The Streak was a series of 21 consecutive victories for professional wrestler The Undertaker (Mark Calaway) at WWE's annual flagship marquee event, WrestleMania. It began at WrestleMania VII in 1991 when he beat Jimmy Snuka, with the final win coming against CM Punk at WrestleMania 29 in 2013; The Undertaker was absent from WrestleMania X in 1994 and WrestleMania 2000, owing to injury. Overall, he defeated 18 men during the Streak, which included three bouts with Triple H and two each opposite Kane and Shawn Michaels, as well as a handicap match against A-Train and Big Show at WrestleMania XIX.
The Streak became the cornerstone of WrestleMania, with a potential win over The Undertaker at the event being described as a greater honor than winning the WWE Championship. For years, debate had revolved around who, if anybody, should break the Streak, with prominent wrestlers giving comment. At WrestleMania XXX in 2014, The Undertaker lost by pinfall to Brock Lesnar, thus ending the Streak.
Background
WrestleMania WrestleMania is the premier annual event of the largest professional wrestling promotion in the United States, WWE. Formed as a counter to Jim Crockett Promotions' successful Starrcade event, WrestleMania I was broadcast to one million nationwide via closed-circuit television and pay-per-view. WrestleMania's widespread success helped transform professional wrestling and made WWE the most successful wrestling promotion in the world, prompting WWE to promote the event as the "Super Bowl of sports entertainment".
The Undertaker Born Mark William Calaway on March 24, 1965, in Houston, The Undertaker is a former American professional wrestler. He is currently retired from the WWE, where he had worked since 1990, making him the company's longest-tenured in-ring performer. Holding the streak for most wins at WrestleMania, Calaway began his wrestling career with World Class Championship Wrestling (WCCW) in 1987. After wrestling for World Championship Wrestling (WCW) as "Mean" Mark Callous from 1989 to 1990, he signed with the World Wrestling Federation (WWF, later WWE) in 1990. In WWE, The Undertaker is a seven-time world champion, having won the WWF/E Championship four times and the World Heavyweight Championship three times, as well as the winner of the 2007 Royal Rumble. He is recognized as the fourth youngest WWF/E Champion in history, having won the championship aged 26 years, 8 months, and 3 days.
Match statistics WrestleMania record breakdown27 matches25 wins2 lossesBy pinfall202By submission20By disqualification10By casket10By burial10 +WrestleMania win–loss record of The UndertakerResult Rec. Opponent Date Match time and method of victoryVenue NoteWin1–0Jimmy SnukaWrestleMania VII4:20PinfallLos Angeles Memorial Sports ArenaLos Angeles, CaliforniaWin2–0Jake RobertsWrestleMania VIII6:36PinfallHoosier DomeIndianapolis, IndianaWin3–0Giant GonzálezWrestleMania IX7:33DisqualificationCaesars PalaceLas Vegas, NevadaWin4–0King Kong BundyWrestleMania XI6:36PinfallHartford Civic CenterHartford, ConnecticutWin5–0DieselWrestleMania XII16:46PinfallArrowhead PondAnaheim, CaliforniaWin6–0Sycho SidWrestleMania 1321:19PinfallRosemont HorizonRosemont, IllinoisWin7–0KaneWrestleMania XIV17:05PinfallFleet CenterBoston, MassachusettsWin8–0Big Boss ManWrestleMania XV9:48PinfallFirst Union CenterPhiladelphia, PennsylvaniaWin9–0Triple HWrestleMania X-Seven18:19PinfallReliant AstrodomeHouston, TexasWinRic FlairWrestleMania X818:47PinfallSkyDomeToronto, Ontario, CanadaWin11–0A-Train and Big ShowWrestleMania XIX9:45PinfallSafeco FieldSeattle, WashingtonWin12–0KaneWrestleMania XX7:45PinfallMadison Square GardenNew York City, New YorkWin13–0Randy OrtonWrestleMania 2114:14PinfallStaples CenterLos Angeles, CaliforniaWin14–0Mark HenryWrestleMania 229:26CasketAllstate ArenaRosemont, IllinoisWin15–0BatistaWrestleMania 2315:47PinfallFord FieldDetroit, MichiganWin16–0EdgeWrestleMania XXIV23:50SubmissionCitrus BowlOrlando, FloridaWin17–0Shawn MichaelsWrestleMania XXV30:41PinfallReliant StadiumHouston, TexasWin18–0Shawn MichaelsWrestleMania XXVI23:59PinfallUniversity of Phoenix StadiumGlendale, ArizonaWin19–0Triple HWrestleMania XXVII29:22SubmissionGeorgia DomeAtlanta, GeorgiaWin20–0Triple HWrestleMania XXVIII30:50PinfallSun Life StadiumMiami Gardens, FloridaWin21–0CM PunkWrestleMania 2922:07PinfallMetLife StadiumEast Rutherford, New JerseyLoss21–1Brock LesnarWrestleMania XXX25:12PinfallMercedes-Benz SuperdomeNew Orleans, LouisianaWin22–1Bray WyattWrestleMania 3115:12PinfallLevi's StadiumSanta Clara, CaliforniaWin23–1Shane McMahonWrestleMania 3230:05PinfallAT&T StadiumArlington, TexasLoss23–2Roman ReignsWrestleMania 3323:00PinfallCamping World StadiumOrlando, FloridaWin24–2John CenaWrestleMania 342:46PinfallMercedes-Benz SuperdomeNew Orleans, LouisianaWin25–2AJ StylesMarch 25–26, 2020WrestleMania 3619:18BurialWWE Performance CenterOrlando, Florida
The Streak The beginning of the Streak (4–0)
Early into The Undertaker's career, he would defeat various jobbers and other established stars in squash matches, leading to a match with Jimmy "Superfly" Snuka. The match at WrestleMania VII ended when Snuka's attempted springboard maneuver was countered as The Undertaker caught him, and he then hit the Tombstone Piledriver before pinning Snuka. The match has been described retrospectively as "incredibly important" for a match seen at the time as a throwaway match.
In mid-1991, The Undertaker aligned himself with Jake "The Snake" Roberts in his feud with Ultimate Warrior. However, during an episode of Saturday Night's Main Event in February 1992, The Undertaker turned face and defended Randy Savage's manager and wife, Miss Elizabeth, from Roberts's attack. Two weeks later during a "Funeral Parlor" segment, when berated by Roberts regarding whose side he was on, The Undertaker responded, "Not yours". The feud culminated in a match at WrestleMania VIII, where, after delivering his finishing move, the DDT, for the second time, Roberts went to the outside to attack The Undertaker's manager Paul Bearer. The Undertaker then recovered and delivered a Tombstone Piledriver to Roberts on the floor, before rolling him inside the ring and pinning him. Wrestler Bret Hart was critical of the finish, in particular Roberts' role, describing him as "sneaky" for receiving The Undertaker's finishing move outside the ring, preventing a clean victory for the younger wrestler. Calaway credits Roberts for providing him with advice and insight in his early career, while Roberts said he knew from the very beginning Calaway would become a superstar as The Undertaker.
In late 1992 and into early 1993, The Undertaker had been feuding with Harvey Wippleman and engaged in matches with the various wrestlers managed by Wippleman. During the 1993 Royal Rumble, Wippleman introduced Giant Gonzáles. Gonzáles then illegally entered the Royal Rumble match and eliminated The Undertaker. This set up a match between the two at WrestleMania IX, in which Giant Gonzáles was disqualified when he covered The Undertaker's face with a cloth covered in chloroform. This was the only disqualification victory in The Undertaker's streak, as all other wins were obtained by pinfall, submission, or casket. Calaway has described it as the most physically and mentally straining match he ever wrestled, and is rated as amongst the worst matches in his career. Originally, the WWF planned to have Nailz feud with The Undertaker and would have featured an "electric chair match" with Nailz losing and being “electrocuted”. This storyline would be scrapped after Nailz was fired for attacking Vince McMahon over a financial dispute.
Throughout 1994, The Undertaker was sidelined through a legitimate injury and missed WrestleMania X as a consequence. In the months that followed, Ted DiBiase, leader of The Million Dollar Corporation, introduced his own Undertaker, prompting a long-running feud between The Undertaker and the Corporation. King Kong Bundy would represent the Million Dollar Corporation when he faced The Undertaker at WrestleMania XI in 1995. The match, refereed by baseball umpire Larry Young, finished when The Undertaker first bodyslammed and then delivered a flying clothesline to King Kong Bundy before pinning him. The Undertaker never losing at WrestleMania was acknowledged for the first time on commentary during Undertaker's entrance in this match.
Major feuds (8–0) At the 1996 Royal Rumble, The Undertaker faced Bret Hart for the WWF Championship, but Diesel cost him the match due to interference. As revenge, The Undertaker cost Diesel his WWF Championship match at In Your House: Rage in the Cage the following month. The two settled their feud at WrestleMania XII, which would be Diesel's final match at the annual event before leaving the company and moving to WCW a couple of months later. Diesel lost via pinfall after The Undertaker delivered the Tombstone Piledriver.
In February 1997, Shawn Michaels vacated the WWF Championship 3 days before the In Your House 13: Final Four event, leaving the championship to be decided at the event in a four corners elimination match between The Undertaker, Bret Hart, Vader and "Stone Cold" Steve Austin. Hart won the match and the championship, but lost it to Sycho Sid in a match the following night on Raw. While Hart and Austin continued their feud, The Undertaker challenged Sid for the WWF Championship at WrestleMania 13. Hart interfered in the match at WrestleMania 13 by hitting Sid with a steel chair. The Undertaker followed up the chair shot by Hart with a Tombstone Piledriver to Sid before pinning him to claim the WWF Championship for the second time, his first reign, in five years, only to later drop the title at SummerSlam 1997, to Bret Hart by an accidental chair shot by special guest referee Shawn Michaels.
Undertaker, after losing the WWF Championship, went after Shawn Michaels, in a small feud leading up to the first-ever Hell in a Cell match between the two at Badd Blood: In Your House, and during the match, Kane was introduced by Paul Bearer to cost The Undertaker the match and the following match at the 1998 Royal Rumble in a casket match thanks to Kane. Kane, before he locked The Undertaker in the casket and set it on fire, leaving people to presume The Undertaker had met his demise, constantly challenged him to many fights, yet The Undertaker refused to fight his flesh and blood. However, The Undertaker would return a month later and challenged Kane to a match at WrestleMania XIV. After Kane had kicked out of two Tombstone Piledrivers (the first man ever to do so), The Undertaker delivered a third to pick up the win over his (storyline) brother. But the rivalry leading up to WrestleMania XIV, only would later, start the ongoing war that would last only two decades from now.
Late-1998 saw the creation of The Undertaker's Ministry of Darkness, and in turn, reignited his pursuit for the WWF Championship. Along the way, he opted to switch targets, and aimed to take control of the entire World Wrestling Federation. In feuding with The Corporation, The Undertaker faced the stable's enforcer, Big Boss Man at WrestleMania XV inside Hell in a Cell. The first WrestleMania match to take place inside Hell in a Cell ended when The Undertaker executed a Tombstone Piledriver to Big Boss Man, who was then hanged from a noose with the help of The Brood and Paul Bearer. The match is regarded as one of the worst and most controversial Hell in a Cell matches of all time, until Hell in a Cell (2019) that the match between Seth Rollins and the late "The Fiend" Bray Wyatt for the defunct WWE Universal Championship ended in a No-Contest, thus breaking the record for the worst Hell in a Cell match of all time two decades later.
The American Bad-Ass years (11–0)