Opinion: Why WWE does not need The Undertaker anymore
In latest WWE NEWS, when someone talks about the greatest WWE Superstar of all time, The Undertaker is bound to figure in the list. For almost three decades, ‘The Phenom’ has been the cornerstone of WWE, and his ability to morph and change with time makes him the most iconic Superstar in the Pro Wrestling business.
The way he has protected his character, the aura that he managed to create, and his ability to constantly remain fresh has endeared him to the WWE Universe.
But then, as was the case with many great athletes of the past, The Undertaker has also fallen prey to the ravages of time. At the age of 54, ‘The Deadman’ has been reduced to just a pale shadow of his former self.
The last two years have indeed proven that age has caught up with The Undertaker, and he too, is mortal. The highly anticipated match between The Undertaker and John Cena at WrestleMania XXXIV turned out to be a huge disappointment as ‘The Phenom’ squashed Cena in under three minutes to go 24-2 at WrestleMania.
Then, he featured in a ‘Last Time Ever’ battle against Triple H, in Australia last year. The two icons labored inside the ring for over 20 minutes and delivered a lackluster performance. And, if that was any indication, then his performance at Crown Jewel indeed confirmed that The Undertaker is indeed way past his prime.
And then, came the worst disaster of all- The Undertaker’s battle against Goldberg. It was a match that was booked at least a decade too late, and the two behemoths, at a combined age of 106, delivered one of the worst main event performances in WWE history. Goldberg started the match with two Spears of high intensity, but after that, everything went downhill for the two Superstars.
And, after Goldberg rammed his head into the ring post, and was legitimately busted open, this match became unwatchable. Goldberg botched his Jackhammer and could have broken The Undertaker’s neck. The Undertaker, on his part, dropped Goldberg right onto his open wound with a botched Tombstone. The match ended with the Undertaker delivering a meek Choke Slam and securing a pinfall victory.
Now, the question is, why is WWE still reliant on The Undertaker? Why are they bringing him back again and again, and tarnishing his legacy?
WWE needs to understand this. The Undertaker has absolutely nothing new to offer at this stage of his career- he does not have another title reign in him, WrestleMania can go on without his presence, and he has pretty much accomplished every single thing inside the ring.
It is time for WWE to move on from The Undertaker, and it is indeed time for ‘The Phenom’ to finally rest in peace.