Question about the Raw is Owen show

[Lenny: Smooth like Keith Stone]

I was reading the Owen Hart entry on Wikipedia, and it had this:

"The show began with all the wrestlers of the WWF standing on the entrance ramp (with the exception of The Undertaker). Vince McMahon, Linda McMahon, and Stephanie McMahon were at the front of the ramp."

My question is, why wasn't Undertaker there? I'm sure it wasn't a "bad" reason or anything, but I was curious as I did not realize Undertaker was not there. Was he even at that Raw show?

[Mister Pigwell]

No real reason from what I've ever heard rumor of. He had the title win the night before and maybe it had something to do with his name... but they went against him appearing on the show.

[Jared Has Been Enlightened :)]

No way could you have evil, satanic Undertaker on that show. And I doubt the Undertaker, who's always been way into his gimmick, liked the idea of appearing on-screen while out of character.

[krazysane]

I think its all about taste. With his name being the undertaker, and the way the gimmick was during that time. It just didnt seem right.

[B'Cup x]

to keep kayfabe, I think mick foley mentions it in have a nice day

[Turd Ferguson]

Undertaker is very, very good friends with Bret.


Bret says in his shoot that Taker was with him.

[Splinter]

And remember at that time Taker's gimmick was trying to sacrifice people

[Lenny: Smooth like Keith Stone]

Thanks for the replies, the whole idea of Undertaker's gimmick had completely slipped my mind. Makes perfect sense that his character would not have been appropriate.

[fuzzywarble, squat cobbler]

I heard that Vince told UT not to appear, nor to speak about Owen during the interview sessions. Of course, this is due to his ultra-evil gimmick at the time. Having him appear would have killed the gimmick and been bad for business.

[seano]

The only tribute I think the Taker has ever been shown at was the 9/11 one (he was still the American Badass then).

He usually stays in the back, though, since the gimmick is kinda inappropriate for a memorial...

[lotus]

Looking back on it.
Kane and Undertaker never appear on any type of memorial shows.
It's their characters and keeping with "kayfabe"

[Christianv2]

lotus said:

Looking back on it.
Kane and Undertaker never appear on any type of memorial shows.
It's their characters and keeping with "kayfabe"

Kane was on the Eddie memorial.

[Blindkarevik]

Same reason The Hurricane was usually taken off TV during hurricane season.

[Dean-o]

With a name like The Undertaker and a gimmick of putting people in body bags, hanging them from crosses, and being an evil badass, that's not really the type of character you want on the stage the night after someone died in the ring.

Of course, bringing him out without his gimmick would break kayfabe in a time where wrestling was huge, thus bad for business.

[Dr. Marzvon Zombie M.D.]

lariatoooooooooooo said:

Undertaker is very, very good friends with Bret.


Bret says in his shoot that Taker was with him.

There is a Bret shoot? Must of missed that one.