When The Undertaker's WrestleMania streak almost came to an end!

The Undertaker’s WrestleMania streak of 21-0 is part of the wrestling folklore. This unparalled feat in the history of world entertainment has made Undertaker one of the most feared competitiors in the WWE universe. Whether the streak should remain intact, or if it should end, and if it does end who should end it is a debate for another day. Today, we take a trip down memory lane and look at the moments when the streak was as close as it has ever been to be broken. So sit back and enjoy as we take you through the Deadman's five best matches of WrestleMania when the streak could have ended.

#5 The Undertaker vs. Randy Orton - WrestleMania XXI

The Undertaker’s WrestleMania streak was never under much threat before the face-off against Randy Orton at WrestleMania 21. Off-course the match against Kane in WrestleMania XIV was also a near escape for The Phenom, but at that time, the dead-man was only wrestling his 7th WrestleMania match and a streak of 6-0 was hardly that magnanimous.

Orton was just a new name who was slowly but steadily going down from the next big thing of the industry to just another main-event flop. It was the time, when Batista and Cena were also establishing their foot hold in the company, and while on the same night the two fought for the title, Orton targeting the Undertaker’s streak did not take a back-seat.

Orton was still a work in progress, but he too had his moments, moments when the audience and the world believed, that the Streak could end. As the world watched closely enough, they realised that Randy Orton had arrived. Orton’s counter to the dead-man’s chokeslam with the RKO was one of the moments of that year’s WrestleMania. While the Phenom finally prevailed as he usually does, that air of invincibility about him suddenly looked depleted, everyone realised that it can be breached, everyone realised that The Streak can end, if not today, then one day.

This was the day when the world realised the importance of Undertaker’s streak…..

#4 The Undertaker vs. Batista - WrestleMania XXIII

The WrestleMania XXIII match against Batista was the match in which Undertaker faced his strongest opponent, and one who was at his prime. Batista being the beast that he is, and with the raw strength he possesses along with the backing of the crowd was one formidable opponent for the Phenom.

Usually, a clash of two giants turns into a slug-fest like the match between Undertaker and Giant Gonzales at WrestleMania IX or the one against King Kong Bundy the year after, but this match was different, it was a gem. Batista matched the Undertaker toe-to-toe, as they pounded each other one powerful move after another, without ever slowing the match.

Although the same day Mr. WestleMania wrestled Cenation leader John Cena for the main-event but this was the match which surpassed all others, and was the saving grace for WWE on a night which had produced a few disappointments.

#3 The Undertaker vs. Kane - WrestleMania XIV

A feud between not just two wrestlers, but between two Giants, who were brother was always going to be a special one, and it easily was one of the best storylines ever developed by the creative team of the WWE.

After Kane attacked Undertaker at his Hell in a Cell match, something special was on the cards, it was almost written. Kane followed the pattern of interrupting every match of his brother, and eventually costing him the match. But it took a special effort from Kane to make Undertaker accept this match, after he had vowed to never wrestle his brother.

Kane had to trap the Phenom in a casket before lighting it on fire for Taker to finally accept his brother’s offer for a match at WrestleMania. And as good as the storyline was, the great match between two colossal giants in a ring, and especially when it was two brothers going for each other’s throat it was always going to be gigantic, and definitely so it was on the grandest of stages.

#Note: This match had taken place, long before The Undertaker's match against Randy Orton at WrestleMania XXI, but it has featured ahead of it, only by virute of being a better match, and not by virute of ending the streak. When this match took place, the streak was only 6-0, and if Undertaker had lost this match, there would have been no streak.

#2 The Undertaker vs. Triple H (Hell in a Cell) - WrestleMania XXVIII

Triple H and The Undertaker had previously faced each other twice at WrestleMania, with The Phenom winning both of the matches. But the King of Kings, who had multiple championshps to his name, along with some incredible matches, did not have that one Special moment of his career, and ending Undertaker’s streak was very much set up to be the match where Triple H immortalises himself.

Hunter and The Phenom had already fought two classics, and what new could be expected from the same match again and again. But then Hell in a Cell was added to the match, along with a special guest referee in the form of Shawn Michaels. Things do not get better than this, or do they? The build up to the match was great, but the match itself was better.

This was more than a 30 minute match, it was more of a tale of The Undertaker’s dominance pitted against the unending desire of Triple H. When Shawn Michaels hit Taker for a Sweet Chin Music, which Hunter followed with a Pedigree, the match looked more than over, but the Deadman kicked out, eventually claiming the victory in a match that was a two counts galore.

#1 The Undertaker vs. Shawn Michaels - WrestleMania XXV

Many if not all, have described it as the greatest WrestleMania match of all time. Marking the 25th anniversary of WrestleMania, the stage was not just grand but gigantic. Shawn Michaels had come on the back of ending Ric Flair’s career a year ago at the same stage in a breath-taking contest, and this time the stage was bigger and the stakes higher, as the streak was finally going to be broken, or so we thought.

Shawn Michaels delivered countless Sweet Chin Music’s, following them with a modified version of the figure-four-lock taking into account the huge size of his opponent, but Undertaker was not giving up, not so easily. Michaels never known to be a quitter, rose after a series of Chokeslams and Tomebstone’s.

Both exchanged blows, followed them with 2 counts and kick-outs and after a time you were left in awe of what these two were capable of. One would have even questioned what it would take for one of these two Superstars to usurp the other. They had given it their all, and were still left with enough to not give-up.

Finally, a Tombstone by Taker, after catching Michaels jumping mid-way from the ropes was what was required to seal one of the greatest matches ever contested on one of the grandest of stages. The Undertaker reached a new level of invincibility following this win, as not only he added one of the greatest names to have graced the game in his list of scalps at WrestleMania, but he also demonstrated a whole new level of athleticism, one which the world had not seen till then.