Mark Calaway without the Undertaker Gimmick?

[CorkscrewBackElbowDrop]

Ok sorry if this has been done before, but my question is, without the Undertaker gimmick, would Mark Calaway have reached the position he is now or would he have retired by now but with a hall of fame induction or something like that

My thoughts are that he would be the latter, he wouldn't be still working but still respected, like a ddp type guy

but my thoughts don't really matter do they, because i don't even have a title, so guys, what are your thoughts?

 

[CobraVenom]

Mean Mark didn't work too well. Mark and Undertaker were a match made in heaven, or hell. Either way, it works. The gimmick needed him, and he needed the gimmick. I really don't think anybody could have done Undertaker the way Mark did. It was, for the lack of a better term, perfect.

 

[mrbrownstone]

Without the Undertaker gimmick he definitely wouldnt have had the amazing carrer that he has had. He probably would have been more like a Chris Benoit type guy only with better mic skills, a guy who can put on consistently good matches and maybe one or two WWE title runs.

 

[TSG]

He would have been succesful without the gimmick, no doubt. As succesful as he is now? No. There is about a 5% chance at most he would have been, just because The Undertaker gimmick as become so large, that it would take something very amazing to duplicate it's success.

But he would have been succesful without a doubt in mind. He had mic skills, he had good size, and he could work a good match. All critical things to a professional wrestler's success. I would picture him as a bigger Dean Malenko type, with less technical wrestling and some world titles around his waist.

Mark Calaway was going to make it. But the gimmick of The Undertaker was simply perfect for him. He would of made it in the business regardless, but he would be nowhere as big as he is today in my opinion.

 

[Hazardous]

but my thoughts don't really matter do they, because i don't even have a title, so guys, what are your thoughts?

they matter as much as the next person's, thats the beauty of the IWC, EVERYONE's views, thoughts, and opinions matter

but anyway, yes i believe Mark would have had a good career as well, to the level as he has with 'Taker? no way, but still woulda been good. would either be retired as stated, or being that his body probably wouldnt be as hurting, he'd probably be doing something similar to Finley now.

 

[SpoodBeest]

Would Mark have made it in professional wrestling, sure but I don't know how far he would have made it. The Undertaker gimmick has been one of the most over and popular gimmicks of all time. It has worked for what is nearing twenty years and has gone through a few different phases. But Mark Calaway has made the gimmick a great one and has left as lasting impression on the pro wrestling world. With out the gimmick I don't know if I would be able to say the same thing. It may also very well be on the those unanswerable questions.

However i am going to take a shot on trying to answer on what might have become of his wrestling career if he never was The Undertaker. At best he may have had a role a similar to what Chris Jericho has now and what both Eddie Guerrero and Chris Benoit had before they passed on. A role where he could get a few main event runs and world titles under his belt, but for the most part is a solid upper mid-card talent who puts people over while remaining to have credibility. Mark has the in ring skills, as well as the mic skills that he could have made something decent with himself without the Taker gimmick but I really can't imagine that since we have all been witnesses to one of the very greatest gimmicks of all time, and it's all thanks to Mark Calaway.

 

[The Holy One]

If he ran with the American Bad Ass gimmick, I see Mark having a HOF career. Not as big as the one he has now but I think he would have made some type of imprint on pro wrestling. I see him having a Mick Foley type of career. A well respected man who's remembered for some great matches and was a multiple world champion albeit they were some really short reigns. I really questioned if he would have the same effect on Wrestlemania as he does with the Undertaker.