5 Subtle Signs The Undertaker Has Quietly Retired
Has the Deadman risen for the final time?
No professional wrestler on the planet is followed by retirement rumours as much as The Undertaker, and 2016 has been no different in this respect. In fact, ever since the Deadman made the transition from a limited schedule to appearing at WrestleMania only, the whispers have grown more and more vociferous.
Of course, Grandfather Time has a lot to do with this, but more so than ever a professional wrestling landscape without Undertaker is a very real prospect. For my generation, such a landscape is incredibly difficult to imagine. Most fans born in the 1980s were new to the sport when he made his debut at Survivor Series 1990, and our journey has fans has followed the path blazed by this legendary figure.
Wrestling fans are an overly-analytical bunch, and even the slightest hint or tiniest wink can often get blown up big time. Even so, there seem to be more and more clues pointing towards Taker having laced up his boots for the last time. The clues may be subtle, but they are definitely there.
Here are five subtle signs that Taker has said his goodbyes...
5. Shane McMahon As His WrestleMania 32 Opponent
When it was announced that WrestleMania 32 was to take place in Dallas, Texas, fantasy bookers worldwide took to their scrolls to book one last goodbye for the Deadman. With Mania taking place in his home state and WWE looking to set all sorts of attendance records, the show taking place without a landmark match for Taker was unthinkable.
Would it be Sting? How about John Cena? As it transpired, both of those men would be injured by the time the show came around, and a cursory glance at the roster didn't help. A mixture of injuries and a lack of stars meant there was no name big enough to fill the boots of either man. The Rock was floated about as an option, but movies and insurance contracts put paid to that.
Shane McMahon would end up as Taker's opponent, and whether you enjoyed the match or not he makes a lot of sense not just as an opponent for Taker, but also as his final. Undertaker's body is surely banged up at this point, and there only so many more Brock Lesnar beatings a man can take. Shane would work a style that assured Taker could come out of the match relatively unscathed, whilst also taking enough risks to ensure an intense bout.
If you want to push the boat out a little further, Vince McMahon's son is the perfect symmetrical and symbolic end to the career of the Undertaker. Undertaker's WrestleMania streak may just be the greatest creative creation of Vince's career, why wouldn't it end with a victory over his physical creation?