WWEditorials: The Undertaker & The Streak (21-1)

Written by,
West W. Eléc

The WWE has been around for over 50 decades—probably a lot more than recorded then, again I’m not the record keeper at the WWE offices—and many of the megastars that have graced the famed squared circle have made a mark amongst the business and the fans that have enjoyed it for years. Many like, Hulk Hogan, Bret Hart, Shawn Michaels, Stone Cold Steve Austin, The Rock, Triple H, The Undertaker, and John Cena have practically carried the company along with some amazingly talented professional wrestlers. One professional wrestler has amassed an extraordinary legacy in the WWE as it’s well respected amongst the WWE Universe and locker room. His name is Mark Calaway but billed within the WWE as ‘The Undertaker’.

Pinned as a mid-card performer back in his World Championship Wrestling days, he was trying to make his way into the main-event status. However, it did not work out, and as he arrived in the WWE in the early 90’s, Calaway was given such an “over-the-top” gimmick that people criticized to not long lasting success. Despite those odds stacked against him, the character withstood many different changes and adaptations, which made The Undertaker more unique, mysterious, and most of all, feared by other superstars in the WWE locker room. Aside from being the 2007 Royal Rumble winner, an eight-time world champion, headlined multiple WWE pay-per-view events like WrestleMania (13, XXIV, & XXVI), and the famed WrestleMania Streak.

With that being said, we will take a look at some of the greatest moments that The Undertaker has encountered while defending The Streak.

WrestleMania XV – The Undertaker vs. The Big Boss Man ‘Hell in a Cell match’ (8-0)

This was the first of the three ‘Hell in a Cell’ matches in which The Undertaker has competed at a WrestleMania. It was also the first Hell in a Cell match at a WrestleMania. As The Undertaker’s Ministry of Darkness feuded w/ Vince McMahon’s Corporation, McMahon instructed his enforcer, The Big Boss Man to fight The Undertaker at WrestleMania in a Hell in a Cell match. Though bloodied w/ a baton the Boss Man had used on him, The Undertaker dominated the whole match and got the win after a Tombstone Piledriver. After the match, the Brood (Gangrel, Edge, and Christian), came from the rafters of the arena and gave their leader a noose. The Undertaker then put it on the Big Boss Man, who was still dazed from the match. As The Brood went back up, Paul Bearer is seen controlling the Hell in a Cell, which causes it to raise up w/ the Big Boss Man hanging on it, sending the Corporation a message.

WrestleMania X-Seven – The Undertaker vs. Triple H (9-0)

After Triple H cut a promo on an episode of Smackdown!, telling everyone that he had beaten all he needed to beat, The Undertaker showed up and made an exclamation that Triple H have never fought or even beaten him. This started the feud between the two superstars that culminated at WrestleMania X-Seven, as The Phenom requested the match to be done. The Undertaker and Triple H fought each other so intensely that after the referee was knocked out, the fight went all the way through the crowd. It allowed The Undertaker to perform a chokeslam on Triple H on a sea of WWE fans. As they got back into the ring, they traded each other’s finishers, After a Last Ride from the top rope, The Undertaker pinned Triple H, despite being busted open w/ a sledgehammer, thus improving his streak to nine straight wins. This was considered as one of  The Undertaker’s greatest WrestleMania matches. This was also the time where more people started to take notice about The Undertaker’s undefeated streak.

(Continue to pg. 2 – ‘WWEditorials: The Undertaker & The Streak: XX, 21, 23‘)