The Perfect "Undertaker" Storyline?

[bioshock]

After seeing some Undertaker photos today of him out in public acting normal and out of character it gave me an idea.

Never has the WWE allowed Undertaker to really be him self on camera, closest thing was the "American Badass" gimmick, and still that was just a limited gimmick.

So I get to the "perfect Undertaker storyline". What if he comes back WWE builds up an episode of Raw "Undertaker Returns", but for his first promo back he comes out as himself wearing regular clothes and says the Undertaker is DONE, the character is dead and isn't coming back. So what we end up getting is Mark Calaway. Not a heel, not a face, just him self, content with never being the Undertaker character again. Crowd is in shock to say the least, and the IWC is on fire talking about WWE/Raw & the Undertaker.

So we get a match built up over the course of a month plus, we get something like Undertaker against Cena at Survivor Series, yeah the dream match everyone wants, but its Mark Calaway vs Cena, all the while Cena begs him to come back as Undertaker which is the backbone to this match happening, the match gets built up as the headline for Survivor Series.

Next we go into the Rumble where Mark Calaway is close to winning the Rumble (but remember hes only wrestling on a limited schedule > like Lesnar/RVD/Y2J/Batista did). But Mark is close to winning the Rumble, when the lights go out and Sting makes his first appearance knocking Mark Calaway out of the Rumble.

This leads to Sting begging Mark Calaway to come back as Undertaker for one last match, his dream match, and everyone else's dream match Sting vs Undertaker at Wrestlemania 31. After weeks of buildup Mark Calaway finally agrees for one last Undertaker match.

This IMO allows Undertaker to be out of character which is a plus for all the ways "Mark Calaway" could be used within WWE media/content. And we get a longer buildup than the usual post NO WAY OUT Undertaker return promo. This also allows Undertaker to go out of character after Wrestlemania for any role he wants within WWE.

 

[Zycho32]

Assuming Mark's health is good enough to endure this storyline?

It just seems like Much Ado Over Nothing, if only because the 'Mark Calaway' twist doesn't offer that much outside of Off-Ring content (the interviews alone would be gold as shit because THOSE have been rarely seen except for the Badass era), essentially bringing out the equivalent of Kevin Nash.

It actually sounds better if Calaway was given an Authority role, a GM spot on either Raw or Smackdown, as is provides a legit reason to shelve the Undertaker Gimmick and gives him a reason to stick around so others can beg him to take it back out for One More Match.

 

[MERPER]

I don't think we see Undertaker until the WrestleMania build up and maybe not even then.

He is having serious concussion issues since the match and still recovering from broken ribs. I also read somewhere that he has been extremely ill.

It's almost impossible to ever imagine him performing semi-consistently again.

 

[boywithbluehanger]

I don't like the idea of Cena (or any other wrestler) begging for Mark Calloway to change his character back to The Undertaker. That sounds too much like breaking the 4th wall. While filming, they're not supposed to be aware that they are all fictional characters. Plus all the while Mark is portraying a fictional version of himself, he'll be riddled with UN-DER-TA-KER chants. Both in the ring and on the mic. This just seems too much like another overly thought out fan fantasy that you at least 99.9999% know won't happen.

 

[Charismatic Enigma]

I like your idea, but I don't think WWE is the one stopping him from breaking kayfabe, it's self-imposed. During the Attitude Era, I would think being one's authentic self (turned up to 11) was probably encouraged, and you saw it even with gimmicky characters like Mankind. I think the "real" Mark Calloway isn't all that interesting of a guy, and in many ways lives behind the gimmick, because the truth is without it he doesn't have a whole lot at this point.

Here's what I would do (if you're trying to find a way to book Sting/Taker for WM31):
Around January you hype up a week or two in advance that Undertaker is returning to Raw to make a "special announcement". Everyone assumes it's him and Sting…good.

You do the entrance, but then he comes out looking tired and beaten, gray hair, no gimmicks. Cut the music. He cuts a promo, saying he has thought long and hard about this, and has stayed past his welcome, and that he doesn't want to let the fans down, but the truth is he doesn't have to give anymore, and he knows they're all expecting him to come back for WM but after last year he has to be honest with himself, and the fans, and from the bottom of his heart thank them, its been a great career, etc. etc. but he's had his "last ride", the crowd is of course stunned, then the lights go out, and Sting is in the ring…also unmasked.

Basically then we just repeat the whole Michaels rematch angle. Sting cuts a promo saying that's BS, that Taker heard he finally came to WWE and that's what the fans want, that's what Sting wants, and this is it for the both of them, win or lose, this is it for both men, it's all about respect, who really is the greatest of all time? Taker says its not happening, this goes back and forth for a couple of weeks, the mind games pick up, and eventually, both men transform in to their personas for one final mega match at WM31. They both retire at the end.

 

[MC_Live]

Realistically, there's no chance in hell that would work. The Undertaker is the last true old school gimmick. He only just recently gave interviews for WWE productions (The WWE 50 and Triple H DVD's). There has been over 20 years of protecting that gimmick. There's no way anybody within the company would ever want that to be thrown away. And the fans would never accept it. As for the Cena match, you said it yourself. John Cena vs. Undertaker is a dream match. John Cena vs. Mark Calloway is not. Maybe a few hardcore IWC fans who really like fantasy booking would like a run as "Mark Calloway" but 99.9% of the WWE fan base would not. Nobody wants to see Dwayne Johnson on WWE. They want to see The Rock. People don't want to see Terry Bollea, Richard Fliehr, Shawn Hickenbottom, or Phil Brooks. They want to see Hulk Hogan, Ric Flair, Shawn Michaels, and CM Punk. It's just a stupid, unnecessary, logic lacking idea, and lord knows WWE already has enough of those. Not to mention Undertaker may never work one single match again, let alone multiple matches. If we were to ever see Mark Calloway live on screen in place of the Undertaker, it should only happen once. His Hall of Fame speech. And then the next night at WrestleMania when they line up all the Hall of Famers, he goes out last, in full Undertaker gimmick. There is literally no logical reason to ever do otherwise.

 

[Kizzani]

My only beef with the overall idea is that Undertaker is more or less done. He is not JBL or a booker T. He is more of a shawn Michaels or a stone cold. Leaving the WWE and just being done. I think having his miss Mania this year would be good, it would built a gap. I mean who else has been part of 22 Wrestlemania's in a row?

No one so a WM without him is a huge shock to the System, and his Memory will fade....Until the Next Mania where he can make his last come back vs a Heel Sting.

Sting unless he coming back as fruity pebbles sting from the early 80's this 1/2 kid audience is not going to understand sting or even get behind him as black and white, crow rip off Sting. So him coming out dressed as a weird Emo kid is not grabbing anyone but those over 25. Who saw the crow and saw the transformation. But No Matter how old you are if you have seen 1 Wrestlemania you know who Undertaker is......But sorry that went off on a tangent.

Mark Calloway would be interesting but he just can't handle the dates it would take for a good storyline build.

 

[Wrestlingaholic]

My only beef with the overall idea is that Undertaker is more or less done. He is not JBL or a booker T. He is more of a shawn Michaels or a stone cold. Leaving the WWE and just being done. I think having his miss Mania this year would be good, it would built a gap. I mean who else has been part of 22 Wrestlemania's in a row?

No one so a WM without him is a huge shock to the System, and his Memory will fade....Until the Next Mania where he can make his last come back vs a Heel Sting.

Sting unless he coming back as fruity pebbles sting from the early 80's this 1/2 kid audience is not going to understand sting or even get behind him as black and white, crow rip off Sting. So him coming out dressed as a weird Emo kid is not grabbing anyone but those over 25. Who saw the crow and saw the transformation. But No Matter how old you are if you have seen 1 Wrestlemania you know who Undertaker is......But sorry that went off on a tangent.

Mark Calloway would be interesting but he just can't handle the dates it would take for a good storyline build.

I agree with some of this - it wouldn't hurt anyone (in fact it may help) if 'taker missed WM31, and with 32 **likely** to be in Dallas it would give him time to heal up and get in shape for a home state Wrestlemania (wouldn't be surprised if that was his retirement match to be honest, being in Texas - IF it is!) - though I need to point out he hasn't been at 22 consecutive Wrestlemanias, he missed numbers 10 and 16.

I disagree, however, about your assumption that dark Sting wouldn't get over with the crowd. Never underestimate the passion of wrestling fans for researching and watching historical shows. A lot more would remember him than you think - especially during Wrestlemania season, when the crowd is largely a very knowledgable one.

 

[Mustang Sally]

This leads to Sting begging Mark Calaway to come back as Undertaker for one last match, his dream match....

To be sure, this is an interesting idea. The only problem I see in it's development is that it puts to lie your earlier claim that Mark Calaway comes out in street clothes and tells us the character of the Undertaker is done, not to return. Under this scenario, he makes a liar of himself.

Of course, all of this is set up by the strange fact that we never heard from Calaway after losing his streak to Brock Lesnar at WM30. No, I wasn't expecting him to wrestle, but how could he not have addressed us after his one annual appearance, especially after having lost his streak? You might answer by saying he doesn't need to appear again if his active career is over. But if it is, that's all the more reason to appear before the millions of fans who've supported him during his 20+ year stretch with WWE.

Whatever the reason, unless his health strictly forbids it, I would think he's due for one more match.....and the script you've written sounds like a good one to send him packing with the fans' cheers behind him. Plus, it would take a special opponent, and I can't think of anyone more appropriate than Sting.

Why? Because 'Taker vs. Sting is long in the making.....because it's against a "name" opponent who has never even performed in WWE and is due one more match himself.......and because it ain't Brock friggin' Lesnar! Better for 'Taker to show up in the ring one last time against a guy who knows how to work a match without physically destroying his opponent.

The rest of it can go just as the OP speculated; that would be fine.

 

[chuckmdubya]

These threads are almost weekly now. About once a week someone posts a thread about how they want to see the Undertaker retire.
Whenever it does finally happen, however they do it, it better be good, and damn good.
With so many people looking forward to this happening, it has potential to be the greatest moment in WWE history, it could possibly even surpass Hogan slamming Andre.
I want to see him win the title and retire with it

 

[wwesux]

Hmmm let me think It wouldn t be such a good idea if he came as his own since no one will recognize him and many fans have a deadest mind of visualizing black vs black meaning gothic vs gothic ,makeup vs makeup, black costumes vs black costumes
Without underfaker's character and STING as STING won t work its like placing MarK Callaway vs Steve Borden plain and they won t recognize Steve Borden without his character persona!

 

[The Warlord]

The IWC (being the over reacting dipshits they are) will cry like a bunch of bitches if that ever happened saying that the entire career of the Undertaker is ruined.

While I like your idea, I can only seeing it succeed in more of a reality based era. If the WWE ever pulls its head out of its ass and starts to focus on creating good television and focusing less on the children...then it would work. He would need to have a real motive with some attitude to back it up...then let the violence fly in the ring.

Im hoping another ECW will pop up one day so the WWE brass will remember just how great wrestling used to be in the mid 90s and once again bring back the extreme element to the product. Otherwise Mark Calloway would just be another guy and thats no way to end a legendary career.