Undertaker’s Silence Speaks Volumes for John Cena and WrestleMania 34

The Undertaker did not show up on March 19’s Monday Night Raw. Many fans were likely not happy about that. John Cena was also not smiling when The Deadman did not appear. Cena’s recent challenge to Taker seems to have fallen on deaf ears. Or has it?

From the moment that Cena first said The Undertaker’s name on live TV, it was obvious that the match between them was going to happen at WrestleMania 34. Though the company is notorious for trolling fans online, The Phenom’s legacy is not part of the deal.

WWE has spent nearly 3 decades maintaining The Undertaker’s character. From the mortician to the dark lord to the big biker, The Deadman has always been presented as a man in full control. The mention of his name is enough to bring him out of the darkness and it has to be. Anything less would damage his reputation.

John Cena wants The Undertaker to return for one more match at WrestleMania: Raw, March 12, 2018

His reputation is exactly what Cena has questioned. Cena knows that Taker is an oak, an immovable giant that holds steadfast despite the world crumbling around him. The Phenom was the standard bearer for the company and the measuring stick by which all others were once held.

The Undertaker has tasted defeat. But he has never refused a challenge. The years have taken their toll on The Deadman but his spirit is still intact. Fans know he’s older. They know he’s not the man he was 28 years ago. But they also want to see him again. WWE knew this and so did Cena.

Of course whether or not he should return is up for debate. Taker’s last match was at WrestleMania 33 against Roman Reigns and that match seemed to be the end. Undertaker laid down his gear and made his exit like an outlaw into the sunset. He was finished. He had no more fight in him.

If Reigns was the babyface that WWE wanted him to be, then perhaps that match would have indeed been Taker’s last. Reigns is the top guy in the company, which means he must best everyone put in front of him. It just so happened that the man put in front of him at WrestleMania 33 was The Deadman himself. Reigns only did what top guys do; he won.

Roman Reigns Calls Win Over The Undertaker A Loss | ESPN

But that win has never felt right. Reigns was already a made man in WWE. He was already on top. The match itself was for bragging rights. Whoever won, took the yard. That seemed like a simple concept to many. It surely seemed simple to WWE. But for fans, there was no debate. They knew Reigns was on top and Taker was on his way out.

Why not just book that match as a retirement match? Undertaker could have done the job to Reigns, and then went into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2018. He would have stood on the stage, thanked the fans, acknowledged his many opponents, and then get the ovation he deserved. No one has done more for WWE than The Undertaker. Everyone knows that.