That's the question I want answered, plain and simple. I'm watching No Way Out 07 and they're in the main event tag match. They came in to face each other and the fans had no idea what to think but they all were clearly glued to the ring. These two are both huge stars, but who has had the better career? Use whatever criteria you like, but tell me your thoughts.
Who has had a better career as of this moment: John Cena or the Undertaker?
Y'know, I was going to say that "as of this moment" was an important qualifier, but now that I think about it, it really isn't. John Cena's career, though shorter, has been better than The Undertaker's, in just about every way.
Onscreen, John Cena was given a much more versatile character, and that has given room to do more to better his career. Since he's basically playing himself, he can transform his character, as he's done many times, from a heel rapper, to the pure brawling babyface we have today. He's undergone several smaller alterations seemlessly, as well. With Undertaker, his gimmick is largely static. With the obvious exception of the American Badass 'Taker, a match from any point in his career looks pretty much the same from any other point (Not to take away from 'Taker; he has a proven formula that virtually always delivers). Some of the WWE's huge angles need a character like Cena, and wouldn't work as well with Undertaker, such as the recent Nexus angle. Since Cena has the more versatile character, he's been able to do more in different ways. He's the more personable character, so the crowd connects to him more, and the crowd is an excellent barometer of who's having a good or bad career. In addition, Cena's charismatic character has allowed him to do more to cement his legacy outside of the ring. His work with organizations like Make-A-Wish and his media appearances are things that The Undertaker could never really take advantage of.
Not to mention, Cena's the poster child. Nobody is above Cena in the WWE now, and it's been that way for some time. With Undertaker, he's always been at the top, but for most of the time, it's been shared with another main eventer. The Undertaker is something of a household name, but he shared that honor with several other wrestlers at the same time. The Golden Age brings up images of superstars such as Hogan, Andre, Ultimate Warrior, and The Undertaker. The Attitude Era brings up images of Stone Cold, The Rock, and The Undertaker. The current era? John Cena.
John Cena and The Undertaker will always be remembered as some of the greatest of all time, but Cena had the better career. His character in and out of the ring makes him the bigger name, and the bigger superstar.
The Undertaker has been on top of the WWE in the main event scene for literally 20 years, has the most prestigious winning streak of all time being 18-0 at wrestlemania, has held numerous World Heavyweight Championships and has arguably the best gimmick of all time. Im sorry but when it comes to success, especially in the WWE its the Undertaker, to be honest at least at this stage in his career i dont think Cena should be in the same breathe when it comes to careers and or legacys as The Undertaker.
I have to agree with JackGallow. As far as I'm concerned, The Undertaker has had the better career. He's stayed pretty much at the top since he first showed up in WWE.
To Serious Jones....Although I do agree with you that The Undertaker has been at the top with other well known superstars....I think you may have purposefully left out the top names that John Cena has been with....names such as Kurt Angle, THE UNDERTAKER, Triple H, Randy Orton, Batista, Edge, JBL, and Chris Jericho. All of those superstars were at the top at the times they have all faced Cena. Not to mention...Yes, Cena does do many things outside of the company FOR the company...when it comes to in the WWE (on television), The Undertaker was at the top from day one, Cena hasn't been.
I have to go with the Undertaker on this one. While sure, both of these wrestlers have had amazing careers--both proving that they are worthy of being in the spots they are in the company, it is the Undertaker who has generated the overall more success when it comes to professional wrestling. For starters, the Undertaker has had a much longer career than Cena meaning that he's had a bigger oppurtunity of being able to accomplish so much more in the business. From his debut as the Undertaker, to his teaming with Kane to become the Brothers of Destruction, to the Ministry of Darkness, to the American Bad-ass gimmick, and then back again to the Deadman Persona--the Undertaker has delivered more exciting, extravagant feuds the likes of which we have all enjoyed. Sure, there were a few hits and misses in between, but overall Undertaker has had a career to be desired.
On the other hand, you have John Cena who has achieved a numerous amount of accomplishes in his short time with the WWE. John Cena little by little gained the respect of so many in the WWE and eventually progressed to become the current torch holder of the company as well as the poster boy. Cena has delivered some great feuds as well as have held numerous title reigns. John Cena--whether you like him or hate him--is one of the best people to ever walk inside the squ ared ring.
However, as great that these two have been, it is the Undertaker who has had a much greater career. Undertaker may not have had as many titles as Cena has, but he has generated other accomplishes that no one else could ever hope of making. For instance, Undertaker holds a long-ass fuck undefeated streak at Wrestlemania. That alone is enough to credit him for how good he is. Another accomplish that warrants him for having had a better career is how well liked he is with everyone. Undertaker could chokeslam a baby and people will still cheer for him. He's just got this ability that no matter what he does, you just have to mark out for the guy. Then there's all the amazing fueds he's been through which considering the amount, it more than qualifies to overshadow Cena's.
In the end, I think the comparison is really close. Both are both worthy of being declared the best; and both have had amazing careers. But I have to give this to Undertaker mainly because he's had a much longer career and thus had more time to accomplish more. Although Cena is still in the prime of his career; who knows if ten years by now the result will be the same because, well, I don't think so...
Undertaker had a presence from Day 1 and was a champion in just a year!! Cena was not!! Although Cena has won more wold titles, Undertaker does not alwys need to have titles to have strong rivialries and good storylines, Cena has only been doing that recently and its going ok but nowhere on the same level as taker/shawn michaels!!! Also respect for the undertaker is immense, He has helped most backstage and onscreen putting people over!! if u can put over kali u can put over any1!!! well done taker u will win this poll and u are one of the greatest with the greatest gimmick!! Ps I do have ttal respect for everything cena has done and will surely achieve but he is not to be on the level of the wrestlers from the attitude era who gave so much to the company i.e rock austin taker triple h shawn michaels but on the level of the pre/and pg era as orton edge mysterio batista guerro
To Serious Jones....Although I do agree with you that The Undertaker has been at the top with other well known superstars....I think you may have purposefully left out the top names that John Cena has been with....names such as Kurt Angle, THE UNDERTAKER, Triple H, Randy Orton, Batista, Edge, JBL, and Chris Jericho.
To me, I think Cena is much more at the forefront of this era than anyone else, and I don't think that was the case in the Attitude Era (though a case can be made for Hogan in his prime and in his era). When you think of the current product, is JBL really who comes to mind? Everyone you named is great in their own right, but I think that Cena trumps them (including The Undertaker) in terms of who's the most iconic of the current times.
On a side note, it looks like I'm going to be on the less popular side of this topic, and I'd like to point out that for what it's worth, I'm by no means a huge Cena fan. I enjoy The Undertaker more as a whole, probably. That was just my objective opinion.
With a topic this broad, I don't think that there's a definitive answer. "Better" is a subjective term, so everyone has different opinions. Valid arguments can be made for both men.
The Undertaker has been on top of the WWE in the main event scene for literally 20 years, has the most prestigious winning streak of all time being 18-0 at wrestlemania, has held numerous World Heavyweight Championships and has arguably the best gimmick of all time. Im sorry but when it comes to success, especially in the WWE its the Undertaker, to be honest at least at this stage in his career i dont think Cena should be in the same breathe when it comes to careers and or legacys as The Undertaker.
Hits the nail so ridiculously on the head. The Undertaker is the epitome of success and respect in the WWE. Furthermore, you don't really see him booed by half of every arena he appears in. When the guy is set to be on Raw, it's literally a special event. The Undertaker is the definition of spectacle in the WWE. His gimmick is so successful it has multiple matches structured around it. Hell...it has multiple characters structured around it. The career of John Cena will never match the legacy, importance, prestige, or impact of that of The Dead Man.
I do agree that this will be something that everyone will have their own reasons as to why who was better than who. Although, I do find it interesting that Serious Jones says that Undertaker wasn't at the forefront of the attitude era...by the way...when was the Ministry of Darkness (which later was found out to be headed by Mr. McMahon)?
Another reason I go with Undertaker having a better career...is because basically, his career is pretty much over. We all know he's not going to be competing very much longer. I can't (In My Own Opinion) say that a superstar who just started (compared to Taker) has had a better CAREER than one who has been wrestling for several decades. And before someone jumps all over me saying that....YES, I did read that the question is based on where they are at this particular moment.
The Undertaker has, by far, had the better career. Sure, John Cena may be a former nine-time world champion, while The Undertaker's only a seven-time former world champion, but The Undertaker's championship reigns have all been more meaningful than Cena's. Additionally, can Cena say he's been wrestling for 26 years? No. Can Cena say that he's adapted his wrestling style over the years? Not really. Can Cena say he's 18-0 at WrestleMania? He sure can't. Will Cena ever be able to say that he's 18-0? Never. The Undertaker is one of the most decorated, feared, and respected athletes in the history of the business, which is more than we can say about Cena. Sure, John Cena may be the face of WWE, but that's because the children love him. When it comes down to it, The Undertaker has had the better career. Plain and simple.
Cena , my reasoning for saying that is because Undertakers entire legacy is his WM streak and without that he wouldn't be nearly as legendary or memorable
John Cena however is alot more impactful and the things he does and says are more memorable , maybe because he actually talks unlike the undertaker?
The Undertaker has, by far, had the better career. Sure, John Cena may be a former nine-time world champion, while The Undertaker's only a seven-time former world champion, but The Undertaker's championship reigns have all been more meaningful than Cena's.
How were Undertaker's reigns more meaningful? I'm not going to analyze title reign but I'm going to hit the main ones.
Undertaker's first one was nice as he beat Hogan but I would have been more impressed if Andre didn't beat him in 1988 and held the until then but I don't think anybody would have wanted to see Hogan as champion for seven straight years. His second one was pretty decent and the end set in motion his match at Hell in a Cell and his subsequent feud with Kane. The other ones haven't been as meaningful.
Cena's first one was meaningful as he was in the midcard scene for almost three years working his way up and finding favor with the crowd when he turned face in 2003. He held that title for eight months. His third title reign lasted over a year when he took on and defeated all comers. His reign was a reign of stability. Cena was always a top draw as champion. Undertaker wasn't.
Additionally, can Cena say he's been wrestling for 26 years? No.
Longevity doesn't mean as much as you are giving it credit for. Stan Stasiak wrestled for almost thirty years. Randy Orton has been wrestling the same amount of time as Cena. Who would you say has had the better career? Stasiak or Orton?
Can Cena say that he's adapted his wrestling style over the years? Not really.
I'm sure Cena goes to sleep at night worrying that he could have won at WM 24 and be 7-0. Oh well.
Undertaker and Cena each have won three world titles at Wrestlemania and Cena retained his world title in two others. Pretty much a draw as far as I'm concerned. I'll take the quality of Cena's opponents over Undertaker's.
The Undertaker is one of the most decorated, feared, and respected athletes in the history of the business, which is more than we can say about Cena. Sure, John Cena may be the face of WWE, but that's because the children love him. When it comes down to it, The Undertaker has had the better career. Plain and simple.
I know it would come up sooner and later and it's a shame because you were doing terrible and now you're doing worse. It's been proven and shown that children, women, and grown men cheer for Cena and not just children. That notion was thrown out the window years ago. Cena is the face of the WWE because he can connect with the crowd like no one else, puts people over, sells merchandise, and puts on great matches. When can Undertaker say he was the face of the WWE?
This ain't this easy as I thought it will be.But anyways,I gotta go with 'Taker.Plain and simple reason cause the name UNDERTAKER is synonymus with pro wrestling.He has been in the main event for 20 yrs.He has numerous accomplishments,the 18-0 streak at WM,many titles.Cena on the other hand,has spent just less than a decade in WWE,in which he has achieved a hell of a lot,he has a persona,audience can relate to.Cena is the most over star in WWE or pro wrestling right now.But there is still something missing from his career I guess,perhaps a huge heel turn or a WRESTLEMANIA moment to look upto.Untill one of those to things happens,'Taker will always have a better career than Cena.
Cena , my reasoning for saying that is because Undertakers entire legacy is his WM streak and without that he wouldn't be nearly as legendary or memorable..
How long have you been watching wrestling for?? Undertaker was wrestling for 10 years before the streak was even mentioned!!!! The streak was never mentioned in the 90's! Sure Taker might not have won many titles, but his gimmick never really needed a title to show that he is the best, his character is all about having feuds that don't involve titles.. Its because of Taker that we have matches like Casket match, Hell in A Cell, buried alive and some others...
It doesn't matter who the face of the company is, You can never take Taker out of anything!!!! If you re-phrase the question to Taker vs Austin.. u might jsut get more people saying Taker!! but am just saying!!
My first instinct was to say Undertaker, but the more I look at it; it's not so easy.
Both are great.
Undertaker has longevity, he's a crowd favorite. He has an amazing undefeated streak at Wrestlemania. He sells a lot of merchandise. Everybody like the Undertaker.
Cena as well is a crowd favorite whether or not they boo him or cheer him he gets an incredible reaction whenever his music hits and he comes out. And no one is outselling him.
They're both very good wrestlers and Cenas' mic skills are superb.
But here's the thing. If I had to pick, whose career I would rather have; I'd pick Cena. No question about it.
He's the face of the WWE, the number one guy right now and has been for years. Was the Undertaker ever the face of the company?
Has the WWE ever been focused on the Underatker like they have been with Cena?
Let's think about this, even when John Cena isn't in the title picture, he's still closing PPVs (look at TLC, Summerslam).
They've both had their share of great matches.
As much as I love Undertaker; I gotta go with Cena. He's earned it.
John Cena is the face of WWE. In the past 35 years, very few wrestlers have truly been the faces of WWE as poster boys and as standard bearers. Such "faces of WWE" include Bruno Sammartino, Bob Backlund, Hulk Hogan, Bret Hart/Shawn Michaels (mid 90s)), Steve Austin, and John Cena. There have been dozens of highly talented supporting characters, but the WWE organization relied heavily on those aforementioned stars to headline shows night after night and bring in the revenue.
John Cena is on that exclusive Mount Rushmore-esque list. WWE has put it's complete trust in Cena. WWE is as depended on the former 9-time champ for its success as it was on the likes of Hogan and Austin. WWE was never quite so dependent on the Undertaker for its ability to thrive. The Undertaker is an all-time great, but not in the same vain as the Cenas, Austins, and Hogans. The Undertaker is among the best supporting characters of all-time, alongside The Rock, Macho Man Randy Savage, Rowdy Roddy Piper, and currently, Triple H and Randy Orton.
WWE has been blessed to have so much talent throughout the years. But only one character can get first billing on a TV show. It's like watching an iconic television program, such as Seinfeld. Who get's first billing? Jerry Seinfeld. The fact that Jason Alexander isn't listed first doesn't mean that he's an unimportant or inconsquential character. But the Seinfeld program would have fallen apart without it's main character, regardless of whether or not one of it's supporting actors went on sabbatical. Home Improvement had many great actors, but it could have survivied without Patricia Richardson, Jonathan Taylor Thomas, or Earl Hindman. Tim Allen was the featured actor and the show was based on his comedy. He was the glue that held the whole operation together. John Cena is the glue that holds RAW, WWE's flagship show, together. The WWE basically rebranded itself into a PG product to better align itself with the John Cena character.
Because John Cena has moved up to Hogan, Austin, and Sammartino status, he has surpassed The Undertaker in regards to who has had a better career. I would put The Undertaker in more of the category of Andre The Giant, The Ultimate Warrior, and Rowdy Roddy Piper as wrestlers who were featured attractions. They helped to draw interest before intermission, but it was the Hogans, Austins, and the Cenas who closed the shows.
Overall I think these two talents are pretty equal. Undertaker have been around for longer yes, and have a longer resume of championship variations as well as he has his memorable Wrestlemania streak. However, John Cena has is one of the longest reigning WWE champions of all time, as well as he has had numerous reigns with the belt as well.
Both of them have their moments, and they will both have a major thing that they will go down in history for. Undertaker for being a loyal worker with many many memorable moments, and John Cena for being the top dog and face of the promotion for many years, and maybe even years to come.
I think there might be a bit of an unfair comparison between the two. Because at one hand you have Undertaker, who has been in the business since the 80's and have had many many years to build his legacy. And on the other hand, you got John Cena who has only been in the business for 9-10 years, but have managed to accomplish loads of things in a short period of time. Undertaker is nearing his end, while John's career is hardly even half done, he has many years to go and he will most likely manage to stick around for at least another 5-10 years all depending on how his career treats him.
But overall, I think they're more or less equal in some sort of way.
at this point i would have to say undertaker.all the way from his mezmerizing debut at survivor series to the streak.regardless if hes reinventing himself from biker to deadman(vica versa) to adding an evil submission move to his arsenal. he is evolving always.part of his legacy is being the originator of such matches at the casket match, boiler room brawl,buried alive, and hell in a cell matches. who cant forgot "I'll make you famous." i know some of these were probably done before ut did them, but he indeed made them popular. not to mention he thrived in some of the biggest talent booms of the times. nothing against cena, but he is growing when there isnt that much talent around him now, as for taker, he had to face in their primes, hogan,warrior,rock,austin,angle,lesner,yokozuna, and much much more. his opponents have helped define him as cena had had this kinda help. he is a multiple time champ in several divisions, world, wwe,tag,hardcore and wcw tag, and had some of the best fueds to date. cena if he had come up back then, may have surpassed taker, but ut had these advantages of growing through the monday night wars, the invasion, and so forth and that has helped cement his legacy their. i could go on but im starving and have to go eat for now.
Honestly, even reading the title of this thread made me think "gimme a break!" Undertaker's career surpasses Cena's times 10. When John Cena is still in WWE after 20 years, and is still a fan favorite main event attraction, then we'll talk.
I'm not a hardcore Cena hater like some, but honestly, the criticisms about him are mostly true...he has a limited move set, he is pretty corny, he does win virtually every angle he's involved in over time. There's no denying his is popular and has his place in history, but just because he came to be in the era where the title changes hands practically every month, is no indicator of his long term legacy. The Great Khali is a former champ and Roddy Piper isn't, who has a better legacy?
So, I guess what I'm getting at is Cena is really not very comparable to Taker at this time. I know you could ask who has the better career given their first several years with the company, but again very different eras, in Taker's day, you lived your gimmick, so it wasn't like he was gonna go make The Marine or something. I've been to a Mania and seen the reactions of both these guys though, and I gotta say overall Taker hands down.
Honestly, even reading the title of this thread made me think "gimme a break!" Undertaker's career surpasses Cena's times 10. When John Cena is still in WWE after 20 years, and is still a fan favorite main event attraction, then we'll talk.
I'm not a hardcore Cena hater like some, but honestly, the criticisms about him are mostly true...he has a limited move set, he is pretty corny, he does win virtually every angle he's involved in over time. There's no denying his is popular and has his place in history, but just because he came to be in the era where the title changes hands practically every month, is no indicator of his long term legacy. The Great Khali is a former champ and Roddy Piper isn't, who has a better legacy?
So, I guess what I'm getting at is Cena is really not very comparable to Taker at this time. I know you could ask who has the better career given their first several years with the company, but again very different eras, in Taker's day, you lived your gimmick, so it wasn't like he was gonna go make The Marine or something. I've been to a Mania and seen the reactions of both these guys though, and I gotta say overall Taker hands down.
Five out of the seven title reigns the Undertaker has had came in an era where titles change almost every month and one of his other reigns lasted a week. That same title the Undertaker wore in 2002 was also worn by Jericho, HHH, Hogan, Rock, Lesnar, Big Show, and Kurt Angle. So don't criticize Cena's reigns when Undertaker benefitted from the same exact thing.
Speaking of loyalty, both are loyal no doubt. But as several users have mentioned, Taker's longevity speaks out here. Undertaker is one of the most loyal superstars in WWE.
The Dead Man is the only superstar left to still be with WWE since the first RAW episode ever, and his career is one of the longest in the organization. We all know that he never left WWE during his run to go back to WCW, even when WCW was pummeling WWE in ratings.
Some people might say that anybody who receives the same treatment he does won't leave for sure. This might be another story for another article, but we still did see people leave while being on top. Of course, the Phenom put his body on the line and received a lot of beating during his long career.
And about respect, wow, Cena is respected all right. But WWE didn't hype Taker as the most respected athlete in the business for nothing. I'll just say that you can read or listen to interviews with the likes of Kane, Randy Orton, Kurt Angle and Mr. Kennedy talking about Taker as evidence to what I'm saying. Even the Heart Break Kid, Shawn Michaels, one of the best WWE performers and the No. 1-ranked superstar in WWE's top 50 superstars DVD, wanted the final match of his career to be against none other than the Phenom.
When you've been apart of a federation for 20 years, you're bound to gain alot of respect. Doing what Taker does isn't easy. Nagging injuries, constant high profile matches, it's alot to be admired when it comes to Takers job. Even gauntlets like Triple H haven't ever talked down about him, and it comes as a surprise seeing as they supposedly dislike each other. Now, when Edge spoke about Eddies death, he mentioned Taker, and said he was the only guy left he could speak to after Chris and Guerrero died. Not to forget Taker is a respected guy backstage, he's earned his keep. And anyone who talks down about him, regardless, will get a crap load of backlash from nearly every other wrestler in the locker room. He's like their God, even when The Hardy Boys first started, they where jobbers, but Taker looked out for them, and then was only within his first couple of years in WWE - so it shows he pretty much worked hard all his career.
The only person who i can think of, which comes to close to 'talking down' of Taker, is Stephanie McMahon. She wanted to end Takers streak, for Triple H no doubt - favoritism much? Anyway, she wanted it gone and her husband to end it. Thankfully, that never and hopefully, won't happen. He has this undeniable aura about him, even the haters can admit that, heck, does he even have haters? Lame if you can't admire one of the best in the business, and that's an understatement.
Overall, as it has been stated by many other guys (i.e. JBL, Edge, Orton), The Undertaker runs the backstage, and if he says something, it sticks. I believe he was the first to man up and pound McMahon's door and say he needed to apologize to Bret during the whole Survivor Series screwjob and that spoke volumes with the clubhouse, showing that Taker, would stick up for any person, no matter what.
And regarding popularity, sure both are popular but Taker is more know, again for his longevity. I live here in Indonesia and a lot of people don't know who the hell Cena is or Hogan is or Austin is or Rock is. But every wrestling fan I met here knew who The Undertaker is. The Dead Man is not only popular but he's also loved by most WWE fans. The loud pops he receives every time he makes his way to the ring are a proof for this.
It's weird that many people (including me) never mention him when talking about current superstars who receive loud pops. Of course, WWE had many other famous and well-known superstars too, but Undertaker can't be denied when we mention WWE's most popular superstars. Just look at the pops he got at this video:
Wow, until Cena got his name cheered before he even made his entrance I think the discussion of popularity really should stop here. And this one should also stop whoever says because his gimmick is boring he keeps refreshing it. I'm sorry, if his gimmick is so boring then how the hell the pops he received belittled the pops Cena receives?
And about quality Wrestlemania opponents....okay, Cena defeated Big Show (twice), Triple H, Shawn Michaels, Edge, JBL, and Batista. That's 6 quality opponents. Minus JBL, Taker also defeated the five people Cena defeated. But along the way, he also defeated Jimmy Snuka, Jake Roberts, Kevin Nash, Sid, Randy Orton, Kane, and Ric Flair. That's 7...plus 5 I mentioned earlier makes it 12. I believe 12 outweighs 6, thank u. And need I remind you The Undertaker defeated both Kane and Shawn Michaels twice?
And this is the accomplishments of the 12 quality opponents he defeated:
1. Jimmy Snuka (Wrestlemania VII)
* All Japan Pro Wrestling
* World's Strongest Tag Team League (1981) – with Bruiser Brody
* Cauliflower Alley Club
* Other honoree (1996)
* Continental Wrestling Association
* CWA International Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with JT Southern
* NWA National Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Terry Gordy
* International Wrestling Superstars
* IWS United States Championship (1 time)
* Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling
* NWA United States Heavyweight Championship (Mid-Atlantic version) (1 time)
* NWA World Tag Team Championship (Mid-Atlantic version) (2 times) – with Paul Orndorff (1) and Ray Stevens (1)
* NWA All-Star Wrestling
* NWA Canadian Tag Team Championship (Vancouver version) (1 time) – with Don Leo Jonathan
* NWA Big Time Wrestling
* NWA Texas Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
* NWA Texas Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Gino Hernandez
* NWL WRESTLING
* NWL Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
* Pacific Northwest Wrestling
* NWA Pacific Northwest Heavyweight Championship (5 times)
* NWA Pacific Northwest Tag Team Championship (6 times) – with Dutch Savage
* Pro Wrestling Illustrated
* PWI Match of the Year (1982) vs. Bob Backlund in a cage match on June 28
* PWI Most Popular Wrestler of the Year (1983)
* PWI Tag Team of the Year (1980) with Ray Stevens
* PWI ranked him #29 of the 500 best singles wrestlers during the "PWI Years" in 2003.
* World Wide Wrestling Alliance
* WWWA Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
* World Wrestling Federation
* WWE Hall of Fame (Class of 1996)
* Wrestling Observer Newsletter awards
* Tag Team of the Year (1981) with Terry Gordy
* Best Flying Wrestler (1981)
* Best Wrestling Maneuver (1981, 1983) Superfly Splash
* Other titles
* Tri-State Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
* USA New York Championship (1 time)
* USA Pro Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
* SXA United States of America Championship (1 time)
2. Jake Roberts (Wrestlemania VIII)
* All-Star Wrestling Network (Georgia)
o AWN World Heavyweight Champion (1 time)
* Americas Wrestling Federation
o AWF Puerto Rican Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
* Georgia Championship Wrestling
o NWA National Television Championship (1 time)[17]
o NWA World Television Championship (Georgia version) (2 times)[18]
* Mid-South Wrestling Association
o Mid-South Louisiana Heavyweight Championship (1 time)[19]
o Mid-South North American Heavyweight Championship (2 times)[20]
o Mid-South Television Championship (1 time)[21]
* Pro Wrestling Illustrated
o PWI Most Inspirational Wrestler of the Year (1996)[22]
o PWI ranked him #100 of the top 500 singles wrestlers of the "PWI Years" in 2003[23]
* Smoky Mountain Wrestling
o SMW Heavyweight Championship (1 time)[24]
* Stampede Wrestling
o Stampede North American Heavyweight Championship (1 time)[25]
* World Class Championship Wrestling
o NWA World Six-Man Tag Team Championship (Texas version) (1 time) – with Chris Adams and Gino Hernandez[26]
o WCCW Television Championship (1 time)[27]
3. Diesel/Kevin Nash (Wrestlemania 12)
* Pro Wrestling Illustrated
o PWI Most Improved Wrestler of the Year (1994)[84]
o PWI Match of the Year (1995)[85] vs. Shawn Michaels at WrestleMania XI
o PWI Tag Team of the Year (1997)[86] with Scott Hall
o PWI Wrestler of the Year (1995)
o PWI ranked him #1 of the 500 best singles wrestlers of the year in the PWI 500 in 1995[87]
o PWI ranked him #59 of the 500 best singles wrestlers in the "PWI Years" in 2003[88]
o PWI ranked him #40 of the 100 best tag teams of the PWI Years with Scott Hall in 2003[89]
o PWI ranked him #55 of the 100 best tag teams in the "PWI Years" with Shawn Michaels in 2003[88]
* Total Nonstop Action Wrestling
o TNA Legends Championship (2 times)[90]
o TNA World Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Eric Young and Scott Hall[43][44][45]
* World Championship Wrestling
o WCW World Heavyweight Championship (5 times)[21][91]
o WCW World Tag Team Championship (9 times)[92] – with Scott Hall (6), Diamond Dallas Page (2), and Sting (1)
o WCW World War 3 (1998)
* World Wrestling Federation
o WWF Championship (1 time)[18][93]
o WWF Intercontinental Championship (1 time)[16][94]
o WWF Tag Team Championship (2 times)[17][95] – with Shawn Michaels
o Third Triple Crown Champion
* Wrestling Observer Newsletter awards
o Most Improved (1994)
4. Sycho Sid (Wrestlemania 13)
* Continental Wrestling Association
o CWA Heavyweight Championship (1 time)[14]
* NWA Northeast
o NWA Northeast Heavyweight Championship (1 time)[15]
* Southeastern Championship Wrestling
o NWA Southeastern Heavyweight Championship (Northern Division) (1 time)[16]
o NWA Southeastern Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Shane Douglas[17]
* United States Wrestling Association
o USWA Texas Heavyweight Championship (1 time)[18]
o USWA Unified World Heavyweight Championship (2 times)[19]
* Pro Wrestling Illustrated
o PWI Comeback of the Year (1996)
* World Championship Wrestling
o WCW United States Heavyweight Championship (1 time)[20]
o WCW World Heavyweight Championship (2 times)[21][22]
* World Wrestling Federation
o WWF Championship (2 times)[23][24]
* Wrestling Observer Newsletter awards
o 5 Star Match (1991) with Arn Anderson, Barry Windham and Ric Flair vs. Sting, Brian Pillman, Rick Steiner and Scott Steiner (February 24, WarGames match, WrestleWar)
5. Kane (Wrestlemania 14 & 20)
# Pro Wrestling Illustrated
* PWI Tag Team of the Year (1999) with X-Pac[90]
* PWI ranked him #13 of the 500 best singles wrestlers in the PWI 500 in 1999 and 2004[91][92]
# Smoky Mountain Wrestling
* SMW Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Al Snow[9]
# United States Wrestling Association
* USWA Heavyweight Championship (1 time)[93]
# World Wrestling Federation / World Wrestling Entertainment
* World Heavyweight Championship (1 time, current)[94]
* WWF Championship (1 time)[15]
* ECW Championship (1 time)[63]
* WWF/E Intercontinental Championship (2 times)[27]
* World Tag Team Championship (9 times) – with Mankind (2), X-Pac (2), The Undertaker (2), The Hurricane (1), Rob Van Dam (1) and The Big Show (1)[16]
* WCW Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with The Undertaker[29]
* WWE Hardcore Championship (1 time)[26]
* Money in the Bank (SmackDown) (July 2010)
* Eighth Triple Crown Champion
* Third Grand Slam Champion
6. Triple H (Wrestlemania X-7)
* Independent Wrestling Federation
o IWF Heavyweight Championship (1 time)[2]
* Pro Wrestling Illustrated
o PWI Feud of the Year (2000)[98] vs. Kurt Angle
o PWI Feud of the Year (2004)[98] vs. Chris Benoit
o PWI Match of the Year (2004)[99] vs. Shawn Michaels and Chris Benoit at WrestleMania XX
o PWI Most Hated Wrestler of the Year (2003–2005)[100]
o PWI ranked him #1 of the top 500 singles wrestlers in the PWI 500 in 2000[101] and 2009[102]
o PWI ranked him #139 in the PWI Years in 2003[103]
o PWI Wrestler of the Year (2008)
o PWI Most Hated of the Decade (2000-2009)
o PWI Wrestler of the Decade (2000-2009)
* World Wrestling Federation / World Wrestling Entertainment
o World Heavyweight Championship (5 times)[104]
o WWF/E Championship (8 times)[105]
o WWF European Championship (2 times)[106]
o WWF/E Intercontinental Championship (5 times)[107]
o WWF/E World Tag Team Championship (2 times) – with Steve Austin (1), and Shawn Michaels (1)[108][109]
o WWE Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Shawn Michaels[110]
o King of the Ring (1997)[3]
o Royal Rumble (2002)[111]
o Second Grand Slam Championship
o Slammy Award for Best Hair (1997)
o Seventh Triple Crown Champion
* Wrestling Observer Newsletter[112]
o Feud of the Year (2000) vs. Mick Foley
o Feud of the Year (2004) vs. Shawn Michaels and Chris Benoit
o Feud of the Year (2005) vs. Batista
# Wrestler of the Year (2000)
# Wrestling Observer Newsletter Hall of Fame (Class of 2005)
7. Ric Flair (Wrestlemania X-8)
* All Star Pro Wrestling
o NWA World Heavyweight Championship (1 time)[133]
* All Japan Pro Wrestling
o NWA World Heavyweight Championship (1 time)[133]
* Central States Wrestling
o NWA World Heavyweight Championship (1 time)[133]
* Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling / Jim Crockett Promotions / World Championship Wrestling
o NWA Mid-Atlantic Heavyweight Championship (3 times)[134]
o NWA Mid-Atlantic Tag Team Championship (3 times) – with Rip Hawk (1), Greg Valentine (1) and Big John Studd (1)[135]
o NWA Mid-Atlantic Television Championship (1 time)[136]
o NWA Television Championship (1 time)[136]
o NWA United States Heavyweight Championship (Mid-Atlantic version) (5 times)1[137]
o NWA World Heavyweight Championship (7 times)2[133]
o NWA World Tag Team Championship (Mid-Atlantic version) (3 times) – with Greg Valentine (2) and Blackjack Mulligan (1)[138]
o WCW International World Heavyweight Championship (2 times)3[139]
o WCW United States Heavyweight Championship (1 time)[137]
o WCW World Heavyweight Championship (8 times)[140]
* National Wrestling Alliance
o NWA Hall of Fame (Class of 2008)
* Pro Wrestling Illustrated
o PWI ranked him #2 of the top 500 singles wrestlers of the PWI Years in 2003[141]
o PWI ranked him #3 of the top 500 singles wrestlers in the PWI 500 in 1991, 1992, and 1994[142][143][144]
o Feud of the Year (1987) Four Horsemen vs. Super Powers and Road Warriors[145]
o Feud of the Year (1988, 1990) vs. Lex Luger[145]
o Feud of the Year (1989) vs. Terry Funk[145]
o Match of the Year (1983) vs. Harley Race (June 10)[145]
o Match of the Year (1984) vs. Kerry Von Erich at Parade of Champions 1[146]
o Match of the Year (1986) vs. Dusty Rhodes at The Great American Bash in a steel cage match[146]
o Match of the Year (1989) vs. Ricky Steamboat at WrestleWar[146]
o Match of the Year (2008) vs. Shawn Michaels at WrestleMania XXIV
o Match of the Decade (2000–2009) vs. Shawn Michaels at Wrestlemania XXIV
o Most Hated Wrestler of the Year (1978, 1987)[147]
o Most Inspirational Wrestler of the Year (2008)
o Rookie of the Year (1975)[148]
o Stanley Weston Award (2008)
o Wrestler of the Year (1981, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1989, 1992)[149]
* Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame and Museum
o Class of 2006
* Pro Wrestling Report
o Match of the Year (2008) vs. Shawn Michaels at WrestleMania 24[150]
o Most Memorable Moment - retirement[150]
* St. Louis Wrestling Club
o NWA Missouri Heavyweight Championship (1 time)[151]
* St. Louis Wrestling Hall of Fame
o Class of 2007
* World Wrestling Federation / World Wrestling Entertainment
o WWF Championship (2 times)[152]
o World Tag Team Championship (3 times) – with Batista (2) and Roddy Piper (1)[152]
o WWE Intercontinental Championship (1 time)[152]
o Royal Rumble (1992)[152]
o WWE Hall of Fame (Class of 2008)
o Thirteenth Triple Crown Champion
o Slammy Award for Match of the Year (2008) vs. Shawn Michaels at WrestleMania XXIV
* Wrestling Observer Newsletter
o Best Heel (1990)
o Best Interviews (1991, 1992, 1994)
o Feud of the Year (1989) vs. Terry Funk
o Match of the Year (1983) vs. Harley Race in a steel cage match at Starrcade
o Match of the Year (1986) vs. Barry Windham at Battle of the Belts II on February 14
o Match of the Year (1988) vs. Sting at Clash of the Champions I
o Match of the Year (1989) vs. Ricky Steamboat at WrestleWar
o Most Charismatic (1980, 1982–1984, 1993)
o Most Outstanding (1986, 1987, 1989)
# Wrestler of the Year (1982–1986, 1989, 1990, 1992)
# Wrestling Observer Newsletter Hall of Fame (Class of 1996)
8. Big Show (Wrestlemania XIX)
* Pro Wrestling Illustrated
o PWI Rookie of the Year (1996)[8][122]
o PWI Wrestler of the Year (1996)[8][122]
o PWI ranked him #2 of the top 500 singles wrestlers of the year in the PWI 500 in 1996[122][123]
* World Championship Wrestling
o WCW World Heavyweight Championship (2 times)[124]
o WCW World Tag Team Championship (3 times) – with Lex Luger (1), Sting (1) and Scott Hall (1)[125]
o WCW World War 3 (1996)
o King of Cable Tournament (1996)[126]
Big Show as ECW World Heavyweight Champion.
* World Wrestling Federation / World Wrestling Entertainment
o ECW World Heavyweight Championship (1 time)[68]
o World Tag Team Championship (5 times) – with The Undertaker (2), Kane (1), Chris Jericho (1) and The Miz (1)[127]
o WWE Tag Team Championship (2 times) – with Chris Jericho (1) and The Miz (1)[128]
o WWE United States Championship (1 time)[129]
o WWF/E Championship (2 times)[130]
o WWF Hardcore Championship (3 times)[131]
o Slammy Award for Tag Team of the Year (2009) – with Chris Jericho[132]
* Wrestling Observer Newsletter awards
o Rookie of the Year (1996)
9. Randy Orton (Wrestlemania 21)
* Ohio Valley Wrestling
o OVW Hardcore Championship (2 times)[10]
* Pro Wrestling Illustrated
o PWI Feud of the Year (2009) vs. Triple H
o PWI Most Hated Wrestler of the Year (2007, 2009)[185][186]
o PWI Most Improved Wrestler of the Year (2004)[187]
o PWI Rookie of the Year (2001)[188]
o PWI ranked him #1 of the top 500 singles wrestlers in the PWI 500 in 2008[189]
o PWI Wrestler of the Year (2009)[190]
* World Wrestling Entertainment
o World Heavyweight Championship (1 time)[46]
o World Tag Team Championship (1 time)[94] – with Edge
o WWE Championship (6 times)[14][191][192][193]
o WWE Intercontinental Championship (1 time)[41]
o Royal Rumble (2009)
o Seventeenth Triple Crown Champion
* Wrestling Observer Newsletter
o Most Improved (2004)
10. Batista (Wrestlemania 23)
# Ohio Valley Wrestling
* OVW Heavyweight Championship (1 time)[139]
# Pro Wrestling Illustrated
* PWI Most Improved Wrestler of the Year (2005)[140]
* PWI Wrestler of the Year (2005)[141]
* PWI ranked him #1 of the 500 best singles wrestlers in the PWI 500 in 2005[142]
# World Wrestling Entertainment
* World Heavyweight Championship (4 times)[143][144][145][146]
* World Tag Team Championship (3 times) – with Ric Flair (2) and John Cena (1)[26][29][147]
* WWE Championship (2 times)[148][149]
* WWE Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Rey Mysterio[50]
* Royal Rumble (2005)[1]
# Wrestling Observer Newsletter awards
* Feud of the Year (2005) vs. Triple H
* Feud of the Year (2007) vs. The Undertaker
11. Edge (Wrestlemania XXIV)
* Insane Championship Wrestling
o ICW Street Fight Tag Team Championship (2 times) – with Christian Cage[3][4]
* New Tokyo Pro Wrestling
o NTPW Pro Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Christian Cage[188]
* Southern States Wrestling
o SSW Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Christian Cage[3][4]
* World Wrestling Federation / World Wrestling Entertainment
o World Heavyweight Championship (5 times)[189]
o World Tag Team Championship (12 times)[190] – with Christian (7), Chris Benoit (2), Hulk Hogan (1), Randy Orton (1) and Chris Jericho (1)
o WWE Championship (4 times)[189]
o WWF/E Intercontinental Championship (5 times)[189]
o WCW United States Championship (1 time)1[189]
o WWE Tag Team Championship (2 times)[54] – with Rey Mysterio (1) and Chris Jericho (1)
o King of the Ring (2001)[191]
o Mr. Money in the Bank (2005, 20072)[64][110]
o Slammy Award for Couple of the Year (2008) – with Vickie Guerrero[192]
o Fourteenth Triple Crown Champion
o Royal Rumble (2010)
12. Shawn Michaels (Wrestlemania XXV & XXVI)
* American Wrestling Association
o AWA World Tag Team Championship (2 times)[8] – with Marty Jannetty
* Central States Wrestling
o NWA Central States Tag Team Championship (1 time)[8] – with Marty Jannetty
* Continental Wrestling Association
o AWA Southern Tag Team Championship (2 times)[1][8] – with Marty Jannetty
* Pro Wrestling Illustrated
o PWI Feud of the Year (2008) vs. Chris Jericho
o PWI Match of the Year (1993)[171] vs. Marty Jannetty on Monday Night Raw on May 17
o PWI Match of the Year (1994)[172] vs. Razor Ramon in a Ladder match at WrestleMania X
o PWI Match of the Year (1995)[6] vs. Diesel at WrestleMania XI
o PWI Match of the Year (1996)[6] vs. Bret Hart in an Iron Man match at WrestleMania XII
o PWI Match of the Year (2004)[171] vs. Chris Benoit and Triple H at WrestleMania XX
o PWI Match of the Year (2005)[171] vs. Kurt Angle at WrestleMania 21
o PWI Match of the Year (2006)[171] vs. Vince McMahon in a No Holds Barred match at WrestleMania 22
o PWI Match of the Year (2007)[171] vs. John Cena on Raw on April 23
o PWI Match of the Year (2008)[171] vs. Ric Flair at WrestleMania XXIV
o PWI Match of the Year (2009)[173] vs. The Undertaker at WrestleMania XXV
o PWI Most Popular Wrestler of the Year (1995, 1996)[172]
o PWI ranked him #1 of the top 500 singles wrestlers of the year in the PWI 500 in 1996[174]
o PWI ranked him #10 of the top 500 singles wrestlers of the "PWI Years" in 2003[175]
o PWI ranked him #33 of the Top 100 Tag Teams of the "PWI Years" with Marty Jannetty in 2003[175]
* Texas All-Star Wrestling
o TASW Texas Tag Team Championship (2 times)[8] – with Paul Diamond
* Texas Wrestling Alliance
o TWA Heavyweight Championship (1 time)[1][8]
* World Wrestling Federation / World Wrestling Entertainment
o WWF Championship (3 times)[8]
o WWF European Championship (1 time)[176]
o WWF Intercontinental Championship (3 times)[8]
o WWF/E World Tag Team Championship (5 times)[177] – with Diesel (2), Steve Austin (1), John Cena (1), and Triple H (1)
o WWE Tag Team Championship (1 time)[178] – with Triple H (1)
o World Heavyweight Championship (1 time)[8]
o Royal Rumble (1995, 1996)[8]
o Fourth Triple Crown Champion
o First Grand Slam Champion[8]
o Slammy Award for Best Slammin' Jammin' Entrance (1996)
o Slammy Award for Best Threads (1996)
o Slammy Award for Squared Circle Shocker (1996) Won for collapsing; Owen Hart accepts the award for making Michaels collapse
o Slammy Award for Master of Mat Mechanics (1996)
o Slammy Award for US West Match of the Year (1996) vs. Razor Ramon in a Ladder match at SummerSlam
o Slammy Award for Leader of the New Generation (1996)
o Slammy Award for Best Finisher (1997)
o Slammy Award for US West Match of the Year (1997) vs. Bret Hart in an Iron Man match at WrestleMania XII
o Slammy Award for Match of the Year (2008) vs. Ric Flair at WrestleMania XXIV
o Slammy Award for Match of the Year (2009) vs. The Undertaker at WrestleMania XXV
^ In October 1990, Shawn Michaels and Marty Jannetty defeated The Hart Foundation for the title. Despite winning the match, the win and reign are not recognized by WWE, as the ring ropes broke and the match was not aired on television. As a result, Michaels is only officially recognized as a 5-time World Tag Team Champion.
* Wrestling Observer Newsletter
o 5 Star Match (1994) vs. Razor Ramon in a Ladder match at WrestleMania X.
o 5 Star Match (1997) vs. The Undertaker in a Hell in a Cell at Badd Blood.
o Best Babyface (1996)[179]
o Feud of the Year (2004) vs. Triple H and Chris Benoit[179]
o Feud of the Year (2008) vs. Chris Jericho[179]
o Match of the Year (1994) vs. Razor Ramon in a Ladder match at WrestleMania X[179]
o Match of the Year (2008) vs. Chris Jericho in a Ladder match at No Mercy[179]
o Match of the Year (2009) vs. The Undertaker at WrestleMania XXV[179]
o Most Charismatic (1995, 1996)[179]
o Tag Team of the Year (1989) with Marty Jannetty as The Rockers[179]
o Worst Feud of the Year (2006) with Triple H vs. Shane and Vince McMahon[179]
o Wrestling Observer Newsletter Hall of Fame (Class of 2003)[180]
And along the course of The Streak, Taker has defeated:
The entire Evolution members.
Both Rated RKO members.
Both D-Generation X members.
One of The Four Horsemen.
One of The Million Dollar Corporation members.
One of The E&C members.
One of The JeriShow members.
One of T&A.
Three members of Kliq.
One of The Rockers.
Three NWO members.
One of The Nation of Domination.
One of The Corporation members.
The other half of UnHoly Alliance.
The other half of Brothers of Destruction.
One of The Brood.
One of The Ministry of Darkness.
One of The Two Men Power Trip.
Three Corporate Ministry members.
Leader of The Legacy.
Leader of La Familia.
The Streak is credible with these 12 names and 21 stables, right? So, Taker's quality Wrestlemania opponents >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Cena's quality Wrestlemania opponents, really.
And then the faces of WWE...true, but isn't the fact that he never had the chance to be the face of WWE, BUT MANAGED TO OUTLAST BOTH HULKAMANIA AND AUSTIN 3:16 something?! The Golden Era was more about Hulk Hogan, Randy Savage and Ultimate Warrior. As we moved on, new faces like HBK, Bret Hart and Stone Cold emerged.
Enter the Attitude Era, Stone Cold and Rock are the first two superstars to come to anyone's mind when remembering this famous period of time despite having the "Ministry of Darkness" and D "Generation" X during this Era too. Fast forward to the "Ruthless Aggression" Era, and we had the likes of HHH, John Cena, Batista, in addition to Brock Lesnar and Kurt Angle at the beginning of this era.
Sure Undertaker had his fair share during this era, but so did HBK, Eddie Guerrero, JBL, Edge, Chris Benoit, Y2J, Randy Orton, Jeff Hardy and others at certain moments. However, the three guys I mentioned first were on top most of the time. In our "not so loved" PG Era, the likes of John Cena and Randy Orton are now considered as the top men of this business.
Don't get me wrong here. This isn't considered a bad thing for the Dead Man. In fact, I find this as something to like. I guess his gimmick can't be the face of the company.
Undertaker is considered as one of the best WWE superstars ever. Some people might even call him the best. WWE ranked him as No. 2 after HBK in their to 50 superstars DVD.
So despite not being the poster boy or the franchise of a certain era, he's still regarded as the best. Today, he's considered as the locker room leader and the most respected superstar there. People saying that Undertaker backed many talents from shining should remember this fact and think of the other top superstars available during his run. He made it here today without ever being the number 1 guy, that's something. Because the only two other man I can say the same is Andre The Giant and Shawn Michaels.
And saying The Undertaker is nothing without The Streak....oh, come on! His undefeated streak helps out his credibility and reputation. I don't think it should end at all as this is what part of his career is looked on. But moreover, not only that it means something for Undertaker but it also means something for the fans. In the last two Wrestlemanias, The Streak has became something bigger than both world titles and dare I say Wrestlemania 26 was built upon the fact The Streak might end. And the way I see it, with WWE hopefully growing some balls before it's too late, The Streak will be the pillar to hold Wrestlemania 27 as well, hopefully giving us the chance to see Undertaker vs John Cena instead of repeated matches like Undertaker vs Kane and Undertaker vs Triple H or boring possible matches like Undertaker vs Barret and Undertaker vs Sheamus.
Back to the business, all that time has passed and a lot has come and gone. One constant in wrestling: Undertaker has never lost at Wrestlemania. Companies have come and gone, eras have come and gone, wrestlers have come and gone, things have changed dramatically, and yet Taker has never lost. For people my age that remember all of his wins, yes it means a lot. It's a lot of nostalgia for old fans like me. Second, it's damn impressive. Think of this: Hulk Hogan had 11 matches at Wrestlemania. Bret had I think 12 or so. Austin had 8. Rock had about eight or so. None of those are anywhere close to the total amount of matches Taker has had there and none of them come close to his win/loses record. Taker at Mania has had an amazing career.
Ok, for now let's forget about the 5 nobodies (Gonzales, Bundy, Boss Man, A-Train, and Henry), we all knew they were there simply because they s*cked Vince's d*ck so they could be on The Streak list. 3 world title wins, beaten all four members of Evolution, beaten three WWE hall of famers, beaten both Rated RKO members, beaten both DX members, beaten three KLIQ members, beaten two NWO members, beaten one of E&C members, beaten one of The Four Horsemen, beaten the other half of BOD, beaten the other half of UnHoly Alliance, beaten the leader of La Familia, beaten the leader of Legacy, beaten one of the Two Men Power Trip and so many other unnamed stables members, beaten a ton of future Hall of Famers, beaten the combined total of 85 times world champion and retiring Mr. Wrestlemania himself. How many people have had a career that amazing? Taker has done it at The Streak; that's why it means a lot.
And please don't give me the "It is all scripted, it is not a real sport" because if that is your train of though then I don't know why you watch at all when everything produced to create the feeling of it being real, other wise the feeling they try to recreate won't make sense at all. The streak is a big deal just because one of the more successful individuals and the only guys who has been around the company for almost 20 years keeps that at the Major event.
The streak is an accolade to his achievements and means a lot to his fans but also a lot to people who is not a fan of his.It mean something you probably hate for what its haters posted, so it is big. It means a lot, it is also a double edged sword, because like all the haters said it can become predictable but it also becomes bigger with every year that passes. And to be quite honest, there has been so many rumors than before Wrestlemania comes, everyone marks it will end and in the end because it doesn't everyone that said it will end says "Oh he won't, it was so predictable" that is really annoying. If you don't believe me, look at news archives that rumor had it Orton would end it, Henry would end it, Batista would end it, Edge would end it, Hell HBK was about to end it at some point and now the rumor is Sheamus or Drew McIntyre would end it!
The Streak means a lot to the wrestling world, good and bad, there are fans of it, and people that hates it (which seems to be the case of Undertaker haters) because it is huge, 18-0 is easy to say, but means that at least for 18 years you have to have a damn match at Mania, meaning that at least you need to be relevant for 18 years, and to win it means that there are something coming your way since no win at Mania goes just into oblivion (only in the case of Goldberg because he was leaving), that is how much success it means and the Undertaker has been very successful because his path does not end at Wrestlemania, even he takes time off it continues during the year. So the streak is a big deal, even if some people don't want to acknowledge it, otherwise it would not have so many haters that will love to see it end, and later will try to find something as big to complain about.
As of now, Taker's got the greater career. No offense to Cena and his fans out there.
Yes, John is the face of the WWE and will continue to be for a several years to come, but that doesn't add up to the legacy of the greatest wrestler of all time. The Undertaker's career is unparralled. There is literally no one else in the entire world that can say they have been main event level for 20 years. Undertaker's saying "I've seen the best. I've fought the best. I've beaten the best." really sums it up. John Cena's short career has left him out of great potential fueds that the Undertaker has been in, and Cena never will. Undertaker has fought, and beaten every "face" of the WWE in their prime. Hogan, Warrior, Flair, Bret, Michaels, Austin, Rock, HHH, Orton, and Cena himself. His legacy is like a blast from the past. 18-0 at Wrestlemania and 7 title reigns don't hurt either. He's had the best gimmick- one that works, no matter the rating, because it's so adaptable.
Cena's legacy MAY outmatch the Undertaker one day.....but come back in 15 years.
This thread takes no thought whatsoever. Not even a discussion. Undertakers career is by far more decorated. His character is by far more decorated and his character can NEVER be duplicated like Cenas has. As people call him SuperCena because of his Hulk Hogan type character. With no intent to flame ANYONE but this is like comparing the Carolina Panthers to the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Bruno Sammartino, Ric Flair, and Hulk Hogan beg to differ and all were bigger draws than The Undertaker.
Undertaker's saying "I've seen the best. I've fought the best. I've beaten the best." really sums it up. John Cena's short career has left him out of great potential fueds that the Undertaker has been in, and Cena never will. Undertaker has fought, and beaten every "face" of the WWE in their prime. Hogan, Warrior, Flair, Bret, Michaels, Austin, Rock, HHH, Orton, and Cena himself. His legacy is like a blast from the past. 18-0 at Wrestlemania and 7 title reigns don't hurt either. He's had the best gimmick- one that works, no matter the rating, because it's so adaptable.
Undertaker has never beaten (and I mean pinned or made submit) Warrior, Flair, Hart, HBK, and Cena while they were the face of the WWE unless you want to have an argument about what time each wrestler was in their prime.
What hurt the Undertaker early in his career was they didn't know what to do with him. It took four or five years and Mick Foley for the Undertaker to become more interesting. Undertaker has gone through long stretches of periods like that. It's not to say Cena won't but I've seen it out of the Undertaker more than I have Cena.
If you look at this from a wrestling prospective, Undertaker without a doubt gets the nod. However he isn't the one that is making people watch Monday Night Raw or anything else, its John Cena.
Cena has been the workhorse for this company throughout the last 6-7 years and continues to do so til this day. Not to say that Taker hasn't but Cena has been linked and associated with the "entertainment/popular" world, kinda like The Miz and The Rock. Taker is a wrestler threw and threw and its hard to market that character to what Vince wants to market to.
Thats why I choose Cena to get this acheivement because Cena has been the one to Main Event Wrestlemania's throughout the last how many years while Taker hasn't always main evented or sold merchandise. If I had rank five of the best WWE Superstars in the last 20 years this is how I would do it
5. John Cena 4. Stone Cold Steve Austin 3. Ultimate Warrior 2. The Rock 1. Hulk Hogan
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