Ranking All Of The Undertaker’s WrestleMania Matches
By Tim Sherry
credit: wwe.com
9. Randy Orton – WrestleMania 21
As mentioned earlier, this build up and match with Randy Orton at WrestleMania 21 was the first time that Taker’s “Streak” was really factored into the proceedings. Walking into The Staples Center in Los Angeles, The Deadman was officially 12-0 when he took on “The Viper” and the newly 25 year-old Orton made clear his intentions. “The Legend Killer” as he would name himself at that time had already been a world champion, breaking the record for youngest a year earlier when he bested Chris Benoit at the 2004 SummerSlam for the belt. He wanted his newest trophy to be Taker’s Streak. It was the perfect matchup: “Legend vs Legend Killer”, and Orton prepared himself to do anything to make it happen.
The opening minutes of the match were a bit boring with both guys feeling each other out, fearful of each others finishers. But the match picked after about five minutes into their 14-minute affair, and what began slowly picked up and then some as Orton tried time after time for the pin Taker even after simple moves proving his eagerness for the win. And the final moments were a lot of fun as Orton’s dad, “Cowboy” Bob Orton, interfered and drilled Taker with the arm cast that it seems like he’s been wearing for 35 years. Even after that interference and an RKO, Taker would not stay down and he’d eventually reverse Orton’s Tombstone attempt into one of his own to move to 13-0 at Mania.
As important as this win was for Taker and his Mania legacy, it was far more important to the young career of Orton. A young man who was pushed to the moon perhaps a little too early, as evidenced by his failed baby face turn the year before, he used the moment and importance of the match to recharge his career. These two would clash again five months later at SummerSlam where Orton grabbed a victory and then we all know where Orton went from there. 12 more World Championships and flat out iconic status. That may never happened without this WrestleMania match with The Deadman.