WrestleMania 33 should be the end for The Undertaker

“That’s legitimately the first time in the history of The Streak that I thought it was truly going to end,” I said to my father as I was barely able to breathe after The Undertaker extended his legendary WrestleMania winning streak to 19 in a row back in 2011 at WrestleMania XXVII against Triple H.

April 3, 2011 was the first time I truly realized that The Undertaker can’t do this forever. What gave it away for me, a fan who (somewhat) understands the ins and out of the business but saw the beginning of the end? When you win a match against one of the greatest performers of all-time in The Game … and you lay lifeless on the mat afterwards. It was great storytelling in more ways than one.

Growing up watching The Streak live year after year, kickout after kickout, was an experience I’ll never forget as a wrestling fanatic. It was truly the greatest streak in the history of sports and entertainment. When you think of WrestleMania, you think of The Undertaker. He’s the pulse of the 32-year event.

Unfortunately for The Deadman, The Streak is no more and his career is coming to a close. It’s been a tough few years for The Undertaker’s health since the loss to Brock Lesnar at WrestleMania XXX in 2014. The fight isn’t as strong and the body can’t take the beatings like it used to.

So, with the end drawing near, it’s not crazy to believe that the end could come at WrestleMania 33 this year.

Here’s the concept: there’s only one place for The Undertaker’s career to end and that’s WrestleMania. There’s no debating this one. WrestleMania is The Undertaker and The Undertaker is WrestleMania. I could personally hear the argument for Survivor Series being the end because that’s where it all began for The Phenom in 1990.

What hurts the Survivor Series argument and helps the WrestleMania argument is that The Undertaker needs to be in the WWE Hall of Fame. In that scenario, it’s more efficient to knock out two birds with one stone, right?

The Undertaker should be inducted into the WWE HOF by Kane

If the conclusion to The Undertaker’s career is to come at WrestleMania 33, let’s put him in the class going into the Hall of Fame the night before. He’s clearly going to go in someday, so let’s make the whole weekend memorable.

Assuming he’s going into the hall, who inducts him? The options are endless.

How about Shawn Michaels? The two had arguably the two best matches of The Streak and two of the greatest matches in WrestleMania history, so why not? It would be the ultimate showing of respect.

Vince McMahon, despite not wanting to be in front of the camera during this event, would be another viable option. When McMahon inducted his on-screen arch nemesis Stone Cold Steve Austin in 2009, it felt right. If he helped induct The Deadman, that would work.

But, my choice would be none other than Kane. The obvious choice would’ve been Paul Bearer, but unfortunately, the overseer of The Undertaker for many years is no longer with us. The closest thing to Bearer would probably be the other half of the Brothers of Destruction.

How do we get The Undertaker to WrestleMania 33?

Well, The Deadman has made it clear he’s entering the Royal Rumble. It may not be the best option, but The Undertaker won the 2007 Royal Rumble from the No. 30 position. He’s done it before and if he did it again, The Deadman competing for a title in his final match would be something to behold.

The real question is, who’s the opponent to help The Undertaker end his career on the highest of notes? According to the rumor mill, with the Royal Rumble just a few weeks away, the often-talked-about dream match of Vince McMahon with John Cena is now off the table entirely. Braun Strowman would be an awesome monster of an opponent, but would it really have the impact needed for this? Goldberg versus Brock Lesnar is a thing potentially, and so is Triple H against Seth Rollins, so there’s four big names off the list immediately.

We need a big name for this one, and someone who can help carry The Deadman through one final match. Despite a feud with Cena potentially looming for this man, how about AJ Styles as the final opponent for The Undertaker?

Styles is a huge name and the best wrestler in the world today without much debate. If The Deadman wins the annual Royal Rumble match, keeping the title on Styles until then could work. The Phenomenal One is a massive name who’s worthy of being in a main event match with The Deadman. (WrestleMania could be followed by Styles and Cena going at it again if that’s a serious plan at this point.)

If WrestleMania 33 is truly the end, what a end it will (hopefully) be

The Undertaker deserves the perfect sendoff. Whether you remember Ric Flair’s final match against Shawn Michaels or Shawn’s final duels with The Undertaker himself, The Deadman deserves one final goodbye that’s nothing short of flawless.

There’s no other choice for who should be in the final match of the night if this is it for The Undertaker. Whether he wins or loses — which is crazy to say, being that he always wins at WrestleMania … kinda — it should make for an emotional, but a special night in Orlando.