We've spoken for years about the influence of The Undertaker and what he's done for the business, and there's a big reason for that - he's the greatest performer in the history of WrestleMania.
Now while some fans choose to believe that there shouldn't be so much stock put into that, the bottom line is that The Deadman has done some truly incredible things throughout his career.
So the big question on everyone's minds is, when will it come to an end? When will the man who possessed the greatest streak in all of sports entertainment finally ride off into the sunset?
Well, we initially believed it would happen last year at WrestleMania 32, but if the rumours are to be believed then a number of injuries ensured that didn't come to fruition.
Now, in 2017, it becomes less about when he will retire and more about focusing on the story currently unfolding. The Undertaker is set to enter the Royal Rumble match this Sunday and the second he does that, we will all know that the Road to WrestleMania has truly begun.
So then, who will be the man to receive the honour of sharing the ring with the former WWE Champion in Orlando?
Let's run down some options as we take a look at five potential WrestleMania opponents for The Undertaker.
#1 Goldberg
No matter which way you look at this, it'd be a blockbuster match. Yes, neither man is in their prime any more, but they're still fantastic performers in their own right and the sheer scale of the showdown would boost this match up to a higher level.
The story could revolve around both men having two of the greatest streaks in the history of the business, and quite simply put, they’d want to see who the better man is.
Also read: 5 Reasons why The Undertaker steals the show at WrestleMania
Or, alternatively, you could draw attention to the fact that Goldberg destroyed the man who broke the streak within 90 seconds.
That alone would increase the stakes for the bout, because it would add that sense of uncertainty into the mind of fans - what could he do to The Undertaker? As long as they avoid the typical WWE vs WCW flashbacks, we would be in for a treat.
Onto a younger talent which may please a lot of modern day fans.
#2 Samoa Joe
It seems like just a matter of time until Samoa Joe appears on our main roster screens, dropping people on their head left right and center. The Royal Rumble seems like a perfect time to debut the monster, and from that point on it really is anyone's guess as to who he will end up facing at WrestleMania 33.
However, one option that fans don't seem to be talking about that much is the possibility of a bout against The Deadman.
Joe would give Taker one of his toughest Mania matches ever, with his hard hitting style sure to take it's toll on the Phenom. It may prove to be yet another Taker win over an upcoming star, but regardless of the result, there are a number of ways that they can make Joe look strong in either victory or defeat.
Hell, just have him beat Taker up so badly that he's carried out in a way similar to WM27 against Triple H.
From one former TNA talent to another.
#3 AJ Styles
The Phenomenal AJ Styles has been on fire ever since arriving in WWE just over a year ago. The former TNA Champion has shot up the ladder so quickly that he finds himself going into the Royal Rumble as WWE Champion.
That's quite a step up considering that he lost his first ever Mania match to Chris Jericho back in April, and his momentum looks set to continue heading into Orlando.
You can build this up quite easily with Taker winning the Rumble and AJ retaining against Cena, allowing for the two men to square off on the following edition of SmackDown Live to start the build to the match.
Obviously, Styles would have to retain inside of the Elimination Chamber first, and it'd be interesting to see people's reactions to that.
Onto a man who seems all set to finally return from injury.
#4 Finn Balor
Former Bullet Club leader Finn Balor has been out of action since the night after SummerSlam 2016, and he looks all set to regain his momentum upon returning to the company.
With just a few days left before the big event in San Antonio, there are naturally plenty of people debating whether or not he'll show up, with Finn himself continuing to play the role of the troll that we know and love him for.
But regardless of whether the Alamodome is the place for his return or not, a match against The Undertaker would certainly make a lot of noise.
The two mysterious characters would face off as The Phenom passes the torch over to The Demon, which would be a great piece of storytelling from the WWE. The build would be phenomenal and the match itself would just be so intriguing considering the two men involved. Let's make this happen.
We conclude with the obvious bout that we all need to see.
#5 John Cena
Mr Hustle, Loyalty and Respect against The Deadman. Two icons of their respective eras facing off on the grandest stage of them all. Does it get much bigger than this in 2017? We aren't sure that it does.
Cena and Taker have been dancing around a potential dream match with each other for years now, and it's finally time to pull the trigger. Last year would've been great, but this year can and will be better.
There's been a lot of talk that this bout is no longer on the cards, but we'll believe it when we see it. For the time being, all we can do it speculate, but can you just imagine the reaction when these two have a staredown at WrestleMania?
It'll be a phenomenal moment, and it needs to happen before its impact is lost. It's the perfect setting, the perfect time and definitely the perfect match.
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