From: Death Valley (well, at least he used to be until they started breaking down the walls of kayfabe)

Height: 6'9"

Weight: 328 lbs.

Set-Up Move: Chokeslam

Finisher: Old- Tombstone Piledriver; New- The Last Ride

Nicknames, Past and Present: The Phenom, The American Badass, The Lord of Darkness, The Reaper, The Conscience of the WWF, and all those cute little nicknames a lot of the female fans bestow upon him.

 

 

 

*The Man Behind the Character*

 

Name: Mark Calaway

Birthdate: March 24, 1962-1965 (Note: There are many years floating around, usually varying from 1962 to 1965. Personally, after thinking about it after watching his new DVD, I tend to think that 1965 might be the accurate one.)

Hometown: Houston, Texas in the 'burbs.

--The Undertaker's wrestling debut in the WWF was during the Survivor Series of 1990. He was part of Ted DiBiase's "Million Dollar Dream Team" and was first managed by Brother Love. Later, Paul Bearer became his manager, an off and on union since 1991.

--Before coming to the WWF, Mark Calaway also wrestled in NWA/WCW as part of the Skyscrapers tag team with Dan Spivey under the name "Mean" Mark Callous, replacing Sid Vicious. The Skyscrapers manager was Teddy Long, who is now a WWF referee.

--It was said that he was released from the WCW because they didn't think he would be a good draw on a card.

--Calaway trained with the Von Erich family in Dallas, Texas. You can't get much better than that. His professional wrestling career began in 1985 in the USWA.

--The top-rope walk, one of UT's most famous moves, was taught to him by Don Jardine. (Thanks to Yunomi for that tidbit)

--Pat Patterson, known as the 1st WWF Intercontinental Champion and one of Vince's on-air stooges, is said to be the one who came up with the character of The Undertaker.

--The original Undertaker character was patterned after morticians in the West.

--The Undertaker's major feuds in the WWF have included such wrestlers as Diesel, Yokozuna, Kama, Shawn Michaels, Mankind, Kane, Steve Austin, and Ultimate Warrior.

--He is a 4- time WWF Heavyweight/Undisputed Champion. He defeated Hulk Hogan (1991), Psycho Sid (1997), Steve Austin (1999), and Hogan (2002) for them.

--Taker is a 6- time WWF Tag Team champion. He won them partnered with Steve Austin once, The Rock once, Kane twice, and Paul Wight twice. He's also held the WCW tag belts with Kane the same time they had the WWF tag belts, unifying them.

--He also was the WWF Hardcore Champion.

--Matches associated with the Undertaker are the "Hell in the Cell", Casket, Inferno, and Buried Alive. The most famous "Hell in the Cell" occurred June 12, 1998 at the King of the Ring against Mankind. Many consider this one of the best wrestling matches ever just for sheer brutality purposes. Mick was thrown 20 feet from the top of the cage to the Spanish announcer's table. And, in an unplanned incident, he was chokeslammed through the top of the cage to the ring. It was a brutal match, with both Mick and Calaway putting their injuries aside to make it through the match.

--When the Taker isn't in the ring, he does a little acting on the side. He co-starred as a bounty hunter (Hutch) in Suburban Commando with that symbol of 80's wrestling Hulk Hogan and as the Soul Chaser in an episode of Poltergeist: The Legacy. He was also the voice for his claymation likeness in the Celebrity Deathmatch Halloween special. And, he did a damn fine job at all of these, may I add. Of course, I may be a bit biased.

--The Taker also has a track on WrestleMania the Album, bought by me anonymously through a music club (I have little shame; but I have enough not to pick this up in an establishment I frequent). It's number 6 and called "The Man in Black." I'm just grateful that he kept his day job. After that one, I had to cleanse my ears and soul.

--Some of the stuff out of the ring that Calaway digs is boxing (and was an amateur one, I believe), football, guns (told ya he was a redneck), bikes (we ain't talking Huffy ones, either), blues music, steak, and The Sopranos.