The word going around is that Kane’s recent WWE World Heavyweight Championship victory was booked, in part, due to the belief that he will be retiring in the near future, F4WOnline.com’s Wrestling Observer Newsletter reports.
While the “near future” can mean a long time, especially in the world of wrestling, this was definitely meant to be a commemorative “last run on top” for the veteran big man. Whether the informal talks of retirement will turn into anything serious remain to be seen, as backstage retirement talk for many wrestlers, including Kane’s close storyline companion Undertaker, often leads to nothing when push comes to shove.
(The below note contains a minor spoiler for SmackDown! and Summerslam)
Regarding the expected Kane vs. Undertaker feud, sources say that is still on the cards–with a match tentatively penciled in for WWE Night of Champions. At press time, Summerslam, for which Undertaker has been advertised, is to feature Kane defending against Rey Mysterio, but it is possible that Undertaker will be involved in some way.