One disk left, and it doesn’t suck!
-First Blood Match: The Undertaker vs. Mr. Kennedy (Survivor Series)(November 26, 2006)
This was when WWE got quite serious about pushing Kennedy. They made a big deal about him going over a number of world champions. Taker was pretty much the biggest name on the list to possibly go over. Kennedy actually won the first match these two had back at No Mercy. Kennedy plays the running game for a bit. He tries punching, but that fails. Taker sends Kennedy flailing outside. Into the announcer’s table goes the head of one Kennedy. Taker flips Kennedy over the table and continues beating him up all around the ring. Headbutts. Taker brings him back over the barricade. Boot the face. Kennedy sends Taker into the stairs. Now Kennedy sends Taker into the announce table. After some punches, he tries a dive off the apron. Spine first into the post goes Kennedy. Follow-up includes more fun with the announce table and a punch into the kidney. More shots to the side as they end up back in the ring. Taker places Kennedy on the top turnbuckle. Superplex. Shots to the ribs. Kennedy hits a low blow. Advantage doesn’t last as Taker hits a big boot. Head first in the turnbuckle. Body shots continue. A second low blow by Kennedy. He heads outside and appears to be bleeding. MVP comes out and helps to wipe the blood and tries to get Kennedy to walk with him in the back. MVP then sends Kennedy back into the ring. Apparently, this was revenge for Smackdown a few weeks ago. Kennedy sends Taker’s head into the exposed turnbuckle after getting hit with more punches. MVP comes in with a chair and hits The Undertaker after some dispute with the referee. Undertaker is bleeding… and he’s not happy. Kennedy punches away. Referee sees Taker bleeding and calls for the bell.
-Winner (s)/Time/Rating: Mr. Kennedy/9:24/**
Kennedy continues to beat on Taker after the match. Just as he’s about to say his line on the microphone. Taker comes back and beats the bajesus out of Kennedy. And I mean a beatdown. Chair shot that wraps around the head included. So glad those have been banned in the ensuing years.
-Last Ride Match: The Undertaker vs. Mr. Kennedy (Armageddon)(December 17, 2006)
Only way to win this match is to beat your opponent so badly that you can put the man in a hearse and drive away. Quite the stipulation I’d say. Kennedy ducks and dives in the first minute. Then Taker gets his hands on Kennedy, and a beatdown begins that goes all around ringside. The assault outside the ring ends with Taker tossing Kennedy head first into the apron. Blind charge sends Taker flying. Kennedy seizes the opportunity until he gets caught and rammed into the post. First attempt at the hearse, but Kennedy sends Taker into the hearse numerous times. Kennedy actually gets him inside, but the door won’t close. Boot to the face. Taker prevents Kennedy from going in the crowd and rams him in the steps. Taker has some fun on the apron. Kennedy heads in the ring and again wants to go out. Taker has none of that. Superplex. Huge toss. Toward the hearse area, but Kennedy applies a sleeperhold of all things Not very often the movie is applied outside the ring. Makes sense considering the stipulation at least. Kennedy gets Taker in the hearse. He heads to the driver’s side where Taker is waiting for him. Undertaker resumes his tour around ringsideand begins clearing the announce table. Kennedy responds with a series of chair shots to all parts of Taker’s body. Taker keeps sitting up. Kennedy lures Taker toward the entranceway. They climb all over the stage. Uh oh. Both men tease tossing the other over. Kennedy actually tosses Taker over. The landing is neither seen or alive. Great camera work I’d say. Announcers are in complete shock. Even the replays don’t illustrate the landings. Thus, the magic is preserved. Kennedy drags Taker to the hearse and gets him inside. He wants to drive… Uh oh. Taker sits up and drags Kennedy through the hearse. Huge series of punches. Chair shot. Taker misses a shot with a pipe. Chair shot to the head, and we’ve got blood. Taker works on the wound. Taker places Kennedy on the roof. This won’t end well. Chokeslam on the roof! He’s not done yet. Tombstone! Taker puts him in the hearse and drives off. Bit of an anticlimactic ending but that’s more the fault of the stipulation than anything else.
-Winner (s)/Time/Rating: Undertaker/19:07/***
-I thought this was actually well-worthed despite the stipulation. Kennedy looked very plausible here, and it almost looked like he would do it. If only Kennedy wasn’t a complete idiot and screw-up. This is the type of match that people would remember making his career up.
-Last Man Standing-World Heavyweight Championship: The Undertaker vs. Batista (Backlash)(April 2007)
Undertaker defeated Batista one month earlier at Wrestlemania in one of the most unexpectedly great matches in the history of WWE. Since these two had a regular match one month, a stipulation is in order for Backlash. Unlike a lot of other matches on this DVD, this isn’t about people trying to mess with The Undertaker. This was just strictly about the championship. Taker starts on the offensive as soon as the bell rings. Chokeslam is no dice but a flying clothesline works. Old school to a mixed reaction. Odd how some people are actually cheering the challenger. Batista comes back with a powerslam. Into the ringside barricades and ring aprons go The Undertaker’s head. Right hand and then Batista himself is sent into the steps. Some punches and Batista goes into the stairs. Taker begins working on the bandaged right hamstring of Batista. Sounds like a capital idea. Kick to the head and a legdrop on the apron. Batista reverses an Irish whip and Taker is sent into the steps. Batista goes to the top rope, but it proves to be a foolish move. Taker with a series of right hands and eventually a superplex. Referee counts both men. Punch exchange. Batista hits a clothesline. Another one and the referee begins counting. Bodyslam and a legdrop. Undertaker pulls Batista to the outside by the tights. Time to redecorate the Smackdown announce table. Batista sends Taker hard into the barricade. Batista tries to hit a powerslam through the table just as he did at Mania, but Taker hits a sloppy backbreaker. He goes after the stairs and nails the challenger. Referee counts to seven and we see Batista is now bleeding. Taker lays him on the table. From the barricade and… LEGDROP THROUGH THE TABLE! Referee counts to nine, and Batista gets up at 9.5. Taker hits two splashes in the corner. Snake eyes. Batista hits a spear. Spinebuster. A second spinebuster. A third and he wants the referee to count. Taker up at nine. Taker sends Batista into the corner out of a Batista bomb attempt. Chokeslam! Taker gets up. Batista up at nine. Taker goes for punches in the corner, but much like he’s done so many times to others, Taker himself eats a powerbomb. Taker…just…make…it…up. Batista grabs the chair and puts it to good use. Taker reverses a Batista bomb into a backdrop on the chair. Tombstone! Batista gets up at nine. Taker kicks Batista to the outside. The two men fight up to the entrance way stage. Taker tries tossing Batista off the stage. Batista fights back. Batista goes for the powerbomb. Taker kicks the bad leg. He measures a right hand and lifts him up. Batista spears Taker off the stage. There are a few minor explosions that make this feel more hokey than it should have been. Here we’ve got two guys having a tremdendous match, and then they have to go and do this. Referee counts ten 10 and we have no winner.
-Winner (s)/Time/Rating: No-contest (STILL World Heavyweight Champion- The Undertaker)/20:27/****
-This was an incredible match between two guys have amazing chemistry with each other. This was absolutely better than their Mania match with the exception of the finish. What a stupid finish. This match deserved so much better under the circumstances.
-The Undertaker vs. Big Daddy V(w/Matt Stryker) (Smackdown) (January 25, 2008)
Big Daddy V used to be known as Mabel, and if you remember disk one, you’d remember that they had a casket match some 13 years ago. Two questions come to mind. After having such a crappy feud in 1995, why would anyone bother resurrecting garbage like that. Even better, why the hell is this match even on here? Seriously, why? I’ll wait for an answer. Picture the match they had 13 years ago except we get to see Big Daddy V’s tits and Matt Stryker is replacing Mo. Oh, and no casket. If nothing else, Taker’s movements and timing have improved, so that’s a positive thing. Chokeslam and I’m shocked Taker’s back survived. Taker hooks the triangle choke. Big Daddy V works out of it. That’s a difference from their match 13 years ago. Big Daddy V Stupidly tries ground and pound. Hell’s Gate gets the submission victory. It’s a bit different from the triangle choke he used earlier
-Winner (s)/Time/Rating: The Undertaker/6:11/1/2*
-Mark Henry comes out and says Taker went too far. Henry and Big Daddy V would have to be the fattest team in WWE history.
-Hell in a Cell: The Undertaker vs. Edge (Summerslam)(August 17, 2008)
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Edge and Taker had a feud going back to Wrestlemania. Taker of course maintained his streak using the Hell’s Gate finisher that he debuted in the previous match (hence the reason for its inclusion I assume). Taker won at Backlash, and this lead to Vickie Guerrero banning the submission hold. The championship was held up, and Edge defeated Undertaker at One Night Stand. The stipulation was Taker having to leave WWE. This lasted two months as the marriage of Edge and Vickie Guerrero came to a close. Guerrero decided to punish her husband by reinstating The Undertaker and putting both men in Hell in a Cell. This also led to Mick Foley’s departure from WWE as Edge beat the holy hell out of Mick Foley a couple weeks earlier on Smackdown. He also hit a conchairto on his own best man Chavo Guerrero. Hell of a video package explains much of this pretty well.
I’d say this is a modified version of the very first Hell in a Cell involving Taker against Shawn Michaels and the one Taker had against Randy Orton, which we saw earlier on disk two. The major difference is Edge shows more aggression and less fear throughout the contest. Still, it’s Undertaker making a major heel pay for his sins. Too many expectations were attached to this match as well considering how great previous contests were. This Hell in a Cell ultimately couldn’t live up to previous encounters because by this time, the blood ban was basically in effect. In fact, the only blood came hardway from Taker’s right arm. The match felt more like a series of spots instead of a logical progression. Instead of focusing a lot of the attacks using the cage, Edge and Taker incorporate more outside objects like stairs, tables, chairs and eventually ladders. It feels more like a TLC match within the cell actually. They even go outside the cell for some spots. Taker even hits some trademark Edge spots as a measure of revenge. Spear, conchairto, and the camera shot that served as a receipt from the last Hell in a Cell. Despite all the craziness, there’s only one way for it to all end. Tombstone. 1-2-3. Done.
-Winner (s)/Time/Rating: The Undertaker//***1/4
-After the match, Undertaker gets on a ladder and chokeslams Edge through the mat. Flames shoot out. Cute.
-Steel Cage Match: The Undertaker vs. The Big Show (Smackdown)(December 5, 2008)
This match is on the DVD because… because…well, I have no earthly idea. I don’t even care. I guess a third match involving these two just had to be included. I’d say they were trying to torture, but I decided to review the DVD after reading the match list. Taker and Show have their usual match. Punching, kicking, and an occasional high impact move. I’ve seen these two wrestle far too many times. Show breaks out a Vader bomb and misses. Taker with a series of kicks and splashes while Show is pressed against the cage. Show hits an elbow and begins ramming Taker into the cage. While Show is on offense, that’s roughly what he does. Oh, a clothesline here and there too. Punch exchange. Taker hits a big legdrop for two. Out of the corner with a pair of splashes. Old school doesn’t go well as Show resumes with body shots. Taker is prone on the top rope. Show meets him and a battle ensues. SUPERPLEX BY BIG SHOW! Show hits a lazy boot and climbs to the top. Taker sits up, so Show tries escaping. Both men battle on the top rope once again. Taker punches Show continually. Finally, Taker gets the even bigger man down. Taker can easily climb out, but he comes back into the ring for an elbowdrop. It misses. That was stupid. Show gets two. Chokeslam reversed into a DDT by Taker. After a two count, Taker sets up for a chokeslam. Show turns it into one of his own. Both men down. 1-2-NO! Show hits a huge punch. Taker sits up. Show wants another chokeslam. Hell’s Gate. Show has no choice but to tap.
-Winner (s)/Time/Rating: The Undertaker/12:41(shown)/*3/4
-Of all their matches, this may have been one of the best. Still not something I’d ever care to see again, but it wasn’t torture either.
-Undertaker summarizes his own career and challenges anyone to show their face and beat him.
-Final Thoughts: One of the positive about this DVD collection is you get to see just how much The Undertaker has evolved over the years. Disk three showed significant improvement in the match quality area. It’s pretty fascinating to see that as Taker has gotten older and the wear and tear of the wrestling business has taken its toll, the match quality gets better. I only wish Taker could have had a better first few years because as great as the character was, the matches were horrendous.
Based on the collection as a whole , I can’t recommend someone spending 20-25 dollars to buy this. There are an awful lot of matches not worth seeing. While I feel “Undertaker’s Deadliest Matches” is a really accurate portrayal of Taker’s career, I can’t say it’s worth sitting through matches with Kamala or Mabel. Thumbs down for this three disk set. If nothing else, I can at least say to myself “Ricky Steamboat’s collection is coming.” Hell Yes.