The Undertaker is a popular figure to all wrestling fans, both old and young. His character is one of the most recognized among spectators; especially those who watched him destroy even the top superstars in the business at Wrestlemania within the past two decades.
However, not many recognize the impacts and relevance of The Phenom to the wrestling world. Although we’ve witnessed many legendary superstars take to the ring to entertain us with their incredible abilities across many years, Taker belongs in a class of his own when it comes to rating the greatest superstars who have graced the squared circle.
He has done a lot of things that put him in an exclusive zone in the world of sports entertainment. With many records and achievements, he deserves a lot of recognition. As a result, we present to you 10 reasons why The Undertaker is the greatest wrestler in history:
#10. Longevity and Consistency
It doesn’t require much critical thinking to realize that the Undertaker belongs in a class of his own when we start rating the top superstars in the world of sports entertainment.
No superstar in WWE history has spent up to a quarter of a century at the top. The Deadman’s stay in WWE’s main event scene has lasted for more than two decades, in which he has beaten almost every elite superstar that rose up during those years.
Counting from Triple H to Hulk Hogan to Jake ‘The Snake’ Roberts and Locozuna, The Phenom has derived a lot of fame from beating his fellow elite WWE superstars. The Undertaker has been a reliable figure to the brand for many years, stepping up at vital moments to deliver epic performances that send the fans wild.
Already in the twilight of his career, Taker is still showing us that he isn’t finished yet. He remains one of the top superstars on the WWE main roster at the moment.
#9. Successful with diverse personas
Over the course of his 20+ years in the world of wrestling, The Undertaker has developed many different personas and thrived with every one of them. That is a great feat for The Phenom as several superstars have failed to embrace and make their new personas over with the WWE universe.
The Undertaker has been a popular figure throughout his wrestling career even though he evolved from his initial persona of The Western Mortician via The Dead Man and The Lord of Darkness in the late ’90s.
One of the finest personas the Undertaker embraced was The American Bad Ass which he used upon returning from injury at Judgement Day in 2000. During this period, he was a biker complete with sunglasses, bandana on his head, a jean shirt and a motorcycle.
The Big Evil persona, which he embraced to play a heel, followed thereafter. Despite utilizing these diverse personas, the Undertaker still managed to receive big reactions and that is another thing that puts him above the rest.
#8. Respect from fellow superstars
When your rivals admit to your greatness, there’s no need for a debate. The Undertaker is probably the most respected superstar in the wrestling world; not just among the spectators but also in the midst of his co-wrestlers. This is another thing that solidifies his stake for being the greatest superstar to step into the squared circle.
Many quotes have been recorded from the top figures in the business highlighting the Phenom’s spot at the top of the ladder. Below are a few of elite superstars heaping praises on him:
Kurt Angle: “He is our leader, and I consider Undertaker the best ever”
Triple H: “He is the greatest legend in the history of this business”
Shawn Michaels: “Wrestling against Undertaker was the best professional experience of my life.”
#7. Influence in the Locker Room
Wrestlers earn greatness through the many things they do in the squared circle but greatness also comes from their exploits in the locker room. This is another thing that makes the Undertaker unique and sets him in an exclusive class among his colleagues.
The Phenom has repeatedly stepped up to the plate when negotiation is required from the superstars with the top brass in the company, or during moments when decorum needs to be maintained in the locker-room.
There are many accounts that clearly depict Undertaker’s greatness and incredible value in the locker room. The Montreal Screwjob is one of them. His act, which involved Shawn Michaels and Stone Cold Steve Austin that led to the latter claiming his first world title and kickstarting the Attitude era, will be remembered as one of the highlights of his decorated career.
#6. Amazing character
It is an indisputable fact that The Undertaker is without doubts, the greatest character in WWE history. No gimmick has been more successful and no other character has garnered the respect and adulation from both the spectators and fellow superstars like The Deadman has.
Everything regarding The Undertaker has been amazing. From the unnatural white smoke to the unsettling entrance to the myth-like mystique that he possesses has been immensely successful and well-received by the fans. The Deadman has done many unbelievable deeds that deserve a lot of recognition from the wrestling world.
His iconic entrance into Wrestlemania 28 when he took on an old foe, Triple H in a ‘Hell in a Cell’ match will be remembered for long. His scary character that has never failed to invite fear into the minds of his opponents is one of the attributes that make him a legend.
#5. Relevance
Being relevant at the top of the wrestling world even after spending over twenty years in the business is totally out of this world. As a matter of fact, there’s simply no writing off the Undertaker at any point in his career.
Unlike other legends such as Ric Flair, Hulk Hogan or Mick Foley, the Phenom’s match has never been looked upon as just a nostalgic bout. Many top stars start drawing back and the fans start expecting less from them when they grow older.
However, the case is not the same for the Undertaker. Despite having spent 25 years in the industry, the expectation surrounding his performances has not diminished as a result of his lack of relevance.
After spending over two decades in a company, still being legitimately relevant with regard to the pro-wrestling aspect of the industry is a feat that has never really been achieved by any other wrestler.
#4. Two successive World Heavyweight Championship wins at WrestleMania
The heritage of the World Heavyweight Title can be traced back to the first world heavyweight championship, which gives the belt a legacy of being more than 100 years old and making it the oldest in the world of wrestling. Thus, it was a very significant title in the Wrestling business.
The Undertaker entered the history books in 2008 when he became the first and only superstar to compete for the World Heavyweight Championship, the highly coveted title that was introduced by Eric Bischoff in 2002, at back-to-back WrestleManias and claim the belt on both occasions.
After defeating Dave Batista to win the title at WrestleMania 23 in a sensational match that sent the wrestling world wild, the Undertaker then got the better of Edge at the subsequent edition of the event, tapping out the champion to pick up the world title for the second straight year.
#3. The Incredible Wrestlemania Streak
When it was still active, The Undertaker’s unbelievable Wrestlemania streak was one of the major WWE’s marketing centerpieces. A lot of wrestling fans flooded to the stadium to watch Wrestlemania annually. The main reason behind many spectators maintaining their interest in watching the iconic show is simply the incredible streak the Undertaker had at the event.
For over two decades, fans rushed to their television sets to see if maybe, the challenging superstar could successfully put an end to the most incredible winning streak in sports-entertainment history. By ending the streak at Wrestlemania 30, WWE surrendered one of their biggest annual selling points for Wrestlemania.
Nevertheless, the streak didn’t just write the Undertaker’s name in the history books for being one of the longest the wrestling world has witnessed, it also grants him a foothold in the debate for the greatest wrestling superstars of all-time.
#2. Top Class Feuds
Being a top wrestler is one thing, the ability to attract top-class feuds with major superstars and making the opportunity count by delivering eye-catching performances to the audience is another one entirely. This is another area the Undertaker stands out in the elites league.
The Phenom has had hundreds of great rivalries in his career as well as a plethora of fantastic wrestling matches with a variety of talent. In particular, his feud/alliance with his half-brother, Kane is the finest piece of long-term and epic storytelling the WWE has ever done.
The feud between these big stars meant a lot to the fans, and the story that the duo told was quite impressive. Moreover, the Undertaker has over the years, had hugely notable feuds with top foes. He delivered epic performances against the likes of Shawn Michaels, Hulk Hogan, Mankind, Triple H, Brock Lesnar, Stone Cold Steve Austin, and Edge.
#1. Ability In The Ring
As wrestling fans, we often fail to realize that size generally limits a wrestler’s athleticism and speed. Hence, while we may be generous in praising cruiser-weight like Dolph Ziggler for his exploits in the ring, we need to realize that we can’t expect the same type of performance from a heavyweight because of the athletic concession that comes along with having a big frame.
The Undertaker, however, has shown repeatedly over his career an uncanny athletic ability that contradicts his frame. That enables him to pull off spots like Old School and also affords him the option of utilizing high-flying moves from his skill-set to add spice to proceedings when needed.
The Phenom has fantastic moves that drive spectators wild. His tombstone pile-driver and chokeslam are some of the moves that fans never tire of seeing in the squared circle. Even at the latter phase of his career, he still has one of the strongest grips in the bus
