The Undertaker vs. John Cena: WWE Turns the Corner

Taker has thrown WrestleMania into a tailspin by not answering the challenge. Suddenly fans don’t know which way is up. Even if he does show on April 8 and the match does take place, will it even matter? WWE has not promoted the bout. The machine that made Undertaker a household name is the same machine that would have hyped his WrestleMania return like no one else could.

The Undertaker's most supernatural moments: WWE Playlist

But that has not happened. The Undertaker remains silent. The WrestleMania dream match angle would have been a fun ride to take, if The Deadman had been around. That’s especially true if he had returned on the bike. Finally Undertaker could speak directly to Cena, with no cryptic foreboding involved. It would have been one tough guy versus the legendary tough guy. But none of that happened either.

Could it be that there’s been no public affirmation of the match because WWE is intentionally downplaying its importance? John Cena versus The Undertaker is a main event anywhere in the world and fans would surely pay to see it.

But WWE has already booked this kind of match before. Triple H and Shawn Michaels each faced The Undertaker in matches that didn’t have to happen. In both cases, the story was about legends that were fighting for their lives in matches that transcended titles or pecking order; pride was the most important element. The Game and The Heartbreak Kid are two of the best in WWE history. Neither man rose to prominence during their last matches with Taker. It was about legends doing battle for the good of the company and the fans.

This is John Cena versus The Undertaker. To develop this storyline each week on TV is to revisit storylines that have already happened. Fans have seen it already. Would anyone care now? WWE is making a statement by keeping this match in limbo until the night of WrestleMania 34. That statement is simple and straight to the point: it’s time to move on.

The Undertaker is no longer the measuring stick. The streak is over and the torch has been passed. One day WWE will exist without the possibility of an Undertaker return. WrestleMania 35 may be the company’s first after The Undertaker’s departure. Everything has changed now. This is how it is and this explains why the Cena/Taker bout must advance in this manner.

Take a look back at the haunting legacy of The Undertaker on Raw

The Undertaker’s next match can no longer be a WrestleMania tent pole. WWE must turn the corner and the fans must do the same. This is the beginning of WWE’s next phase. Whether or not Taker performs on April 8 is irrelevant. What matters is that the company can move forward without him. The same is true of Cena.

Simply imagining a WrestleMania without The Undertaker or John Cena was once impossible. Now fans are facing the very real truth that WWE will exist as a company without both of them. But that doesn’t mean they can’t leave some lasting memories before they go.

Tom Clark can regularly be seen on Wrestling Rumors. His podcast, Tom Clark’s Main Event, is available on iTunes, Google Play, iHeart Radio, Amazon Android, Windows Phone and online at boinkstudios.com