Is The Undertaker the most underrated “big man wrestler†of all time? JBL thinks so.
For 30 years, Mark Calaway struck fear into the hearts of WWE Superstars and fans alike as The Undertaker. The legendary Phenom battled some of the biggest names in the history of the business — from Hulk Hogan to “Stone Cold†Steve Austin to Shawn Michaels — becoming a mythical figure in the process.
Taker retired from in-ring competition after three decades of putting his body through hell. He still makes occasional cameos, and when heâ€s not circling the ring on his chopper, Calaway spends his time mentoring legends and future greats while providing creative input for AAA.
Speaking of legends, WWE Hall of Famer JBL was recently asked to name his top five underrated big men wrestlers on the latest episode of Something to Wrestle. The former WWE Champion listed Vader and Mark Henry at number five, Bruiser Brody at four, Stan Hansen at three, Kane at two, and The Undertaker at number one.
When Conrad Thompson joked, “Who the hell is underrating The Undertaker?†JBL offered the following response:
“You talk about the greatest big men of all time,†JBL said. Heâ€s not on everybodyâ€s list. What? Heâ€s 6â€8″, 6â€10â€, whatever he is. Heâ€s 320 or 330 pounds when heâ€s at his peak. And people want to bring all kinds of different guys ahead of The Undertaker.
“I donâ€t think thereâ€s anybody in the history of the business, especially when youâ€re talking about big men, who belongs ahead of The Undertaker. I mean, heâ€s done absolutely everything. He was the guy who got other guys through matches. He was the guy who got put out there with sh*tty gimmicks — guys who couldnâ€t get over by themselves. They said, ‘Taker can do it.â€â€
JBL on The Undertaker being the barometer for wrestlers in the â€90s
“He was the barometer for guys who came in during the â€90s. To see if they could work or not, they got put out there with him. But he was also expected to draw crowds, and he did it everywhere he went.
“You know, ‘Mr. WrestleMania,†the ‘Streak†— thereâ€s just so much about him. To this day, when he walks out there, people go nuts. He is the greatest big man in the history of the business.â€
READ MORE: JBL Explains What Hurts Kaneâ€s Legacy As A Great Big Man Wrestler
Do you agree with JBLâ€s rankings? Let us know your thoughts by sounding off in the comments section below!
If you use the quotes from this article, please credit the Something to Wrestle podcast and give an H/T to WrestleZone for the transcription.