Why didn't Taker succeed as the top guy?

[Wacky D]

before the divas division, the undertaker's matches were the original piss-breaks.

people refusing to address the elephant in the room here.

Highly doubt that - Taker was a vital part of the wrestling world as it infiltrated mainstream media. I'd say that depends on the age of the person your asking at least.

undertaker wasnt even around when modern-day wrestling penetrated mainstream media.

hes a character that casual & non-wrestling fans are familiar with. nothing more.

 

[Malcolm Joseph]

before the divas division, the undertaker's matches were the original piss-breaks.

people refusing to address the elephant in the room here.





undertaker wasnt even around when modern-day wrestling penetrated mainstream media.

hes a character that casual & non-wrestling fans are familiar with. nothing more.

You're right on that notion - Taker came in after wrestling started to appear in pop culture. After some heavy lifting from Hogan and Co.

He was however, a vital part of the wrestling world in its most successful iteration. An iteration that saw the E completely take off and become a globally traded company and casual entertainment outlet.

Never the top guy, his charisma couldn't match the Rock's, Austin's or Hogan's. But he was a great in-ring performer (always enjoyed his matches), steady hand to feud with any and everybody and definitely more recognizable to casual fans than the vast majority of wrestlers. Much more than just a vaguely familiar face in some wrasslin' promotion.

 

[ZEB WALTON]

as a kid I wanted so badly for him to get the title from Yoko...perhaps it would have worked in the 80's since he's closer to an ultimate warrior mystique type

but something stopped Vince from putting him in that spot...I remember like 20 heels came out to stop taker from beating Yoko...i was furious

I don't know though how Taker was seen by older heads probably too cartoonish? but as a kid I ate it up

Wrestlemani 10 coulda been takers but he either got hurt or spent time wit his wife if i remember correctly. He wasnt at wm 10.

 

[Slystallion]

Wrestlemani 10 coulda been takers but he either got hurt or spent time wit his wife if i remember correctly. He wasnt at wm 10.

Ladder match between razor and Shawn Bret Yoko both winning the rumble was taker still out from the Yoko casket match? Lex also screwed up his shot by blabbing on radio and I'm guessing older fans could see they were trying to make him into hulk hogan

Good memories I was 10

 

[Golayitdown]

As many have said, he's Andre status. Never needed a belt and was over from day one. A character like that should never be the top guy in a company though. I'm probably one of the few who wish the Deadman gimmick would have run its course a lot earlier. Dude was an above average multi-faceted character when he was allowed to just be a normal ass kicking dude. The gimmick is great but it wore thin after my 11th birthday I feel like it didn't damage his legacy or anything, but he definitely won't be looked at as great in some facets simply because of the limitations of the gimmick.

 

[Golayitdown]

Ladder match between razor and Shawn Bret Yoko both winning the rumble was taker still out from the Yoko casket match? Lex also screwed up his shot by blabbing on radio and I'm guessing older fans could see they were trying to make him into hulk hogan

Good memories I was 10

Yep, Taker was out from the casket match at RR 94 to SSlam (Taker vs. Taker) 94.

 

[Slystallion]

before the divas division, the undertaker's matches were the original piss-breaks.

people refusing to address the elephant in the room here.





undertaker wasnt even around when modern-day wrestling penetrated mainstream media.

hes a character that casual & non-wrestling fans are familiar with. nothing more.

Undertakers rise was around the same time I really started watching all kids at the time were fascinated from the Paul Bearer vignettes in cemeteries to the bag he used after matches including the mystique of the Urn...no kids looked at his matches as piss breaks I can't speak for the teens and older fans of that era though

 

[BrehWyatt]

In my opinion, it wasn't that important to him. If he really wanted to be top guy for a time, he probably could have just deebo'd it from HBK or Bret or whoever. Kayfabe-wise, just like how the announcers pushed HHH as "The standard" back in 2000, Undertaker was considered by and large, a final boss sort of character. Austin's win over Taker at SummerSlam 98 cemented that, in a way.

I just don't think it mattered to him that much. He had his niche and his role carved out, and Taker was ALWAYS a big deal, and never stopped being a big deal. Not too many other all-time stars can say that.

That's my two cents.

 

[PlayerNinety_Nine]

Because you can't send this:

or this

To a kids' cancer ward to do a Make-A-Wish visit, without a bunch of children, gone off pain meds, thinking that the Reaper has personally come to guide them back to the essence.

Can you imagine Paul Bearer's creepy ass "OOOOOOH YEEEEEEES!" voice saying

"Look who's come to see you, Billy!

"

Taker:

Billy:




Seriously though, I think he valued kayfabe and 'the business' way more than PR. Thinking about it - outside of the Landsberg interview, how many legit sitdowns he done over his career?

He's pretty much the prototype of what Vince wants in a wrestler. He's tall, he can go in the ring, he'll put people over and he has presence. I don't think he ever needed to be the top guy, he was always secure in his role

 

[Spyro]

Maybe it was his height? As silly as it sounds, look back at other "faces of the company", Hogan, Luger, Austin, Rock, Cena, Reigns; they are all around 6-2/6-3. A 6-10 guy is out of place

 

[Wacky D]

Undertakers rise was around the same time I really started watching all kids at the time were fascinated from the Paul Bearer vignettes in cemeteries to the bag he used after matches including the mystique of the Urn...no kids looked at his matches as piss breaks I can't speak for the teens and older fans of that era though

i was a kid at the time too breh. PISS BREAK. i became a smark early tho.

are we really banking chit on the opinions of kids now?

i see the majority of the people in this thread are basically posting in kayfabe.

 

[DANJ!]

i was a kid at the time too breh. PISS BREAK. i became a smark early tho.

are we really banking chit on the opinions of kids now?

i see the majority of the people in this thread are basically posting in kayfabe.

Most of the top guys of the past weren't being marketed to 30+ year olds either, if we're being real about it...

I mean, if you wanna go back to Bruno and Backlund, I can see how they were for a more mature audience... that Vincent J. squad...

but Vincent K. McMahon's WWF/E? Hulk Hogan? Warrior? Michaels? Austin? Rock? Cena? Young people, breh. Especially Hogan, Warrior, & Cena.

Because the only people who spend more money than adults... are adults who have children.

 

[Berniewood Hogan]

Maybe it was his height? As silly as it sounds, look back at other "faces of the company", Hogan, Luger, Austin, Rock, Cena, Reigns; they are all around 6-2/6-3. A 6-10 guy is out of place

I'M SIX FOOT SEVEN, BROTHER!

 

[mr x]

Gotta thank Bret for giving taker the matches to show he can work.

 

[Wacky D]

Most of the top guys of the past weren't being marketed to 30+ year olds either, if we're being real about it...

I mean, if you wanna go back to Bruno and Backlund, I can see how they were for a more mature audience... that Vincent J. squad...

but Vincent K. McMahon's WWF/E? Hulk Hogan? Warrior? Michaels? Austin? Rock? Cena? Young people, breh. Especially Hogan, Warrior, & Cena.

Because the only people who spend more money than adults... are adults who have children.

you only really had a point with hbk & cena, who were constantly booed out of the building as faces.

and even with the kids, undertaker was never a main attraction.