30 Greatest Undertaker Matches
Celebrating Undertaker’s 30 years in WWE.
As we pay tribute to the Deadman celebrating 30 years in WWE, here are the 30 greatest Undertaker matches.
30. The Million Dollar Team vs. The Dream Team, Survivor Series 1990
This is how you make a star.
Ted DiBiase announced a mystery partner for his Million Dollar Team, and then brought out the giant known as the Undertaker, accompanied by short-lived manager Brother Love. Rather than build anticipation for his offense, Undertaker actually started the match (with Bret Hart) and tossed everyone around before eliminating Koko B. Ware in quick fashion with a Tombstone. Taker went on to also eliminate Dusty Rhodes cleanly with a closeline after walking the ropes. The debuting monster only left the match after chasing Rhodes for beating up his manager.
29. Undertaker vs. Jake Roberts, WrestleMania VIII
Jake Roberts protected his finish so much that he refused to let Undertaker kick out, even though The Snake was slithering away from WWE. Instead of going for the cover after dropping Undertaker with two DDTs, he stalled the first time (which made no sense) and then went after Paul Bearer the second time. That was a mistake – Undertaker rose, went outside the ring and planted Roberts with a tombstone on the floor to put the nail in the coffin of his first WWE run.
28. Royal Rumble 2007
Even though he entered at #30, this makes the list for the incredible final 10 minutes, in which he and Shawn Michaels gave us a glimpse of their future WrestleMania bouts. Plus, the Deadman made history by not only winning his first Royal Rumble, but being the first to come out last to do it.
27. 6-Man Hell in a Cell, Armageddon 2000
The best of the Attitude Era: Undertaker, Stone Cold, The Rock, Triple H, Kurt Angle…and Rikishi. It’s nonstop action with everybody brawling and exchanging finishers. Even though he didn’t win, Undertaker had the most memorable moment – chokeslamming Rikishi off the Cell and onto a truck.
26. Undertaker vs. Jimmy Snuka, WrestleMania VII
Just four months after his debut, this squash serves as a changing of the guard as Undertaker destroys the former phenom of the World Wrestling Federation. Undertaker counters everything and even outsmarts The Superfly by ducking a splash before catching him mid-air and planting him with a tombstone to begin The Streak.
25. Undertaker vs. Edge, WrestleMania XXIV
Closing the same show that Ric Flair retired on was a tough spot, but Edge and Undertaker delivered. As the Ultimate Opportunist, Edge clearly had Undertaker scouted, countering all of his signature moves. Ever resilient, the Deadman kept sitting up, firing back at the champion. After the ref bump, the Rated-R Superstar used every trick in the book, low blowing Undertaker, hitting him with a camera (in a nod to Survivor Series 2007) and calling for the Edgeheads to interfere. Of course, nothing could stop the Phenom, who managed to counter one of Edge’s spears into Hell’s Gate for the victory. Shout out to Charles Robinson’s iconic sprint down the ramp.
24. Undertaker vs. Edge, SummerSlam 2008
Having the first P.G.-style Hell in a Cell was an unenviable task, but Edge and the Undertaker did their damndest to give the fans an epic blowoff to their year-long feud. Instead of blood and climbing on top of the cage, they relied upon a bevy of weapons to bash each other. Running nearly a half hour, they had plenty of time to pace themselves and allow the fans to fully absorb the impact of each devastating attack. The Deadman got revenge for Edge keeping him out of action, chokeslamming him through tables, spears him, beats him with a camera, batters his brains with a conchairto and THEN tombstones him…before chokeslamming him off the ladder and through the ring, all the way to hell.
23. Undertaker vs. Triple H, WrestleMania XXVIII
Even though it wasn’t the “end of an era,” this Hell in a Cell still lived up to the hype. In their third WrestleMania encounter, Undertaker and Triple H emptied their arsenals, adding a new wrinkle in the form of special guest referee Shawn Michaels. The Streak had never been in more jeopardy than during the greatest near fall ever.
22. Brock Lesnar vs. Undertaker, Hell in a Cell 2015
The Deadman’s last great match in the ring, yet it’s not as exciting as I remember. In typical P.G. Era fashion, it’s simply a hardcore match inside the Cell, but the brutality is jaw-dropping and there’s even blood! Brock Lesnar ripping up the ring mat is unique, and kicking out of a tombstone on the unexposed boards is a cool near fall. Ultimately, this was the perfect conclusion to their storied rivalry.
21. Boneyard Match, WrestleMania 36
We didn’t know what to expect, but Undertaker, AJ Styles and WWE’s production team hit a home run with this production. Shot like a Western fight scene, this hid the 33-year veteran’s limitations and satisfied his thirst for the perfect swansong. Even though he claims that he has “no desire to get back in the ring,” cinematic wrestling can extend the Deadman’s shelf life at least another decade.
20. Undertaker vs. Triple H, WrestleMania X-7
The first half is a fast-paced seesaw battle with all of their signature moves. Then, the ref gets bumped and Undertaker keeps him down FOREVER with an elbow drop. The second half is an Attitude Era main event brawl into the crowd. There’s an incredible near fall with Triple H countering the Last Ride by cracking Undertaker’s skull with sledgehammer.
19. Undertaker vs. Mankind, King of the Ring 1998
It’s tough to rank this because it’s remembered for only two unbelievable bumps, but it made Mick Foley a legend and Undertaker worked the match (including climbing the Cell) with a broken ankle. It comes down to would you rather watch this than the ones above it on this list? Hell yeah!
18. The Rock vs. Kurt Angle vs. Undertaker, Vengeance 2002
Traditional formula of two in, one out, where everybody gets a chance to shine. In a fun twist, everybody stole the other’s finishers, including The Rock doing a chokeslam. There were so many near falls and submissions, but in the end Rock pinned Angle while Taker just missed breaking it up.
17. Undertaker vs. Brock Lesnar, SummerSlam 2015
Sixteen months after The Beast ended The Streak, Undertaker had come for revenge. The animosity between these two behemoths was palpable as Lesnar struck The Deadman before he could disrobe, sacrilege in WWE canon. They had a hellacious fight with Undertaker taking a major ass whooping, before giving the greatest GIF ever in his traditional sit-up. It’s a shame such a lame finish tarnished such a classic encounter.
16. Undertaker vs. Kurt Angle, SmackDown (September 4, 2003)
Much different than their bouts in 2000, as Angle had more confidence and brought the fight to Taker. Probably the Deadman’s best performance since his series with Bret Hart in 1997. Unfortunately, there was no winner as Brock Lesnar interfered and destroyed both men with a chair.
15. Undertaker vs. Kurt Angle, SmackDown (March 3, 2006)
A rematch from their forgotten classic at No Way Out 2006, this one brings the big-fight feel to WWE TV. Both competitors play to their strengths, with Angle trying to outwrestle the Deadman, who tries to overpower the champion. They exchange fisticuffs before going all MMA. There is a little bit of everything in this barn burner, which sadly ends when Mark Henry interferes and mauls Undertaker.
14. Undertaker vs. Jeff Hardy, Raw (July 1, 2002)
The Passion of Jeff Hardy commenced as Undertaker skewered the daredevil with a ladder, aiming to inflict punishment rather than retain his WWE Championship. However, the Rainbow Haired Warrior fought back, dishing out as much abuse as he received, giving the fans a few moments to believe he’d pull off the upset. Although the Deadman was victorious in his first ladder match, it was Hardy who came out stronger than ever, proving to not only Undertaker, but also the world that he was main event talent.
13. Mankind vs. Undertaker, King of the Ring 1996
The first battle of their epic rivalry put Mankind on the map and lit a fire under the Deadman. With Mick Foley’s tenacity and penchant for taking sick bumps, he was the perfect foil for Undertaker’s speed and power. Such a fun brawl that featured Undertaker’s first submission and planted the seeds for Paul Bearer’s shocking heel turn.
12. Undertaker vs. Rey Mysterio, Royal Rumble 2010
A rare encounter, Undertaker and Rey Mysterio had tremendous chemistry. It’s your typical big man vs. little man match, but it’s a formula that always works, especially with these two legends. Mysterio busting open the Deadman kicks this into another level.
11. Edge vs. Undertaker, One Night Stand 2008
It’s surreal to see Undertaker in a TLC match, falling off ladders and crashing into tables. This was brilliantly booked with Edge stacking the deck against the Phenom, relying upon anything he can get his hands on, as well as help from La Familia. Undertaker fights them off in waves, but ultimately, can’t overcome the odds.
10. Undertaker vs. CM Punk, WrestleMania 29
The entrances alone are worth the price of admission. CM Punk was red hot after his historic WWE Championship reign and it felt like he could be the guy to snap The Streak. With dueling chants from the massive crowd, there was an electricity in the Meadowlands that very few Undertaker matches have ever had. When Punk locks in the Anaconda Vice and Taker sits up and stares a hole through him, there’s your WrestleMania moment.
9. Undertaker vs. Batista, WrestleMania 23
Undertaker and Batista were pissed that their World Heavyweight Championship match was so low down the card. As a result, they went balls to the wall in this battle of behemoths. Batista proved that he was more than a stereotypical Vinnie Mac big man and Undertaker proved that he could elevate the next generation.
8. Undertaker vs. Mankind, In Your House: Buried Alive
It’s the first (and best) buried alive match. Instead of the slow, methodical brawling that we’ve come to expect, Undertaker and Mankind kept the tempo up with some innovative moves and plenty of weapons. The Phenom even leapt off the top rope with a flying crossbody to the floor! You overlook the cheesy ending because of all the mayhem beforehand.
7. Bret Hart vs. Undertaker, One Night Only
Way better than their snoozer at SummerSlam 97. There’s no wasted motion as the Hitman targets the leg, but the Deadman keeps sitting up. Desperate for any advantage, Bret Hart unties the turnbuckle pad, but Undertaker tosses him chest first instead. In a nod to his Mean Mark days, Undertaker follows up with a heart punch to capitalize. It’s a rare instance of Undertaker being allowed to wrestle instead of brawl. Unfortunately, we get a shitty finish with Hart trapped in the ropes a la Mick Foley, so the referee stopped the match.
6. Kurt Angle vs. Undertaker, No Way Out 2006
Bret Hart brought a different side out of Undertaker, but Kurt Angle took him to another level. With the Deadman’s interest in MMA and Angle’s amateur wrestling proficiency, these two put on a clinic. There’s a counter for every move, leaving you breathless by the ending.
5. Undertaker vs. Mankind, In Your House: Revenge of the Taker
After a year of carnage, the war between Undertaker and Mankind came to a respite after this wild WWE Championship match. Blasting each other with chair shots that would be banned today, they continued to come up with new ways to maim each other: Undertaker chokeslammed Mankind into the guardrail, Mankind smashed a water pitcher over Taker’s head, the Deadman even DROPKICKED stairs into Mankind. In the sickest spot of the match, Undertaker smashed Mankind with the steps, sending Mrs. Foley’s Baby Boy off the apron and crashing into the announce table.
4. Shawn Michaels vs. Undertaker, WrestleMania XXVI
Frustrated over wrestling almost a perfect match last time, Michaels did his best to avoid Undertaker’s signature moves, focusing on the Deadman’s tweaked knee like a shark that smells blood. The crowd gasped after each man kicked out of each other’s finisher, selling in between moves to let the fans digest the unbelievable action. The Heartbreak Kid even kicked out of a tombstone with Undertaker’s tongue out, a surefire sign that the match was over! Finally, HBK gave us one more WrestleMania moment when he gave the throat slash and slapped Undertaker, prompting the Phenom to spike him with a jumping tombstone for the victory.
3. Brock Lesnar vs. Undertaker, No Mercy 2002
The Beast popped his Hell in a Cell cherry in a bloody war. Brock Lesnar showed his animalistic nature, targeting Undertaker’s right hand in a cast and eventually tearing it off. In a rare sight, the Deadman was vulnerable, desperately trying anything to stop the onslaught, even hitting a flying elbow off the top rope and a tope into the Cell. Countering the tombstone into an F-5, Lesnar cemented his place atop the mountain in this classic.
2. Shawn Michaels vs. Undertaker, Badd Blood 1997
Setting the standard for what fans can expect from Hell in a Cell, HBK and the Deadman had a gory war. Trapped inside the steel confine without DX’s assistance, Michaels was mauled by Undertaker to the roar of the crowd. After a cameraman got in his way, Michaels flipped out in typical fashion and assaulted him, a clever way to get the door open and allow the mayhem to continue on top of the cell. Of course, just as Undertaker looked to finish off Michaels, Kane made his epic debut and laid his brother out.
1. Undertaker vs. Shawn Michaels, WrestleMania XXV
You knew this was No. 1 before even clicking.
From the entrances of Michaels descending from the heavens and Undertaker ascending from hell to the final slap of the mat, this is a masterpiece. Michaels and Undertaker have always had magnificent chemistry, with HBK’s speed and agility matching Undertaker’s size and strength. Plus, they share a rare intensity and penchant to tear the house down.
There are two parts of this match – before and after Undertaker crashed and burned. The cameraman (Jimmy Snuka Jr.) failed to catch the Deadman during his signature dive, leaving fans momentarily wondering if Taker had been paralyzed. Michaels sure as hell didn’t care, demanding the ref count Undertaker out. When he makes it back by 9, HBK tunes up the band…only to be chokeslammed. It’s a series of finishers and reversals after that, taking the audience on a roller coaster of emotion.
Finally, as Michaels mentioned in the buildup to their rematch, he made one mistake. He attempted a moonsault, but got caught and tombstoned to end the perfect wrestling match.
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