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| The Last Ride? |
Luke Dormehl |
Should The Undertaker's current title reign really be his wrestling swansong?
The Undertaker’s recent return (choke-slamming CM Punk at the close of this year’s SummerSlam) was a success in every possible way. WWE created a memorable moment to end second biggest show of the year, instantly re-established Undertaker as a dominant force on Smackdown, diverted attention away from the departing Jeff Hardy and – perhaps most importantly – transitioned seamlessly between feuds. Jeff Hardy was out, The Undertaker was in… what more did the fans need?
Six weeks later, we had a new World Heavyweight champion after Undertaker pinned CM Punk in just ten minutes at Hell In A Cell. For Undertaker, this is his seventh major title win; he’s held the WWE Championship on three occasions, the Undisputed title once and the World Heavyweight a further three times. But while that serves to enhance the CV of the man himself, is having him hold the title over younger and hungrier talent like Punk really good for business? Indeed, given the Dead Man’s physical condition, should he have been kept as far away from the gold as possible, star-making rather than reign-breaking, as it were?
While it’s certainly an honour to lay claim to one of the company’s top straps, and a sure-fire sign of just how valued Undertaker is by those in charge, FSM has to question the wisdom behind given the strap to anybody of Mark Calaway’s age and physical condition. Certainly, Undertaker has been a cash cow during his previous runs, but you’ve only got to look back at previous issues of FSM to see how we feel about guys like Undertaker and Shawn Michaels holding the gold. Put very simply, they don’t need it...
For the rest of this feature, check out issue 48 of FSM - available at WH Smith and all good retailers. (For US readers we are now carried at Borders and Barnes & Noble, so check for local availability or click here to subscribe.)
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