Undertaker Is the Last of WrestleMania's Great Storytellers

The Undertaker is one of the guys who has helped maintain WWE's spot as the most captivating company in the industry

WWE lives and dies by its storytelling. All of the great physiques, loud music and flashy pyro add to the presentation, of course, but it's the work done in the ring that matters the most.  Storytelling is the backbone of the company, and one of its greatest storytellers will be taking the stage at WrestleMania 31.

The Undertaker is one of the guys who has helped maintain WWE's spot as the most captivating company in the industry.  He's done that thanks to the body of work he's put in over the years, and that is especially true of his work at Mania.

When it comes to standing before an audience and presenting a story to draw them in, The Deadman is second to none.  He is the master narrator, one who is able take fans on an emotional journey with both his words and his actions.

And that journey has seen him dominate on the Mania stage.

The undefeated streak is Taker's defining storyline, the one that has driven his WrestleMania run and kept him at the forefront every year despite what other matches were on the card.  No matter what Superstar was working for the top championship and regardless of how deep the card was with talent, it was The Phenom who was the must-see Superstar of the night.

That was especially true over the past several years, as Taker's streak came under fire like never before. Both Shawn Michaels and Triple H took him to the limit with two matches each, and CM Punk also brought the intensity in his bid to conquer The Deadman.

The matches with Michaels in particular are regarded by many as the two best of Undertaker's career and quite possibly the best in WrestleMania history.  The Heartbreak Kid went move for move with the reaper but could not send him back to the grave. Undertaker overcame the challenge and moved on to play The Game.

Where Michaels brought grace and style, Triple H brought aggression and ruthlessness. Hunter was convinced he could bring The Deadman down, but like his best friend before him, he was unable to get the job done.

CM Punk gave all he had as well, combining the best of both Hunter and Michaels' attack. Punk employed major psychology against Undertaker, but he too could not bring an end to the streak.  It seemed as if the hope of many fans would be realized as Taker appeared destined to retire with his undefeated streak still intact.

Of course, Brock Lesnar dashed those hopes in 2014, and now The Undertaker is on the path to facing Bray Wyatt on the grandest stage of them all.  But does the end of the streak diminish Taker's ability to tell a story at WrestleMania?

Though virtually no one wanted to see him beaten at Mania, the fact is a whole new dimension has been added to Undertaker's character.  The Deadman's mystique is still fully intact as fans really do not know what he's thinking or what he's feeling.  All they know is the last time he was seen in WWE, he was limping out of WrestleMania 30.

That is the real drama of this match for The Phenom.  The streak is over, he's gotten older and he works once a year.  All of that combined together could possibly signal the end of The Undertaker's career. WrestleMania 31 could be the last time he's in the ring taking fans on a journey of both violence and intensity.

And it could also be the night WWE loses its last great storyteller.

Triple H, Michaels, Punk, Ric Flair, The Rock, Stone Cold Steve Austin, all of these men prided themselves on being the best and doing it like no one else could in the ring. Though WWE was behind each man in their various different runs, nothing guaranteed success like the storytelling happening between the ropes.

The best know how to draw fans in and make them stay there.  Undertaker represents the potential end of this extraordinarily impressive run of old-school Superstars and if he indeed retires after Mania, that run will become history.

There is always hope that the next generation of Superstars will step up and seize the day like Taker and his Attitude Era brothers did.  But, of course, right now there's no way to know that for certain.  However what is for certain is that Undertaker's role as WrestleMania's last great storyteller will only cease to be when he decides the time is right.

WrestleMania is The Undertaker's night to shine, and he should do just that on March 29.