Undertaker to skip WrestleMania XXIX?
 

Source: PWInsider

New details are coming out about The Undertaker's status for WrestleMania 29 and it's said that The Deadman is not in good shape at all. One thing that wasn't reported after his WrestleMania match with Triple H this year is that the hip replacement he had a few years back was damaged pretty bad.
There is talk that some of the surgical work he has had done over the past few years is really beat up to the point that he's back to square one. Taker had been going to see specialists in New York but he is so beat up now that WWE has been flying the doctors to his home in Texas instead.

There is also a lot of talk within WWE that if he does end up doing anything at WrestleMania 29, it likely won't be a big time physical match like we are used to. As we have noted, there is talk of having Taker work the Royal Rumble as a surprise entrant with the idea he can do a few memorable spots before being eliminated.

Right now The Undertaker is not being figured into any major WrestleMania plans internally. The feeling is if he wants to do it and feels like he can do it, WWE will make room for him. It wouldn't be the first time but it's possible could see The Undertaker skip a WrestleMania in 2013.

Some people within WWE are under the impression that the "end of an era" hype from this year's WrestleMania against Triple H really was the end as far as big time WrestleMania matches for The Undertaker go.

No

It's time :(

I don't mind this one bit. I don't want the Undertaker retiring on an uneven number like 22-0, and I don't think he can, or I can, go through another five years. It's time for him to really step down and give his big Wrestlemania spot to someone on the current roster.

With that said, a Royal Rumble appearance would be a huge mark-out moment for the fans, but will also help get someone over by eliminating him.

Overall, I think this works better for all the parties involved, the Undertaker, the WWE and the fans. :y:

The Miz should come out at Wrestlemania and call out The Undertaker. When Taker doesn't come out, because he's not at Mania, Miz can go on claiming that he "beat" Taker at Mania by forfeit.

No one will be able to take his "big WrestleMania spot" no matter how it's "given" to them. The streak is a million times more over than any title in wrestling. That's the loss that WWE would need to replace somehow more than Taker.

Can't buy into that he would work the Rumble and not Mania, they'd just save him for Mania and have him appear on a couple of Raws beforehand surely.

Actually, that's not a bad idea.

The whole idea of him only working one match a year to defend a streak to me actually makes it less meaningful anyway he should just retire at Wrestlemania it would at least give him one more special moment.

He wouldn't have to bump in the Rumble. He could do a chokeslam or two, then do his bit where he gets clotheslined over the top rop and lands on his feet.

Worked for Jericho with Goldberg.

He's my all time 2nd favorite perofrmer and would much rather see him retire now for good. For his own health and for the sake of match quality.

I bet that what people said about Hulk Hogan...(in 1993)

I do like this idea but think it might be more effective if 'Taker *did* enter the Rumble and was eliminated by Miz (or whoever, has to be a heel but not necessarily Miz).

"Undertaker, I eliminated you from the Royal Rumble and because of that I *KNOW* I can beat you one, two, three in the middle of the ring. I'm challenging you to a match at Wrestlemania!"

*Undertaker doesn't respond, or does respond but refuses to accept the challenge*

"Well, there you have it ladies and gentleman, The Undertaker is GONE from WWE and the last you ever saw of him was him being clotheslined over the top rope by ME. Not only did I eliminate him from The Royal Rumble, but from the entire WWE. The Undertaker is gone once and for all, and I'm the man who did it!"

to touch on what xclaiber said, doesn't it say somethign about the lack of star power in the E if this guy shows up two weeks before mania builds a match out of the clear blue sky with someone and wrestles one match a year to dissapear for the other 11 1/2 months before doing it all again?

Yes. It says that Taker and his streak are on a whole other level than the active, full-time roster. Night and day.

For purely selfish reasons, I hope he decides to compete. This'll be the first Mania I go to, so I'd obviously love to see The Streak continue in person.

I've gone back and forth but I really wanna see the streak end. It would be such a monumental HUGE moment. I feel like you can't rob wrestling fans of that moment that was being built up to for 20+ years and will be remembered forever just so Taker can keep a scripted streak forever. Taker is gonna go down as one of the greatest of all time and "the streak" will go down in infamy regardless.

John Cena turns heel at WrestleMania 30 by cheating to end The Streak.

If he can't show up for Mania, probably not a good idea to have him in the Rumble if it leads to nothing in the end.

Whoever eliminates him won't be given a chance to face him at Mania as sort of Taker's way for revenge. Same goes for if he eliminates anyone of status since they won't have the chance at revenge at Mania.

I think he needs to retire. I'm ready to read his autobiography, as well as see a new documentary about his career, and finally see him in the Hall of Fame making an epic speech. It's time. I like the Undertaker, but I for one am not interested in seeing a 60-something year old Undertaker barely move in the ring one day, or worst, end up in a wheelchair. This is the perfect time to retire. Hell, the guy is already semi-retired and only wrestles once a year. If his body is starting to shut down on him then it may be time to hang up his boots and go out on a good note with his head up.

Ideally, I'd love it if he could just somehow wrestle just one more match at Wrestlemania this year and put The Rock or Brock Lesnar over - Or hell, WWE could totally fuck with the fans heads and let the fans know that it would be Undertaker's last match and make the fans think Taker is going to lose, but then he actually ends. :lol: I would LOVE that.

I also think Shawn Michaels or Mick Foley would be the ideal choices to induct Undertaker into the Hall of Fame. Or Undertaker's long time friend Bret Hart would be another good choice. Or Paul Bearer, but I think a fellow wrestler should be the one who does it. i.e. Someone who was actually in the ring with the Undertaker and helped him make money.

He should never appear at Mania again. Have him wrestle at Survivor Series, making the event bookmarks to his career.

With Paul Bearer and Brother Love.

Why do a remake? It won't compare to the original, especially with all of them looking like Grandfather's. I say create a new memory to end his career.

Undertaker with Paul Bearer at Survivor Series will give fans an opportunity to give a proper send off to both men. If it's billed as a farewell match, Survivor Series will also make more than any other non WM PPV in my opinion. Who wouldn't buy it if the build up was done correctly?

Me.

Why not?

If they wanna do a match with Lesnar, he could conceivably have a good match working an MMA style that wouldn't be as physically risky. He wouldn't need to take the crazy bumps and such you'd expect. A lot of striking and submissions. Just depends on if they wanna go that route.

They could even play up the "broken down old man" angle and have Lesnar ready to just pick the pieces and finish off what Triple H started.

I have zero desire to see a Lesnar/Taker match.

If they went any direction other than what you suggested it would be pushing things too far for my imagination to accept.

They have to do Cena/Taker at WrestleMania. There is no way WWE lets that easy paycheck slip through their fingers.

For every Undertaker match at Wrestlemania, guys like Ziggler, Rhodes, McIntyre, Christian, Ryder, Morrison (when he was around), Sheamus, Bryan, Barrett, etc, get thrown in five-minute clusterfuck matches.

Let the Deadman retire for good and let the new blood really step up on the big stage.

The guy can't keep going forever, let him leave on a perfect 20-0.

I just realized, isn't Miz undefeated @ Mania now? 3-0?

LET THE NEW STREAK BEGIN!

Not really, in the end.

They really do. And I'm gonna catch flack for saying this, but I want Cena to end the streak.

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Talk about full circle. How awesome would it be if they showed this video and made it a vital part of a Taker-Cena WrestleMania build?

I would rather him skip wrestlemania rather than have a weak match just to up his streak

It's still new to me, dammit!

Why? He got over, he didn't get a match till they were in a different company but it still got him over.

Makes sense. He didn't wrestle on X (1994) and XVI (2000) due to injuries. I say save it until WM XXX.

Fake undertaker needs to step in for him.