After 27 years of being the face of the WWE, the Undertaker called it quits at WrestleMania 33 in April 2017. He hung up the boots after his main event match with Roman Reigns, which he predictably lost to give Roman Reigns the last minute push (rather unsuccessfully as fans hate Roman even more) but also to gracefully walk out on the biggest stage of them all. Scheduled to have his second hip replaced later this year, there is little doubt that we may never see Taker again in a full-fledged WWE match.
As it turned out, that farewell was not the last word. The Undertaker returned to the ring and wrestled on until April 2020, when his Boneyard Match against AJ Styles at WrestleMania 36 became his final bout. WWE then staged his formal farewell at Survivor Series in November 2020, and he was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2022.
For most fans, this is a blow that they may never truly digest: the Undertaker has been the WWE’s link with the past. The 90’s, 2000’s and 2010’s saw many great names come and go from one organization to the next, but Taker stood his ground as the biggest star in the WWE. While The Rock and Stone Cold Steve Austin may have witnessed more popular peaks during their careers, virtually no wrestler since Bruno Sammartino has had the prolonged stint of being a main event player quite like the Undertaker. So what will we miss about the Undertaker the most? Here’s a short recap:
The Entrance
Is there a greater show on Earth? The Undertaker’s entrance – theme music, lighting, pyrotechnics and all – is one of the greatest sights in entertainment. The WWE tends to take it a notch further during pay per views – so you might want to check out some wonderful and eerie entrances from previous WWE PPV’s to get your nostalgia juices flowing.
Paul Bearer
Paul Bearer and Undertaker are forever etched into American pop culture as one of the more eerie sights in television history. Bearer’s shrill high pitched voice and forceful overacting are a unique act you probably haven’t seen anywhere else.
The Big Man Tricks
For a guy billed as nearly seven feet tall (real life height 6’9) the Taker had some truly remarkable agility. Whether it was the walk on a rope or the leaping clothesline onto the ring apron – the Taker took showmanship to new heights for big men.
The Matches
The Undertaker has more memorable matches than any other wrestler in history. Having been billed against all main event wrestlers except perhaps Sting and Goldberg, the Taker made sure that his biggest matches always had that little bit of extra oomph. Case in point: the Hell in a Cell match with Mankind – touted by many wrestling insiders as the most important match in WWE history.
Updated October 2026: added the Undertaker’s later return, final match and 2020 retirement, and replaced two YouTube videos that are no longer available with official WWE uploads.
