Why WWE Scrapped The Undertaker Vs. John Cena At WrestleMania 33

Given the paucity of alternative options (and the respective problems with each of them), WWE’s apparent cancellation of Cena vs. Taker looks highly questionable, particularly if this is The Phenom’s final match. He’s not just Mr. WrestleMania, but one of the most iconic wrestlers of all-time, and the most universally admired and respected performer in WWE history. If anyone deserves a grand “farewell,” it’s The Deadman.

John Cena would have made perfect sense in this situation. He and Taker have wrestled a handful of times before, but they haven’t had a televised singles match together since 2006, and have never met at WrestleMania. It would be WWE’s franchise player of the last 10 years going up against the company’s most iconic figure: a legitimate dream match, and a contest WWE can’t pass-up on before The Deadman decides to call it a day.

With all respect to Reigns, Balor, and Strowman, none can match the level of excitement that Cena vs. Taker would generate. Frankly, any opponent not named “John Cena” feels like a downgrade, particularly after all the speculation.

But maybe that’s the point. Perhaps, given all the talk of Taker’s physical deterioration over the years, WWE feel it’s no longer fair to rely on him to deliver in a big spot. The Deadman was, after all, admitted to hospital after losing to Brock Lesnar at WrestleMania 30, and photographed on crutches after undergoing hip surgery last October. There’s a strong possibility that WWE believe they must temper fans’ expectations by pitting Taker against a “lesser” opponent because he just can’t hang like he used to, and they don’t want to let the Universe down.

If this is the case, then the prospect of The Undertaker going out on his shield by putting a younger talent over starts looking likelier. Regardless of his diminished capabilities, a win over The Undertaker is a win over one of the biggest names in WWE history, and beating him at WrestleMania should be a star-making occasion.

Sure, Lesnar has already broken the Streak, but Taker’s aura remains intact. A win would work wonders for Balor, Strowman, or even Sami Zayn, and would fit The Deadman’s old-school mindset to a tee. Putting someone else over on your way out is a decades-old wrestling tradition, and nobody represents tradition more than The Undertaker.

Taker was pictured without his crutches while visiting NBA Champions the Cleveland Cavaliers a few weeks after these photos emerged, but the concerns remain. The human body can only take so much punishment, and while The Deadman has taken things relatively easy in recent years, he has been wrestling for over three decades. That’s a lot of wear and tear, and if he wants to enjoy a decent quality of life in his retirement, he probably only has one or two matches left in him.

Goldberg vs. Lesnar is a huge match, and with the likes of AJ Styles, Dean Ambrose, and The Miz still available, WWE can still deliver a blockbuster card without Cena vs. Undertaker. But like Hulk Hogan vs. The Rock and Rocky’s first match with Cena, Cena vs. Taker would have been transcendent, regardless of the match’s quality, and one of the most memorable spectacles Mania had ever seen. For a company obsessed with “making history” and creating iconic moments, you’d think that’d be too mouth-watering a prospect to pass-up.

Whatever their reasoning, WWE have just cancelled the biggest match they could possibly make in 2017, and the circumstances (no titles, no SmackDown opponents) mean there’s nothing else on the table that could produce the same level of excitement. Perhaps WWE will change their plans again (as they’re known to do) and book Cena vs. Taker after all, but for now, it feels like Vince McMahon has just passed-up on a once in a lifetime opportunity.