My latest piece for upgrūv.com and their free app is available and is all about The Undertaker making his return on SmackDown Live soon. Here’s an excerpt:
Very soon, we’ll see a Dead Man walking.
The Undertaker will appear on SmackDown Live on Nov. 15. And his return to WWE programming for the first time since last April will serve to bring attention to the 900th episode of SmackDown and start him on the path toward the 33rd WrestleMania.
Let’s not shortchange the SmackDown part of this equation. Undertaker carried the flag for that show for many of those episodes. Even now as a so-called special attraction, Undertaker is a headliner.
It’s likely the Mohegan Sun Arena in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, will be sold out for Nov. 15. And a sellout for show No. 900 would be a big coup for SmackDown Live.
Though it has arguably been the better program than RAW since the brand-split, its arenas still haven’t been full.
An argument could be made that a surprise appearance by The Undertaker would serve SmackDown Live better. As I’ve always said, you can’t make money off what you don’t advertise.
For this historic SmackDown show, the WWE is making it known perhaps its most historic character is coming. As authority figures have been known to say, that is what’s best for business.
But what’s best for WWE’s business is always WrestleMania…
And even though the Survivor Series pay-per-view is approaching, November marks the time on the wrestling calendar when WWE’s creative team begins putting pencil to paper for the grandest event in sports entertainment.
Creative should toss the pencils, though. Put pen to paper right now and draft a map leading to maybe the last “dream match” left for Undertaker.
Ink John Cena as his ‘Mania opponent. It’s time.
Wait, ‘Taker could see ME?
Actually, it’s time to raise the stakes.
CLICK HERE for the match stipulation, why and how it plays out.
