The Undertaker still has some life in him — when used correctly.

The WWE legend followed up a cringeworthy performance in a singles match with Goldberg at Super ShowDown in June with one of his better outings in years to open an excellent Extreme Rules pay-per-view Sunday night in Philadelphia. He and Roman Reigns teamed up to defeat Shane McMahon and Drew McIntyre in a no-holds-barred tag team match.

Undertaker, who moved around well, is as proud as they come, and it was obvious from the intensity in his eyes at the start that he intended to prove something. He even took a flying elbow through the announce table from McMahon and a Coast-to-Coast while holding a garbage can.

Him popping right back from a McIntyre punch and landing on his feet after being clotheslined over the top rope are some of the subtle details used to rebuild the Undertaker’s mystique. The Phenom sitting back up like only he can after the Coast-to-Coast just seemed right.

“Who said the Deadman’s done?” announcer Michael Cole bellowed after Undertaker pinned McMahon following a Tombstone piledriver. “I can’t remember when the Undertaker looked that damn good.”

More importantly, the other wrestlers in the ring with Undertaker helped to make him look that damn good. Facing a 52-year-old Goldberg, who hadn’t wrestled since WrestleMania 34, may not have been the best idea when booking the 54-year-old Undertaker. Sunday’s match put him in the ring with two of WWE’s top guys in Reigns and McIntyre, and McMahon — while 49 — has been a regular in-ring performer for WWE lately. Undertaker’s other opponents over the past year include Triple H, Shawn Michaels, Rusev and John Cena.

If there is a lesson to be learned here, it is to continue to put Undertaker in the ring with current, preferably young, performers who can make him look good. Using him in tag matches would be ideal, but if it is a singles match, don’t push it. Get him in, get him over and get him out.

Undertaker’s performance Sunday just makes Goldberg look worse. The former Universal champion admitted to having a concussion when he faced Undertaker, causing an unsafe match. Goldberg dropped the Deadman awkwardly on a Jackhammer attempt, and Taker’s Tombstone also was not done properly, putting Goldberg at risk of injury. Goldberg appeared to be unable to help Undertaker lift him properly because of the concussion.

There have been a number of instances when it was thought Undertaker didn’t have anything left in the tank: after his WrestleMania 30 loss to Brock Lesnar and following his Crown Jewel tag match last September. On Sunday, he showed the tank isn’t as full as it used to be, but it’s far from empty. He can rev the engine up just a little bit when booked well.

The Undertaker is a legend and deserving of being put in the best possible situation to perform. Extreme Rules was a positive step in that direction. So WWE, please protect the Undertaker so we — and those who are seeing him for the first time — can enjoy every last drop of what he has left.