Last night, World Wrestling Entertainment bid farewell to one of its most iconic superstars, The Undertaker.
His goodbye was the headliner to last night's Survivor Series, the pay-per-view event where he debuted 30 years ago to the day, in what was known then as the World Wrestling Federation.
<p>For three decades, The Undertaker (whose real name is Mark Calaway) was one of the WWE's fiercest competitors. Taker also had some of the company's biggest rivalries. These clashes helped shape the landscape of professional wrestling forever.</p><h2></h2><p>Here are six of The Undertaker's greatest opponents. </p>
<p>Did we leave some of The Undertaker's greatest foes out of this list?</p><p>Let us know on <a href="https://twitter.com/Popdust" target="_blank">Twitter @Popdust.</a> </p><p><!-- Ezoic - under_second_paragraph - under_second_paragraph -->
<div id="ezoic-pub-ad-placeholder-813"><center><script async src="//pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/js/adsbygoogle.js"></script>
<ins class="adsbygoogle"
style="display:inline-block;width:468px;height:60px"
data-ad-client="ca-pub-4301469008561137"
data-ad-slot="9626795938"></ins>
<script>
(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});
</script></center></div>
<!-- End Ezoic - under_second_paragraph - under_second_paragraph --></p>
<!-- Ezoic - underfirst11 - under_first_paragraph -->
<div id="ezoic-pub-ad-placeholder-630"></div>
<!-- End Ezoic - underfirst11 - under_first_paragraph -->
<script>
window.hindsight = window.hindsight || {};
window.hindsight.cmd = window.hindsight.cmd || [];
window.hindsight.cmd.push(() => window.hindsight.render());
</script>
Shawn Michaels
<img lazy-loadable="true" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNDgwMjQ1Mi9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTY0MzEzMDQyNX0.9Li9RIBQ8NizIkHW31b0lM1ENMieIGc31fyvkMQ1nWs/img.jpg?width=980" id="5f0ad" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="2ad09e076e0b405e5e073e6b1fd7ea72" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" data-width="1200" data-height="675" /><p>The Undertaker and <a href="https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0382582/" target="_blank">Shawn Michaels</a> were must-see rivals during the <a href="https://bleacherreport.com/articles/1276425-wwe-10-reasons-why-the-attitude-era-will-never-be-matched" target="_blank">WWF's Attitude Era</a>. Their most memorable matches during this time were at 1997's <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0297457/" target="_blank">Badd Blood: In Your House</a> in the first-ever <a href="https://www.wwe.com/shows/hellinacell" target="_blank">Hell In A Cell</a> match, and their <a href="https://www.wwe.com/playlist/undertaker-creepy-casket-matches" target="_blank">Casket Match</a> at the <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0234629/" target="_blank">1998 Royal Rumble</a>.</p><p>Their in-ring chemistry would stand the test of time. Almost ten years later, they would have classic matches at <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1279975/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Wrestlemania 25</a> in 2009 and <a href="https://bleacherreport.com/articles/343600-wrestlemania-26-match-card" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Wrestlemania 26</a> in 2010. Their 2010 encounter was a <a href="https://www.wwe.com/shows/wrestlemania/26/matchphotos/undertakervsmichaels#fid-13956490" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Streak vs. Career</a> match where if The Undertaker lost, it would be his first ever Wrestlemania loss. But if Michaels lost, he would have to retire from in-ring competition. We won't spoil the outcome, but let's just say it was a match to remember.</p>Mankind
<img lazy-loadable="true" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNDgwMjQ1My9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTY2NzgxODMyNn0.z3JPcq4RwjSpfsYwim_AClYFzQ_3PVLRx4P0FGr_PHc/img.jpg?width=980" id="4dbf8" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="2588e70e0578d7191f9699aedea9c612" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" data-width="1280" data-height="720" /><p><a href="https://www.wwe.com/superstars/mick-foley" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Mick Foley</a>'s willingness to put his body on the line elevated the level of danger in his matches with The Undertaker. His portrayal of the deranged Mankind made their rivalry both fun and uncomfortable to watch.</p><p>Taker and Mankind's violent feud would span a series of matches. They took part in the inaugural <a href="https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2545068-wwe-classic-of-the-week-the-undertaker-vs-mankind-from-summerslam-1996" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Boiler Room Brawl at SummerSlam 1996</a>, but their most memorable encounter took place at the <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0311996/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">1998 King Of The Ring</a> in a Hell In A Cell match, where Taker tossed Mick Foley from the top of the 20-foot cage, sending him crashing into an announcer's table at ringside.</p>Kane
<img lazy-loadable="true" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNDgwMjQ1NS9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTY0MDk3MDY3OH0.YFtfTZnq0FXQ6TG4MUwwMwrcV895-F4BWjfmkLlPGNw/img.jpg?width=980" id="ae657" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="7de1ee2c8767dd21a57ade725bd441cb" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" data-width="1280" data-height="720" /><p><a href="https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0414417/?ref_=fn_al_nm_1" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Glenn Jacobs</a> played a plethora of characters before finding success in the WWF as The Undertaker's "brother" <a href="https://www.wwe.com/superstars/kane" target="_blank">Kane</a>. In 1997, Undertaker's manager, <a href="https://www.wwe.com/superstars/paul-bearer" target="_blank">Paul Bearer</a>, turned against him, revealing his brother—who he believed died in a fire during childhood—was alive and coming for revenge. Kane's arrival took place on the same night as Taker and Michael's Hell In A Cell Match at Badd Blood.</p><p>Their feud gave birth to WWF's first <a href="https://www.wwe.com/classics/the-fiery-history-of-the-inferno-match" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Inferno Match</a>, a match where the entire ring is surrounded by fire and the only way to win is to set your opponent on fire. When they weren't trying to murder each other, Kane and his older brother would join forces. Dubbed The Brothers of Destruction, they would wreak havoc on the WWF/E's tag team division.</p>Stone Cold Steve Austin
<img lazy-loadable="true" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNDgwMjQ1Ny9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYxNzYzMTI3M30._D2EJV0715tkwauBIt4ho4bQKIplLLHzodIRlDWEZH0/img.jpg?width=980" id="f4e56" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="880434b020a5309255b1c35c9b4e4108" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" data-width="1200" data-height="675" /><p>WWF's Attitude Era also saw the rise of the most popular wrestler in wrestling history in <a href="https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0042524/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Stone Cold Steve Austin</a>. Austin's edgy character was more in line with the WWF's core demographic at the time. He would break in the mold of the traditional "good guy" in pro wrestling, a trope created by characters like <a href="https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001356/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Hulk Hogan</a>.</p><p>While Austin was becoming the company's top good guy, The Undertaker was in the middle of his run as the resident evildoer and head of the faction called The Ministry of Darkness. Their collision course consisted of Undertaker sacrificing Austin, trying to inject him with embalming fluid, and a <a href="https://www.thesportster.com/wrestling/every-first-blood-match-wwe-history-ranked/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">First Blood match at 1999's Fully Loaded pay-per-view.</a></p>Triple H
<img lazy-loadable="true" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNDgwMjQ2Ny9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYzMTUzMDIxNX0.M7jyC5yzYqPChrMbstiuOaDUg7eipRLrTMfSlu7Or-Y/img.jpg?width=980" id="ecf28" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="5a3df56db94e1297981a2324dad39fa4" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" data-width="1242" data-height="710" /><p>The Undertaker and <a href="https://www.wwe.com/superstars/triple-h" target="_blank">Triple H </a> had matches at the height of their popularity, but their best matches came towards the end of their runs as full-time wrestlers. Much like his best friend Shawn Michaels, Triple H had back to back classics with The Deadman at <a href="https://bleacherreport.com/articles/655207-wrestlemania-xxvii-recap" target="_blank">Wrestlemania 27</a> and <a href="https://bleacherreport.com/articles/1128143-wwe-wrestlemania-28-results-a-match-by-match-breakdown" target="_blank">28</a>. The match at 28 was known as the <a href="https://bleacherreport.com/articles/1129324-wrestlemania-28-truly-the-end-of-an-era" target="_blank">"End of An Era" match</a>. Shawn Michaels was the special guest referee, with the match stipulation being one Michaels and Taker made famous...Hell In A Cell. </p>Brock Lesnar
<img lazy-loadable="true" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNDgwMjQ3MS9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTY1NDY2MDIyNn0.oZer7j-t-rOWoByCRvrmzyNMzGNBNwW6wBB5gAYkYAE/img.jpg?width=980" id="21ef8" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="aa62abf37f3f32c05dda7bf8e6270a04" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" data-width="1296" data-height="729" /><p>Much like The Undertaker, <a href="https://www.wwe.com/superstars/brock-lesnar" target="_blank">Brock Lesnar</a>'s presence and resume made him as feared as he is respected. He was WWE's fastest rising star before leaving the company back in 2004 due to his dislike of the rigorous travel schedule.</p><p>Upon his return in 2012, Lesnar would dominate the same way he did when he first debuted back in 2002. His path of destruction would lead to <a href="https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2019410-wwe-wrestlemania-30-results-winners-grades-recap-and-highlights" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Wrestlemania 30</a> in 2014, where Brock would be the 22nd opponent to face Undertaker at the premiere event. Many had Taker pegged as the winner because this was an event he dominated for 20 years. </p><p>But on this night, the world came to a standstill. Brock would accomplish the impossible and beat The Undertaker.</p><p>The shocking victory made Undertaker's record 21-1 at the Showcase of the Immortals.</p>From Your Site Articles
- Fiend vs Seth Rollins During WWE Hell in a Cell 2019 - Popdust ›
- Fiend vs Seth Rollins During WWE Hell in a Cell 2019 - Popdust ›
- INTERVIEW: AEW's Austin Gunn Is a "Son of A Gunn" - Popdust ›
- Brodie Lee and 7 Other Tragic Deaths in Professional Wrestling - Popdust ›
- The Greatest Stables in Professional Wrestling History - Popdust ›
- COVID-19's Impact On Professional Wrestling - Popdust ›
Keep Reading
Show less
