DIESEL VS. UNDERTAKER

   Diesel is coming off his 358-day reign as WWF Champion, losing the title to Bret Hart at Survivor Series. On his way out of the company Diesel decided it was a good time to face off against Undertaker. Diesel makes his way out first, followed by Undertaker & Paul Bearer. Lawler mentions Undertaker breaking through the ring canvas and dragging Diesel under the ring in his steel cage match at the previous months In Your House 6.

Vince McMahon and Jerry “The King” Lawler are on commentary and talk over Diesel’s introduction by Howard Finkel.

DIESEL VS. UNDERTAKER

WWF WrestleMania 12 (31^st March 1996)

  They exchange right hands to start us off, Diesel goes downstairs with a knee lift to gain the advantage and sends Undertaker back into the corner.

  Undertaker is sent across the ring and Diesel follows with a clothesline. He measures up Undertaker for the back elbow as Lawler helpfully informs us that this won’t be a technical wrestling match. Diesel sends Undertaker across the ring but is caught with the big boot. Undertaker clotheslines Diesel, making it the first time someone leaves their feet in the match. Diesel rolls out of the way of the elbow drop and clotheslines Undertaker over to the floor, but Taker landed on his feet, so he drags Diesel out of the ring. Undertaker connects with shots the Diesel’s midsection and he tries to get back in the ring, Diesel drags him from the apron but Undertaker blocks the ring steps before sending Diesel’s head into them. Diesel gets back in the ring wishing he didn’t walk halfway around ringside for that. He kicks at Undertaker as Taker gets in the ring, Diesel sends Undertaker off the ropes but ducks early and is caught with an uppercut. Diesel escapes the Tombstone Piledriver and sends Undertaker off the ropes, Undertaker ducks the clothesline and hits a running crossbody for 2.

  Undertaker kicks Diesel in the midsection and hits the Old School, but Diesel is still on his feet. Undertaker with another kick, he runs at Diesel, but Diesel ducks out of the way. Undertaker gets to his feet on the apron and drops Diesel’s throat across the top rope. Undertaker gets back in the ring and knocks Diesel over to the floor. Diesel is staggering but still on his feet so Undertaker follows to solve that problem. Undertaker sends Diesel’s spine into the ring post, finally putting him on his arse before Undertaker takes a chair from the Spanish Announce team. He swings but hits the ring post as Diesel ducks out of the way and a knee to the midsection stops Taker in his tracks. Diesel sends Undertaker into the guard rail before the referee starts counting them out. Better late than never. Diesel breaks the count and gets back out of the ring to Undertaker, lifting Undertaker and sending Undertaker’s back into the ring post in something of a receipt. Diesel sends Undertaker’s back into the post again before stalking Paul Bearer on the outside. Diesel gets back in the ring to boos from the crowd. Undertaker tries to get in the ring but Diesel sends him out with a knee strike.

  Undertaker gets back to the apron and this time Diesel helps him in the ring. Undertaker is sent off the ropes into Diesel’s boot and Diesel takes time to celebrate. He hits Undertaker with straight right hands and a sidewalk slam, covering for 2. It took a lot longer to watch than to type that sentence. Diesel hits the Snake Eyes on Undertaker and the running squash against the middle rope. Diesel takes some more time to celebrate and if the match was going any slower we’d hear the opening bell again. Diesel connects with knees to  Undertaker’s midsection in the corner, followed by right hands. Undertaker fights back with a weak shot of his own but gets sent into the turnbuckles. Diesel charges into a back elbow from Undertaker. Undertaker with a kick to the midsection, then a right hand. They both connect with a right hand at the same time, stereo big boots leads to a double-down. Undertaker sits up at 8 but Diesel is first to his feet. He hits Undertaker in the base of the spine with an ax handle and sends him into the corner. Undertaker stumbles out into a bearhug, just what the match needed to keep its glacier pace. Undertaker fights out of it with an ear clap just before I can fall asleep and Diesel grabs a headlock.

  Undertaker escapes it with a back suplex and hits an elbow drop and McMahon is surprised Undertaker didn’t cover after how much the match has taken out of them both. Undertaker goes to the top rope as Diesel gets to his feet. Undertaker hits the flying clothesline before Kane would debut his superior version. Undertaker covers but only gets 2. Undertaker sends Diesel across the ring but ducks early, Diesel clubs Undertaker across the back and hits the Jacknife Powerbomb. King goes insane on commentary, but Diesel takes a rest against the ropes, he talks to Bearer before nudging Undertaker with his foot. Undertaker sits up but is met with right hands from Diesel. Diesel calls for the Jacknife and hits it again before gloating and taunting. Diesel goes to cover Undertaker but gets grabbed by the throat. Diesel punches Taker, forcing him to release. Undertaker grabs the throat again but is hammered back down. Undertaker goozles Diesel for the third time and brings them both to their feet, but Diesel breaks the hold and hits a back suplex. Diesel stalls as Undertaker gets to his feet. Diesel strikes first with a knee to the midsection and they exchange right hands. Undertaker backs Diesel into the ropes, Diesel reverses the irish whip but Undertaker ducks the clothesline.

  Undertaker hits his own clothesline and a weird Chokeslam. Paul Bearer raises the urn as Undertaker calls for the end, he hits a Tombstone Piledriver on Diesel for the win.

WINNER: UNDERTAKER

This was one hell of a slow match. Diesel stalled a lot and I get that the story was that he was the only person not scared of Undertaker, but it didn’t make for an entertaining match. Add that to Udertaker needing someone to move around him, as did Kevin Nash, it makes a great poster, but only not bottom 5 Streak matches by default. More time could have been given to the squash match earlier in the night, but hindsight is 20/20. [*] 1.5/10