the Undertaker: 25 Years of DESTRUCTION

I was 6 years old when The Undertaker made his WWE debut at the 1990 Survivor Series and he is still wrestling today 25 years later.  "Awesome" is the only word Gorilla Monsoon could think of to describe the him when hewas the Mystery partner on Ted Dibiase's Million Dollar Team.  Undertaker quickly eliminated Koko B Ware and Dusty Rhodes before being counted out himself.

Who could have guessed the success the Undertaker would have for the past 25 years and what can you say about the Deadman that hasn't already been said?  The Phenom's entrance alone is worth the price of admission to any live event, once the Gong Hits you are in for a treat.

A year after his Survivor Series debut the Undertaker beat Hulk Hogan for his 1st of 4 WWE World Heavyweight Championships and the Deadman is a 6 time World Tag Team Champion
partnering with Stone Cold Steve Austin (1) Big Show (2) The Rock (1) and Kane (2).

The Undertaker is so fascinating to me because over the 25 years he continues to reinvent himself and stay relevant & exciting but sticking to his core character which the fans have grown to love over time.  He was a Mortician under Paul Bearer, the Phenom in the Ministry of Darkness, the American Badass on a motorcycle to a Deadman and now an Outlaw with short hair.  He is described as the hardest worker in the dressing room and so well respected in the industry.  

He was the first wrestler ever to compete in the Hell in a Cell match with HBK Shawn Michaels, he is known for his Buried Alive matches, his signature move the Tombstone Pile Driver and the Choke slam sending his opponents straight to hell.  "The Streak" started at Wrestlemania 7 winning 21 straight Wrestlemania appearances until Brock Lesnar broke the streak at Wrestlemania 30 shocking the entire world.   

​Already in 2015 The Undertaker has wrestled three times not including the Mexico tour three tag matches with Kane facing two of the Wyatt Members.  The previous years starting in 2011 The Undertaker has primarily wrestled and appeared at Wrestlemania annually but it appears he is on a "Phenom Tour" nearing his retirement this Wrestlemania or next.  

​Here's to hoping for an Undertaker vs. Sting at Wrestlemania 32
plus a well deserved induction into the 2016 Hall of Fame.  
​Thank you Deadman for all the Tombstones.  Rest In Peace.

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The Deadman is no Stranger to Gold.

WWE Championship (4 times)

• 11/27/1991, Survivor Series: def. Hulk Hogan
• 3/23/1997, WrestleMania 13: def. Sid
• 5/23/1999, Over the Edge: def. Stone Cold Steve Austin
• 5/19/02, Judgment Day: def. Hulk Hogan
  ​

World Heavyweight Championship (1 time)

• 4/1/2007, WrestleMania 23: def. Batista

​World Tag Team Championship (6 times)

• 7/26/1998, Fully Loaded: with Stone Cold Steve Austin, def. Kane & Mankind
• 8/22/1999, SummerSlam: with Big Show, def. Kane & X-Pac
• 9/9/1999, SmackDown: with Big Show, def. Mankind & The Rock in a Buried Alive Match
• 12/18/2000, Monday Night RAW: with The Rock, def. Edge & Christian
• 4/19/2001, SmackDown: with Kane, def. Edge & Christian
• 8/19/2001, SummerSlam: with Kane, def. Kanyon & Diamond Dallas Page in a Steel Cage Match

​
Hardcore Championship (1 time)

• 12/9/2001, Vengeance: def. Rob Van Dam

Top 25 Undertaker Moments in 25 years.

1.  The Undertaker makes his WWE debut 25 years ago at Survivor Series 1990 on The Million Dollar Man's team as a surprise contestant.   

​2.  Body Bag
match vs.
​Ultimate Warrior in 1991.

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​3.  Undertaker
vs.
Undertaker
SummerSlam 1994.

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4.  1st win at Wrestlemania VII ​ starting the Streak vs. Jimmy Snuka.

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5.  vs.
The
Giant Gonzalez
at Wrestlemania IX 

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6.  vs. Diesel at Wrestlemania XII

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7.   Buried Alive Match vs. Mankind.

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8.  Boiler Room Brawl vs. Mankind.

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​9.  vs. Bret Hart at Summerslam with HBK special ref and getting hit with a chair by HBK setting up their match at Hell in a Cell.

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10.   Undertaker vs HBK first ever Hell in a Cell + Kane Debuted in 1997.

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11.  King of the Ring 1998 - Hell in a Cell match vs. Mankind and the 20 foot fall off the top of the cell onto the announce table + the fall through the ring from the top of the Cage.

12.  First time facing his brother Kane
​at Wrestlemania XIV .

13.  Undertaker vs. Kane inferno match 1997.

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14. Casket Match
vs.
HBK
​Royal Rumble 1998.

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15.  Undertaker and the Ministry of Darkness sacrificing Stephanie McMahon.

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16.   Corporate Ministry & Sacrificing Stone Cold Steve Austin + attempting to Embalm Austin with Paul Bearer.

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​17.   Becoming Tag Champs with Steve Austin
at Fully Loaded.
​
​
​18.   Highway to Hell Austin vs. Undertaker
at Summerslam 1998 while they were tag champs.

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​19.   vs. Brock Lesnar -
WWE Championship
Hell in a Cell Match:
No Mercy 2002;
​last Sunday wasn't the 1st time these 2 fought inside a
Hell in a Cell.

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20.   Two incredible matches vs Shawn Michaels @
Wrestlemania 25 
and 26 forcing
HBK into retirement 
after back to back ​
blockbuster performances.

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​21.  Staring at the WrestleMania XXVII banner setting up a match vs. HHH and the rematch the following year vs HHH with Shawn Michaels as the special guest referee at WrestleMania XXVIII.

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22.   vs. Edge at Wrestlemania & vs. Edge in Hell in a Cell at Summerslam 2008 and the choke slam through the Ring.
​
​23.   Undertaker vs. Batista @ Wrestlemania 23.

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24.  Tribute to Paul Bearer + match with CM Punk at Wrestlemania 29.

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25.    Undertaker vs. Brock best of 3 series.
Wrestlemania 31 Winner = Brock Lesnar
Summerslam 2015 Winner = Undertaker 
Hell in a Cell 2015 Winner = Brock Lesnar

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Wrestlemania (22-1 )

 WrestleMania VII

• The Undertaker vs Jimmy "Superfly" Snuka (1-0)

Even though The Undertaker has defeated a wrestling legend in less than 5 minutes, this match wasn't viewed as anything special at the time. No one had a clue that this was the start of something special. With Hulk Hogan ending Sgt. Slaughter's evil grasp on the title, and the Ultimate Warrior sending Randy Savage into retirement, very few people paid much attention to this match.

​WrestleMania VIII

• The Undertaker vs Jake "The Snake" Roberts (2-0)

This was one of the most memorable matches from The Undertaker's WrestleMania winning streak. It was also one of the best feuds of The Undertaker's career. Jake Roberts has long been known as a master of the microphone. With The Undertaker not speaking that often at the time, Jake Roberts skillfully used his brilliance of ring psychology to bring the best of The Undertaker. He ultimately dominated the Snake almost the whole time of match. He even withstood the impact of Roberts' famous DDT after being hit by the move two times. The Undertaker won the match after performing his signature Tombstone Piledriver on Roberts to the concrete floor.

WrestleMania IX

• The Undertaker vs Giant Gonzales (3-0)

This was the only WrestleMania match in The Undertaker's career that he won via disqualification. It happened when the Giant Gonzales suffocated The Undertaker with a cloth soaked in chloroform in which his manager, Harvey Wippleman, gave him during the match. This knocked the Phenom unconscious and he was brought on a stretcher to be treated backstage. After a couple of minutes, a gong sounded, and The Undertaker stormed back into the ring and attacked Gonzales for knocking him out. The Phenom hit him with three clotheslines,the final took the giant down from his feet.

WrestleMania XI

• The Undertaker vs King Kong Bundy (4-0)

At the 1995 Royal Rumble, The Million Dollar Corporation (which included King Kong Bundy), stole The Undertaker's signature "Urn" after his match with Irwin R. Schyster. Undertaker looked for revenge at WrestleMania and defeated King Kong Bundy after delivering a flying clothesline. He may not have retrieved the urn back (because of Kama taking it back from Paul Bearer after The Undertaker claimed it from Ted DiBiase during the match), but The Undertaker had made an impact on The Million Dollar Corporation after the match.

WrestleMania XII

• The Undertaker vs Diesel (5-0)

The feud between The Undertaker and Diesel started after they interfered in each other's quests for the WWE Championship. Having nothing to gain from it, they decided to settle it at WrestleMania XII to a grudge match. It was also one of the memorable matches of The Undertaker's WrestleMania streak, where two big men fought each other into a stalemate, trading big boots, clotheslines, and finishers with each other. The Undertaker also withstood Diesel's finishing move Jacknife Powerbomb after being hit two times. After a chokeslam, The Undertaker finished it with a Tombstone Piledriver, and the fight between two of the biggest men in the WWE was over.

Wrestlemania 13

• The Undertaker vs Sycho Sid (6-0)

This was first of the three title matches in which The Undertaker competed at WrestleMania. During the main event, The Phenom entered the squred-circle with his old ring attire (trench coat, hat, gray tie, gloves, and boots) that he used during his early days. As the match started, the two traded finishers with each other, but that did not work too well. The two big men fought each other to a great match, but after two interferences from Bret Hart, The Undertaker pinned Sycho Sid with a Tombstone Piledriver, thus not only improving his streak to six wins, but also claiming his second WWE Championship in six years.

WrestleMania XIV

• The Undertaker vs Kane (7-0)

This was the first of the two matches against his brother Kane at WrestleMania. The feud between the two began at the 1997 Badd Blood, when Kane cost The Phenom the first ever Hell in a Cell match against Shawn Michaels. At first, The Undertaker, overcome with his emotions to his own brother, refused not to fight him. But as Kane and Paul Bearer forced him to do so week after week, he was almost being convinced, but ending up getting his emotions have the best of him, therefore still refusing to fight Kane. After being locked into a casket and having it set it on fire during the 1998 Royal Rumble, The Undertaker finally agreed to fight his brother at WrestleMania XIV. During the match, The Phenom was almost dominated by Kane, because it was still against his will to fight his own brother, but after delivering three tombstone piledrivers, The Undertaker won the match even though the fight between them was not yet over.

WrestleMania XV

• The Undertaker vs Big Boss Man (8-0)

This was the first of the two Hell in a Cell matches in which The Undertaker has competed at a WrestleMania. It was also the first Hell in a Cell match at a WrestleMania. As The Undertaker's Ministry of Darkness feuded with Vince McMahon's Corporation, McMahon instructed his enforcer, The Big Boss Man to fight The Undertaker at WrestleMania in a Hell in a Cell match. Though bloodied with a baton the Boss Man had used on him, The Undertaker dominated the whole match, and got the win after a Tombstone Piledriver. After the match, the Brood (Gangrel, Edge, andChristian), came from the rafters of the arena and gave their leader a noose. The Undertaker then put it on the Big Boss Man, who was still dazed from the match. As The Brood went back up, Paul Bearer is seen controlling the Hell in a Cell, which causes it to raise up with the Big Boss Man hanging on it, sending the Corporation a message.

WrestleMania X-Seven

• The Undertaker vs Triple H (9-0)

After Triple H cut a promo on an episode of Smackdown!, telling everyone that he had beaten all he needed to beat, The Undertaker showed up and made an exclamation that Triple H have never fought or even beaten him. This started the feud between the two superstars that culminated at WrestleMania X-Seven, as The Phenom requested the match to be done. The Undertaker and Triple H fought each other so intensely that after the referee was knocked out, the fight went all the way through the crowd. It allowed The Undertaker to perform a chokeslam on Triple H on a sea of WWE fans. As they got back into the ring, they traded each other's finishers, After a Last Ride from the top rope, The Undertaker pinned Triple H, despite being busted open with a sledgehammer, thus improving his streak to nine straight wins. This was considered as one of of The Undertaker's greatest WrestleMania matches. This was also the time where more people started to take notice about The Undertaker's undefeated streak.

WrestleMania X8

• The Undertaker vs Ric Flair (10-0)

The feud between The Undertaker and Ric Flair began after Flair cost him the victory at the 2002 No Way Out during The Undertaker's match with The Rock. Afterwards, The Phenom challenged Flair into a match, in which Flair refused a number of times. After The Undertaker attacked Ric Flair's son, David, and threatened to attack his daughter, Flair finally agreed to fight The Phenom in a no-disqualification match. The Undertaker may have dominated almost the entire match, but there are times where Flair gained the advantage from The Undertaker. Despite the interference from Arn Anderson and the nature of a no-disqualification match, the Undertaker defeated Ric Flair after a Tombstone Piledriver. This was the year the undefeated streak took off, as The Undertaker motioned ten fingers for his ten victories after pinning his latest opponent.

WrestleMania XIX

• The Undertaker vs The Big Show and A-Train (11-0)

As The Undertaker feuded with the Big Show during the late 2002, A-Train become a part of the rivalry after he attacked The Phenom after his match with the Big Show at 2003 No Way Out. Also during the time, Nathan Jones has become The Undertaker's protege, training him for their tag-team match at WrestleMania XIX. Later on, the tag-team match became a Handicap match between The Undertaker versus the Big Show and A-Train. Although fighting alone, The Phenom still dominated the whole match, and as he went into trouble, Nathan Jones came to his aid and helped The Undertaker win the match and extend his undefeated streak to eleven wins.

WrestleMania XX

• The Undertaker vs Kane (12-0)

During the Buried Alive match between The Undertaker and Mr.McMahon at the 2003 Survivor Series, Kane attacked his brother and cost him the match, thus The Undertaker ended up being the one buried alive. After the event, Kane held a eulogy telling everyone that The Undertaker is finally dead and is not coming back. He was wrong, during the 2004 Royal Rumble match, a gong sounded, which caused Kane to freak out and to be eliminated by Booker T. This, followed with a series of mind games from The Undertaker, culminated to a match with Kane at WrestleMania XX. As The Undertaker came to the ring, he returned to his "Deadman" persona (with Paul Bearer on his side). As the two brother fought each other, the newly-reborn Deadman finished his brother once and for all with a Tombstone Piledriver and improve his streak to twelve straight wins.

WrestleMania 21

• The Undertaker vs Randy Orton (13-0)

It was billed as the "Legend vs Legend Killer match" for WrestleMania 21. This was one of the few moments throughout the Undertaker's Wrestlemania winning streak where fans believed that it could come to an end. Many felt that Randy Orton would get the win to help elevate him higher into the main event, but even the interferance from his father, Cowboy Bob Orton, and his RKO finishing move wasn't enough to break the streak. The Undertaker won the match after reversing a tombstone piledriver from Orton and performing a tombstone of his own.

WrestleMania XXII

• The Undertaker vs Mark Henry (14-0)

This was billed as a casket match, the first one in WrestleMania history. Despite what one editor wrote in this space earlier, this match is noted as being one of Mark Henry's better performances as he more than held his own throughout. After the match, Undertaker sent a lightning bolt on the casket.

• This match is also the last one to feature the old-style 'coffin' style casket. Subsequent Casket Matches would use modern caskets.

WrestleMania 23

• The Undertaker vs Batista (15-0)

This was one of the Undertaker's finest matches ever. The emotions were there as he was able to win the World Heavyweight Championship from Batista. Plus, the match surprised a lot of fans in that Batista performed much better than expected.

WrestleMania XXIV

• The Undertaker vs Edge (16-0)

Undertaker defeated Edge for the World Heavyweight Title. It was also the first match where The Undertaker won via submission (using his then-unknown Hell's Gate submission hold). However, only about 1 month later Vickie Guererro, who at the time was dating Edge, made Undertaker vacate the title due to his dangerous submission manuever, which he used to win the match at WrestleMania.

WrestleMania XXV

• The Undertaker vs Shawn Michaels (17-0)

Arguably Undertaker's best WrestleMania encounter, Shawn Michaels proved to be the one of the biggest threats to Undertaker's Streak. This match recieved a 5-star rating from critics due to the length and action of the match. It was named the best match of 2009 and will be remembered for many WrestleMania's to come.

WrestleMania XXVI

• The Undertaker vs Shawn Michaels II (18-0)

It was billed as "The Undertaker's Streak vs Shawn Michaels Career" for WrestleMania XXVI. A rematch was made as Michaels has challenged Undertaker to a rematch at next year's Wrestlemania. However, The Undertaker refused, telling Michaels that he has nothing to prove on him anymore. After Shawn Michaels caused him to lose the World Heavyweight Championship to Chris Jericho inside the Elimination Chamber by hitting him with his signature Sweet Chin Music, The Undertaker changed his mind and accepted the rematch but only if Michaels agreed to putting his career on the line. Michaels did, and two-weeks later it was announced the match could only end by pinfall or submission. Though not reaching the height that their Wrestlemania XXV match did, the added stipulation made this match an automatic classic for any wrestling fan.

WrestleMania XXVII

• The Undertaker vs. Triple H II (19-0)

As The Undertaker returned on the February 21st episode of Raw, Triple H also made his return as he interrupted The Phenom. The Game then laid down the challenge for WrestleMania, which The Undertaker accepted. As weeks progressed, Triple would interfere during some random matches and deliver his finisher, the Pedigree, on the announce table to whichever superstar (Sheamus on the first and  Ted Dibiase on the second) comes out, sending a message to The Undertaker. On the week before the match, Triple H would then tell everyone why Shawn Michaels could not defeat The Phenom, and that was because of his emotions, and promised that he is a different person, that he could end the Deadman's winning streak. Also before the match, it was announced that it will be a "No Holds Barred" match. At WrestleMania, the Deadman would gain the momentum during the start of the match. However, Triple H dominated the whole match after he brutalized The Undertaker with chair shots to the point that he could not go on anymore. Although badly beaten up, the Phenom got up to his feet, but ended up being hit by his own Tombstone Piledriver finisher by the Game, to which he would kick out. After delivering two pedigrees resulting in unsuccessful pins, The Game resorted on bringing in the sledgehammer, thinking that it would end the match once and for all. As he was about to use it, the Deadman somehow put him into the Hell's Gate submission hold, in which he locked on Triple H for about a minute. As the Game was about to pass out, he finally submitted as a result of too much pressure from The Undertaker. Despite winning the match and keeping his undefeated streak intact, The Undertaker did not walk out of the arena, but instead was carried off on a cart because he had received too much punishment from Triple H.

WrestleMania XXVIII

• The Undertaker vs. Triple H III (20-0)

This was billed as "End Of An Era" match. During a segment between Triple H and John Laurinaitis the night after the 2012 Royal Rumble, The Undertaker made a surprise return and confronted Triple H. Feeling he has not done enough after the beating he took from the Game at the previous WrestleMania, The Phenom challenged his former opponent for another rematch at that year's WrestleMania. Triple H, feeling that ending the streak would be bad for the business, refused to take the match. As weeks progressed, it was shown that every time Triple H refuses, The Undertaker started to and continuously cut his hair. On the February 20th episode of RAW, after another refusal from Triple H, The Undertaker made a notion to his other previous WrestleMania opponent, Shawn Michaels. He accused Triple H of living in his best friend's shadow and thinks that Michaels was better than The Game. When Triple H hears about it, he become irritated and finally agreed to have the rematch, and promised that he would finish the streak and The Undertaker's career once and for all, but under one condition. The Undertaker must face Triple H in a Hell in a Cell match (the second Hell in a Cell match in which The Undertaker competed in at a WrestleMania). Weeks later, it was revealed that Shawn Michaels was picked as the special guest referee. During their match at WrestleMania, The Game and The Deadman picked up where they left off on their previous encounter. At first, Triple H dominated The Undertaker with chair shots just like their last match. Also, this match has full of emotions not only because of the two competitors, but also because of Michaels being the referee, contemplating to stop the match as his best friend instructed him to do because of The Undertaker looking like he cannot continue, or else The Game will "end it". After being put on Hell's Gate submission hold, Michaels hit a Sweet Chin Music to The Undertaker, which give Triple H and opportunity to also hit the pedigree. Many thought that after being hit by those two finishers, the match would end and the streak would be over, but the Deadman had the instinct to kick out. Afterwards, The Undertaker somehow "came back to life", and attacked Triple H with fury. The Deadman finally dominated The Game until the end of the match, leaving Triple H helpless even from Shawn Michaels. Afterwards, the Game was pinned after an emphatic Tombstone Piledriver, finally The Phenom having his revenge. He now extended his streak to perfect twenty straight wins. After the match, The Undertaker and Shawn Michaels helped carry Triple H back to the locker room and as they were standing on the stage, they hugged each other that signaled an end of an era.

WrestleMania 29

• The Undertaker vs. CM Punk (21-0)

On the start of March 4th episode of "Old School Raw", The Undertaker returned after a year-long hiatus and made everyone known that he will be competing at that year's WrestleMania. At the same night, after losing to John Cena on a number one contender's match for WWE Championship at WrestleMania, CM Punk issued a challenge and promised that he would beat The Undertaker and end his undefeated streak. However, Randy Orton, The Big Show, and Sheamus, also wants to face the Phenom, and so Vickie Guerrero announced a Fatal-4-Way match between the four competitors. At the main event, CM Punk defeated the other three superstars and has fought The Undertaker at WrestleMania 29. The streak of the Undertaker survives yet another year, by defeating CM Punk: The Undertaker locked Punk in a Hell's Gate which the latter countered with an Anaconda Vice, CM Punk tried everything he can to stop the streak (Jumping from the top rope into the table...) but it still wasn't enough. The Undertaker puts Punk through a Piledriver but Punk miraculously kicks out of the pin, The Phenom then knocks out the referee unintentionally, while held by Undertaker for a Last Ride, Punk receives the Urn from Paul Heyman in the corner, CM Punk hits the Undertaker with the Urn in the back of the head. In the end, Undertaker with a second Piledriver ended the Match to extend the streak for another year.

WrestleMania 30

• The Undertaker vs. Brock Lesnar (21-1) the end of the Streak

The End of the Streak. On the February 24, 2014 episode of Raw, Heyman stated that Lesnar had requested a match for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship, instead receiving an open contract to face anyone of his choosing at WrestleMania XXX. Heyman said that Lesnar felt insulted by this and that he would not be appearing at WrestleMania at all. The Undertaker then returned and chokeslammed Lesnar through a table, setting up their match at WrestleMania. Lesnar would ultimately defeat and pin The Undertaker and end the Streak after delivering 3 F5s.

WrestleMania 31

• The Undertaker vs. Bray Wyatt (22-1)

The iconic Undertaker exhibits no signs of fatigue following his loss to Brock Lesnar at last year's WrestleMania.  One should never raise the dead.  That much was clear in the final moments of Bray Wyatt’s encounter with The Undertaker at WrestleMania 31. Wyatt had rattled The Deadman’s casket, beckoned him to The Grandest Stage of Them All to make an example of The Phenom and prove to the world that Bray was WWE’s New Face of Fear.  Instead, he learned that WrestleMania is still The Undertaker’s yard.