"That was actually uncomfortable to watch" - 10 times Reddit felt The Undertaker was too old to wrestle
The Undertaker is one of the most iconic superstars in WWE's long history. The Deadman debuted for the company at Survivor Series 1990 with one of the most captivating gimmicks of all time.
Nobody expected the longevity that The Deadman had, with the legendary star wrestling in WWE for nearly 30 years until his retirement. His last bout was at WrestleMania 36 in 2020, where he battled AJ Styles in a cinematic Boneyard Match.
Despite The Undertaker's incredible career, he received some criticism from fans. During the final years of his career, it became prevalent as the legend showed signs of his age and slowed down considerably in the ring. Both fans and critics alike have often questioned whether the legend should still compete, given his age and health.
This article takes a look at 10 times Reddit felt The Undertaker was too old to wrestle.
Fans thought The Deadman was too old when he battled Roman Reigns
'The Big Dog' @WWERomanReigns looks back at his @WrestleMania 33 match with the legendary @Undertaker! #WWEBackstage https://t.co/7O8oYajVa7
For several years in a row, The Undertaker was arguably in the top match at WrestleMania. His bouts with Batista, Edge, Triple H, and Shawn Michaels regularly stole the show. Unfortunately, following his injury during his bout with Brock Lesnar at WrestleMania XXX, The Deadman was never the same.
The iconic superstar wrestled sporadically since, perhaps the most notable bout being at WrestleMania 33, where he battled Roman Reigns in the main event. While many fans were excited going into the bout, the match didn't quite turn out as some would have hoped.
One fan on Reddit immediately noted that The Deadman should have retired after the Lesnar bout.
Another redditor made an upsetting comparison between the former WWE Champion and an ageing dog. Although they noted that the thought made them sad, they believed it was best for The Undertaker to retire.
Another fan called the match uncomfortable to watch, calling The Phenom "an old man".
While fans were happy to give The Deadman credit for trying his best, some felt his time was up.
Following his loss to Roman, The Deadman left his hat and jacket in the ring, seemingly signalling the end of his career. For better or worse, he eventually returned to action.
The Undertaker had a tough night against Goldberg in Saudi Arabia
Goldberg vs Undertaker 10 years toooo late #WWESSD #FloppyJoe https://t.co/KipWigV9UO
The Undertaker wrestled a handful of matches following his loss to Roman Reigns at WrestleMania, but perhaps the most controversial bout came at WWE Super ShowDown 2019.
In what should have been a dream match, The Phenom battled Bill Goldberg in a bout that left fans depressed and even frustrated with the promotion.
Both men appeared to be winded early into the match. Goldberg had a concussion early on, and neither man could get on the same page.
One redditor pleaded with them both to stop wrestling at that point, calling the bout sad to watch. They also noted that both were regularly botching moves in their eight-minute contest.
Another fan held WWE accountable for bringing in older guys who allegedly couldn't wrestle anymore, reiterating a previous point on the bout being sad. They also mentioned that The Deadman botched his patented Chokeslam finisher.
Another redditor was even more outraged, asking if WWE were actively trying to kill the future Hall of Famer. They acknowledged they loved The Undertaker, but his health was more important.
The legend only had three matches after this bout. Two of the contests were multi-man matches that limited his involvement in his last bout was a cinematic experience.
Some sceptics didn't enjoy The Boneyard Match at WrestleMania
Undertaker vs. AJ Styles in the Boneyard Match.
What. A. Show. 🍿
(via @WWE)
https://t.co/Uqsn4kh9LJ
The Undertaker's final match took place at WrestleMania 36. He battled AJ Styles in a Boneyard Match during Night 1 of the epic event. The world was in the middle of the Covid-19 pandemic, with mass lockdowns causing WrestleMania to be held without fans for the first time.
While not having fans made the shows dramatically different, it did potentially benefit The Deadman as his bout with AJ became a cinematic match. The two wrestled in an over-the-top, movie-like presentation which ultimately saw The Undertaker stand tall before riding off into the sunset.
Many wrestling fans saw The Deadman's final bout as a fun experience that allowed him to exit on a high note, but not everybody saw the match in the same way.
One fan was shocked to see the former WWE Champion still competing at his age and commented that he was too old to be still performing.
Numerous redditors were thrilled with how the match went, but one user was less into it. While acknowledging their opinion would be an outlier, they thought The Deadman needed to go, and the bout played out as "some weird boomer fantasy".
Lastly, redditor Grunzkor was harsher in their assessment of the bout, calling The Undertaker an old man who could barely move. Even worse, they believed The Phenom buried AJ Styles and even Luke Gallows and Karl Anderson, AJ's stablemates who interfered in the cinematic match.
The Undertaker had an incredible career, but the Hall of Famer had plenty of critics during the final years of his run as an active superstar. Despite some hangups, his legacy will forever be that of a true icon.