Who will Undertaker's opponent be?

[Deoxyribonucleic A.C.I.D.]

The reason I'm recreating this thread once more, is because Undertaker's top 2 opponents, Sting and John Cena are out with an injury. Although WWE can be fooling us and one of them could return to face the Deadman, as of right now, Taker has no opponent.

A lot of names has been brought up these past weeks, with the most recent one being Braun Strowman, the Wyatt Family's giant. Among these forums, a lot of suggestions have been made and there are a lot of different opinions. So, here I am, to collect all those opinions in one post, and find out who is the most popular choice among posters.

Braun Strowman
Vince McMahon's hand picked project (do these projects ever end up well?). A choice very unpopular between fans, as many consider Braun really green, unworthy and inexperianced for such a big time match.

Finn Balor
This is a popular choice among posters, maybe due to their scary entrances. Actually, that's the only reason those fans out there of this match, want to see this match. A guy from NXT, who hasn't yet debuted, making his debut against Undertaker at Wrestlemania? Talk about IWC being crazy.

Randy Orton
I think Orton WILL be at Wrestlemania as he said that he does not require surgery. If Cena was #1, then it's possible for Orton to be the #2 choice, right? Maybe that's why he's not back on TV yet? Interesting..
If HHH can get another match with Taker at Wrestlemania after 10 years, then so can Randy after 11. But Randy's not the main event star he used to be and he's not on HHH's level. And since there's no streak, WWE needs an actual storyline behind Undertaker's match. Does Orton have what it takes? Can he become the star he once was?

Chris Jericho
A match many fans wanted to see for years, but honestly, this ship has sailed long time ago.

Dean Ambrose
The lunatic vs The deadman could be a very interesting match-up. Maybe with the IC title on the line? Title vs career? Hmm, I kinda like it, but I don't think it fits The Undertaker at this time and age to fight for the IC Championship and I don't think that it's the rigt moment for Dean to fight Taker.

Sheaums
Another opponent who fans have discussed as an Undertaker opponent for years. But, Sheamus has negative momentum at the time.

Kane
Career vs career. Because when something needs a filler opponent, call Kane. 3rd time at Wrestlemania, Record for wrestling 3 times through 3 different eras. Could be good for nostalgia reasons only.

AJ Styles
Yep. The phenomenal one has come to the WWE to be the best and to do so, he's going to challenge Undertaker for his undefeated st--.. Forget it. Styles vs Taker, because reasons.

Kevin Owens
My personal pick. Owens is the company's #1 heel at the moment. Big heels need big faces. The only big face left open for Owens is Taker. Owens is a dick to legends. Undertaker is a legend. This feud works. Owens can make this gold. Undertaker's star can bring Owens to new hights. Book it. (Although given Owens' recent stupid booking, like Ziggler beating him on RAW twice, I doubt WWE is planning this, but if they are, why aren't they building up momentum for KO?)

Who's your pick?

 

[OYDK]

Braun Strowman has appraently been scribbled out of a potential match with The Undertaker at Mania 32, and penciled in to compete, and presumably win, the ATGMBR. There have been rumors swirling that Kevin Owens, shortly after finding this out, pitched his own idea for a match with The Undertaker, which has apparently been shot down by Vince and the WWE. Now after reading multiple reports, I get the impression that Braun Strowman was actually the guy who was scheduled to face Taker at Mania up until about a week or so ago. It's being said that the largely negative reactions WWE has gotten about this match has led them to scrap it altogether and go another route with Strowman.

Personally, I was a little surprised to hear that Owens was shot down, although that could easily be falsely leaked info so people don't expect it. However, I get the sense that Owens was never seriously considered for Lesnar or Taker for some reason. His booking hasn't been consistent enough for me to believe that WWE had him in their set plans for Mania.

Of course, Cena was the original choice to face Taker but that's obviously not going to happen. Sting has been a name that has popped up now and again, but it doesn't seem likely considering everything that's going on with him at the moment (injury, HOF, etc.)

So, no Strowman, no Owens, no Cena, and presumably no Sting... who gets Taker at Mania?

 

[Mustang Sally]

When you consider Undertaker's matches in the past few years, just about every one was against an opponent who knew how to work without putting 'Taker at undue risk: Triple H, Shawn Michaels, CM Punk, John Cena.....even Bray Wyatt, who works more smoothly than many folks realize.

Yes, the black marble in 'Taker's group of opponents was Brock Lesnar. He knows how to work, but he's a rough dude. Naturally, the same applies to Kevin Owens. Sure, KO is expert at working an effective match, yet he's also not easy on an opponent's body. With most everyone else, he doesn't have to be, but this is the 50-year-old Undertaker.

Still, 'Taker seems to be feeling better now than in past years, as evidenced by his choice to fight a rematch with Brock, even after taking a physical beating in their first match. So, maybe he'll fight Owens, too......except that the way KO's been booked doesn't really put him in the class of someone who'd be matched with a legend like Undertaker. Maybe next year, but not now.

So, since I can't think of anyone presently in WWE who fits the bill, I'm making a 'dark horse' pick, someone who is worthy of facing 'Taker.....and will apparently be available to do so by WM32........Kurt Angle.

I'd like to see it......wouldn't you?

 

[midgensa]

Sally beat me too it. I was just thinking the other day ... Why can't Angle come back for WrestleMania ... and then started putting 2 and 2 together ...

I don't think it will happen, but it would be nice.

I still think there is an outside shot of Sting facing Undertaker. And, obviously, this is the one we want the most, but I don't know how either of these guys could carry the other to something special.

BUT ... these two are serious professionals and could probably figure it out.

 

[@smarkmouth]

To be honest, I don't think there are any one on one matches of merit for the Undertaker. Not with the injury bug hitting several key players, anyway. I mentioned the following in the predictions thread, but this is a better thread for it. This is a bit of a 'fantasy' scenario but not entirely out of the realm of possibility.

It starts with a rushed decsention in rank within the Wyatt family. This has not been hinted at whatsoever, but someone has got to smarten up that Bray Wyatt has guided them off the path. I think Luke Harper should begin leading Rowan and Strowman away from Bray's flock and turn on the former patriarch.

Then, with Bray's reluctant face turn, and some strong follow up writing; "Luke, I have a new family now."

Six Man Tag Team Grudge Match
Luke Harper, Erick Rowan & Braun Strowman versus Bray Wyatt, Kane & The Undertaker

This would turn Bray into a babyface, which is overdue in my opinion, without sacrificing any of his previous character work. It also continues to link Bray's character evolution to Undertaker. Finally, I believe the ship has sailed along with the streak in regards to Taker putting someone over at WrestleMania. A win over him just doesn't mean what it should, anymore. I think teaming with the deadman and being "offered" his role by Taker himself has its merit.

 

[That N Word]

In all honesty, I wouldn't be surprised if he faces either a returning Cena or Rollins. Both man are rumored to be near ready to return to the ring. So it may just happen. I could see WWE hyping Undertaker's return to find out who he faces in his retirement match the next week on Raw. The next week, Cena pulls a Triple H and returns right after Taker returns or vice versa. The two would then have a silent staredown. Taker would do the Rest In Peace Taunt and Cena would immediately drop him with an AA and point to the WrestleMania sign before walking back down the ramp and doing the Last Ride pose with his hand HLR pose. The next week, Cena say's he has done it all in his career but beat one man,one legend and that legend is The Undertaker. He challenges Taker to Mania in Taker's last match in Dallas and puts his own career on the line and say's because if he can't beat Taker he has no career. The match is billed as "The Battle Of Legends" "If Cena Loses He Must Retire" "Taker's Last Ride." At Mania, Taker would win the match to the surprise to the audience as Cena is really taking time off to heal all the way up. And when he returns he will literally "heel" all the way up. Maybe, he returns costing Reigns the WWE Championship at TLC 2016 or Royal Rumble 2017. Setting up WrestleMania 33's Main Event of John Cena vs. Roman Reigns

 

[Sean Valjean]

For the love of god, Jericho and Undertaker have faced each other before. They had a couple of singles matches on Smackdown between 2009 and 2010, one of which was a No DQ match. So while it took forever, and we've never seen them fight on a big stage, it has indeed happened. I'm so sick of seeing that listed as a dream pairing.

Anyways, Owens is far and away the best choice given the limited options. Like the OP said, he's a disrespectful asshole with a decently credible resume; a prime foil to challenge the much-revered Deadman. His motive would be simple: he beat John Cena in his first match on the main roster. Now he wants to beat The Undertaker in his first Wrestlemania.

Kevin's promos alone would be gold with him shit-talking Undertaker and his legacy the way only he can. Also, with his size and strength, he'll present a realistic threat as he can actually toss Taker around a bit in there, similar to Wyatt last year. Plus, imagine if he managed to win...

 

[Jeff Deliverer of Mail]

Vince McMahon vs The Undertaker. Undertaker loses clean to Vince then retires.

 

[TDFG]

If they put him in with Strowman it's going to be like WrestleMania IX all over again, it will be a disaster.

I picked Sheamus, he's just after a spell as Champ, he's kind off went quiet since his Title reign came to an end but keep him relevant, have him make a statement over the next two/three weeks to get his build going.

 

[mkw1962]

I picked Kevin Owens, his feud with Dean is probably over and Kevin is probably the number one heel right now. Undertaker could help really push Kevin to the top and get him ready for a Title match this summer against Roman. Seth is not quite ready to return yet but a John Cena vs. Undertaker match would be a strong possibility, Undertaker wins clean and than retires and with the loss it would not hurt John at all.

 

[therockiswwf]

In all honesty, I wouldn't be surprised if he faces either a returning Cena or Rollins. Both man are rumored to be near ready to return to the ring.

It will not be Rollins. Rollins has to wait 6 months from the day of his surgery for his ACL to reattach. Period. There is no getting around this. It will only be 4-5 months since the surgery when Wrestlemania hits. So he is 100% out.

Cena is out for a long time. Unless the WWE is lying about the severity, he will not be back until late this year or possibly early next year.

I keep trying to think who could Undertaker be facing and I honestly cannot think of anyone. Bryan is gone. Cena, Orton, Rollins and Sting are all out. Owens was reportedly shot down (and that wouldn't really excite me in the first place). Jericho would be built up more if it were him. Strowman apparently will not be it. It won't be Styles.

With their current crop, I cannot think of anyone who is an obvious opponent for Taker. Rusev, Sheamus or Ambrose are the most likely in my book. If Ambrose were not the IC champion, I would say it is him. Rusev and Sheamus are not the most interesting options in the world. Gun to my head, I think it will be Sheamus. Damn shame all of these injuries happened as this Mania would have been awesome.

 

[spaldoni]

My biggest complaint is there hasn't really been a heel built up enough to pose a threat to the Undertaker. Cena was the perfect opponent this year and man I'm still hoping it happens. If that's not happening I think they're going to bring in a big name like Goldberg or Angle. I know this would probably never happen but what about Steve Austin? Both men would need to be careful and without a doubt they trust each other. Taker vs Austin at a Wrestlemania in Texas sells itself. Throw in Shawn Michaels as the special ref and its gold. Wishful thinking but how awesome would that be.

 

[Navi]

I went out on a limb and picked Kane. There are a number of reasons why I picked him. First he's known Taker for years, and let's face it Taker while in good shape, isn't in the best shape of his career. Kane would be one of the safest men to put in the ring with him. Then there is the trust factor. Taker probably trusts Kane more than any other wrestler on the roster and knows that it will not end up like we saw in New Orleans, where he almost didn't walk out of the ring.

It's also a good way to bring the Brothers of Destruction to a close. With both men likely finished in the WWE in the near future, haven't they just done a farewell tour so to speak, it would be a fitting way to end both of their illustrious careers. Have one go out in a casket with the other walking beside it.

Cena would have been perfect for this occasion, but he's not around and won't be back in time. I highly doubt the WWE is telling people he's injured just to bring him back as a surprise. Cena sells tickets, and some fans might not attend simply because of the fact he's not there wrestling. If anymore go down between now and then we're in deep shit, like we're not already.

 

[Terry Gyimah]

Out of the current crop of guys for me anyway I definitely would pick Sheamus and I will tell you why

Sheamus is one of the biggest heels right now on the roster and yeah he may have lost momentum after losing the WWE World Heavyweight Championship to Roman Reigns but Sheamus as of late has been garnering a lot of heel heat so who better for him to go up against than The Undertaker?

Plus Sheamus vs The Undertaker has never really happened especially on a grand stage like WrestleMania and not to mention they have never been in the ring with each other have never crossed paths with one another either

 

[aaronmb]

As far as Cena, he's been really teasy on twitter, kind of implying that he's trying to make it to wrestlemania. If it can happen, Id have Austin as the ref.
This is a stretch, but add Sting to it, being a triple threat.

 

[Spencesc11]

Kurt Angle would be the best choice now. Those 2 had quite the feud back in the day and the storyline would be an easy write. Gotta believe he would be all over a WWE deal like Jericho's and his name value could help save the WWE with all the recent injuries. I might even bring back Haas and Benjamin and maybe even throw Swagger in the group. Could be interesting....

 

[Big Nick Dudley]

I think Cena is still a possibility. He has come back early plenty of times and I can see that happening if it's for one of the biggest matches of his career.

If not Cena, I have no idea. One thing is clear - they need The Undertaker. He is a huge draw and this is their biggest show ever. Even if he ends up with someone nowhere near his status, Taker needs to be on this show.

 

[That N Word]

At this point it's fairly obvious it's Cena. I could see Taker winning that award Monday and begin to announce his retirement and Cena interrupts and comes out serious and focus. The two have a staredown and Cena then finally gets on the mic after a long silent staredown and say's you ain't retiring until you go one on one with John Cena. He say's I have done everything in my career but beat you. He say's WrestleMania John Cena vs. The Undertaker-Legend vs. Legend. Taker accepts. And we got our Co-WrestleMania Main Event.

 

[Loveless]

I've got a horrible feeling that if no obvious option arrives, it'll be Taker & Brock Vs The Wyatts. Ah Christ, it could be Seamus. I could totally see that happening.

 

[FromTheSouth]

There are four Wyatt's taking down the "Titans" of the WWE. Why would Taker not be the fourth with Show, Kane, and Ryback?

I think that's the setup that Raw was going for Monday Night. There is no streak to worry about. If they make it a Survivor Series style match and have Taker and Bray face off at the end, use some kind of magic, bada bing, one of them lays dead in the ring. (For a week or so.)

 

[Kodo Sawaki]

According to some reports Cena is on his way to gamble with injury and faces Taker. Would be huge draw and just what Wrestlemania 32 needs as one of the big matches. All other opponents at the time would just be half-assed cheap WWE way to have Taker at Mania.

 

[Dave]

In actual fact, the Cena reports are based on nothing more than a tweet he sent out. And a very cryptic tweet at that, honestly. And as much as I would love to see The Undertaker face off against Cena, I still doubt that we're going to see it. Again, I would really love it to be Cena.

But if it isn't going to be Cena, then Owens would be the person whom I would give the nod too. He has the charisma and the mic skills to carry the feud in the absence of the Deadman. He also had more avenues open to a feud than most others. His heel personality lends itself to going down the route of proving himself against someone like Taker. I also reckon that those two could have a great match. Maybe not the blockbuster name that some fans would want for Taker but they two could definitely steal the show.

 

[d_henderson1810]

For the love of god, Jericho and Undertaker have faced each other before. They had a couple of singles matches on Smackdown between 2009 and 2010, one of which was a No DQ match. So while it took forever, and we've never seen them fight on a big stage, it has indeed happened. I'm so sick of seeing that listed as a dream pairing.

Anyways, Owens is far and away the best choice given the limited options. Like the OP said, he's a disrespectful asshole with a decently credible resume; a prime foil to challenge the much-revered Deadman. His motive would be simple: he beat John Cena in his first match on the main roster. Now he wants to beat The Undertaker in his first Wrestlemania.

Kevin's promos alone would be gold with him shit-talking Undertaker and his legacy the way only he can. Also, with his size and strength, he'll present a realistic threat as he can actually toss Taker around a bit in there, similar to Wyatt last year. Plus, imagine if he managed to win...

Yes, Jericho and Taker have technically fought before, but the first time, instead of being hyped, it was mentioned on the telecast that night, in England, and the English gave the match nothing. It was a quick and unmemorable match.

I would like to see a proper feud between Jericho and Undertaker with a pay-off at Wrestlemania. Imagine Jericho's stickwork during it.

 

[Jack-Hammer]

According to the WON, plans have been finalized for the WrestleMania main events, including who the Undertaker is facing. The report states that while it's been decided, it also said that Taker's opponent will be someone that's not on the roster right now. So, if that's legit, this makes speculation even more rampant. Someone that's not on the roster right now could mean someone that's signed but hasn't debuted, a special attraction that WWE is bringing in for a one shot deal, someone that was once in WWE & is now returning or someone that's out with an injury. Some of the names that spring to mind are Cena, Cesaro, Angle and Nakamura; though all may seem unlikely for various reasons, it's not impossible. While it's reported that Cena & Cesaro won't be back in time for WrestleMania, it's always possible that it's an exaggeration. As for Kurt Angle, he's done with TNA so the notion of him facing Taker isn't all. Nakamura is a definite long shot, possibly the least likely as he'll be making his WWE debut in any way, shape or form, around the same time as WrestleMania. I suppose it's possible they could go for the surprise angle, though I doubt it as Nakamura is probably not that well known to most WWE fans. At any rate, if this is legit, then at least it won't be Braun Strowman.

 

[TheMainEvent]

If the reports are true that the Wrestlemania card is set and Undertaker is going to face someone who is "Not on the roster" then that definitely narrows it down. Below are really the only names that could fill that role to create a marquee matchup for Mania, and I would consider the NXT talent to be on the roster, and a month isnt enough time to build someone up for this match anyways. So here is the list:

The Rock
Sting
Batista
Rey Mysterio
Goldberg
Kurt Angle
Stone Cold Steve Austin
CM Punk

Now its unlikely that Stone Cold, CM Punk, or Shawn Michaels are coming out of retirement to face Taker. So we can probably safely take them off the list. Sting is technically on the roster and is injured so he's likely out too. Mysterio isn't a big enough matchup to be honest either. I can really only see this coming down to Rock, Batista, Goldberg, or Angle. I would prefer to see Angle come back for the match but again thats unlikely because of his past health concerns and issues with Triple H when looking at signing last year. I honestly believe its going to be Goldberg for a final Marquee match, which could help sell tickets. Everyone knows Rock is there so keep him in the mainevent with Roman if thats the case. Batista has already turned down two non wrestling roles and his filming looks to be getting in the way anyways. So I'm gonna go with GOLDBERG for the surprise opponent that returns next week or the week after.