The Undertaker’s Wrestlemania 40 cameo brought much-needed closure
YouTube: Official WWEThe Undertaker’s shocking appearance during a crazy Wrestlemania 40 main event brought closure to the WWE Universe — and Mark Calaway himself.
Calaway, who wrestled under the “dead man” moniker for three decades, made a shocking return to the WWE at this year’s Wrestlemania.
As chaos ensued during the Cody Rhodes vs. Roman Reigns championship bout, the loudest pop of the night came when the stadium went pitch black and The Undertaker’s iconic gong hit.
When the lights returned, Undertaker appeared in the ring behind The Rock. Once “The Great One” realized what was happening, it was already too late.
Undertaker snatched Rock up and delivered a chokeslam from hell. The lights cut out again; this time, when they came back, neither Undertaker nor Rock was anywhere to be found.
This surprising cameo from Undertaker shifted the momentum back in Rhodes’ favor and ultimately helped him end the 1,316-day championship tenure of Reigns.
Undertaker opened up about Wrestlemania 40 and revealed how much the positive reception meant to him. He says it is the perfect ending to his WWE story.
“Something happened this weekend,” Undertaker said. “I’ve been struggling with it since I retired, but this weekend gave me closure.
“When it was over and I was running out of the building, I’m like, ‘I’m good now.’ It was like a moment of clarity I had.”
Though Undertaker believes it was a storybook ending for his onscreen character, he kept the door open for the possibility of another appearance down the road. But for now, he is content.
“I’m not saying that I wouldn’t do something like that in the future, but I don’t have that feeling in my chest like I’ve had since I retired. You know, I hadn’t come to peace with it.
“It’s time to flip the page and go to the next chapter. So, yeah, it was such a cool weekend all around. And then to have closure to the wrestling part of my career — it was so cool.”
WWE fans will remember when Undertaker’s illustrious undefeated streak at Wrestlemania crumbled against Brock Lesnar in 2014. It left a bad taste in the mouths of fans and Undertaker himself.
After losing his fabled streak, the WWE slowly scaled back Undertaker’s work schedule. As he said on the podcast, his career ended with a whimper. And it left him feeling unsatisfied.
That is, until Wrestlemania 40. His jaw-dropping reveal played a part in what some call the best Wrestlemania main event in WWE history.
Undertaker, the long-time leader of the WWE locker room, was the ideal addition to an already jam-packed show. By all accounts, the fan service hit the nail on the head.
It’s fitting that Undertaker helped bring down the Bloodline and ushered in a new era led by Rhodes. A company man paving the way for a full-time working champion — it’s picture-perfect.
Now, Undertaker can ride off into the sunset and his WWE journey can officially rest in peace. WWE fans who grew up watching him can move on as well.
Although Wrestlemania 40 presented the beginning of the Rhodes era, it also brought the end of the Undertaker era. It’s a bitter-sweet situation for fans, but more sweet than bitter.
