The Dive: Do We Really Need The Undertaker to Wrestle in Saudi Arabia?

The Deadman
The Undertaker walks to the ring at WrestleMania 30. Photo Credit: Megan Elice Meadows - Under Creative Commons License

Coming on Friday is WWE’s “Greatest Royal Rumble” event from the King Abdullah International Stadium in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. The event features seven title matches, John Cena vs. Triple H, and a 50-man royal rumble match.

Oh, and Undertaker vs. Rusev in a casket match.

It’s the most puzzling matchup in recent wrestling history. There’s no prior history between the two. There’s no reason for the match to have the “casket match” stipulation. It’s two guys who would have no reason to face each other on a high-profile show like this one.

Oh, and Undertaker is 52 years old. FIFTY. TWO.

Remember when The Undertaker retired last year at WrestleMania 33? He left his hat, gloves, and jacket in the ring. The crowd gave him a standing ovation. Millions of tears were flowing from the eyes of wrestling fans around the world as The Deadman said goodbye to all of us. It was a perfect ending to the perfect WWE character.

And then he came back at WrestleMania 34 to squash John Cena in less than three minutes. Two days later, it was announced he would be wrestling in Saudi Arabia against Rusev in a casket match. Everything that happened at WrestleMania 33 was rendered irrelevant.

I subscribe to the belief that Undertaker should’ve been able to retire last year in Orlando. The man has done it all in wrestling, and it’s time to let him live his life. He’s married to Michelle McCool and seems to be living a peaceful post-WWE life. Flying him to Saudi Arabia to wrestle Rusev sounds inconvenient more than anything.

I understand not turning down a big payday. I’m assuming The Undertaker is getting a fat paycheck for his match against Rusev. But do we really need to see Undertaker wrestle again? Not really. I could justify the appearance at WM34, but having him wrestle again three weeks later feels like overkill. Can we let the man rest in peace?

I’m not expecting much from the match itself. I’m assuming Undertaker will win in less than 10 minutes, killing Rusev’s momentum even more. A guy like Rusev could benefit from winning the 50-man rumble, but instead will be losing to a man who hasn’t really wrestled in more than a year. It’s a lose-lose situation for everyone.