In his latest blog, JR gives his thoughts on Taker being pulled from the upcoming UK tour:

Undertaker being pulled from the imminent WWE tour of the UK and Ireland is troubling. I hope that Taker is healthy as he can be considering his tenure and his ‘bump card’ likely getting full. I still don’t think that WWE would likely endorse Taker’s retirement without a major marketing effort to celebrate The Deadman’s amazing career in WWE.

Taker deserves a send off unlike any other WWE superstar, IMO.

source: JRsBarBQ

While I understand the big draw Taker is and how fans would be upset if he wasn’t there, especially those who paid just to see him, I don’t care that Taker’s pulled from the tour. People need to realize that underneath the larger than life figures you see before you, they are human beings doing things that the human body is not made for and Taker is no exception. It all hurts, takes its toll, and physically breaks you. I’m not suggesting Taker can’t do it anymore and should just retire. Taker’s smart. He will know when it’s time to retire and he will when the right time comes, not before unless he decides otherwise based on whatever factors he deems important enough to go into considering retirement.

Taker absolutely is more than deserving of a sendoff unlike anyone else. His sendoff is the only one worthy of topping Flair’s 2008 sendoff. Not only that, but Taker’s sendoff should be something no other sendoff can top because no WWE career will top Taker’s.

WWE may not support Taker’s retirement without big time main event marketing. But Taker will retire when the time comes, marketing or no marketing. Taker nor his body will wait around and be active forever till WWE decides whether or not to market his sendoff and work on plans on how to do so. Maybe Taker doesn’t want all the attention and would instead want to just silently go off into the night. I don’t want him to go out that way. But if it’s what he wants….