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No matter your thoughts on The Undertaker, the man has certainly earned Hall of Fame status. A reason for his immense popularity is the fact that so few people have gotten the better of the Phenom over the course of his lengthy career. Defeats were few and far between, as he was once one of the most protected stars in the industry.
People mainly focus on The Undertaker's historic WrestleMania run as the shining example of his dominance. However, even outside of the showcase of the immortals, only a handful of people have managed to defeat The Undertaker.
Some of these names are fairly memorable. Guys like Brock Lesnar and Roman Reigns work as recent examples of stars who've pinned The Deadman. He's also felt defeat at the hands of legends such as Hulk Hogan, Steve Austin and even The Ultimate Warrior on house shows. These superstars are the cream of the crop of wrestling, so they're hardly surprising.
Recent months have shown Taker as an ambassador for WWE. Most recently, he was seen by fans inducting his long-time friend and "brother" Kane into the WWE Hall of Fame. With such a shiny reputation, it makes sense for him to fill this role, right?
The Phenom has been a dominant force in the WWE for three decades. With his career slowly fading over the horizon, it's time to re-examine some of these losses that aren't talked about anymore. Here are five surprising names who have wins over The Undertaker.
#5. Mr. Kennedy defeated The Undertaker on Smackdown in 2007
Mr. Kennedy had a strange time in WWE. Kennedy quickly got over with the fans and even scored a win over The Undertaker. His ring entrance became iconic as Kennedy would stroll out to the ring introducing himself twice in a manner that smelled of super-stardom. The success wasn’t meant to last, unfortunately.
Despite scoring a few wins over The Deadman during his Smackdown run in 2007, Kennedy became his own worst enemy. Shortly after their mini-feud, he captured the Money In The Bank briefcase at WrestleMania. Everything was going his way until a poorly timed wellness violation derailed his push.
Kennedy's briefcase subsequently shifted to Edge, who would cash in successfully on The Undertaker. This big win was meant to be Kennedy's. Fate clearly had other plans. After that he couldn't recapture the magic he debuted with.
#4. Maven defeated The Undertaker for the Hardcore Title
Maven might not be incredibly memorable, but his feud with The Undertaker sure was. It all started when the first male Tough Enough winner drop kicked The Phenom out of the 2001 Royal Rumble match. From there, the two feuded off and on.
The rivalry with The Deadman was undoubtedly the highlight of Maven's career. The duo went at it a few times over the course of 2001. Later that year, Maven would capture the Hardcore title from Big Evil with an assist from The Rock and Al Snow.
This all concluded with The Undertaker getting the last laugh. The Deadman won in decisive fashion against both Maven and Al Snow during a 2-on-1 handicap match. Following this defeat, Maven floundered on Raw.
Maven floated around the midcard scene. He did receive a brief push in 2004 where he earned a victory over Batista. After this, he was a part of a face Survivor Series team that won, leading him into facing Triple H for the World Heavyweight Championship. Maven failed in his efforts and was later released by the company.
#3. Mabel defeated The Undertaker in the King of the Ring Tournament
In 1995, Mable defeated The Undertaker during the King of the Ring tournament. Much can be made of the tournament itself, and Mable's run that followed also left fans wanting more. However, he did receive that all important victory over Taker.
The bout between the two became infamous. It was during this match that Mable broke The Undertaker's orbital bone. This would lead to Taker dawning a mask for a couple of months. It also led to a consensus opinion amongst the wrestlers that Mable wasn't safe to work with.
Mable would win the entire tournament and later challenge Kevin Nash to a WWE title match. He was unsuccessful in his efforts. The match was also poorly received by fans. Mable was then released by the company in part due to his reputation of being a poor hand in the ring.
Later, Mable returned to the company and was givent he gimmick of Viscera.
#2. Tito Santana defeated The Undertaker during WWF World Tour
In 1991, Tito Santana became the first man to pin The Undertaker. It's hard to remember because the match happened in Barcelona during a WWF World Tour event. Up until that point, Taker hadn't suffered a television pinfall loss to anyone.
As odd as it seems, it also makes sense. Tito was a big star in the Spanish community. The fact that he pinned The Deadman in front of a crowd in Barcelona was fitting.
Santana is seen as a legend now. He even secured a place in the WWE Hall of Fame. However, his reputation in 1991 wasn't nearly as lofty, and The Undertaker was a protected character.
#1. Vladimir Kozlov defeated The Undertaker on Smackdown in 2009
During an episode of Smackdown in 2009, Vladimir Kozlov defeated The Undertaker clean via pinfall. Kozlov was hyped as the next great monster when he was brought into WWE. He was only a few weeks into his run when he pinned The Phenom after reversing "Old School."
The Moscow Mauler soared higher after his win against Taker. He continued to rack up wins over the rest of the roster, and despite the lack of fan fare, Kozlov eventually found himself in the WWE title picture.
His attempts at the title failed. Kozlov slowly faded down the card as it became more apparent he wasn't quite ready for the push he received. He would eventually find himself in a comedy tag team with Santino Marella. They would win the tag titles together, which basically amounted to the climax of Kozlov's WWE career.
Kozlov was always meant to be a monster in WWE. It made sense for him to pick up a win over The Undertaker. However, when one looks back upon that moment now, it's a bit surprising considering where his career ended up. Sometimes not even a win over The Undertaker himself can save your career.
