#TakerWeek: The 10 Best WrestleMania Streak Matches
Before losing to Brock Lesnar at WrestleMania XXX, the Undertaker is an incredible 21-0 at WrestleMania. Well, more accurately, he was an incredible 10-or-so-and-0, a mediocre 3-or-4-and-0 and a legitimately crappy 7-and-0. The ones we’ll focus on this time are highlights of the greatest streak in the history of sports or entertainment.
10. HHH, WrestleMania X-Seven
Yes, wrestling is fake. We all know this. In fact, that’s why some of us like it so danged much. But the moment in this match — the highest spot in it, to precise — when that was exposed via the crash pad HHH was chokeslam onto off scaffolding puts this slightly behind all of the matches on this list. It’s not that it’s not great — on some level all of these matches are — or that the spot makes the match unwatchable. But when picking nits on “what’s the best” these are things that need to be taken into account. Also, let’s not forget that more than any other match on this list, there was no way that HHH was winning this match.
9. Michaels II, WrestleMania XXVI
http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xz9pv6_the-undertaker-vs-shawn-michaels-wwe-wrestlemania-26_sport
Like #10, this would have been much higher on the list if there was any chance Michaels was going to win this match. But, with his retirement looming, it seemed almost impossible that he’d be able to pull out a victory, even for the markiest of marky-marks. Also, while it’s a very good match, it’s not nearly as good as the match the year before. And that should matter.
Most importantly, though, if we were doing a list of “best WrestleMania matches” this would actually rank higher than many of the performances ahead of it. But as a “Streak” match it’s missing the necessary components like “unpredictability” and “originality”.
8. Flair, WrestleMania X-8
Of all the matches where the opponent had absolutely no chance, this is easily the best. It’s a weird mix of a quintessential Flair match and the epitome of Biker Taker brutality. They “tell a great story” better than any other two performers in history — yes, even Shawn Michaels and Bret Hart. This match bridged the divide between what the streak was — a thing that happened to be happening, sort of — to a bonafide thing that we needed to take into account when trying to calibrate expectations going into one of Undertaker’s matches at WrestleMania. That may sound weird, especially when you consider that this was sandwiched between WrestleMania X-Seven’s awesome match with HHH and WrestleMania XIX’s clusterkerfluffle with A-Train, the Big Show and Nathan Jones.
Part of that is that this was the first “dream” match of the series. Kane/Triple H and Taker were involved with one another as a matter of course while working through their careers as full-time performers. Taker and Flair was a battle between two legends who were never really in the same place at the same time and in position on the card where a match between the two wouldn’t seem shoehorned. This gave them an opportunity to finally work together on a significant stage, and do so in a way where they could both play to their strengths. Throw in an appearance by the incomparable Arn Anderson(‘s spinebuster) and what this match may lack in technical acumen it more than makes up for in enthusiasm, novelty and an EGREGIOUS amount of blood.
7. HHH, WrestleMania XXVII
There’s precisely one “good” reason someone could have ended the Streak at some point: future money making potential. Outside of that, the only other thing that could possibly have lead someone to beating the Streak would be unchecked egotism. Thankfully, my favorite performer — and hopefully yours! — is well-known in the wrestling world for (supposedly) having enough ego to fill an arena. The idea that Triple H could have ended the streak JUST because he’s married to the boss’s daughter is silly, but still fun to indulge in, especially in matches like this.
Taken into account that this was also the only good match on the card — well, the only good match NOT INTERRUPTED BY THE ROCK #LONGLIVETHEMIZ — and had come after two of the more celebrated matches in wrestling history, there was a lot riding on this match. And it delivered as much as it possibly could have given the circumstances. Also, the build = f&cking sweet.
6. HHH, WrestleMania XXVIII
More so than the previous year’s bout, this had all the inklings of an upset to officially “End the Era”. But, alas, poor Yorick… err… Shawn Michaels… was made to suffer through another disappointment. This time with his best friend at his side. This match also includes the moment that FELT the closest to the end of the Streak when Taker took Sweet Chin Music and the Pedigree in rapid succession before kicking out. Anyone watching that match whose heart didn’t sink just a little before that final hand hit three so probably find a new hobby.
And, aesthetically, it’s one of the nicer looking matches in WrestleMania history. Even with all the orange in the ring, everything about this match popped for a beautiful visual. While this is, of course, yr correspondent’s favorite Streak match, that’s less because of HHH’s involvement than the symbolic and narrative importance placed on this match. While a match later will actually signify the end of an era, this match was the last time they’d mention it as a direct allusion.
5. Orton, WrestleMania 21
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZUUdST4YdEo
Widely know as the first time the Streak became a “thing”, it’s also the first time anyone had a real chance at it. Which is probably partially why they mentioned it to begin with. Orton would go on to become one of the biggest stars in the industry and this, along with his feud against Mick Foley, was what put him into the stratosphere of the Immortals. This also features the single best spot in WrestleMania history that didn’t involve a ladder or a table: Randy countering the Undertaker’s chokeslam with an RKO managed to be surprising, spectacular and spectacularly surprising in such a way that it redefined Orton’s career and his finisher. While it had always been something he could pull out of nowhere, that match made it so he could also use it get out of almost any situation.
When you get granted a magical power in wrestling, it changes the way you are booked and the way fans feel about you. And when your finisher is the second most over thing in the company for a solid year or two, that can completely change the course of history.
And, of course, the prominent involvement of Cowboy Bob didn’t hurt, either.
4. CM Punk, WrestleMania 29
http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xz7ubc_wrestlemania-29-the-undertaker-vs-cm-punk-full-length-match_sport
Being there might slightly skew yr correspondent’s feelings on this match. But, man, was the crowd into this. And deservedly so. While the next three matches on this list had much more intrigue, it’s hard to think of a match that had more palpable anticipation. In front of a decidedly pro-Punk — without being anti-Taker — crowd, these two went after each other in a way that seemed completely disconnected from anything either had done before. Both “pulled out all the stops” because the stakes were so incredibly high.
While Punk was looking to establish himself as an immortal, Taker was trying to protect his immortal legacy and that of his late friend, William Moody/Percy Pringle/Paul Bearer. And it shows, in every move and every bit of business any of the people involved — Paul Heyman included — do during the match. Like the Hell in the Cell match at WrestleMania XXVIII, this was a fantastic looking match shot beautifully by the WWE’s production team.
Between that, the hot as the Sun crowd, and the feeling that this MIGHT BE THE NIGHT put this as high as it could possible go considering the three in front of it.
3. Edge, WrestleMania XXIV
Edge is the most underrated WWE performer of all time. The second biggest star of an (admittedly lean) era, his lack of competition for the second spot on the roster has skewed perspective on one of the most decorated careers ever.
That this was the main event of the PPV and it was for a world title may not seem like a big deal. But, considering the only other match in the Streak that fulfilled both those criteria happened 11 years before — and that Edge was also undefeated at WrestleMania when the match began — means that this had perhaps the highest stakes in the history of the Streak. To main event a PPV that feature a Triple Threat match between HHH, Cena and Randy Orton and the retirement match of Ric Flair (against Shawn Michaels) should tell you all you need to know about how big of a deal working with the Undertaker at WrestleMania was as this point.
And, most importantly, this is DEFINITELY the best match in the history of the Streak outside of what we have at No. 1. These were two big money performers, bringing everything they had on the biggest stage possible to give a proper blowoff to a feud over a year in the making.
2. Lesnar, WrestleMania XXX
This will go down as the second most talked about match in the history of the streak, and while all the arguments in the world could be made on either side of the “should they have?” divide, they decided to and the result as amazing.
That may sound hyperbolic, or at the very least presumptuous, but do everyone a favor and log on to the WWE Network and watch that match again. We’ll wait.
Back?
Way better the second time, right? That’s because instead of watching it as a match where Brock Lesnar is trying to defeat the Streak, watching it the second time makes you realize that the match had almost nothing to do with Brock Lesnar “beating the Streak” and almost everything to do with Taker desperately trying to hold onto it with everything in his power. When viewing it as a withering legend attempting to fend off the future in order to preserve his legacy it plays as a beautiful love letter to his fans and his career.
It has the feeling of a well-executed series finale, perfectly balancing all of the things we loved about his work with the reality that it was all coming to an end, not because we wanted it to, but because — as Paul Heyman said — all good things must come to an end.
1. HBK, WM 25
http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x17ea96_the-undertaker-vs-shawn-michaels-wrestlemania-xxv-2009_sport
Simply, totally, absolutely the best.
No Comments, Be The First!