10 Best Wrestling Match Concepts Since 2000
1. Boneyard Match
The Undertaker facing off against AJ Styles in a Boneyard match (a cinematic Buried Alive match held in a cemetery) in one of the headline matches of WrestleMania 36 was an unforgettable spectacle.
Prior to ‘Mania 36 The Undertaker could no longer put on the same level of performances on ‘The Showcase of the Immortals’ WrestleMania as he did in classics against Shawn Michaels, CM Punk and Batista. He’d had some abysmal matches in recent years (Chris Jericho recently said The Undertaker and Kane vs. Triple H and Shawn Michaels in Saudi Arabia is the worst wrestling match he’s ever seen). But it’s to be expected: Taker’s in his mid-50s and saddled with injuries that have required extensive surgery/rehab from years of performing on the road.
With the Boneyard match Undertaker (debuting his new ‘Unholy Trinity’ character that combined elements from The Deadman, The American Badass and Mark Calaway the man) was able to hide his limitations and have a spectacular fight/showdown with AJ Styles. The match/setting enabled ‘Taker and AJ to have some savage unscripted dialogue (that’s rarely heard in WWE these days) before ‘Taker buried AJ in a glorious horror-movie sight.
The match has made fans believe Undertaker could wrestle for many more years with the Boneyard match, with many believing the Undertaker/Sting dream match could finally take place under this setting.
Booker T commented after the bout: “People always wonder if they are ever going to see that match. Sting vs. The Undertaker. This would actually be a way to go out there and do it because I don’t think The Undertaker took one bump.”
With Jerry Lawler adding: “Now in this style, we could easily have The Undertaker in the match that they’ve always wanted to have forever, Sting. Can you imagine watching that in that cinematic style that the Boneyard Match was done in? It could be done. That was a perfect location for the Boneyard match in a cemetery.”
Fingers crossed for Undertaker vs. Sting in a Boneyard match in a near WrestleMania.