The Undertaker

Mark William Calaway (born March 24, 1965)^[5] is a retired American professional wrestler. He is most well known by the name (The) Undertaker. He works for the World Wrestling Federation/WWE since 1990. He is a three-time World Heavyweight Champion and four-time WWE Champion.

(The) Undertaker
Calaway in 2019
Born	(1965-03-24) March 24, 1965 (age 60) Houston, Texas, USA
Professional wrestling career
Ring name(s)	(The) Undertaker Kane The Undertaker Punisher Dice Morgan The Punisher[1] "Mean" Mark Callous[2] Texas Red[2] The Commando The Master of Pain
Billed height	6 ft 10 in (208 cm)[3]
Billed weight	309 lb (140 kg)[3]
Billed from	Death Valley (1990-1999, 2004-present) Houston, Texas (1984-1990, 2000-2003)
Trained by	Don Jardine[2]
Debut	1984
Retired	November 22, 2020[4]

Calaway made his debut with Dallas, Texas based World Class Championship Wrestling. In 1988 he joined USWA. He began working as the Undertaker for the WWF at the Survivor Series pay-per-view in 1990 on Ted DiBiase's team. His team won the match, though The Undertaker was eliminated by count-out. Undertaker did not lose a match that entire year. He also won the WWF Championship. Soon after, he suffered his first championship loss after a match against Hulk Hogan for the title.

Undertaker has a 25-2 record at WrestleMania. After 23 years of being undefeated at the event, he lost his first WrestleMania match against Brock Lesnar at WrestleMania XXX in 2014, and his second one against Roman Reigns three years later at WrestleMania 33. He announced his retirement from professional wrestling in 2020 at Survivor Series, almost exactly 30 years after his WWE debut.^[4] Despite this, he still sometimes appears for WWE, for example in the main event of WrestleMania XL in 2024.^[6]

In wrestling

Undertaker performing his Tombstone Piledriver on Edge

The Undertaker locking Brock Lesnar in the Hell's Gate

The Undertaker performing his Old School on Heidenreich

• Finishing moves
  • WWE
    • Tombstone Piledriver (Kneeling reverse piledriver). He most often followed the move with a "Rest in Peace" pin – since 1990
    • Hell's Gate / (The) Devil's Triangle (Modified gogoplata) – since 2007
    • Last Ride (Elevated powerbomb) – 2000–2003; He used it as a signature move afterwards
    • Triangle choke – 2002–2003; the Undertaker used it as a regular move until 2006 or 2007
  • Early career
    • Callous Clutch / Iron Claw (One-handed clawhold) – He sometimes used it as a signature move in WWE
    • Flatliner Fist (Heart punch)
    • Heatseeking Missile (Ropewalk diving elbow drop)
• Signature moves
  • Ballistic punching combination. He often finished the move with a throat thrust or a strong punch
  • Bear hug hold transitioned into a vertical running thrust spinebuster to the ring post
  • Belly-to-back suplex
  • Big boot
  • Chokeslam — since 1990
  • Chokehold – 1990–1995; He still used it from time to time
  • Cravate hangman
  • Elbow drop
  • Fallaway slam
  • Fujiwara armbar
  • Knee lift to the opponent's midsection
  • Multiple clothesline variations
    • Corner
    • Leaping flying
    • Rebound
    • Short-arm
    • Diving
  • Old School (Arm twist ropewalk chop) – adopted from Don Jardine
  • Over the top rope suicide dive
  • Reverse STO
  • Running DDT
  • Running leg drop, sometimes to an apron-hung opponent
  • Sidewalk slam
  • Snake Eyes, followed by a running big boot
  • Takin' Care of Business / TCB (Standing dragon sleeper) – He still used it from time to time
  • Vertical suplex, sometimes from the top rope
  • Wrist lock hold transitioned to either an elevated arm wrench or followed by multiple shoulder blocks
• Managers
  • General Skandor Akbar
  • Ted DiBiase
  • Paul Bearer (WWF/E) / Percy Pringle III (WCCW)
  • Brother Love
  • Paul E. Dangerously
  • Downtown Bruno
  • Theodore Long
  • Dutch Mantell
  • Sara
• Nicknames
  • "The Instrument of Destruction"
  • "The Beast of the Apocalypse"
  • "The Lone Legend"
  • "The Gunfighter" (or "The Gun Fighter")
  • "The Gun Slinger" (or "The Gunslinger")
  • "The Pale Destroyer"
  • "The Most Dangerous and Most Feared Entity That Has Ever Walked/Stepped in(side) the (Wrestling) Ring (or Squared Circle)"
  • "The American Bad-Ass"
  • "The Man in Black"
  • "The Judge, Jury, and Executioner of All"
  • "The Unholy Avenger"
  • "The Cryptic (or Cryptid) Warrior"
  • "The Ghoulish Figure"
  • "The Holder of the Streak"
  • "The Man from/of the Dark Side"
  • "The Gatekeeper"
  • "The Conscience/Cornerstone of (the) WWE"
  • "The Devil/Beast of/in the Shadows"
  • "The Diabolical One"
  • "The Weaver of Nightmares"
  • "Big Evil"
  • "The Dark Master of Pain"
  • "The Shadow of (the) WWE"
  • "The (Grim) Reaper (of Lost Souls)"
  • "The Dark Dragon"
  • "The UnEarthly/Unearthly One"
  • "The Minister in the Shadows"
  • "The Deadman"
  • "The Demon of/from Death Valley"
  • "The Midnight Rider"
  • "Hell’s/The Underworld’s General"
  • "The Apocalyptic Warrior"
  • "The Lord/Prince of Darkness"
  • "The Best Pure (or Most Feared) Striker in Sports Entertainment/WWE (History)"
  • "The Master of (the) Mind Games"
  • "The Last Outlaw"
  • "The Phenom"
  • "The Big/Top Dog (That/Who Rules/Runs the Yard)"
  • "The Red Devil"
  • "The Unholy Trinity"
  • "The Most Cold-Hearted, Destructive Force (in the History of (the) WWE)"
  • "The Eerie Leader of the Creatures of the Night"

• Entrance themes
  • New Japan Pro Wrestling
    • "Miracle Man" by Ozzy Osbourne
  • World Championship Wrestling
    • "China White" by Scorpions
  • United States Wrestling Association
    • "Sands of Time"
  • World Wrestling Federation/World Wrestling Entertainment/WWE
    • "Funeral March" by Jim Johnston (November 19, 1990 – January 22, 1994)
    • "The Grim Reaper" by Jim Johnston (August 29, 1994 – November 13, 1995)
    • "Graveyard Symphony" by Jim Johnston (November 19, 1995 – July 20, 1998; January 11, 1999 – March 22, 1999)
    • "Dark Side" by Jim Johnston (July 26, 1998 – December 13, 1998)
    • "Ministry" by Jim Johnston (March 28, 1999 – September 23, 1999)
    • "Unholy Alliance" by Jim Johnston (June 7, 1999 – September 20, 1999)
    • "American Bad Ass" by Kid Rock (May 21, 2000 – December 4, 2000, January 23, 2023)^[7]
    • "Rollin' (Air Raid Vehicle)" by Limp Bizkit (December 10, 2000 – May 6, 2002; March 30, 2003)
    • "Dead Man" by Jim Johnston (May 19, 2002 – September 19, 2002)
    • "You're Gonna Pay" by Jim Johnston (September 22, 2002 – November 16, 2003)
    • "Rest in Peace" by Jim Johnston (March 14, 2004 – February 21, 2011; January 30, 2012 – Present)
    • "Ain't No Grave" by Johnny Cash (March 4, 2011 – April 3, 2011)
    • "Now That We're Dead" by Metallica (April 4, 2020)

Championships and accomplishments

Undertaker after becoming World Heavyweight Champion at WrestleMania XXIV

• The Baltimore Sun
  • Feud of the Year (2007) vs. Batista^[8]
  • Best Match of the Decade (2000s) vs. Shawn Michaels at WrestleMania 25^[9]
  • Match of the Year (2009) vs. Shawn Michaels at WrestleMania 25^[10]
  • Match of the Year (2010) vs. Shawn Michaels in a career vs. streak match^{[broken anchor]} at WrestleMania XXVI^[11]
• CBS Sports
  • Worst Angle of the Year (2018) with Kane vs. Triple H and Shawn Michaels^[12]
• Pro Wrestling Illustrated
  • PWI Feud of the Year (1991) (vs. The Ultimate Warrior)
  • PWI Match of the Year (1998) (vs. Mankind in a Hell in a Cell match at King of the Ring)
  • PWI Match of the Year (2009) (vs. Shawn Michaels at WrestleMania XXV)^[13]
  • PWI Match of the Year (2010) (vs. Shawn Michaels at WrestleMania XXVI)
  • PWI Match of the Year (2012) (vs. Triple H at WrestleMania XXVIII)
  • Comeback of the Year (2015)^[14]
  • Feud of the Year (2015) vs. Brock Lesnar^[14]
  • He was ranked #2 of the 500 best singles wrestlers in the PWI 500 in 2002.^[15]
  • He was ranked #21 of the top 500 singles wrestlers of the "PWI Years" in 2003.
• United States Wrestling Association
  • USWA Unified World Heavyweight Championship (one time)^[16]
• World Class Wrestling Association
  • WCWA Texas Heavyweight Championship (one time)^[17]
• World Wrestling Federation/World Wrestling Entertainment/WWE
  • World Heavyweight Championship (three times)^[18][19][20]
  • WWF/WWE Undisputed Championship (four times)^{2[21][22][23][24]}
  • WWF Hardcore Championship (one time)^[25]
  • World Tag Team Championship (six times) (with Stone Cold Steve Austin (one),^[26] Big Show (two),^[27][28] The Rock (one)^[29] and Kane (two))^[30][31]
  • WCW World Tag Team Championship (one time) (with Kane)^1[32]
  • Royal Rumble (2007)^[33]
  • WWE Hall of Fame (Class of 2022)
  • Tuwaiq Mountain Trophy (2020)
  • Undisputed WWF Championship #1 contender's Tournament (April 2002)
  • Slammy Award (15 times)
    • Best Entrance Music (1997)^[34]
    • Best Tattoo (1997)^[34]
    • Match of the Year (2009, 2010, 2012, 2015, 2020) vs. Shawn Michaels at WrestleMania 25, vs. Shawn Michaels at WrestleMania XXVI, vs. Triple H in a Hell in a Cell match at WrestleMania XXVIII, vs. Brock Lesnar at Hell in a Cell, and vs. AJ Styles in a Boneyard match at WrestleMania 36.^{[35][36][37][38]}
    • Moment of the Year (2010) vs. Shawn Michaels at WrestleMania XXVI^[36]
    • Most Intimidating (1994)^[39]
    • OMG Moment of the Year (2011) Kicking out of Triple H's Tombstone Piledriver at WrestleMania XXVII^[40]
    • Rivalry of the Year (2015) vs. Brock Lesnar^[38]
    • Star of the Highest Magnitude (1997)^[34]
    • WWF's Greatest Hit (1996) Sucking Diesel into the abyss at In Your House 6: Rage in the Cage^[41]
    • Moment of the Year (2020) The Undertaker's final farewell at Survivor Series
    • WWE Network Documentary of the Year (2020) Undertaker: The Last Ride
  • NXT Year-End Award
    • Moment of the Year (2023 - appearing on the October 10 episode of NXT)
  • WWE Bronze Statue (2022)^[42]
• Wrestling Observer Newsletter
  • 5 Star Match (1997) (vs. Shawn Michaels in a Hell in a Cell match at Badd Blood: In Your House)
  • Best Gimmick (1990–1994)^[43]
  • Best Heel (1991)^[43]
  • Feud of the Year (2007) (vs. Batista)^[43]
  • Match of the Year (2009) (vs. Shawn Michaels at WrestleMania XXV)^[43]
  • Match of the Year (2010) (vs. Shawn Michaels at WrestleMania XXVI)^[43]
  • Most Disgusting Promotional Tactic (2005) (Involvement in a terrorist angle that aired on July 7, 2005, the day of the London bombings)^[43]
  • Most Overrated (2001)^[43]
  • Readers' Least Favorite Wrestler (2001)^[43]
  • Worst Feud of the Year (1993) (vs. Giant González)^[43]
  • Worst Worked Match of the Year
    • 2001 (with Kane vs. KroniK at Unforgiven)^[43]
    • 2018 (with Kane vs. Triple H and Shawn Michaels at Crown Jewel)^[44]
  • Wrestling Observer Newsletter Hall of Fame (Class of 2004)^[45]

Footnotes

¹They won the championships during The Invasion.
²His fourth reign was as the WWE Undisputed Champion.