So the Undertaker spent the year still being his bad-ass, Harley riding self, until he started to feud with Vince McMahon of all people. This led to a Buried Alive match between the two at Survivor Series of 2003, and if anyone reading this has no idea what the hell a "Buried Alive" match is, man I wish I was you. Basically, a big mound of dirt with astroturf on top is placed by the entranceway, with a grave (complete with headstone) dug into it. The winner's the one who buries his opponent. Then everyone just kinda carries on with the show, pretending we didn't just watch someone die of asphyxiation, live on pay-per-view. It's considered one of Taker's pet matches, which is weird since he almost always ends up being the one that gets buried. You'd think after the first two or three times you got a mountain of dirt poured on you, you'd kinda excuse yourself out of the next one.
Anyway, Taker got ambushed by Kane, who spent his year losing his mask and his mind, in that order. Turns out underneath he was wearing a wig to conceal his my-brother-burned-down-my-home-and-killed-my-parents-and-all-I-got-was-this-receding-hairline baldspot. The end result was less Sloth from Goonies and more Bull Shannon from Night Court. Ooooo-kay. So Kane tossed Taker in the grave and McMahon poured a Caterpillar full of dirt on top of him, because why WOULDN'T they have a Caterpillar full of dirt right next to the grave they were burying a guy in in front of thousands of witnesses? I mean, GOSH.
So Kane goes around bragging about how he buried the Taker alive and stuff, even holding a "funeral" for him, but never actually saying that he "killed" him, because we don't do murder in WWE, you see. Then, 'round about the time for Mania, Kane started getting signs that maybe Taker hadn't been
Held at MSG in NYC, there's so much sadness surrounding Mania XX, considering the two guys it was constructed to highlight: then-WWE Champ Eddie Guerrero, who would pass away only a year and a half later, and newly-crowned-World Champ Chris Benoit, who...well, sadly, you know that story. This contest came sandwiched between the two main events, making it the last match on Mania XX's card that WWE still acknowledges as occurring.
Kane comes out with a cool video show depicting the Mania set's city scape burning behind him. He continues to rant about how he
Paul does a subtle nod to history (that goes completely ignored by the announcers) by glaring at Kane and saying, "My son? You're no son of mine!" Then he turns, the lights dim and the "GONG" sounds. And out walks the new/old Undertaker. The new look: Long leather coat, cowboy hat, leather pants and spandex tank top. They're going for a mix of the various eras of his character, but the overall effect (as one of my friends pointed out that night) is Jeepers Creepers more than anything.
Bunches in punches by the Dead Man to start as Kane is against the ropes, then the ol' "scare the referee into running out of the ring" trick. Taker whips Kane, who bails out to the floor to escape. Taker follows him, but Kane proceeds to hit a punch in an effort to get on offense. Doesn't work -- Taker reverses a whip to send him to the apron, then props him up there for an elbow and the patented legdrop. It should be noted that other than occasional pops for moves, the crowd is still pretty quiet. (They were actually surprisingly dead most of the night.)
Taker heads back in and gives Kane a cross corner whip, followed by two massive running clotheslines in the corner. Taker sets up for the Last Ride, which is wishful thinking at best, and Kane responds by backdropping out of it. Taker was supposed to land on the top rope throat-first to set up Kane's heat segment, but he comes about a foot short and it just becomes a really awkward bump. I would also be remiss if I didn't point out Taker's shaggy hairstyle, which just screams "I had only three months to grow it out after being informed of the gimmick change."
Kane nails a big boot to take solid control, then pounds on the prone Dead Man...who then reverses MMA style and starts pounding away himself. Taker gets up to intimidate the ref some more, then walks right into a sidewalk slam by Kane. Kane heads up for his flying clothesline to get two. We're moving at a good clip here for a big man/big man grudge match, so this all would have a lot of heat if it had any heat. Seriously, MSG was DOA by this point.
Both guys back up and a big slugfest gets won by Kane, who whips Taker to the corner...but Taker avoids the resulting charge and nails a big boot followed by a legdrop. Taker sets up for the Old School rope walk, which gets a bigger pop than anything else so far, but Kane catches Taker coming down in a choke. Taker soon responds with one of his own, and we play Dueling Neck Clinches for a bit until Taker wins and tries for a chokeslam, but Kane elbows out and hits one of his own.
Kane stands and jaws at Paul for a bit, then laughs maniacally as he raises his arms in triumph...and Taker, of course, sits up. Kane just stares at him in stunned silence as he stands. Time for a game of I Block, You Don't, won by the Taker. He then tries a whip, but Kane kicks him to avoid the back body drop...and Taker just stands up, annoyed.
Another whip gets reversed and Taker nails the flying clothesline, then a BIG chokeslam. Man, Kane has his bumping shoes on tonight. Taker gives the sign and hits the Tombstone for the academic 3 count. It was short, but fast-paced and to the point. I'd say it was actually a more entertaining match than their first Mania encounter, with only the dead crowd detracting from it. And anyway, this wasn't about the match so much as the moment of the classic Dead Man returning.
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