What’s the story?
As much as The Undertaker has meant to the fans of WWE, he’s meant just as much – if not more – to the other performers in the locker room. So, when The Deadman returned to the backstage area following his WrestleMania 33 match against Roman Reigns, his fellow superstars gave him a raucous ovation – as this video posted on Twitter and shared on the Fox News Fansided site reveals...
In case you didn’t know...
Due in part to his long career, as well as injuries he’s suffered throughout it, The Undertaker had been rumored to wrap up his career at WrestleMania nearly the past decade. Even before that, his undefeated streak at the event had been played up as something as important as WWE’s world titles, until it ended at WrestleMania 30.
With his loss at this year’s WrestleMania – and his apparently symbolic placement of his hat and coat in the middle of the ring as he left – it seems more than likely that the man also known as Mark Calloway has wrestled his last match.
The Heart of the matter
In the video, you can see Undertaker walk through the backstage area with his wife, former WWE performer Michelle McCool (who was also ringside for the match). It’s not like the pre-arranged line up of wrestlers waiting backstage after Edge’s retirement or when John Cena was “fired” during the Nexus angle, but it’s certainly a nice show of respect and a fascinating look behind the scenes of the business.
What’s next?
The WWE is not expected to release an official statement about The Deadman’s retirement in the immediate future. Now that his professional wrestling career appears to be over, The Undertaker is expected to undergo another hip surgery. We may not see The Phenom again until he goes into the Hall of Fame.
Author’s take
As hard as it is to see The Undertaker go – and I’ve been a fan of wrestling since 1990, the same year he debuted in WWE – it’s probably about time. He’s been putting off complete hip replacement surgery for a while now, and he’s also probably looking forward to just not having to worry about it anymore. We’re now looking forward to what will inevitably be an amazing Hall of Fame speech in a couple of years – if not next year.
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