How Do You Kill The Undertaker?

As potentially one of the greatest matches in Wrestlemania history nears ever closer, I cannot help but think about the end of the Undertaker's career. As I have stated in another article, should the Phenom lose against Shawn Michaels, I feel that he will have nothing left to prove, nothing to defend and will slip gradually away into retirement. It is for this reason that I think that the signs point to an Undertaker victory.

For both Michaels and the Undertaker, another legendary match will cement their respective places in history that bit further but the question remains, how does the Undertaker end his career and lay to rest what is arguable the best wrestling gimmick of all time?

In any sport, retiring at the top is a very difficult thing to do. First off the superstar needs to realise when they are actually at their peak - that stage in their career where nothing else can be accomplished or added to their sporting resumes.

Alternatively a superstar needs to ask themselves how many titles they need to win  before they can retire - if for instance they keep winning, does that mean that they should continue? The Formula One career of Michael Schumacher, the basketball career of Michael Jordan and various boxing champions are all examples of people who came back one more time, or in the case of Jordan, a few more times after that. Does a champion keep going until they can win no longer?

The wrestling career of Shawn Michaels is an example of how good someone can be in the twilight of their career. Had Shawn retired in 1999 following his back injury, the image we would have had of the Showstopper would have been dominated by that Wrestlemania victory in 1996 and that screwjob in 1997. His return to the ring following retirement, gave rise to a new chapter in his sporting life, one that has seen him wrestle some of the best matches of his career.

The Undertaker is however a completely different kind of wrestler - much of his ability is founded on his presence, methodology and character. Whereas Shawn would have needed a flying forearm, an elbow from the top rope, a moonsault and a super kick to beat an opponent, the Undertaker simply needed to resist all strikes and then apply the tombstone. In essence, the Undertaker could keep going until he was 50, with shorter matches but with the result still the same.

And in a strange way, the creatures of the night, would still enjoy his matches. We know that he is not really impervious to pain, but the character has been so well developed that it is like watching an old master still at work.

It has now become almost a tradition that just as the Undertaker wins at Wrestlemania, so too he takes time off to recover and returns six months later to rapturous applause. It is a clear reason why the character has survived so long; the long breaks are a necessity both for storylines and his physical wellbeing. And yet the question remains, how many times can a deadman rise again?

It is clear that the Undertaker is close to retirement - few expect him to be able to get to 20-0, though it would certainly make his Wrestlemania record all the more impressive. If we are therefore witnessing the final throws of his career, how does the WWE conclude his career?

A Ric Flair Wrestlemania finale with wrestlers breaking character is certainly one possibility but it again comes back to the idea of a wrestler being able to topple the Phenom.

A screwjob similar to that of Montreal 1997 is neither popular, original or appropriate for any wrestler so that is not an option.

Is it therefore possible for the Undertaker to do what few ever actually achieve and go out with a career ending victory? If the streak is set to continue and Undertaker keeps going until Wrestlemania 27 at least, could the Undertaker crown his career with one final major victory - possible the scalp of John Cena?

With all the energy and creativity that has gone into the career of the Undertaker, he deserves a send-off of epic proportion. One last match with his grey attire and a certain supporter by his side perhaps?