Worst in the World: The Undertaker vs Giant González-WrestleMania IX

Special thanks to Jorge Dueñas for suggesting this match. If you'd like to see a match covered on the Worst in the World, leave a comment down below.

The Undertaker's 21-0 undefeated streak at WrestleMania. One of the most legendary accomplishments in WWE history. For over two decades, Taker's match, usually with nothing on the line other than the opportunity to defeat the Undertaker, was a main attraction and routinely one of the best matches on the card for WWE's biggest show of the year. However, that wasn't always the case, especially earlier in Taker's career. Before the Undertaker was putting on classic WrestleMania matches against the likes of Shawn Michaels, Triple H, Randy Orton, Batista, and CM Punk in the 2000s and 2010s, Taker was working through the early 90s putting on bonafide stinkers. Whether they be past their prime legends like Jimmy Snuka at WrestleMania VII and King Kong Bundy at WrestleMania XI or just generally bad workers like Sycho Sid at WrestleMania 13, these matches were a far cry from the greats the Undertaker would have over after the turn of the Millenium. The worst of these matches, pretty much unanimously, is his bout with Giant González at WrestleMania IX, live from the parking lot of Caesars Palace. González, also known as El Gigante in WCW, was a pet project of WCW owner Ted Turner, who's Atlanta Hawks had drafted the legitimately 7'7 González in the 1988 NBA draft, only for González to never play following a knee injury. In both WCW and the WWF, González was not known for his in-ring work, and the fact that I've only written about him once on this blog is shocking to me. Hell, I've written about his wrestling career more on my basketball blog than I have here. But the time has finally come to look at a singles match of his, the first of his two PPV matches in the WWF. Let's get into this.

González and his manager Harvey Wippleman are out first, giving us our first topic of discussion; González's attire.

His attire is infamous nowadays because WHAT THE F*CK IS THIS DUDE WEARING. It's a bodysuit with fake muscles, airbrushed hair, and nothing else. That gear just makes him look like a hairy, naked man. He looks like a tiny version of a Titan from Attack on Titan except less mobile, right down to the lack of a dick.

Honestly, I can't tell if the attire where he has furry trunks and shoulder pads is better or worse than this one.

The match hasn't even started yet.

Taker and Paul Bearer are out next, with Taker cloaked in green smoke being pulled in a chariot with a vulture.

It's a pretty neat entrance, not as cool as his more outlandish and grander entrances we'd see in later years, but still nice. However, it does take away the mystique of seeing the Undertaker when he's in broad daylight. The match begins with González posing to show how big he is towards the Undertaker. This is ruined by the fact that Taker is not looking at him.

Taker then goes face-to-chest with González, giving us an admittedly cool visual of just how big González really is, even compared to the already giant Undertaker.

González throws three clubbing strikes, sending Taker to one knee but not seriously phasing him as he gets back to his feet quickly. Taker blocks a fourth strike and uppercuts González into the corner, only for González to grab him by the throat and force him across the ring to the opposite corner. Taker goes up on the second rope (the most dangerous rope) and grabs González by the throat, only for González to catch him with a forearm to the crotch. González goes for a double axe handle, but Taker dodges it and connects with Old School. This gives us a good view of González's idea of selling, which is to stumble on his tippy toes and make a goofy face.

Taker beats down González in the corner, but González comes back with a big boot and a clothesline. González tosses Taker across the ring before locking in a sleeper hold. Taker fades as the referee raises his hand and drops it, but Taker keeps his hand up. Taker fights out, only for González to tosses him out of the ring, following him out, beating him down before throwing Taker into the ring steps. Back in the ring, the two trade strikes until Taker knocks González down to one knee. Harvey Wippleman hops up on the apron to distract the referee and Taker, tossing González a white rag in the process. Taker grabs Wippleman and lifts him in the air as Bearer hops up on the apron, only to receive a headbutt from González. Taker drops Wippleman before turning to González, who smothers him with the rag. Jim Ross, Bobby Heenan, and Randy Savage talk about how they smell chloroform as the referee calls for the bell. 

Taker goes limp, as González celebrates while referees and officials assist Taker. Taker gets carried out on a stretcher as González chokeslams a referee. Officials try to get González to leave, but he refuses and continues to celebrate. The gong sounds and the Undertaker stumbles out from the back. Taker gets back in the ring and runs wild on González. Taker hits two clotheslines but González doesn't budge until Taker hits a jumping clothesline. González & Wippleman retreat as we finally get the official result; The Undertaker wins by disqualification, the one and only Streak match to end without a decisive finish. This is why Giant González & WrestleMania IX are generally glossed over when talking about the Streak.

The Verdict

You know...this isn't really that bad. Yes, it's really boring, and yes, González is barely mobile and has some really bad selling, and yes, the DQ finish is a letdown to an already bad match, but when you compare it to the other matches in this series, I can't say it's one of the worst matches I've ever seen. Thankfully, it's very short, and while there's nothing exciting happening, nothing is too badly botched here. It's not worth watching, but it's short enough and harmless enough that it's not even a definite skip either.

Rankings (Best to Worst)

1. Rick Rude vs Jake Roberts-WrestleMania IV
2. Too Much vs Al Snow & Head-King of the Ring 1998
3. Randy Orton vs Bray Wyatt-WrestleMania 33
4. Vampiro vs Sting-Great American Bash 2000
5. T&A vs Head Cheese-WrestleMania 2000
6. Triple H vs Sgt. Slaughter-D-Generation X: In Your House
7. Konnan vs One Man Gang-SuperBrawl VI
8. Ultimate Warrior vs Hercules-WrestleMania IV
9. Rick Rude vs Hawk-Clash of the Champions XXV
10. Shelton Benjamin vs Viscera-New Year's Revolution 2006
11. Steve McMichael vs Reggie White-Slamboree 1997
12. The Tag Team Fatal 4-Way Match-WrestleMania 13
13. Tag Team Battle Royal-WrestleMania XIV
14. The Chamber of Horrors-Halloween Havoc 1991
15. The Natural Disasters vs Money Inc.-WrestleMania VIII
16. Ivan Koloff vs Paul Jones-Clash of the Champions IV
17. ODB, Taylor Wilde, and Roxxi vs The Kongtourage-Genesis 2009
18. Ivory vs Tori-SummerSlam 1999
19. The Reverse Battle Royal-Impact! (10/26/2006)
20. Jerry Blackwell vs Boris Zhukov-SuperClash II
21. Nikita Koloff vs Bobby Eaton-Bunkhouse Stampede
22. Alex Wright vs Steve McMichael-Halloween Havoc 1997
23. The Great Khali vs Kane-WrestleMania 23
24. Savio Vega vs Crush vs Faarooq-Ground Zero: In Your House
25. The Shockmaster vs Awesome/King Kong-Starrcade 1993
26. Total Divas vs Other Divas-Survivor Series 2013
27. The Oddities vs Kaientai-SummerSlam 1998
28. Hulk Hogan vs Sid Justice-WrestleMania VIII
29. Paul Ellering vs Teddy Long-Capital Combat
30. Dusty Rhodes vs Big Boss Man-Saturday Night's Main Event (10/31/1989)
31. Tyson Tomko vs Stevie Richards-Unforgiven 2004
32. Kane vs The Great Khali-SummerSlam 2009
33. Hollywood Hogan vs The Giant-Hog Wild
34. Hollywood Hogan vs The Giant-Souled Out 1997
35. Dustin Rhodes & King Kong vs Awesome Kong & The Equalizer-Battlebowl
36. Finlay & Little Bastard vs The Boogeyman & Little Boogeyman-No Way Out 2007
37. Jake Roberts vs Andre the Giant-WrestleMania V
38. Yokozuna vs King Mabel-In Your House 4
39. Dusty Rhodes vs The Honky Tonk Man-SummerSlam 1989
40. Sting & Hawk vs Meng & Kurasawa-Clash of the Champions XXXI
41. Hulk Hogan vs Randy Savage-Uncensored 1998
42. Al Snow vs Big Boss Man-Unforgiven 1999
43. Mickie James vs Ashley-Royal Rumble 2006
44. Christy Hemme vs Big Fat Oily Guy-Against All Odds 2007
45. Stevie Ray vs Konnan-World War 3 1998
46. Vampiro vs The KISS Demon-Bash at the Beach 2000
47. Team WCW vs nWo Wolfpac vs nWo Hollywood-Fall Brawl 1998
48. Vampiro vs Oklahoma-Starrcade 1999
49. Hulk Hogan vs Andre the Giant-WrestleMania III
50. Van Hammer vs Terrance Taylor-Clash of the Champions XVI
51. Junkyard Dog vs Moondog Spot-Wrestling Classic
52. The Undertaker vs Goldberg-Super ShowDown 2019
53. Hiroshi Wajima vs Tom Magee-All Japan Pro Wrestling 1988
54. Jim Duggan vs Big Boss Man-Royal Rumble 1990
55. Meng vs Jim Duggan-Uncensored 1995
56. Jim Steele vs The Equalizer-SuperBrawl IV
57. The Undertaker vs Giant González-WrestleMania IX
58. Sting vs Tony Palmore-Battle 7
59. D-Generation X vs Brothers of Destruction-Crown Jewel
60. Wendi Richter vs Leilani Kai-WrestleMania
61. Goldberg vs Brock Lesnar-WrestleMania XX
62. Edge vs Triple H vs Vladimir Kozlov-Survivor Series 2008
63. Kevin Sullivan vs Dave Sullivan-SuperBrawl V
64. Steve McMichael vs Brian Adams-Road Wild 1998
65. Scott Hall vs Roddy Piper-SuperBrawl IX
66. Boris Zhukov vs Paul Samson-Beach Brawl
67. Kane vs The Great Khali-Breaking Point
68. PN News & Bobby Eaton vs Steve Austin & Terrance Taylor-Great American Bash 1991
69. Scott Steiner vs Sid Vicious vs Jeff Jarrett vs Road Warrior Animal-Sin
70. Hollywood Hogan vs Roddy Piper-SuperBrawl 1997
71. Batista vs The Great Khali-SummerSlam 2007
72.  Sable vs Tori-WrestleMania XV
73. Super Invader vs Todd Champion-WrestleWar 1992
74. King Kong Bundy & Jim Neidhart vs Yokozuna & Jake Roberts-Heroes of Wrestling
75. Sid Vicious vs The Nightstalker-Clash of the Champions XIII
76. The 8-Divas Tag Match-Survivor Series 1999
77. The Fabulous Freebirds vs The Renegade Warriors-Halloween Havoc 1990
78. The Knockouts Gauntlet-One Night Only: Live! 2016
79. AJ Styles vs Frank Trigg-No Surrender 2008
80. Rick Rude vs Masahiro Chono-Halloween Havoc 1992
81. Mike Awesome vs Vampiro-Halloween Havoc 2000
82. Bray Wyatt vs John Cena-Extreme Rules 2014
83. Brothers of Destruction vs KroniK-Unforgiven 2001
84. Mabel vs The Undertaker-King of the Ring 1995
85. Wendi Richter vs The Fabulous Moolah-The Brawl to End it All
86. David Flair vs Kimberly Page-Mayhem 1999
87. The Truth Commission vs The Disciples of Apocolypse-Survivor Series 1997
88. The Bushwhacker vs The Fabulous Rougeaus-WrestleMania V
89. The Beverly Brothers vs The Bushwhackers-Royal Rumble 1992
90. Teddy Long vs Eric Bischoff-Survivor Series 2005
91. Greg Valentine vs George Steele-Heroes of Wrestling
92. Abdullah the Butcher vs One Man Gang-Heroes of Wrestling
93. Major Gunns vs Miss Hancock-New Blood Rising
94. Bradshaw & Trish Stratus vs Christopher Nowinski & Jackie Gayda-RAW (7/8/2002)
95. Triple H vs Scott Steiner-Royal Rumble 2003
96. Hollywood Hogan vs The Warrior-Halloween Havoc 1998
97. Mr. T vs Roddy Piper-WrestleMania 2
98. The Royal Family vs Clowns R' Us-Survivor Series 1994
99. The Blacktop Bully vs Dustin Rhodes-Uncensored 1995
100. Team Dos Caras vs Team El Canek-Leyendas Mexicanas 2017
101. Pat Patterson vs Gerald Brisco-King of the Ring 2000
102. The Four Doinks vs Team Bigelow-Survivor Series 1993
103. Sting vs Jeff Hardy-Victory Road 2011
104. Oz vs Tim Parker-SuperBrawl
105. The Mighty Maccabee vs The Iron Sheik-Maccabiah Mania II: Shekel Slam
106. Van Hammer vs Doug Somers-Halloween Havoc 1991
107. Ultimate Warrior vs Andre the Giant-Saturday Night's Main Event (11/25/1989)
108. Jeff Jarrett vs Sting-Halloween Havoc 2000
109. The Doomsday Cage Match-Uncensored 1996
110. Kane vs The Undertaker-Judgement Day 1998
111. Rebel vs Shelly Martinez-One Night Only: Knockouts Knockdown
112. Kaitlyn vs Maxine-NXT (10/19/2010)
113. Sabu vs The Sandman-November to Remember 1997
114. Seth Rollins vs "The Fiend" Bray Wyatt-Hell in a Cell 2019
115. Michael Cole vs Jerry Lawler-WrestleMania XXVII
116. The Bushwhackers vs Iron Sheik & Nikolai Volkoff-Heroes of Wrestling
117. James Storm vs Chris Harris-Lockdown 2007
118. John Laurinaitis vs John Cena-Over the Limit 2012
119. Ultimate Warrior vs Goldust-In Your House 7
120. Los Villanos vs Los Psycho Circus-Triplemania XXIII
121. Jenna Morasca vs Sharmell-Victory Road 2009

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