4real
Wade Wilson
Posts: 28,717
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Post by 4real on Nov 2, 2013 7:59:19 GMT -5
Watched Survivor Series 1990 earlier, the show where The Undertaker debuted as a part of Ted Dibiase's team. I was 6 at the time and wasn't watching wrestling till around 92 I think so just wanted to get everybodies first views on The Deadman when you first saw him and watched him wrestle at this event. Were you impressed straight away, think the gimic was cool or just stupid?
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Post by jason1980s on Nov 2, 2013 8:27:49 GMT -5
Piper's reaction was great. He made it feel like a great, new gimmick. With a lot of other gimmicks commentators' reactions showed how silly the gimmick was. I think Undertaker was a unique, not silly, gimmick and given to a guy who played it to perfection.
Gorilla's reaction was pretty funny: "I don't know, Rod, I've never seen the guy." One minute later "Tombstone!" Realizes mistake... "I *think* it's a tombstone and it's over for that guy." He had obviously knew what direction the character was going and then realized a viewer may pick up on him knowing and tried to change directions. Kind of like the opposite of "I'm not familiar with Axl...OH THAT Axl!"
As far as what I thought of Undertaker, I don't think I thought much about him until a few years later well into his face run, like around 1995. Not anything to do with him because he's a great performer (or actual dead man if he's still playing to the kayfabe) but I was into the much silly gimmicks like Skinner, Berzerker, Repo Man and Nailz.
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Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
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Post by Deleted on Nov 2, 2013 8:53:33 GMT -5
I didn't think it would last long, I thought this was just a temporary gimmick for Mark. Seemed too ridiculous even for the WWF.
I didn't take it as a serious thing until he locked Warrior in the casket. Now that freaked me out.
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Post by Mrs. Potato Dick on Nov 2, 2013 9:00:34 GMT -5
He murdered Koko B. Ware....
Loved him from the start. No kidding. LOVED him.
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Crappler El 0 M
Dalek
Never Forgets an Octagon
I'm a good R-Truth.
Posts: 58,479
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Post by Crappler El 0 M on Nov 2, 2013 9:05:58 GMT -5
I recognized him as Mean Mark from WCW. I thought he had a good look and came off well in the Survivor Series match. I was a little surprised he became WWF Champion so quickly at the next year's Survivor Series, but did see him as someone who could become a main eventer.
Now it doesn't even seem that odd or surprising that someone would win a world title a year or so after debuting.
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thecrusherwi
El Dandy
the Financially Responsible Man
Brawl For All
Posts: 7,732
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Post by thecrusherwi on Nov 2, 2013 9:26:37 GMT -5
I was just shy of 4 years old and I was absolutely terrified of him. I asked my dad what an Undertaker was and then I was doubly afraid of him. When I found out that he was gonna wrestle Hulk Hogan at Survivor Series 1991, I almost cried. I was so afraid for Hogan.
I continued to be afraid of him, even after his face turn, up until his feud with Giant Gonzalez. Gonzalez was even MORE scary to me (even though I already knew he was El Gigante, who I was always mildly scared of) and I thought only the Undertaker could stop him. I didn't fully believe that Undertaker was on my side until Survivor Series 1993. I was coming around but I thought that he would maybe turn on Luger and the Steiners. When he stood on the apron for the whole match, I was sure he'd turn. Then when he finally tagged in and laid waste to Yokozuna, I finally fully accepted the Undertaker as a good guy I could believe in.
Ah the joys of being a little kid watching wrestling.
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Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
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Post by Deleted on Nov 2, 2013 9:59:34 GMT -5
One year old robertgbp was scared poopless by him, I always thought that matching him with Paul Bearer made him less scary actually. It was so creepy seeing a bombastic guy like Brother Love leading this monster while talking about loving people.
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Post by Bravo Echo November on Nov 2, 2013 10:24:38 GMT -5
My contribution might be out of place in this thread (in which I apologize), but when I got into wrestling in 1999 he was in full-on Ministry mode and I thought he was an *evil* guy. The music, the look, the heel tactics, my favorite Undertaker gimmick (match quality aside).
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Post by Hit Girl on Nov 2, 2013 10:28:58 GMT -5
Honestly I thought he was crap.
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BigBadZ
Grimlock
The Rumors Are All True
Posts: 13,923
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Post by BigBadZ on Nov 2, 2013 10:48:17 GMT -5
My contribution might be out of place in this thread (in which I apologize), but when I got into wrestling in 1999 he was in full-on Ministry mode and I thought he was an *evil* guy. The music, the look, the heel tactics, my favorite Undertaker gimmick (match quality aside). I feel the same because I got into wrestling in mid to late 1997 and that was pre-ministry but still dark character. I was in awe of this guy with the full tattoo sleeves and all black clothes and to me that was just a bad ass man. It's my favorite look of the Undertaker next to Biker-Taker.
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Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
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Post by Deleted on Nov 2, 2013 11:23:09 GMT -5
I watched so much wrestling back then that even at like 9 or 10 years old I was like "that's Mean Mark!" Then at some point he started using bodybags and locked the Warrior in the casket and he freaked me right the f*** out for a minute.
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bob
Backup Wench
The "other" Bob. FOC COURSE!
started the Madness Wars, Proudly the #1 Nana Hater on FAN
Posts: 80,603
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Post by bob on Nov 2, 2013 11:39:59 GMT -5
I thought he was very scary. This was when he first arrived and maybe around the time he beat Hogan for the title. I was a kid when this happened so I can't remember exactly.
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Post by Stu on Nov 2, 2013 11:44:07 GMT -5
"Hah, it's Mean Mark!"
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Post by BayleyTiffyCodyCenaJudyHopps on Nov 2, 2013 11:52:42 GMT -5
At 7, I didn't have much of a reaction to him at first as I was gradually getting into wrestling and I just recognized him as that weird action figure I saw at Toys 'R Us a couple of times. It was probably Survivor Series 1991 (the first PPV we ordered, to my knowledge) and the leadup to it that made me think "hey, this guy's actually kinda cool". I was mostly taken with Ric Flair, though.
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Post by Ecks Ecks Ringout Ecks Ecks on Nov 2, 2013 12:19:29 GMT -5
Though I'd been a wrestling fan for years prior, Survivor Series '90 was actually the first pay-per-view I watched live (saw it at my aunt's place, as my parents couldn't get PPV on their cable package). I was 13 at the time. Since I also watched NWA/WCW, I recognized Taker as Mean Mark, and I thought the new character was awesome. My father and I used to rent all kinds of horror movies, so a zombie-like wrestler was pretty much the coolest thing possible.
Didn't get why he got stuck with Brother Love at the time, though.
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Post by DoubleDare on Nov 2, 2013 12:56:31 GMT -5
I remember him when I was real young, with the warrior and casket. Wrestlemania X was the first ppv I remember watching live......obviouysly he wasn't part of that, buuutt Summerslam 94 was the 2nd I vividly remember, and as a 9 year old, the idea of undertaker vs undertaker was so cool and the build up was fun. His entrance was so epic. Then in 96 and on he started getting alot better in the ring, I think my first favorite undertaker match was him vs manking at in your house: revenge of taker, the table spot was so cool, plus fire at the end! Even if they goofed it up. And as a kid I remember loving the gray boots and gloves and the purple, and bein kinda sad when he got rid of that, but it makes complete sense and his 1997 look was the best (Even tho late 96 pleather look is fun to watch lol) Now theres the other thread aksin if crushs forhead tattoo was real or fake (It was fake) well it seems like WWF loved using temporary tattoos around then, as taker always shed a tear during his matches in 97!
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JoDaNa1281
Crow T. Robot
Jackie Daytona, Regular Human Bartender. #BLM
Posts: 41,977
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Post by JoDaNa1281 on Nov 2, 2013 13:10:01 GMT -5
I thought he looked mean & callous.
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Blindkarevik
Grimlock
Rock... Paper... Straight-edge!
I Like To <blank>
Posts: 14,343
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Post by Blindkarevik on Nov 2, 2013 13:38:18 GMT -5
Was still pretty young, but I obviously knew it was a gimmick. Wasn't like, "Holy shit, it's a legit zombie who can't be hurt!" ... I don't know how I rationalized it to be legit, yet have a gimmick, but somehow I did. All I knew, is as a kid still in the throes of Hulkamania I was legit terrified of when he would face Undertaker cuz that was the first time I was sure he'd lose.
However, as the year went on... I found myself drawn to Undertaker, so by the time Survivor Series happened... I was cool with the match and was happy when Undertaker won. Of course, when he turned face I absolutely LOST it! From that point on, he was my favorite wrestler for years. To this day, while I don't rank him on my list of current favorites, he's probably beyond my number one. Even now, I generally don't even include him in my Universe in WWE games just because I don't want him anywhere but the top of the program, and that honestly can get boring after a while.
Of course, as a kid having a favorite wrestler, he was always my "go-to" guy. Basically to the point where I wanted him to feud with every heel at the same time because I loved watching heels act terrified of him.
As time went on, it just shows how great Mark is in the character and how much of a gamble Vince took with that character. It could've very easily been a one-off thing and eventually get gets repackaged. It's just too ridiculous. A guy who feels no pain, emotionless, doesn't sell, is even more cartoony than The Ulitmate Warrior.... it juts shouldn't have worked. Although, I DO think one of the most brilliant things they did was to give him weaknesses, and I believe Mark had a lot to do with those weaknesses.
Them being, Undertaker being single-minded. There were many times in matches where he would go for the same move over and over again, only to constantly have it blocked or be met with a punch from an opponent. The opponent would build momentum and eventually break through and get the upper-hand. It wasn't that he was hurting Undertaker, it's that he had one move in mind and would constantly try it until the situation made it impossible to execute. That single-mindedness was a great weakness that didn't negate his tolerance for pain. Also, the fact he was always so slow. If he got you down, he was in complete control.. but if his opponent kept moving, Undertaker would be up against it. He would never break his slow walk except for his flying clothesline and in that you had another weakness that played to his single-mindedness and would give opponents an advantage. In that, I think there was enough downsides to the character where the odds didn't feel completely hopeless, so people could still get into a match. Of course, when he turned face, all that went out the window.... because you just wanted to see him win.
On the other hand, I DO think they messed up a lot with the "Heel hits finisher, rather than covers him, walks around for a while.. .then gets surprised when Undertaker sits up." Main one I think of is Vs. Diesel and Wrestlemania. He hits the Jackknife... then proceeds to walk around for about two minutes, then Undertaker sits up and it's this huge thing. Even though I always wanted Taker to win, I NEVER got why a heel wouldn't just hit the finisher go for the pin and call it good.
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saintpat
El Dandy
Release the hounds!!!
Posts: 7,664
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Post by saintpat on Nov 2, 2013 13:58:01 GMT -5
I said to myself, "This guy will probably never lose at WrestleMania. Ever."
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Post by RowdyRobbyPiper on Nov 2, 2013 14:21:34 GMT -5
At first I thought the gimmick was silly and that Mark Calaway was silly! until I saw him wrestle. His agility for someone that size and his ability to tell a story were awesome. But what initially had me in awe back in 90-91 was how strongly the character dominated that first year. He destroys Jimmy Snuka at Wrestlemania, locks the Warrior in the casket, terrorizes Randy and Liz and proves himself to be the strongest match against Hulkamania. (WereTaker and Yokozuna the only WWF heels that Hogan never pinned in his usual style?) That is one helluva start! Then he turns face and destroys Jake Roberts and later needs damn near the entire heel side of the roster to lock him away at the. Royal Rumble! My thought in 1990 was "this guy is going to be huge." Bobby Heenan during the Taker-Hogan SS match also said something similar. 23 years later, his presence still looms large in WWE despite not being a full-time performer. He was a great athlete who took what could have been a crappy gimmick and he turned it into one of wrestling's greatest characters. Combine that with his great matches with HBK, HHH, Bret Hart, Fokey, Hogan and you have one awesome legacy. May it reign over us,
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