King’s Top 5 Undertaker Storylines

A week ago at the WWE Survivor Series pay-per-view, The Undertaker rode off into the sunset as all the great pro wrestlers do. After a legendary career that spans three decades “The Phenom” finally retired and laid his iconic character to rest. It was one of the saddest and bittersweet moments I’ve ever felt as a wrestling fan.

Throughout his amazing thirty-year career, “The Deadman” was involved in some fantastic storylines and feuds. Below I will be breaking down my top five storylines of The Undertaker’s career.

5) The Undertaker VS. Kurt Angle (2006)

One of my favorite matches and storylines of The Undertaker’s career took place in January of 2006. “The Deadman” had returned at the 2006 Royal Rumble pay-per-view, to confront then-WWE World Heavyweight Champion Kurt Angle. Angle was celebrating his successful title defense when Undertaker returned to reclaim the World Heavyweight Championship.

The two superstars would meet in a terrific thirty-minute underrated classic at the 2006 No Way Out. Undertaker was unsuccessful in their match but it was the most technical wrestling match I’ve ever seen in Undertaker’s career.

4) The Undertaker VS. CM PUNK (2010)

Long before “The Best In The World” CM Punk attempted to end the streak at WrestleMania 29, he had an encounter with “The Deadman.” At the 2010 SummerSlam pay-per-view, Undertaker shocked Punk who was then-WWE World Heavyweight Champion after his match with Jeff Hardy. Undertaker and Punk would face off at Breaking Point in a submission match which ended in controversy.

Both superstars carried on a great feud culminating with Undertaker winning the World Heavyweight Championship inside Hell in the Cell from Punk. “The Deadman” and “The Best In The World” would meet again later down the line on a grander stage.

3) The Undertaker VS Triple H (2001)

Back in 2001, The Deadman had donned a biker gimmick known as “American Badass” who rode a motorcycle to the ring. Undertaker would find himself involved in a heated rivalry with Triple H. During the McMahon-Helmsley era, HHH felt he was above the rest of the superstars and demanded a title shot at WrestleMania X-Seven. Undertaker would play a game of cat and mouse with his rival leading up to the pay-per-view. HHH would antagonize Undertaker for weeks including impersonating him.

“The Game” even went as far as to destroy Undertaker’s motorcycle. The match would finally take place at WrestleMania where “The Deadman” would be victorious against HHH in his hometown of Houston, TX. The two rivals would meet again later down the road in back-to-back WrestleMania classics at WrestleMania 27-28.

2) The Undertaker VS Shawn Michaels (2010)

This feud easily could have taken the number one spot which made the decision super hard, but this storyline was the absolute best of the year. After last year’s WrestleMania classic, HBK was consumed with the fact that he lost to The Undertaker on the grandest stage of them all. Michaels challenged “The Deadman” to another match at WrestleMania 26 to end the streak, but Undertaker declined. With not much time before the big event, Michaels stooped to desperate measures.

At the 2010 Elimination Chamber pay-per-view, Micheals cost Undertaker the World Heavyweight Championship inside the Elimination Chamber match in one of the most shocking moments in WWE history. The very next night on Monday Night Raw, “The Deadman” finally accepted his rival’s challenge with one condition. HBK would be forced to retire if he lost. We all know how this tremendous story ended with Michaels retiring and riding off into the sunset.

Honorary Mention: The Corporate Ministry

In April 1999, The Undertaker and his Ministry of Darkness merged with The Corporation alongside Shane McMahon. This was one of the most bizarre yet awesome things that have ever happened in WWE. This whole storyline was absolute gold with a huge twist. Undertaker and his ministry had abducted Vince McMahon’s daughter Stephanie McMahon and arranged for a marriage to take place. Vince’s longtime nemesis Stone Cold Steve Austin made the save and prevent anything to happen.

Undertaker began speaking of a “higher power” who was calling the shots. While the whole world witnessed Vince begging and pleading for the safety and care of his daughter, but what happened next nobody saw coming including myself. When the “higher power” was revealed to be none other than Vince himself, everyone was shocked.

One of the reasons why I loved this storyline, is because it helped establish so many up-and-coming talents such as JBL, HHH, Edge & Christian, and many others. All-the-while still giving us another dose of Stone Cold Steve Austin vs. Vince McMahon with a brand-new twist in the rivalry. If you’re a die-hard wrestling fan then I’m sure you have seen this, if not then please go watch it.

1) The Undertaker VS. Kane (1997-2010)

In 1997 Undertaker learned a shocking secret from his longtime manager Paul Bearer, that Taker’s “biggest secret”. In the storyline, Bearer announced that Undertaker was a murderer, who as a child had burned down the family funeral home business (where Bearer worked), killing his parents and his younger brother. It was revealed that Kane, his brother had survived and was badly burned. “The Big Red Machine” made his debut costing Undertaker his match against Shawn Michaels at Badd Blood.

Kane would confront his brother for a match, but “The Deadman” refused for months. The two brothers would finally face-off at WrestleMania XIV, after Kane lit the casket on fire that Undertaker was locked inside of. Both superstars would continue into one of the greatest storylines that WWE has ever produced that intertwined throughout both of their careers. The second installment of their rivalry took place in 2004 after Kane buried Undertaker alive at the 2003 Survivor Series pay-per-view.

After an incredible six-month buildup, “The Deadman” persona returned at WrestleMania XX to defeat his younger brother. Undertaker and Kane would go not cross paths again as rivals until six years later in 2010 when the final chapter of their storied rivalry took place. Mysteriously, Undertaker was attacked and left in a vegetative state and a huge search was on for the assailant. After Kane blamed several superstars he was revealed to be the attacker. His reasons were of pure jealousy and malice because of Undertaker’s success.

Undertaker and Kane would battle over the World Heavyweight Championship for the next few months culminating into a buried alive match at Bragging Rights. This would be the final time both brothers would fight and end their rivalry of two decades. Even though in my opinion, the rivalry between the brothers ended anticlimactically it’s still the best story WWE has ever written.

The Deadman has created some of the most memorable moments in WWE history. He has literally given everything to this business and truly deserves to ride off into the sunset. There will never be another superstar quite like The Undertaker, now it’s time to say Thank you!