Vince McMahon's evil owner character had more than been played out by the time his feud with The Undertaker rolled around in 2003, but there was still significant interest in a match between the pair. Having faced off against other top stars like Steve Austin, Triple H, Ric Flair and Hulk Hogan, McMahon saw money in a bout pitting him opposite one of his greatest creations. The resultant Buried Alive match at the 2003 iteration of Survivor Series was entertaining, and didn't outstay it's welcome - clocking in at less than 15 minutes - but the finish was a little tired. Fans had already seen The Undertaker come close to winning a Buried Alive match, only to be stopped by an interfering heel, on this occasion Kane. Losing to a full-time performer can be bad enough, but for The Undertaker to be booked to lose to McMahon in a Buried Alive match, even with interference, wasn't a great moment for the character.
