I first discovered the world of professional wrestling when I was seven years old. Wide-eyed, I would glance at my television set as the larger-than-life characters waged war within the squared circle. I would root for the good guys and hope against hope that the bad guys failed. Even when I discovered that the world of professional wrestling may be a little more choreographed than I first believed it to be, my love for it did not diminish.
Over time, I’ve been fortunate enough to make my childhood love into my calling and my profession, if only as a scribe, because of opportunities I was afforded over many years. So much has changed, both in my life and in the art of professional wrestling, and yet one aspect remains constant. His name is Mark Calaway but you may know him better as ‘The Undertaker.’
The Dead Man & His Legacy
Even if you’ve never necessarily followed professional wrestling in your lifetime, chances are that you know of this mystical figure. Standing at almost 7 feet tall, The Undertaker is quite a sight to behold. He can perform feats of acrobatics that no-one his size should be able to.
The WWE – the world’s premier wrestling promotion – has boasted many legends through the years, but The Undertaker truly is a class apart.
A man who commands respect both among fans and his peers, The Undertaker was made master of ‘the streak.’ This refers to a string of wins at WWE’s marquee annual event WrestleMania, against opponents that spanned many generations. Currently, The Undertaker’s WrestleMania record stands at 24-2. His latest victim at WrestleMania: WWE megastar John Cena.
The Undertaker defeated John Cena in April 2018 and then competed with Rusev in the same month (in a winning performance) at the Greatest Royal Rumble.
This begs a question – at the age of 53, is The Undertaker diminishing his legacy by not hanging up his boots forever?
This is the question I shall attempt to answer in this article. Does The Undertaker still need to be involved in the never-ending soap opera known as sports entertainment?
No Tombstone Yet
At WrestleMania 33, The Undertaker squared off against Roman Reigns. One could see that he was a broken, battered man, who had to be carried through his performance by the considerably younger Reigns. When his shoulders hit the mat and the referee counted to three, signalling his second-ever WrestleMania loss, the unthinkable happened. There was not a dry eye in the arena or around the world.
The Undertaker left his hat, coat and gloves in the middle of the ring. He broke character to kiss his wife, Michelle McCool, who was standing at ringside. This is a big deal because The Undertaker is known for never breaking character, except in certain special circumstances.
While the world mourned that The Undertaker had called it a day, many fans were also equally relieved. The Undertaker was only a shadow of the performer he once was, often hobbling to the ring because of injuries he’d sustained while entertaining us through the years.
Rumours galore emerged about his status at that point. I had a chance to correspond with JBL, the man who called this very match, who strongly maintained that he had no idea if The Undertaker was done or not.
Back From the Dead
The Undertaker returned at WrestleMania this year, to make short work of one John Cena. He had undergone surgery since his last performance and looked much like The Phenom of old again.
Fans celebrated his return, but one could not help but wonder if this was overkill.
On one hand, he was wrestling better than he had in a while. On the other, he had nothing left to prove. Had the spot reserved for ‘Taker at WrestleMania gone to a younger performer, he would have had a moment in the spotlight instead. And furthermore, judging by his recent outing in Saudi Arabia, it is clear that The Undertaker is far from done.
There is no easy answer to this. Roman Reigns has mentioned how much a younger performer can learn by merely being in the ring with the veteran. Therefore, if a young gun was to be booked in a programme with him, he would only benefit in the long run. Few performers get a chance to work with The Undertaker and to be part of that select lot is a very big deal.
If The Undertaker does decide to stay on, he should work with younger stars and pass on his wealth of knowledge to them. Much like me, many superstars in the current roster have grown up watching The Undertaker, and for them this will be a real dream come true.
Judge, Jury & Executioner
In my opinion, The Undertaker should call it a day when he is no longer able to do the things in the ring he once was. When he can no longer walk the ropes and drop a devastating blow upon his opponent. When he can no longer deliver his trademark Tombstone Piledriver. When he becomes a parody of the outrageous character that he made famous.
Isn’t it amazing that in the world of smartphones and the internet, one man can maintain an aura of mystery and secrecy, keeping us guessing about his future? At the end of the day, The Undertaker is the master of his destiny. He will call it a day when he believes it’s time to ‘rest in peace.’
(Riju Dasgupta is a professional wrestling aficionado and analyst, as well as a heavy metal musician for the bands Albatross and Primitiv. You can reach him at rdore2000@gmail.com)
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