Thank you, Undertaker!

 

I was a huge WWE fan back in the days of Hulk Hogan, Roddy Piper, Macho Man, and etc. I was always pissed cause the title seemed to stay on the Golden boy Hulk Hogan. Yet I didn't really see much of a challenger for Hogan until Survivor Series 1990. 

In walks this man in black. "Damn," I thought, "He's different." Roddy Piper said something along the lines of "Look at the size of that Hamhock..." I died laughing. I wasn't laughing too long. The man in black showed his dominance in the match repeatedly. Hired by The Million Dollar Man Ted Dibaise he completed the team that was made up of Ted Dibiase, The Honky Tonk Man, and Greg Valentine who ultimately won over Dusty Rhodes, Koko B Ware, Bret Hart, and Jim Neidhart. Even though Taker was eliminated after taking out a few of them himself, it was a lasting impression and one I am glad Vince McMahon took a chance on. 

Within a year the Undertaker would be WWE Champion (defeating Hulk Hogan at Survivor Series 1991) with Paul Bearer added as his manager. Even though the first run with the championship only lasted 4 days (I think he should have held the title more in his career and for longer runs) it was a great start for a character that would change wrestling as we know it. 

Characters didn't survive long in WWE. It was people who didn't really have a "character", just came out as themselves and had personality/attitude that lasted (example: Shawn Michaels). I think it changed the game when Undertaker went from bad guy to one of the most BELOVED Superstars on the WWE roster proving that he had a staying power than transcended time... and to this day has earned him the love and respect of every wrestler and wrestling fan the world over. 

This weekend, The Undertaker took his RIGHTFUL and LONG OVERDUE place in the WWE HALL OF FAME as a member of the class of 2022. 

I am proud to have journeyed with the Deadman since day one. I am a proud Undertaker fan. No man has had the career and the accomplishments that The Undertaker has had. I don't want to go into long winded details of his career because you can read those anywhere.

What I want to say is...

THANK YOU TAKER. 

From the strange horror, heavy metal loving little girl who was tired of seeing the generic Hulk Hogan's of the business always winning who finally got HER WWE SUPERSTAR HERO the day Undertaker debut and eventually got the Undertaker symbol tattooed on her right hand.

Thank you for putting yourself on the line night after night for years to provide us all with the quality only the Undertaker can deliver. Thank you for all the matches that made us have "THE STREAK"... thank you for every coffin lid that slammed shut on your opponents or dirt that covered them (or you) in a buried alive match. Thank you for Hell in a Cell and the Inferno Matches. Thank you for making the Attitude Era watchable. Thank you for the Ministry of Darkness (Minus the Higher Power). Thank you for the power of the Urn and the loyalty to both Kane and Paul Bearer (with the best storyline WWE ever offered). Thank you for the badass biker days. Thanks for never straying too far from who you always were.

Thank you for being the Deadman, for giving us creatures of the night something to cheer for. 

For showing us all that dedication to what you stand for pays off and that even the darkest being can be a light for good. 

I love you Taker.

You are the greatest of all time.

Congratulations!