Unbeaten streaks you might have forgotten

Unbeaten streaks you might have forgotten

21-0. 173-0.

The Undertaker’s legendary WrestleMania Streak and Goldberg’s undefeated run are so storied that a mere mention of the record says it all.

Although those impressive runs are the most well known in the annals of sports-entertainment, they certainly aren’t alone.

Even currently, The Viking Raiders have yet to submit or be pinned since their arrival in NXT and have carried their pillaging ways to Monday nights to become the Raw Tag Team Champions.

They join a stable of Superstars with impressive unbeaten runs throughout WWE history. Let’s take a look back at some you may have forgotten.

Asuka

Asuka wins the NXT Women's Championship

Asuka extends her dominant undefeated streak in a battle with Bayley for the NXT Women's Championship at NXT TakeOver: Dallas.

The weight of Goldberg’s 173-0 undefeated streak has only grown in the two decades since it came to an end. It has been surpassed, however, by Asuka, who bested that run, racking up 267 consecutive WWE victories before suffering her first loss. 

Few Superstars in recent memory charted a run quite like Asuka's — especially in the beginning of their career. Dethroning Bayley as NXT Women’s Champion and turning aside challenges from the likes of Nia Jax, Ember Moon and Nikki Cross, The Empress of Tomorrow’s run on the black-and-gold brand was so dominant that she left without ever losing her title, only relinquishing it after a 523-day reign to join Raw.

Asuka continued to add to her already sparkling list of accomplishments, standing as the sole survivor in a 5-on-5 Traditional Elimination Match at Survivor Series 2017, partnering with The Miz to win the first-ever Mixed Match Challenge and immortalizing herself by winning the first-ever Women’s Royal Rumble Match.

By the time her unbeaten run finally came to an end at the hands of Charlotte Flair in a show-stealing match at WrestleMania 34, Asuka had already firmly secured her place in the WWE record books.

Mr. Perfect

Mr. Perfect's WWE Introductory Video

Mr. Perfect shows off his perfect billiards game.

Curt Hennig began his most renowned of three WWE tenures in the only befitting way: perfectly.

First competing in WWE in the early '80s under his given name, Hennig eschewed that for a less humble persona upon his return in 1988, introducing himself as “Mr. Perfect.”

He lived up to that billing both inside and outside of the squared circle. Hennig showcased his flawlessness across a number of sports, draining no-look shots on the basketball court, bowling a perfect 300, smashing home runs and more.

Inside the ring, Hennig used impeccable acumen to defeat future Hall of Famers Tito Santana and Koko B. Ware among others, finish runner-up in the 1990 Royal Rumble and surviving Traditional Elimination Matches at his first two Survivor Series appearances. 

Climbing the ranks to find himself eventually embroiled in an issue with Hulk Hogan, Hennig’s undefeated streak finally came to an end at the hands of The Ultimate Warrior in March of 1990.

That April, Hennig aligned himself with Bobby “The Brain” Heenan and seized the Intercontinental Championship, holding it for 13 of the next 16 months to cement his legacy as one the best to hold the title.

Umaga

Umaga debuts: Raw, April 3, 2006

Umaga debuts on Raw and his first target is Ric Flair.

Ric Flair, John Cena, Shawn Michaels, Triple H and Kane — what do they all have in common?

All already are or will be WWE Hall of Famers someday. Each was also pinned by Umaga during one of the most impressive undefeated runs in history.   

With a hallowed sports-entertainment lineage coursing through his blood and a savage demeanor seemingly only controllable by his manager Armando Estrada, The Samoan Bulldozer repelled a litany of veritable challengers that read like a “Who’s Who” of WWE icons.

It ultimately earned Umaga a WWE Championship opportunity against Cena at New Year’s Revolution 2007. That bout culminated with a surprise roll-up to end Umaga’s unbeaten run in shocking fashion. The two met again in a Last Man Standing Match at Royal Rumble, an encounter that still holds up as one of the most thrilling of Cena’s career.

Umaga went on to win the Intercontinental Championship twice and also served at the behest of Mr. McMahon, even helping The Chairman win the ECW Title.

Rusev

Rusev defeats John Cena for the United States Championship: Fastlane 2015

The Champ goes down for the count against Rusev at Fastlane 2015.

Rusev made it clear that he would be a force to be reckoned with from the minute he first stepped in a WWE ring, as it took four men to eliminate him from the 2014 Royal Rumble Match.

The rest of 2014 was filled with noteworthy conquests for the man known as The Bulgarian Brute. With wins over behemoths like Big E, Mark Henry and Big Show, Rusev’s pristine record earned him his first title opportunity and he seized it, defeating Sheamus for the United States Championship after the Nov. 3 edition of Raw, live on WWE Network.

Rusev impressed again in his second Royal Rumble Match as runner-up after tallying six eliminations. A collision course with John Cena prompted perhaps the finest moment of Rusev’s career at Fastlane 2015 as The Super Athlete handed Cena his first submission loss in more than 11 years to retain the U.S. Title.

Rusev’s unbeaten run finally came to an end in a rematch with Cena at WrestleMania 31. But by then, Rusev had already solidified himself as one of WWE’s toughest competitors for years to come.

Tatanka

Tatanka makes his Raw in-ring debut: Raw, February 1, 1993

Tatanka's in-ring Raw debut from February 1, 1993.

Blazing a trail of excitement during a memorable entrance to the ring and proving to be skilled inside of it, Tatanka quickly became a fan favorite in WWE.

The contagious energy surrounding Tatanka only grew with each successive victory. A native of North Carolina’s Lumbee tribe, he competed on The Grandest Stage of Them All only a few months into his WWE tenure, defeating rival Rick “The Model” Martel at WrestleMania VIII.

Tatanka captured one of the signature wins of his career a few months later, prevailing in WWE’s first-ever 40-man Battle Royal at Bashed in the USA. He nearly won his first title at WrestleMania IX in a count-out victory against Intercontinental Champion Shawn Michaels.

It took a steel chair and a distraction from Mr. Fuji for Ludvig Borga to end Tatanka’s unbeaten run in October of 1993 — nearly two years after his arrival in WWE. Tatanka didn’t suffer another pinfall defeat until the following June in a King of the Ring tournament loss to Owen Hart.

Aleister Black

Aleister Black vs. Adam Cole: WWE NXT, Dec. 13, 2017

Aleister Black looks to keep his undefeated streak going against The Undisputed ERA's Adam Cole in a No. 1 Contender's Tournament Match.

Several Superstars throughout history have put together impressive unbeaten runs, but very few can claim more than one. Aleister Black is among that exclusive group. 

While his persona outside of the ring is still largely a mystery to the WWE Universe, Black wasted no time before showcasing his potential before the world. The moment was anything but too big for The Dutch Destroyer when he debuted in NXT at TakeOver: Orlando in 2017, making Andrade his first victim.

Behind a devastating collection of kicks, Black built an impressive résumé, besting Velveteen Dream and Adam Cole in memorable rivalries. 

Black once again found himself in the ring opposite Andrade on the WrestleMania weekend stage at TakeOver: New Orleans in 2018 — this time with the NXT Title on the line — and again claimed victory for his first championship gold

Vanquishing formidable title challengers like Lars Sullivan, Black’s record might have remained immaculate if not for an unfortunate turn of events. Inadvertent interference from Johnny Gargano cost Black his first defeat and the NXT Title in a loss to Tommaso Ciampa in July 2018.

Now working on another eye-catching unbeaten run, Black has yet to be defeated in a one-on-one WWE bout since first appearing on Raw this past February.

Braun Strowman

Braun Strowman vs. The Mile-High Trio: Raw, Oct. 17, 2016

After Braun Strowman easily overpowers three local competitors, an unexpected Superstar answers the behemoth's challenge.

Although he remains one of the most powerful forces in all of WWE, there was a time when the WWE Universe wondered if Braun Strowman could even be beaten.

For more than 17 months, the answer was no. Debuting alongside Bray Wyatt, Luke Harper and Erick Rowan, Strowman bolstered the already-dangerous Wyatt Family’s strength to immeasurable levels. Most notably, he helped his Wyatt brethren get the better of The New Day in a Six-Man Tag Team match at Battleground 2016.

That year’s WWE Draft sent Strowman to Raw opposite the rest of The Wyatt Family, allowing him to demonstrate his capacity for catastrophe on his own. He collected win after win in solo competition, including victories over Big Show, Mark Henry and Sami Zayn.

Strowman also flexed his might in the 2016 and 2017 Royal Rumble matches, recording five and seven eliminations, respectively, to lead the field both years.

After picking a fight with Roman Reigns in early 2017, Strowman was pinned in their first singles showdown at WWE Fastlane. The Monster Among Men would later find retribution with victories over The Big Dog in multiple rematches, including an unforgettable Ambulance Match at Great Balls of Fire when one of the year’s most heated rivalries reached its apex. 

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