Kane and The Undertaker’s rivalry began with a surprise attack in 1997, became a series of high-profile battles—including two WrestleMania matches—and repeatedly shifted into partnership. WWE presented them as half-brothers; that family connection was part of the fictional storyline, not a real-world biography. Their story kept returning to betrayal, revenge and uneasy reunions.
How Kane entered The Undertaker’s story
Kane debuted at Badd Blood: In Your House on October 5, 1997, during The Undertaker’s first Hell in a Cell match, against Shawn Michaels. Kane tore open the cell door and hit Undertaker with a Tombstone Piledriver, giving Michaels the chance to pin him. WWE’s story, introduced by Paul Bearer, cast Kane as Undertaker’s presumed-dead half-brother and tied his return to a childhood funeral-home fire.
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The surprise attack made Kane’s arrival personal: he was not simply a new opponent, but a figure whose history was bound to Undertaker’s own. Their first conflict grew from that family backstory and the question of whether Kane had come to help or destroy his brother.
The first betrayal and the 1998 matches
Royal Rumble: Kane turns on his brother
On January 18, 1998, Undertaker defended the WWF Championship against Shawn Michaels in a Casket Match at the Royal Rumble. Kane initially appeared to help Undertaker, then turned on him, chokeslammed him into the casket and helped set it on fire. The betrayal pushed Undertaker to accept a match against him.
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WrestleMania XIV: three Tombstones
At WrestleMania XIV on March 29, 1998, Undertaker defeated Kane after three Tombstone Piledrivers. ESPN describes the build as a supernatural saga involving lightning, a burning casket and a resurrection. Undertaker’s post-match attack on Kane kept their feud alive rather than resolving it.
Unforgiven: the first Inferno Match
Their next pay-per-view meeting came at Unforgiven on April 26, 1998, in the first Inferno Match. The ring was surrounded by fire, and Undertaker won when Kane’s arm caught fire. The stipulation turned their family feud into a spectacle built around the fire in Kane’s origin story.
Why they became partners—and fought again
The rivalry did not stay a simple feud. From 1998 through the early 2000s, Kane and Undertaker alternated between fighting and cooperating. By 2001 they were regularly teaming as the Brothers of Destruction, a name that represented the alliance side of their volatile relationship.
The partnership was never a permanent reconciliation. The same storyline that made them credible allies—shared history and a formidable presence together—also left room for old grievances and betrayals to restart the conflict. Their relationship could change with the needs of a new WWE chapter, without erasing the previous ones.
The 2003 betrayal and Undertaker’s return
At Survivor Series in November 2003, Kane interfered in Undertaker’s Buried Alive Match against Vince McMahon and helped bury him. The attack set up Undertaker’s return in a different presentation: after a period as the American Badass/Big Evil character, he came back as the Deadman.
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- Each figure is detailed with TrueFX technology for a life-like face and added collectability!
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- WWE fans can find their favorite Superstar figure or can collect them all (each sold separately, subject to availability).
At WrestleMania XX on March 14, 2004, Undertaker defeated Kane with a Tombstone Piledriver. ESPN notes that this was Undertaker’s first WrestleMania rematch against an opponent. The match echoed their original WrestleMania clash while making Kane the obstacle to Undertaker’s return.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.The 2010 World Heavyweight Championship feud
Their major 2010 chapter put the World Heavyweight Championship at the center of the rivalry. Kane retained the title against Undertaker at Night of Champions and Hell in a Cell. He also defeated Undertaker in a Bragging Rights Buried Alive Match, with Nexus interference affecting the result. The feud later gave way once more to Brothers of Destruction reunions.
Across these chapters, the title matches and stipulations changed, but the central pattern stayed recognizable: a betrayal or challenge reopened the family conflict, and the two could later join forces when the story shifted again.
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Where to watch the rivalry’s key matches
WWE has an official playlist of Undertaker vs. Kane matches and has published the full WrestleMania XIV match. Those are useful starting points for seeing the rivalry’s defining turns and its original WrestleMania showdown. Access and streaming terms can vary by region and over time.
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