5 WWE careers that were changed and defined by The Undertaker
The Undertaker's 30-year career was not only incredibly legendary but also highly influential on the WWE landscape. The Deadman's legacy went far beyond his persona and substantially changed the business through his impact on fellow workers. Whether by direct contact with The Phenom or picking inspiration from his body of work, the seven-time world champion altered many walks of life.
Throughout multiple eras of WWE, The Deadman saw plenty of tribute acts, copycats, spinoffs, and antitheses come and go. While some were better than others, they proved just how influential the Hall of Famer's legacy was in the business. It was difficult to cross paths with the legendary character and stay the same.
Let's look at five WWE Superstars whose careers were changed or defined by The Deadman.
#5: Bray Wyatt's career was inspired by The Undertaker
One of the few missed opportunities from The Undertaker's unparalleled career was his feud with Bray Wyatt at WrestleMania 31. The New Face Of Fear was hailed as the best supernatural character in WWE since The Deadman during his early stint.
Wyatt was ready to break out when the duo faced off at The Show of Shows, and the match did not disappoint. However, The Phenom beat his much younger opponent in 2015, which did neither man any favors.
'Taker, who had lost his streak at WrestleMania XXX, was at the tail end of his career and thus did not need the win. The loss continued a trend of losing big matches for Wyatt. It eventually led to his repackaging and release from the company.
Perhaps if the duo had met a year earlier and Wyatt had broken the streak, The Eater Of Worlds might still be in the company.
#4: Breaking The Streak was the defining moment of Brock Lesnar's already incredible career
Before Brock Lesnar faced The Undertaker at WrestleMania XXX, The Beast Incarnate was already a megastar. A former UFC, IWGP, NCAA Division 1, and WWE Champion, Lesnar was already on an elite level. So it is a testament to The Undertaker's legend that breaking his unbeaten WrestleMania streak became The Conqueror's greatest achievement in the company afterward.
Lesnar used his streak-breaking momentum to become a ten-time world champion, multi-time Show Of Shows main eventer, and a future Hall Of Famer. The Undertaker's influence on Lesnar's career had a ripple effect, with The Beast using his own status to elevate superstars like Seth Rollins, Drew McIntyre, and Roman Reigns.
Reigns also received the rub of defeating The Phenom at 'Mania. Though it did not have the same effect as the first loss, it helped The Big Dog morph into the megastar he is today.
#3: Shawn Michaels' WrestleMania legacy is incomplete without The Undertaker
Shawn Michaels and The Undertaker are arguably the two most memorable performers in WrestleMania history. A different breed from other 'Mania legends like John Cena, Hulk Hogan, and Reigns, the duo were often the show's highlight without competing for a title. Thus, it was inevitable that they would influence each other's legacies at The Showcase Of The Immortals.
HBK and The Phenom first met at WrestleMania in 2009. The bout is widely regarded as the greatest match in the history of the event. They followed this up with another all-time great match, this time with a "Career vs. Streak" stipulation.
The Phenom won both bouts, meaning that he was the man who both gave Michaels arguably his best WrestleMania match and retired him.
#2: Paul Bearer's legacy as a manager in WWE will forever be defined by The Undertaker
Paul Bearer is one of the greatest managers in WWE history. Before joining the company, the WWE Hall of Famer managed legendary stars such as Rick Rude and "Stunning" Steve Austin. However, his time with the promotion was defined by his association with The Undertaker.
Debuting in February 1991, Bearer found great success as The Phenom's manager for nearly two decades. He also briefly managed Kane and Mankind during their Attitude Era rivalries against The Deadman. Bearer and all three of his clients are now Hall of Famers, but The Undertaker defined his career the most.
#1: There would be no Kane without The Undertaker
The Undertaker was so legendary that he spawned another character that went on to have a Hall Of Fame career. Kane was introduced at Badd Blood 1997 as The Deadman's younger brother after being teased for months. He made one of the most gobsmacking debuts in WWE history, tearing the door off the cage before costing The Phenom his match against Shawn Michaels.
The Big Red Machine had an incredibly successful career, winning multiple world titles among his many achievements. He tagged with the likes of X-Pac, Big Show, and Daniel Bryan, but his distinguished tag career is best remembered for his team with his storyline brother.
As The Devil's Favorite Demon or one half of The Brothers Of Destruction, Kane is the superstar whose career was most defined by The Phenom.