Streak [streek]
a. a spell or run: a streak of good luck.
b. an uninterrupted series: The team had a losing streak of ten games.
Edwin Moses won 107 straight finals and 15 prelims in the 400-meter hurdles, spanning from 1977 until 1987. A record in Track and Field history. A record that still stands, but a streak that was ended.
From 1980 until 1993, boxer Julio Cesar Chavez fought in three different divisions and won 87 straight matches. If you don’t count the tie, that number gets elevated to 90 matches (consecutive without a loss). Regardless, that streak also ended.
From December 1985 until September 2004, Jerry Rice went 274 straight games with a catch, spanning two decades. That streak? You guess it, ended.
All streaks are meant to show pure dominance in a sport. Unrivalled competitiveness in a single athlete or team. However all streaks have one major question hanging above and as that streak grows larger and larger, the question is asked more often; “When will the streak end and who will end it?” Sometimes it takes a couple of months to end a memorable streak. Sometimes years. In some cases, decades. In the end, all streaks come to an end.
All but one.
It all started on March 24th, 1991. Wrestlemania VII. A night that many witnessed Hulk Hogan winning the WWF Championship for the third time by beating Sgt. Slaughter, and Ultimate Warrior defeating Macho Man Randy Savage in a retirement match, The Undertaker made his WrestleMania debut by defeating Jimmy Snuka. Introduced by the sound of a gong and a short, stocky man with a shrill voice known as Paul Bearer, The Undertaker started his streak of WrestleMania victories that night.
In the following years, many tried to take down Undertaker and would ultimately fail. Jake Roberts, King Kong Bundy, Diesel, Psycho Sid. They all tried. They all met the Tombstone. Some even got two stabs at it. His brother Kane, Triple H and Shawn Michaels all attempted to take down the Deadman on two separate occasions. They say third time is a charm but for these three men, two was enough to convince them all that charms don’t exist in the wrestling world.
After 21 years, 21 victories and three Championship victories in the process, The Undertaker returns back to ring action on April 6th when he takes on Brock Lesnar one-on-one, putting his streak on the line yet again.
Fun Fact
The Undertaker’s bout against Lesnar will mark the third time in six years where a trend occurs in back-to-back Wrestlemanias, involving pairs. At Wrestlemania 25 and 26, The Undertaker defeated Shawn Michaels. The following two Wrestlemanias, he defeated Triple H. Last year, Undertaker took down Paul Heyman guy, CM Punk. This year? Another Paul Heyman guy in Brock Lesnar.
“You wanna do it?”
It was a moment all UFC fans will remember. Four years ago, after losing the UFC World Heavyweight Championship at UFC 121, Brock Lesnar was stopped on his way to the dressing room by a familiar face. The Undertaker, an employee of the company Brock Lesnar had left to join the UFC, stood in his way, looking down at the former UFC Champion. Lesnar looked slightly confused, turning away from the Phenom and continued his way back to the locker room.
Footage: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zjHtxPew5Os
In an interview after the event, Brock Lesnar confirms it wasn’t a work and that he had no idea Undertaker had that planned. It turns out, this whole situation was a result of a “he said, she said” drama. After Lesnar left the WWE for UFC, Undertaker reportedly was very vocal about being upset at Lesnar and how he felt Lesnar didn’t appreciate everything the WWE did for him. In the wrestling world, we call that politics. Lesnar’s response? Undertaker was jealous because Brock did what most could not accomplish and that was to become a complete success in the WWE and follow it up by being equally successful in the UFC world. All messages against each other were relayed via a third party, or mutual friend, as Brock Lesnar put it.
Footage: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YUpEumldhTs
Dana White confirmed that after UFC 121, Undertaker did call him to apologize for creating an unwanted mess.
Again, that was four years ago and not kayfabe stuff. The relationship between Undertaker and Lesnar has become quite heated over the years and tempers will flare at WrestleMania.
The Phenom vs. The Beast
This will mark the fifth time in history that The Undertaker and Brock Lesnar meet in the ring for a one-on-one match. It is also the fourth time they clash on a PPV card, and the first time that these two will not wrestle for a Championship. Lesnar and Taker were involved in other bouts as well; one triple threat match, two tag team matches and two handicap matches.
In one-on-one confrontations, Brock Lesnar is undefeated.
On September 22nd, 2002: Brock Lesnar and The Undertaker fought to a double disqualification decision. As a result, Brock Lesnar retained the WWE Championship.
On October 20th, 2002: Brock Lesnar defeated The Undertaker at No Mercy to retain the WWE Championship in a Hell In A Cell match, via pinfall.
On September 20th, 2003: Brock Lesnar defeated The Undertaker at a special MSG Show to retain the WWE Championship in a steel cage match, via escape.
On October 19th, 2003: Brock Lesnar defeated The Undertaker at No Mercy to retain the WWE Championship in a Biker Chain match, via pinfall.
In a sense, it’s The Undertaker’s Wrestlemania streak versus Brock Lesnar’s personal streak against The Undertaker. Quite obviously one streak is more established than the other but this Sunday, something has got to give way.
Will the streak extend to 22-0?
In my humble opinion; the streak should never come to an end. Yes I am one of those guys.
The Undertaker’s streak is an illustrious thing to hold and not something you want to give up to just anyone. Several rumours have circulated over the years about how Taker wanted to give the streak up and push someone, so if that’s true then it’s not a matter of Undertaker himself riding a high horse but more so, the WWE not wanting to relinquish the 21-0 record. Even the wrestlers who were offered the win against the Phenom couldn’t accept out of respect. Respect that the Undertaker has built for himself over a couple of decades.
Enter Brock Lesnar. A beast. Destruction incarnate. Eat, sleep, conquer, repeat. That is the current slogan Brock follows and wears proudly on a t-shirt but one has to think; has he met his match with The Undertaker? We know he will eat and he will sleep, but when it comes time to conquer the Undertaker, take him down and end the streak, is Bock Lesnar capable of it?
Before his departure from the company, Brock Lesnar was an absolute animal. He didn’t need to prove anything to anyone. Ever since his return, it seems like all he has been trying to do is exactly that — prove he is still the beast he once used to be. Destroying Mark Henry? Sure, it’s an accomplishment in itself to take down the World’s Strongest Man, let alone doing it on multiple occasions. Obliterating not one but two chairs over the back and body of The Big Show? Impressive, yes. Brock Lesnar proved he can still lift up bigger men than he and toss them up into the air like a rag doll. But has he proven that he can do the same thing to The Undertaker? Better yet, is The Undertaker even impressed with Brock Lesnar’s track record since returning? I would say no to both questions.
As a part-timer who is on a contract with limited appearances, giving the streak to Brock Lesnar would be one giant mistake. I am of the opinion that even a Championship should not be relinquished to a competitor on a part-time contract. As a long-time fan, the streak to me is viewed as something that is more prestigious than any Championship. You can be a Champion, any Champion at any time but once you beat The Undertaker at Wrestlemania, that’s it. No other guy can claim the streak. No other guy can say, “Hey, I ended the Undertaker’s run of Wrestlemania wins. I am THAT guy.” Heck, you can be the WWE Champion for 400+ days but the moment you defeat the Undertaker, the number of days you were Champion becomes just that – a number. A statistic. Something that gets lost in the shuffle when you are now the guy that ended the streak.
“Lets… do… THIS!”
In the few weeks leading up to the biggest show of the year, Undertaker and Lesnar have been involved in a few altercations. The first ending in a pen to the hand of Lesnar followed by a chokeslam through a table that was meant for the contract signing. The Undertaker and Paul Heyman had a few choice words for each other on another episode of Raw and built the match through a battle of conversation. Then came some more fisticuffs, with Undertaker getting the upper hand over Lesnar again. Before the confrontation though, the druids entered the arena wheeling a casket. At first? It was empty. As Brock Lesnar refused to play mind games and threatened to leave, the casket door lifted open and The Undertaker sat up, staring a hole through Lesnar and sending Paul Heyman fleeing the ring out of fear.
Some will say, “But Shawn, this is an outrage! They’re making Brock look so weak!” Well… if a chokeslam and a clothesline over the top rope to end two shows is enough for you to determine Brock looking like a weak opponent, that means you didn’t think too highly of him to begin with. The first show, it was a chokeslam through a table on the first show is a year that the Undertaker appeared on. The “beatdown” that consisted of a few punches and a clothesline over the top rope? Did Brock really look that weak? I don’t think so. In fact, the one thought that gathered after the show went off air was, “I wonder what he’s going to do now that he’s filled with this much anger.”
Storytelling, folks. That’s all it is. The Undertaker is proving that age is not restricting him from his full potential while at the same time, the anger and frustration will build up enough in Brock for you all to believe he’ll want to kill the Undertaker at Wrestlemania.
And the killer instinct came a week later. During the go-home show — a term that is used for the final show before the PPV, in this case, the final Raw — Brock Lesnar got the best of the Undertaker, nailing an F5 and standing over his Wrestlemania opponent. A sign of things to come, maybe? What we should expect to see once the match is done with?
Rest. In. Peace. Final Thoughts.
In closing, The Undertaker WILL go 22-0.
This match will have everything! Storytelling, brutality, mayhem and so many false finishes it’ll make your head spin. Both Lesnar and Taker have the ability to sell the simplest of arm bars and make you believe there’s a chance that a tap-out is about to happen. Both Lesnar and Taker also have an uncanny ability to kick out of repeated finishers, building a belief in the viewer that they are invincible and nothing can keep them down. Can you imagine Lesnar lifting the Deadman on his shoulders and F5’ing him, only to get a two count?
On April 6th, 2014, will the streak come to an end or will Brock Lesnar fall short?
Further reading
On the topic of the Streak, the Wrestling department’s Jeff DeHaan and James Carlucci took part in a Point CounterPoint piece where they went back and forth in a debate over many points involving the streak. Should it end? If so, who should REALLY end it? Most importantly, what the streak means to both The Undertaker AND the WWE. Be sure to give it a read and give both Jeff (@DeHaanoffate) and James (@LWOSCarlucci) on twitter.
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