John Cena Talks Undertaker, Compares WWE WrestleMania to March Madness

No wrestler has been more synonymous with WrestleMania than The Undertaker since the event's inception, and that remains the case in the mind of John Cena despite The Deadman appearing to retire at WrestleMania 33.

Cena said in an interview with ESPN.com's Tim Fiorvanti that The Undertaker remains interwoven in the fabric of WrestleMania:

"At my core, I'm a fan. I'm a member of the WWE Universe and I've thought about this a lot. I was emotionally moved when the streak was broken. Last year was an emotional performance. Then you get closer and closer to WrestleMania, and you realize it's not a WrestleMania without The Undertaker."

Cena also compared what has become known as "The Road to WrestleMania," which begins annually at the Royal Rumble, to the NCAA basketball tournament:

"It is like a team entering what they call, 'the second season.' You work so hard and then realize you're in the bracket and then week after week, everything becomes more and more hyped and the energy, the investment, becomes more and more intensified, culminating with WrestleMania. That's why it is our March Madness, the Super Bowl, The Masters, the NBA Championship, the World Series—that it is our version, and has a similar buildup to that."

Cena's comments come after he appears to have found his path to WrestleMania. The day after he was unsuccessful in his quest to win the WWE Championship at Fastlane, he issued a challenge to The Undertaker for WrestleMania 34 on April 8.

Cena alluded to The Undertaker's self-imposed exile by saying the seven-time world champion put his head in the sand "never to be seen again" because he was "ashamed and embarrassed of what people will say about [him]."

It was a pretty direct attack on The Deadman, and it had fans buzzing after Raw.

Cena's more diplomatic remarks to Fiorvanti illustrate how The Undertaker continues to cast a shadow over WrestleMania despite disappearing after losing to Roman Reigns at WrestleMania 33. Aside from a brief cameo at Raw 25 in January, he has been completely absent from WWE programming.

Of course, the end will obviously come at some point for The Deadman, and a match with Cena would be a great way to go out. It's hard to imagine a scenario where he needs to continue wrestling beyond that.

When The Undertaker does call it quits for good, it will represent the end of an era for WWE's biggest show.