The Greatest Performer in Survivor Series History: The Undertaker (Enigma vs. Enigma)

First published on WrestleEnigma.com

When I think of Survivor Series, I don’t think of Bret Hart. I don’t think of Shawn Michaels. I don’t think of Macho Man. The man that is synonymous with Survivor Series to me is none other than The Undertaker. Undertaker debuted at the 1990 Survivor Series pay-per-view as part of “The Million Dollar Man” Ted DiBiase’s team, quickly making an impact after pinning Koko B. Ware one minute and a half into the match. The Undertaker would never get pinned in this match since he would get counted out while going after Dusty Rhodes – a man that The Undertaker eliminated previously with a double sledge off the top rope. The following year at Survivor Series, Undertaker would cement his legacy by capturing his first WWF Championship from Hulk Hogan.

The Undertaker would continue to win at Survivor Series the following year, defeating “The Ugandan Giant” Kamala. The Undertaker would participate in the main event of the 1993 Survivor Series as a part of Lex Luger’s “All-American” team. Undertaker would fare well in this match until he got counted out after brawling with Yokozuna outside the ring. This started the feud for Undertaker’s next Survivor Series match. After losing a casket match at the 1994 Royal Rumble, Undertaker would return at SummerSlam defeating Ted DiBiase’s “Undertaker” (commonly known as “Underfaker”). A rematch in between Yokozuna and Undertaker In a casket match was scheduled as the main event for the 1994 Survivor Series where The Undertaker was victorious.

At the 1995 Survivor Series, Undertaker would be the captain for his own Survivor Series team, coined “The Darkside.” Along with Savio Vega, Fatu (recently known as Rikishi) and Henry Godwinn, The Darkside would defeat King Mabel’s royal team. The Undertaker would be the star of this match, pinning Jerry Lawler, Hunter Hearst Helmsley and Isaac Yankem. “The Phenom” would also scare King Mabel into getting counted out of the match, continuing his dominance. The dominant Undertaker would continue on his path of destruction at the 1996 Survivor Series, defeating Mankind.

Although The Undertaker would not appear at the 1997 Survivor Series pay-per-view, he would appear at the 1998 Survivor Series, competing in two matches. In his first match at Survivor Series ’98, Undertaker defeated his brother Kane after a Tombstone Piledriver. The Undertaker would not be so lucky in his second match, losing against The Rock after interference from his opponent earlier in the night, Kane. The Undertaker, thanks to a groin injury in September of 1999, was not able to compete at the 1999 Survivor Series.

Returning to the Survivor Series pay-per-view in 2000, Undertaker competed against Kurt Angle for the WWF Championship. Although a valiant effort was put on by “The Deadman,” he would come up short in his quest to win the WWF Championship for the fourth time after interference from Eric Angle, Kurt Angle’s brother. In 2001, The Undertaker would face Kurt Angle again at Survivor Series, although this time, Undertaker was on “Team WWF” and Angle was on “Team Alliance.” Undertaker was the fourth man eliminated from this bout, being pinned by his opponent from the previous Survivor Series pay-per-view – Kurt Angle.

After not appearing at the ’02 Survivor Series, Undertaker would return to Survivor Series in 2003, fighting WWE Chairman Vince McMahon in a “Buried Alive” match. Although this was a match made specifically for The Undertaker himself, Undertaker would get buried alive after interference from his brother and old nemesis Kane. This allowed Undertaker to take a brief hiatus from wrestling, but did not make Undertaker miss Survivor Series 2004.

At the 2004 event, Undertaker, once again under the “Deadman” gimmick, would defeat the up-and-coming psychopath Heidenreich after a chokeslam and a Tombstone Piledriver. The Undertaker was written off television at No Mercy 2005 by Randy and Bob Orton, but he would make his historic return at Survivor Series 2005, emerging from a flaming casket and laying waste on most of the SmackDown roster. The Undertaker would put over a young star at next year’s Survivor Series pay-per-view, losing to Ken Kennedy (now known as Mr. Anderson in TNA) in a First Blood match after interference from Kennedy’s then-ally, Montel Vontavious Porter. Undertaker got the last laugh, however, pummeling Kennedy with a chair shot and a–to quote Michael Cole– vintage Tombstone Piledriver.

The Undertaker would once again find himself in the main event at the 2007 Survivor Series, going one-on-one against then-World Heavyweight Champion, Dave Batista. After a grueling match, The Undertaker had Batista beaten after a brutal Tombstone Piledriver on the steel steps but lost after the returning Edge pulled the official out of the ring and hit “The Lord of Darkness” with a con-chair-to on the same steel steps that Undertaker had piledriven Batista on.

The Undertaker would go on to defeat The Big Show at the 2008 Survivor Series in a casket match. This would not be the last time that Big Show and ‘Taker met at a Survivor Series pay-per-view since The Undertaker would face off against Chris Jericho and The Big Show in a triple-threat match for his World Heavyweight Championship at Survivor Series 2009. After a memorable match and the infamous “I’m from Winnipeg, you idiot!” quote, Undertaker came out victorious.

Although The Undertaker was not able to appear at the 2010 Survivor Series pay-per-view after being buried at the hands of Kane once again, he had already cemented his status as the best performer in Survivor Series history.

I’d like to see you tell me that you don’t remember Undertaker being buried at Survivor Series 2003 or returning from a flaming casket at Survivor Series 2005. The Undertaker’s very debut was at Survivor Series and I would not be surprised if his very end was at Survivor Series. Although you may not notice it now, The Undertaker has given tons of memorable Survivor Series moments. Although The Undertaker would not be as big of a legend as he is today without Survivor Series, Survivor Series would not be considered a “big four” pay-per-view by the WWE Universe if it weren’t for “The Demon of Death Valley.”

Thank you for reading this and if you don’t realize that The Undertaker is the best performer in Survivor Series history, then you might as well rest… in… peace.