5 moments that cemented The Undertaker's place in WWE history

The Deadman is an all-time great
The Deadman is an all-time great

After one of the greatest careers in professional wrestling history, The Undertaker will be inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame this year by Vince McMahon. The Deadman will fittingly be commemorated in his home state of Texas on April 1, 2022.

During a career that lasted over three decades, The Undertaker was involved in some incredible moments and narrowing them down to five was a difficult task. However, with that being said, here's a look back at five moments that cemented The Phenom's place in WWE history.


#5 The Undertaker and Shawn Michaels were involved in the first-ever Hell in a Cell Match

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Hell in a Cell matches are a big part of The Undertaker's legacy. He was involved in the first-ever bout of this type with one of his greatest opponents, Shawn Michaels, at Badd Blood: In Your House. The two were involved in a heated rivalry after HBK cost The Deadman the WWE Championship at SummerSlam 1997.

The Deadman and Michaels displayed their tremendous chemistry and put on a violent classic. However, the match is also remembered for Kane's debut. The Big Red Machine made an awe-inspiring entrance and laid his brother out, allowing Michaels to come away with the victory.

The bout was planned to perfection and received five stars from Dave Meltzer of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter.


#4 Hell in a Cell vs. Mankind

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Once Mick Foley's quest for the WWE Championship was thwarted by Steve Austin, The Hardcore Legend renewed his rivalry with The Undertaker. The duo clashed at King of the Ring 1998 in the second-ever Hell in a Cell match.

Foley and The Deadman escalated the level of physicality and put on one of the most violent matches in professional wrestling history. The bout started on top of the cell and led to an incredibly scary moment when The Phenom flung Foley from the structure and through the announce table.

However, The Hardcore Legend's night took another disastrous turn when he was chokeslammed through the top of the cell and onto the ring. He was left with several injuries, including a severe concussion, bruised ribs, and a dislocated shoulder and jaw. This is still one of the most rewatched matches in WWE history.


#3 Setting a record with Stone Cold Steve Austin

Steve Austin and The Deadman had great moments together
Steve Austin and The Deadman had great moments together

The Undertaker broke several records throughout his illustrious career. However, few of them are more impressive than the fact that he was involved in the highest-rated segment in Monday Night RAW history alongside Stone Cold Steve Austin.

The Texas Rattlesnake was at the peak of his powers and was looking to reclaim the WWE Championship from The Undertaker, then part of The Corporate Ministry. The stakes drew in viewers, who were eager to see Austin win the title, in droves. The segment notched a record 9.5 rating.


#2 Wrestling Shawn Michaels at WrestleMania 25

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The Undertaker and Shawn Michaels rekindled their incredible in-ring chemistry when HBK took a shot at ending The Streak at WrestleMania 25. The two legends stole the show yet again and put on a classic, leaving the audience on the edge of their seats for over 30 minutes.

After several dramatic near-falls, The Phenom thwarted Michaels' attempted moonsault and hit the Tombstone Piledriver to come away with the win. The bout was named "Match of the Year" by both the Wrestling Observer Newsletter and Pro Wrestling Illustrated in 2009.


#1 Defeating Triple H at WrestleMania 28

The Phenom and Triple H tore the house down
The Phenom and Triple H tore the house down

After wrestling Shawn Michaels at back-to-back WrestleManias, The Undertaker had two successive matches with Triple H at The Grandest Stage of Them All. The two stars had their first encounter at The Show of Shows at WrestleMania 17. They had one of the best matches on the show, with The Undertaker winning to take his record to 9-0.

Triple H had his next crack at The Streak a decade later when he challenged The Phenom at WrestleMania 27 in No Holds Barred Match. Although The Game appeared to be in control, The Deadman managed to pull out a victory after putting his foe in Hell's Gate.

The following year, they clashed at WrestleMania 28 inside a Hell in a Cell with Shawn Michaels as the special guest referee. The Undertaker triumphed again after an incredible match, taking his record at The Show of Shows to 20-0. After the match, all three men posed on top of the entrance ramp in an iconic moment.

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Edited by Kaushik Das
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