WrestleMania 33 could well prove to be The Undertaker’s swan song. In the wake of WWE Fastlane 2017, we are seeing the WrestleMania rumor mill go into overdrive. As previously reported in the Inquisitr , the official WWE WrestleMania 33 poster promotes a host of occasional performers, whilst those superstars who perform week in and week out are relegated to the margins. This seems to indicate that the WWE network continues to need the likes of The Undertaker and Goldberg to sell tickets and PPV passes. The fact that Roman Reigns was the only current star to feature prominently on the WrestleMania 33 poster tells its own story.
It has been some time since the supposed WrestleMania 33 leaked to the internet. Of course, the WWE network has not stated that the leaked card was genuine, but those matches that have been confirmed for WrestleMania 33 indicate that the leak has been pretty accurate. What’s more, storyline developments through Fastlane , Monday Night Raw, and SmackDown Live, appear to support the leaked card.
One of the most interesting WrestleMania 33 matches is the one between The Undertaker and Roman Reigns. The Undertaker is wildly popular with the WWE Universe. Roman Reigns is not. In recent months, there has been a lot of speculation suggesting that WrestleMania 33 will be The Undertaker’s last. The Deadman is synonymous with wrestling’s showcase event, an event he has dominated for two decades.
No one would argue that WrestleMania is the perfect stage for The Undertaker’s final bow, but many struggle to figure out why that match should be against Roman Reigns. A poll on the official WWE website recently asked which superstar should face The Undertaker at WrestleMania 33. The simple fact is that the WWE universe has no appetite for The Undertakers vs. Roman Reigns.
The fans want to see John Cena vs. The Undertaker. Those two wrestling superstars have faced each other five times. They have two wins each, with one “no result.” If injury is to dictate that this is The Undertakers final WrestleMania , then the fans want to see these two split their tie, but that isn’t happening.
Roman Reigns To ‘Embrace The Hate’ And Defeat The Undertaker At WrestleMania 33
In his latest blog, Jim Ross makes it clear that he thinks that The Undertaker vs Roman Reigns is a certainty for WrestleMania 33 . Ross thinks that it’s all about how Reigns comes out of the WrestleMania match.
“Been asked frequently what I’d do for the finish of the W restlemania , Reigns vs Undertaker match and there are multiple ways to do this effectively.
“The bottom line is that coming out of the match that Roman Reigns has to be the priority so either Reigns shockingly wins via cheating after a seemingly, rugged babyface match goes awry would work for me as would Reigns losing a close one and then leaving the Undertaker laying in his yard.
“This match is not really about Taker but about how the Undertaker persona can advance Reigns.”
In many ways, Ross is telling the WWE universe something we already know. The WWE network, and Vince McMahon in particular, see Reigns as the face of WWE wrestling. Reigns has had the sort of promotion that most WWE wrestlers can only dream of. So much so that 411Mania claims the WWE edited out the boos Reigns received when he faced down The Undertaker on this week’s Monday Night Raw . Yet, Reigns remains the WWE’s most unpopular star.
Many are confused by the WWE networks refusal to set Reigns up for a heel turn. A Roman Reigns heel turn would be one of the most exciting developments in recent WWE history. Ironically, a Reigns heel turn could turn him into one of the WWE networks most popular superstars. Ending The Undertaker’s career would be the perfect opportunity for Reigns heel turn, and yet McMahon is reluctant to let it happen.
Vince McMahon seems determined to push Reigns as the networks top “baby face.” The likelihood is that Reigns is seen as the natural successor to John Cena, whose TV and movie commitments leave him a bit-part player. The problem is that fans just don’t like Reigns. Perhaps it is time for Reigns to “embrace the hate,” to revel in the boos, and to set himself on the path to becoming the WWE networks best ever heel.
[Featured Image by WWE]