How The Undertaker became the most respected wrestler in WWE history

The Undertaker is one of the most iconic and respected professional wrestlers of all time. He made his debut in the WWE (then known as the WWF) in 1990 and has been a mainstay of the company ever since.

Over his long and illustrious career, The Undertaker has become known for his incredible in-ring abilities, his unique character, and his unwavering dedication to his craft. Let’s take a look at how The Undertaker built his astonishing career, and why he continues to be such an important figure in the wrestling industry to this day.

The Undertaker, born Mark Calaway, began his wrestling career in 1984 at age 25, working for various independent promotions before signing with the WWE (then WWF) in 1990. He quickly made an impact, debuting as a mysterious, supernatural character with a penchant for darkness and destruction.

Throughout the 1990s, The Undertaker became one of the biggest stars in the WWE. He won multiple championships, including seven world titles, and was involved in some of the most memorable matches in WWE history. His battles with wrestlers like Stone Cold Steve Austin, Shawn Michaels, and Kane are still talked about to this day.

One of the keys to The Undertaker's longevity in the WWE is his ability to continually reinvent himself. Over the years, he tweaked his character to stay fresh and relevant. In an interview with Pastor Ed Young on his YouTube channel, The Undertaker talked about the evolution of his character. 

“Trying to keep the character relevant for this long, you really have to keep your finger on the pulse of things because if you don’t, what usually happens is before you realize you’re stale, your audience [has] already moved on,” he said.

Over time he had almost a dozen character renovations – including his debut as a mortician, 'The Lord of Darkness' in the mid-90s, 'The American Bad A–' in the early 2000s, and 'The Phenom' in the mid-00s – which wrestling fans will to this day discuss at lengths which iteration they like the best.

Another factor in The Undertaker's long career is his dedication to his physical fitness. He has always been known for his impressive size and strength, being able to lift some of the biggest guys in the game over his head. And given his size, with a 2.1m tall and stocky 140kg+ frame, The Undertaker was remarkably athletic and unafraid to take to the top rope for his signature ‘Old Scool’ chop.

All this took time, effort and dedication in the gym, as well as on the mat working out his manoeuvers, over the course of several decades.

From the get-go, The Undertaker seemingly applied a professional mindset to every aspect of his role as a wrestler, whether that be his character development, training, contribution to storylines, and even his relationship with other wrestlers. Everything he did was for the good of the WWE product, and he became an authority figure with incredible influence backstage.

In fact, The Undertaker served as the judge in WWE’s ‘Wrestler’s Court’ – where locker room grievances would be heard and outcomes and punishments would be decided by ‘Taker himself, according to sportskeeda.com. Given he was able to hand down verdicts and still keep on side with his colleagues is a true testament to his sense of fairness. 

One telling event to emerge from ‘Wrestler’s court’ was when writer Brian Gewirtz was brought into the court for allegedly favouring certain wrestlers. The punishment handed down by The Undertaker: Gewirtz was to write an essay about his love for professional wrestling so ‘Taker could get a better idea of his character.

His own passion for the business cannot be understated, and that has certainly been a key factor in the career he’s had. He has always been passionate about professional wrestling and has worked tirelessly to become one of the best in the business. In an interview with ‘Hawk vs Wolf’, a podcast with Tony Hawk and Jason Ellis in February 2022, The Undertaker talked about his love for wrestling and the trouble he has had stepping away from it.

“f I was physically able to do it, I would be out there right now. Without any hesitation at all, if I felt like I could go and deliver, and deliver a performance that people expect when they see my name on the card, I would do it, but I know I can’t."

“It’s been a horrible transition. I don’t know that I’ll ever find a passion like I did for actually being in the ring. I’m doing the one man [live] show, and I’m enjoying that and it’s new to me, so I can pour myself into it again, but I don’t know if I’ll ever have that passion that wrestling gave to me. I watch the product and I’m like, ‘damn, I would have done that differently,’ he told Tony Hawk and Jason Ellis. 

In 2020, after more than three decades in the business, The Undertaker announced his retirement from in-ring competition. He was given a touching farewell at that year's Survivor Series event, with many of his colleagues and peers paying tribute to his incredible career.

One of his most formidable opponents, Shawn Michaels said: “We’ve faced each other in every type of match and created some of the most special moments in my career. Standing across the ring from The Undertaker was always a daunting experience but I’m excited to hear the gong toll one last time.”

In an interview for WWE.com, WWE Hall of Famer Mick Foley claimed that The Undertaker transcended sports entertainment and made it what it is today. He hailed Undertaker as “one of the greatest stars in all of entertainment” and asserted that ‘The Phenom’ will always remain an integral part of WWE.

While Stephanie McMahon reflected on The Undertaker’s legacy to The Mirror. “There will never be another Undertaker,” she said. “And everyone feels the same, whether they’re backstage, in the arena – everyone in the WWE Universe will miss him and knows there will never be anyone like him again.”

The Undertaker's influence backstage and on the running of the show was significant. His commitment to professionalism, his willingness to help out, and his ability to maintain a positive attitude made him a valuable member of the WWE team, so much so in 2020 he signed a 15-year contract with WWE, believed to be valued at 2.5m a year according to The Mirror, for his creative services and occasional TV and live show appearances.

So while we may never see The Undertaker wrestle again, his impact on the industry will be seen for many years to come. 

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