3. The Undertaker
Mark William Calaway was born on March 24, 1965 in Houston, Texas. He has four older brothers: David, Michael, Paul, and Timothy and graduated from Waltrip High School in 1983, where he was a member of the basketball team. He would go on to play college basketball at Texas Wesleyan University during the 19851986 season. Calaway made his wrestling debut in 1984 for World Class Championship Wrestling under the name Texas Red (he is naturally ginger). He would lose his debut against Bruiser Brody, no less, before leaving for the Continental Wrestling Association four years later. In early 1989, Taker was managed by Dutch Mantell (Zeb Colter) as the Master of Pain, a character that had just been released from the Atlanta State Penitentiary after killing two men in a fight. The Master of Pain would go on to win their World title after defeating Jerry Lawler in April. He held it for just over three weeks before Lawler became the first man to pin him. He would wrestler under a series of other gimmicks including one as The Punisher before WCW signed him up in late 1989. Calaway adopted the ring name Mean Mark Callous in WCW, a name devised for him by Terry Funk. He was portrayed as a morbid character; he wore black ring attire, and was said to have a fondness for pet snakes, and the music of Ozzy Osbourne. After losing an NWA United States Heavyweight Championship match against Lex Luger at The Great American Bash, WCW declined to renew Calaway's contract after one year in the company. WWE signed Calaway in October 1990 and he debuted a month later as The Undertaker at Survivor Series.