A look back at the 'Buried Alive' matches in WWE

The WWE has played host to various types of matches over the years ranging from the common Singles match to the 30-man Royal Rumble match. There are a lot of variations in these types of match-ups as well, perhaps none more significant than the ones available in the Singles match category.

With over 60 variations, the Singles match type has surely been the most captivating category in the world of wrestling. It is generally container-based, weapon-based, enclosure-based or stipulation-based. Today, we take a look at one of the container-based matches known as the dreaded ‘Buried Alive match’.

A ‘Buried Alive’ match is a No Holds Barred match in which the objective is for one wrestler to throw his opponent into a grave dug out of a large mound of dirt placed outside the ring. Once in the grave, the wrestler must bury his opponent in dirt. There have only been five Buried Alive matches in the history of the WWE with ‘The Undertaker‘ being the pioneer and participant in all these matches.

So, let us have an insight into the five Buried Alive matches.

1) The Undertaker vs Mankind at ‘In your House’ PPV, 1996

2) Stone Cold vs The Undertaker at ‘Rock Bottom: In Your House’ PPV, 1998

Although initially a feud of respect, animosity between The Undertaker and Steve Austin arose when Austin lost his WWF Championship in an effective handicap match which also included The Undertaker’s brother, Kane. Despite both men being screwed at the Survivor Series tournament, Austin received a title match the next evening; but amongst a myriad of interference from other wrestlers, The Undertaker came to the ring and hit Austin with a shovel. Despite continuing, Austin eventually passed out at a house show the following Saturday and was admitted to a hospital. A live feed from the hospital was used in order for Austin to be interviewed on Raw is War, but during one of the interview segments The Undertaker arrived at the hospital with Paul Bearer, kidnapping him and attempting to bury him alive before changing his mind and embalming him instead. However, just as Undertaker was chanting ceremoniously, Kane burst in and attacked the two of them allowing Austin to make his escape. Wanting to further distance Austin from the WWF Championship, Mr McMahon capitalized on the rivalry between them, booking them in a Buried Alive match with the winner receiving a spot in the Royal Rumble. Austin won the match after Kane interfered and cost his brother the victory.

3) The Undertaker & Big Show vs Rock ‘n’ Sock Connection at SmackDown , 1999

On August 30, 1999, the Rock ‘N’ Sock Connection was formed when The Undertaker and Big Show attacked The Rock on Raw, leading The Rock to challenge both of them to a match. At the time, it was considered career “suicide” to face a team as deadly as The Undertaker and The Big Show. With this in mind, Mankind (who used a smelly sock named “Mr. Socko” as part of his gimmick) asked his former enemy if he could help with his fight against Undertaker and Big Show. The Rock reluctantly accepted, and later that night the two captured The Undertaker and Big Show’s WWF Tag Team Titles when they pinned Big Show after a double People’s Elbow. This resulted in a Buried alive match on SmackDown for the title and the pair lost the belts on September 7, 1999 against Undertaker and Big Show, when then-heel Triple H interfered.

4) Vince McMahon vs The Undertaker at Survivor Series PPV, 2003

At the No Mercy PPV, McMahon interfered in a WWE Championship Biker Chain match between the Champion Brock Lesnar and Undertaker, helping Lesnar retain the title. On the subsequent Smackdown show, General Manager Heyman booked a handicap match, with Undertaker facing Brock Lesnar and The Big Show, with the stipulation that if he won, Undertaker could choose to face any superstar at any event. Undertaker won the contest. As a fallen Undertaker laid in the entryway, McMahon began screaming at him, saying that he would never be WWE Champion again as long as he was alive and that he demanded to know what kind of match Undertaker would seek now that he could pick anyone to face at anytime. The injured Undertaker told McMahon that he would be competing in a Buried Alive match at Survivor Series. Assuming Undertaker would choose Lesnar as his opponent, McMahon continued to berate him by saying he hoped that the then-WWE Champion would bury him “six feet under”. Undertaker then snatched the microphone away from the owner of WWE and declared that he would not be facing Lesnar in the match, but instead would face a stunned and angry McMahon. Ultimately, McMahon won the match after interference from Kane.

5) Kane vs The Undertaker at ‘Bragging Rights’ PPV , 2010

At Hell in a Cell, Paul Bearer, who was with The Undertaker during the Hell in a Cell match against Kane, betrayed the phenom, giving the victory to Kane once again. Two weeks later on SmackDown, Paul Bearer issued one more challenge to The Undertaker in a Buried Alive match. Later that night, The Undertaker accepted the match culminating in a Buried Alive match for the World Heavyweight Championship against Kane at Bragging Rights. Kane won the match after interference from the ‘Nexus’.

These kind of matches have become rare as of late. But in case it happens in the future, you know whom the opponents are going to face!