In professional wrestling, the term ‘legend’ gets thrown around a lot. Anyone who stuck around in the industry for long enough will use it to describe themselves, especially if they were part of major periods in big companies like WWE. However, some names are undisputed as legends – and few have more claim to the title than The Undertaker. Over his decades within WWE, Mark Calaway worked to make the character of an undead zombie wizard work, tweaking it and giving WWE fans some of the biggest matches and moments – and is known as one of the most respected men to ever enter the company – but why is that?
The Undertaker Always Shook Everyones Hand – Showing Clear Respect
While WWE isn’t exactly your typical 9-5 office job, many of the same elements are found. Respect for your fellow employees will take you a long way – and The Undertaker followed that rule to it’s extreme. While appearing on the Hawk vs. Wolf podcast, Undertaker was asked how he dealt with co-workers he didn’t agree with – and he’d have the following to say.
“There’s guys. I mean it’s just like any business. There’s guys that you like. There’s guys that you don’t like. Business being business. I may not like you personally, but when I come into a dressing room or when I come into arena, I’m gonna go up to you and I’m gonna shake your hand.
That’s all I have to do, right? It’s just a matter of respect that I have for everybody that I work with. I’m not gonna go out and drink with you. I’m not going to party with you. I’m not gonna celebrate with you, but I will do that. Then there was a lot of guys that I didn’t particularly care for on a personal note.”
One of The Safest Workers In WWE History
This attitude led to Undertaker becoming a locker room leader, as simply offering respect to everyone showed a high level of professionalism. In an industry where you need to work with others in the ring, putting your health in the hands of your opponent – respect is essential. We’ve seen cases where a lack of respect led to massive injury, like when Hardcore Holly refused to cooperate with a young Brock Lesnar – and suffered a broken neck as a result after a simple Powerbomb went wrong.
While injuries came with Undertaker in the ring, namely Shawn Michaels injuring his back during a casket match or the Hell in a Cell match with Mick Foley – they were generally classed as accidents. He always did his best to protect his opponents, which considering his finisher of the Tombstone Piledriver was certainly a good thing.
By simply respecting everyone in the locker room, shaking hands, and being a safe opponent – The Undertaker built a legacy unlike few others in professional wrestling. This is why he’s considered one of, if not the most respected man in WWE history.
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