Mark William Calaway, aka The Undertaker of WWE fame, turns 57 this week, and today we’re celebrating his legendary career as one of the greatest pro wrestlers of all-time.
Calaway, who adopted the moniker The Undertaker in 1990, is the longest-tenured wrestler in WWE history, utilizing a horror-themed image to intimidate opponents and mesmerize fans throughout the world. Known worldwide for “The Streak,” a series of 21 victories at WrestleMania, The Undertaker’s notoriety as a formidable wrestler served as a bridge between the golden ‘80s age of the World Wrestling Federation into more modern times, and his tenure as a professional is remarkable in a sport that punishes the body.
In fact, The Undertaker has endured extensive injuries to his back, in addition to concussions, torn muscles and broken bones in his face. In the lead up to his final WrestleMania performance, The Undertaker allowed WWE to film a documentary on his life entitled “The Last Ride,” which let fans into his world of training, recovery and life outside the ring.
And in a segment from the WWE documentary, The Undertaker preps for WrestleMania by visiting Restore Hyper Wellness for Cryotherapy, Compression and Mild Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy. “There’s no time to make excuses,” says Calaway four weeks before WrestleMania. “Anything you can think of, acupuncture, I do it all,” he continues. “Anything that might give me a slight edge at this point, I do it.”
“I need to be able to fire on all cylinders as best I can. These are just things that help that process. And at this point, I try everything and I don’t rule out anything. While I’m training this intensely, these things keep my body as fluid as possible and help me stay mobile,” says Calaway.
In June of 2020, during the final episode of “The Last Ride,” The Undertaker retired from wrestling, making it official in November of 2020 on TheWrap.com. “In my eyes, I am officially retired but I work for a man by the name of Vince McMahon, whose motto is ‘Never say never.’ And I’ll kind of leave that there.”
In the time since, The Undertaker has teamed up with Netflix to produce an interactive film entitled “Escape The Undertaker” featuring the tag team The New Day at a haunted mansion.
But we’re still in awe of his monumental accomplishments over three decades in the WWE.
Happy birthday Undertaker! If you’re near a Restore today, the Cryotherapy session is on us!
