24. Batista vs. The Undertaker - WrestleMania 23
Undertaker won the 2007 Royal Rumble to earn a title shot against the champion of his choosing and he chose Batista, the reigning World Champion. Batista had been on a role since returning from the injury that kept him from repeating in the main-event at WrestleManias 22. Since becoming a top guy, Batista had essentially mowed through all of the competition put before him to become one of the biggest stars of his era. Thus, he was thought to be a legit threat to The Streak, which had been advertised to go against his Title. Streak vs. Title was the selling point for the match, but Batista was more than a little motivated to go against the Deadman and steal the show. The behind the scenes story was that he was a little upset when he and Taker were not given the main-event / final match at Mania that year. Batista needed the motivation. He had a lousy track record in big matches. It was not on last, but it was treated like the main-event. The bout, surprisingly, was actually very good right from the start, as they went back and forth and unleashed their entire arsenals (and more). Batista seemingly took control for good with a powerslam through one of the announce tables, but Taker would come roaring back as the two settled into a lengthy stretch of false finishes. There were times that you honestly got the sense that the Streak might end. There was one particular moment where Taker kicked out of the Batista Bomb where Bats had this utterly shocked look on his face. It was one of the best moments of his career; it seemed like he finally got it. Batista, in a losing effort, put on the most impressive performance of his career. People were overwhelmingly positive about this match throughout 2007, with many claiming it to be the Match of the Year. It was one of the most pleasant surprises in the history of the WWE. Taker used it to start a string of classic Mania matches that put him amongst the best in the history of Mania not just for his Streak but for his in-ring work. Batista used it to learn how to steal the show.
Chad Matthews
Contributor
"The Doc" Chad Matthews has written wrestling columns for over a decade. A physician by trade, Matthews began writing about wrestling as a hobby, but it became a passion. After 30 years as a wrestling fan, "The Doc" gives an unmatched analytical perspective on pro wrestling in the modern era. He is a long-time columnist for Lordsofpain.net and hosts a weekly podcast on the LOP Radio Network called "The Doc Says." His first book - The WrestleMania Era: The Book of Sports Entertainment - ranks the Top 90 wrestlers from 1983 to present day, was originally published in December 2013, and is now in its third edition.
Matthews lives in North Carolina with his wife, two kids, and two dogs.
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