John Cena Teases WWE WrestleMania 34 Match vs The Undertaker
By Tom Clark
John Cena finally said it. The 16-time world champion stood in the ring on WWE Monday Night Raw and actually spoke The Undertaker’s name. The crowd booed Cena as he talked, but when The Deadman was mentioned, they erupted.
This was the dream match that fans wanted. The WWE faithful speculated on this one for years, if for no other reason than it hasn’t happened yet. Cena has indeed stepped up to The Phenom in the past. But it never took place on The Grandest Stage of Them All. According to John Cena, it’s not going to happen now either.
After all, Undertaker seemingly left his WWE career behind at WrestleMania 33. It was an end that many did not see coming – but it came just the same. Roman Reigns was the last man that anyone wanted as Taker’s final opponent. However, WWE apparently did not agree.
Undertaker met his demise at the hands of the new top guy. Reigns has carried that with him for nearly a year, just as Brock Lesnar carried Taker’s broken streak with him since 2014. Now those two men will battle at WrestleMania 34. But what about The Deadman?
More importantly, what about John Cena? He may be the most controversial top star of all time, but he should have a prime spot on the Mania stage. Booking him against Undertaker seems like the right move. What else are the legendary Superstars going to do?
Why not take two of WWE’s biggest stars of all time and send them off with a match that fans will talk about for years to come? Cena trolled the Raw crowd by pitching the match to them. That much is sure. The crowd responded with a massive pop, making it clear they want to see Cena and Taker go to war. But the potential dream match seems to be rife with problems. Or is it?
Many felt that once The Phenom laid down his gear in the ring, he was officially done. It was a symbolic gesture that immediately struck a chord with the crowd. They saw the move for what it was and that move left them both speechless and grateful.
Fans know the incredible amount of damage that Taker has put himself through. He wrecked his body many times over the years in the name of entertaining the audience. 34 years of wear and tear have steadily caught up to The Deadman. He had nothing left to prove. The time was right for him to walk away.
So why the tease? If Taker is truly done with his WWE career, then why did John Cena stand in the ring and call him out? The obvious answer is that Undertaker has not yet seen his last match. Despite the fight that Reigns gave him in 2016, Taker appears to be on his way back.
But is this the right move? Should Undertaker do this? There is no denying his WWE run is the stuff of legend. Doing the job to Reigns was the right thing to do; Undertaker has always given back to the business he loves. Many veterans did the same for him when he was working his way up in WWE.
To come back would perhaps erase the good that was done against Reigns. Would another return invalidate Reigns’ win at WrestleMania 33? The Big Dog’s critics would surely have no problem with that. But what does it say about Vince McMahon’s company?
If Reigns is the top guy, then that’s how he should be booked. Once he pins a veteran for what appears to be the last time, then that veteran should leave. Ric Flair did not wrestle again in WWE after he lost to Shawn Michaels. Shawn Michaels did not wrestle in WWE again after he lost to The Undertaker. Why would that trend change now?
If it’s because Reigns is not a legendary veteran, so be it. Don’t book the match against Taker. But the match did happen. Reigns did win. Taker did everything but say goodbye to the crowd on the mic and he has not competed since then. But as the days begin to pass, fans know it’s only a matter of time until The Undertaker returns.
Cena will supposedly pursue his road to WrestleMania through SmackDown Live. But that road will likely be blocked by a seven-foot Phenom. Whether or not this dream match should happen is up for debate. Whether or not Taker should have come back will be evident at WrestleMania 34.
However the most important part of this is the story. WWE delivers one chapter at a time, one event at a time. Plot twists and dramatic turns happen constantly. What appears to be the end is often the beginning. As long as the storyline is good then nothing else will matter.
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Fans want memorable moments. A compelling story is at the heart of it all. Placing the narrative in the hands of two fine storytellers like John Cena and The Undertaker is definitely the right move. What happens along the way is anyone’s guess.