WWE News: The Undertaker Retires With Dignity After ‘WrestleMania 33’ Loss

WWE WrestleMania 33 will live long in the memory as The Undertaker retires after loss to Roman Reigns. As recently predicted in the Inquisitr, WrestleMania 33 had the look of “out with the old, in with the new.” The card was packed with matches between active WWE superstars and those who are in the twilight of their careers. All those matches went in the manner predicted, with the exception of The Undertaker vs. Roman Reigns. Let’s face it, The Undertaker is a WrestleMania legend, The Phenom dominated the event for over 20 years, but all good things must come to an end.

It has been widely reported that The Undertaker had surgery on a hip last year and that he needed a hip replacement. At 52-years-old, The Undertaker has been an infrequent competitor for years; the only real question was how The Deadman would announce his retirement. Of course, the WWE universe would have liked nothing better than to see The Undertaker put Roman Reigns firmly in his place. For most, the thought of The Undertaker losing his final WrestleMania match to Reigns bordered on the unthinkable, and yet it appears that is how the curtain was brought down on The Undertaker’s stellar career.

The Undertaker has dominated WrestleMania since 1990, and no one would have begrudged him one final, thrilling, victory but it was not to be. When The Undertaker vs. Roman Reigns was elevated to the main event at WrestleMania 33, the WWE universe suspected that the end was nigh for the “Taker of Souls.” When the legendary Jim Ross took to the ring to announce the match, the fans knew that they were seeing The Undertaker in action for the last time.

When the battle commenced, many expected to see a Roman Reigns heel turn against The Undertaker, but they were to be disappointed. Of course, a “no holds barred” match was always likely to see some nefarious tactics, and both the Taker and Reigns smashed their opponent with steel chairs. That said, as reported by the Mirror, Reigns came out on top in a relatively clean contest.

Reigns subjected The Undertaker to four Superman punches and four spears, one through a table, before the Deadman’s resistance finally crumbled. What followed will undoubtedly go down as one of the defining moments in WrestleMania history.

The Undertaker Announces His Retirement In Dramatic Fashion

In the buildup to WrestleMania 33, the WWE has been accused of a lack of imagination. Monday Night Raw has sometimes seemed a little like Groundhog Day, and matches between veterans and active superstars had no real backstory to them. What many commentators seemed to have missed is that WrestleMania 33 marked the passing of the WWE crown to a new generation.

AJ Styles beat Shane McMahon, Seth Rollins triumphed over his former mentor, Triple H. Make no mistake, WrestleMania 33 put the WWE network’s future firmly into the hands of the younger generation of WWE superstars. Nowhere was this more apparent than when Roman Reigns defeated The Undertaker.

Those who thought that the WWE networks creative team had gone into hibernation were forced to eat their words as The Undertaker bowed out in a dignified and emotional manner.

As reported by the LA Times, The Undertaker took his final bow by removing his hat, coat, and gloves and placing them in the middle of the ring. The fans in Orlando’s Citrus Bowl knew they were witnessing a piece of wrestling history as The Undertaker made his way up the aisle for the last time. The WWE universe raised its collective voice in praise of a man who has kept us entertained for decades.

The Undertaker, the crowd’s voice ringing in his ears, paused halfway up the ramp. He turned to the crowd, raised his fist, and a lift descended, lowering The Undertaker out of the view of the audience, many of whom were weeping with the emotion and drama of it all.

We witnessed The Undertaker pass the mantle of greatness to those who follow. Whether Roman Reigns will ever be fit to assume the adoration of the WWE universe, in the way The Undertaker has, remains to be seen. We can be certain that WrestleMania 33 has brought down the curtain on the career of one of the brightest stars ever to grace the wrestling ring.

The WWE universe will doubtless grieve The Undertaker’s passing into retirement, but one thought will rise above all others. That thought will be to give thanks for all the entertainment The Undertaker has provided through the years. Farewell Undertaker, thanks for all the memories.

[Featured Image by WWE]