In June, 2003, even though the pair had been feuding heavily the year before, Triple H offered Kane a spot in the Evolution faction. Stirring the pot, Steve Austin (then co-GM of Raw alongside Eric Bischoff) said Kane could face Triple H for the World Title instead. Bischoff then added on the stipulation that Kane would have to take off his trademark mask if he lost the match. Accepting the terms, Kane vied for the World Heavyweight Championship. Losing the bout, Kane was then forced to remove his mask and show his face. For years, fans had been told that the man's face was horrifically disfigured and scarred due to intense burning. When the mask finally came off, it was little more than a letdown. Kane's face was covered in black marks, but there was no noticeable scarring. Making matters worse, most of his hair was revealed to be simply attached to the head piece. This was a risky move by WWE, one that took fans a while to get used to. Regardless of personal preference from fans over Kane's mask, this remains a pivotal moment in the character's legacy.
Lifelong wrestling, video game, music and sports obsessive who has been writing about his passions since childhood. Jamie started writing for WhatCulture in 2013, and has contributed thousands of articles and YouTube videos since then. He cut his teeth penning published pieces for top UK and European wrestling read Fighting Spirit Magazine (FSM), and also has extensive experience working within the wrestling biz as a manager and commentator for promotions like ICW on WWE Network and WCPW/Defiant since 2010. Further, Jamie also hosted the old Ministry Of Slam podcast, and has interviewed everyone from Steve Austin and Shawn Michaels to Bret Hart and Trish Stratus.
