This seems to lastly be it for The Undertaker — and he deserved a greater farewell.
After weeks of hype and anticipation, WWE closed Survivor Sequence on Monday (AEDT) by celebrating the enduring Undertaker’s thirtieth anniversary with the corporate and his retirement.
The ceremony, which appeared uncertain of what it needed to be and complicated at occasions, protected the character to the top — giving us not one of the Mark Calaway we’ve been blitzed with throughout “The Final Experience” docu-series and the lead-up to Survivor Sequence.
As an alternative, we noticed Calaway in full Undertaker gear do a full Undertaker entrance, give a really transient Undertaker promo and finish with a full Undertaker walkout after saying, “My time has come to let The Undertaker relaxation in peace.”
Little or no of this felt any totally different than what we’ve seen earlier than.
Undertaker leaving his coat and hat within the ring after dropping to Roman Reigns at WrestleMania 33 and kissing his spouse, Michelle McCool, on the best way out felt like a way more compelling second than what he and WWE delivered right here in about half-hour.
Certain, there have been poignant moments. Watching Vince McMahon battle again his feelings whereas paying tribute to Undertaker earlier than introducing him felt particular. He referred to as it the “finish of an period” and a “profession that can by no means be duplicated.”
“At this time we are saying goodbye,” McMahon stated. “They are saying nothing lasts ceaselessly. I feel they’re incorrect as a result of the legacy of the Undertaker will reside on eternally.”
Undertaker going to a knee and saluting a hologram of former supervisor Paul Bearer, who died in 2013, tugged on the heartstrings. Even Taker needed to cease a number of occasions earlier than delivering his farewell traces. Apart from that, the entire thing felt complicated, rushed and out of step with the truth that Undertaker has damaged character so usually not too long ago.
WWE introduced again a lot of Undertaker’s closest associates and members of the backstage Bone Avenue Krew clique, together with Savio Vega, The Godwins, JBL, Rikishi and The Godfather, together with the individuals he had a few of his greatest moments with in Kevin Nash, Ric Aptitude, Mick Foley, Shawn Michaels, Shane McMahon and Triple H. Kane even confirmed up in full costume! All of them appeared within the ring collectively (we received’t even get into all of the coronavirus greatest practices not adopted) and interacted with one another. Then 15 males simply disappeared as WWE performed a video tribute to The Undertaker. They by no means as soon as interacted with him. When the digicam got here again to the sector, we noticed McMahon (who didn’t get an entrance) within the ring by himself.
There needed to be a greater means to make use of these legends. Allow them to circle the ring as Undertaker enters or have them ready for him on stage to clap for him and welcome him into retirement. Something was higher than what we acquired. Undertaker didn’t even information their presence in his remarks. An interplay with somebody like “The Fiend” Bray Wyatt would have been ill-advised if that is actually it.
It was nearly as if WWE needed to disregard the truth that they and Undertaker allowed us to see the compelling actual individual behind the character for months. If he hadn’t performed that, what occurred Sunday night time would make full sense. However he was even photographed for Folks journal cooking in his kitchen along with his household. Let’s hear from that man — not simply the character.
I suppose they needed a second the place the character will get to jot down himself off TV and retains The Undertaker bigger than life on WWE’s wrestling program. However that’s not how wrestling retirements ought to work. It’s the time for that individual to lastly inform the viewers how they really feel. It ought to be the performer — not the character — saying goodbye. The final picture of The Undertaker might have simply been him using off on his motorbike after the “Boneyard” match at WrestleMania 36. That was badass.
There was additionally no have to rush a “last farewell.” Let Undertaker get that second in entrance of actual, reside followers — which is able to now have to attend till his eventual WWE Corridor of Fame induction. He needed to accept digital followers within the ThunderDome. As an alternative, we have been left with one thing that actually hit the nostalgia in all the proper locations, however did not ship one thing deeper than that.
None of that takes away from the legacy Undertaker leaves behind. He’s the best character in wrestling historical past and among the finest to ever step between the ropes. Sunday night time’s Survivor Sequence appeared to lastly deliver him full circle, a near his profession.
He simply deserved a greater farewell.