Will Undertaker ever come back?

[DeadmanInc.]

Undertaker doesn't need a World Title. With or without the belt, Undertaker is legendary. He is more of a special attraction than a main eventer, which is why he doesn't need the belt. His Wrestlemania streak is unparalleled and his status as a future hall of famer is pretty much set in stone. At this point in his career, I think he has transcended the World Titles. He doesn't need a long reign, but right now there aren't any worthy WHC's on smackdown besides Batista/Edge.

 

[MisterRob]

This thread makes me suddenly realize how badly I wish the WWE would just get rid of the brand extension and make them all one roster. There really is no separate brands as it is as all the talent criss crosses between every brand now..

 

[WrestlingDude]

without a doubt the undertaker is one of them absolute best who doesnt need a title to make a name for himself.

however, vince may be thinking that he shouldnt be champion not bc hes not champion material, but hes getting old. the undertaker is 43 years old right now. sure he had short reigns as champion b4, but that was when he was more of a juggarnaut instead of champion material.

for example, ric flair. he was the 16 time world champion in the 80s and now that he got older, he barely got any titles.

now that he made a name for himself, they see him as too late and too old and want to bury him to make the younger star look more powerful then they truely are.

 

[The Mark of Zur-En-Arrh]

I have to agree with the point that Taker doesn't need the belt. He is a main event draw title shot or not. Even if he was just an enforcer on the outside (like Stone Cold v Dude Love at Over the Edge '98) Taker finds a way to add that extra special spot to any match he's in. Remember the 6man tag for the title in 2001? Kane/Rock/Taker v HHH/Vince/Shane. The whole match went exaclty as fans thought it wud, had a little twist with Kane going for the gold on his own, and the most memorable part of that match was Taker jumping up on the apron as Shane was going for the big elbow drop, and chokeslammed him off the turnbuckle through the announce table, yet Rock won the belt.

I don't agree with the Taker's too old point tho. Ric Flair beat HHH twice for the IC belt a couple of years ago didn't he? Plus Taker is one of the only 3 people to cleanly beat Kahli more than once.

The thing is, if Taker is going to b the Champ, he needs to b a heel. He only ever gets decent promo time when he's a heel, and he actually pulls off decent promos without resorting to the stupid undead gimmick EVERY time. Here's a few examples:

Before beating Hogan for his first title reign
Paul Bearer Reality. Reality. Reality..... What is reality?
Taker I'm the reality.... of death.

(Ok he used the undead gimmick there but at least he didn't say RIP)

Before retaining the title against the Rock at King Of The Ring 1999
I've crippled more people than Polio. You can't be the first, but you WILL be the next!

Before beating Kane and X-pac for the tag titles at Summerslam 1999
I hate everyone, and i hate everything. You're gonna reach your hand out to me, and I'm gonne stick a knife right through your heart. What used to be known as Summerslam will NOW be known as Armaggedon. And those who show up.... will be hurt!

And i don't remember exactly what Taker said right this second, but when he challenged Hogan for the title again in 2002, he gave a great promo about killing Hulkmania once, destroying the hopes and dreams of everyone in the audience that night, and Hogan disappearing very quickly afterward from WWE, and that the exact same thing would happen at Judgement Day that year and low and behold, that's exactly what did happened. Taker would come out every week, not wrestle (and if he did it was a total squash, with a further beatdown for extra heat afterward) and give a great promo about destroying his opponent at that month's upcoming PPV. His match with Flair at WM18 is another gr8 example because Taker would get in Flair's face and then moved on to beating on Arn Anderson and David Flair to get Flair to face him. They never tied up in the ring once before WM and had the best match on the card IMO and in Flair's opinion too apparently.

Taker could have a similar reign to JBLs in 2004, except Taker would actually win cleanly by being purely dominant. Usually Taker gets screwed out of being Champ. Apart from to Hogan, Taker has always been screwed out of the belt:-

Lost it to Bret coz HBK missed with a chair shot and hit Taker.
Lost it to Austin because X-Pac ran in and stunned him by spin kicking a chair in Takers face.
Lost it to Rock in a 3 way when Angle got pinned.
Lost it to Edge due to Edge cashing in a MITB contract that he didn't even originally win (i truly feel that if both kennedy and Taker hadn't gotten injured at the same time, that Edge's 3rd title reign wud never have happened, at least not then anyway) after a gruling cage match with Batista, then a beat down by Mark Henry and THEN Edge coming in.

As a heel, in one on one fueds, Taker could easily build up a great deal of heat with his promos and in a non one on one situation it can be made to look like he's going to lose because there's more than one challenger, then he can jus pull out a sudden chokeslam and get the win (tombstone takes too long unless its a cruiserweight). Take JBLs ability to retain in any situation and combine Orton's ability to take a 40 minute ass kicking, hit the RKO and it's all over regardless and you got a great heel champ. Taker's reign would become a dark cloud over the brand and people would pay to see him drop the belt to a worthy face challenger who's greatly over.

Do i think Taker isn't champ material? Anyone is champ material if given the chance to show their talents. If Jiggly Boobs Layfield can have a year long reign after years of no promo time and nothing but comedy segments, and Kahli can be the champ and defend against Mysterio who in reality would end up jus being a smear on the canvas then Taker definitely has the talent to have a LOOOOOOOOOONNNNNNGGGGGG title reign

 

[scsu01]

i think hes better off without it. edge is a better champion only in the sense that it creates more opportunities for really good feuds. i always thought takers best matches and feuds were when there was no title. itd be best to go on raw and get into some feuds with orton again, hhh, etc. hes much more legendary without the belt

 

[Joaquim Akaem]

I always thaught Taker was better at putting other people over than taking the glory for himself.
His feud with Brock Lesnar was top quality and it made Brock look like a million bucks and a great champion. Same can be said for countless others, title or no title, including JBL, Orton, Mr Kennedy, hell, the Deadman even did the job against Khali. Even back in the day he was giving the likes of Michaels, Hart and Kane a rub on the way up.
Taker has seen them all come and go and has remained at the top of the pile throughout his "2 decades of destruction" as Michael Cole would put it.
The Undertaker definatley deserves the highest acollade the WWE can give him. It can be a title run, but i believe the selfless Taker would only get the title to put over the next contender that beats him. Yes it would be nice for the fans to see him with the gold, but i believe his real reward for all of his hard work is the 16-0.
Who needs titles when your Wrestlemania record is spotless after so many years.

 

[Rated_R_Superstar]

Now that Undertaker has been fired through the whole WWE, he will never come back unless he signs up again.I heard that he will come back on the draft lottery.This is half good and half bad for him.He is fired.But he gets to keep his Wrestlemania streak and remain 16-0 forever.Nobody will probally get as high as him.It`ll still be cool if he did return to the WWE though.We`ll get to see his awesome fueds that hes been having for over 15 years.He will probally retire just like Ric Flair did.Too bad he had to be in a TLC match though.He has never had any experience in one and hes not a favorite of ladder or tlc matches.

 

[valon10]

First, off I believe that Vince McMahon will over turn Vicki's Stipulation since he is the Chairman of the WWE.He will say that Vicki abused her power way to much and that Undertaker isn't going no where at the moment.I,can see Vicki turning face the next couple of weeks turning on Edge or Edge will turn on Vicki since he got World title now.But,how many times do we see wrestlers lose career matches and come back again?

 

[ciz4connor]

i dont thinkk he is goin to retire....he may come back at the draft lottery but then he will either go after triple h....i think that if he goes after triple h for the wwe championship the writers will make up something stuipd like he got hurt or what had happen with mark henry... every summer he disappears and then comes back at the end of the summer and gain a shoot at the title and then will keep it for a week or 2 and then loose it like he does for all the years he held a title...or smackdown could go down hill and start losing its raitings and vince comes back fires vicki(like regal) and then to fix the ratrings bring back eric bishoft or paul heman.....i think that the wwe should talk to tna and see if they want to make a story line that wwe trys to take over the tna

 

[Father:_Polley]

I don't see them retiring flair and taker in the same year. If anything, Taker will be back by the end of the year, or else will be promptly reinstated by Vince or some other board ruling. Taker's too valuable to go just yet, and certainly not being retired to a screwjob defeat.
He'll be back soon I think

 

[matthew2109]

i can see taker easily going to Raw now. There is no way we have seen the end of Undertaker. He went out on a somewhat meh ok PPV that was two weeks after the last PPV. He will be going out on better terms than this. Triple H-Undertaker feud anyone?? I know they are both faces and all but that match will be totally worth watching

 

[ciz4connor]

i saw a spolier for thr nights of champions and undertaker was on the cover so that could mean that undertaker WILL be back and that edge IS goin to loose his title to undertaker...As soon as i saw the smack down wen vicki stripped undertaker from the title edge was goin to win it....I also dont understand how they give undertaker time off....he is always off from the wwe...he has a match once every mounth and thats it....

 

[AnthonyMango/NoFate007]

Taker's not done yet. If he was, they'd give him a much better send-off than that.

Some thoughts:

1. I forget who said it during the live discussion, but someone mentioned that when Edge dumps Vickie, she might bring Taker back to get back at Edge.

2. Draft is only a few weeks away, and he wanted some time off, but that's might be enough time.

3. They might wait a while just to make the impact that much better, but I say he's back before Survivor Series if they want to make it last a little longer.


Hopefully, though, when he returns, he doesn't just have a series of matches with Mark Henry like last time haha.

 

[emerguy]

It is pretty simpel , $$$. My son who is 11 started watching WWE about a year ago. He and his his buddies are huge Taker fans. In the last year we have purchased at least 5 pay per views and gone to 3 live events. He just called me and is upset that Taker lost.

Do you really think that they would let there Cash Cow go out like this? Not likely. He will be back in a couple of months, in the meantime I can save some money on Pay Per Views , thank you WWE!!!!!! P.S, isn't Summer usualy a slow time for Smackdown ratings? It makes sense to give him time off now.

 

[Steamboat Ricky]

Here's the deal:

--Perhaps the greatest wrestler of all time...I put him number 2 behind Flair...graces us with his final match at One Night Stand



If there is any doubt in your mind that Undertaker will be back in the WWE, then I would advise checking to see if you are an idiot. There is no way that they let the best gimmick man end his career at a 3rd rate event in a gimmick match that he has no business being remembered for.

 

[buddy_z34]

this is what i get from his so called being fired.

i think that the gimmick Undertaker may be done in the WWE. i think the wrestler comes back though using another gimmick. the character the Undertaker cannot have top fueds because of his liability on the mic. he has to stay in character and that is little to no talk. that IMO is why Vince was coming out with his choice in stripping Taker.

so i think he gets drafted to RAW as the American BadAss or something along that line. using a different gimmick.

the loophole will be that vickie said THE UNDERTAKER was fired not Mark. how can his last match be at One night Stand!!!

 

[Sparky]

Here's the deal:
If there is any doubt in your mind that Undertaker will be back in the WWE, then I would advise checking to see if you are an idiot. There is no way that they let the best gimmick man end his career at a 3rd rate event in a gimmick match that he has no business being remembered for.

True. Unless he gets injured to a point where he can never wrestle again his last match will be at wrestlemania and there would be alot more hyping the match, seriously the untertaker having his last ever match with barely any hype at all? He will be back he just needs a break like he always does. i think he will be back just after the draft on raw. or maybe even E.C.W it could be what E.C.W needs to be kept alive.

 

[Steamboat Ricky]

this is what i get from his so called being fired.

i think that the gimmick Undertaker may be done in the WWE. i think the wrestler comes back though using another gimmick. the character the Undertaker cannot have top fueds because of his liability on the mic. he has to stay in character and that is little to no talk. that IMO is why Vince was coming out with his choice in stripping Taker.

so i think he gets drafted to RAW as the American BadAss or something along that line. using a different gimmick.

the loophole will be that vickie said THE UNDERTAKER was fired not Mark. how can his last match be at One night Stand!!!

What?

That would be THE worst idea ever. The Undertaker gimmick is way solid and the American Badass gimmick is way crappy. You can bet that the fans will absolutely rip McMahon if he decides to do that with Taker, as right now, with the Undertaker gimmick, he's pretty much the most popular guy in the business.

If he comes back as the American Badass, I will cry and probably boycott.

And how could he pull that off? Chuck Palumbo is the biker of the WWE now.

 

[DeadmanInc.]

He is obviously coming back. Undertaker deserves a Ric Flair-esque retirement. There's no way that Undertaker would have his last match at one of WWE's lesser PPVs.

This is probably just part of the whole Vickie/Edge angle. Undertaker will be back eventually.

 

[TomSmithUK]

This has got to round up the Edge-Vickie storyline. Edge is champ, his greatest foe vanquished. Rey is out, Batista will feud with Y2J. Who else can Edge fight?

Edge doesn't need Vickie, so he'll end it, and she'll reinstate Taker.

 

[NYSandman]

'Taker doesn't deserve to retire that way. I don't understand why retirements always have to be angles? Why can't a wrestler just announce that he will retire on a certain date, so the fans can show their respect?

'Taker will be back. I cannot see him retiring that way. It just wouldn't be fair to a guy whos been in the WWE for nearly two decades.

Possibly, Edge will start treating Vicky like crap now, and she'll turn face and bring back 'Taker. Or, being Vince is now showing "appreciation" for us fans, he may say this was a fan-unfriendly choice and bring 'Taker back that way.

Hopefully they change this around, so when 'Taker is finally ready to retire, he can do it right, with all the respect and adulation he deserves from the fans. That was a great match with Edge, but it's not the way the Dead Man should go.

 

[Crimson Mask]

There's no question that Undertaker will return after some time off, the point is how will he return and for how long. He is, along with Batista, one of the biggest stars on Smackdown and when he does retire,it will be at Wrestlemania to give a Ric Flair style send-off, especially since next years show is going to be in his hometown of Houston, Texas.

 

[Wrestling_No-logicX]

I highly doubt that since randy orton is hurt and batista wants time off, vince is going to let his top star undertaker go, I believe now since randy orton is hurt, this is going to be some big announcement for the undertaker to come back, we just have to wait and see

 

[incrediblesim]

If anyone is thinking this is the last we have seen of one of the greatest men to grace a Wrestling Ring then I suggest they take a look at a few small facts-

1- It was ONS even if he was too injured to make WM25 or SummerSlam for a send off match there is absolutely no way an Undertaker final appearnce is going to be on a "B" PPV. No chance!

2- Even if it was a planned retirement with Orton getting injured and Batista going for time off Vince wasn't going to let the most over man in pro-wrestling go now.

This getting fired thing is just to give him time off going into a traditionally down period for SmackDown. Or to get him on RAW without using a Draft pick.

The likely conclusion I think is that when Edge turns on Vickie she will just reverse her decision this will happen when Taker felt he has had enough time off.

 

[Dragonslayer]

Hi everyone,

I'm new to the boards, and thought this thread might be a good way to kick it off! Just so you know, I live in Austria, and don't have Pay-TV (which is more or less the only way to get WWE and TNA programming hereabouts, with the exception of Smackdown, which we get on a regular cable sports channel), so I'm not always up to date as far as actually "watching" wrestling is concerned, but I like to keep track by reading various internet sites, one of them obviously being Wrestlezone

Now back to the subject: Of course the Undertaker-banishment is an angle - but I've got to admit, it was nicely pulled off; I think hardly anyone would have believed Taker to lose in your classic "retirement angle match" like they have been done hundres upon hundreds of times (at least it seems that way), so his loss actually did come as a surprise - even though it will only be a temporary abscence of some sort, I wonder where WWE could be going with this.

Of course there is the option of Vinnie Mac just overturning Vickie's decision, but there is also the chance of Taker being drafted over to RAW maybe, probably in some turn where it will be proclaimed that as GM of (only) Smackdown, Vickie cannot banish Taker from the entire WWE, or of course it could lead to the breakup of Vickie and Edge which has also been mentioned... But at least I think WWE has managed to pull off one of the bigger suprises of recent months (alongisde William Regal's KOTR win, which was unfortunately ruined by his suspension), and I wonder where they will be going with this.

Agreed, the American Bad Ass could be an option - but honestly, that thing never did go over (the classic Undertaker just rules too much ), and the only really great thing that came from the Bad Ass era was the Last Ride hehe.

But it should be out of question that Taker would now really be retired/gone forever - no other venue than Wrestlemania for that, along with a huge sendoff. Along with HBK I think he is WWE's currently longest serving top star, and I guess we can all agree on it that he deserves more than that, heh.