The Undertaker's Career (1990 - 1991)
- Brandon Siddall
- Apr 3, 2016
- 4 min read
The Lord of Darkness, The Phenom, The Deadman, these are all just a few monikers that Mark Calaway had as his on going character in the WWF, The Undertaker. He was a favorite of just about everyone that I knew as a kid. I remember trading stories with friends in elementary school about this unbelievable force that is killing wrestlers in the WWF and zipping them up in body bags. Today, I am still finding myself excited for his now brief appearances.
You may be familiar with my Reddit Series on this subject. Like that, I am going to be showcasing some of the matches that made the Undertaker who he is today, and some promos that showcase exactly just how great he is at theatrics. We will go through his career starting with Kane the Undertaker and culminating to his now current status as a living legend. You will witness his signature Tombstone Piledriver change from an ugly and dangerous looking spiking driver into a beautiful fluid motion. You will also witness the story of the Undertaker's life unfold as we are introduced to characters like Kane and Paul Bearer. So please enjoy the career of the Undertaker.
1990
The Undertaker would start out his career with WWF in 1990 under the name Kane the Undertaker. He wouldn't keep the Kane part of the name long. It was unnecessary. It's interesting that the WWF was married to that name. So much so that it stayed around for seven more years until his brother Kane made his debut.
Kane the Undertaker vs. Mario Mancini
Singles Match
WWF Superstars - November 19th 1990
This was the first match for the newbie known then as Kane the Undertaker. Poor Mario Mancini had been the first victim to the Tombstone Piledriver.
Due to the wonders of selective tape delay and editing, The Undertaker didn't officially debut until the Survivor Series in 1990 as a member of Ted DiBiase's Million Dollar Team.
The Million Dollar Team vs. The Dream Team
Survivor Series Match
WWF Survivor Series 1990
This is also available on the WWE Network:
(The Milestone link doesn't work) jump to 24:10 to get a good promo before the match too.
This is a good update from Mean Gene about The Undertaker, shortly after the Survivor Series:
The Undertaker vs. Sonny Blaze
Singles Match
WWF Superstars - December 12th 1990
The Undertaker continued his dominance to close out 1990 as the fearsome and mysterious force. He continued to be managed by Brother Love to close out the year. Love was a strange choice as his manager but I have heard some great fan theories as to why he would be the manager.
1991
The dominance continued into 1991. The interest had definitely caught on with people everywhere and The Undertaker was slowly becoming a household name. The reactions from some of the fans at ringside during these early matches are priceless.
He was really made to look strong like no other superstar before him. That strength was showcased during his initial entry into the WWF Royal Rumble in 1991. You can watch the 1991 Royal Rumble on:
or
Taker would always perform a ton of squash matches with jobbers over the years. However, in 1991 he started to gain real momentum for a huge push. This included working with veterans like Superfly Jimmy Snuka early on.
The Undertaker vs. Superfly Jimmy Snuka
Singles Match
WWF at MSG - January 21st 1991
This change in his career also marked the changing of his manager. He was given a very charismatic figure known as Paul Bearer, played by William Moody, to replace Brother Love. With Bearer would come an urn, thus completing the Undertaker figure. It's a great fit.
The Undertaker vs. Tugboat
Singles Match
WWF at MSG - March 15th 1991
Sadly we don't get to see the big man get Tombstoned but alas, this isn't that bad of a match-up.
The Undertaker vs. Superfly Jimmy Snuka
Singles Match
WWF Wrestlemania VII
Sorry for the clips but I couldn't find a decent copy the full match. However, you can watch the full thing on the WWE Network.
The Ultimate Warrior had become a thorn in the side of the Undertaker. The two would meet a handful of times during their careers but nothing added up to these early meet-ups and promos.
The Undertaker vs. The Ultimate Warrior
Bodybag Match
WWF House Show - July 1st 1991
I had really wished that these two would meet up again but it never happened. It would have been a great feud. This bodybag match is excellent. It's no wonder why they showcased it during the Ultimate Warriors path in Showcase Mode on WWE 2k15.
The Undertaker would move on to fight some really big names in the company and he even tagged up with some really weird choices. It made for really entertaining television.
The Battle at Royal Albert Hall still hasn't been added to the WWE Network. It was a really cool event with some great matchups and a classic battle royal. Enjoy the Undertaker's work at that show here:
The Undertaker character would continue to be pushed to the moon. The crowds were really reacting and he was getting over big. It definitely helped with these fantastic match-ups.
The Undertaker vs. Tito Santana
Singles Match
WWF House Show - October 5th 1991
The Undertaker vs. The Texas Tornado
Singles Match
WWF Superstars - October 22nd 1991
It would prove to be only a matter of time before he would take on golden-boy Hulk Hogan for the WWF strap. He even got to have the event nicknamed after himself, The Gravest Challenge.
The Undertaker vs. Hulk Hogan
Singles Match - WWF World Title
WWF Survivor Series 1991
The Undertaker would win the belt one year after his "debut" at Survivor Series 1990. It was a huge year and really career shaping time that saw some of the best of the Deadman. He took on all types of competitors from Jobbers like Major Yates and Dwayne Gill to seasoned veterans like Jimmy Snuka and Tito Santana. His feud with the Ultimate Warrior was short but great for his career. It showed that the Undertaker can perform on the biggest of stages. He was ready for the big time.
to be continued...
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