The Undertaker has been a constant source of discussion in WWE since his return to hype his WrestleMania match with C.M Punk, in which he stumbled out victorious. Undertaker has also been a constant source of discussion in this blog since his return, as by now he has usually departed WWE thanks to his catalogue of injuries that he usually need surgery to repair or a huge amount of downtime to rest. Yet, we’re charging towards the end of April and Undertaker is still with us and what’s more impressive for a man of his age that has as many injuries as he does, Undertaker is still wrestling on a regular basis.
Mark Calloway’s presence in WWE would have been welcomed had he just been there at Kane’s side to aid his plight in battling the Shield. It would have been enough just to see him on screen without seeing him wrestle but on the recent tour of Europe, Undertaker fought on Monday Night Raw and Friday Night Smackdown which was taped on Tuesday night. Which means Undertaker fought two night in a row. Something he hasn’t done in many years. Does this mean that Undertaker really is sticking around in what has been touted as his final year in the business to leave a mark that has already become indelible? Or is he just here for the WrestleMania hangover period which hasn’t been all that bad. Certainly, your Wrestling God has seen worse after periods in WWE.
The cause of Undertaker’s prolonged stay in WWE could be his want to be around the squared circle as much as he could be in his final year, which hasn’t yet been confirmed, or it could be because WWE no longer have unlimited access to the Rock. The Rock was WWE’s master plan to wrestle at Extreme Rules, however his sickening injury at WrestleMania 29 - tore his abdomen and adductor muscles off the bone – which is so far unclear whether is down to John Cena or not. In fact, the Rock told WWE.Com, you know that trusted source for all things truthful in wrestling, that his doctor had to push his intestines back through the hole in his abdomen. Nasty. This injury which the Rock requires surgery to correct certainly precludes him from making any appearance at Extreme Rules, which he was slated to wrestle.
Exit Rock, enter Undertaker. If you can’t have one then why not have the other? Of course this mere speculation and Undertaker’s prolonged stay in WWE may be down to something different completely. But with the Rock, WWE’s main drawing card at WrestleMania 29 and planned drawing card at Extreme Rules, on the shelf, Undertaker may just be a blessing is disguise for WWE and the future of its main event scene. As touted last time around, should Undertaker compete at Extreme Rules as it seems he will do, then he will either face the Shield in a three on one handicap match or in a six man tag team match teaming with Team Hell No. Either way, the upside is that this match will elevate the Shield to unprecedented heights and possibly go on last.
For the Shield to compete in a main event match on the top of the card, that would be all but thrilling and career making for the trio who are headed for the top of the mountain. For a victory over WWE’s greatest ever phenom, the Shield would never have to win a match ever again. They could always say, they’ve beaten the Undertaker, Randy Orton, Sheamus, Big Show, Team Hell No and Ryback. When you think about it like that, Undertaker is the only name left on their sizable hit list. And to defeat the Deadman so early in their career, one could look upon that as WWE atoning for the sins they have made on every other young star they have failed to elevate in the right way. More than anything else, that gives an air of authenticity to the Shield of Justice.
Onwards and upwards...
