When Was The Undertaker's Streak Under Real Threat?

[GameOver]

I think it was in danger a few times - Both bouts against HBK and HHH, the first one against Kane and both times against Batista and Randy Orton.

But i do believe had Hulk Hogan faced Undertaker at 7/8 or 9 - The streak would be totally non existent today as ya know what his ego was like at this time!

Undertaker won in his first match against Hogan, ego had no part.
Hogan had some respect for Taker obviously, Hogan has never cleanly beaten Taker yet Taker had beaten Hogan twice both times for the world title.

Why would Hogan had faced Taker in Takers first WrestleMania?
that rules out 7 plus he wanted 7 to be against Sgt Slaughter and it finalised the US vs Iraq/Iran situation in the WWF, 8 was meant to be against Ric Flair but it never happened and 9 he wasn't even gonna be there.

Meanwhile Taker didn't even have a streak in the books at that point it was just 3 wins by WM 9.

Realistically Takers first threat was Giant Gonzales at WrestleMania 9, Gonazales had his number until he decided to suffocate Taker cause a DQ that was never actually announced.

Since then there's several people that took him to the absolute limit and the possiblity was there that they were pulling the plug.

In story
Triple H twice came within a split second, HBK could've done it, Diesel nearly did it, Batista came the closest in years at Mania 21.

 

[kurtryan]

Remember Wrestlemania 19 when they booked The Undertaker and Nathan Jones against Big Show and A-Train? I think this is the worst Undertaker Mania Match EVER. They should've booked him against the Big Show making a classic match against two of the best big men in the history of the WWE. I don't think both Nathan Jones and A-Train deserves to be on that stage. I was quite concerned with them having him team up with a weak tag team partner. I think that can be consider a real threat to both his streak and reputation as a big time performer on the biggest and grandest stage of them all.

 

[thrashtastic]

Last Wrestlemania, I actually believed Triple H might take The Undertaker's streak, and my best friend and I were on the edge of our seats. I haven't felt that since Wrestlemania 14 with Kane, and I was 12 when I watched that show.

 

[S.J. Maximus]

To be honest I got very nervous when Triple H hit Undertaker with the Tombstone last year. I knew the streak couldn't end but Triple H was on the offense for so long that I truly believed that the streak was over right until the end when Taker put on Hell's Gate.

As for ever believing the streak could end before the match started, the only time was WrestleMania 21. Orton was just coming off a fantastic year where he faced the Rock at WrestleMania, solidified his stardom in a fantastic feud with Mick Foley, and became the youngest World Heavyweight Champion ever. After a failed heel run they quickly turned him heel again and resumed the Legend Killer gimmick, a gimmick that at the time was almost 100% in Orton's favor every time he stepped into the ring with a legend. I know the streak was important but I thought Orton was going to get the rub from Taker that match, which he kinda did by being so close but in the end Taker got the win

 

[FutureChamp328]

The only time that the streak was really in jeopardy was at WM 21 against Orton. If I remember correctly Taker actually wanted Randy to win but in the end Randy said he didn't want to be known as the guy who ended the streak.

 

[Dagger Dias]

A couple of matches stick out more than others for me. Some of the builds such as Orton in 2005 made the streak look like it was in danger, while the match itself didn't as much. Every year from 2005 onward the build made the streak look like it was in significant danger and I give WWE credit for that. Like I said in my opening statement though, only a couple of the actual matches stick out for me as making the streak appear to be in danger of ending.

Wrestlemania 14 against Kane.
Wrestlemania 25 against Michaels.
Wrestlemania 26 against Michaels II.
Wrestlemania 27 against Trips II.

Kane at Wrestlemania 14 was the most difficult opponent Taker had faced by that point at the biggest show of the year. It took not one but three Tombstones to finally take him down and Kane looked like he was going to be the one to end the streak in its earlier years. It wasn't until Shawn Michaels that the streak looked to be in danger of ending again. In 2009 and 2010 HBK gave Taker all he had in two of the greatest matches in pro wrestling history. We also saw Trips put forth a valiant effort last year in ending the streak too.

Shawn came closer than anyone else in the Wrestlemania 25 match, which saw both guys hit every special and every finisher they had until Taker finally emerged victorious. The following year saw another amazing match and Taker struggled to end Michaels' career, leaving himself open for a surprise hit by a finisher due to hesitation and not focusing on the task at hand.... But Shawn didn't take the opportunity he had there. He was ready to retire. Then we have Trips' rematch from last year. He came almost as close as Michaels in ending the streak. There were a couple of moments in that match when I legitimately thought Trips had booked himself to end the streak, and he came very close.

 

[JerichoHolic00]

I gotta say that the closest it ever came to being over was against Triple H at Wrestlemania 27. I mean, he hit 3 pedigrees, Put him through the announce table, hit him in the head with the chair and even hit a tombstone. And 'Taker just looked like he had nothing left. I was over the edge of my seat and just in didn't know what was going to happen. Another time was when 'Taker barely made the 10 count at 'Mania 25. When Michaels moved and taker nearly broke his neck from jumping over the top rope.

 

[Davi323]

The one that really stands out to me where I thought he had a chance of losing was against Shawn Michaels at 25. If anyone could "overcome" it would have been HBK. As that match went on, I seriously thought that HBK was actually going to win. In all of the matches since they started tracking the streak, I never got the feeling that Taker might actually lose it, until that night.

By the time they met again at WM26 however, it was fairly common knowledge Shawn was retiring, so there was no reason to have him go over Taker then, so I discounted the possibility of an HBK victory automatically. This is where I would disagree with Dagger. It's not just the opponent, it's the circumstances. It was a great match, but knowing what surrounded it, the outcome was never in question. Don't get me wrong, I wanted Shawn to win just so that I didn't have to face the reality of a WWE without him, but I knew deep down he wasn't going to. HBK had to lose. While Shawn was the only credible threat to the streak in a long time, the Undertaker was one of the few people worthy of "retiring" Shawn Michaels. That entire match was about sending HBK off with a bang, giving him his final Wrestlemania moment, not about the streak.

 

[byrnside]

I think there's really only two obvious choices: 'Mania XXV and XXVII.

First of all, I don't exactly remember when the streak actually became "The Streak" but it had to have been sometime in the mid 2000's so, for me, that eliminates a lot of choices. I could be totally wrong about that but that's when I remember I began paying attention to it and since this is a matter of opinion I'll just go from there... Having said that, Shawn Michaels was an obvious choice just because of Shawn's illustrious career as well as being "Mr. Wrestlemania." Who else better than Mr. Wrestlemania himself to end the streak? That on top of the teaser-finish-crazy match itself should be argument enough.

My other choice has to go to Wrestlemania XXVII against Triple H. I may be biased because Triple H is my all-time favorite wrestler. That combined with the fact that I was actually in attendance for the match. I was sitting on the edge of my seat from bell to bell and I was one of those that was actually hoping that Triple H might do it... To sound cliche, he threw everything but the kitchen sink including a round of Tombstones and after every single one I was convinced it was over. I had to blink to make sure I hadn't missed Scott Armstrong's hand count the 3.

 

[Pay Per Ghost]

Has Taker always been face during Mania?
I think apart from Taker/Flair he has always gone in as the babyface and I do generally think that 'Mania is for the faces to win to give it that good vibe in the end.

I really did think Kane would beat him at WM 14. I mean anyone kicking outta the tombstone was unheard of and Kane managed to do it after two! And I remember Undertaker hooking the leg afte the 3rd tombstone and not doing his customary pin. That match I thought was the second closest that the streak has been in threat.

To me it stands in this order -

1. WM X7 against HHH
2. WM 14 against Kane
3. WM 21 against Orton

 

[FlairFan2003]

Up until WM 17 the streak really wasnt a big deal, in fact I dont remember the streak being mentioned one time leading into his WM 18 match vs Flair, which had some of the best undercard match build up you'll ever see in WWE. Really, I think anytime leading into 17 or 18 he was in real danger of losing, just because the streak itself was not a part of WWE plans.

The whole streak phenomenon really started after he beat HHH & Flair back to back. From that point on I don't think he's been in any real danger of losing. Orton & Batista were too young to get that kind of victory, Edge basically beat UT in every showdown they had so you figured he would definately go over Edge at WM, HBK had never lost to UT on PPV leading into their WM 25 match (and HBK was a part time wrestler, they were not likely to let a guy on a limited schedule beat Taker and end the streak), certainly he was in o real danger of losing the last two WM's vs HBK & HHH.

In fact, unless he faces Cena I cant see anyone on the roster now big enough who works full time that would be worthy of ending The Streak. I'd be shocked if he lost it anytime soon. However, I think just because the streak itself was not a big part of is character, the allure of WM, or WWE booking plans, Taker was in danger of losing almost every time he wrestled through the first 18 WMs.

 

[The Fabulous Rougeau's]

His first 4 matches where squashes against guys who were meant to enhance him so we can throw those out. Now WM XII is where it gets interesting. If Diesel never left then he probably doesn't turn heel as he did in early 96. But if this happens then he probably isin't facing Taker at Mania. If this is the case then Taker probably gets Mankind or Vader. But as it turns out the way the Diesel Taker match was set no way is Diesel beating Taker on his way out. Then Sid at XIII is interesting as well. Sid is over and at this point on par with Taker. This match could have gone either way. Even though Sid left a few months later I don't think that was known heading into Mania.

So I would say against Sid was the first chance he had to lose a Mania match with the way the stories played out.

 

[Owen 3:16 says I just stole your Slammy!!]

WM 26 with HBK. I thought that they would not let Shawn lose again to 'Taker. I also thought that Shawn was not going to retire just yet. And if HBK did retire, he would of won the match.

WM 28 with HHH. I thought that this will be 'Takers last ride. The way they billed it as "The End of an Era" match.

 

[theBec2101]

I would have to say teh first few wrestle manias. Only because him having the streak was not planned that far in advace. They they figured what the hell lets ride this one out.

 

[Natural Selection]

Kayfabe as it relates the match itself, I would have to say the last six years. Behind the scenes kayfabe wise this year had everything, from the build to the match, had me legitimately thinking that HHH had booked himself to win. The sweet chin music into the pedigree was an epic false finish. From a booking standpoint its probably WrestleMania IX against Giant Gonzalez, simply because its unlikely they even realized he had a streak and were trying to make Giant look strong.

 

[HBsam31]

There are a couple of different answers for me and for different reasons. The first time I was actually surprised he didn't lose was to Randy Orton. Orton was built up huge as the legend killer, and I thought the icing on that cake was going to be ending Taker's streak at Mania. It would have made perfect sense at that time. The second time was during the match with HHH at Mania 27. Taker looked done, and even the crowd was stunned into silence at the beat down Taker was receiving. HHH's tombstone had me jumping out of my seat, and again was really surprised when Taker pulled it out at the end. Then the buildup to Mania 28 also had me thinking the streak was over. When HBK was added I then had a feeling the streak would stay intact. I don't know why, but if he wasn't the ref it would have kept me thinking the streak was over. Then the match started and it played out so well, and the pedigree chin music combo had me screaming to my wife that it was over. Such a great false finish. Of the three I mentioned though it was the match with Orton where I thought the streak was in the most jeopardy.