break the streak? Are you serious bro?

It's technically weak, but it would serve the purpose of getting someone massive heat. And I'm not sure any ending to Taker's career/streak will satisfy the fans. If the streak ends, people will be pissed. If he retires streak intact, people will be pissed.

So I'm not entirely sure the added potential complaint of it being a cop-out (the only real negative I can see above and beyond the downsides to other resolutions) is enough to actually turn this into a bad idea.

That's not to say I'm in love with the idea.

[Jari]

Great opponents for The Undertaker at WrestleMania:

The Miz
The heat for this would be pretty great. The Miz could be cut out of the WWE Championship picture, so to do something big at Mania, he calls out The Undertaker heading into the event. The Miz says that he has proven people wrong his entire career, and he'll prove them wrong again on April 1 in Miami.

CM Punk
If they can't get Austin to face Punk, or they don't put Punk in the WWE Title picture, a match against The Undertaker could be pretty special. Punk could say that he wants to prove he is the best, and his addiction to competition is driving him to challenge The Undertaker at WrestleMania.

Mark Henry
"At WrestleMania 22, Undertaker...you put me in a casket. After WrestleMania XXVIII, Undertaker...you're going into the casket. You truly are a dead man, Undertaker."

Michael Cole
Nah, not really -- but if the dude literally can't wrestle, I see no harm in him ending Cole's "perfect WrestleMania record" in an absolute squash. Or, hell -- if to join in on Cole's moment, heels ran out and tried to help him -- only to get flattened but giving Cole time to get a weapon or something -- some really intense heel drama could build. "Not this way!"

Teaming with Triple H against The Miz & R-Truth
This could combine the history between The Undertaker and Triple H with the story that's been dominating the WWE lately. The Miz & Truth keep making life hard for Triple H, and The Game needs a partner to face them at WrestleMania. He has a big name in mind -- for one night only, Triple H wants Shawn Michaels to come back and fight alongside him. "I...I can't, Hunter." "I need the Showstopper, Shawn! I need the Heartbreak Kid! I need Mr. WrestleMania." "I can't -- I'm not that guy anymore!" I need a partner, Shawn. Who else is there? *DONG*

Taker has never been in a tag team match at WrestleMania, and that's often been by design. But imagine the story they could tell with Triple H also competing for the streak. Two decades of dominance ruined because of Triple H's shortcomings. At Mania, you'd obviously have Triple H take the heat segment of the match, and really build to perhaps the most epic hot tag in wrestling history. You probably wouldn't end the streak in this sort of environment -- but you have R-Truth take the pin, and then The Miz makes it his mission to beat The Undertaker at Extreme Rules, or something, which he does -- and Taker takes the rest of the year off.
These are some of the single, most moronic suggestions that have ever been made...for anything...ever!

[DaVe]

I'd be pretty content, much like Taker, if he didn't face anyone ever again. But if he were to, I don't want it to be anyone outside Cena, Trips or Lesnar.

[Rock Bottom]

Michaels vs. Taker was more about two old lions elevating one another.

I think HHH's match was more about Taker's vulnerability.

That being said, I still think he'll hang onto the streak. If that's the case, I would expect the WWE to produce their best worker.

[Mr. Nerfect]

It's technically weak, but it would serve the purpose of getting someone massive heat. And I'm not sure any ending to Taker's career/streak will satisfy the fans. If the streak ends, people will be pissed. If he retires streak intact, people will be pissed.

So I'm not entirely sure the added potential complaint of it being a cop-out (the only real negative I can see above and beyond the downsides to other resolutions) is enough to actually turn this into a bad idea.

That's not to say I'm in love with the idea.

This is essentially it. People are going to be pissed if someone pins Taker clean in the ring. The DQ ending at least gives Taker's fans a cop-out to hang on to -- and it does create one or two massive heels. Cheating Taker out of the streak would be some of the biggest heat ever.

Not sure it's the best idea, myself, but it's far better than Jari's.

[Kane Knight]

Michaels vs. Taker was more about two old lions elevating one another.

I gotta say, something like this would have been an epic end to the legend of the Undertaker.

That was never going to be the case with Taker/Michaels, but then, it would have been amazing. If you're going to go out, go out with a bang.

[ZosoMetalManiac]

I don't think they're going to take the streak away from The Undertaker nor do I think they should. I also believe he's going to retire at 20-0.

[Mr. Nerfect]

Orton's character would really take no hits from beating The Undertaker at Mania clean.

[Rock Bottom]

TLDR post incoming.

Orton's character would really take no hits from beating The Undertaker at Mania clean.

That's true, but I don't know if people will forget Orton's clean losses to Henry being followed with a win over The Undertaker. I might read into this a little too much, but I don't think it makes much sense.

As far as how this thing may be booked, it's my understanding right now that The Undertaker is on top of the booking "totem pole." Meaning there isn't anyone on the roster that will/should beat him in a "straight fight" at Wrestlemania. I don't even think John Cena would get that honor (already being booked against The Rock aside), so the list of people that would realistically win seems pretty short or even nonexistent.

The line has been blurred over the years with the Undertaker's place in the totem pole. He's lost to a lot of the people he's beaten cleanly at different points in his and his opponents' respective careers. But with the hype of his Wrestlemania record, it seems that not even a Steve Austin or Rock should take him down at this point.

If I were to illustrate my perception of this hypothetical totem pole of the current roster, it might look something (not exactly) like this:

Undertaker at WM > John Cena = CM Punk > Mark Henry = Triple H > Randy Orton > Top Heels > Midcarders = Midcard heels

The Orton part is debatable, but this is just for the sake of the topic.

The problem with beating the Undertaker is that unless it's a complete nobody, or a really fresh guy (Del Rio, who is new, or CM Punk, who just turned face) who still has plenty of people to feud with and a future in leading the company, there will be nothing left to do. Nothing else is going to matter much because the steam from such a victory wouldn't carry them into anything that they haven't done before. Beating the Undertaker would eclipse any title victory, any heated rivalry, or any other circumstance in today's wrestling environment.

If I were to pick one superstar from the roster to beat him, it would be CM Punk. But it's tough to justify. Anyone beating the Undertaker at Wrestlemania (or at all anymore, for that matter) is tough to justify at this point.

I think it stands to reason that Triple H will go again with the Undertaker. He's the only guy who isn't going to lose face by giving him another victory while being a significant casualty to the streak. He can also put on a decent match with him (even though they could never touch Michaels/Taker). It might not be the coolest idea in the world, but I think it's the best and most likely option. They have to feed him if he wins, and you don't want to feed him somebody you want to build up, nor do you want to feed him a last match in which his opponent is some mid carder.

If someone beats him, that's great. He'll have broken the streak. But his opponents would fail to matter after that, especially if this guy's already on top while Taker rests up off of TV.

[Rock Bottom]

Just to add to that essay, I don't think there's much of a torch to pass either. It would be awkward. The Undertaker is by no means a guy who needs to pass any kind of torch to go out. He isn't carrying around the belt and he was never really the face of the company.

[Kane Knight]

"Passing the torch" is not for him, but for the subject.

Doesn't matter if he's the face of the company or a champion, he's got something special he can pass down to someone.

Undead Herpes.

[Emperor Smeat]

I could see him wrestling in a few more Mania's if the WWE continues with how vulnerable Taker has gotten the last 2 Manias with him having a hard time taking out HBK and barely beating Triple H.

Either way the WWE would hype up his final Mania appearance as him retiring undefeated or someone finally broke the streak. Wouldn't have to be someone who already is a star or taking a risk with a young/developing wrestler but maybe someone more in the middle who needs just a small push to reach stardom but is also reliable/trustworthy.

[Rock Bottom]

"Passing the torch" is not for him, but for the subject.

Doesn't matter if he's the face of the company or a champion, he's got something special he can pass down to someone.

Undead Herpes.

I don't really have a problem with that, the part I have a problem with is determining who that could be.

[Kane Knight]

I don't really have a problem with that, the part I have a problem with is determining who that could be.

Sophie's choice?

[Rock Bottom]

Pretty much. We might just be getting whatever The Undertaker wants too. He probably has a lot of say in how this thing is going to go down. If he wanted to stay undefeated, he could just sit his ass at home anyway. God knows what he would want.