'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
The Undertaker is, quite simply put, one of the biggest stars the WWE ever had and one of the most, if not the single most, successful gimmicks in the history of the company. Pretty much a gimmick keeping with the time when he debuted at Survivor Series 1990, the character of 'The Deadman' has long surpassed the predicted expiry date for such gimmicky characters as The Undertaker completes nearly 30 years with the WWE. As hard as it is to keep the mystique going for such a long time, given how exposed the business has gotten over the years, a large part of the success of the character is due to the man behind the character, Mark Calaway.
It isn't too much of a stretch to say that nobody else could have pulled off playing 'The Undertaker' the way he did, and he has been 'The Deadman' for a quarter of a century! But, the man behind the character is as interesting as the gimmick, as has been evident in the few media appearances that Mark Callaway did as himself. We take a look at 5 such instances:
#1 In support of Ricky Hatton
When Ricky Hatton was set to do battle with the undefeated boxer, Floyd Mayweather Jr., back in 2007, he had a staunch supporter in two leading WWE Superstars, The Undertaker & Batista. The Deadman has been known to be an ardent fan of boxing as a sport for a long time and did not look too out of place in the boxing gym at the time and in the above video is seen mingling with the media and others at the gym in a very nonchalant manner. Quite the departure from playing the undead!
This wouldn’t be his last foray into the world of boxing though, as he even accompanied Filipino boxing sensation Manny Pacquiao to the ring on one occasion.
#2 Spooking out the UFC
UFC 121 had then WWE alumni Brock Lesnar taking on Cain Velasquez in the main-event for the UFC Heavyweight championship. And watching the action from up-close was.....The Undertaker!
The Deadman, Mark Calaway, was accompanied by his wife Michelle McCool and were immediately scooped up for an impromptu chat by long-time pro-wrestling fan and leading MMA reporter Ariel Helwani. In the interview, it became pretty evident how much Mark Calaway followed the sport of MMA and just as the interview was impromptu, Helwani even managed to get his unplanned exclusive as Brock Lesnar and The Undertaker teased a confrontation as Lesnar walked by after (losing) his fight with Velasquez.
#3 Off the Record
TSN’s Michael Landsberg is known in the media circles for asking the hard questions to the toughest of the sports personalities and it was somewhat of a surprise that the usually media-shy Mark Calaway went on the show. But thanks to that appearance, we got to know what everyone had only heard of till then about The Undertaker’s demeanour backstage.
As expected, Landsberg asked the tough questions but surprisingly, The Deadman, out of character, never really looked out of his comfort zone. In one of the most revealing interviews of the happenings backstage, Calaway came out looking like the rumoured leader backstage and as somebody who embodies everything that the WWE should be
#4 Keeping The Score
While all the previously mentioned interviews had The Undertaker out of character, this chat, in particular, gave the viewers a detailed peek into what keeps the man behind the character going. In my personal favourite Undertaker interview, Mark Calaway discussed various things ranging from his personal relationships to the changes he has seen happen in his long tenure with the WWE.
Mark Calaway came across just like any of us, when talking about his job, but never was bereft of the poise that has come to define the legendary character of ‘The Phenom’
#5 Late night with Jimmy Kimmel
In what has to be considered the most visible he has ever been outside the WWE when playing ‘The Undertaker’, Mark Calaway appeared on the late night with Jimmy Kimmel show in the early part of last decade. In what was the most mainstream appearance for him, Mark Calaway showed his lighter side to the surprise of many who had been accustomed to see him scowl or wrestle stone-faced on TV.
The appearance takes the top spot on the list simply because of the fact that not long after this appearance, Calaway went back to portraying the character of ‘The Deadman in 2004 and as seen by millions as this appearance was, there were few questions that arose about the credibility of the character of the undead, the one, the only The Undertaker.
