Why John Cena vs. Undertaker at WWE WrestleMania 33 Is Best for Business
As WWE shifts focus from WrestleMania 32 to WrestleMania 33, the company's top priority over the next 12 months has to be making sure that John Cena vs. Undertaker goes ahead.
This match—briefly touted as a prospect for this year's event before an injury sidelined Cena—is one of the last untapped bouts for The Deadman that would be both a box office draw and a guaranteed spectacle in terms of ring work.
Some fans would like to see what competitors like Kevin Owens or Finn Balor could bring to a match with Big Evil, and there are still pockets of support for a clash between The Phenom and Sting. However, either side of this equation can only offer half the appeal of Cena vs. Undertaker.
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Pitting the 15-time world champion against the only man to pick up 21 consecutive victories at WrestleMania would produce a match that serves two important purposes.
The experience and in-ring acumen of both men would ensure hardcore fans are sent home satisfied by a bout that would be a shining example of WWE's main event style. Furthermore, two of the company's most iconic performers doing battle would give casual viewers a compelling reason to tune in for The Showcase of the Immortals.
Crucially, Cena vs. Undertaker is a match that hasn't already been overexposed.
| 04.08.2003 | SmackDown | Cena | 14:56 |
| 07.27.2003 | Vengeance | Undertaker | 16:08 |
| 08.05.2003 | SmackDown | Cena | 21:21 |
| 06.22.2004 | SmackDown | Undertaker | 22:07 |
| 10.09.2006 | Raw | No Contest | 4:33 |
In terms of televised singles competition, both men have picked up two wins apiece—and their last encounter was a decade ago.
There are plenty of reasons that we haven't seen these two competitors square off more often. For long periods, WWE used Undertaker to keep SmackDown afloat, while Cena was the main draw on Raw. More to the point, The Deadman's lasting popularity often required him to keep his distance from The Doctor of Thuganomics.
All that being said, pro wrestling offers only one conclusion to a situation where two megastars are kept separate for a long period of time—a blockbuster match between the two.
Undertaker hanging up his boots before he took on Cena would be a classic case of leaving money on the table. This is a bout that could easily main event WrestleMania whether or not the title was involved.
That said, the significant financial appeal of such a match isn't the sole reason it needs to appear on next year's card. As Undertaker's career comes to a close, it's only right that he should be paired with an opponent that can help facilitate another classic WrestleMania performance.
Whatever your personal opinion on the Hell in a Cell match from last Sunday's pay-per-view, the focus of the bout was not on Undertaker. Looking back, we'll view it as an entertaining brawl that was ultimately built around Shane McMahon's elbow drop from the top of the structure.
The Deadman's greatest WrestleMania performances—his matches against the likes of Shawn Michaels, Edge, Triple H and CM Punk—were more rooted in traditional storytelling. Shane vs. Undertaker served its purpose this year, but it's not the sort of bout that would be a fitting end to The Phenom.
WWE could rely on Cena to bring the best out of Undertaker at next year's event. Recently, we've seen him display a renewed focus on his fundamentals between the ropes, and there should be no doubt of his reputation as "Big Match John."
Conventional wisdom would suggest that the likes of Cena and Undertaker are best implemented as special attractions who elevate the next wave of stars. However, the need for legends like these to live up to their billings on the grandest stage sometimes contradicts that idea—as Bray Wyatt can attest to.
At this point in both men's careers, Cena and Undertaker are the perfect foils for one another. If all the pieces can align ahead of WrestleMania 33, we could be in store for a riveting feud with a spectacular match to bring it to a close.
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