It was, and is, one of the more remarkable ways to tip your hat to a wrestler if you're part of a creative team...
To continue a behavioral pattern over more than two decades...
It didn't matter what the incarnation was: Heel, face, tweener, Undertaker, American Bad Ass... it was still the Undertaker and it was still the unbeaten streak at Wrestlemania...
It had gotten to the point of absurdity and wonder at 21 straight years of victories- having practically every big-time wrestler on the roster come up, cut massive promos in the months leading to the be-all-end-all event of Wrestlemania- and then have the opponent concede- usually to the "Tombstone" piledriver...
But not at WM30... it was Brock Lesnar of all people... a part-timer who the fans completely have a competitive dislike for, that got the victory...
((HT: WWE Network))
The build-up by Lesnar's manager, Paul Heyman, was his standard promo-cutting brilliance...
The "Eat, Sleep, Conquer, Repeat" promo was one of the better of the modern era...
But, here's a sample of the handiwork...
((HT: WWE))
The crashing of the fantasy lends us to think: "Now what...?"
Good Ol' JR, makes his always-salient points on FoxSports.com:
I assume the decision to end the Undertaker's 21-0 winning streak is based on two factors:
One, the physical status of the 49-year-old rugged veteran, who has been surgically put back together on multiple occasions and may be in more physical jeopardy than we know. Not even Dr. Frankenstein could reassemble The Deadman.
Secondly, it seems as if WWE is recommitting its marketing machine to better monetize the potential of the amazingly gifted Lesnar, who has never gotten on a roll since returning to WWE after being forced to retire due to issues with diverticulitis.
So, does this set up a rematch and an adieu that Mark is deserving- much like Ric Flair at WM24...???
Or is it more an immediate ending like JR is suggesting...???
One thing is for sure: For someone who has busted his ass (literally and figuratively) for the last three decades, Undertaker should go out on his own terms... regardless of what they are...
For the record, here's the list...
WrestleMania VII: Jimmy Snuka
WrestleMania VIII: Jake "The Snake" Roberts
WrestleMania IX: Giant Gonzalez
WrestleMania XI: King Kong Bundy
WrestleMania XII: Diesel
WrestleMania XIII: Sycho Sid
WrestleMania XIV: Kane
WrestleMania XV: Big Boss Man
WrestleMania X-Seven: Triple H
WrestleMania X8: Ric Flair
WrestleMania XIX: The Big Show and A-Train
WrestleMania XX: Kane
WrestleMania 21: Randy Orton
WrestleMania 22: Mark Henry
WrestleMania 23: Batista
WrestleMania XXIV: Edge
WrestleMania XXV: Shawn Michaels
WrestleMania XXVI: Shawn Michaels
WrestleMania XXVII: Triple H
WrestleMania XXVIII: Triple H
WrestleMania 29: CM Punk
WrestleMania XXX: Brock Lesnar
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