The person who retired the undertaker was Roman Reigns, who defeated The Undertaker in the main event of WrestleMania 33 on April 2, 2017, in Orlando, Florida. That match is widely regarded as the moment the legendary streak ended for good, and it remains one of the most talked-about retirements in professional wrestling history.
Fans still debate whether the decision was the right call, and the answer touches on booking, legacy, and timing. This article breaks down the who, when, and why behind that night, plus the later "final" farewells that complicated the story. You will get clear facts, a comparison table, and practical ways to verify the details yourself.
The Night Roman Reigns Ended the Streak
Roman Reigns is the answer to who retired the undertaker, and the moment happened at WrestleMania 33 in front of a crowd of roughly 75,000 fans at Camping World Stadium. Reigns won the match cleanly after hitting multiple spears, then stood over The Undertaker in a silent stare that signaled a passing of the torch.
The booking decision was deliberate. WWE positioned Reigns as the next face of the company, and retiring The Undertaker was meant to cement that status.
Here is what made the night significant: - The Undertaker's WrestleMania record before the match stood at 23-1 in his prior appearances. - The match was billed as a "career vs. career" style storyline, even though only one career actually ended. - The post-match image of The Undertaker leaving his gloves and coat in the ring became an iconic visual.
Critics argued the crowd reaction was hostile, since many fans wanted a different outcome. Still, the event is documented in WWE's own archives and match results.
How to apply this: Watch the match on WWE Network or Peacock and note the crowd reaction for yourself, then compare it with how later retirement angles were booked.
Why the Undertaker's Retirement Was Complicated
The retirement was never a single clean moment, which is why questions about who retired the undertaker keep resurfacing. After WrestleMania 33, The Undertaker returned repeatedly for special appearances and matches, including a bout against AJ Styles at WrestleMania 36 in 2020.
His official retirement came later. The Undertaker announced his in-ring retirement in June 2020, and his "Final Farewell" took place at Survivor Series 2020, marking 30 years since his 1990 debut.
So the timeline has two layers: - Storyline retirement: Roman Reigns defeated him at WrestleMania 33 in 2017. - Official retirement: The Undertaker confirmed it himself in 2020 and was honored at Survivor Series.
This split is exactly why casual fans get confused. The character was "retired" by Reigns, but the performer, Mark Calaway, made the final call years later.
According to WWE's official announcement of the Final Farewell, the company described it as a tribute to "30 years of The Undertaker," confirming the 1990–2020 span. You can read more through WWE's official site.
How to apply this: When citing the retirement date, specify whether you mean the storyline loss (2017) or the official farewell (2020) to avoid errors.
How Fans and Historians Debate the Decision
The debate over who retired the undertaker is really a debate about booking philosophy. Supporters say Reigns needed a marquee win to build credibility. Detractors say the loss damaged a legendary character for little long-term gain, since Reigns' push stalled shortly after.
Wrestling journalists have analyzed this extensively. Dave Meltzer of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter has discussed the match's booking and its aftermath on multiple occasions, and the broader consensus among analysts is that the moment was more about creating a new star than protecting an old one.
A useful comparison for understanding the decision:
| Aspect | Detail | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| Match | WrestleMania 33 main event | Confirm the date: April 2, 2017 |
| Winner | Roman Reigns | Verify via WWE match results |
| Official retirement | Survivor Series 2020 | Check WWE archives |
| Undertaker's record | 23-1 before the loss | Cross-reference Wikipedia |
| Performer | Mark Calaway | Confirm real name for accuracy |
How to apply this: Use a source like Wikipedia's WrestleMania 33 page to cross-check dates and results before publishing anything.
The Undertaker's Real Name and Key Career Facts
The man behind the character is Mark William Calaway, born March 24, 1965, in Houston, Texas. Knowing the real name matters for research because official records, interviews, and documentaries often reference him by his legal name rather than his ring name.
His career stats are well documented: - Debut in 1987 under various early gimmicks. - WWE debut at Survivor Series 1990. - A WrestleMania undefeated streak that reached 21-0 before Brock Lesnar ended it at WrestleMania 30 in 2014. - A second loss to Roman Reigns in 2017.
The Lesnar loss is a key detail that many fans overlook. The "streak" was already broken in 2014, so the 2017 match was not about protecting an undefeated record — it was about ending a career.
WWE's own historical content confirms the 21-0 milestone and the Lesnar upset. These facts are consistently reported across major outlets.
How to apply this: If you write about the streak, always clarify that it ended in 2014, not 2017, to avoid a common factual error.
Mark William Calaway is the real name behind The Undertaker, a detail that helps fans research who retired the undertaker.
Birth records, interviews, and documentaries all reference Mark Calaway when tracing the story of who retired the undertaker.
Where to Verify Retirement Facts Reliably
Verification separates good content from rumors, and the same rule applies when confirming who retired the undertaker. Wrestling has a rumor culture, so primary sources matter more than fan forums.
The most reliable sources include: - WWE.com for official match results and announcements. - Wrestling Observer and similar outlets for journalistic analysis. - Wikipedia as a starting point, always followed by a primary source.
A common scenario is a fan citing a social media clip instead of an official record. That is how misinformation spreads. Always trace a claim back to an official announcement or a dated match result.
Google Search Console is not a wrestling tool, but it illustrates why source discipline matters: businesses use it to verify what actually drives traffic versus what people merely claim. The same principle — verify with real data — applies to historical claims.
How to apply this: Before sharing a retirement fact, find at least two independent sources that agree on the date and the winner.
Frequently Asked Questions About who retired the undertaker
Did Roman Reigns officially retire The Undertaker?
No, Roman Reigns retired the character in storyline terms at WrestleMania 33 in 2017, but the official retirement was announced by The Undertaker himself in 2020. This distinction matters because WWE kept the character available for special appearances. If you are writing a timeline, treat the two moments as separate events rather than one.
Roman Reigns won at WrestleMania 33, but storyline losses do not settle who retired the undertaker.
The Undertaker announced his official retirement in 2020, which is the answer for anyone asking who retired the undertaker.
Who ended The Undertaker's undefeated WrestleMania streak?
Brock Lesnar ended the streak at WrestleMania 30 in 2014, pushing the record to 21-1. That match is often confused with the later retirement match. Understanding who retired the undertaker requires separating the streak loss from the career-ending angle, since they involved different opponents in different years.
Was the WrestleMania 33 match The Undertaker's last ever?
No, he wrestled several more times after 2017, including a cinematic match against AJ Styles at WrestleMania 36 in 2020. That is why the who retired the undertaker question has a layered answer. Any claim that WrestleMania 33 was his absolute final match is inaccurate and easy to disprove with official results.
What did The Undertaker leave in the ring after the match?
He left his gloves, coat, and hat in the ring, a symbolic gesture suggesting he was walking away for good. Fans read it as a definitive farewell, though it was later revealed to be a storyline device. The visual is often cited when discussing who retired the undertaker because it framed the moment as final.
Did Mark Calaway choose his own retirement?
Yes, the performer confirmed his retirement publicly in 2020 and participated in the Final Farewell at Survivor Series. This gives a fuller answer to who retired the undertaker: the character was retired by Reigns in the story, but the real person made the final decision. Timing and health both played a role.
Conclusion
The answer to who retired the undertaker comes down to two moments that fans often merge into one. Roman Reigns ended the character's career in storyline at WrestleMania 33 in 2017, while Mark Calaway confirmed the official retirement in 2020.
Key takeaways: - Roman Reigns defeated The Undertaker at WrestleMania 33 on April 2, 2017. - Brock Lesnar had already ended the undefeated streak in 2014. - The official retirement was announced in 2020, with a Final Farewell at Survivor Series. - Always separate the storyline moment from the real-life decision when citing facts.
Your next step: bookmark WWE's official results page and Wikipedia's event pages so you can verify any future claim about who retired the undertaker before you share it.
