Wrestling

[Stan]

The Undertaker interview with BBC following the release of The Last Ride...

That match with Shawn Michaels he mentions, from 2010, is one of my favourites ever.

Quote

 

The gong. The silence. And the shadowy figure in a long leather coat emerging from the smoke.

It's a scene that makes every wrestling fan sit up, look around and wonder - what on earth is the Deadman about to do?

But the mystery of The Undertaker is such that fans don't really know the person behind the legendary character.

"There's a lot of people wondering what the man - Mark Calaway - is really like," Mark, AKA The Undertaker, tells BBC 1Xtra's DJ Ace.

He's decided to pull back the curtain and give fans an unprecedented look at what it's like to be The Undertaker, in the WWE documentary The Last Ride - named after one of his iconic moves.

"It's not a big secret that I have fewer matches ahead of me than behind me.

"It's going to give an insight into who Mark Calaway is and what it's like to be The Undertaker."

Taker is regarded by many as the ultimate WWE man, devoted to doing what is best for the company.

And despite his enormous popularity, he's chosen not to follow fellow superstars John Cena or Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson into movies, even though he "had the opportunities" to do so.

"It doesn't work for me. Wrestling and WWE is my passion. It's where I've completely invested and where my heart is."

Mark's priority has always been to "maintain the mystique of the character".

"I can go out, do a movie and be a completely different character. But then how do I come back and be The Undertaker?"

He thanks his late on-screen manager, Paul Bearer, for helping maintain the image.

"When I initially came out, it was bizarre - people would think I was really a dead man.

"Paul would be the mouthpiece in appearances. I would sit there, just be as stoic as possible and if someone said something to me, I'd just grunt," he adds.

Credit for the iconic character goes to WWE boss Vince McMahon though.

"It was Vince's brainchild, his creation - and he never really found the right guy to play him."

But once Mark was shown the sketches of the character, he "fell in love with it".

That's when he started thinking about how to bring The Undertaker to life - which forced him to change his in-ring personality.

"I used to be really athletic and fast. But I had to slow everything down, change the way that I did promos, and be different from what everybody else was doing at the time," he says.

It could have gone in another direction though.

Around the time of his debut in 1990, Mark thought he would be playing someone called "the Eggman".

"They were doing a big promotion and had a big egg on the set. I thought that egg was going to be me because they had so many gimmicks."

The thought of having to "shave my head and eyebrows" caused quite a panic.

"I really didn't want to be the Eggman."

But then he got the call about being the Undertaker: "I thought, 'That's not Eggman. So hell yeah, I'm The Undertaker'."

After a career spanning three decades it's become harder than ever to keep Mark Calaway and The Undertaker separate.

"I started in November 1990 - when things like the internet and phones weren't really around. The only time people saw me was for the shows."

But now, with "the explosion of the internet", he's pictured wherever he goes.

"When I go to have personal time with my family I only like places that respect my privacy. I have the responsibility to my fans, but also of being a husband and father."

There was an incident last year where Mark was being followed and was "completely oblivious".

"I'm pretty conscious of my surroundings, but somebody had a long-lens camera and they were having a field day for about two or three days following me."

After so many matches and injuries, the end isn't too far away. But Mark wants one big match "that puts the exclamation point" on his career.

Like the one he had with Shawn Michaels at WrestleMania 26 in 2010 - widely regarded as one of WWE's greatest matches. It pitted The Undertaker's long streak of wins at WrestleMania against Shawn Michaels' career, with Michaels retiring after the loss.

"He was at the top of his game when he chose to retire.

"And more than anything, that's what I'm looking for. That one match to get on the horse and ride off."

Coronavirus has hit every sport, including the WWE.

Their set-piece of the entire year - WrestleMania - had to be moved. Instead of performing to 90,000 people cheering inside a stadium, matches took place in silence at the WWE performance centre in Florida.

Since WrestleMania, WWE has resumed live shows - albeit without fans - drawing criticism from some for continuing despite the virus.

But Mark says they are taking precautions at the company and safety is the main priority.

He adds there is social distancing, temperature checks at the performance centre every day and pandemic level cleaning to make everything safe.

"And it boils down to you. If somebody doesn't feel safe, they can just say so and they don't have to come into work."

For Mark, "there's only so many reruns you can watch".

"I think it's vital for people to have something to look forward in terms of live content.

"It's something different and great for people's morale."

 

 

[Dave]

Couple of things ....

- What a guy Otis is.

- Becky and Seth's kid is going to grow up looking like Heath Slater.

[Devil-Dick Willie]

He's gonna look like Fin Balor 

[Dave]

The Owen Hart documentary is a must see.

[Bluebird Hewitt]

Shad Gaspard has died after him and his son were caught in a rip tide while swimming and instructing lifeguards to save his son first. 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/newsbeat-52756408

Very sad to hear. RIP. 

[Guest]

Apparently fyter fest would have been held in London if it hadn't been for the Corona virus. Would you have tried to get a ticket? @The Palace Fan

[Dave]

2 hours ago, Gunnersauraus said:

Apparently fyter fest would have been held in London if it hadn't been for the Corona virus. Would you have tried to get a ticket? @The Palace Fan

Yes. 100%.

[Dave]

On 23/05/2020 at 11:01, Bluebird Hewitt said:

Shad Gaspard has died after him and his son were caught in a rip tide while swimming and instructing lifeguards to save his son first. 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/newsbeat-52756408

Very sad to hear. RIP. 

Really speaks volumes about the type of man he was by ensuring his own son's safety. 

[Dave]

Hana Kimura also passed away last week. I haven't read too much in to it but it seems to have been suicide following the abuse she was receiving on social media. Only 22 as well.

Unfortunately this was always going to happen one day. The Wrestling Community has always been one of the most toxic environments and it expands way before Twitter was invented. Even today I opened Twitter and Alexa Bliss was berating some virgin who said on a podcast she would be a crap shag so I cant see it changing any time soon.

[Dave]

On a more pleasing note AEW produced a solid PPV. The Stadium Stampede match was a good laugh and they've finally found a very good fit for Tazz.

[Guest]

4 hours ago, The Palace Fan said:

On a more pleasing note AEW produced a solid PPV. The Stadium Stampede match was a good laugh and they've finally found a very good fit for Tazz.

Did you watch it on that streaming service you showed me?

[Devil-Dick Willie]

6 hours ago, The Palace Fan said:

Hana Kimura also passed away last week. I haven't read too much in to it but it seems to have been suicide following the abuse she was receiving on social media. Only 22 as well.

Unfortunately this was always going to happen one day. The Wrestling Community has always been one of the most toxic environments and it expands way before Twitter was invented. Even today I opened Twitter and Alexa Bliss was berating some virgin who said on a podcast she would be a crap shag so I cant see it changing any time soon.

 

I reckon the virgin is correct here. I bet becky is too. 

[Guest]

On 25/05/2020 at 17:18, The Palace Fan said:

On a more pleasing note AEW produced a solid PPV. The Stadium Stampede match was a good laugh and they've finally found a very good fit for Tazz.

Haven't been able to watch the whole event but saw the stadium stampede match. It was a bit silly at times but brilliantly entertaining. AEW really have produced some great matches in their short time. Don't particularly like Cody though. Would have preferred to see him loose cleanly to archer. He hasn't lost cleanly yet and only moxley hasn't lost cleanly(even Jericho has) so want him to loose cleanly soon. Don't know much about Brian cage. Is he any good? 

[Spike]

On 25/05/2020 at 11:16, The Palace Fan said:

Hana Kimura also passed away last week. I haven't read too much in to it but it seems to have been suicide following the abuse she was receiving on social media. Only 22 as well.

 

Just found out about this today. Not much of a fan or anything but it rattled me a little. Maybe it's because a young, very attractive, successful young woman killing herself is just mind blowing. She must have had some deep issues that were taken over the edge with this incident.

 

[Guest]

@The Palace Fan @Devil-Dick Willie I've read about this guy called Zack Sabre.  Apprently he has won the best technical wrestler award 5 or 6 times in a row. Any of his matches you would recommend? It looks like the award was actually named after Daniel Bryan.  What is the point of NXT if they are already good wrestlers? Is it to turn them into a WWE wrestler and fit the gimmick they want? 

Also anyone know where I can find that omega v okada match it's not on you tube or daily motion?

 

[Devil-Dick Willie]

11 hours ago, Gunnersauraus said:

@The Palace Fan @Devil-Dick Willie I've read about this guy called Zack Sabre.  Apprently he has won the best technical wrestler award 5 or 6 times in a row. Any of his matches you would recommend? It looks like the award was actually named after Daniel Bryan.  What is the point of NXT if they are already good wrestlers? Is it to turn them into a WWE wrestler and fit the gimmick they want? 

Also anyone know where I can find that omega v okada match it's not on you tube or daily motion?

 

Zacky big tekkers is a god.  ZSJ vs Sanada G1 climax 2019 is an awesome one @Gunnersauraus
 

Omega okada part 1

 

Edited June 2, 2020 by Devil-Dick Willie

[Devil-Dick Willie]

Since the Sanada match looks like it was filmed with a carrot 
 

 

[Guest]

@Devil-Dick Willie I'm a bit confused mate. Part two is in 2017. Does part one cover the whole match?

[Devil-Dick Willie]

3 minutes ago, Gunnersauraus said:

@Devil-Dick Willie I'm a bit confused mate. Part two is in 2017. Does part one cover the whole match?

my bad, dumb search engine. Heres the real part 2 of 2018

[Guest]

@Devil-Dick Willie cheers bud. I'll watch it tomorrow. Do you watch all different wrestling brands do you? Which one do you think is the best ?

[Devil-Dick Willie]

4 hours ago, Gunnersauraus said:

@Devil-Dick Willie cheers bud. I'll watch it tomorrow. Do you watch all different wrestling brands do you? Which one do you think is the best ?

For in ring wrestling? NJPW. Then daylight. Then NXT. Then AEW. Then main roster WWE. 

 

[Devil-Dick Willie]

The moral implications of the Drake Maverick result in the NXT cruiser weight tournament

Drake Maverick was released by WWE on "Black Wednesday" A day where over a dozen TV talents were released from their contracts. Many of the wrestlers responded to their axing with video clips voicing their feelings on being released, with Mavericks being the most emotional and the most famous as a standard bearer for the tyranny of WWE. WWE did anounce that Drake would continue to wrestle until the end of the cruiser weight interim tournament.

Drake goes on to make the final of the tournament,  not winning the interim cruiser weight championship, but getting a contract in NXT This means one of 2 things have happened. 

1. WWE have seen Drakes vignette, and rehired him based upon public support for him, which means they told him hes lost his job in no uncertain terms, then after him breaking down in response, have immediately rehired him, which is both a fucked up thing to do, and unfair to every other released talent who did not have the same chance as Drake.

2. WWE lied about firing him, during a period where a dozen other wrestlers were fired, for the sake of an angle. Which is in horrifically poor taste.

In the case of the first instance I'm glad Drake has his job, even though he suffered unnecessary stress and trauma, but in either case WWEs actions are reprehensible 

Edited June 4, 2020 by Devil-Dick Willie

[Dave]

@Devil-Dick Willie

Playing devils advocate I think quite a lot of talent that got released were either unhappy, had asked for their release, or had signed contracts in the last 12 months where negotiations werent as smooth as WWE had hoped. I cant imagine the likes of Mike Bennett, Rusev or EC3 particularly care about it but I do feel sorry for the likes of Zack Ryder or Heath Slater if they wanted to stay.

Either way, despite being happy that Drake has had the chance to reinvent himself in a way we can see him wrestle properly for the first time since 2015, I have found the whole angle uncomfortable. With what is going on around the world with people losing their jobs and WWE promoting themselves as a "break from reality", to use such an angle is a bit odd. The Jeff Hardy drunk car cash was pretty poor too given his real life addictions.

[Devil-Dick Willie]

I swear blading is all cody knows about fucking wrestling 

[Azeem]

There are two types of wrestling formats 

Graeco-Roman where you can't grab your opponents legs and below the waist 

Freestyle, all of the body can be grabbed