The Undertaker's 5 Biggest Contributions To WWE
"The Dead Man" brought so much to the table...
Although he'd been relegated to the role of part-time deity for the better part of the last decade, The Undertaker cast an omnipresent shadow over the WWE landscape regardless. As WrestleMania season began its annual groundswell, we wondered who would be next to challenge "The Phenom" on the grandest stage. When it appeared that his final match may have been nigh, we all wondered how WWE could exist without Undertaker's presence in some form. When you're tethered to the promotion from 1990 until today, and you assemble the legacy that Mark Calaway has, people understandably ponder what the day will be like when the epitaph is chiselled.
No doubt, The Undertaker changed the WWF in so many ways, some positive, others equipped with two edges. His impact on the promotion leaves a deep footprint, and his legacy in and of itself is one that will likely never be equalled.
As we recall our fondest memories of The Undertaker as a character, here's my list of what I find to be his five biggest contributions to WWE during his 30 years with the company.
5. Special Entrances
It's true that custom entrances existed before Mark Calaway donned the black garb (see: Macho King on the throne), but they took on a whole other appearance when Undertaker emerged from the curtain. First, it was pitch darkness with a sole spotlight, and then they evolved.
Before long, there were spellbinding lighting effects, ghostly mist, simulated lightning, and other ambient twists. To properly imbue a character of Taker's magnitude, WWE stepped up their already state-of-the-art production, and it's noticeable for other wrestlers as well.
Written by Justin Henry
In addition to writing lists and commentaries for Cultaholic, Justin is also a features writer and interviewer for Fighting Spirit Magazine, and is co-author of the WWE-related book Titan Screwed: Lost Smiles, Stunners, and Screwjobs.