WWE WrestleMania 36: What Is a Boneyard Match?

AJ Styles upped the ante for his WrestleMania 36 match with The Undertaker during this week's Monday Night Raw, declaring that the two would take part in a Boneyard match. Nobody, not even the commentators, seemed to know what that actually meant, but reports have since come out stating that the two will compete on a closed set meant to look like a graveyard during the upcoming two-night event. Styles then went on his Mixer live stream later in the week to explain the stipulation, heavily insinuating that it was just another term for Buried Alive Match.

"Let me just say this about The Undertaker and AJ Styles," Styles said. "I feel like AJ Styles has got this guy right where he wants him. He has baited him into a match that he can't win, and I'm talking about The Undertaker can't win,, and we're talking about a Boneyard Match, which is in a graveyard, which is wide open. Anything can happen. Think about that. AJ Styles is the bad guy, he doesn't play fair. There's that, a pretty smart play by AJ Styles if I do say so myself.

"So, let me make myself clear on the Boneyard Match — a Boneyard Match means anything can happen. It's in a graveyard and there will be a grave. Does that kind of put it into perspective? There will be a hole."

He also explained why they don't just call it a Buried Alive Match, a stipulation they've used in the past.

"There's a reason why I think it's called a Boneyard Match. Because we didn't want to say cemetery or a graveyard. You know, everything that's going on [the coronavirus pandemic], it sucks."

While there have been plenty of variations (Casket Match, Concrete Crypt Match), there have only been five televised Buried Alive matches in WWE history, all of which involve The Undertaker. The last one came in 2010 when Kane defeated The Undertaker at the Bragging Rights pay-per-view to retain the World Heavyweight Championship.

This year marks Undertaker's fifth WrestleMania match since his famous undefeated streak ended back at WrestleMania XXX against Brock Lesnar. He's since beaten Bray Wyatt (WrestleMania 31), squashed Shane McMahon inside Hell in a Cell (WrestleMania 32), lost to Roman Reigns (WrestleMania 33) and squashed John Cena (WrestleMania 34). Last year's Mania marked the first time "The Deadman" had missed the show since 2000.