Undertaker

[6.0] "The second-biggest beneficiary of a guy being considered a GOAT because WWE kept saying he was behind HHH. Just because he was dedicated to his gimmick for a long time doesn't make that gimmick or the work in it good. Now it'd be contrarian to say Taker was never good, he had multiple periods where he was good or at least worked good matches. But scattered all over his career (especially pre-Taker) are stinker matches and absolutely stinker promos. He could carry himself well (it's why he got The Deadman over) but beyond saying some of his big lines his mic skills were weak, and you can see that especially during Bikertaker. He had some great matches, some even fantastic, with all-timer talent, but in less-important matches with opponents who weren't top-notch, you could see a lot of his flaws; granted, Taker is only behind Cena, Big Show & Kane in terms of guys WWE saddled with some real dogshit feuds so some of them would've sucked against nearly anybody. I think what separates Taker from a wrestler I'd call truly great is that if I picked a random TV or PPV Undertaker match, it's more than likely gonna be bad or worse, boring. A couple dozen amazing matches doesn't feel as impressive when it's spread out over 30 years with a chunk of that being a gimmick where you only show up once a year to defend your Streak."

[9.0] "You can talk about the quality of his matches during certain points of his entire career, the American Bad Ass era, post WrestleMania streak, the many times of attempted retirement, some of the more absurd storylines and booking decisions, etc, but I don't think any of this really damages the importance, the significance, and the endurance of Undertaker. The cornerstone of several WrestleManias, someone who had multiple match of the year contenders from the mid 2000s to early 2010s, a gimmick that cannot be duplicated, one of the most protected and best looking finishers in WWE, you can go on and on. No matter which way you look at it, the Undertaker is one of the best characters to come from WWE."

[10.0] "One of the greatest and my favourite wrestler of all time. Unreal character work with some of the greatest matches in wwe history makes him simply the best to ever do it."

"The greatest character of all time. What began as a caricature evolved into a believable figure who made the average fan accept the supernatural elements of professional wrestling without dismissing them as cheesy. As the years passed, he continually adapted--changing his character, style, persona, and physical look to match the time, tone, and tenor of the ever-evolving wrestling landscape. From an in-ring perspective, he truly hit his stride later in his career, delivering some of the most memorable matches and moments on the biggest stages in wrestling. The Undertaker is a once-in-a-generation star, and it is difficult to imagine anyone ever duplicating his persona or the career he built."

[10.0] "The Undertaker is the best big man to ever step foot in a ring. Highly athletic at his size and more than capable of holding up his end in a match. Once he got going he didn't need to be carried. Obviously the character was his biggest strength. He was different from everyone else around and maintained an aura about him his whole career. Not the best promos, but he didn't need to be."

[8.0] "reposting this, top star for almost two decades, one of the most legendary gimmicks ever Mania matches vs HHH three times and twice vs Shawn michaels are some of my favorite matches ever at Mania"

[10.0] "The Undertaker had a long career and evolved with the times. From Biker Taker back to the Deadman, he always felt special. He didn't shy away from putting others over, he even lost clean to Vladimir Kozlov. For a man his size, he was incredibly athletic and agile, and could work with almost anyone. Despite multiple career threatening injuries, he still built one of the most impressive legacies in wrestling history. He had a great moveset too, Tombstone Piledriver, Chokeslam, Last Ride, Hell's Gate, Old School, Snake Eyes, big boot, diving clothesline, and that classic sit up that made every comeback feel massive."

[4.0] "The Undertaker was, for most of my childhood wrestling fandom, my favorite wrestler of all time and a personal hero of sorts. It was actually Chris Benoit for a very brief period at some point in there, but that's another story that ends in tragedy so I won't go into it. He instantly clicked with me as a weird kid who loved horror and was fascinated by death. He really made me understand wrestling kayfabe as a concept, being an undead zombie who competed in a ring for a belt despite the fact that he could summon lighting and shoot fire alongside his rival half-brother Kane who he sometimes also teamed up with. Either way, when I returned to watching WWE in 2015 after not watching since 2007 I immediately reconnected with Taker. I got to go back through his catalog of matches that I'd missed thanks to the WWE Network. His amazing Mania matches with Edge and Shawn Micheals and Triple H (and a deeply overrated one with CM Punk, the hypocrite), some great promos and overall maintaining a consistently unique and interesting character that could easily have been a complete dinosaur of the worst of the 90s and turning it into an enduring symbol of wrestling as a theatrical performance. Even the shock of learning that his famous Streak of WrestleMania wins had finally been broken in an (awful) match with (alleged) sexual predator Brock Lesnar couldn't dull my enjoyment of the amazing legacy of what Mark Calaway had accomplished in the wrestling industry. So, why am I giving him a four, then? Well, the funny thing about legacy is that, given enough time, the likelihood of it being tarnished grows exponentially. They could keep going on for so long that they're unable to perform at a level that even remotely resembles the peaks they used to reach. The flaws in their overall work in hindsight could become more noticeable with the benefits of both hindsight and the viewer who once primarily knew WWE (and a bit of TNA) expanded their horizons to see truly great wrestling that wasn't at the behest of an (alleged but probably true) sexual predator in Vince McMahon. Maybe they even openly express support for a certain political figure with machinations towards fascism that implicitly wants to silence and erase the person who once viewed a wrestling zombie as a hero when they were six because they now identify as non-binary and that's not heteronormative enough. It's fun watching your heroes basically tell you that you don't deserve to exist because of factors like race, gender, sexuality, disabilities, financial status, and more things that are (mostly) out of our hands. Perhaps I'm being too biased here, but Mark Calaway the person has irreparably damaged The Undertaker the wrestling character in my eyes. People can cry "objectivity" as much as they want when ironically giving a wrestler a perfect score out of emotional bias despite a career with so many matches that are objectively bad (vs Giant Gonzales? The Concrete Crypt match? The fucking Saudi Blood Money debacle where four old people embarrassed themselves? ), a lot of very subpar promos where nothing of value was said despite taking fifteen minutes to say it, and basically everything from the Roman Reigns Mania match onwards. That's not being objective, it's just trying to silence those who feel differently because of your own emotional biases. This is somehow even more pretentious than someone unpacking complicated thoughts about heroes and growing up on a wrestling fandom website where we arbitrarily assign numerical values to people who pretend fight in a ring and argue about it like nerds. I guess at the end of the day, we're all just Marks. Four out of ten, and it's only not lower because of my nostalgic enjoyment of the character and some all time great matches. That first Hell in a Cell totally holds up."

[7.0] "famous worldwide and incredible commitment to the gimmick but just does not do it for me. the whole deadman thing like makes no sense to me why are you a supernatural figure and then you choose to fight for championships and sometimes you have powers sometimes you do not bleh not for me. respect his craft and long career but really represents many of what i do not like in american wrestling."

"A career that redefined longevity and aura in wrestling. He dominated across multiple eras without losing credibility, turned entrances and special stipulations into mythic moments, and consistently delivered when the stakes were highest. Unmatched presence, elite storytelling, and universal locker-room respect, the blueprint for what a true legend looks like."

[10.0] "Certainement la plus grande légende de ce sport divertissement, une aura comme personne d'autre, un personnage et un gimmick unique qui ne peuvent être reproduite, même si dans le ring il n'était pas souvent Phenomenal (lol jeux de mot), l'Undertaker fait parti des légendes absolues et a participé à la renommé mondial qu'est le catch aujourd'hui."

[10.0] "Regardless of the era, as long as The Undertaker is in the ring, he is the most important name in that ring. There is no other wrestler who has managed to be the greatest wrestler of every era he has been in. He is also a top-level wrestler in the ring. Legend."

[10.0] "For over three decades, Mark Calaway embodied a character that transcended sports entertainment. The Undertaker wasn't just a wrestler; he was a phenomenon. His slow, deliberate walk to the ring, the chilling gong of his entrance music, and the iconic sit-up created indelible memories for generations of fans. He became synonymous with WrestleMania, building a legendary Streak that defined the event for years. Beyond the dark mystique, Taker was a respected locker-room leader who evolved his character time and again--from the 'Deadman' to the 'American Badass' and back again. - His legacy is permanent."

[9.0] "Taker is one of those rare wrestlers with a legacy as much about aura and character as it is about ring work. Evolving across decades while staying true to its core, from the Deadman to the American Badass and back again. His presence, entrances, psychology and commitment to kayfabe defined eras, and the WrestleMania Streak turned him into an annual attraction. He was never a technical standout and a large portions of his career was uneven."

[10.0] "I mean, it's the Undertaker. He did everything and won everything you could do, tied to a gimmick that probably wouldn't work for 99% of others. Think about all he accomplished and how his character morphed and grew over the years. But no matter what, he was still true to his self and handled the character masterfully. My favorite in-person wrestling story is that I was at a live event as a kid when Mark first starting wrestling for WWF. The intro was scary as heck, and all of a sudden I remember being right at the aisle and next to him. A couple of kids and I reached out to touch his arm -- and he was ICE COLD. This man lived his gimmick! He stopped briefly and quickly looked over at us, and we RAN like we were shot out of a cannon! I miss this about wrestling! He's a legend and a beautiful icon to our sport."

[10.0] "@Brye "I find it hard to believe that The Undertaker is receiving a rating of 3. As one of the most significant icons in the industry, his historical contribution is undeniable. It is disappointing to see him rated this way years later. This website should consider verifying accounts, as many users cannot distinguish between personal feelings and objective facts. This lack of objectivity undermines the rating system and suggests that certain users should no longer have voting privileges.""

[10.0] "He is undoubtedly the greatest character in all of WWE and professional wrestling as a whole. No one can even come close to the longevity of the Undertaker as far as an in-ring character is concerned. His legendary feuds with Kane, Shawn Michaels, Steve Austin, Triple H, Mankind and so many others, his undefeated streak at WrestleMania and his HOF induction in 2022. The Undertaker is definitely deserving of all of his accolades."

[10.0] "35 years of wrestling, a legacy that spans generations, an impact that will be there forever, the Streak, his skills, and his peak (between 2004-2010, a very late peak). Undertaker has to be the greatest wrestler of all time"

[3.0] "Undertaker might legitimately be my least favorite wrestler of all time. He's had some incredible feuds and storylines, especially his Mania stuff with HBK, Triple H, Edge, etc. But my god, the bulk of this guy's career was awful and cringeworthy. So many 'monster of the week' feuds that were basically irredeemable. Not to mention he couldn't cut a compelling promo as the Deadman or the Biker character. Even growing up as a kid, I just could not get into Taker at all. I completely understand the reasons that people like him, but he's personally never been someone I've found myself enjoying outside of rare instances."

[5.0] "The Undertaker has been named one of the greatest wrestlers of all time and the greatest character and most iconic figure in WWE history. He was voted the greatest WWE wrestler ever in a 2013 Digital Spy poll. In naming him the second greatest wrestler ever, IGN described Undertaker as, "one of the most respected wrestlers, and characters in the business; treated with actual reverence. Like a cherished, invaluable artifact"."

[10.0] "My #6 GOAT. The Phenom. Taker was never a technical wizard (not that he was bad at that by any means), although still an amazingly entertaining wrestler. But in terms of playing a character alone ... well, I'm pretty sure most people won't even deny that there has never been a character like the Undertaker. There was never a character as unique as the Undertaker before him, and honestly, I can say pretty assuredly at this point that there never will be again. He was a once in a lifetime talent, in that respect. When the Undertaker made an entrance, he just exuded an aura and presence that nobody else has ever been able to match. Despite being somewhat limited in the ring in his earlier career (I'd argue he was still pretty good), and he really found his style in the late 90s/2000s to became one of the best. His matches against HBK will go down as some of the best of all time (Dave Meltzar is an absolute moron for not giving those 5*) forever, and his career spanned countless decades as a top-level star."

[6.0] "I can say with confidence that the Undertaker was not my first favorite wrestler. However, he kept getting better in the ring as time went on. He worked hard to consistently have his best matches at an age most wrestlers start declining. Then he had the legendary Wrestlemania winning streak. Sadly the last 6 years of his career ranged from ok to downright terrible. All of his best matches after 1996 were against, Bret Hart, Shawn Michaels, and Kurt Angle. Notice a pattern? Now, to his credit, he also had very good matches with Batista, Randy Orton, Brock Lesnar and Ric Flair. When he faced them they were either very green still (Orton & Lesnar), struggled to have consistently great matches, (Batista), or far past their prime (Flair). He also had one great match with Kane at WM 14 and that counts for something. He has more bad and below average matches than good or great ones. I also wish he stuck to full kayfabe after his career ended."

[9.0] "One of the greatest to ever do it. Few characters in wrestling had the aura and the staying power that the Undertaker had. Few people, except maybe Hulk Hogan, could work at the level that the Undertaker did. This is because of the entrance, the lights, the psychology, and the character work involved. Much of this credit goes to how committed Mark Calaway was to his character. Taker was one of those characters that you knew could survive and continue to thrive regardless of how bad the booking from Vince got, I was a fan of his American Bad Ass rebrand but I just think the biggest problem with the character came from how he was booked The biggest gripe I have with Taker is that he stayed around too long, towards the end of his career, I don't think he was ready to let go and as a result of that, you got alot of clunkers and bad matches that really did a number on Taker's legacy. Those Saudi matches in particular are embarrassing and I think I think a good way to send the character off was at WWE WrestleMania XXVIII."

[10.0] "Definitely one of the best of all times, the best character there ever was as Deadman, American Badass, his Streak is iconic on WWE/Wrestling History, iconic matches and moments. Some people can hate that he got soft with his podcast and left the Kayfabe, Taker is no longer active, and he's been protecting Kayfabe since 80s, the guy is doing what he couldn't back then as an active, well deserved moment he has now. 10/10"

[10.0] "Definitely the most iconic character in professional wrestling history. He could always deliver, has so many iconic moments and matches, an absolute legend."

[10.0] "The GOAT of professional wrestling. He has the most legendary catalog of memorable matches and moments."

[5.0] "One of the most overrated wrestlers of all time. Largely carried by the aura and the character. His best matches came against the real all time greats. Don't get me wrong, there were points where he was good and even great, which is why he is still a 5, but I find most of his work to just be average at best. Given the character he gets a pass for being a really bad promo, but he is still horrible in that aspect."

[6.0] "Credit where it is due: he made a stupid gimmick work and was able to change his style to maintain a pretty long career. That said, he is an absolute dork whose obsession with being respected and badassdom is rather kind of funny. If he retired sooner, his work would be much more lauded. But he overstayed his welcome and stunk up the room in the twilight of his career."

[10.0] "I have nothing but respect for The Undertaker. The man could go in the ring and do things that another man his size would not be able to do. He made the undertaker gimmick the greatest gimmick in wrestling history and was able to evolve his in ring style over the years to deliver amazing and exciting matches over the years. Undertaker is a true legend and a case can definitely be made for him being the greatest of all time."

[8.0] "In some ways it feels kind of absurd giving Undertaker anything less than a 10, but he's just very one-dimensional. Compare him with contemporaries like Shawn Michaels , Sting, Kurt Angle, Bret Hart and I just don't feel he quite measures up. 10/10 for presentation, iconic-ness, aura. I know. I'm mad at me too, but I'm trying to be objective with these and just... Well you see what I've done."

"The greatest wrestler that WWE has ever seen. Beat Shawn Michaels, Mr. WrestleMania himself, at WrestleMania, to extend the streak that would inevitably finish at 25 wins and 2 losses in 2020"

"I am only writing this comment so that in half a fortnite I can rate the danish wrestler "Prince Muhammed" a perfect 10"

[10.0] "other than his american badass times, his gimmick is the greatest gimmick wrestling has ever seen. just like anybody who started watching wrestling in the 2010s, he was my first favourite wrestler"

[10.0] "The greatest wrestling gimmick wrestling has ever seen. When I was little I thought he was actually dead & he had me scared. That's how amazing & dedicated he was to his craft. The 2nd half of his career is even better with some incredible matches, wish his final match was in front of a crowd but it was a poetic ending"

[7.0] "The Undertaker had some brilliant matches, but I can't remember a promo he had that amazed me or shook me in some way. The streak was one of the best storylines in pro wrestling before they pissed it away for Brock Lesnar. Still, his loss made for an iconic moment. I think a lot of people overhype him as a "Greatest Of All Time" contender when he spent majority of his career in an upper mid card gatekeeper role, relying heavily on his WrestleMania winning streak. His character was good though, when it wasn't overly gimmicky."

"Probably the greatest legend to ever step into a wrestling ring. The Undertaker was not just a character, he was an entire institution. He managed to keep his aura of mystery and respect for over three decades in an industry where constant reinvention is mandatory. From his early gothic appearances to his epic WrestleMania matches, he earned his place in the hearts of fans through dedication, resilience and a loyalty that is rarely seen. His career speaks for itself: the classics with Shawn Michaels, the battles with Triple H, the rivalries with Kane or Lesnar, all of them are landmarks in wrestling history. The Undertaker was not only a massive draw but also a respected locker room leader, someone who demanded discipline and gave advice to the younger generation. Inside the ring he consistently delivered even when his body was giving up on him. His presence, his entrances, his psychology and his ability to tell a story made him one of a kind. Simply put, The Undertaker is professional wrestling."

[10.0] "My view on the Undertaker is hard to put into words. He is one of the most important wrestlers of all time. He is one of the best gimmick wrestlers of all time. He is one of the most recognized and respected wrestlers of all time. BUT, his career is filled with a lot of bad stuff. Before his feud with Mankind, I can't think of a truly great match he had in his entire WWF run. Granted, being paired with Bundy, Kamala, Gonzales etc. certainly doesn't help. Even though I loved his character work in the attitude era, he still never had great matches (beside KOTR 1998, which is all Foley so can't give him to much credit). Hated his Biker era, as it didn't make since why the Lord of Darkness now listens to Kid Rock, but his matches started to get better since he was just a man now. I think he finally put everything together was his feud with Orton in 2005, particularly their match at WM21. He then goes on to have the some the best work of career with Angle, Batista, Punk, HBK to name a few and the 'Streak' became the selling point of a lot of the Manias during the late 00s. The second he loses to Lesnar at WM30, he should of called it a day. But he refused to go out graciously with some of the worst matches in history with Roman, DX & Goldberg. He thankfully did go out his way with the Boneyard match with AJ but those last few years did not help his legacy. Overall, the good definitely outweighs the bad and although I would not put him in my top 10, the Undertaker should be and is remembered as one of the greatest of all time."

[10.0] "One of if not the greatest wrestler of all time overall. His gimmick is hands down the best ever and the fact he kept reinventing himself throughout the years though to never stay stagnant is something these new guys can learn from."

[4.0] "His character and impact are unquestioned. But in terms of his career and his matches, we rank him way too high. His best matches are only with people known for consistent great matches. He however has not been consistent, and has had plenty of bad matches through the years. And he tried to hold on for way too long. Those final matches against Goldberg and DX were 20+ years too late, I used to dream of him vs Sting but if those matches are any indication, I'm glad it didn't happen when Sting arrived in WWE. His podcast was also great before he forced Matthew Lyda off for his wife, and then pretended that was soley WWE/Fanatics decision and not his"

"An absolute legend, easily one of, if not the greatest of all time. Yes he maybe should have retired earlier, but his career up until the early 2010s is flawless"

"[10.0] hands down one of the greatest to ever wrestle, the streak was a captivating thing that hasn't been done since in its scale"

[10.0] "The greatest character in the history of WWE. His wrestlemania run from 2007-2013 was mind blowing. It will never be topped."

"Taker is both somehow incredibly over-rated and incredibly under-valued. He helped hold the fed together during it's leanest years, feasted on some great workers in ring during the good times, and then sort of...coasted on his reputation after that. He has the dubious ability to be both an absolute legend and a complete fraud simultaneously, which really is what wrestling is all about in the end, no?"

[6.0] "I think Undertaker is a great wrestler but I don't think he is The Greatest of All Time like lot of people want to believe he is. I think he is very average when it comes to promos and people highly rate him because most of his great matches are at WrestleMania in front of millions. Compare to other great wrestlers I know he is not so great as they think he is. I am not saying he is bad but he is carried by great presentation and entrances, other than that, he got Mania streak and that's it"

[9.0] "There's no debate to be had here: The Undertaker is the greatest character in the history of professional wrestling. That's not an opinion. That's just a cold, hard fact. The longevity, the aura, the visual storytelling--nobody did it better. You could show a picture of him to someone who's never watched wrestling in their life and they'd know exactly what he represents: fear, power, mystique, and legacy. But here's where we draw the line--because I'm not here to romanticize blindly. If we're talking pure in-ring ability, The Undertaker was never the best. He had a slow start in the early '90s, relying more on character presence than actual match quality. Many of his bouts during this era were, frankly, plodding affairs that aged poorly. The 'Deadman' gimmick limited what he could do physically, and it showed. However, from 2006 to around 2013, the man experienced a second prime that few in this business ever reach. His matches against Shawn Michaels, Triple H, Batista, and CM Punk were masterpieces of big-match psychology. The 'Streak' era became must-see WrestleMania material because of him. He knew how to work a crowd, how to make every move matter, how to escalate drama to its boiling point. He wasn't the fastest, or the most technical, but he was absolutely one of the smartest performers in the ring during that period. But let's also be brutally honest: He stayed too long. Post-2015 Undertaker was a shadow of his former self. Matches became slower, more labored, filled with mistimed spots and botches that undercut his once-immortal image. Watching him in Saudi Arabia or that embarrassing Goldberg match? Painful. And it's not being 'disrespectful' to say it--it's being truthful. He didn't need to prove anything, but he kept coming back, and the mystique wore thinner every time. And yet, despite those flaws--despite the in-ring lows and the overextended twilight--he still earns a 9.0. Why? Because in wrestling, greatness isn't just about how many five-star matches you have. It's about presence. It's about impact. It's about legacy. And The Undertaker's legacy is untouchable. Not my favorite to watch bell-to-bell, but easily one of the most important to ever lace up a pair of boots. A living, breathing icon. No crying about workrate will change that."

[10.0] "Captivated me COMPLETELY as a child. One of the greatest character in wrestling to ever grace the sport, very solid wrestling ability."

[10.0] "One of the most recognizable characters in pro wrestling. Undertaker is a dude who got told "you'll never draw" by Ole Anderson and then went to the WWF and completely proved him wrong. He has been through so many changes in the Undertaker gimmick but still kept the character relevant. From funeral home, to Ministry Taker, to American Badass/Big Evil, to the hybrid deadman, he was able to reinvent himself to always be a draw for WWE. He also had the 21-0 win streak at wrestlemania, a stat that will never be repeated ever again (unless it somehow happens naturally with the creative team at WWE never notices somehow). He is a legend and definitely deserves the upmost respect."

[10.0] "One of the best of all time. No one else could have carried that gimmick like he did. A great worker and performer. Arguably the most important wrestler in WWE history. It's a shame about his final years, but it takes nothing away from the fact he's one of the GOATs"

[5.0] "Definitely one (if not) the most overrated wrestlers to ever grace the sport. Has never been a solid wrestler even throughout his "prime" years. Has some great highs in his career undoubtably, however who wouldn't get such highs when you're wrestling people like Shawn Michaels in Hell In a Cell and high stakes matches. Great character, but to be completely honest just a gimmick carried by booking and stipulation matches."

[10.0] "One of the greatest of all time, no question. The Undertaker had the perfect mix of character, presence, in-ring psychology, and longevity. Whether it was the chilling aura of the Deadman or the raw intensity of the American Bad Ass, he constantly evolved while staying true to his roots. His commitment to the business and ability to deliver on the big stage--especially at WrestleMania--puts him in a league of his own. A true legend who earned every bit of respect he's given."