Khali?? Lol Forget Khali, there was no John Cena, Brock Lesnar or Roman Reigns back then when Undertaker became cross continental famous! I was one of those kids who used to visit grandma's village during summers and all the neighbourhood kids in the village knew who the Undertaker was. We used to debate who's the most scariest among Taker and Kane(masked and huge at the time)! This was in the year 1999-2000 around that time btw. It's the today's product, I wonder, if anyone gives a shit about at all
I remember his debut, the first time seeing him and thinking "jeez! How bigs this guy? Gotta be 7ft!" definitely one of the all time greatest first impressions
My son was 12 at the time and we were at the Nashville Airport and Mark was in character at the gate. He must have looked so huge to my boy, but I encouraged him to go and ask for an autograph. He begged me to do it, and I told him if you want something you have to work for it. We grabbed a cocktail napkin and I gave my son my pen. Meekly, he walked over to this huge scary guy and held out the pen and the napkin and said . 'Sir, can I..." Mark grabbed the pen and grunted and signed without hesitation. He never broke out of character. That was exactly what my son expected - what a memory.
What a great anecdote. I admired the undertaker watching him as a child living here in Mexico city. I always dreamed of being there watching a match of the undertaker live
@@davidmoreno9302 I took my boys to see the Undertaker, Hulk Hogan, Rick Flair, Randy Savage, Virgil, and so many others that I can't even remember. When I was a boy, I saw Moose Cholak, Vergne Gonya, the Crusher and The Bruiser, the Mongoose, the Volkoff brothers. Fun stuff.
@@Dean_Winchester247 Flair's just a rip-off of Buddy Rogers turned up to 10 though, who Muhammad Ali himself said he based his whole persona from. Used his nickname, his robe, the strut, his finisher, his persona, the look with the bleached hair, everything. If you wanna go with the greatest character, he's Genesis for modern wrestling.
Vince rarely came up with ideas himself. The idea or gimmick of the Undertaker belonged to him, but someone else probably came up with it like Pat Patterson, Bruce Prichard or someone. Vince was good at taking a idea that was "good," but just needed one little tweak to make it into being "great."
The Undertaker and Stone Cold are and always will be my two favorite wrestlers. Hands down, and being older now and remembering all these things as they played out and I'm receiving the full story and behind the scenes years later is pretty amazing.
Such a chill dude. Seems like the kind of guy you share a beer with and share stories. And honestly I could listen to undertaker tell stories about the business all day haha
When i was 8 the undertaker personally autographed a picture for me. I treasured it. When I was 13, my brother sold it for herion. I’m 20 now watching this, damn near made me cry man. Miss that picture.
Regardless of other shit, I've been on the opioid mania and trust me on this, heroin takes away every fucking thing from the person as well as the people close to them. I just hope your brother's clean and better now and away from Satan's drug
wow I have massive respect for Vince Mcmahon! that man made all these characters and match types and he would humiliate himself in front of the crowd and made wrestlers beat him all to create a very entertaining scenario for everybody in the 90s and 2000s! he did it all and he made billions out of it. Hats off for that businessman
I remember in the early 2000s in Pakistan my entire family would gather to watch WWE from the recent PPV that our dvd store would get. Seeing The Undertaker and Kane legitimately scared the f outta me. Now being an adult, living in the US, knowing English, seeing him be 'normal' and talking about the origin amazing! What a legend he is!!
He isn’t at all one time i see him on the sidewalk asking for change so i ask him for autograph and he kept saying I’m not the undertaker leave me alone and push me really hard i was a huge fan and for him to do that is really bad move in my opinion
That in a nutshell explains why WCW failed. They only knew how to attract already existing talent with promises of big paychecks. That's how they got Hulk Hogan, Scott Hall, Kevin Nash, Bret Hart, etc. But they rarely knew how to incubate new talent. The one exception might be Goldberg. Conversely, WWE was much better (at the time) of seeing potential talent and allowing it to thrive.
@@AnonYoBizness he did off the Record with Michael Landsberg when TSN in Canada it's on here somewhere and was on Jimmy Kimmel once sure. That was during the American Badass era but yeah he did not give interviews
@@AnonYoBizness why say Stan instead of fan, I get the Stan is a new word to say u r a fan of something but Stan literally means a stalker fan that wants to be completely like the person they r staning in a weird obsessive way. Overall it’s a disrespect to yourself
This conversation by itself can make you understand why WCW and WWE ended up going two completely different directions if Eric was telling the Undertaker no one would pay to see him wrestle
I think it's just a matter of understanding that ANYBODY can become a superstar in pro wresting given the right gimmick. Take nothing away from him, but if he just came to WWF (at the time) as Mean Mark Callous, Eggman, or Shower Guy, likely no one would remember him. Maybe if he came as one of his earlier gimmicks, Master of Pain, it may have worked.
@@menooga I think that's not quite true, a gimmick doesn't make a good superstar, it's the person behind the gimmick. No gimmick no matter how good can save someone who doesn't have whatever that " IT " factor is.
Jerry the king lawler use to drool over the female wrestler's "puppies!" The rock got a "you are an asshole!" Chant going from the entire crowd directed at vince McMahon Stone cold drove a beer truck out and sprayed the crowd, the rock and vince with beer And Triple H gave Stephanie McMahon a pedigree and then drugged her up and married her The best of times, man...
The Undertaker character survived and thrived for so long mostly becasue Mark Callaway took the role super seriously and played it perfectly. Yes it helped that it was Vince's creation so he had the backing off the entire company but I'm not sure how the history would played out if somebody else got the role.
Vince did have someone else in mind when he originally desgined the role, but it didnt pan out with the wrestler. He kept it on hold for the right guy..he envisioned a big burly guy for this role. Even Viscera was considered way earlier..but the role never seemed fit and vince didnt want to push it on just anyone...Vince said it all in an interview...H said, when i saw Mark, it took sometime to think of him in this role, but then the things taker did to this role, it was far beyond anyone imagined.
Kane and the undertaker are some of the most badass and memorable characters ever, they remind of my childhood and how I used to play wwe on a n64 back in the day, good times
I remember watching WWE with my younger brother and everytime the Understaker showed up we were excited and also mimicking his movements, I lost him three years ago, but I Still have those images in my head, I love you brother and I miss you.
Sorry for your loss with your brother 🙏 I wish I had a brother, but I had older sisters who were both 8 & 10 years older than me. My childhood fear WAS Undertaker. His "purple gloves" time was the scariest to me because I was 5. . . So that makes my sisters both 13 & 15, they're both teenagers, & they BOTH have very long hair. . . . They fucking traumatized me by covering THEIR HAIR over their face to do the impression of Undertaker. & would sometimes wake me up like that. . . At 1 point, as a 5 year old,I didn't know what who had a scarier face. . . The Undertaker, or one of my own sisters. . .🤣😂🤣 NOW I try to fuck with them as much as I can.
You forgot to say the rest of the sentence dumbo. He said it himself, he was just a bland big wrestler, hence him taking the advice to find someone people will want to see. You be missed the point
@@odincarry231 Hwood didnt believe in Bruce Lee either but when he gets big in Hong Kong Hwood gets interested all of a sudden , before that they didnt care about him
When I was a kid I used to be scared shitless of him on TV or seeing highlights but in Video Games my friends and I would always want to play as him cause of every little thing; the intros, the chokeslam and the outfits. I remember we would launch people off the cell to recreate the Hell in the Cell w/ Mankind and Undertaker. I don't consider myself a huge wrestling fan especially because I havent watched it in 13+ yrs but it's crazy to remember how big these guys were for your childhood.
I remember watching him as a kid. I saw him doing things to other dudes that I thought would kill someone. The tombstone and the crusifx absolutely terrified me.
This dude is a total fraud everything he said is a lie he even faked his death at the end and now he on Joe Rogan tv show??? Someone plz explain or was this recorded before he died? I demand answers
Not to me. To me Taker is to WWE what Batman is to DC. The D stands for Detective as Batman’s the World’s Greatest Detective. Plus Jokers insane. Takers not. He’s dark like Batman.
@@tdmftdsunknown7596 i think you missed the point here. He wasn't talking about how undertaker is similar to the joker. He was talking about how influential, big and layered the character's story is.
don't let this man distract you from the fact that in 1998, The Undertaker threw Mankind off Hell In A Cell, and plummeted 16 ft through an announcer's table.
@@jimmykeller420 let me punch and kick u but in a scripted way it won't hurt. You can also fall from 19 meters height it is scripted u won't feel anything
watching him when i was a kid really made me believe people can come back to life. scary shit back then but we just wanna keep watching cause it was just amazing experience. damn good times.
When i watched him as a kid i thought he became strong from digging graves and carrying bodies, so his father Paul bearer signed him up for prizefighting. That was in the early days
The rivelry between Undertaker and Mankind was legendary for me back then when I was barely 5-6 years old and still is when I am about 33. What a legend, thank you for entertaining us for years 👏.
As much as it sucks that he let go of character it’s good for him to enjoy interacting with other stars and fans . He’s said multiple times that he refused signings and interviews because he needed to keep appearances. He never had banter with other stars etc must have been tough to go out in public too . He seems very happy and everyone now knows he’s a genuine nice guy
The Undertaker exist forever since I was a little kid lol he was the biggest Wrestler in the Game with Hulk Hogan! The Golden era and he still looks jacked 💪🏾
@@benjaminingenito530 agreed. Stone Cold talked about it to Vince on his podcast. Basically austin asked him what should wrestlers do to try and make matches bigger meaning taking risks but feel they cant because if vince doesn't like the idea it puts them on his radar but not in a good way resulting in higher chances of getting fired. Vinces response "well I guess they better not piss them off". Them meaning him. What a dick
Naw we had the ruthless aggression era that’s when taker got his big push his big evil was genius then in 04 he debuted the new theme and ran wwe from 02-10
A year later it still creeps me out seeing Taker smile, laugh and show that he is just a human. All my life he was "The Deadman" and you just start to accept that in your mind some how.
It is crazy hearing that people told him no one would pay to watch him wrestle but now the UNDERTAKER is one of the most popular and respected wrestlers and characters OF ALL TIME
Back then, WCW was crowded with big guys: Sid Vicious, Dan Spivey, Lex Luger, Michael Enos...Nothing really set Mark apart from the rest. At the same time, WWF was filled with ridiculous characters & over-the-top gimmicks. Like Vince observed at that point, "Mean" Mark was just another run of the mill big man with no persona or "thing" to set him apart
It is about earning one's due, stripes, and respect towards greatness. Mark Calaway is no exception, and that's why he seems humble and a class act of his own, while embellished with wits and tons of great stories.
After all these years, the undertaker being revealed to be good dude is one of those rare, brief “ok, I can be at peace with the world” things. For kids in the 90s, it’s difficult to overstate the unbelievable intimidation and otherworldly, larger than life spectacle that was the undertaker. We were the last generation to witness that before the curtain call and Montreal opened up the business. Taker is one of those guys who SHOULD be a prick with all that he’s accomplished but still manages to be just a normal dude from Texas. That’s an unbelievable feat in the world of wrestling…almost unprecedented…
Thanks for rehashing the exact shit that tony was yapping on about. What's with these braindead people leaving comments? Can't you think for yourselves?
That was an awesome video! I was introduced to WWF wrestling when I was 7 or 8 years old. I had just turned 17(late october)when I remember watching the introduction of The Undertaker. He became an instant legend that night and one of my all time favorites. Thanks for the nostalgic memories 💯
Vince was really smart making them stay in character at all times. Everyone forgot it was all an act. Kane is also the nicest guy in the world. Joe or someone had him on a podcast.
So Taker is one of my all time favourite wrestlers and it is great to see and hear that he is also actually a great guy who is hugely loved and respected by his peers, man never really did any interviews during his career to maintain the integrity of his character so since retirement it's been great watching and hearing him talk.
You got to think it probably took about four or five years for The Undertaker's merchandise checks to be what that bird was getting. When a bird is selling more merchandise than you are going to remember that bird's name LOL
The reason the character worked so well wasn’t just because he kept character. Anyone could’ve been Undertaker and kept character and it would never work. It was because in the ring, the stuff he done was outrageous. Tall and strong as hell but scary fast but was also slow and maniacal. He was capable of walking the ropes and jumping over them with ease.
For me is how incredibly well and on point he portrayed the character. His essence, his posture, his gestures... everything on point. The fact that he could even do the eyerolling. Amazing.
@@thebee9907 He was a living hero to me because he was *the embodiment* of a dark character, with just the perfect references, in a "normal place". Since I was a kid I was always "dark" and for people like me he resonated perfectly. Did you watch the 2007's Unforgiven? It was simply amazing. His feud with Mark Henry and all that. And back then, they had the freedom to go almost fully dark on tv, and that helped Undertaker a lot with the whole character development.
@@thebee9907 I watched all that on YT and on other video websites. Amazing era that was. But I didn't know those numbers and how popular it was.. just crazy..
It's so rare to be this great at something and this famous and at the same time a great humble human at the same time, this man is a true icon and legend. Love him.
Probably the most respected pro-wrestler of all time! A legit locker-room leader, a tough, intelligent, charismatic yet stoic and cool guy - definition of ‘legend’
I love that YT keeps suggesting videos with him. I had a passing familiarity of him growing up and can’t believe the curtains being pulled back now. This guy is actually a national treasure.
It's crazy how seeing one thing can hook you for life. I stumbled across The Undertaker on an old VHS in my uncles by pure accident and because of that I've now been watching wrestling for the past 25years.
@@dannydevito9056 Well of course he looks happier, he's been portraying a "dead man" for the last 30 years. Not like he could go around smiling as the Undertaker.
I was lucky enough to catch one of these shows as a kid in the mid 80s. The Undertaker entrance is different in person. Thanks for all the memories guys!
Just think about it, there's a reason Koko's in the Hall of Fame. He was lower to midcard guy, he was a favourite with the kids and there was one hell of a lot of merchandise with Frankie's picture on it back in the day. That bird was over. Undertaker probably never forgot his name because I'm betting for 2 or 3 years after he got there that bird was still getting bigger merch checks than he was. RIP Frankie 2001/2002 ( the wrestling website with the story says 2001 memory grave page it says 2002. Died in a house fire will Koko was at church😢.) He Rushed home to find a lady crying on the lawn "I'm sorry I couldn't save your child" poor Frankie was yelling let me out.🥺
@@RobwLPOC or people in that era just knew who Franki was. I dont think the undertaker had any thing against koko or Frankie. He was really just getting started. I think your view point is a lil misleading. But hey its your opinion just like mine is.
I have fogotten how much i loved these guys from my younger days. man i really looked up to these blokes, literally from the way their bodies looked to the jokes they made and just how fucking good at their job they were. they done it with passion and truly wanted to entertain. I will forever be grateful they made my childhood what it was, god knows what id have done without them!
You should check out his documentary that came out about 16 years ago. He talks about his childhood, how Vince gave him the undertaker name and all that good stuff.
My childhood was 80s and 90s WWF then it faded away as i had to do adult stuff. But finding these interviews of childhood hero characters telling these stories is so fulfilling.
I think his stance on wrestling has softened considerably in the years since. It probably has to do with the fact that people and world have generally accepted it for what it is : entertainment.
@@unlimitedayoproduction2452 It's not fake, fake implies it's not actually happening, like Jurassic Park. The winners and storylines are predetermined, but the moves are actually happening, hence all of the injuries. Hogan has rods in his spine, Austin and Lita have bad necks, then there are the concussion issues. A lot of the old timers stay dependant on pain killers for the rest of their lives.
"no one will ever pay to see you wrestle" is such an insane thing to say, dude was big, looked unique, could work, and was just beginning his career, why would you write him off like that? sky was the limit for him
