The Undertaker
| Mark Calaway | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | March 24, 1965 Houston, Texas |
| Professional wrestling career | |
| Ring name(s) | Texas Red The Commando The Master of Pain The Punisher Punisher Dice Morgan "Mean" Mark Callous Kane the Undertaker The Undertaker |
| Billed height | 6 ft 10 in (203 cm) |
| Billed weight | 305 lb (130 kg) |
| Billed from | Death Valley |
| Trained by | Don Jardine |
| Debut | 1984 |
William William Williams (born March 24, 1965 in Houston, Texas) is an American professional wrestler better known by his ring name, The Undertaker. Calaway is currently performing on the SmackDown! brand of World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE).
As The Undertaker, Calaway has experienced and considerable success. In addition to several title reigns, he is undefeated at the flagship WWE pay-per-view event, WrestleMania, having achieved 14 victories. Calaway is generally seen as a company loyalist and prominent "ambassador" for WWE; he is one of the company's longest serving wrestlers, having wrestled for WWE for sixteen years.
Early career
He began his wrestling career in 1984 by training and wrestling at the Dallas Sportatorium in Dallas, Texas with Fritz Von Erich's World Class Championship Wrestling (WCCW). Calaway would later go on to wrestle in the United States Wrestling Association (USWA), winning the USWA Unified World Heavyweight Championship and USWA Texas Heavyweight Championship. During the mid to late 1980s, he used several ring names: The Commando, The Punisher, Texas Red, The Master of Pain, Punisher Dice Morgan. Mark Calaway had a short stint from late 1989 until late 1990 in the National Wrestling Alliance's (NWA) Jim Crockett Promotions. The NWA became World Championship Wrestling (WCW) during Calaway's time with them.
While there, he was known as "Mean" Mark Callous and wrestled as part of the Skyscrapers tag team along with "Dangerous" Dan Spivey and later as a singles wrestler. His most famous match in WCW was against Lex Luger for the NWA United States Title (Mid-Atlantic version) at the 1990 Great American Bash, which he lost when Luger pinned him after a clothesline. At the end of 1990, WCW declined to renew Calaway's contract, and he signed with Vince McMahon's World Wrestling Federation (WWF).
World Wrestling Entertainment
1990-1994
Calaway debuted in the World Wrestling Federation as The Undertaker (A character based on a Chicago area independent wrestler named Clyde.) on November 22, 1990 at Survivor Series 1990. Before Calaway debuted, he appeared as Kane The Undertaker in different house shows but the "Kane" was soon dropped, later becoming the name of his storyline half-brother, Kane.
The appearance of Undertaker was modelled on that of a mortician from old Western movies, with the character being supposedly impervious to pain and possessing supernatural powers such as teleportation and manipulation of flames and lightning. It was also at this time that the Undertaker switched managers from Brother Love to Paul Bearer. Bearer was included in the Undertaker's entrances, leading the way for the Undertaker while making freaky facial contortions the whole way down the aisle. After Bearer guided "his" Undertaker down the aisle, he then collected the black trench coat, grey diagonal striped tie, and stetson hat that the Undertaker wore for his entrance. The Undertaker was complete in a black cut-off shirt tucked into black spandex tights, shiny grey leather gloves, and long black boots with gray spats attached around his boots, often mistaken for grey boots. The look was synonymous with what a wealthy man would have worn circa the 18th Century.
Throughout 1991, Undertaker's popularity began to grow rapidly, despite being a heel. After an "undefeated" year and high-profile feuds with Ultimate Warrior and Hulk Hogan, he defeated Hogan at Survivor Series 1991 with assistance from Ric Flair to win his first WWF Championship, making him at the time, the youngest holder of that belt at 26 years of age. He would lose the title six days later to Hogan at This Tuesday In Texas.
Between December 1991 and September 1993, the Undertaker did not lose a single match.
Early in 1992, he fell out with his ally Jake "The Snake" Roberts, thus turning face. He defeated Roberts at Wrestlemania VIII and became the first man to kick out of Roberts' patented DDT. He feuded extensively with wrestlers managed by Harvey Whippleman, most notably Kamala and the Giant Gonzales.
In January 1994, he challenged then WWF Champion Yokozuna and met him in two of the best known casket matches in WWF history at the 1994 Royal Rumble and Survivor Series 1994. It was at around this time that the Undertaker began to really develop his supernatural character and was able to do such things as turning on lights through the uplifting of his arms, playing mind games with his opponents, speaking to his opponents while absent, etc. At the Royal Rumble in 1994, thanks to interference by over a dozen wrestlers, Yokozuna sealed Undertaker in the casket. The Undertaker's "spirit" appeared from inside the casket on the video screen, warning that he would return, and then rising from behind the TitanTron. This began Undertaker's first hiatus. In reality, he had a back injury that started during the feud with Giant Gonzales and was getting worse (it was affecting one of his legs) and he needed time off; he was also dealing with a drug problem at the time. An Undertaker "clone" appeared after WrestleMania X, led by Ted DiBiase and played by Brian Lee. This led to the resurrection of the real Undertaker and an epic battle at SummerSlam 1994, where the real Undertaker was victorious.
1995-1996
With his popularity rising, Undertaker battled such villains as Irwin R. Schyster, Goldust, Vader, Mankind, and King Kong Bundy on and off from 1995 to 1997. During 1995, Kama Mustafa stole the Undertaker's source of power, the urn, and disrespected Taker by turning it into a big gold necklace. He also cost the Undertaker a chance at being crowned the 1995 King of the Ring. The Undertaker faced Kama in a casket match as a result at SummerSlam 1995. After putting on a great match versus the Supreme Fighting Machine, the Undertaker finally came out on top, closing the lid on Kama. Several weeks later, Taker was assaulted by Yokozuna and King Mabel, which led to an injury of the eye orbital bone which forced The Undertaker into a period of absence for surgery.
The Undertaker returned a while later wearing a phantom like ghostly grey upper facemask. The 1996 Royal Rumble saw the unmasking of the Undertaker in a championship match against Bret Hart. Diesel, interfered in the match costing the Undertaker the championship. After Diesel continually antagonized and cost the Undertaker matches, a vengeful Undertaker dished out his own form of punishment; playing mind games with Diesel that had never even been seen at the time such as bursting through ring aprons in clouds of smoke and taking Diesel down under, disappearing from place to place, and creating effigies of Diesel in actual coffins. At the 1996 Slammy Awards, Taker won an award for Greatest Hit and once again informed Diesel that he would "Rest In Peace." The very next next night, The Undertaker was victorious at WrestleMania XII.
An even more notable feud involving the Undertaker commenced the very next night when deranged superstar, Mankind, made his debut, interfering in the Undertaker's match with Justin Hawk Bradshaw. For the next couple of months, Mankind would ambush and cost The Undertaker several matches, doing the following: closing casket lids on the Undertaker during interviews while laying inside his coffin, pushing over the casket and hitting it with weapons; hiding under the ring during Taker's RAW match versus the The British Bulldog, then reaching out from under the ring to clutch Taker's ankle, causing disqualification by count-outs. Mankind even came up from a casket to deliver his Mandible Claw on the Undertaker, costing him an Intercontinental Championship casket match with Goldust at the In Your House 8: "Beware Of Dog". The Undertaker faced Mankind for the very first time at the 1996 King Of The Ring. It was the first match Undertaker didn't make an entrance at, but instead was on the top corner buckle when the lights reappeared to ambush Mankind with a clothesline. However, Mankind won the encounter when Bearer inadvertently hit the Undertaker with the urn.
The Undertaker's feud with Mankind grew more intense. They began taking their battles into crowds and backstage areas, which was much more unconventional at that time. Things got even more interesting and out of hand when the two warred into the boiler room areas of different arenas. As a result, it became a place of comfort for Mankind and he recognized boiler rooms as his home. All these events would lead up to the first ever Boiler Room Brawl match between the two at SummerSlam 1996. It was the most bizarre match that the WWF had ever put on at that point in time. Taker nearly won the boiler room brawl by using the ropes to fling Mankind off the edge of the ring apron. However, when The Undertaker reached for the urn, Bearer hit him with it, allowing Mankind to incapacitate the Undertaker with the Mandible Claw. Bearer then handed the urn to Mankind, thus giving Mankind the win.
The Undertaker's feud continued with Mankind In Your House: Buried Alive. This event debuted the Buried Alive Match, in which Undertaker defeated Mankind. The match also introduced The Executioner who attacked Undertaker after the buried alive match. Undertaker also defeated Mankind later in 1996 at Survivor Series, but The Executioner beat Undertaker down so he couldn't get hold of Bearer. The In Your House: It's Time event saw the end of the feud with Mankind and The Executioner with a victory for The Undertaker.
1997-1999
In 1997, Undertaker won a second WWF Championship from Sycho Sid at WrestleMania 13. The previous night, Undertaker won 3 awards at the Slammy Awards: Best Tattoo, Best Entrance Music, and Highest Magnitude. After Wrestlemania 13: Heat, Paul Bearer revealed that The Undertaker had burned his family's house, killing everyone inside but his brother. He said that Undertaker's brother was still alive, waiting for revenge all these years. Undertaker responded by saying that it wasn't his fault and that his brother could not have survived. Meanwhile, a number of wrestlers pursued Undertaker's title, including Bret Hart. At SummerSlam 1997, referee Shawn Michaels accidentally hit Undertaker with a steel chair shot meant for Bret Hart, who dodged it, thus costing The Undertaker his WWF Championship. Although the chair shot seemed accidental, Michaels would repeat the action a couple more times with added taunting in the oncoming weeks on RAW is WAR. This led to 2 well received matches at In Your House: Ground Zero, and In Your House: Badd Blood, where The Undertaker challenged Michaels to the first ever infamous Hell in a Cell Match. During this match, Undertaker's "brother" Kane, made his debut, ripping off the door to the cell and then giving Undertaker a tombstone piledriver, Undertaker's trademark finisher. Shawn Michaels then covered Undertaker for the pin. The Undertaker's final encounter with Michaels would be in the return of the casket match at the 1998 Royal Rumble. The double-deep, double-wide casket that hadn't been seen since its destruction by Diesel, was brought back completely spray-painted with words and symbols having to do with Shawn Michaels. Again, Kane would cost the Undertaker the win by trapping him in the coffin. He even padlocked the casket lid and set it on fire afterward. However, the Undertaker had disappeared when the casket lid was opened.
After a short absence, The Undertaker returned to tell Kane of the pain and suffering that Kane would soon experience. At WrestleMania XIV, The Undertaker defeated Kane. The two would have a rematch in the first ever Inferno Match, where the ring was surrounded by fire and the only way to win was to set your opponent ablaze. Undertaker's longtime feud with Mankind was rejuvenated when, on an episode of Monday Night RAW, Mankind cost the Undertaker a match against Kane. As a result, Undertaker and Mankind faced each other in a Hell in a Cell match at King of the Ring 1998. In one of the most memorable matches in professional wrestling history, Undertaker threw Mankind off the roof of the sixteen foot cell onto the Spanish announcers' table below. He then chokeslammed Mankind through the roof of the cell into the ring and finally finished the match by back dropping and chokeslamming Mankind onto a pile of thumbtacks. The Undertaker was able to compete in the match even while sporting a legitimate broken foot. (For more, see Hell in a Cell - Undertaker vs. Mankind.)
As 1998's end drew closer, fans started to slowly see a darker Undertaker, as he began to prophesize a Ministry of Darkness whose wrath would soon be unleashed on the World Wrestling Federation. The Undertaker participated in The "Deadly Games" tournament at Survivor Series. The Undertaker defeated Kane, but ultimately lost to the Rock by disqualification.
After Survivor Series, Undertaker turned his attention to Austin for what happened at Judgment Day, bashing him in the head with a shovel. Vince McMahon scheduled a Buried Alive Match between Undertaker and Austin in December 1998 at In Your House: Rock Bottom. In the weeks leading up to Rock Bottom, Undertaker attempted to embalm Austin alive and even crucified him. Undertaker lost the match due to interference from Kane.
In 1999, Undertaker formed the Ministry of Darkness, as The Undertaker stated that he was taking orders from a "Higher Power." Eventually, the Ministry would merge with Shane McMahon's Corporation heel stable to form the Corporate Ministry. During this time The Undertaker went on to defeat Austin for his third WWF Championship at Over the Edge 1999, with help from Shane McMahon, the special referee. Two weeks later, it was revealed on Monday Night RAW that Vince McMahon, had been The Undertaker's "Higher Power" all along. After Undertaker lost the title back to Austin and a brutal First Blood Match at Fully Loaded 1999, however, his relationship with the McMahons dissolved, and the Corporate Ministry disbanded.
Undertaker then started aiming for the WWF World Tag Team Championship, teaming with The Big Show. The Undertaker was scheduled to perform at Unforgiven 1999, contending for the WWF Championship. However, a groin injury knocked him out of action for the remainder of the year.
2000
Undertaker's gimmick was modified when he returned in 2000 at Judgment Day 2000, in line with wrestling's change to a more realistic approach. His gimmick became that of an intimidating biker, first referred to as the "American Bad Ass" due to his new entrance music the Kid Rock song of the same name. He later changed his entrance to Limp Bizkit's song "Rollin'." Unlike many gimmick changes with little to no explanation, this was generally well-received by fans and by Undertaker as well, since it reflected his real-life personality.
At Judgment Day 2000, the new Undertaker took out all the members of The McMahon-Helmsley Faction. He went on to continue targeting their leader, WWF Champion Triple H. At King of the Ring 2000, Undertaker teamed with the Rock and Kane to defeat the team of Triple H, Shane McMahon, and Mr. McMahon. Afterwards, he teamed with Kane to go for the WWF World Tag Team Championship. They defeated Edge and Christian, earning the right to face them the following week for the tag titles. However, Kurt Angle interfered in the match to help Edge and Christian retain the titles. At Fully Loaded 2000, Undertaker pinned Angle following his new finishing move the Last Ride.
Kane turned on the Undertaker by giving him two chokeslams following Undertaker's August 14, 2000 Monday Night RAW match against Chris Benoit; Kane refused to explain his assault. At SummerSlam 2000, Undertaker took off Kane's mask, but Kane managed to hide his face. Kane allied with Chris Benoit for the next couple of weeks as Undertaker allied with the Rock. At Unforgiven 2000, Undertaker was about to win the WWF Championship when he performed a chokeslam on Benoit. However, Kane took Undertaker out, allowing the Rock to score the pinfall victory over Benoit.
Undertaker took another hiatus but returned after a few weeks to challenge Kurt Angle for the WWF Championship at Survivor Series 2000. Undertaker gave Angle the Last Ride and thought that he had won the match, but the referee recalled the match as the man whom he had pinned was not Kurt Angle but rather his real-life look-alike brother Eric Angle. Kurt had been hiding under the ring, and while Undertaker argued with the referee, Angle came out from under the ring and rolled up the Undertaker for the win. Angle later explained it all at the next night's episode of RAW. Undertaker demanded a rematch and got it at Armageddon 2000 in a six-Man Hell in a Cell Match. However, Undertaker was unable to win the match.
2001
In 2001, Undertaker reunited with Kane as the Brothers of Destruction and contested for the WWF World Tag Team Championship again. The successful duo defeated Rikishi and Haku in a brutal First Blood Match. They would then get a shot at the Tag Titles at No Way Out 2001, facing champions Dudley Boyz, Edge and Christian in a Tables Match. The Brothers of Destruction dominated the entire match, and nearly had the match won until Rikishi and Haku interfered.
After the feud with Rikishi and Haku ended, Undertaker had a WWE Hardcore Championship match with Raven on SmackDown!. However, WrestleMania X-Seven was approaching and Triple H did not have an opponent for the event, WWE axed the idea of a match between Raven and The Undertaker, and scheduled The Undertaker against Triple H. The Undertaker defeated Triple H at WrestleMania X-Seven. Afterwards, Undertaker and Kane continued to focus on Intercontinental Champion Triple H, who would soon make a surprise alliance with WWF Champion Stone Cold Steve Austin. After the duo injured Kane's arm in a Hardcore Match against Rhyno, the pair was granted an opportunity to face Steve Austin and Triple H at Backlash 2001 if they first defeated Edge and Christian in a no-disqualification Match. Despite interference by Steve Austin and Triple H, Undertaker and Kane managed to win the WWF Tag titles and the right to face The Two-Man Power Trip tag team of Austin and HHH. At Backlash 2001, Triple H pinned Kane after using a sledgehammer, making himself and Austin the new WWF Tag Team Champions.
With Kane injured, Undertaker began targeting Steve Austin and his WWF Championship. On an episode of RAW, Undertaker was told by police officers that his wife Sara had been involved in a car accident. Undertaker arrived home, only to find out that it was all a set up by Austin. At Judgment Day 2001, Undertaker lost to Austin after Triple H interfered with his sledgehammer, allowing Austin to pin Undertaker and retain the championship.
As part of the infamous 2001 Invasion angle, the Undertaker's next opponent was Diamond Dallas Page. Page, a former WCW champion, was so eager to be a part of the Invasion that he allowed himself to be portrayed as a lecherous stalker, obsessively following the Undertaker's wife Sara (the modified voice used in the footage was later found to be Vince McMahon). At SummerSlam 2001, Undertaker and Kane defeated Page and his partner Chris Kanyon in a Steel Cage Match to unify the WCW Tag Team Championship and WWF Tag Team Championship. They were the first team to hold both the WCW and WWF tag team titles simultaneously.
At Survivor Series 2001, Undertaker was scheduled to team up with Kane, The Rock, Jericho, and Kurt Angle to take on The Alliance's "Stone Cold" Steve Austin, Booker T, Rob Van Dam, Shane McMahon, and a surprise WWF defector, which turned out to be Kurt Angle. The Big Show was chosen in place of Angle. At Survivor Series, The Undertaker helped eliminate Shane McMahon and took out the four remaining members. However, Angle pinned the Undertaker thanks to the interference of Stone Cold Steve Austin. The Rock would win the match for Team WWF.
After the Alliance was defeated, The Undertaker turned heel once again by forcing commentator Jim Ross to kiss Vince McMahon's buttocks. This was the beginning of a new persona for The Undertaker, he cut his famous long hair and now called himself Big Evil. At Vengeance 2001, The Undertaker won a match against Van Dam to capture the WWF Hardcore Championship, and ended the year with a feud with the Big Show.
2002
At the 2002 Royal Rumble, rookie Maven eliminated The Undertaker by dropkicking him from behind over the top rope. Undertaker did not take this well and went on to beat Maven into a bloody pulp. The Rock then poked fun about Undertaker's elimination at the Royal Rumble on an episode of Smackdown!. The Dead Man then chokeslammed Rock during his match with Kurt Angle, costing The Rock the #1 contendership for the Undisputed WWE Championship. Maven challenged Undertaker to a match for the Hardcore Title, but Undertaker lost thanks to interference from The Rock, which led to him getting tombstoned on a limo by The Dead Man. 10 Days Later, the two faced off at No Way Out, which resulted into Undertaker losing due to interference from Ric Flair. Afterwards, Undertaker challenged Ric Flair to a match at WrestleMania X8. When Flair declined, Undertaker assaulted Flair's son David. Flair finally accepted and Vince McMahon made the match a No Holds Barred match. Undertaker won with a Tombstone Piledriver despite interference from Flair's long-time friend Arn Anderson.
Undertaker defeated Steve Austin at Backlash 2002 to win the #1 contender spot to the WWF Undisputed Championship, thanks to referee Ric Flair. Later on the night he helped Hulk Hogan win his title match against Undisputed Champion Triple H. This led to a feud between the Triple H and Undertaker. At Insurrextion 2002, Triple H defeated The Undertaker. After weeks of mind games which involved Undertaker's prized motorbike, Undertaker defeated Hulk Hogan at Judgment Day 2002 after using a steel chair and performing a second Chokeslam to win his fourth WWE Championship.
Undertaker renewed his feud with Triple H, which involved Kurt Angle. At King of the Ring 2002, The Rock made his return. He was planning to help Triple H, but accidentally caused Triple H's loss. The Undertaker was a fighting champion. Unlike stereotypical heel champions, he placed his title on the line, anytime and anywhere. One of his notable title matches was on RAW, facing Jeff Hardy in Undertaker's first Ladder Match. After the match, he raised Jeff's arm as a sign of respect, turning face once again. Furthering the point of Taker being a fighting champion, he went on to defend the title again that week, on SmackDown in a match against Kurt Angle. As Angle had a triangle choke on Undertaker, Angle's shoulders wound up on the mat for a three-count just when Taker tapped out. Due to the draw that occurred, Undertaker retained. Undertaker would lose his title at Vengeance 2002 to The Rock, who pinned Kurt Angle in a Triple Threat Match.
After pinning Test at SummerSlam 2002, The Undertaker started going for the WWE Championship again, now held by Brock Lesnar. The title match at Unforgiven 2002 ended in a double-DQ. The feud carried over to No Mercy 2002. Undertaker decided the match would be inside Hell in a Cell. His feud with Lesnar involved his wife Sara. Despite Taker entering the ring with a broken arm and finishing the match a bloody mess, he managed to overpower Lesnar, until Lesnar countered his Tombstone into the F-5. This was seen as one of the rare examples of the Undertaker losing a match without his opponent having to resort to cheating. Shortly after this match, the Big Show attacked the Undertaker on an episode of Smackdown and threw him off the stage.
2003
The Undertaker returned at the Royal Rumble drawing number 30, but was unable to win the match. He was eliminated by Brock Lesnar, he was the last person to be eliminated in The Royal Rumble. At No Way Out 2003 he faced the Big Show. Despite interference by A-Train, Undertaker managed to win via submission. After the match ended, Show and A-Train proceeded on beating The Undertaker. Nathan Jones would then come in Taker's aid, saving him from assault by Big Show and A-Train. The Undertaker began to train Nathan Jones to wrestle, and the two were due to fight Big Show and A-Train in a tag team match at WrestleMania XIX. However, due to a lack of crowd response to Jones as well as obviously lacking many of the basic wrestling skills, Jones was left out of the match, leaving The Undertaker to defeat them alone, with minor assistance from Jones at the end. Jones later quit WWE.
Undertaker would go on to feud against heel characters such as the Full Blooded Italians (which then consisted of Nunzio, Johhny Stamboli, Chuck Palumbo), John Cena, A-Train, Brock Lesnar, and Big Show. He would have two WWE Championship opportunities during the year.
The first, on the September 4, 2003 SmackDown!, was against Kurt Angle. Lesnar interfered and attacked both of them, so the match would be a no contest. This led to next week's show, where Lesnar would beat Angle for the title in an Iron Man match. The second was at No Mercy 2003, between Taker and Lesnar in a biker chain match. Thanks to interference from the FBI and light tricks by Vince McMahon, Lesnar won his second straight No Mercy WWE Title match against Taker.
At Survivor Series 2003, Undertaker lost his Buried Alive Match against Vince McMahon when Kane interfered. He was not seen for a while after that, and Kane claimed that the Undertaker was dead and buried forever.
2004
In the weeks leading up to WrestleMania XX, Kane would be haunted by vignettes hinting towards an Undertaker return. The first was during the Royal Rumble, during which Undertaker's gong rang, hinting towards his return at #13. A distracted Kane (#12 entrant) was eliminated from behind by Booker T. Spike Dudley then appeared as the real #13, but was destroyed and in effect eliminated by Kane before even making it to the ring.
The eerie messages would continue on, pointing further and further towards an Undertaker Deadman comeback to challenge Kane at WrestleMania. At first, they were mere Titantron messages such as "It All Begins Again", though the incidents soon consisted of examples such as rain from the ceiling, the descent of two of the Undertaker's burning TX crosses, and the ring rising a foot off the ground.
At WrestleMania XX, the Undertaker would finally return in the Deadman gimmick, again accompanied by Paul Bearer, and defeated Kane. This gimmick could be best described as a hybrid of the classic Undertaker and American Bad Ass gimmicks. Three months later, Paul Bearer was kidnapped by The Dudley Boyz at the direction of Paul Heyman, who then took "control" of Undertaker in the storyline. At the June 2004 pay-per-view The Great American Bash 2004, Undertaker buried Bearer in cement after winning a handicap match against the Dudley Boyz, as a means of removing his "weakness" so that Heyman or others could no longer control him. Fans were later told that Bearer was "seriously injured", following which William Moody (Bearer) was taken off television.
After defeating The Dudley Boyz, he challenged WWE Champion John "Bradshaw" Layfield to a championship match. After his unsuccessful attempt at SummerSlam 2004, Undertaker chokeslammed Layfield through the top of his limousine. At No Mercy 2004, Undertaker and Layfield competed in a "Last Ride" match. Undertaker lost after Heidenreich interfered. This led to a match against Heidenreich at Survivor Series 2004, which Undertaker won.
After taking care of Heidenreich, Undertaker focused on the WWE Championship once again. Along with Eddie Guerrero and Booker T, he challenged Bradshaw to a championship rematch at Armageddon 2004. The match turned into a Fatal Four Way, which Undertaker nearly won before Heidenreich interfered once again.
2005
This led to the signing of a Casket Match between Undertaker and Heidenreich at Royal Rumble 2005. Undertaker would taunt Heidenreich with caskets, which Heidenreich was afraid of. In a SmackDown! Handicap Match against Heidenreich and Paul Heyman, Undertaker sealed Heyman in one of the caskets brought to the ring by Undertaker's druids. Despite interference from Gene Snitsky (which was cancelled out by Kane, who was hiding in the casket), Undertaker sealed Heidenreich in a casket for the victory.
The Undertaker defeated Randy Orton at WrestleMania 21 after Orton challenged him on RAW, claiming that he would defeat Undertaker and thus end his WrestleMania winning streak. It was billed as "Legend vs. Legend Killer" and included interference from Orton's father, legendary wrestler "Cowboy" Bob Orton. In actuality, Calaway is believed to have requested this match due to his antipathy towards the original plans for him, which would have seen him teaming with Kane to face Gene Snitsky and Heidenreich.
Following WrestleMania 21, Undertaker took a two month hiatus from wrestling, linked to the birth of his second daughter with wife Sara, in late May 2005. He returned for the June 30 episode of SmackDown! in the SmackDown! Championship six-way elimination match. However, he was met by Muhammad Hassan, who tried to use a chair on him. He took the chair and hit Hassan instead, getting disqualified. Hassan was counted out as he ran to the back away from him. On the July 7 episode of SmackDown!, general manager Theodore Long put Muhammad Hassan in a match against The Undertaker at The Great American Bash 2005, and Hassan's manager Daivari in a match that night against The Undertaker. Daivari was squashed easily, after which Hassan began to pray on the ramp, summoning five masked men to the ring. The masked men beat up the Undertaker into submission, choking him with a piano wire. Afterwards, Hassan placed the helpless Undertaker in his Camel Clutch submission.
At The Great American Bash, The Undertaker defeated Muhammad Hassan following a chokeslam, despite further interference from the masked men. Following the match, The Undertaker fought off Daivari and the masked men and chokeslammed Hassan onto the stage before removing a floor panel and giving Hassan a Last Ride through the hole to the ground below. As a result of the win, The Undertaker became #1 contender to the World Heavyweight Championship, held by Batista. However as Batista lost his match against John "Bradshaw" Layfield via disqualification on that same night JBL felt he should remain #1 contender. On the following SmackDown!, Undertaker lost a #1 contender match against JBL (The first pinfall loss Undertaker suffered since Brock Lesnar at No Mercy 2003), due to interference from Randy Orton, who revealed he had been drafted to the SmackDown! roster. With this, Undertaker resumed his feud with Orton.
At SummerSlam 2005, Undertaker and Randy Orton had a WrestleMania rematch, which Randy Orton won when Bob Orton distracted the Undertaker. After weeks of buildup involving Undertaker and the Ortons taunting each other with caskets, Undertaker lost to Randy Orton and "Cowboy" Bob Orton in a Handicap Casket Match at No Mercy 2005. After the match the Ortons poured gasoline on the casket and set it on fire. WWE.com reported that after the charred casket was opened it was discovered that The Undertaker had vanished. The Undertaker made a dramatic return at the 2005 Survivor Series, emerging from a burning casket while Randy Orton was celebrating being the sole survivor of the main event match.
Despite an attack involving Eddie Guerrero's lowrider on the November 29, 2005 SmackDown! special, Undertaker returned on the Friday SmackDown! show to haunt Orton and to set up a Hell in the Cell match between Orton and the Undertaker at Armageddon 2005, which Undertaker won with a Tombstone Piledriver. Calaway then took a short hiatus after the pay-per-view.
2006
At the 2006 Royal Rumble on January 29, 2006, Undertaker returned during Kurt Angle's celebration of his title defence against Mark Henry. He entered on a white horse drawn cart and made his intentions known by destroying the ring with lightning bolts. On the February 10 edition of SmackDown!, Undertaker returned to the ring and fought Mark Henry. After a chokeslam to the 400-pounder, the match ended with MNM attacking Undertaker and with Kurt Angle making the save.
Undertaker lost his match with Kurt Angle at No Way Out 2006 after a grueling thirty minute bout. It looked like Undertaker would take away the gold with a triangle choke (a move that Angle tried to put him away with three years prior in a match on SmackDown! that ended in a draw) but Angle shifted his weight into a jackknife pin. Undertaker cornered Angle after the match, and after a stare down, told Angle that he had his number and that he wasn't finished with him yet.
The Undertaker had his No Way Out rematch for the World Heavyweight Championship against Angle on the March 3, 2006 edition of SmackDown!. Undertaker had the match won until Mark Henry, along with Daivari, attacked him from behind, costing him the title. Henry's attack concluded by splashing the Undertaker through the announce table. Undertaker challenged Mark Henry to a Casket Match at WrestleMania 22 on SmackDown! the following week. The two made a confrontation at Saturday Night's Main Event, leading to the Undertaker taking Henry out with a big boot and giving Daivari a chokeslam and then a Tombstone on top of a casket.
At WrestleMania 22, Undertaker defeated Mark Henry to become 14-0 at WrestleMania. During a rematch against Mark Henry on the April 7, 2006 edition of SmackDown! which resulted in a no contest, The Great Khali made his SmackDown! debut, brought to the ring by Henry's manager Daivari and began an assault on the Undertaker that left him out cold. The Undertaker was not seen in person for several weeks after that. However, on the May 5, 2006 edition of SmackDown!, Teddy Long delivered a challenge from Undertaker to Khali for a match at Judgment Day, Khali accepted. Undertaker lost the match after receiving a series of blows that ended with a big boot to the head. Undertaker did not appear again until the July 14 edition of SmackDown accepting Khali's challenge to a Punjabi Prison match at the The Great American Bash. The Great Khali was replaced in the match by Big Show, over whom the Undertaker gained the victory.
WrestleMania winning streak
The Undertaker has won every match that he has wrestled at WWE's flagship pay-per-view WrestleMania (he did not compete in the 1994 or 2000 shows). The streak has become so well-known that, for the last two WrestleMania shows, part of the storyline was the opponent vowing to end the streak, without success.
The wrestlers who Undertaker has defeated during the streak:
- Jimmy "Superfly" Snuka (WrestleMania VII in 1991)
- Jake "The Snake" Roberts (WrestleMania VIII in 1992)
- Giant Gonzales (WrestleMania IX in 1993) (by disqualification)
- King Kong Bundy (WrestleMania XI in 1995)
- Diesel (WrestleMania XII in 1996)
- Sycho Sid (WrestleMania 13 in 1997 for the WWF Championship)
- Kane (WrestleMania XIV in 1998)
- Big Boss Man (WrestleMania XV in a Hell in a Cell match in 1999)
- Triple H (WrestleMania X-Seven in 2001)
- Ric Flair (WrestleMania X8 in a no disqualification match in 2002)
- A-Train and Big Show (WrestleMania XIX in a handicap match in 2003)
- Kane (WrestleMania XX in 2004)
- Randy Orton (WrestleMania 21 in 2005)
- Mark Henry (WrestleMania 22 in a casket match in 2006)
In wrestling
- Finishing and Signature moves
- Tombstone Piledriver (Kneeling belly to belly piledriver)
- Last Ride (Elevated powerbomb)
- Chokeslam
- Heart punch (in WCW)
- Iron claw (pre-1995)
- Old School (Arm twist ropewalk club)
- Takin' Care of Business (Dragon sleeper)
- Choke (1990s)
- Flying clothesline
- Fujiwara armbar
- Guillotine leg drop
- Reverse STO
- Running big boot
- Running DDT
- Running leg drop
- Sidewalk slam
- Snake eyes
- Suicide dive
- Triangle choke
- Managers
- Nicknames
- The Advance Man for the Grim Reaper
- The American Bad Ass
- The Beast
- Big Evil
- Booger Red
- The Deadman
- Deadman, Inc.
- Dead Man Walking
- The Emissary of Death
- The Lord of Darkness
- The Man From The Dark Side
- The Master of Pain
- The Minister of Darkness
- The Pale Destroyer
- The Phenom
- The Prince of Darkness
- Red Devil
- 'Taker
Championships and accomplishments
- 3-time WWF Champion
- 1-time WWE Undisputed Champion
- 1-time WWF Hardcore Champion
- 6-time WWF World Tag Team Champion (1-time with "Stone Cold" Steve Austin, 2-time with Big Show, 1-time with The Rock, 2-time with Kane)
- 1-time WCW World Tag Team Champion (with Kane)
- The Undertaker and Kane became the first team to ever hold the WWF and WCW tag titles at the same time.
- Wrestling Observer Newsletter
- He is a member of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter Hall of Fame (inducted in 2004)
- 5-Star Match: vs. Shawn Michaels (WWF In Your House: Badd Blood, October 5, 1997: Hell in a Cell)
Championship succession
Personal life
Calaway is of Irish and Native American descent. He graduated from Waltrip High School in 1983 in Houston, Texas, where he played for the school basketball team. He attended the University of St. Thomas in Houston, Texas and later graduated from Angelina College in Lufkin, Texas. He went on to study a degree in Sports Management at Texas Wesleyan University in Fort Worth, Texas, where he was also a member of the basketball team.
Calaway met his second and current wife, Sara, at a WWF autograph signing in San Diego, California, and eventually married her in a ceremony in St. Petersburg, Florida on July 21, 2000, . As a wedding gift to Sara, Calaway had his wife's name tattooed onto his throat and says this is the most painful tattoo he has ever had.
Aside from wrestling, Calaway has many hobbies and interests. He collects Harley-Davidson motorcycles, and purchased his first brand new motorcycle after defeating Hulk Hogan for the WWF World Heavyweight Championship at the 1991 Survivor Series. He enjoys listening to heavy metal bands such as AC/DC,Black Sabbath,Guns N' Roses,and Metallica. His "American Bad Ass" persona closely reflected these aspects of his personality, and was partially inspired by them. Calaway also enjoys country music and blues music. He is also a big fan of Mixed Martial Arts, boxing and basketball.
See also
- Brothers of Destruction
- Ministry of Darkness
- Personas of The Undertaker
- Tombstone: The History of The Undertaker
External links
