WWE: The Undertaker's 10 Greatest Wrestlemania Matches

3. vs. Batista (WrestleMania 23)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ISyxDTpKx1I From the moment of the announcement for WrestleMania 23 being at Ford Field in Detroit on the 20th anniversary of the famous WrestleMania III event at the Pontiac Silverdome, rumors began circulating of Batista vs. Undertaker; it was merely a matter of how to get there. Back when there was a brand split, Batista and Taker were the two most dominant names on Smackdown. Batista had run roughshod over the entire WWE roster (with few exceptions) since winning the 2005 Royal Rumble match. In matches for the World Heavyweight Championship, he had never been pinned or submitted. He was, in essence, unbeatable, making him a perfect opponent for a man who was undefeated at WrestleMania. Undertaker, at that time, had whipped himself into the best shape of his life, trimming some of the excess weight that had slowed him down throughout much of his career. Subsequently, he was performing at a higher level than ever before. You have to admire a man who, in his late thirties and after a highly successful career, decides that he can be better. Rewind to the 2007 mindset for a moment. Despite Taker peaking athletically, his match with Batista was not expected to tear the house down. For all intents and purposes, it would have been casually expected that Taker competing for the World title at a WrestleMania for the first time in a decade would warrant the main-event spot. However, Batista had not progressed as a performer to a level that made WWE higher-ups confident in his ability to carry his half of a WrestleMania main-event. Thus, the spot was given to HBK vs. John Cena. As the story goes (and was once told to Sports Illustrated), upon learning that they had been relegated to headlining status, Batista got so pumped up and so determined that he worked hard than he ever had in his life to ensure that his match with Taker stole the show from Cena vs. HBK. History has been kind to both title matches, but most critics would agree that Batista vs. Taker was the match of the night. It started the "Streak within 'The Streak'" and has become one of the most legendary performances in WrestleMania lore.