Favorite Persona of the Phenom

[the troop]

Since his arrival at Survivor Series in 1990, The Undertaker has been one of the most popular, hardworking, and respected wrestlers that the wwe has had. His in-ring pyschology is matched by almost no one, and it could be argued that he is the greatest big man wrestler of all time.

In honor of his 19th anniversary of coming to the wwe, I think it is time to look back on his many personas and determine which is his most popular wrestling character.

In the DVD "Undertaker:This is my Yard," Chris Jericho calls the Undertaker the "Madonna" of professional wrestling. By that he means that when a charcter is about to get stale, he takes a hiatus and comes back with a fresh, new character. Although it has been a while since his last "morph," throughout most of his career, this statement has held water.
Now, lets get to these personas.

The "Western" No pain Undertaker-This was obviously his first persona debuting at Survivor Series, 1990. He dressed as exactly as his name called for, an "Undertaker"(Funeral Director) as portrayed in the "Funeral Parlor" segments with Paul Bearer . He wore the western style gray hat, gloves, trench coat everything needed for the character. Immediately after his arrival, it was realized that he was a great, unbeatable force. He was impervious to pain which called for no-selling. He was quiet, mysterious, and brought fear to his opponents. This persona continued until he "died" during his casket match with Yokozuna. This would bring out a new persona.

The Deadman-The Undertaker returned a few months later as a much more dark character than we were used to seeing from him. He wore purple attire and had more "dead?" qualities which included a pale face and sometimes coming from under the ring to retrieve his opponents. (During this run, a Phantom of the Opera-esque mask was worn after breaking a bone in his face. This was kind of a sub-persona. Maybe?) The "deadman" persona continued until he was "Buried Alive."

The Lord of Darkness- This persona was not too much different from the deadman persona except for a few factors. First, he dressed in almost all black. Next, he displayed supernatural powers such as lightning bolts. Also, during this time, the Undertaker got much more mic work.
The Undertaker would then start to transition into a very dark and evil character, more than ever before.

Ministry of Darkness -The Undertaker, now showing a satanic goatee, formed an even more satanic group known as the ministry of Darkness. The Undertaker would sport a black robe, Dark Maul style. He would have these ceremonies which would include attempts at crucifixions, sacrifices, and weddings. After joining with Vince Mcmahon briefly, injuries would force him to sit out for quite some time.

American badass- This was a side of the undertaker that we have never seen before and its my personal favorite. He turned away from the dark, mystical character and turned into a character much like him out of charater. i guess you can say he was like his normal self. He wore a bandana, trench coat, rode down on a motorcycle. AMERICAN BADASS. This persona was also a lot about respect. If wrestlers respected them, he would show them the same. If you didnt show respect, he would use those soupbones to beat your face in. This persona was around until he was buried alive, YET AGAIN.

The Phenom-Of course, this is the current persona, reverting back to his days as the deadman. In my opinion, this is a kind of a combination of all of his personas.(for the most part)

Alright, now to the question at hand. What is your favorite persona/character of the Undertaker?

 

[Genius_Deadman]

i loved the Ministry of Darkness persona. it was more "believable", he thought he was a supreme being. he had a cult following and guys got pushed. this persona had a genuine attitude to it: being evil. it's also a gimmick (in my opinion of course) that could fit in with any generation of people. it wasn't "hey that guy turned bad because he's jealous of someone" or "he's just conceited", this persona was "hey, wow this guy doesn't play around. he's just evil!" it's loads better than any other Taker persona and more believable than any Deadman persona from a kayfabe point of view

 

[NMcQ]

no-one seemed to like him as the american badass, but for me it was my favourite, i wish he would go back to it because he was more entertaining on the mic and now he is just plain boring on the mic and his entrance has became quite annoying now. His matches are still good regardless of his persona. I hope he goes back to the american badass

 

[NtraintoBrooklyn]

ministry of darkness without a doubt his best gimmick!
he was so fuckin entertaining!
I mean unholy matrimony's
nearley sacrificing stone cold
speaking in tounge
hanging people on the taker cross
the entrance music

id give anything to see it come back!!

 

[CKDaimen]

You know I always thought that the American Badass character never got the credit that it deserves. I mean it really just gave the guy new life. It rejuvenated his entire career, and it celebrated the evolution of Mark Calloway. I also thought that quite frankly, it was the only realistic Undertaker that was not a freakin cartoon character. I think the American Badass Undertaker had great matches because of the new MMA, striking and submission aspect brought to the Undertaker character, and I for one enjoyed the entrance of the American Badass VERY, VERY much. My favorite theme song in that time period was definitely....

...Bump Bump Bump Bump.....DOOM..."DEAD MAN WALKIN....you've done it now....you've gone and made a big mistake." That was so fuckin G.

I say it doesn't get the credit it deserves based on how many people requested the cartoon, I mean errr, darkside Undertaker throughout most of the American Badass stint. That may be a big reason why they forced it back in spite of all things natural and evolutionary about the character. I mean if Taker can just go back on the evolution of his character like that, then we need to see John Cena rapping again because that character had way more potential and was way more popular as well. But I digress......yeah, it was a really cool side to him. also liked the nicknames he had during this time...Red Devil, Big Red, Booga Red, and calling him "The Dead Man" seemed more cool at this time because it was like celebrating his evolution and not just calling him literally a dead man.

I also think that the Ministry of Darkness Undertaker is very underrated. I think that would have to be the most elaborate Undertaker character and also celebrated his evolution, probably even more than the American Badass character. If I were to take any character over American Badass it would be the Ministry of Darkness one, however I don't think that the Ministry of Darkness Undertaker had the potential of longevity that the American Badass character had.

American Badass, American Badass, American Badass all the way. It arguably saved The Undertaker's career in the 2000 decade from staleness, and it showed a different much more realistic and layered side to The Undertaker.

 

[KamaKazie]

"This my yard!" & "You better pick up that punk card!" is the catchphrases that made me coose the American Badass persona... It was the only time The Undertaker ever had a true personality and decent promos

 

[Big Ol' Buckta AIDS]

you people seroiusly have to joking with voting the american badass persona. what are you all 15? the time when the undertaker was doing the ministry of Darkness, hanging the bossman from the hell in the cell, his fued with austin, THAT was the best. im glad they only did the american badass gimmick for only a little bit, that wasn't like anyone the undertakers personas before and never felt right

 

[Southwind]

The Phenom is the best because it incorporates all of his amazing persona's into one modern character.

I like the original Deadman however it just seems dated to me and the Phenom is like the Deadman on steroids.

The Undertaker is an amazing wrestler and when he leaves the WWE it will be a very different business.

 

[MVs Prodigy]

Personally Taker, has been my fav wrestler sinced Eddie Guerreo passed(r.ip.), but i personally liked his American Badass gimic. He had some great feuds w/ flair, hhh, and many others. Of course, the remarkable feud he had w/ DDP during the wwe vs ecw/wcw war. The one were DDP kidnapped sarah, Taker's wife. This gimic also lead to his buried alive match w/ VKM, who had kane help him win. Then taker returned as the current deadman gimic. were at the next WM he pinned kane. and his gimic he is using now has brought him the most success. Look how may WHC titles he has won since doing this, about 3-4. Which his previous ones has only got him one a piece, some none.

 

[Lancer]

I personally enjoyed the "American Badass" times. It brought something fresh and intriguing and fit in well with the previous incarnations of his character. I honestly think the current version of the Undertaker would be very different if Calloway hadn't gone through with this character turn.

I especially enjoyed his heel turn during this time. He was just a huge thug who had his way with people, citing "respect" and people trespassing in "his yard," a term he used a few weeks back in a promo about Rey, Batista and Punk. And, he rode a fucking badass motorcycle to the ring. Who doesn't like that?

 

[ABMorales787]

The Lord of Darkness was my favorite persona. But I voted for the American Badass gimmick. Its not that I liked it best, its just that it had a lot of influence in a very crucial moment. With this gimmick he hung around the Main Event while also going back to the Mid-Card to put over new talent. He helped breed the Main Event players of today under that persona. Think about it. He put over Cena as a credible heel. He helped establish Brock Lesnar as a monster (Remember Hell In A Cell). Rob Van Dam in one occasion. The ladder match with Jeff Hardy. Its not his best gimmick, but in my eyes, it had the most influence. He may have been a Mainstay as the Dark Minister, but he had already feuded with most of these guys in the past. He made many memorable moments but as the Badass, he invested in the company's future. Its not just about which gimmick you liked best, its also about which one had the most influence. And to me that one was th American Badass gimmick. The Lord of Darkness is still my favorite.

 

[D-Man]

I had already created a thread like this some months back...

http://forums.wrestlezone.com/showthread.php?t=35771

...but it's nice to see someone who's thinking pattern is on the same wavelegth as me.

So, as I stated in my previous thread, my favorite persona was his run as the leader of the Ministry of Darkness. Here was my reasoning...

For me, believe it or not, it was his run as the Leader of the Ministry. For me, it seemed to be the most believable version of the Undertaker gimmick. He was a dark and sinister (yet normal) guy that set his sights on taking over the WWE. He formed a ‘cult’, gathered members, and destroyed the balance in the WWE. He had the entrance theme that I enjoyed the most (still to this day), a fitting look to his character, he moved quickly in the ring, didn’t have a 20-minute long entrance, and was a part of some great storylines and feuds. His storylines depicted him for the first time as a human being with flesh and blood that used his ‘Undertaker’ moniker as nothing more than a tool for intimidation and mind games.

I still stand by all of this. Over the years, the Phenom has really floundered in my eyes. He's become a hybrid of an MMA fighter and a cartoon character. It's almost as if the WWE is flirting with reality versus fiction by mixing the current Taker's theatrical entrance, intimidation factors and mannerisms with his in-your-face and real MMA style of ring attire and fighting style. His promos are also the same... just a slow-talking, mumbo jumbo, cliche's, wasted 10-minutes of camera-time that basically say that he's badass and no one could defeat him. It's just all a big bore, in my eyes...

 

[CH David]

I voted for the American Badass Undertaker. Why? Well put simply, that was the first gimmick I truly saw of the Undertaker when I got into wrestling. I got in roughly late 1999, early 2000. The first I had seen of him was in replays after Judgement Day 2000. He was completely awesome, and then coming out on his bike was something of amazement to me. Quite a few people have said that it was his worst gimmick. Looking back on his gimmicks before that, it was quite refreshing, and it set the stage for the Phenom we know right now. Was it his best? No, he did some good work with the Ministry, and even today is still kicking ass. But it is my favorite, him coming in riding his motorcycle to Limp Bizkit and the other rock he had for his music was really cool in my eyes. Although the only downside was he didn't use the Tombstone much, if at all, during this gimmick.

 

[Freddy4190]

American Badass without a fucking doubt. Undertaker as the American Badass was one of the main reasons I became HOOKED to wrestling. I fucking LOVED it. I have a old WWF tshirt with the Undertaker on it, posed beside his motorcycle, and on the back it says "Rollin' Rollin' Rollin." He was so cool man, I thought the Undertaker was the baddest muthafucker on the planet back then. I loved how he demanded respect, I loved how he called the ring "his yard." I loved his promos, his in-ring work was better for some reason to me. His music, the epic motorcycles he rode. It's just untouchable in my opinion.

 

[SSJPhenom]

I just want to go on record and say that I loved all of 'Taker's characters. They all had their strengths, but my favorite is the current Phenom.

I like his character so much right now because it gives me the sort of old school wrestling gimmick that I love so much. It also gives me a sort of new school MMA style of wrestling. He has taken all of his personas and he has blended them and I think that they blend very well. He still has the creepy powers, the great entrance, and the intimidation. He blends that with his MMA style from the American Badass in the ring and gives us one hell of a character right now. You can even hear some American Badass in his promos. He still mentions his yard. He just throws a R.I.P. in there.

I don't think that you could ever go wrong with 'Taker. His ability to change along with the times is extraordinary.

 

[TLC]

I just want to go on record and say that I loved all of 'Taker's characters. They all had their strengths, but my favorite is the current Phenom.

I like his character so much right now because it gives me the sort of old school wrestling gimmick that I love so much. It also gives me a sort of new school MMA style of wrestling. He has taken all of his personas and he has blended them and I think that they blend very well. He still has the creepy powers, the great entrance, and the intimidation. He blends that with his MMA style from the American Badass in the ring and gives us one hell of a character right now. You can even hear some American Badass in his promos. He still mentions his yard. He just throws a R.I.P. in there.

I don't think that you could ever go wrong with 'Taker. His ability to change along with the times is extraordinary.

Hey Undertaker's#1fan is back, what happened?

but anyway back on topic I would have to agree with him and say my favourite Undertaker is the one right now, he character is still unbelievably amazing, still sends shivers down my spine and his entrance still gives me goosebumps.

Not only that but I believe its because his matches in the past couple of years have been alot better than his ones from the past, it goes to show, some people to get better with age and Undetaker is a definite example of that.

 

[SSJPhenom]

Hey Undertaker's#1fan is back, what happened?

I made a mistake and broke the rules. I had to pay the price. Temporary lapse in judgement that will not happen again.

but anyway back on topic I would have to agree with him and say my favourite Undertaker is the one right now, he character is still unbelievably amazing, still sends shivers down my spine and his entrance still gives me goosebumps.

Not only that but I believe its because his matches in the past couple of years have been alot better than his ones from the past, it goes to show, some people to get better with age and Undetaker is a definite example of that.

Definitely have to agree with you on his matches for the last few years. He has certainly had some damn good performances. 'Taker has always been fun to watch but in the last few years, he has stepped up his in ring work and he has really performed well. He pulled the best we've seen out of Orton and Batista. He had a classic with Kurt Angle at No Way Out '06. And WM 25 goes without saying.

Those are just a few examples and one of the big reasons why 'Taker is The Phenom.

 

[TLC]

I made a mistake and broke the rules. I had to pay the price. Temporary lapse in judgement that will not happen again.

Well that was a shame, you seemed to be one of the nicer posters on here.

Definitely have to agree with you on his matches for the last few years. He has certainly had some damn good performances. 'Taker has always been fun to watch but in the last few years, he has stepped up his in ring work and he has really performed well. He pulled the best we've seen out of Orton and Batista. He had a classic with Kurt Angle at No Way Out '06. And WM 25 goes without saying.

Those are just a few examples and one of the big reasons why 'Taker is The Phenom.

Brilliant examples of where he's been at his absolute best, Batista and Orton are where they are know thanks to The Undertaker, if it wasn't for there fueds with him, I highly doubt that they'd be as successful as they are. I also cant forget his fued with Edge which I thought was amazing, having amazing matches such as there TLC and Hell in a Cell. Two outstanding matches that I doubt any of the up comers could top or come even close too.

All that and more is the reason why The Undertaker is one of the greatest there has ever been to step foot in the "squared circle".

 

[Mavericks fan]

I was going to this...s***.My favorite is the American badass because we could hear him talk and it was funny to see a once zombie-like guy turn into a biker.

 

[Toroc102]

I'm surprised there's not more love for Lord of Darkness going on here, which was my personal favorite. I've always loved the actual Undertaker gimmick, and I feel this was it at its best. It was also here where he started delivering his own promo's which were very badass all the time(actually he's just a great promo all around). Another thing about this UT is that Kane was essentially a part of his character during this time and I loooved Kane at this point, that was an epic feud, I'd really say the feud of his career imo.

My second fav would have to be Ministry Taker, he was just so evil, and thought he was the shit all around, never gave anyone else a shot at beating him. Also the Ministry is one of my favorite stables of all time, and probably the most intimidating stable ever. I might have chosen him as first if the whole Higher Power thing hadn't happened, because I remember thinking even back then, "who the heck are they going to bring in that will live up to being someone that UT would answer too." I kind've viewed Vince McMahon being revealed as the HP as a much smaller scale Fingerpoke of Doom.

I liked the Badass as well, especially when he came out to Kid Rock and Limp Bizkit, just kind of thought it ws a let down when he came back at Judgement Day and he wasn't dead anymore. The badass was a great character, but at that time there were so many badasses in the WWE he just felt like another one, even though he was a notch above.

I think my least favorite would be the current phenom, since it's kind've like he's only dead for enterence purposes and then reverts to the badass when hes in the ring. I'd prefer either the complete badass or a more complete deadman then them going half and half.

 

[KKarvox]

I have to say the ABA persona, and more specifically, during the Big Evil run. He finally had alot of mic time, and he was literally evil. Not some metaphysical, hellborn demon, but real evil. He brutalized RVD, Jeff Hardy, Arn Anderson, Ric Flair, Hogan, and it was believable. He just wasn't the cheap heat typical heel, people despised him during this run, and thats hard to find.

 

[Pestilence]

Phenom, only because he combined some of his more popular personas. Second to that, I would say his Ministry character was very dark, and to tell the truth, it was very appealling to me.