Breaking kayfabe: 5 times WWE Superstars' real names were revealed on TV

#3 The Undertaker (Mark Calaway) – WWE WrestleMania 36 storyline

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, WWE changed AJ Styles vs. The Undertaker from a regular match at WrestleMania 36 to a Boneyard match. The cinematic battle, which The Undertaker won, was widely praised by fans.

In the build-up to the show, Styles cut promos about The Undertaker in front of live crowds on WWE RAW. The March 9, 2020 episode – the final RAW with WWE fans in attendance – saw Styles refer to The Undertaker as Mark Calaway.

“The truth is, I don’t see this mythical monster anymore. I don’t see this Phenom anymore. What I do see is a broken down, old man named Mark Calaway. Undertaker should’ve retired 10 years ago when he was in his prime.”

Mark Calaway (aka The Undertaker) has given lots of out-of-character interviews since Styles made that comment. However, prior to the debut of his Last Ride docuseries on the WWE Network in May 2020, Calaway hardly ever broke character.

When The Undertaker re-emerged ahead of WrestleMania, it was clear that he wanted to show a different side to his WWE persona. The man himself has confirmed that The Unholy Trinity in the Boneyard match was an idea that he came up with.

The Unholy Trinity referred to the three characters he portrayed in the match: himself (Mark Calaway), The Deadman, and The American Badass.

That is why Styles was allowed to call his rival by his real name in the weeks leading up to their match.