The Undertaker vs. Randy Orton

The Winner: The Undertaker

Background Noise

This match came to be after Randy Orton got kicked out of Evolution, lost his world title and continuously was made to look like a putz by Triple H. He wanted to prove that he could hang with the “big dawgs” and the best way to do that, would be to end the WrestleMania undefeated streak of the The Undertaker.

I remember the build up of this match very clearly. It was, to my recollection the first time someone challenged The Undertaker at WrestleMania based purely on ending the Streak. For some reason, The Undertaker entered the match first.

The Bell
As the bell rang, Undertaker was on the move trying to catch Orton, but Orton kept evading him. Finally Orton slapped Undertaker but Orton was able to evade him. Finally Orton got caught in a headlock, Orton fought out and hit a dropkick. Orton’s first few minutes in this match were using his speed. Undertaker was matching up very well. Undertaker missed a charge in the corner, giving Orton an opening for a school boy attempt. It only received a two count. Orton then tried for his RKO finisher, The Undertaker responded by tossing him out of the ring. Given the positioning of the move, I don’t know how Orton expected it to go, he was right next to the ropes and it would impeded the completion of the move anyway. Undertaker then hit a guillotine apron legdrop on Orton and back into the ring, he hit his Old School move. He tries a running boot into the corner, but Orton moved and Undertaker ended up going crotch first into the corner. Orton proceeded to dropkick Undertaker off the ring apron. He took the match back into the ring and after a small back and forth brawling session, hits a clothesline for two. Undertaker hits a running ddt for two. Undertaker takes another shot at a pinfall after a sidewalk slam. Undertaker pounds on Orton in the corner and goes for another one of his long term signature moves “The Snake Eyes” but Orton catches Undertaker with a back elbow smash. It’s a two count.

Orton was using his fists a lot as the crowd started chanting “Randy sucks” . They attempted a double clothesline but it didn’t go well for Orton and he ended up going down like a sack of potatoes. Undertaker followed up a two count after the clothesline with a dragon sleeper. Orton’s arm dropped twice but he was able hold it up a third time and hit a ddt. It gets a two count. Orton then locked in a sleeper hold. Undertaker broke out twice but got locked back in. It took a suplex to finally get Orton off his back. Undertaker crawled to the corner, Orton went to pounce but Taker caught him with a big boot. Undertaker sprung off the ropes to hit another one but Orton reversed into a powerslam for two. Orton had Undertaker in the corner, attempting 10 punches (its always 10, I have never understood that), Undertaker reversed to have Orton in Last Ride position but Orton fought out and nearly hit the RKO. Undertaker pushed Orton away though hand into the referee. Undertaker followed that up with a Last Ride but for some reason, he fell over (the argument the commentary team made was that Orton shifted his weight). Before the Undertaker could gain any offense, Randy Orton’s father “Cowboy” Bob Orton ran in the ring and clotheslined Undertaker with his cast. He dragged Randy on top of Undertaker but that only got a two count. Both men returned to their feet and stared each other down. Undertaker got whipped to the ropes but responded by booting Bob Orton off the apron. Randy tried a clothesline, but the Undertaker ducked and grabbed Orton’s throat for a chokeslam. He lifted him up and Randy Orton reversed into an RKO. It was only a two count though. Orton then signaled that he was going for The Tombstone. Undertaker reversed it into one of his own and that was enough to beat Randy.

The Verdict

The story going into the match was that Orton had a plan to beat The Undertaker and that plan seemed to work very well. He reversed several of Undertaker’s key attacks, Snake Eyes twice, Last Ride twice, chokeslam once. He had Undertaker scouted at seemingly every turn, but one thing he didn’t scout, do not attempt a Tombstone on The Undertaker. More people needed this lesson in coming years but still. He probably could have won if he went for an RKO instead of the tombstone.

I was sure going in that The Undertaker was going to lose here. Orton did a segment where he debuted a new T-Shirt bragging about how he beat The Undertaker. I thought this would be it. Towards the end of the match, the crowd started to pick up remarkably. The closest Orton came would be the Bob Orton running in/The chokeslam reversal. I think The Undertaker’s victory came very impromptu.