The Mercedes-Benz Superdome in New Orleans was dead silent. The collective jaws around the arena for WrestleMania XXX were dropped. The Undertaker lay on the ground, not moving as Brock Lesnar celebrated ending The Streak. The wrestling world froze for a moment.
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Confusion has followed since The Undertaker fell to 21-1 at WrestleMania, and five days later details are finally coming in as to who knew and who's decision it was to have The Undertaker lose for the first time at the biggest event of the year.
According to Wrestlingheadlines.com, only a select few people knew and one of those people was not WWE referee Chad Patton. Patton was informed that The Undertaker would be going over Lesnar at the event, however referees live by the rule that if the Superstar doesn't kick out, they should still keep counting.
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After Lesnar hit The Undertaker with the third F-5 of the match, Patton counted to three and was apparently as shocked as anyone that The Streak was over. Once Patton's hand hit the mat for the third time and changed wrestling history, Lesnar apparently whispered "thank you" into The Undertaker's ear as 21-1 graphics flashed around the Superdome.
Thus ended one of the most heralded and revered WrestleMania traditions and possibly one of the WWE's most legendary Superstars' careers as The Undertaker may now be done.
According to reports, Vince McMahon, Triple H, Stephanie McMahon, Paul Heyman, Lesnar and of course The Undertaker were the only people in the entire company that knew the decision to the match. Wrestlingheadlines.com reports that none of the agents were aware of the loss and the scripts for the show didn't have an ending listed on them.
The reason that the scripts not having planned endings wasn't a red flag was because most of the finishes for such a big show aren't listed on the scripts in case something leaks, and many of the other matches on Sunday's card also didn't have finishes listed.
Vince McMahon was reportedly the one who was behind the decision to have The Undertaker lose. Vince was under the impression that it would be 'Taker's final match with the company and told 'Taker he could win or lose, but Vince decided it'd be best for Undertaker to go out on his back and lose The Streak.
Wrestlingheadlines.com sites a source close to the WWE that said McMahon convinced The Undertaker to lose the match. Another source said that McMahon made the decision, but The Undertaker agreed to it and wasn't opposed to losing. This conflicts with earlier reports of 'Taker wanting The Streak to end some day while McMahon didn't.
The Undertaker was in on the decision and though losing wasn't his choice he was okay with it. Perhaps it is because in 2010 he wanted Lesnar to end The Streak and he felt --even four years later with Lesnar being a part-timer --that if he was going to go out, Lesnar was the man to do it.
'Taker defeated Jimmy "Superfly Snuka (VII), Jake "The Snake" Roberts (VIII), Giant Gonzales (IX), King Kong Bundy (XI), Diesel (XII), Sid (13), Kane (XIV, XX), The Big Boss Man (XV), Triple H (X-7), Ric Flair (X-8) A-Train & The Big Show (XIX), Randy Orton (21), Mark Henry (22), Batista (23), Edge (XXIV), Shawn Michaels (XXV, XXVI), Triple H (XXVII, XXVIII) and CM Punk (XXIX).
But perhaps despite all of the great matches and memorable victories over a who's who of WWE legends and Superstars for the Dead Man at the biggest show of the year, nothing will be remembered quite as much as the one time he lost and the impact it made when the bell rang and Brock Lesnar stood tall at WrestleMania XXX.
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