Could a long-established cornerstone of WrestleMania not appear next year?
In a word, yes. It seems that a great deal of uncertainty hangs over WWE legend The Undertaker appearing at next year's show, which will air from the MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J.
In this week's (subscribers-only) F4W Newsletter, Bryan Alvarez notes that The Undertaker's presence at next year's show is far from a sure thing and many in WWE are wondering if the veteran has wrestled his last match for the company.
Talking about The Undertaker's future, he writes:
It was noted that given the curtain call finish to his match with HHH at this past April's WrestleMania, and given his wife just gave birth to a new baby, it is possible that this past year's Mania was his final match. Originally, the idea was that he would work Mania 2013 and probably start building towards whatever that match would be around Survivor Series. The feeling from most is that, in the end, he'll wrestle on next year's show, but we're told it's not 100 percent.
While some fans may be taken aback by this news, it is not, when you examine the situation, wholly surprising.
As Alvarez notes, Undertaker's life has been going through significant changes over the past few months. He recently became a father again when his wife, former WWE Diva Michelle McCool, gave birth. And fans cannot forget that he is also a middle-aged man wracked with injuries and ailments. Simply put, getting in the ring again for a grueling match may simply not be worth it to him anymore.