10 Cringe-Worthy Interviews With The Undertaker
2. Making A Mockery Out Of Casket Matches – 1994
Because the first appearance on Regis and Kathy Lee wasn’t torturous enough, the WWF decided to send The Undertaker and Paul Bearer back to the show in 1994 to promote the upcoming Royal Rumble casket match against Yokozuna.
During the build-up to the match, Paul Bearer brought out an oversized casket, designed explicitly for Yokozuna. This ended up revealing Yokozuna’s fear of caskets. With the WWF Heavyweight Title on the line, the casket match at the Royal Rumble was to have severe consequences for either loser - and with Yokozuna’s phobia of the match itself, it seemed as though The Undertaker would have had a genuine shot at regaining the championship.
But Yokozuna’s fear of caskets soon became the butt of a joke on the Regis and Kathy Lee segment. Not only did Regis happily hop into the casket and retrieve an Undertaker teddy bear, but he also followed up with a campy shtick as the lid was closed. Fans were led to believe The Undertaker, a giant in his own right, wormed his way inside the head of a super-heavyweight by adding a casket to their championship bout - yet here he was in a hammy skit that downplayed the same ominous mood.
The lighthearted performance was a further disappointment, as the Royal Rumble match was the last 'Taker appearance before he ultimately returned to fight an imposter of himself.