‘I wish he was the first to break my Wrestlemania streak’: Undertaker names Brock Lesnar’s alternative

But the company’s last event in April at Tampa, Florida was the first WrestleMania since Taker’s official retirement from in-ring competition.

“WrestleMania is synonymous with Undertaker and the streak, right? There were guys – every year we have the Royal Rumble, see who’s going to wrestle in WrestleMania’s main event – but there were guys that kind of were more focused on wanting to wrestle me for the streak than main eventing for the title. That’s how strong that became, and how integral a part of WrestleMania the streak became. You never can imagine that early on. So, incredibly blessed in that sense,” Taker said while speaking to Joey Hayden of the Dallas Morning News.

“It’s just at a point where physically, I can’t perform at a level. I mean, I could go out and walk through something and I could get through a match. But I can’t give people what they expect at this point,” he said. “When you see Undertaker, you pay money to see that guy wrestle. I can’t deliver physically on what people’s expectations are.

“My time has come, my time has gone. This is the WWE and things happen, you never know. But I know that my time has passed and it’s time for these young guys to step up and take over and lead us to where we’re going.”

The Deadman also spoke about why he believes that Roman Reigns should have been the first superstar to defeat him at Wrestlemania and not Brock Lesnar.

“I don’t know that Brock needed that win. Brock was a bona fide superstar at that point. So, I don’t know that he needed it. Roman [Reigns defeating Undertaker at WM33] definitely, that was the right call. I just wish he may have been first. I wish I could have reversed them, you know what I’m saying? If Roman would have been able to do it, I think it would have increased the value.” Lesnar’s win over the Undertaker at WrestleMania 30 remains one of the most stunning results in WWE history. “The Streak” had gotten so big by that point that the Dead Man’s matches would often be more anticipated than whatever the main event bout was.