The Undertaker has been one of WWE’s hottest acts for over two decades. The Demon of Death Valley, as he’s otherwise known, has been electrifying the squared circle ever since he first stepped between the ropes of a WWE ring. His career of darkness has been littered with success, as he won his first world title only one year after he debuted with the promotion, and would go onto to win eight world titles in total (including his one world title reign in USWA). He is now a part-time wrestler, only appearing on special occasions, but whenever he does show up, he sends shivers down the spines of his opponents and fans, who look on in awe at this iconic force of professional wrestling.
The Undertaker was born Mark William Calaway in Houston, Texas. He attended Waltrip High School, actively participating in school sports such as basketball and football. He would take his sporting ambitions to college, getting a basketball scholarship at Angelina College in 1983, and two years later he enrolled at Texas Wesleyan University, where he majored in sports management and played on their football team, the Rams, as a center for the 1985-1986 season. During this time, he would also get involved with professional wrestling, making his debut in the World Class Championship Wrestling as Texas Red in 1984. In 1990, he would sign onto the WWE (then WWF), making an impact with his arrival at that year’s Survivor Series’ main event, and the rest would be history.
In his 20+ years of working in the WWE, The Undertaker has become one of the most iconic performers of the company. He’s competed in three WrestleMania main events, challenging and defeating “The Heart Break Kid” Shawn Michaels, “The Rated-R Superstar” Edge, and Sycho Sid. If WWE had its own Mount Rushmore, it’d be guaranteed that The Undertaker would be featured. But after years dominating his profession, how much money has The Deadman collected? Let’s take a quick look at The Deadman’s checkbook.
The Undertaker’s Net Worth as of 2016: $16 million
The Undertaker’s total net worth arrives at a magnificent $16 million, which is $9 million less than his colleague “The Game” Triple H, but $16 million isn’t exactly chump change. So far, in 2016, The Undertaker has added $2 million to his net worth, during a year where he would wrestle his boss’ only son Shane McMahon in a devastating Hell in a Cell match at WrestleMania 32. Despite only being a part-time performer, The Deadman is still kicking, providing amazing performances for the fans, each time he makes his stunning return to the ring.
1984 – 1991
In 1984, The Undertaker first graced the wrestling ring with the promotion World Class Championship Wrestling and stayed with them for four years before moving onto Continental Wrestling Association and United States Wrestling Association. In 1989, he would introduce a psychotic persona, fresh out of the insane asylum, known as The Master of Pain. In USWA, he would go on to defeat Jerry “The King” Lawler and win his first championship. In 1989, he arrived on the scene of World Championship Wrestling, and debuted as the villainous “Mean” Mark Callous, who only wore dark clothing, loved snakes and Ozzy Osbourne; a prelude to the demonic character he would portray later on in the WWE.
After achieving minimal success, he would sign onto the WWE in October 1990, making his official debut on an episode of WWE SuperStars as Kane the Undertaker, later shortening his name to The Undertaker. Only three days after the Superstars taping, The Undertaker would arrive on the scene in epic fashion, showing up at that year’s Survivor Series as a mystery partner in Ted DiBiase’s Million Dollar Team, where he would quickly eliminate two seasoned professionals before being counted out of the match by the referee.
At WrestleMania VII, he quickly defeated “Superfly” Jimmy Snuka, setting off an unprecedented trend of WrestleMania victories, going undefeated 21-0 until WrestleMania XXX in 2014. After his match with Snuka, he would feud with The Ultimate Warrior, but he would receive his greatest accomplishment as a rookie, defeating Hulk Hogan for the WWE World Championship at Survivor Series 1991, becoming WWE’s youngest world champion in history at the time, at the age of 26.
1991 – 2000
Despite losing his world championship only six days later, The Undertaker continued to dominate the wrestling scene, intimidating his opponents with his towering physique and dark persona. Throughout the years, he would have amazing feuds with Mankind, Jake “The Snake” Roberts and Yokozuna. However, it would take him almost five years until he had another taste of world championship gold, as he defeated Sycho Sid in the main event of WrestleMania 13.
The Deadman would lose his WWE Championship at SummerSlam 1997, following interference from Shawn Michaels, who he would face a month later in the first-ever Hell in a Cell match. In this match, the world would be introduced to the character of Kane, The Undertaker’s long-lost half-brother, who in the storyline, had been burnt badly as a child and was presumed dead. The Undertaker would go onto face his brother at WrestleMania XIV in one of his toughest matches to date.
In late 1998 to mid-1999, The Undertaker was the satanic leader of the villainous Ministry of Darkness group. At the pay per view Over the Edge, The Undertaker would secure his third world championship, but would lose it back to Stone Cold Steve Austin only a month later. The Undertaker would then go on to form a tag team with The Big Show known as The Unholy Alliance, winning the tag team championship on two separate occasions. He would then take a hiatus from professional wrestling until returning at Judgment Day 2000 as The American Bad Ass, a biker gimmick who lived to kick ass, take names, and ride his motorcycle.
2000 – 2010
During this time, The American Bad Ass would have intense feuds with Kane, Kurt Angle, and Triple H. In 2001, he would reunite with his half-brother Kane, collectively known as The Brothers of Destruction, winning three tag team championships together over the course of a year. However, The Undertaker would once again find his greatest success on his own terms, becoming a villainous character again, winning the Hardcore Championship and later becoming a three-time WWE Championship, defeating the man he originally defeated for his first title in the WWE, Hulk Hogan at Judgment Day 2002.
It would not be long before The Undertaker returned to being a good guy, as the fans just couldn’t get enough of “Big Evil,” whether as a good guy or villain. He would go on to have brutal encounters with the young Brock Lesnar and even his boss Vince McMahon before returning to his deadman roots at WrestleMania XX, only again defeating his brother “The Big Red Machine” Kane.
The Undertaker would then spend the next few years challenging for the WWE and World Heavyweight Championships, winning the latter title twice at WrestleMania against Batista and Edge, in 2007 and 2008. At Hell in a Cell 2009, he would defeat CM Punk in “the devil’s playground” to win his seventh and final championship in the WWE. He would also have classic encounters with Shawn Michaels at WrestleMania XXV and XXVI, retiring his long-time rival in their second WrestleMania showdown. After his encounters with Michaels, he would once again feud with Kane and would gradually transition to a part-time role, only showing up at special occasions and events, usually to return at each year’s WrestleMania to continue his legendary winning streak.
2010 – 2016
The Deadman would defend his streak against the likes of Triple H and CM Punk before finally ending his impressive record at 21-1 against “The Beast Incarnate” Brock Lesnar at WrestleMania XXX. The Undertaker would seek revenge against Lesnar, over a year later, in the main event of SummerSlam 2015, where he would finally defeat “The One in 21-1.”
The Demon from Death Valley would also improve his WrestleMania win record to 23-1 against the likes of Bray Wyatt and Shane McMahon. Since his most recent victory against Shane O’Mac, The Undertaker has once again disappeared from WWE television, taking a much-needed rest from his career as the darkest leviathan of the WWE.
After over two decades of leaving wrestling crowds in absolute awe and admiration, The Undertaker has carved a stunning career for himself. This living legend has yet to hang up his boots, and in 2017’s WrestleMania, we may see this devilish icon, once again inspiring fans with his breath-taking entrance and performance. It is no wonder that The Deadman has secured $16 million in the bank after many years of amazing accomplishments inside the squared circle.
An amazing architect of the squared circle, flying through the air and setting the pro wrestling