The Undertaker

[TheBigBoot]

Yeah, 2002 was a really strong year for Undertaker both as a heel and babyface. His promos have never been better than in that heel run and honestly one of the best 'comebacks' I've seen for a guy who was written off as "past his prime" from an in-ring point of view considering how beaten up/injured he looked limping around in 1999-2000. Yet by 2002-03 he was flying around the ring again, bumping for people and working really well laid-out matches with a whole variety of opponents.

 

Versatility is probably the main thing that is underrated whenever Taker is discussed because its not really one of the things he's usually praised for, maybe because of the gimmick, but the guy has actually had plenty of different style matches against totally different shape/size/style/era of opponents and nine times out of ten he's made it work.

 

3 - Theme Music - I'm going for circa 97 for this too. Not just for the music but for the atmosphere around it. When they cut to the arena shots of all those lighters coming on as the death march played - it's unbeatable. Absolutely unbeatable.

 

Yeah, that was great and something I miss seeing. Probably the best thing to come out of the whole aiming at the 19-36 crowd/Attitude/realising the Hulkamania fans are now in their 20s period they went through in the late 90s was the number of people with lighters increased from just a few in '94 to the arena shots you'd get on Raw in '96-'99.

 

4 - Best WM Match - The first one that comes to mind is actually the HHH match at X-Seven, but I also really like the Batista match from WM23 (my favourite of any Batista match).

 

That's not to discount the WM25 Michaels match, the Kane match from XIV, and ... erm ... Taker vs. Diesel from WM12, which, yeah, wasn't great, but was better than it had any right to be.

 

Oh, the Flair match from X-8 and the Edge match from WM24 as well. The latter was overshadowed by Michaels-Flair but was bloody good.

 

But I'd go for the HHH or Batista matches if I had to pick from those.

 

Not too keen on the Triple H one, although I know I'll be in the minority on this again, but the others were all top notch especially the Batista one which IIRC most thought > Cena/Michaels at the time but seems to have gotten a bit of backlash since for some reason. At the time I compared it to Horsemen/Luger & Windham for the speed at which they were flying around in there for big men and I really did think it should have gone on last that night. If the Mankind feud hadn't been so good then Batista/Undertaker would have been my pick because I don't remember them having a bad match. The Diesel, Kane and Flair ones by all rights should have sucked but they didn't, the Michaels stuff was probably Michaels best post-comeback work again again showed that variety in that they worked two very different matches in back-to-back years and the Edge match was just plain easy-to-watch Sports Entertainment fun.

 

From those you didn't mention I thought the Orton match at WM 21 was really well worked (sort of a better version of the one with Triple H from a few years before for me) to the extent I thought the streak was over. Even the earlier one against Jake Roberts is underrated - for a short match that contains almost zero moves it's actually really interesting to watch.

 

One more thing I forgot, out of all the wrestlers I've seen in person I also think Taker is one of the guys who can really get over as larger than life in a 'live' setting rather than just on TV better than just about anyone else outside of possibly Hogan, LOD, and Sting (who comes across far better in live show setting than on TV). My favourite live moment was his entrance at Battle Royal at the Albert Hall on that old organ was legitimately creepy to me. I was also there for his hearse entrance at SummerSlam '92 but the Phantom of the Opera stuff made a much bigger impression on me live.

[Super Cena]

I remember there was a suggestion back in 2003 that Undertaker was planning on doing the Great Muta gimmick, where when the occassion demands it he'd turn into the Dead Man every 6 months or so, but still do the Biker for most of the year. How do you lot think that would work?

 

That could have definitely worked; if people can suspend their belief enough to get behind a 'dead man' character, they'd have been able to do so for a gimmick transition once every so often. Thinking about it, it could have worked a treat actually - whenever we've seen a 'Taker appearance after a period of absence under the supernatural gimmick, it's been awesome to see it again as you forget just how spectacular his whole entrance and all-round character is.

 

Imagine an ongoing storyline where a wrestler is about to get to the level where he's about to reach (or surpass) Undertaker in his Bad-Ass character, when all of a sudden the lights start to flicker and dim, and when the lights come back on he's stood in the ring wearing his black jacket and hat and rolling his eyes up into the top of his head whilst the supernatural lighting and music begins as though he's evolved like a fucking Pokemon.

[Loligan]

I remember there was a suggestion back in 2003 that Undertaker was planning on doing the Great Muta gimmick, where when the occassion demands it he'd turn into the Dead Man every 6 months or so, but still do the Biker for most of the year. How do you lot think that would work?

 

That could have definitely worked; if people can suspend their belief enough to get behind a 'dead man' character, they'd have been able to do so for a gimmick transition once every so often. Thinking about it, it could have worked a treat actually - whenever we've seen a 'Taker appearance after a period of absence under the supernatural gimmick, it's been awesome to see it again as you forget just how spectacular his whole entrance and all-round character is.

 

Imagine an ongoing storyline where a wrestler is about to get to the level where he's about to reach (or surpass) Undertaker in his Bad-Ass character, when all of a sudden the lights start to flicker and dim, and when the lights come back on he's stood in the ring wearing his black jacket and hat and rolling his eyes up into the top of his head whilst the supernatural lighting and music begins as though he's evolved like a fucking Pokemon.

 

I'm not even a fan of The Undertaker but that sounds awesome!

[matbro1984]

1 - Match - Hell In Cell V HBK

2 - Look or Image - Tough call. I'd say his look at WM15, evil devil worshipper Undertaker

3 - Theme Music - American Badass was perfect, I never warmed to Rollin'

4 - Best WM Match - WM25

5 - Feud - Kane 97/98

6 - Moment - One of his over the top entrances no doubt.Tough to pick. It's between the hearse at Summerslam 92 or the batsuit at Survivor Series 96

[air_raid]

1 - Match

 

Very tough one, he has a very good back catalogue, many different types of matches in his different characters against all sorts of opponents, both as heel and face. I was initially tempted to say his match with Vader from Canadian Stampede, or his match with Bret from SummerSlam 97 (mostly because I mark out for the result/finish) but if someone stopped me short and said "any Undertaker match, what do you watch?" then it's the first Hell In A Cell, without doubt. Fucking tour de force. Yes, I'm a bit of a pervert for mat work and submission holds, and yes they had a big cage to work around, got to have all manner of shenanigans around the ring and up top, had a table stunt and a chair and an injured cameraman and a Kane run in etc, but fuck it, it was outstanding storytelling from start to finish.

 

2 - Look or Image

 

Having watched every incarnation of The Undertaker, while his match quality has been a lot higher over the last ten years than the first ten years of his time in the WWF, I'll always have fondest memories of the earlier stuff, because what he brought to the table was unique. Physically imposing heel with no pain barrier, that happily got straight up from faces' finishers, didnt have to cheat to pin other "superstars." Menacing, terrifying, fucking unstoppable. Captured my attention like no heel before, or since.

 

3 - Theme Music

 

Tempted to say his 94-98 "second" theme, as it's the one I have fondest memories of watching his entrance live when the lights go out and its fucking freezing. But I have to go with his first theme, for the effect the first gong has an on arena. Eerie how the fear seems to wash over the people, and especially if his opponent is already in the ring, thinking "you're buggered, lad."

 

4 - Best WM Match

 

I'll buck the trend and say actually, versus Randy Orton at WMXXI. I genuinely felt the streak was in jeopardy. I stayed up to watch Mania for the first time in years and watched it with my mate over a few drinks and two multipacks of Monster Munch. We turned the light off when Undertaker was coming down like complete marks. During the match itself, I even found myself cheering for Randy a bit, after thinking they'd fucked over his face turn so badly, and I wanted to see his career get back on track. When he countered the chokeslam into the RKO, I thought he'd done it. Cracking bit of suspension of belief, the BASTARDS. Great fun. I'd actually take it over the two Michaels matches, because I didn't get all that into them because in the second one I didnt really think Shawn had much chance of winning, and in first one I didnt really care if he did. GREAT matches, but my favourites are always the ones I got most into at the time.

 

5 - Feud

 

Probably the Edge feud, purely because it yielded some very good and very varied matches as well as some great memorable moments - Edge cashing in, taking the title from Big Dave in the three way, their WM match, TLC and finally Hell In A Cell.

 

6 - Moment

 

Probably an obscure one for most (forgotten in comparison to the match that preceded it) but I jumped out of my seat when Taker emerged from the casket to attack Mankind in the aftermath of Mind Games. Paul Bearer's reaction was gold too. The Philly crowd went mental and so did I.

[King Pitcos]

1 - Match

WrestleMania 25 with Michaels, though his match with Edge at WM24 is a close second for me. I was amazed by that at the time, I think it's one of the best WrestleMania main events there's been.

 

2 - Look or Image

American Bad Ass. He spoke properly, instead of scary zombie voice (although he was speaking fairly normally on Smackdown this week as well). He was brilliant walking around as a veteran hard knock.

 

3 - Theme Music - Would also be 1999 - see link below

The "You've done it now, you've gone and made a big mistake" one, definitely: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oOr50155MAU

The runner-up, from 1998:

 

4 - Best WM Matchup

Same as #1.

 

5 - Feud -

Mankind. Full of memorable moments and matches, and it really revitalised Undertaker's career as well as making Mick Foley.

 

6 - Moment

"WHERE TO, STEPHANIE?!"

[tiger_rick]

1 - Match

 

Hell In A Cell vs. Shawn Michaels by a hundred million country miles. Absolutely incredible drama, awesome new gimmick and a memorable debut.

 

2 - Look or Image

 

My favourite was after his first rebirth with the purple.

 

3 - Theme Music

 

Keep rollin' rollin' rollin' rollin' rollin'

 

4 - Best WM Match

 

Some great ones and some utter stinkers. The second one with HBK is probably the best.

 

5 - Feud

 

With Austin in 1998.

 

6 - Moment

 

The promo from inside the casket at Royal Rumble 1994.

[Shane O' Mac Version 2]

1. Match- Always had a soft spot for the Brock Lesnar HIAC, gimmicked to fuck but still had tremendous drama. In my opinion that was the first great HIAC to not feature a crazy stunt.

 

2. Look or image- I thought I'd be in the minority when I opened this topic, but it's 2002 Big Evil for me. I really think he should have just stayed as the biker, it's more realistic and easier to buy into. Today, even little kids know Taker's not an undead zombie.

 

3. Theme Music- Rollin'. One of those really fitting, distinct rock themes that everytime it hit, you just knew someone was getting fucked up.

 

4. Mania Match- vs HBK, Wrestlemania 25. I thought the original was much, much better than the sequel, the second felt anticlimatic to me.

 

5. Feud- Sadly, not many modern Taker feuds jump out at me. While he's had some belter matches, the rivalries themselves don't really stand out. I'll go with the original Kane feud.

 

6. Moment- His Wrestlemania 24 entrance, where his entrance outfit was Ministry, and there was a huge amount of pyro behind him. Looked incredibly badass.

[Pyrotechnik]

1: Mankind HIAC, never saw anything like it before as a rather oblivious 11 year old.

 

2: Original look, he WAS an Undertaker, and suited Purple and Paul Bearer didn't look out of shape there (gimmick wise)

 

3: Ministry, one of the best themes of all time.

 

4: Michaels/Taker I has had enough mentions, so (rather fittingly considering this year is the rematch a decade later) HHH/Taker from WM17, HHH was at his heel height at this point, he lost the edge slightly to Austin and his turn, and then vanished to injury. But on that night the crowd wanted to see nobody get the shit kicked out of them moreso than HHH, and they beat the crap out of one another.

 

5: Austin vs Ministry Taker. I never liked Austin but that storyline had me hooked (I was also 13 and SMH was hot to me but that's beside the point) I was wanting the next bit week after week.

 

6:

The mirror image hat removal looked amazing back then, still does now.

[ShortOrderCook]

I really wish that he'd never switched back to zombie mode, I enjoyed him when he was a prick biker who beat people up for "disrespecting" him. At least his MMA flirting offense actually made sense, now he's a zombie wizard who acts like a part time UFC fighter.

 

I've never understood this moan. This is wrestling. Cartoon come to life, larger than life characters and gimmicks come to life. What's wrong with an MMA Zombie? Doesn't that sound totally badass!? Besides...he hasn't been a zombie since the early 90's and his character is always evolving, he always tends to incorporate aspects of previous incarnations, so why would he suddenly ditch the MMA stuff he developed while being the American Badass? Furthermore, as i say he hasn't been a zombie in forever, he's implied more as a supernatural being now. A supernatural being with some hints of MMA...again, doesn't that sound totally badass!?!

 

I love Undertaker. And i've only come to appreciate him more and more over the past few years. He personifies so much of what i adore about american pro-wrestling, about WWE. The larger than life presence, the comic book come to life character/gimmick, the IMAGERY, the mystique, the big match atmosphere, the fact that he does things that shouldn't seem possible, making the unimaginable a reality and that he genuinely seems like he is hard as hell.

 

I've enjoyed every incarnation of The Undertaker and there are so, so many moments of WWE history that involve him that i absolutely love. As TheBigBoot mentioned, he's very adaptable, capable of many different types of match and having good matches spanning many years with all sorts of shape and size opponent.

 

I remember there was a suggestion back in 2003 that Undertaker was planning on doing the Great Muta gimmick, where when the occassion demands it he'd turn into the Dead Man every 6 months or so, but still do the Biker for most of the year. How do you lot think that would work?

 

That could have definitely worked; if people can suspend their belief enough to get behind a 'dead man' character, they'd have been able to do so for a gimmick transition once every so often. Thinking about it, it could have worked a treat actually - whenever we've seen a 'Taker appearance after a period of absence under the supernatural gimmick, it's been awesome to see it again as you forget just how spectacular his whole entrance and all-round character is.

 

Imagine an ongoing storyline where a wrestler is about to get to the level where he's about to reach (or surpass) Undertaker in his Bad-Ass character, when all of a sudden the lights start to flicker and dim, and when the lights come back on he's stood in the ring wearing his black jacket and hat and rolling his eyes up into the top of his head whilst the supernatural lighting and music begins as though he's evolved like a fucking Pokemon.

 

As i was reading this thread i was thinking how i'd have liked his recent return to have seen another evolution of the character incorporating some more of the biker/american badass traits with the phenom aspects a little more, considering in the year he was taking out he was showing some more human sides with the compassion for Shawn Michaels and showing weakness in being put into a vegetative state. I think it would be a nice way to finish his career on and this idea above is utterly tremendous. It could absolutely work, i'm certain fans would buy into it. It's somewhat of a similar take on Mankind switching to Cactus Jack when the situation demanded it. With the imagery and effects that could be used to accompany it for Undertaker though like suggested by Super Cena here, it would be magical.

 

1 - Match -

 

As the original poster said, there's so many answers i could give for each subject here but i'll narrow them down or i'll just keep going and going. The first two Hell in a Cells are stand-outs, they personify and compliment what The Undertaker is about so well. In saying that, i'm a big fan of the Hell in a Cell with Brock too. I also adore the Summerslam '97 main as also mentioned already (the finish is also for me one of my favourite ever things in wrestling) but, that's more about the two other guys involved than Undi' himself.

 

2 - Look or Image -

 

Again, so many, loved them all really. Favourite would probably be the '97-'98 look, especially with the bigass jacket dealy he's brought a similar one of in over the last couple of years, featured at Wrestlemania 24.

 

3 - Theme Music -

 

The one posted in the original post for me too. Although i really like the different intros he's had to his themes over the years. The Judgement Day 'he's here', the gong into footsteps into gong 'Deadman Walking' before 'Rollin'' kicks in and anytime he's incorporated big dramtic, theatrical shiz for special occasions have all been tremendous. I kind of hope in this latest guise as 'The Last Outlaw' that the 'Ain't No Grave' intro becomes a semi-regular thing for special occasions too.

 

4 - Best WM Match -

 

Again echoing some comments already made by others, i really enjoyed the Randy Orton match, which i really wasn't expecting to, not really being into Orton at all at the time and really not wanting him to end the streak but being the only time where i thought it was going to be ended. But i also love everything that surrounded the Wrestlemania XIV match with Kane.

 

5 - Feud -

 

Mankind. Full of memorable moments and matches, and it really revitalised Undertaker's career as well as making Mick Foley.

 

This and the Paul Bearer and Kane feuds that accompanied/evolved from them. As well as the Austin one that evolved from that in '98. The summer long incahoots, highway to hell angle is another of my favorite ever things in wrestling.

 

I also rather enjoyed the mini tag feud he and Big Show had with Rock and Mankind, the verbal exchanges between him and Rock were a bunch of fun.

 

 

6 - Moment -

 

This is the main thing i could just list countless things for. The (again) already mentioned standing atop the Cell surveying his destruction of Mankind is right up there. For the reasons mentioned before about the match in general, that it just personifies The Undertaker. And the incredible imagery of it all.

 

The Summerslam '97 finish i mentioned earlier but, as i say that's really more about Bret and Shawn.

 

The Judgement Day 2000 return was total awesome. The great reinvention, zooming down on the bike, rabid fans going nuts for his return and throwing everyone in his sight about in badass fashion.

 

At the height of the aforementioned 'incahoots' storyline, there's a whole bunch of moments. Where he donned Kanes garb and smashed the shit out of Mankind in what was supposed to be a triple threat match with him Kane and Mankind but, it appeared he had no-showed fueling the incahoots rumours more. Only to unmask and reveal it was him as Kane all along, further fueling the incahoots suspicions. Great little angle. Loved it when the roles were reversed and Kane donned Undertakers get-up too.

 

Also from that storyline, the Hell in a Cell tag match melee, where again it seems he was no-showing being Austins partner, only to emerge from beyond the canvas, to be locked all alone in the Cell with Bearer.

 

The initial Boiler Room Brawl with Bearers heel turn.

 

Coming face to face with Kane for the first time.

 

Returning from the Royal Rumble '98 casket burning to finally do what he said he wouldn't do and fight Kane at Wrestlemania. Loads of people hate the supernatural aspects of his character but, often i love that shit. Here, returning, emerging from a casket after it's struck by a lightning bolt, walking through the flames and the little promo that accompanied it. Watch it here.

 

The Summerslam 2009 return replacing Jeff Hardys body. I thought that was pulled off incredibly well.

 

There's been loads of little things i've liked that have accompanied his character too over the years. Namely a whole bunch of his entrances and vignettes, i loved the return teaser promos that basically provided much of he hype for his Wrestlemania XX return and match with Kane. And i always thought this little bit at

looked wicked.

[Guest]

1 - Match - vs angle pin/tapout match

2 - Look or Image - entrance to wm26/ wm 14

3 - Theme Music - modern dearh match

4 - Best WM Match - batista

5 - Feud - Mankind - where his matchews became wresting and not just feeding monsters to him

6 - Moment - return as american bad ass - no one expected that.

[air_raid]

1 - Match - vs angle pin/tapout match

2 - Look or Image - entrance to wm26/ wm 14

3 - Theme Music - modern dearh match

4 - Best WM Match - batista

5 - Feud - Mankind - where his matchews became wresting and not just feeding monsters to him

6 - Moment - return as american bad ass - no one expected that.

 

You've been drinking, haven't you. Next you'll be declaring yourself to be in the pube with the holiday monkey. Run! Run! Run!

[Guest]

1 - Match - vs angle pin/tapout match

2 - Look or Image - entrance to wm26/ wm 14

3 - Theme Music - modern dearh match

4 - Best WM Match - batista

5 - Feud - Mankind - where his matchews became wresting and not just feeding monsters to him

6 - Moment - return as american bad ass - no one expected that.

 

You've been drinking, haven't you. Next you'll be declaring yourself to be in the pube with the holiday monkey. Run! Run! Run!

read more of my posts, 2 mistakes is nothing for me.

[RJ Impact]

Match: Brock Lesnar Hell in a Cell, watched it a ton of times (even have it on my ipod) just a great slugger between two hard bastards.

 

Music: Kid Rock American Badass, just perfect for the gimmick, anyone know why they changed it??

 

Look: Badass look either jeans & leather/denim vest, his Series 1996 return with the leather crow look.

 

Image: Either Survivor Series 96 coming from the roof in leather crow look with bat wings or Austin crucified on taker symbol with taker posing under him late 98 I think.

 

Feud: Any time him and Lesnar got together I loved it, 2002 or 03

 

Moment: Judgment Day 2000, Return as Badass, didnt have internet back then and had no idea he was coming back, thot the 'little girls singing' was just the ppv promo, but when all the shit started going down with DX etc then the video/music started playing the crowd (and myself) went nuts!!! Awesome moment in wrestling not just taker

[Shane O' Mac Version 2]

Music: Kid Rock American Badass, just perfect for the gimmick, anyone know why they changed it??

I imagine using a Kid Rock song would have cost WWE a mint, apparently he wanted a ridiculous amount of money to feature his live performance from WM25 on the DVD, so after dedicating 20 minutes of PPV time to it, the only people that can see it are the ones that watched it live.