The biggest question of WrestleMania: Where is the Undertaker?
As WrestleMania descends on New York City this weekend, there’s the usual buzz, excitement and fanfare surrounding the biggest event in the professional wrestling industry — but one question looms larger than any other.
Where is the Undertaker?
For nearly three decades one of the most popular stars in WWE was synonymous with WrestleMania. From 1991 through 2013, Undertaker performed at 21 of 23 WrestleMania events, missing 1994 and 2000 due to injury, and compiled a perfect 21-0 match record at that time.
What affectionately became known as “The Streak” was among the biggest draws of WrestleMania for years. Not only would fans anticipate Undertaker’s matches, they would often be treated to instant classics that have stood the test of time.
Undertaker’s presence and his in-ring performances were often enough to stand on their own, so much so that during “The Streak,” a WWE championship was on the line just three times.
In 2014, at WrestleMania XXX, the world was stunned when Undertaker’s unbeaten streak ended against Brock Lesnar. In an industry that thrives on swerves and keeping fans on their toes, Lesnar’s win in New Orleans became one of the most shocking moments in professional wrestling history.
Following the loss, Undertaker feuded with Lesnar for the better part of the next two years but his appearances on WWE programming became more and more sporadic. Eventually, WrestleMania would become one of the few times fans would be able to see Undertaker.
At WrestleMania 33, fans believed they saw the end of the Undertaker in WWE. Continuing his annual tradition of competing on the grandest stage of them all, Undertaker faced Roman Reigns — one of the biggest stars in WWE and a performer that was generally viewed as the foundation of the company’s future.
In the main event that night, Reigns beat Undertaker and the legendary character seemingly bid farewell to WWE fans by leaving his trademark hat, gloves and trenchcoat in the center of the ring.
Gone for more than a calendar year, Undertaker reprised his role and appeared at WrestleMania 34 in New Orleans — the site of his loss to Lesnar — and wrestled John Cena in what essentially amounted to a greatest hits compilation for him.
Undertaker would perform several times in 2018, including in a tag-team match with Kane against Triple H and Shawn Michaels. That match — the main event of the “Crown Jewel” event in Saudi Arabia last November — was billed as “The End of an Era” and seemed to be another logical place for Undertaker to end his in-ring career.
In fact, all signs outside of WWE pointed to that.
Throughout his career, Undertaker has been very protective of his character — a classic move of old-school professional wrestlers — but in 2018 the normally private, reserved man opened up an Instagram and Twitter account and did a rare out-of-character interview.
Despite embracing social media, Undertaker has remained conspicuously absent from WWE programming leading into the event that helped define his career. In February, Undertaker wiped all of his social media profiles of references to WWE and began soliciting bookings.
While Undertaker is not scheduled to be at WrestleMania — barring a last minute surprise — Dave Meltzer of Wrestling Observer Newsletter reported that the longtime star will wrestle at WWE’s yet-to-be-announced next event in Saudi Arabia.
Although his future in WWE remains cloudy and uncertain, one this is clear, WrestleMania 35 will certainly feel very different without the Undertaker’s presence.
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