19. Dropping The Undertaker Character
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_-hdLhozNog In 1998, after years as The Undertaker, Mark Calaway experimented with changing gimmick to just a normal tough guy. He came out to the Raw ring in just a plain sweater and joggers. He then proceeded to cut a promo as a normal guy, talking about how Vince McMahon had gave him the opportunity to be The Undertaker. He then went on about several backstage issues, including how McMahon's hand picked wrestlers had jumped to WCW. He expressed how frustrated he was that Vince didn't appreciate his loyalty. The whole thing came off as Mark Calaway breaking character and talking from the heart, expressing how he felt about his role in the business. It was a worked shoot promo and unprecedented at the time. Many fans forgot about it because the 'human' character was quickly abandoned in favour of sticking with The Undertaker mystique.