Wow It is rich in lore, history and iconic moments, but none were more iconic than The Undertaker's undefeated streak at WrestleMania. Even when the streak came to an end, his preceding WrestleMania matches were still considered a must-see because of the legacy that The Deadman built in the Showcase of Immortals.
The names Undertaker and WrestleMania are synonymous with each other. Even now that Undertaker is several years removed from his last WrestleMania match and deep into his retirement, the event is not the same without his presence in the showcase of the immortals. His streak is significant not only because of how long it lasted (ending 25-2), but because his matches would often be the best of the night - though not always.
27
Undertaker vs. Giant Gonzalez
WrestleMania IX
This match stands out as the only asterisk and dimension on the Undertaker's record. Even bigger than his only two losses at WrestleMania, all because This is the only match in his record where he won without pinning or submitting his opponent. Instead, as a result of the 8-foot-tall giant dousing The Deadman with a chloroform-soaked towel, The Undertaker won by disqualification.
It's certainly an odd way to end any match at WrestleMania, let alone a streak match, but honestly, the DQ finish felt like a mercy kill, as the 8 minutes of the contest were some of the slowest, most prodding. of Tucker's career. Undertaker's matches with big men can be a mixed bag. They could be a fun car crash with big meaty people slapping each other, or a car wreck with less-than-exciting action, and largely because of Gonzalez's struggles with his body at the time, it fell into the latter.
26
Undertaker vs. Big Boss Man - Hell in a Cell
WrestleMania XV
There's a reason why This match is often hailed as the worst Hell in a Cell match of all timeAnd some of it doesn't have to do with the match itself. For starters, the sight of The Undertaker's post-match hanging of the Big Boss Man always made for uncomfortable viewing, even for the live crowd in attendance.
As for the match itself, there were too many elements that prevented the match from being something worth investing in. The chemistry wasn't there, the awesome didn't catch on, and perhaps worst of all, the match stretched one heel against the other. , not giving the audience anyone to reasonably cheer for. There's nothing here for viewers to do but count down the seconds until it's all finally over.
25
Undertaker vs. Shane McMahon - Hell in a Cell
WrestleMania 32
This might be one of the more confusing matches in WrestleMania history. Going into it, everyone loved to see Shane McMahon return, but the incentive was if he won, he would become the Raw General Manager and Undertaker would be forced to never wrestle at WrestleMania again. No one wanted to see the last. Keep in mind that both people are babyfaces, making it all the more confusing.
What we get is an Undertaker past his prime and without a streak to sustain interest in the match, and a handsome McMahon adding years of ring rust to his already not-so-fabulous wrestling skills. It's a lose-lose for everyone involved. At least it has the predictable, but always exciting Dive from the cage And a sequence of high-risk, high-impact spots where poor Shane puts his body on the line for our entertainment.
24
Undertaker vs. Roman Reigns - No Hold Bard
WrestleMania 33
There was a time when the audience believed that Roman Reigns would make the perfect candidate to end the streak. During his rookie days with the Shield, knowing that he was a top prospect, it once made sense for him to be the one to beat Taker at WrestleMania. Those days were long gone by the time they wrestled at WrestleMania 33, a time when Roman entered his third WrestleMania main event as a multi-time former WWE Champion.
He didn't need to beat The Undertaker, and knowing audiences would see Roman face the man who broke the streak at the following year's WrestleMania, This win felt like a pointless way to feed Vince McMahon's vanity project In his hyper-fixation on pushing Roman reins. The match only exists to make Roman look strong when he already looked very strong. Booking complaints aside, the match was just filled with sloppy spots that made watchers feel as if it was time for Taker to finally hang up his boots.
23
Undertaker vs. King Kong Bundy
WrestleMania XI
Although he's a name that doesn't figure much in the grand scheme of WWE history, King Kong Bundy's status as a legend is undeniable as one of Mania's first main eventers, having headlined WrestleMania II in a steel cage match for the WWE Championship against Hulk Hogan. By WrestleMania XI, however, almost 10 years after the fact, Bundy is clearly past his prime against The Undertaker.
Again, big man bouts have always been a mixed bag for the Undertaker, but when he's dealt with an opponent who hasn't been allowed to live up to his old school reputation because of his age, it makes it all the more compelling. Match. It didn't help that the match was watered down by shenanigans revolving around Ted Dibiase and the Million Dollar Corporation.
22
The Undertaker vs. Big Show and A-Train
WrestleMania XIX
What's most surprising is that The match was close to being worse than it ended up beingAs it was originally scheduled as a tag team match that would have seen the founders of Deadman Inc. Team up with his pupil, Nathan Jones, to take on A-Train and Big Show. At the last possible minute, the admitted Green Jones was considered too green to wrestle on the biggest show of the year. During the night's Sunday Night Heat pre-show, Jones would be attacked by the Full Blooded Italians - not his would-be Mania opponents, oddly enough - and thus, the match was made a handicap match.
On one hand, seeing Taker beat two men in one night was a better showcase for his Mania resume, while easily making Jones a better contest. on the other hand, "better" Doesn't say much. The only thing worse than Tucker wrestling a big man with whom he has no chemistry is seeing him wrestle two.
21
The Undertaker vs. Sycho Sid - WWE Championship
WrestleMania 13
Undertaker's first WrestleMania main event is more of a whimper than a bang, but it's not his or Sid's fault. The former WWE Champion (and hopefully future WWE Hall of Famer) and eventual main event victor are both competent big men, but despite both men getting 21 minutes worth of time they shine, They could not shine because they were actively shadowed..
First, they are overshadowed by The earlier instant classic between Steve Austin and Bret HartWhich still stands tall as one of Stone Cold's best matches, not to mention a star-making performance. This was always hard to follow. Afterwards, the match was overshadowed by Shawn Michaels on commentary, and the interference of Bret Hart, along with their subsequent shenanigans. Although neither Sid nor Taker did anything wrong in the match itself, their match was set to fail before it even started.
20
The Undertaker vs. Kane
WrestleMania XX
Spoiler alert for later in the list, but Undertaker and Kane's earlier contest from WrestleMania XIV ranks among one of the former's best Mania matches, and one of the best matches of either man's career. The match, however, failed to live up to the same kind of expectation simply because the match wasn't set up to be the same kind of back-and-forth big man showcase it was more than half a decade earlier.
This would be noticed The first time in years that Undertaker would come out as the Deadman character After first debuting the Biker character in 2000. As a result, this served as more of a showcase for Taker's reintroduction of the character rather than existing to showcase a match. This match is solid in establishing what it's trying to achieve, at the cost of sacrificing the opportunity to have another great match.
19
The Undertaker vs. Jimmy "Superfly" Snuka
WrestleMania VII
This is the match that sets the stage for The Undertaker's presence on the grandest stage of them all. This is the first Undertaker match at WrestleManiaAnd as a match to set the tone for his streak, it wasn't bad. It's not quite anything to write home about as it doesn't stand out alongside the classics he would have in later years, but it's a solid start to what would become an iconic run.
In less than five minutes, Undertaker vs. Snuka had what can best be described as a competent match-up. Taker looks good in his first outing and despite being past his prime, Snuka is doing his best to help highlight the strengths of the young up-and-comer. It's a simple squash match that would carry more weight, meaning and relevance in later years as the streak would become more prominent.
18
The Undertaker vs. Jake "The Snake" Roberts
WrestleMania VIII
Much like the year before, this was an example of A veteran puts over the rookie on their way out the doorBut Roberts has the luxury of still being in his prime as a storyteller. Speaking of, given the well-documented storytelling skills of Jake Roberts and considering just how much the two characters complement each other, some would expect this to be a true classic in the making.
Unfortunately, while not a bad match, it's disappointing as just a nice one. A simple seven-minute match that does not go out of its way to force or reinvent the wheel. One factor could be that this would be Roberts' last match before his WWE exit. Whether or not Roberts being unmotivated is what prevented the match from living up to its full potential, he still at least does what he can to provide a decent contest with Taker.
17
The Undertaker vs. Bray Wyatt
WrestleMania 31
Very similar to the aforementioned Jake "The Snake" Roberts match, in that audience got two spooky, eerie characters that complement each other, story and character-wise. On paper, it should have led to a great match. The fact that the match was not as great as one would expect is what makes it disappointing. Like the Roberts match, this is at least nice, inoffensive and nothing bad. The sit-up/spin-walk visual is executed perfectly.
While the Roberts match was hindered by Jake's exit, it was Hindered by the fact that the strike had just ended the year before. Undertaker's presence still meant something at WrestleMania, but the main pleasure and drama was gone after his defeat, and thus the stakes were minimized.
16
The Undertaker vs Mark Henry - Casket Match
WrestleMania 22
One year removed from Randy Orton making the streak a regular focal point of Taker's Mania storylines, it's disappointing for his very next opponent to not be a threat to the streak. Not once during the build-up or the actual match did it feel like Mark Henry had a chance to beat The Undertaker, even with the Casket Match stipulation. This is before Henry would really reach main event status with his Hall of Pain character, and before that, he was booked as a stepping stone, which stole the match.
However, this is also far from a bad match. Not very excitingBut as good as one can get from a 9-minute casket match. The chemistry is at least there for a solid contest that, all things considered, still probably ranks as one of the better coffin matches in WWE history.
15
The Undertaker vs. Brock Lesnar
WrestleMania XXX
This one is a hard one to rank. on one hand, This is the night the strike came to an end, And the beast incarnate officially became the one to beat the one in 21-1. It is arguably the most shocking moment to happen in wrestling history, certainly in the history of WrestleMania. On the other hand, the match on its own merits is just not very good.
It's not anyone's fault that the match didn't go well, like Undertaker sustained a concussion early on. Had it not happened, the match would have at least been on par with much better matches during the summer of 2015. It also didn't help that despite his credentials, no one believed Brock would beat Taker at WrestleMania, if only because the Consensus was that his character didn't need the win, even after suffering a couple of losses after his WWE return. However, the final three count is unforgettable enough to at least rank the match higher than it should.
14
The Undertaker vs. John Cena
WrestleMania 34
It's easy to walk away from John Cena vs. The Undertaker at WrestleMania and feel underwhelmed as a viewer. Not only because they had better matches from more than a decade before, but for several years, this match was considered a dream match worth revisiting for WrestleMania, with Cena being a strong contender to break the streak. By the time the match happened, the streak was long over and Taker was nearing the end of his career, and as a result, couldn't keep up the same marathon of more than 20 minutes he had in the past.
Related
however, These two competitors are pros for a reason, and they did it right by a sprint instead of a marathonAnd that sprint is entertaining for what it is. It's disappointing to see a match of this magnitude last three minutes, but it's a memorable three minutes. Admittedly, it's impressive that both were able to pack all their biggest signatures and memorable moments into just under three minutes.
13
The Undertaker vs. Triple H (I)
WrestleMania X-Seven
Although it does not carry the same emotional gravitas as the last matches in their Mania trilogy, their first Mania match is always considered to be a good one. This would be noticed Undertaker's first Mania match as the American Bad Ace characterWhile Triple H enjoyed his run as the company's top heel, even spoiling Stone Cold's road to WrestleMania by beating him the month before at No Way Out.
In contrast to their last two matches, the storyline for their feud had nothing to do with the streak itself, but it was something that fans were aware of going into it. Being aware that Triple H was virtually unstoppable during this era, fans were sweating at the idea that The Game had a legitimate chance to beat Undertaker. The drama made a thrilling fight.
12
The Undertaker vs. Ric Flair - No disqualifications
WrestleMania X-8
Although it would not be an active part of the storyline in favor of the personal vendetta between the weather, Taker's 10-0 mark marks one of the first times that the streak was acknowledged on camera. It is pivotal in this aspect alone, however The real driving force that made this memorable was the story itself. Of course, Ric Flair is still capable of delivering a great contest, and Taker at the top of his game is always going to have surprising results.
Nevertheless, the storyline of Taker targeting Flair's family and seeing how the stories weave into the match - including Arn Anderson's interference for a superb spinebuster - feels rewarding to the viewers who pay attention to each segment. On top of that, it's a rare Mania appearance for a heel Undertaker, where he's absolutely badass because he's happy to be the bad guy on the biggest stage possible.
11
The Undertaker vs. Diesel
WrestleMania XII
This is one of WrestleMania's oft-forgotten and least talked about bouts, but that doesn't mean it's a bad one. The match itself was always overshadowed by the fact that this would be Kevin Nash's second to last televised match with the WWE as he was on his way out of the company and headed to WCW. Fortunately, this fact didn't turn into a lazy performance, as Nash had it all against Taker and vice versa in A surprisingly fast-paced match between the two juggernauts.
It has been said before that Taker's matches with big men can be a mixed bag, and this is one of the best of his career. It's also the first match in Taker's streak where it really felt like the Demon of Death Valley was in jeopardy of losing, adding stakes and drama.
10
The Undertaker vs. Randy Orton
WrestleMania 21
If Diesel was the first opponent to make the audience believe that the strike could end, then Randy Orton was the first opponent to make audiences believe that the streak was important. Before the match, the strike was only mentioned in the background during commentary. It was never a major storyline until the Legend Killer challenged Undertaker to a WrestleMania match, hoping to kill the legend of his streak.
This is arguably the most important streak match because the streak would become the focal point of Taker's stories leading into future Manias, and even if it's a stretch, it doesn't change the fact that Taker helped deliver one of Orton's best WWE runs Matches. Exciting from bell to bell as moments like Orton reversing a chokeslam into a #RKOOuttaNowhere had audiences gasping that the streak might be over.
9
The Undertaker vs. Triple H (III) - Special Referee Hell in a Cell
WrestleMania 28
Some would argue that some moments of this bout are too melodramatic, and that could drag the match back a bit. However, others would say that This is some of the most emotionally resonant storytelling that WWE has committed to in its entire history. Overall, this match is the culmination of practically six years worth of storylines. It began at Royal Rumble 2007 and 2008, teasing Taker vs. HBK, followed by their Mania matches, and Triple H's preceding bouts in honor of his fallen friend.
The match itself tells a multi-layered story of two men obsessed with the streak and a streak holder desperate to redeem himself after one of those men brutalized him the year before. In addition, the weight on Michaels' shoulders is on full display as he is tearful at the seeming knowledge of the responsibility he holds in refereeing a match between his best friend and the man who retired him with the longest streak in sports entertainment on The line.
8
The Undertaker vs. Kane
WrestleMania XIV
WrestleMania is all about spectacle, and boy, did this match have a spectacle. The entire storyline would be lore-defining for The Undertaker, as it's hard to even think of The Deadman without thinking about his emotionally scarred brother and the role Taker played in giving Kane those scars when they were younger. The brother vs brother tagline would add weight to an already stacked Mania cardAnd this one holds a good argument for being the match of the night.
Kane and The Undertaker would have countless matches over the years, but this still ranks as their best. Not only is it engrossing to watch these two big men clobber each other, but the drama has audiences on the edge of their seats. In an era where it was rare to see a wrestler use their finisher more than once, seeing any kick out of two Tombstones (almost three) was enough to send a gasp through the entire crowd.