His is one of the most awe-inspiring stories in WWE history, a journey fraught with danger at ever turn that has seen him duel with the forces of darkness, battle for honor and accolades, and do the impossible on regular basis. Undertaker has had one of the longest, most successful careers ever witnessed, and it can all be traced back to the Survivor Series. The Deadman made his WWE debut at the event some 15 years ago, and to some extent, his destiny has been linked to it ever since. As he approaches his 12th Survivor Series appearance on November 27 in Detroit, we look back at Undertaker's storied accomplishments at WWE's own fall classic.
1990: The Journey Begins
"Million-Dollar Man" Ted DiBiase had his work cut out for him. He had the tag team if the
Honky Tonk Man & Greg "The Hammer" Valentine (a.k.a. Rhythm & Blues) were set to take on the
Hart Foundation, Koko B. Ware and "The American Dream" Dusty Rhodes in a classic Survivor Series
elimination match. All he had up his sleeve was a mystery partner is what everyone remembers most
from the evening-because it turned out to be none other than Undertaker, then managed by Brother
Love. The gruesome newcomer silenced the crowd as he carved a path of destruction on his first
night in WWE. Koko became the first victim of the Tombstone, and was pinned less than two minutes
into the match. Not long after, Dusty followed. `Taker was so hell-bent on destruction, in fact,
that he accidentally got himself counted out. Nevertheless, his team won when DiBiase emerged as
the sole survivor.
1991: An Immortal Becomes Mortal
It was called Hulk Hogan's "Gravest Challenge." The WWE Champion found himself defending his title
against a man who in one year had become the talk of fans everywhere. Undertaker seemed to feel no
pain, and had yet to be pinned. Still, fans believed that their hero would somehow find a way to
overcome the grim challenger. But with a little help from a chair-wielding Ric Flair, Undertaker
Tombstoned the Hulkster into oblivion, handing him his fourth pinfall defeat in WWE, and taking
his coveted title. The victory marked Undertaker's first of four reigns as WWE Champion.
1992: Deadman Vs. Wildman
Since the summer, Undertaker had been warring with the mighty Ugandan giant Kamala. A decisive
victory had yet to be achieved. Once `Taker learned of Kamala's terrible fear of caskets, however,
the tide began to turn. Undertaker and Paul bearer pressured Kamala and his manager Harvey Whippleman
to sign for WWE's first-ever Casket Match. The Deadman was his element, and the mortified Kamala could
hardly keep his composure during the match, let alone put up much of a fight. Undertaker pinned the
headhunter, then rolled his carcass into the casket that waited at ringside. It was the first of many
such matches for the man from the Dark Side.
1993: Live Free Or Die
It was the first time Undertaker had taken part in a Survivor Series elimination match since his first
appearance, and it wasn't even supposed to happen. The All-American team of Lex Luger, Tatanka & The
Steiner Brothers were all set to take on the very un-American grouping of WWE Champion Yokozuna, Jacques
Rougeau, Crush & Ludvig Borga. But when Borga took out Tatanka in a match leading up to the event,
All-American team leader Luger had to think fast. He recruited the Undertaker to the cause, a decision
which led to victory. And even though Undertaker may not have been the first Superstar that comes to mind
when it comes to patriotism, he proved that night that he may be a creature of the night, but he's still
an American as well.
1994: The Harder They Fall
Yokozuna thought he had rid WWE of the Undertaker forever, but like so many before and since, he was gravely
mistaken in that assumption. Yoko's dubious Casket Match victory over `Taker at the 1994 Royal Rumble was only
a respite. Once the Undertaker had time to once again gather his powers, he returned to WWE with a vengeance,
and before long, he was gunning for the forever sumo grand champion. Their rematch turned out to be Undertaker's
second Casket Match at Survivor Series. And just like the first one, it ended with `Taker dumping his opponent
in a casket-in this case a custom-made double-wide the Deadman had constructed just for the occasion.