buddyboy101
Superstar
Joined on: Dec 26, 2004 12:34:57 GMT -5
Posts: 946 
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Post by buddyboy101 on Jul 20, 2010 23:18:45 GMT -5
Hey everyone, I don't post too often, but I was inspired to post tonight when I saw that Mattel included a life-size figure of the Undertaker at their Comic Con display. It really made me realize how the Undertaker has become one of the "faces" of the WWE WWF.
I was about 6 when I first started watching wrestling. I'm not sure how I got into it. But I remember the first PPV I ever watched was just so I could watch the Undertaker's coffin match against Kamala at Survivor Series 1992! I'm not sure how I got into the Undertaker at such a young age, but I was hooked!
From there on out, I would watch Monday Night Raw every week just to get a glimpse of the Undertaker. I remember back then the Undertaker was still a bit of a newb, and they rarely featured him on television. It seemed like he would appear maybe once a month. I remember this pattern continuing all the way until 1997 or so. When the Undertaker lost his stockings in favor of black leather and started feuding with the likes of HBK, Austin, and KANE, we saw a lot more of the Undertaker.
This additional exposure came at a price. No longer was he the kayfabe dead man, subject to the supernatural powers of an urn or other fantasy. Rather he became a lot more human. He stopped talking like a dead man. He stopped wearing pale make up. He started getting into sacrifices and other just straight up evil shit. Everything just got a lot more real, and for me, he lost a bit of his notable character.
The humanization of the Undertaker reached its climax when he took on the biker gimmick (ironic b/c that's his real life personality, not really a "gimmick"). When he eventually returned to the dark side around 2004, I was thrilled. His gimmick really hasn't changed since then. If anything it's gotten a bit stale and uninspired. Yes, the Undertaker has become a leader in the locker room, and one of the predominant "faces" of the WWF. But honestly, I miss my dead man, who's character really stood apart from any other guy in the fed.
Anyways, I'd love to hear your thoughts about the Undertaker. For you older folks, I'd love to hear what you thought of the Undertaker during the early/mid 90's. Was it cheesy? Was it better than today's character? I was a younger when he was playing up the dead man gig, so it seemed cool back then, but that might be nostalgia/childhood kicking in.
Ok, just wanted to share. Ya'll have a good one!
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Post by K5 on Jul 20, 2010 23:45:48 GMT -5
he has been a consistant favourite of mine and he always mystified me as a kid...now i look back and see how he truly helped the wwe and carried SO MANY PEOPLE
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Jul 21, 2010 5:12:09 GMT -5
great thread man.
so many fond memories of Taker......
being kinda scared by him when I was 10(when he debuted)
happy that he turned face and beat on Jake Roberts
his entrance at Summerslam 92
his destruction by Yokozuna
his return at SS94.remember being super excited
his entire feud with foley which lasted 2 years really
Hell In Cell against HBK
Buried Alive vs Austin
American Bad ass times........
HIAC vs Lesnar
NWO 2006 vs Angle
ah theres way way more.......again great thread.
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Post by LeighD on Jul 21, 2010 12:33:17 GMT -5
Much like Goldusts gimmick, The Undertaker was one that on paper should not have even lasted more than a few years. However, much like Goldust, Mark took this gimmick and made it truly everlasting. He did it without fuss as look at the gimmick matches, feuds, etc he dealt with. I think his earlier matches were awful, but in the last half decade he has given us some classic stuff.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Jul 21, 2010 19:16:05 GMT -5
Honky Tonk Man says on his shoot that most backstage at SS90 laughed their asses off at this gimmick and reckoned it wouldnt last 6 months.........
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Post by Chicago on Jul 21, 2010 19:59:39 GMT -5
I can believe that ^, but there's something special about the character and the man portraying it which goes beyond explanation. Only he could carry the gimmick through two decades with such a strong following.
He was at his best character-wise in the beginning, his best year workrate-wise has to be in 1997 with guys who could carry him to great matches (Bret/HBK), his creative peak would have been as the leader of the Ministry of Darkness (or should I say peak of absurdity?), his best mic work comes as he's able to be himself during the American Badass years, and his rebirth into the 'Taker of old at WrestleMania XX was the beginning of a new chapter with plenty of ups and downs and memorable WrestleMania feuds.
At one point or another, I've loved all of the phases of his WWF career, but my favorite would have to be as the Lord of Darkness prior to the MOD transformation, or basically his work in 97-98. But, I do have a soft spot for mid-90s 'Taker despite all of the awful feuds he was saddled with during that time (despite Mankind in '96, of course). I was very young and probably don't remember everything he did in the VERY early 90s after he debuted, but I'm always open to going back and watching it if I have the time.
One thing I'll always remember about 'Taker is his agility as a big man and the many times he has flown over the top rope, despite it not ever being a necessity given his style. I'd like to think that he inspired many others to take those same risks, but he's always had a uniqueness about him that will never be matched again.
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Post by slappy on Jul 22, 2010 0:19:10 GMT -5
Scared me to death as a child, but I was always intrigued. And now for the longest time, he's been one of my favorite wrestlers.
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Post by K5 on Jul 22, 2010 2:05:29 GMT -5
lol, real smart for honky tonk man to say that. those that live in glass houses...
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Post by Deleted on Jul 23, 2010 7:38:27 GMT -5
lol, real smart for honky tonk man to say that. those that live in glass houses... in fairness he wasnt the only one who said that and he did go on to praise the gimmick..its thought McMahon himself had doubts to until Rick Rude got Percy Pringle the job and everyhing clicked |
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Post by Patrick Bateman on Jul 23, 2010 17:15:44 GMT -5
 IT DOESN'T MATTER WHAT YOUR THOUGHTS ARE! |
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y2josh
Main Eventer
WF 20 Year Member
Joined on: Dec 18, 2001 15:13:21 GMT -5
Posts: 3,378
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Post by y2josh on Jul 24, 2010 7:09:02 GMT -5
I remember when Hogan left, I needed a new WWF favorite (I balked at the thought of watching WCW when I was 11)...so Taker became it. I was a big fan until the night he threw Foley off the Cell. After that, I definitely was against him. I regained a small amount of interest when he became the heel, short hair American Badass....but lost all interest again when he returned to the Deadman deal. There's no denying what he has given to the business, but I could take or leave him.
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Post by Searching for a Former Clarity on Jul 25, 2010 19:40:51 GMT -5
Always been one of my favorites. Royal Rumble 1994 was one of his best moments and then seeing him return at Summerslam 1994 live, was awesone. Ofcourse I was only 6 years old but I do remember it and he always scared me as a kid but he, Ultimate Warrior and The Rockers were my favorites.
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Post by LtD73 on Jul 25, 2010 19:59:30 GMT -5
Ministry of Darkness because i was growing up around that time
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StingerSplash
Main Eventer
Give em' the Scorpion Death Drop.
Joined on: Jun 6, 2009 11:30:40 GMT -5
Posts: 3,976
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Post by StingerSplash on Jul 26, 2010 2:47:00 GMT -5
I grew up (and I still am growing up) during the 1999 MOD era. But I was only four at the time, so I can't remember that well. As someone who is in love with the business, I've researched and watched alot of the Deadman's old stuff, and have really tracked the development of his character.
My most memorable moment, besides his WM 20 return, was his Ladder Match with Jeff. My friend and I were such Hardy fans at the time, and I remember jumping up and down at points in the match. To me, that match just really had a magical feel to it.
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Post by slappy on Jul 26, 2010 3:23:03 GMT -5
I remember when Hogan left, I needed a new WWF favorite (I balked at the thought of watching WCW when I was 11)...so Taker became it. I was a big fan until the night he threw Foley off the Cell. After that, I definitely was against him. I regained a small amount of interest when he became the heel, short hair American Badass....but lost all interest again when he returned to the Deadman deal. There's no denying what he has given to the business, but I could take or leave him. Why did throwing Foley off the cell make you no longer a fan of his? |
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buddyboy101
Superstar
Joined on: Dec 26, 2004 12:34:57 GMT -5
Posts: 946
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Post by buddyboy101 on May 21, 2020 22:50:00 GMT -5
I remember when Hogan left, I needed a new WWF favorite (I balked at the thought of watching WCW when I was 11)...so Taker became it. I was a big fan until the night he threw Foley off the Cell. After that, I definitely was against him. I regained a small amount of interest when he became the heel, short hair American Badass....but lost all interest again when he returned to the Deadman deal. There's no denying what he has given to the business, but I could take or leave him. Why did throwing Foley off the cell make you no longer a fan of his? Can't speak for y2josh but I never cared for his role in that match much. Foley put himself in excessive risk. Although it might not have been Taker's idea to throw him off (as far as I know), his role in the match wasn't really that noteworthy - just enabled Foley to take some massive bumps. Taker didn't seem in his element during the match, just kinda going through the motions...unlike his boiler room matches with Foley, which were so intense and personal. |
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Post by PJ on May 22, 2020 16:01:16 GMT -5
A ten year old thread.
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