Author: Big Cal

The Undertaker Vs Batista – World Heavyweight Title – Steel Cage – Smackdown 11/05/2007

The Undertaker 1 – Batista 0 – 1 Draw. Can Batista finally get a win over the Dead Man here in a steel cage on TV?

Unlike their PPV matches, I have only ever seen this match once, when it aired, and I remember thinking it was good, but not that great, especially compared to their PPV matches. After seeing their Last Man Standing match again, and loving it more this time around, will I think more of this match now I finally get to see it again?

Something I love about a series of matches between two people, is how they change how they start a match. At WrestleMania, Batista kick started things off with a spear. At Backlash, The Undertaker started things off with a boot to the face. In this one, both men are slow to start things off, and lock up in the middle of the ring to try and gain the advantage that way. Just a nice progression of the overall feud story .

Just like their previous matches, this is an all out war between two monsters who want the World Heavyweight Title. They use the cage very well IMO, and they use the escaping part of the match even better. In the first 10 minutes of the match, both men hit big moves, and then try to escape, only to realise its just not enough. So they don’t even try to escape for another 10 minutes or so, which during that time they have both dished out and received an enormous amount of punishment.

For roughly 20 minutes, they go back and forth, just beating the living hell out of each other. We get a couple of Spinebusters and Chokeslams, but no major finishers. The Undertaker does get busted open though, making Batista look perhaps stronger in this match.

In the end though, we get yet another draw finish, with both men escaping the cage and dropping to the floor and the same time. The fans are awesome for this part, all seeming to genuinely care who really won, making the suspense segment after the match with the referees watching replays, that much better.

Its usually the same with me, I watch a match when it first happens, and I usually never get the full feel for it until a re-watch, and its the same here. I don’t remember it being THIS good at all. From what I remember of their other matches in 2007, I would say its the weakest of their series, but not by much. This is still a fantastic match, especially by TV standards.

Rating: ***3/4

The Undertaker Vs Batista – World Heavyweight Title – Last Man Standing – Backlash 2007

For 2 PPV’s in a row now, The Undertaker Vs Batista is the main reason I watched the PPV and bought the DVD. Adding the Last Man Standing stipulation just increased my anticipation for the re-match .

At WrestleMania, it was Batista that charged at the Dead Man to start things off, but here its The Undertaker going straight for the challenger with a massive big boot to the face! Before, it was Batista who was the champion and the aggressor, now the tables have been turned and The Undertaker is making sure he is more aggressive.

Batista still shows that determination from WrestleMania, as he takes everything The Undertaker is throwing at him, and still coming back. He is even able to get The Undertaker down for a few seconds to start the first count of the match! Nice to see the story from WrestleMania continuing here.

Smart wrestling from The Undertaker here, targeting the leg of Batista that is heavily taped up, thanks to Finlay over the last few weeks (I made mention to it in my review of the tag match between Batista & The Undertaker Vs Finlay & Mr Kennedy).

The champion is looking dominant now, kicking Batista in the face a few times, and going for his signature leg drop across the apron.

More story continuation as Batista goes to the top rope, trying to pull out all the stops once again to hopefully beat The Undertaker, but this time he is stopped and its The Undertaker digging deep for a massive superplex!

I am personally a big fan of the Last Man Standing stipulation (when its not used every bloody week like it seems to be these days), but I do understand that some people don’t like it, because the match is essentially “spot, count, spot, count” until someone finally wins. This one, however, seems to be a little different to the standard Last Man Standing formula, in that all the spots are well built up from previous spots, and not just some random move to keep someone down.

It is also great how both men are constantly pulling out moves we don’t normally see from them; anything that can be used to wear down and beat their opponent.

The Animal gets busted open, and wasting no time, The Undertaker begins to pummel the open wound. He then sees an opportunity to not only get some revenge for WrestleMania, but also potentially keep Batista down, as he lays Batista across one of the announcer’s table, and comes flying off the guard rail with a leg drop! Great spot!

Tremendous drama with the 10 count following the table spot, as it didn’t simply come out of nowhere, it gradually built up to it, so it seemed believable for Batista to NOT get up.

Batista DOES get up though, and The Undertaker is pissed. In the ring, he goes for Snake Eyes, but it appears Batista has it scouted, as he reverses the big boot into a spear! Batista gets a second wind, and destroys The Undertaker with a Spinebuster! The Undertaker has been on the offence for the majority of the match though, and still had enough left in the tank to easily get up from the Spinebuster, so Batista sends him crashing into the mat with 2 more! This one is much closer to a 10 count, but the resilient and inhuman champion gets up again!

The 3 Spinebusters seems to have taken enough out of The Undertaker to put him even with Batista when it comes to punishment, so when he hits a Chokeslam, he is down on the mat for a few seconds too. Another sign that Batista learnt something from their WrestleMania match (the first was the Snake Eyes counter) when he does a role reversal, powerbombing The Undertaker out of the corner!

Things are REALLY starting to heat up now, with a steel chair getting involved, as it seems conventional moves aren’t going to do it here… for Batista at least. The Undertaker still hasn’t used the Tombstone, and since it was the move that won ‘Taker the title at WrestleMania, it only seems right that it end this match too!

Unfortunately for The Undertaker, it seems that conventional moves aren’t going to work for him either, as Batista manages to get up at the count of 9.

The fight goes to the top of the stage, where we see a back and forth brawl between these two behemoths! It looks like The Undertaker is going to Tombstone Batista off the stage, but The Animal manages to get off the shoulders of the Dead Man, and hits a spear! Both men go flying off the stage and crashing through the equipment below, and the referee makes a 10 count!

I’m not usually a fan of Last Man Standing matches ending in a draw, but it seemed perfect for this one. It showed that neither man could keep the other down for a 10 count on their own, making both look strong IMO. Plus it gave a good reason for another re-match, instead of the boring “I still want to beat you for the title” crap we usually get.

As far as last man standing matches go, this is probably my new favourite/best. HHH/Orton from No Mercy later in the year was indeed a tremendous match, but after sitting down and watching this again, I can honestly say its just that bit better. Incredible match, one that has literally got better with every viewing (WrestleMania gets better, but the rating stays the same. This has gone up every time I have seen it).

Rating: ****1/4

The Undertaker Vs Kurt Angle – WWE Smackdown 04/09/2003

For 20 minutes, both men pull out everything they have to try and beat each other. They start off by trying to gain the early advantage, with ‘Taker trying to get a big punch in, and Angle trying to take down the bigger man. We get a stalemate between the two, as neither can do what they want.

Angle finally manages to control The Undertaker, just for a little while, with his wrestling. The Undertaker realises that he won’t be able to pummel Angle at this moment in time, so what does he do? He wrestles too! That is one thing that I have really loved about ‘Taker over the years; his ability to adapt to any style that his opponent can throw at him.

After some back and forth wrestling between the two, The Undertaker finds an opening, and BAM! Right hand to the face of Angle! Angle is HURT, putting over The Undertaker,and making this match seem more legit, all at the same time. The Undertaker is in control now, and he seems to like it. He lays Angle across the apron, gives him a couple of elbow shots, and then when the referee asks him to get back in the ring, he smirks, and drops a leg drop!

The first (and only, thankfully) commercial break shows up, and when we come back, The Undertaker is still in control of Angle.

The first half (pretty much everything before the commercial break) was all about gaining the advantage, but this second half was all about action. Intense action. Awesome action.

Angle comes back, tries to put down The Undertaker with everything he has, including an Angle Slam! The Undertaker wants that WWE Title back badly though, so he isn’t going to be put away just yet. He comes back with some big moves of his own, including a Chokeslam! But, like ‘Taker, Angle isn’t going to be beat so easily, especially with the title on the line.

The last 5 minutes or so are epic, with Angle desperately trying to make The Undertaker tap out to the Ankle Lock, and The Undertaker trying his best to survive, and put Angle away. Angle counters a Last Ride, a Big Boot, a Leg Drop… everything The Undertaker threw at him, into an Ankle Lock. The Undertaker is no slouch though, as he shows us that he too can counter moves and lock in submission holds, as he counters the Ankle Lock on a number of occasions, into an arm bar, and also into a Triangle Choke, which very nearly wins him the belt!!!

The Undertaker sets up Angle for another Last Ride, but Brock Lesnar shows up, levels ‘Taker with a chair, and attacks Angle too.

Seriously, if it wasn’t for the finish, this would be a ***** match. Yep, I’m upping my original rating from ****1/2 to ****3/4, and its VERY close to *****. Move over Owen/Bulldog, THIS is the greatest WWE TV Match of all time!

Rating: ****3/4