The Undertaker is among WWE's most popular larger-than-life characters. Mark Calaway's efforts to protect the mysterious and dark character seemingly transcended the sport of pro wrestling. Even after his retirement, he has remained one of the most notable names in the industry.
Due to The Phenom's decision to consistently protect kayfabe throughout his career, it was only in recent years that fans began to know the back stories about the man behind the character, Mark Calaway.
While a few fans know some of these facts, some may not know as much. In this list, we will explore 15 things you probably don't know about The Undertaker.
#15 The Undertaker rented his house to Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt
Due to the WWE Hall of Famer's popularity in the entertainment industry, it's no surprise that he has connections with several top names. The Undertaker was also linked to Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie in one of the most unexpected ways.
In 2008, WWE shared that The Undertaker rented his home to the former Hollywood couple in Cedar Creek, Texas. Pitt and Jolie used the property while the former was preparing for his 2011 film, The Tree of Life. The house was said to include a gym with a WWE-sized wrestling ring.
#14 The Undertaker was present for one of Manny Pacquiao's fight walkouts
Manny Pacquiao is one of the most notable boxers and combat sports athletes in history. Although he was only rising through the ranks in 2005, he already got the attention of The Undertaker.
In 2005, the boxer was set to face Hector Velasquez in the co-main event of Erik Morales vs. Zahir Raheem at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, California. One of those who walked with Team Pacquiao was The Deadman himself.
#13 Considered pursuing different sports before pro wrestling
Besides his supernatural character, The Undertaker's physique made him stand out from the rest of the roster. He was billed at over 300 pounds with a height of 6'10. Before turning to professional wrestling, he utilized his size to succeed in different sports.
He played basketball in both high school and college. In 1985, he was the center for the Rams while studying at Texas Wesleyan University. The following year, he dropped out of the university to focus on sports and even considered moving to Europe. However, he later decided against this and pursued wrestling.
Besides basketball, he is a black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and enjoys watching other combat sports, including MMA.
#12 The Undertaker seemingly has beef with cucumbers
The Undertaker allegedly dislikes cucumbers. Over the years, stories from his colleagues have also hinted that he is afraid of the said vegetable. Some have stated that the appearance and smell of it were enough to freak him out.
The Deadman's current wife and former WWE Superstar Michelle McCool revealed that he loathes cucumbers due to his childhood experience. She said that when he was younger, The Undertaker ate too much, got sick, and never liked them again.
#11 Feared he would debut as The Egg Man
Speaking of food, another item of food he was worried about was an egg. While on Stone Cold Steve Austin's Broken Skull Sessions show, The Deadman shared that he was worried when WWE would continuously feature an egg on shows before his debut.
The Undertaker mentioned that he feared the creative team would make him pop out of the egg and dub him "Egg Man." However, the entire angle was for the character of Gobbledy Gooker.
#10 The Undertaker did not want to return as The Deadman in 2004
Despite being best known as The Deadman, The Undertaker played a few different gimmicks in his professional career. In the early 2000s, he was known for performing as The American Bada*s, a motorcycle-riding gangster.
At WrestleMania XX against Kane, Calaway brought back The Deadman gimmick and portrayed the iconic character until retirement. Bruce Prichard later revealed it was hard to convince Calaway to return as The Deadman.
Prichard shared that the Hall of Famer liked the American Bada*s gimmick as it was multi-dimensional and could have different styles of matches. He also thought that fans did not want to see The Deadman again.
#9 Had to receive medical treatment in the middle of a match
The Undertaker is a seemingly invincible character, but Mark Calaway is not. This was evident during Elimination Chamber 2010 when 'Taker's jacket accidentally caught fire due to a pyrotechnic malfunction, and he had to rush his entrance.
While on Stone Cold's podcast, The Deadman revealed that he saw his chest bubbling up and his flesh rolling and had to receive medical treatment inside the Elimination Chamber pod. The Hall of Famer added that he tried to stay focused on the match but was furious about the incident.
#8 Supports Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson to run for USA President
Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson sparked a topic of conversation when he mentioned that he would run for USA President if people wanted him to.
In 2021, The Undertaker complimented Johnson by saying he was charming, witty, and could quickly unite people, especially considering the political climate of the United States.
#7 He rarely watches his old matches
Many wrestling legends like to analyze their career growth and see how they evolved and progressed as an athlete through old footage. However, that's not true in The Deadman's case.
In an interview with Bleacher Report, The Undertaker revealed that he doesn't watch his old stuff back. However, his friend and fellow Hall of Famer, The Godfather, would send him footage from the Memphis and Dallas territories to laugh at.
#6 Wrestled one of his most memorable matches while injured
One of the most notable matches, not just in WWE history but in pro wrestling, is The Undertaker and Mick Foley's Hell in a Cell match from 1998. The highlights of the bout include Mankind taking major bumps, like getting thrown from the top of the cage to the announce table and going through the roof after receiving a Chokeslam. However, The Deadman wasn't feeling 100% heading into the contest.
The Undertaker revealed he had a fractured ankle before the bout. He even doubted if he could climb the cage but still managed to push through. He added that since it was "such an important time in the business," he chose to do it regardless of his injury.
#5 The Undertaker had to reconfirm with Vince McMahon about The Streak ending
The Undertaker's legacy is also tied to his formerly undefeated WrestleMania streak. Brock Lesnar broke it in 2014, and Roman Reigns later handed him his second loss. The first defeat caused a lot of unrest among fans. On the other hand, the Hall of Famer's only worry was Vince McMahon.
The Deadman revealed that he was supposed to win against Brock Lesnar at WrestleMania 30, but the ending of their bout was changed on the same day as the show. He accepted the decision and stated that 'business is business.'
However, The Phenom had to reconfirm the decision with Vince McMahon. The former asked if that's what the latter truly wanted to happen, to which he replied that "Mark if it's not him [Brock Lesnar], who's ever going to beat you?"
#4 Got into a real-life fight with The Godfather
The Bone Street Krew was a backstage group of WWE legends in the '90s. Some of the members include The Undertaker and The Godfather, making them close friends in real life. However, there was a time when they did not get along.
While on the Broken Skull Sessions with Stone Cold Steve Austin, 'Taker revealed that he, Godfather, Tony Anthony (aka Dirty White Boy), and his girlfriend Kim (aka Dirty White Girl) were traveling during a snowstorm after a show got canceled.
Dirty White Girl had to use the bathroom after six hours of driving while the rest remained outside. When she returned, Godfather insisted on driving the rest of the way, which 'Taker wasn't too happy about.
They both got into a heated conversation, and a fistfight broke out. The Godfather won the battle as it was his car. The car slid down the road and fell into a ditch later, but luckily none of them were seriously harmed.
#3 When drunk, The Undertaker would give The Godfather expensive gifts
Although the previous story about The Godfather was about them getting on each other's nerves, this one showcases how close they are and how much 'Taker trusts the Hall of Famer.
During the same podcast, The Phenom shared that he would give his Rolex watch to The Godfather when he could finally afford one. While doing so, he would even say, "Brother, I love you." Although The Godfather would refuse the gift, 'Taker would insist. The 62-year-old never kept the gifts and would return them in the morning.
#2 Choked Kurt Angle on a plane due to a misunderstanding
It's no secret that 'Taker is close with Vince McMahon, as showcased in one of the stories above. Their friendship was so close that he even choked out an Olympic gold medalist for his boss.
As told by The Deadman, he was sleeping during a plane ride from the UK to the USA in 2002 when he woke up to Kurt Angle wrestling Vince. However, the two were only playing around. Unaware of the reality, The Phenom locked Kurt in a chokehold and only let go after learning it wasn't serious.
#1 Kurt Angle kissed The Undertaker
Although they once had an altercation, 'Taker and Kurt Angle are also close friends in real life, so much so that the latter had the guts to sneak a kiss on The Deadman.
As per Kurt, he kissed The Deadman during a house show in Japan in hopes of getting The Undertaker to break character. Although the latter was mad and playfully threatened Angle, it made him laugh.