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WrestleMania is just around the corner and for wrestling fans, this is nothing short of a festive season. However, this year's show will feature some notable changes as the COVID-19 pandemic has forced WWE to alter the venue of 'The Show of Shows', make it a two-night event and most importantly, host it in the absence of the WWE Universe.
Although these regulations will prevent the fans from attending WrestleMania 36 live, it definitely can't curb their enthusiasm regarding the event. In these tough times, WWE is trying their best to continue with the show and entertain the fans from all around the world and this article will be looking back at the Superstar, who evolved into a cornerstone of this grandest stage of sports entertainment.
Yes, we are talking about The Undertaker.
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Like the last three decades, The Phenom will make his presence known at this year's WrestleMania as well, as he goes one-on-one with The Phenomenal One. While we wait for the event, let's recall some of the facts that one should know ahead of The Undertaker's 27th WrestleMania match.
#5 Longest and shortest matches
As mentioned earlier, The Undertaker has been performing at WrestleMania over the last 30 years and he will be the very first Superstar to wrestle at the event for four consecutive decades. Interestingly, both his longest and shortest WrestleMania bouts took place in the last decade only.
The Undertaker collided with Triple H at WrestleMania XXVIII in a Hell in a Cell match with Shawn Michaels serving as the special guest referee. This was his third match with The Game at 'The Showcase of the Immortals' and also, the longest one. The match reportedly lasted 30 minutes and 50 seconds ( 6 seconds more than his WrestleMania XXV match against HBK) and featured The Deadman and Triple H tear each other apart to signify the 'End of an Era'. The Undertaker won the match following a sledgehammer shot and Tombstone Piledriver to Triple H while Michaels made the three count.
You may have guessed his shortest WrestleMania match. Yes, it was the one against John Cena. Considered by many fans as a dream encounter, the match didn't exactly go as they had planned. The Undertaker squashed The Leader of Cenation within 2 minutes and 45 seconds at WrestleMania 34, showcasing that age is just a number for The Phenom.
#4 Another of The Undertaker's WrestleMania record
The Undertaker enjoyed one of the most notable and popular sports entertainment streaks of all time owing to his 21-0 match undefeated record at WWE's flagship event, WrestleMania. The Deadman's streak became so important that a potential victory over him at WrestleMania was considered an equivalent of winning the top prize of the promotion, the WWE Championship. More than a dozen Superstars tried their luck but 'The Beast Incarnate' Brock Lesnar was the first to achieve the feat.
Although the streak broke at WrestleMania 30, The Undertaker still holds a record that will probably never be broken. To date, The Phenom is the only one to wrestle 26 matches at 'The Show of Shows' and this year, the number will increase to 27.
With 23 matches to his name, Triple H is just next to The Undertaker when it comes to WrestleMania bouts. As The King of Kings is not slated to compete at this year's show and the fact that he will have to work four more WrestleManias to tie the record, it's maybe stated that The Undertaker's achievement will remain safe.
#3 Championship matches
For a WWE Superstar, winning a championship at WrestleMania is like a career milestone. We all know last year, when Kofi Kingston defeated Daniel Bryan to win the WWE Championship, it turned out to be one of the best moments of the show and propelled The New Day member to the top-tier of the promotion.
However, a few wrestlers have showcased that they don't need a title around their waist to prove their worth on the show. One of them is The Undertaker. As someone who has wrestled in 26 WrestleMania matches, the general notion is that The Phenom fought for several championships on 'The Show of Shows' but the scenario is quite the opposite.
The Undertaker has had only three Championship matches at WrestleMania and owns a record of winning every title match he competed for (all of them being World Championships). He defeated Sycho Sid in the main event of WrestleMania 13 to win the WWE Championship and went on to win the World Heavyweight Championship at WrestleMania 23 and 24.
Superstars of the modern era, like The Miz, Daniel Bryan, Roman Reigns and several WWE Hall of Famers like Bret Hart, Triple H, among others are way ahead of The Undertaker when it comes to competing for a Championship match at the biggest stage of sports entertainment.
#2 First challenge for the Streak
The Undertaker owned the 21-0 undefeated WrestleMania streak but if we only credit him for its success and popularity, we would be wrong. His opponents, the storylines heading into the event and obviously, the WrestleMania matches, all deserve a share of that credit.
The streak seemed so valuable because Superstars would do anything to get a match with The Phenom and potentially pick up a win over him at WrestleMania. The first wrestler to do so was Randy Orton.
Back then, Orton was not 'The Viper' but the 'Legend Killer'; someone who made a name for himself by decimating the legends of the business. En route to WrestleMania 21, he would challenge The Undertaker to a match at 'The Show of Shows' just to end his undefeated streak at the event. As we are aware, The Phenom defeated Orton and in the process, the fans were greeted to one of the best WrestleMania matches of that decade.
Although Randy Orton was unable to earn the victory, his performance paved the way for several Superstars to stand up to The Undertaker during WrestleMania season. He made sure that ending the streak would be treated as an accolade of its own, just like winning a championship in WWE.
#1 Widespread recognition of the Streak
The Undertaker's first WrestleMania victory took place in 1991 but it was in 2002 when the streak started receiving widespread recognition. Before that, the commentary team would often mention about The Phenom's impressive performance at 'The Showcase of the Immortals' and that he was yet to face a defeat at WrestleMania, but those promotions lasted temporarily.
It was following his No Disqualification match with Ric Flair at WrestleMania X8 when fans started to acknowledge this streak of The Deadman. After picking up a hard-fought win over The Nature Boy, The Undertaker would gesture his 10 WrestleMania wins with his fingers and from that moment onwards, the undefeated streak turned into an integral part of The Phenom's WWE career.
Three years later, when Randy Orton vowed to go to any extent to end that streak, its popularity skyrocketed and within a short time, WrestleMania matches featuring The Undertaker started to revolve around his undefeated streak at the event.
To date, only two Superstars have been able to defeat The Phenom at the 'Showcase of the Immortals'. Will The Phenomenal One be the third wrestler to do so?
We are going to find that out very soon!
Meet Randy Orton's lovely wife HERE
