This is the story of how the Undertakers WrestleMania undefeated streak became legendary. At WrestleMania VII, inside the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, the streak was born. The Undertaker made WrestleMania out of his image by laying down many opponents.
How The Undertakers WrestleMania Undefeated Streak Became Legendary
The first of which was Jimmy “Superfly” Snuka. He tombstoned Jimmy Snuka to earn his first victory at the grandest stage of them all.
The second victim of the streak was Jake the Snake Roberts, who faced the Undertaker inside the Hoosier Dome and was tombstoned outside the ring before securing the victory in the squared circle.
Following those two wins, the Deadman faced off against Giant Gonzalez in a match that ended in a disqualification when Gonzalez used chloroform and refused to budge.
Now sitting at 3-0, the Phenom expanded the streak by taking down King Kong Bundy, Diesel, and Psycho Sid individually to bring the streak to 6-0.
Heading into WrestleMania XIV, the Undertaker would go face-to-face against his brother and one of his biggest rivals, Kane.
The two collided twice at WM, with the first meeting coming under the lights of the Fleet Center in Boston. Kane sat down in an interview with A&E to reflect on his encounter with his blood.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BnAWkWqtHwo
“This is the biggest moment of my life, as far as my professional life,”
He continued,
“I’ll never forget watching the Undertaker come out and looking down the aisle… I was awe-stricken. That’s when I fully knew I arrived in WWE.”
Kane holds the honor of being the first opponent to kick out of the Undertaker’s tombstone piledriver.
The Undertaker’s next match was against Big Boss Man, and it featured a controversial ending. Taking place inside Hell in a Cell, the two fought for under ten minutes before the victory was declared, and the Big Boss Man was tied to a noose and hung.
When WM X7 rolled around, the Undertaker and Triple H did not have an opponent, so they persuaded Vince to pair with each other.
One of the memorable spots in the match was when the Undertaker was set to give Triple H a last ride, but Triple H hit him with a sledgehammer.
‘Taker would win the match, and this was their first of three encounters at WrestleMania, which we will visit later.
WMX8 was the first time the Undertaker acknowledged the streak when he took on Ric Flair. Upon defeating Flair, he exited the ring, and ‘Taker added up his hands to ten wins.
At the next ‘Mania, ‘Taker fended off A-Train and the Big Show in a handicap match. With the streak now at 11-0, the Undertaker would go on to face his blood one more time.
Kane and Undertaker would go head-to-head at the famous Madison Square Garden, where the Deadman took down his blood one more time.
The Phenom’s next opponent was Randy Orton. The rising star and legend killer against the Deadman. This rivalry featured plenty of supernatural elements, from caskets to druids to demonic possession.
When they clashed at WM, Randy Orton countered a chokeslam into an RKO, delivering one of the best reverses to date. Orton would fall to the Deadman putting the streak at 13-0.
One rather unique feature of the streak was when the Phenom took on Mark Henry in a casket match. While watching the match back, the Deadman offered some insight.
“He didn’t want to be in that casket though,” he continued, “Your best hope with Mark was hoping he got tired. You weren’t going to outstrengthen him.”
Upon delivering a tombstone piledriver, ‘Taker rolled Henry into the casket to get the victory. Rolling into WM 23, the number that meant the most was 30.
The Phenom entered the Royal Rumble last and punched his ticket to the main event of WM. He chose Batista, and the two tore the house down at WM, where the Undertaker would capture the World Heavyweight championship.
There were rumblings that the streak could be in jeopardy heading into WM 24, where Edge took on the Undertaker. On the Impauslive podcast, he explained why he turned it down.
“Absolutely not. Why would we do that? That makes zero sense to me. I’m already a made man, I’m in the main event of WrestleMania.”
Despite interference from Zack Ryder and Curt Hawkins, Edge would tap out to the Deadman who put him in the Hell’s Gate.
What happened next was a four-match saga defined as an “End of an Era.” Two opponents who gave it everything they had to defeat the Undertaker on the grandest stage of them all. Shawn Michaels and Triple H.
At WM 25, arguably one of the greatest matches of all time, where Michaels and Taker laid it all out there. This bout included one of the best kickouts in the industry with Michaels defying the three-count after receiving a tombstone piledriver.
Towards the end of the match, Michaels went for the moonsault but was put into a tombstone, where he would fall. In part two of the saga, a stipulation was added. Shawn Michaels put his career on the line.
The showstopper and the Deadman danced in their second encounter, and it ended with Shawn doing a “Suck it” chant before being tombstoned and losing the matchup.
In part three of the saga, Triple H takes a stab at the Undertaker this time in a No Holds Barrred match. Triple H even delivered his own tombstone piledriver despite a two-count afterwards.
The match ended when ‘Taker submitted to Hell’s Gate, but this time ‘Taker had to be sent out on a stretcher. Fast forward to one year later, and a twist was added to the saga.
The first twist being Hell in a Cell, and the second twist being Shawn Michaels as a guest referee. This match featured one of the greatest false finishes when the Phenom kicked out after both a swee chin music and pedigree. Despite another attempt at beating the streak, the Deadman was victorious and 20-0.
The second person considered to end the streak was CM Punk. In an interview with WrestleClips, Paul Heyman said CM Punk was under consideration as well.
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/hLYK1Zw6dBQ
“CM Punk was ready to beat the Undertaker. In Vince’s mind and a lot of other people’s mind, and most likely in Taker’s mind. Phil Brooks was not going to get that victory.
CM Punk yes, Phil Brooks no. That was their decision. That was their judgment.” A highlight of this rivalry was when Punk dumped all the ashes onto the Undertaker’s face, disrespecting the late Paul Bearer.
For twenty-one years, the streak transformed into a staple at WM. There was the main event, and then there was the streak.
Would anyone be able to beat it? Nineteen opponents came to the plate and they all struck out. That all changed on one night in New Orleans at WrestleMania 30. Very few anticipated what was about to come next.
Brock Lesnar hoisted the Undertaker onto his shoulders and gave him a third F5. Lesnar went for the cover and the ref hit the mat three times. The crowd couldn’t believe their eyes and a hush came over. Paul Heyman had a look of disbelief on his face.
“The streak is over,”
Michael Cole proclaimed. A graphic popped up on the Tron and it said 21-1.
For twenty-one years, the Undertaker was undefeated at WrestleMania. Who knew about the streak ending, and what did Brock Lesnar think about it?
During an interview with Inside the Ropes,
Paul Heyman recalled Brock Lesnar’s confidence heading into the match.
“We’re sitting at the table on the bus, and Brock just looked up and he said, ‘21-1, I’m the one.’ We’re going to conquer the streak at WrestleMania.”
In another interview with Inside the Ropes, Heyman addressed his knowledge of the incident.
“Did I know that the streak was going to end in advance? Yes, I did.’, he continued. “Now, who else knew… I knew, Brock Lesnar knew, it’s obvious the referee didn’t know, did he? It’s obvious the sound person didn’t know, did he? In fact, the only people that can testify in life as to who knew in advance are Vince McMahon, the Undertaker, I know and Brock Lesnar knows.”
Another person who knew was Michelle McCool, the Undertaker’s wife. In an interview with Chris Van Vliet, McCool voiced her frustration at ending the streak.
“Early in the afternoon when they made that decision he told me. I was hot. Why? That doesn’t make sense.”
As for the Undertaker himself, he revealed during an interview with Chris Van Vliet that he got concussed.
“I got concussed somewhere in the first five, maybe ten minutes into that match, he continued.”My last memory of that day happened around 2 o’clock in the afternoon.”
Undertaker then said he was originally going over when he arrived that day, but Vince changed the outcome.
Vince McMahon was on Stone Cold’s Broken Sessions and said, “It was timing, and the one person whose time was there at that moment, who Mark thought ‘this is it’ would be Brock.”
With the streak now over, fans were wondering what was next for the Undertaker’s career and place at WrestleMania.
What will he look like after suffering his first defeat on the grandest stage of them all? His first opponent after the streak ended was Bray Wyatt, whom Undertaker claimed wanted to be the one to conquer the streak.
“I don’t think Brock needed the win. Roman maybe… I mean that would’ve been a real honor for me to be able to pass the torch. A win against the Undertaker at WM would’ve catapulted him into superstardom.”
Both were of the supernatural realm, so it would’ve made sense for it to have happened. However, Wyatt lost to the Undertaker perhaps giving the latter some confidence back after a loss. ‘
Taker’s next opponent wasn’t what fans expected. When Shane McMahon returned to the WWE in 2016, fans gave him a warm ovation.
Going face-to-face with his father, Shane found out he’d be taking on the Undertaker at WM 32 inside Hell in a Cell. On their road to WM, Shane told ‘Taker his legacy died in New Orleans prompting the Deadman to retaliate.
One of the highlights of their ‘Mania match was Shane’s leap of faith off the top of the cell. He would eventually rest in peace giving the Phenom’s 23rd win.
The other man to beat him was Roman Reigns. Undertaker reflected on his second WrestleMania loss with Chris Van Vliet.
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/lFXZlvfTVGA
“It was the right thing to do. He was going to be the face of the company.”
Roman Reigns was crestfallen after his WM 33 match with the Undertaker in an interview with ESPN.
“It’s bittersweet. It also feels like a loss,
he continued,
“I’ve got nothing but respect for the Undertaker.”
After the match, the Undertaker took off his hat, gloves, and robe placing them in the ring and hinting at retirement.
WWE fans were potentially witnessing the last of the Phenom. That was until next year when a dream scenario came to fruition.
John Cena was left without a match at WM and called out the Undertaker week after week, with no response in return. Little did the WWE Universe know, the Deadman was ready to go.
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/xg5835GuB2U
“I trained for a 45-minute match… I didn’t know it was gonna be short until I got there that day,” he continued,” Vince calls me into the office and said ‘Okay it’s gonna be five minutes. You’re going to squash him.” The Phenom caved in after a battle with Vince and John and delivered a short performance for WM34.
For his last ride at WrestleMania, no one would’ve been able to predict what was about to go down. The world was shutting down due to COVID-19, and Undertaker’s last match turned into a cinematic one.
His opponent was AJ Styles, and the two put on quite the Boneyard match. During an interview with Inside the Ropes, Styles talked about what it was like heading into his match.
“That’s exactly what my thought process was like. What are we going to do, they said Boneyard match… a cinematic match. This might save the whole thing, and it did.”
Styles and ‘Taker clashed in what was the Phenom’s last match.
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/IhA1auj0leI
The Undertaker is now the only superstar to have main-evented WM in four decades. When looking back, Phenom became synonymous with WrestleMania.
He was featured on plenty of WM cards, going up against the cream of the crop. He is one of the greatest ever to lace up the boots. The streak is a testament to the Undertakers legacy, and despite it being broken will be remembered for years to come.
