Opinion
Has The Mystique Of The Undertaker Been Destroyed For WWE Fans?
The Undertaker has historically been the most popular and most respected WWE Superstar in company history. Many fans believe he holds that level of distinction in the entire pro wrestling industry itself and it would be difficult for anyone to argue that point.
Indeed, The Deadman is a one-of-a-kind talent and exceptional showman. No one compares to him and his overall importance to the business cannot be denied. But the moment that many of his fans have been dreading has perhaps arrived. Is The Phenom’s mystique now becoming s thing of the past?
For hardcore WWE fans, the answer is yes. But it’s perhaps a yes with an asterisk. To suggest that Taker’s persona has lost its value is to suggest that the man behind it has lost his value as well. It’s extremely hard for any longtime fan to feel that way because no one truly wants to disrespect The Deadman.
To do so is to discount everything he’s done in the business and that’s not something that anyone wants to do. Of course there’s nothing wrong with believing that the time has come for him to move on, but that’s a separate argument. This debate is about The Undertaker’s character and how it may have been rendered ineffective.
That’s due to recent events, including his upcoming appearance at Starrcast the same weekend as All Elite Wrestling’s Double or Nothing. This is a non-WWE event of course and that fact alone is enough to make fans begin asking questions. How can The Undertaker appear when WWE owns the character itself and most likely the name? Even if Taker shows up as Mark Calaway in biker leathers and is not in character, then does that make it okay?
Some fans believe this is a betrayal of WWE and more importantly, Vince McMahon himself. But are they right? Hasn’t The Undertaker earned the right to go out and do what he wants to do? Just because he is a WWE lifer, does that mean he cannot enjoy life outside of WWE? Or is that argument missing the point?
The news of Undertaker’s reported fee of $25,000 per hour didn’t help matters much. The majority of WWE fans have likely been under the impression that Taker has always been well compensated for his work. But if that’s the case, then why go to these extremes to make money on the side? Or is that argument off-base as well?
The point is whether or not all of this has harmed The Undertaker’s mystique. From the moment that Calaway was introduced as the zombie mortician, WWE has protected his gimmick. He rarely ever gives interviews out of character. He’s never been the butt of the joke in a comedy angle. When a WWE Superstar passes on, Taker is usually not on stage for the 10 bell salute. Not only is that out of character, but it’s a tacky move as well.
The truth is fans know that Undertaker is a real man. The aura surrounding him in the early part of his career has gradually dissipated over time. Now that aura has become one that is less about mystery and more about respect. The Undertaker doesn’t need to summon lightning for fans to be in awe of him. But he also doesn’t need to show up on WWE programming as anything other than The Undertaker. To do so would be to ignore the legacy that he’s built over his nearly 30-year WWE career.
But The Deadman is now on Twitter and he’s taking bookings. He’s on Instagram as well. There’s even rumors about a possible podcast in the works. Calaway recently appeared on Youtube with Pastor Ed Young, where he talked about becoming a born again Christian. He even became emotional during the interview as well. This is not the same man that captivated the pro wrestling world with his supernatural personality. This is just a man.
Is that okay? Is all of this okay? Or should The Undertaker stick to what made him famous and continue to protect the business at all costs? After all, if the legendary Phenom can turn his back on kayfabe, then the art of pro wrestling in WWE is truly dead after all. Is that what fans are seeing right now?
On the flip side of this argument of course are the casual viewers and occasional fans. This assorted group probably does not follow WWE on Youtube, Twitter, or anywhere else. For them, there is no controversy surrounding The Undertaker because for them, nothing has changed. Taker is still The Deadman. He’s still one of the best of all time. They don’t care about the mess between Taker and Kane versus Triple H and Shawn Michaels at Crown Jewel. What mess? It’s The Undertaker. He’s a legend.
They just don’t care that he’s older and that he’s lost a step in the ring. His loss to Brock Lesnar on the night the Streak died at WrestleMania was a setback and nothing more. It was a speed bump and Taker has rebounded since then. He’s still the toughest guy around and despite how many times someone tries to take him down, he keeps getting back up. That’s what he does. Are these fans right?
There’s no denying that The Undertaker is a different man in the ring now. There’s also no denying that he’s also a different man under the gimmick. Time waits for no one and The Undertaker is no exception. Maybe criticizing him for wanting to move on with his life is not the right thing to do. Or maybe he deservers it. Perhaps the debate will never end.
When it comes to The Undertaker, the truth is that WWE may have opened the door for him to succeed but he had to be the one to walk through it. This is his time now. One day The Undertaker will rest in peace. But Mark Calaway is finding new life.
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Opinion
Chris King: The Wyatt Sicks’ Wasted Potential By WWE
Chris King takes a look at the WWE and their wasted potential of Uncle Howdy and the Wyatt Sicks faction.
Chris King takes a look at the WWE and their wasted potential of Uncle Howdy and the Wyatt Sicks faction.
It’s that time of the year again, folks; it’s unfortunate and downright awful that so many WWE superstars got released today. I’m not going to list all of them, but I am going to talk about one of my favorite factions,
The Wyatt Sicks. Nikki Cross, Joe Gacy, Erik Rowan, and Bo Dallas (Uncle Howdy) were something special. After Bo’s brother Bray Wyatt’s tragic passing, WWE felt like there was a hole that needed to be filled. Wyatt was one of the most creative and brilliant characters, and Bo would be taking over his brother’s concept and bringing it to life. In 2024, at the end of an incredible documentary highlighting Wyatt’s career and struggles, Bo appeared on the screen portrayed as Uncle Howdy. The last time Uncle Howdy was seen on-screen was at the 2023 Royal Rumble, where Wyatt defeated LA Knight in a Pitch Black Match. Howdy jumped off a structure onto Knight.
This post-credit scene sparked so much speculation and excitement that Wyatt’s brother would carry on his legacy and possibly debut the faction that was Wyatt’s concept. On the June 17th episode of Monday Night Raw, The Wyatt Sicks made their dramatic debut ,destroying the backstage area as well as “murdering” Chad Gable. It was such an iconic arrival for Howdy as he made his menacing walk from the back into the audience who were chanting “Holy Shit.” The Sicks and American Made (Chad Gable and The Creed Brothers) battled for months, with The Sicks being victorious. On the September 9th episode of Raw, The Sicks defeated them, with Howdy getting the win with Sister Abigail.
The following year, The Sicks would move over to Friday Night SmackDown, and it seemed like WWE had a plan in place. They would win the tag team championships from The Street Profits and start to look dominant. Now, what should have happened next is Howdy should have won the United States title. The Sicks could have held all the gold over on the blue brand, but it never happened. The Sicks entered into a never-ending feud with The MFT’s (Solo Sikoa, Tama Tonga, Tonga Loa, JC Mateo, and Talla Tonga.) It started off exciting, and the WWE Universe was red-hot for their interactions.
After months of repetitive matches and The MFT’s stealing their lantern, the feud grew tiresome and boring. Even Tama asked Solo why they are still holding onto the lantern, as it was destroying them as a whole. Finally on the SmackDown before Mania, Tama
gave the lantern back to Howdy against Solo’s wishes. Please explain to me why both factions fought almost every single week instead of just having one final blowoff match at WrestleMania.
It should have been either a massive street fight or a falls count anywhere match on the grandest stage of them all. Instead, it turned into a meaningless week-after-week extravaganza that benefited no one. The MFTs won the rivalry, and The Sicks don’t even work for WWE anymore. This was the same criminalized creative process that Wyatt dealt with during his first run in the company.
We’ll never know how much of a dangerous force The Wyatt Sicks could have been in the WWE. For all their careers’ sake, I hope they stay far away from the company for as long as possible. Every superstar that was cut deserves better!
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Opinion
Chris King: Bloodline Saga: Is This the Right Call For WWE?
Chris King questions the WWE’s logic in setting up Jacob Fatu as the next challenger for World Heavyweight Champion Roman Reigns
Chris King questions the WWE’s logic in setting up Jacob Fatu as the next challenger for World Heavyweight Champion Roman Reigns
Roman Reigns is once again World Heavyweight Champion after his dominant win over CM Punk at WrestleMania 42. On the following night on Monday Night Raw, The OG Bloodline came back together as a well-oiled machine as The Usos stood side by side with Roman. With the WWE Universe asking who would be the first to challenge “The Tribal Chief,” Jacob Fatu shocked the world by answering the call.
Fatu is running hot after his impressive win over Drew McIntyre and feels like he is ready to become the new world champion. This bloodline segment ended Raw, and it picked right back up on SmackDown with even Solo Sikoa and the MFTs involved. This is now two shows that have been centered around The Bloodline saga, and it’s made me question whether or not WWE should be retelling this story.
The Bloodline (Roman Reigns, The Usos, and Solo Sikoa) ran WWE for over four years as Reigns’ henchmen, doing his dirty work to retain his title. Even though Roman has declared he doesn’t want Jey and Jimmy to serve him, it sure seems like WWE are spinning their wheels. Fatu could add a whole new chapter into the story, even if he’s not able to beat Roman at Backlash. “The Samoan Werewolf” could be forced to do the same thing as Jey did all those years ago and fall in line.
In my opinion, I feel like Fatu should be challenging for the Undisputed WWE Championship because that’s a title I feel like he should win. I understand standing up to your blood and trying to prove you’re the best, but I don’t think this is the right move. It feels like 2022 all over again, as The Bloodline is the central focus on both shows. If Fatu doesn’t win, what happens to all his momentum he’s been building over the last two years?
Why did WWE make this the best choice for storyline purposes? Why couldn’t creative have come up with a different challenger for Roman? There are so many other superstars that could challenge The Tribal Chief, such as Rusev, Bron Breakker, Gunther, or even a returning Sheamus.
I just can’t help but question WWE’s logic here, and it kind of reminds me of all the times The Shield reunited. Could WWE be pushing the same storyline too many times here? Could the WWE Universe get tired of this rinse and repeat cycle of The Bloodline Saga?
Are we about to see all the weekly episodes solely focused on The Bloodline again? Will it be cinema… Yes. Is there still money in The Bloodline… Yes. Was it the right call? That’s to be determined!
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Attitude Of Aggression Podcast: The Big Five Project (chronologically exploring WWE's PPV/PLE history) Unidentified History (Ufology) & Game Gone Wrong (Game of Thrones Universe)
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