The Undertaker is one of the most iconic things about the WWE and to be honest, all of professional wrestling. It’s hard to imagine a world where The Deadman wasn’t a part of the WWE locker room and a valued member of the roster. But, what exactly would the WWE have been like if it was never graced by the genius of one Mr Mark Calaway?
It might seem like an absurd notion, but it is a hypothetical that is worth exploring. After all, Taker was one of the only men to remain loyal to Vince McMahon and the WWE during The Monday Night Wars and has been a gigantic presence in the business for well over 20 years at this point. He only just retired (allegedly) earlier this year at Wrestlemania 33.
Without the constant presence of The Undertaker, quite a few things would have been different in the WWE over the years – right from the days of The Attitude Era – all the way up till Wrestlemania 33. But, what are those things which would we would never have witnesses? Well, we provide those answers today.
So, without any further ado, here are 5 things we would never have seen if The Undertaker was never in the WWE:
#5 Such a compelling Attitude Era
The Attitude Era is what has defined professional wrestling and made the WWE into the global powerhouse it has grown to be over the past 20 years. It proved to be the catalyst for professional wrestling to enter a Golden Age of unrivalled success as Vince McMahon’s promotion enjoyed mainstream attention after beating WCW in the Monday Night Wars.
And, a large part of that era was The Undertaker. His larger than life character held a massive appeal for audiences all around the world. His feuds with the likes of Mankind, Stone Cold Steve Austin, and Kane were something fans got engrossed in.
In addition to this, he led the Ministry of Darkness - one of the defining factions of an era where factions were all the rage. He made the insane storylines work through sheer dedication to his character. The Attitude Era would not have been anywhere near as compelling with The Phenom.
Also read: 5 things that only The Undertaker has done in WWE
#4 A large number of younger stars getting over
One of the most impressive things about The Undertaker is his respect for the business of professional wrestling. He always puts the company and the business ahead of any of his personal wants and needs. It is this attitude that has allowed Taker to put over a number of top stars over the course of his career.
The likes of Kane, Brock Lesnar, Jeff Hardy, and Randy Orton have all benefitted from being in programs with The Deadman. If you are a young talent on the brink of breaking into the main event scene, there is no one better to help you with that final push than Taker.
It’s hard to imagine that these top names would have had anywhere near the same level of legitimacy or popularity had it not been for the efforts of The Undertaker.
#3 Hell in a Cell would never have been as famous
While Triple H might be the master of winning Hell in a Cell matches, there is no one who has been more instrumental to the success of Satan’s Structure in the WWE than The Undertaker. After all, he has been a part of so many iconic Hell in a Cell moments.
Who can forget the match against Mankind where he throws Mick Foley off the top of the damned structure and through an announce table below? And, who can forget the amazing Hell in a Cell match against Triple H at Wrestlemania with Shawn Michaels as Special Guest Referee?
And then, who can forget The Undertaker’s only Dave Meltzer 5-star rated match against Shawn Michaels inside the structure when Kane made his debut? And, speaking of Kane...
#2 Kane
Without The Undertaker, we would never have seen the presence of yet another legendary superstar, Kane – his kayfabe brother – who burst onto the scene in explosive fashion, ripping off the entrance to the Cell during the Hell in a Cell match between Taker and Shawn Michaels. From that point on, their fates were intertwined.
The two have had some amazing feuds over the years – especially that first one which established Kane as a major threat in the WWE and ensured that The Big Red Machine got over strong with the fans.
Even when not feuding, the two have been in major angles with other top stars as The Brothers of Destruction – one of the most dominant pairings of all-time. Be it as friends or as foes; The Undertaker has defined Kane over the past 20 years. Kane has won almost 20 titles in the WWE owing to his stupendous rise.
It’s hard to see that there would even be a concept for the character of Kane without the presence of The Deadman in the WWE.
#1 The Streak
You could try it with anyone else, and it just wouldn’t work. The Undertaker’s Streak is one of the most sacred things in all of professional wrestling, and there is just no getting past the fact that no one else except The Phenom could pull off something like this.
His dedication to the business meant that, at the end of the day, he sacrificed even that to put over Brock Lesnar.
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