For thirty years, The Undertaker was the WWE's most famous and reliable performer. Aside from being one of the most skilled giants to ever compete in the ring, Mark Calaway was renowned for being versatile. As times changed, so too did The Undertaker; growing and evolving in a fashion that increased the fascination of the character.
RELATED: The Undertaker's 10 Greatest Accomplishments In Wrestling, Ranked
An integral part to The Undertaker's mystique were his various entrances that enthralled audiences. Whether it was a slow, doom-laden march through mist & fire, or thundering to the ring on a motorcycle, The Phenom always left an impression on generations of WWE fans.
10 Floating Through The Mist At WrestleMania 21
Undertaker Defeated Randy Orton To Go 13-0
- April 3, 2005
- Los Angeles, California, USA
- Staples Center
WrestleMania 21 had a brilliant theme going with the WrestleMania Goes Hollywood presentation, and the show boasted an excellent card throughout. One of the highlights was The Undertaker's match with Randy Orton; with the Deadman defending his (then) 12-0 WrestleMania streak against the Legend Killer.
RELATED: 10 Things You Forgot About The Randy Orton vs. The Undertaker Rivalry
Arriving for the showdown - with the aisle flooded with mist - The Undertaker glided through the fog instead of merely walking. It may have been one of the more understated entrances of Taker's career, but it remained eerie and supernatural to behold. Certainly unique in the rich tapestry of Undertaker arrivals.
9 Arriving By Roman Chariot At WrestleMania 9
Undertaker Wrestled Giant Gonzalez At The Event
- April 4, 1993
- Paradise, Nevada, USA
- Caesars Palace
WrestleMania 9 is generally regarded as being the single-worst WrestleMania ever; for its overall card and terrible booking decisions. The Undertaker's match with The Giant Gonzalez was no exception to this; being the single-worst WrestleMania match The Phenom ever had.
But one thing WrestleMania 9 did have going for it was the inspired Roman Coliseum theme of the event held at Caesars Palace. This translated beautifully for The Undertaker's entrance, where he rode on a funeral chariot with a magnificent vulture perched next to him, and Paul Bearer leading the way.
8 Arriving By Hearse At SummerSlam 1992
Undertaker Beat Kamala By DQ
- August 29, 1992
- London, England, UK
- Wembley Stadium
The 1992 edition of SummerSlam (held at Wembley Stadium) is rightly regarded as one of the greatest shows WWE has ever staged; for its amazing atmosphere throughout, a fantastic card and its legendary main-event between Bret Hart and Davey Boy Smith. But The Undertaker's entrance was another highlight that night.
The Deadman arrived for his match with Kamala in style, riding on a British Hearse with Paul Bearer again leading the way. Aside from being intimidating to his foes, the Deadman was also becoming somewhat majestic to his fans.
7 Rollin' With Limp Bizkit At WrestleMania 19
Undertaker Competed In His Only Handicap Match At WrestleMania
- March 30, 2003
- Seattle, Washington, USA
- Safeco Field
The Undertaker's reincarnation as the American Badass worked brilliantly from 2000 to 2003; developing the once-supernatural Deadman into a human, Redneck biker that rode top speed to the ring. All the while, Taker's entrance would initially be hailed by Kid Rock's "American Badass", then Limp Bizkit's "Rollin'".
Come WrestleMania 19, Taker had long stopped used "Rollin'" for his entrance theme, but Limp Bizkit came back for a one-night-only performance as the American Badass rode to the ring for his match against A-Train and The Big Show. With Fred Durst singing "Rollin'" once more, it was another epic WrestleMania arrival for Taker, and a fitting tribute to how much Limp Bizkit meant to the success of Taker's Biker persona.
6 A Bat Descends On Survivor Series 1996
His 1996 Feud With Mankind Culminated Here
- November 17, 1996
- New York City, New York, USA
- Madison Square Garden
The Undertaker's legendary feud with Mankind produced many epic moments in 1996; with Mick Foley scoring huge wins over the Phenom, and Paul Bearer shockingly betraying Taker to align himself with Mankind. Having produced several fantastic matches on pay-per-view, another Undertaker/Mankind collision was booked for the Survivor Series.
RELATED: Every Mankind Vs. Undertaker WWE Match, Ranked Worst To Best
At Madison Square Garden, the Deadman descended from the rafters, with bat wings joined to his arms and legs. A perfect Batman-esque silhouette was cast for the Garden to behold, and preceded another great chapter in the Undertaker/Mankind feud. The fact that Taker arrived in this manner one-time-only makes it all the more special.
5 Wading Through The Dead At WrestleMania 29
Undertaker Defeated CM Punk To Go 21-0
- April 7, 2013
- East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA
- MetLife Stadium
For his deeply personal encounter with CM Punk, Undertaker arrived at WrestleMania 29 with one of the most haunting entrances throughout his WWE career. Dressed in a dark robe decorated with spikes, the Phenom waded through the mist and many vanquished souls reaching out for him.
Ignoring the legion of arms trying to drag the Undertaker down, the Phenom effortlessly emerged through the dark realm to confront Punk. The sheer symbolism and creativity of this amazing entrance preluded one of Taker's greatest showdowns from The Streak.
4 The Deadman Returns At WrestleMania 20
Undertaker Faced Kane At WrestleMania For The Second Time
- March 14, 2004
- New York City, New York, USA
- Madison Square Garden
The Undertaker was on the edge of victory against Vince McMahon in a Buried Alive Match at Survivor Series 2003. Until Kane attacked his brother out of nowhere, rescued the WWE owner and buried the American Badass.
In the months that followed, numerous omens haunted Kane not just of The Undertaker's inevitable return, but his rebirth as the Deadman. And at WrestleMania 20 - much to the delight of Madison Square Garden - Paul Bearer and the druids reappeared to herald the rebirth of the Phenom in 2004. It was a joyous reboot to behold.
3 The American Badass Arrives At Judgment Day 2000
The Phenom Returns After A Long Absence With A New Persona
- May 21, 2000
- Louisville, Kentucky, USA
- Freedom Hall
Before The Undertaker left WWE in September 1999, he'd been in the midst of a character-change as well as suffering from various injuries. The Phenom was gone from the company for eight months; with his absence making fans' hearts grow even fonder.
Towards the climax of the epic Iron Man Match at Judgment Day 2000 between The Rock and Triple H, three little girls appeared on the Titantron, singing "He's here!". The Undertaker finally returned in his new guise of the American Badass. Despite the makeover, the fans immediately recognized their hero and screamed in delight as the Undertaker demolished Triple H and the McMahon-Helmsley Faction.
2 The Druids Arrive At WrestleMania 14
Undertaker Wrestled Kane For The Very First Time
- March 29, 1998
- Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- FleetCenter
The Undertaker's first-ever match with Kane at WrestleMania 14 was treated as a serious affair, following almost a year's worth of hype. It was an amazing clash between the two brothers, with the pre-match shenanigans whetting fans' appetites even more.
RELATED: Every Kane Vs. Undertaker WWE Match, Ranked From Worst To Best
Following Kane's own epic entrance - and historically delivering a Tombstone Piledriver to Pete Rose - The Undertaker responded in kind. The Druids appeared for the first time at a WrestleMania; carrying flaming torches to herald the Phenom's arrival. Following a bolt of lightning, the Undertaker marched under the Druids' torches in one of his most iconic entrances.
1 Exploding Pyro & Jim Johnston At Judgment Day: In Your House 1998
Undertaker Battled Kane For The Vacant WWE Championship
- October 18, 1998
- Rosemont, Illinois, USA
- Rosemont Horizon
The Attitude Era was in full-swing in 1998, with the WWE product at its peak and its two hottest feuds being Austin vs. McMahon and The Undertaker vs. Kane. The two rivalries converged in the fall of 1998, when the WWE Championship had been vacated, and McMahon ordered Austin to crown the new champion by refereeing the next Undertaker/Kane showdown.
Arriving at Judgment Day: In Your House, Taker entered the arena to a massive ovation from the Rosemont audience. Accompanied by Jim Johnston's amazing "Dark Side" theme, the Phenom was further heralded by a chorus of exploding pyro that only made his arrival more epic. With Jim Ross' commentary hyping up the showdown even more, it all gelled together to create arguably the most amazing entrance for The Undertaker.
