Undertaker May Be at SummerSlam, but Focus Sharpens on His Wrestlemania 30 Foe

The Undertaker apparently will be off television for a while, but unlike in years past, he could be back for another major pay-per-view this year.

F4WOnline.com (via LordsOfPain.net) is reporting that WWE likely will keep Undertaker out of short-term TV action following last week’s matches in London against The Shield. But that does not mean he will retreat into hibernation until his annual WrestleMania appearance next year. According to the report, the company may have a part for him at SummerSlam this August in Los Angeles.

And speaking of Undertaker at WrestleMania, the report also states WWE is kicking around ideas about who should be next to challenge the streak:

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Regarding Taker defending The Streak at WrestleMania XXX in 2014, there is already talk of Ryback getting the shot but some feel that John Cena would get the best reaction as far as the match itself goes.

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Cena obviously would be the ideal choice because he is WWE’s top Superstar and has yet to face Undertaker. And if WWE puts anyone in a surefire position to end Undertaker’s WrestleMania winning streak, it would have to be Cena.

You also have to take into consideration all the storylines that could come out of a Cena-Undertaker match.

Everyone looked upon Cena’s program with The Rock as a possible torch-passing moment. If Cena faces and beats Undertaker at next WrestleMania, that would be a definite torch-passing moment.

There is also the WWE Championship to consider. Usually a WWE title match and an Undertaker match co-headline WrestleMania. Would WWE be willing to risk combining two of its more attractive matches into one mega-event?

If Cena manages to hold on to the WWE title for a year—and CM Punk recently proved that WWE is willing to go that long with its chief belt—or even if he loses and regains it before WrestleMania, the possibility of Undertaker retiring as WWE Champion certainly is attractive.

Ryback is too new into his heel program and really too green as a WWE performer to even be considered a potential Undertaker opponent. He would really have to do some serious heel damage in WWE this year to even get a sniff at The Streak.

Besides, WWE does not appear too keen on Ryback as a big-time pay-per-view performer given his recent history in that area. He is O-fer as a top performer on pay-per-views so far.

Besides, WWE has too many other proven stars on its roster that should be ahead of Ryback in that department. Sheamus, The Rock and Brock Lesnar come to mind.

If Cena is not the Deadman’s challenger next year, then it should be one of those three.

But we still have almost a whole year to figure that out. In the meantime, let’s hope WWE can find a place for Undertaker at SummerSlam.

Follow Bill Atkinson on Twitter at @BAtkinson1963.