WWE Legend talks Undertaker on the 29th anniversary of his debut
This Friday marked the 29th anniversary of the debut of The Undertaker. Survivor Series 1990 was first time the WWE Universe was introduced to the 'Deadman' when he was announced as the mystery partner on Ted DiBiase's Million Dollar Team. He would eliminate Koko B. Ware and Dusty Rhodes before being counted out, but the match was the catalyst to surefire Hall of Fame career.
Fittingly enough I had the chance to sit down with WWE Hall of Famer Mick Foley on my radio show in Cincinnati, on the day of the anniversary. He says Undertaker's debut, to a certain extent, changed their relationship:
"I knew Undertaker before he was the Undertaker... I remember spending the night at his family's house outside of Houston, but yet when that character premiered it was just so ominous and impressive that on a certain level... he stopped being someone that I knew."
That mystique never wore off for Foley, even when the two started the feud that launched Mankind's WWE career:
"You're aware on a certain level, he's a guy you know... but when that gong hits and those lights go out... every night when I was with Paul Bearer I would point to him and he would point to me... our hairs on are arms were always standing on end."
I couldn't pass up the opportunity to ask Mrs. Foley's Baby Boy about his favorite Undertaker story, outside of their Hell in Cell match at King of the Ring in 1998. He came up with an amusing tale of when he spotted the Undertaker in public for the first time after his Survivor Series debut. At this point a few years had gone by:
"He would drive in a hearse... they had a driver that for a couple years drove him and Paul Bearer in a hearse... and I see them at a drive thru. I get out losing all decorum or any sense that I'm on his level, and I just run up like a complete fan... I start knocking on the... "Hey I'm Cactus Jack!"... but man he's meant a lot to our business for sure."
Foley went on to give Undertaker credit for setting him on his own Hall of Fame career path. He says no one would have cared about Mankind's debut, had his first feud been with anyone other than the 'Deadman.'
You can hear my entire conversation with Mick Foley by going here.