The Undertaker's wrestling career is dead and buried – or so it would seem.
The fan-favourite WWE villain appeared to take his final bow Sunday night, after a loss to Roman Reigns at WrestleMania 33 in Orlando, Fla. It was just the second career WrestleMania loss for The Undertaker, who has menaced the wrestling scene for the last 25 years with his foreboding costume and macabre persona. After losing the match, The Undertaker left his signature black hat, gloves and coat in a stack in the middle of the ring, and broke character to embrace his wife, Michelle McCool, as he called it a career.
The moment stood out for many fans on social media, during an eventful WrestleMania in which John Cena proposed to Nikki Bella, and NFL star Rob Gronkowski made a cameo appearance in the ring.
"Taker," whose real name is Mark William Calaway, turned 52 just days before his appearance at the WWE signature event.
McCool also paid tribute to Calaway on Instagram, sharing a photo of him waving goodbye, along with the caption: "I LOVE MY HUSBAND."
Although The Undertaker appears to be done with the day-to-day drama of the WWE, one can never rule out a possible dramatic return at some later date. The WWE called Sunday his "last (thrill) ride?", with a question mark leaving the door open to a potential return. Another video on the WWE site is labelled as "perhaps his final WrestleMania entrance."
#Wrestlemania
— ㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤ (@_adiyei) April 3, 2017
The Undertaker's LAST entrance??#Wrestlemania pic.twitter.com/rNxjsPs8ud
The roughly-scripted WWE tends to save its most dramatic moments for signature events like WrestleMania, when it stages headline-grabbing stunts or major plot twists.
But despite the Cena-Bella engagement and the Gronkowski appearance, Twitter was largely consumed with tributes to The Undertaker.
Fans were largely supportive of his retirement, hailing "Taker" for his storied career while accepting that it was time for him to move on.
The Phenom.The Dead Man.The Undertaker has wrestled his last match #Wrestlemania won't be the same without you! #ThankYouTaker #WWE #GOAT pic.twitter.com/paaVDoFeS5
— Kevin Legler (@kevinlegs51) April 3, 2017
Taker took his hat off, gloves off, coat off. Left it in the ring kissed his wife...and my heart is crying. #wwe #WrestleMania pic.twitter.com/0M8DhsWQjb
— W़lv€r¡n... (@aiwehi_tweets) April 3, 2017
Production crew leave #undertaker 's gear in the ring after closing #thankyoutaker #wwe #wrestlemania #mania pic.twitter.com/efmTEIU8tX
— The 434 (@TheFourThree4) April 3, 2017
pic.twitter.com/equq6lCpoJ My Childhood! I'll always remember you Taker! You gave us so many good memories #Undertaker
— Alan Smithee (@NYDoodleBug) April 3, 2017
To everyone that's upset that Reigns beat Taker, that was probably Taker's idea. He wants to put over the younger talent #Wrestlemania
— Smart WWE Fan (@SmartWWEFan) April 3, 2017
My Man Taker, the biggest Star in the History of the WWE...Goes out in style like he always does. You make us all look weak in comparison.
— Ric Flair® (@RicFlairNatrBoy) April 3, 2017