9 Times The Undertaker Helped Make WWE Superstars (And The One That Got Away)
Undertaker is wrestling's greatest gift; and he gave back plenty, too.
It's a strange feeling knowing that 2021 will be the first Undertaker-less year in many fans' lifetimes - this one included - and not a single WWE fan alive will look back at Survivor Series 2020 without a twinge of sadness. Since 1990, Undertaker has given everything he had to Vince's travelling supershow, and that includes the time-honoured tradition of putting over younger talent when the time is right.
Unusually for a legend on their way out, he ended up winning his final match in WWE. Given the fact that this is not a usual legend, however, we can all agree he deserved the moment. Plus, 'Taker has done business the right way over the last three decades.
Even in victory, he has the presence and attitude to bring his downed opponents up to his level and has taken his fair share of losses for the sake of the business. Nine of the Superstars that follow owe a good portion of their legacy to the great man, while one was sadly a victim of timing and circumstance.
10. Batista
The Undertaker and The Animal were a heavy feature at the top of the card on SmackDown during the close of the 2000s. Their incredible series of matches actually began at WrestleMania, so often a feud-closing event, when Batista showed the world he was truly ready to step up to behemoth level despite coming out of 'Mania 23 as one more notch in the streak.
Two big men sharing a ring often provide underwhelming results; that wasn't the case with this pair. That first encounter continued Undertaker's winning streak, but it also began a new run: show-stealing encounters on The Grandest Stage Of Them All. By the time Batista overcame 'Taker - six months after their 'Mania classic - the cheers were undeniable.
Even though it took until October 2007 for The Animal to get that first win over 'Taker, the wars they had and the journey Batista went through to put down The Deadman gave him made man status in WWE. A reoccurring theme on this list is how Undertaker balances keeping himself strong with regular victories with shaping the profile of those coming up behind him.