As the road to WrestleMania get's nearer the talk of most wrestling fans always finds its way to the subject of who The Undertaker will be facing and with his return confirmed for SmackDown Live next week it seems set that the Phenom has at least one more match on the grand stage left in him, potentially his last. With a roster full of new talent there are dreams matches on both the Raw and SmackDown brand as far as Undertaker is concerned and whoever get's the nod to face him is guaranteed one of the main event spots of the night, so let's look at five potential opponents for 'Taker at the upcoming event in Orlando.

5. AJ Styles

Will AJ take on Taker? Photo- WWE.com
Will AJ take on Taker? Photo- WWE.com

Since debuting in the WWE at last year's Royal Rumble, AJ Styles has been on the run of his career and without a doubt has been the company's top performer. Whilst his run as a babyface was entertaining since making the decision to turn him heel AJ Styles has come into his own, seemingly growing in confidence every single week and is currently positioned as the number one star on the blue brand. 

Even though it is unknown what brand The Undertaker is signed with (if any) he is confirmed to appear on SmackDown's 900th episode which would give the impression that he is returning to the brand he helped to build and if that is the case, his opponent at WrestleMania could be a SmackDown star. Well, who better than the 'champ that runs the camp' in what would be a dream match for most fans as the former face of TNA locking up against WWE's most loyal wrestler is something that nobody ever expected to be a possibility. 

Given his current cocky and arrogant character, it would be a perfect storyline to say Styles wanted to show exactly why he is the Phenomenal One and rid the WWE of Taker. The decision would put over the fact he truly is the number one star right now and shows the faith WWE has in him and given Taker's current physical condition, facing someone with vast experience could be exactly the sort of opponent he needs to be guided through a good match. 

4. Kevin Owens 

KO was rumored to face Taker last year. Photo- WWE.com
KO was rumored to face Taker last year. Photo- WWE.com

AJ might have been the top performer on the blue brand, but over on Raw, Kevin Owens has been stealing the show and working his way from the mid-card to main event player; which is why he deserves to face the Deadman. If The Undertaker doesn't have many matches left, then surely his final ones should be giving a push to the future of the company? That is exactly what KO is, the future. Whether it's as a face or a heel he can connect with the audience and his ability inside the ring is unbelievable, but the real reason why Owens would be the ideal opponent is his ability on the microphone. 

One of the best talkers in the business today, Owens would be certain to carry this storyline and whilst it would likely be similar to the AJ Styles idea of wanting to prove he is the main man now (remember KOMania?) his trash talking ability could really set this apart from any feud on the card. Taker's at his best when he isn't talking much, as that takes away from his character, therefore having Owens trash talk and play a scared heel whilst Undertaker is his silent, creepy and dominant best would work out well for what would be a great feud. 

3. Samoa Joe

Joe is ready for a major opportunity. Photo-WWE.com
Joe is ready for a major opportunity. Photo-WWE.com

Perhaps the most risky selection on this list, purely due to the strong style which Samoa Joe wrestlers and Undertaker's recent health scares. However, his greatest matches in recent years have taken place against someone with an even greater physical style, Brock Lesnar, and with that thought process who better than Samoa Joe? 

Joe is a veteran of the business and his time in NXT is coming to its end as he has done everything there is to be done and it is time for the main roster to be introduced to the submission expert and with his current heel attitude he would be able to make a huge impact if he was to jump up to the roster and challenge Undertaker to a match. Joe still has several great years left ahead of him and he would instantly appear as a mega star to those who don't know who he is by working with Taker, which is exactly what WWE need to do with Joe. 

2. Finn Balor

The story is perfect here. Photo- Wrestlezone
The story is perfect here. Photo- Wrestlezone

This story justs writes itself doesn't it? The Demon - The Deadman, it is perfect and if The Undertaker was slightly younger this would be a guarantee for the future, but even though Taker is nearing the end of his career the fact that Balor is popular and the company is behind him makes this match a serious contender. Finn Balor is loved by the WWE Universe and his return from injury is something that fans are very excited for, just imagine if he returned as The Demon to surprise The Undertaker, setting up a major match for WrestleMania. 

The entrances alone would take up an incredibly long time but this would be a real spectacle and the fact that Undertaker's career has been built upon story, whether it be wacky and over the top or not, the perfect way for him to bow out could be another story and at the same time giving his nod to another crazy gimmick that has the potential to be huge in the future too. 

1. John Cena 

Will this dream match finally happen? Photo- Bleacher Report
Will this dream match finally happen? Photo- Bleacher Report

The match that everybody is expecting to see at WrestleMania for The Undertaker is against John Cena, a dream match that has never happened on a big scale. WWE has always kept the two popular stars away from each other which is a great shame considering the talent that both men have, but with the way their careers are currently going the timing has never been better for this match. 

All WWE has to do is put both men's careers on the line and have them compete at WrestleMania. It would be a mega match, especially with that stipulation the fans would buy into it and knowing that one of two men wouldn't walk back into the ring again to compete would really add intrigue into it. 

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About the author
Matthew Wilkinson
Huddersfield University in Sports Journalism. Twitter- MC_Wilkinson1