Reasons Why the Undertaker Should Not Lose at Wrestlemania 23

I know pro wrestling is predetermined. And due to the growth of the internet pro wrestling "finishes" are often leaked well in advance. Today I want to talk about one of those possible leaks and if true would like to convince the WWE higher-ups to change their minds.

The rumor is The Undertaker's Wrestlemania win streak will end on April 1, 2007 at the hands of Dave Batista.

Mistake. Mistake. Mistake.

Just whom is Dave Batista anyway? A guy that got lucky. Yeah I said it lucky. Go back a couple of years. Randy Orton was in the spotlight, becoming the youngest World Champion in WWE history. And WWE in their infinite wisdom did the worst thing with Orton they could possibly do: they tried to make him a good guy. As a result his popularity plummeted and WWE decided to put the World title back on Triple H. Dave Batista was now shoved into Orton's spot inexplicably. Orton did nothing wrong save perhaps have a bad attitude as was heard on the rumor mill. I'd be mad too if my Wrestlemania payday was jerked away by a guy with half my talent. Oh sure Batista has a monster look but let's face it, in twenty years he'll be another guy suffering from the affects of taking all those steroids. But I disgress. Batista went on to win the World title from Triple H and surprisingly was successful in two pay-per-view rematches.

You'd think that a champion this good would be a huge draw. Wrong. Batista was traded to Smackdown considered by many to be the "B-team" show while John Cena came over the Monday Night Raw. Now let's be honest. It was said that Batista was traded to help Smackdown's sagging ratings. Truth be told it's because Batista sucks as a wrestler. You see, Smackdown is pre-taped while Raw is live. So on a taped show you can edit out all of Batista's botched spots and sloppy ring work on Smackdown. Dave got hurt for a while but the decision was made recently to put the World title back on him if for no other reason, there simply isn't anyone on the Smackdown roster worthy of holding the belt except for Chris Benoit (who has been buried there) or the man Batista will face at Mania, The Undertaker.

Only the Undertaker has been champion four times already critics and smart marks will say, it's time for him to pass the torch. Oh really?

Let's take a look at the career of the Undertaker. The Undertaker of today is far superior to the one that debuted for the then WWF in 1990. His ring work is excellent, his ring psychology is unmistakable and his promos fit his character. And make no mistake Taker is a company man, a man that could have taken big money from Ted Turner's WCW during the Monday Night Wars and retired 10 times richer. But Taker was loyal. He stayed with the company even through it's lean years in the mid 90s to its resurgence in the years spanning 1999-2001. He has changed with the times, changing his look many times from a ghoul, to a near Satanic demon, to the American Badass and back to the current Dead Man. Through it all The Taker has endured working with injuries that would cripple a normal man. And a huge part of his legacy is the Wrestlemania record.

I can understand WWE wanting to pass the torch and create new stars. But Batista is not a young man himself. He's 39. He broke into the business late for a pro wrestler. He has a limited number of years to go on his career as well. He has already sustained an injury that took him out of wrestling for several months. His body won't get any more durable with age.

I would like to see The Undertaker go out in a manner which he deserves, as a bona fide WWE legend. And as such his Wrestlemania winning streak should remain intact. Dave Batista simply isn't worthy.