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The Undertaker has been a member of the WWE Universe for parts of the last four decades, making his debut in October of 1990 and working his final Boneyard match against AJ Styles in 2020, even if he's made occasional appearances since, including coming to Cody Rhodes' defense at WrestleMania 40.
Now to some, the prevailing popularity of Mark Calloway's career is rather obvious, as he has arguably the greatest and most enduring character in the history of professional wrestling, as fans will forever be impressed by the “Deadman” and pop whenever the gong of his “Rest in Peace” theme song begins. But a character, even the best character, can't survive based on aura alone, as eventually, they'll have to work matches, work angles, and ultimately work feuds worthy of keeping fans coming back weekly to watch them do their thing.
In the opinion of Taker in a special Q&A on his Six Feet Under podcast, the biggest reason for his success comes down to the debut of Kane, who served as his “Brother of Destruction” and career-spanning foil throughout their shared time in the WWE Universe.
“There's a huge part of my career, if he's not there, that just doesn't happen. There was a lot of things that led out of us working at different times, to work into different programs and different angles. I mean, it's not just the angles and the times that we were working against each other, but then, too, it allowed me to grow as a character because it gave me something that I could relate to. Someone that I could relate to,” The Undertaker revealed via Fightful.
“I mean, ‘That's my flesh and blood' kind of a deal. It was the only way that really worked in making me vulnerable in any way. I learned a lot in working with him, [including] how to make myself more vulnerable moving forward. Without Kane, I'm a killer until I'm used up. I don't know that I go for 30 years without that story.”
Would The Undertakers have been able to have the same career without Kane? No, while he did have plenty of other things going for him, including “The Streak,” the Taker-Kane connection produced many of his greatest angles and still resonates with fans to this day, even if the duo have both long since retired from in-ring action. Though he initially debuted as Kane the Undertaker, in the end, it's safe to say there would be no Undertaker without Kane.
Ted DiBiase, Eric Bischoff compare Sting and The Undertaker
While they are both firmly retired following WrestleMania 36 and AEW Full Gear, respectively, WWE Hall of Famers have been weighing in on the unbreakable connection between Taker and Sting, forming arguably the greatest-ever “What If” in professional wrestling.
While the “Million Dollar Man” Ted DeBiase is a fan of both men, as he noted on Everybody’s Got a Pod, he has to give the overall nod to Taker, as they do have a history together.
“Wow. That is a tough one. You know, I would have to give the edge to Undertaker. Just because his character was so unique — not that Steve’s wasn’t. But now in terms of wrestling, Steve hands down is a better wrestler than the Undertaker. Of course, Mark knew his gimmick, and Mark knew how to — it’s like, it’s kind of hard to play a character who’s supposed to be a dead man. And he can’t run He hand to — you know what I’m saying? The things he did in the ring, and he learned how to do it very well. And was a huge name. But I would still say that wrestling-wise, I might give the edge to Sting. Character-wise, I would say the Undertaker.”
Former WCW personality Eric Bischoff also had plenty to say on the connection between Undertaker and Sting, noting on 83 Weeks that the duo forged a loyalty with their fans that far-exceeded many of their peers.
“He [Sting] reminds me of the Undertaker in many ways. You know, the Undertaker’s character is one that has endured to this day. I think if Undertaker showed up in his gear and was a part of a WWE event, it would rock the world, right?” Bischoff explained via 411 Mania. “Just like Sting recently in AEW. But I think the other thing that they have in common is loyalty. And whether the audience is acknowledging the loyalty to their respective companies or they’re just voting based on nostalgia, I think the common ground that both Undertaker and Sting have is loyalty to the company they work for.”
Because they've never actually shared the ring together, it's impossible to actually know who would win a match between the two all-time great characters – though Sting did once beat a Paul Heyman-managed “Mean” Mark Calloway in WCW – fans will fover have to wonder how a program would have turned out between the two men. Still, that isn't necessairly a bad thing, as sometimes legends become all the more important because they are just that.
