WrestleMania 36: The Undertaker needs to retire following epic Boneyard Match

After an unforgettable Boneyard Match against AJ Styles at WrestleMania 36, The Undertaker should retire now, as he’ll never have a better exit than this.

The first night of WrestleMania 36 is in the books, and it was main evented by an unforgettable Boneyard Match between The Undertaker and AJ Styles. While WrestleMania 36 was guaranteed to be unorthodox, few would’ve predicted the way night one would end just a few months ago.

Back at WWE Super ShowDown in Saudi Arabia on February 27, 2020, The Undertaker was a surprise entrant at the end of a massive gauntlet match and handily defeated AJ Styles without much effort. Frustrated with this, AJ Styles proceeded to taunt The Undertaker on the March 2, 2020, episode of WWE Raw.

It didn’t take long for “The Deadman” to respond, suddenly appearing at Elimination Chamber 2020 just six days later to cost AJ Styles his No Disqualification Match against Aleister Black. Yet again embarrassed by The Undertaker, AJ Styles wasted no time and came out the very next night to challenge The Undertaker to a match at WrestleMania 36.

On paper, it seemed like a dream match. At least, it would’ve been a dream match just five short years ago. Today, the match seemed to elicit a mixed reaction from fans who have understandably lost faith in The Undertaker’s ability to deliver in the ring like he once could after some disappointing performances in recent years.

Of course, when that match was initially made, most fans still expected WrestleMania 36 to take place in front of tens of thousands of fans inside Raymond James Stadium. Just one short week after the challenge was made, everything changed.

Due to the increasing threat of COVID-19, WWE announced on March 16 that WrestleMania 36 would be moved to the WWE Performance Center and take place without a live audience. One week later, AJ Styles revealed that their clash at WrestleMania 36 would now be a Boneyard Match, but literally no one seemed to have any clue what that meant.

Going into the main event of WrestleMania 36, there was speculation it would be taking place on a closed set and not at the WWE Performance Center, but no one really knew what to expect. What followed was one of the most unique matches WWE has ever had, and one of the few times that uniqueness translated to a truly great match.

On social media, the Boneyard Match was met with extensive praise from both peers and fans alike. It surely wasn’t a favorite for all, but the consensus seemed to be quite positive.

It was honestly The Undertaker’s best match in years, and an environment that suited him perfectly. Even exhibiting his American Badass persona, rather than being The Deadman, The Undertaker felt completely at home tearing into Styles in this cinematic graveyard brawl. With such a great performance, it now feels like the perfect career finale for The Undertaker.

The unfortunate reality is that the only reason the match worked so well was because of the pre-taped and edited nature of it. The Undertaker’s stamina isn’t at all what it used to be, and he likely wouldn’t have delivered the same epic performance during an in-ring clinic against AJ Styles.

That’s not a knock against him, it’s just the situation we find ourselves in. At 55 years old with 33 years of in-ring wear and tear, The Undertaker is not the man he once was. Were he to step back in the ring again, it’s guaranteed to feel like an undeniable step down from his Boneyard Match with AJ Styles.

We should never see The Undertaker compete ever again, because he could never have a more perfect exit from WWE than his motorcycle ride into the darkness after delivering in the main event of WrestleMania 36 against AJ Styles. It’s time to call it a career.

The Undertaker is no doubt a surefire WWE Hall of Famer, maybe as soon as the Class of 2021, and this is the exit he’s earned. For the sake of his legacy, it’s time to go. The Undertaker is a living legend, and he deserves to end things in a moment representative of the greatness he exhibited over the last three decades.