We all knew that there were going to be some special guests on the 900th Episode of SmackDown, but few of us could have anticipated this development.
The Dead Man is alive and well.
The Undertaker is back.
The Cutting Edge was the final segment of the show, with a long haired, bearded version of Edge hosting. His guests were the five members of Team Smackdown (plus the team mascot James Ellsworth), and dissent was apparent from the very beginning. AJ Styles resented Ellsworth's connection with Edge, Edge ran down Randy Orton for being Bray Wyatt's puppet, Bray took exception to that, and Shane McMahon was unable to get his charges to stop bickering.
The Undertaker's familiar gong and music interrupted, he made the full two minute entrance, and he got right to business.
First he said "There could be no better man to be commissioner of Smackdown than the man who has no fear," putting over his Wrestlemania 32 opponent, Shane-O Mac.
Then he brought up why he came out to the ring tonight:
"Now I'm here tonight for two reasons," he began. "One: Wrestlemania will no longer define who I am. I'm back. Takin' souls and diggin' holes."
"Survivor Series was where the Undertaker was born, and Smackdown has always been my home," he said. "Now, that brings me to the second reason I'm out here. At this year's Survivor Series, there's no reason to fear failure. But if you fail, you will have reason to fear The Dead Man."
Then, just in case there was any doubt, he declared his allegiances this Sunday.
"Team Raw better REST IN PEACE."
The Undertaker hasn't made an appearance on WWE programming since defeating Shane McMahon in a Hell in a Cell match at Wrestlemania 32 back in April.
