Evolution Schematic 09.06.08: Mark 'The Undertaker' Calaway (Part 9)

Posted by Mathew Sforcina on 09.06.2008

I finally lock this topic in the Gog...Goo... Gogle....Googolplex?

Writer's Notes

So here's the direct link to Stablewars Unforgiven PPV Contest. Due to what can only be described as a miscarriage of justice (and/or me being a moron), my picks are not in the roundtable. So here's some quick and dirty predictions-

McCool over Maryse. The Bella angle leads to a title shot/victory with heel turn when they blatantly switch to ‘win' the title. Shenanigans with unrecognized wins will come later, but regardless, McCool keeps the belt till the Bella(s) get a shot.

Y2J over HBK. Even if the tear is as minor as they say, it'll help a lot more for Jericho to re-injure Shawn yet again (maybe take out a leg) and put him out, then he wins the title, HBK returns in the Rumble.

Wild Stallions over Cryme Tyme. It's a coin flip really.

Mark Henry keeps his ECW Title, after Miz holds the belt for 10 minutes, Matt Hardy for 5 and then Henry makes Finlay submit at the last moment when Atlas threatens Hornswoggle.

CM Punk retains after being pinned in every title ‘switch' during the time period, only to roll up Kane after a Mysterio dropkick at the last possible second to keep his belt in the Main event.

MVP is YOUR new WWE Champion. Shelton's not becoming a dual champ (although he'll get a reign in the match), Kendrick is far too early, Jeff will be the Rumble winner should they trust him (so they can do the Hardy/Hardy/HBK or Punk moment at the end of WM25, all world champs), and one belt has to change hands. MVP wins the title (when your in the doghouse, you get pushed, it's the CM Punk logic), then loses it at Survivor Series to…someone.

Go play Stablewars as well.

Part 1 and Part 2 and Part 3 and Part 4 and Part 5 and Part 6 and Part 7 and, lastly but not leastly, Part 8. But this is it. When we left off, we were leading up to Wrestlemania XX, and Kane's insistence that Taker was not coming back…



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Phase 41- Return of the Dead Man.

But back he came, in full blown Dead Man persona. Complete with Paul Bearer by his side!

After all, the WWE was trying to find its identity again, with changing of the guards and so forth. And Taker wasn't getting younger, the pure "I'll beat you down like a prison riot" act wasn't going to work anymore. He needed all the help he could get. So he went back to the mind games, and once again became the Dead Man, Undead Zombie. He even brought Paul Bearer back to advise him, and as a link. In order for the mind games to truly work, he had to remind everyone just how long he'd been on top of the WWE. Having Bearer in his corner helped cement that link.

At his return at Wrestlemania, he once again beat his half-brother, easily ending Kane's pain and confusion, and then set out on a new run on Smackdown by tombstoning General Manager Paul Heyman.

It might not have made much sense, but it got the point across. Taker survived the draft, staying put on Smackdown. This meant that he was the biggest star on Smackdown. Booker T, fresh off of being traded to Smackdown for 1/3 of HHH, didn't see it that way, as he stated to the fans that he was now the biggest fish in the pond. He continued to say this even after The Undertaker, in his own unique way, pointed out that he disagreed with him. Booker, totally spooked by the mind games, went so far as to enlist the help of an old Voodoo priestess to try and counteract Taker's ‘Power'. Both powers were really just mind games, although at least Booker's mind games rested in dirt that he could throw into Taker's face. But despite this edge, Booker still fell to Taker at Judgment Day.

And then that errant Tombstone came back to haunt Taker.

Phase 42- Bubba Ray Dudley- Master Manipulator

For Paul Heyman was no longer in command of the Smackdown Brand, Kurt Angle was. And thus, Paul was reduced back to becoming a manager. He quickly enlisted the help of The Dudley Boys, and then Heyman had a brilliant idea. He had the Dudleys kidnap Paul Bearer, then blackmailed Taker into joining him and the Dudleys, or else Paul Bearer would suffer. Well, he just held the urn up, but it got the message across.

At first, Taker seemed to agree, but then he demanded that they release Paul. Heyman and his clients refused, and so a match was signed for the Great American Bash. Taker vs. The Dudleys, where if Taker won, Bearer would be set free. If Taker lost, Paul Bearer would get sealed in cement.

Kinda high stakes.

But Taker managed to win the match, and then sent Paul Heyman reeling when he tried to kill Paul Bearer anyway. Then Taker approached the glass crypt, grabbed a microphone, said goodbye to Bearer, and pulled the lever anyway.

Huh.

Phase 43- The Undertaker. Rules do not apply.

Luckily, Bearer somehow managed to survive, but he would never be able to set foot in a WWE ring again. At first, Heyman thought that this act proved that Taker was on his side, but Taker quickly set him wise, pointing out that (now that he was established and feared), Bearer was a liability, and he removed it. If he did that to his closest friend, imagine what he would do to a man he hated in Paul Heyman?

Heyman quickly backed off, allowing Taker the time to go after the WWE title, as then held by JBL. Taker lost by DQ after nailing JBL with the title belt, but he won the psychological war by chokeslamming JBL through his limo (which was obviously not that well made). This inconclusive ending led to a rematch at No Mercy (despite Bradshaw digging up Gangrel and Viscera to try and take Taker out) in a Last Ride match, which saw the only way to win being to lock your opponent inside a hearse.

Taker would lose that match thanks to Heidenreich, who Paul Heyman was now managing. John then furthered his actions by running to the hearse with another car, to really drive the message home. Taker got the message, and responded by beating Heidenreich at Survivor Series.

Taker then got another shot at the WWE Title at Armageddon, in a 4 way with JBL defending against Taker, Booker T and Eddie Guerrero, 3 men JBL had beaten to retain his belt, but only just on each case. JBL pinned Booker to somehow escape with his belt, thus denying Taker his title once again.

Taker then met up with Heidenreich once again, forcing one final match between the two of them at the Royal Rumble, where Taker defeated John in a casket match despite Snitsky trying to help John Heidenreich and with the help of Kane, the two once again vaguely on the same page thanks to the their respect enemies also being on the same page, sort of.

After Heidenreich, Luther Reigns stepped up to the plate, costing Taker his opening round match in Smackdown's #1 Contender's tournament. Taker beat him at No Way Out, sending him back on his way quick smart. But a much more resilient star then took his shot.

Phase 44- Taker V Ortons.

Over on Raw, Randy Orton was The Legend Killer. And despite having a hot girlfriend in Stacy Keibler, and the fans' support, even if it wasn't whole-hearted, he was unhappy. He felt the need to prove himself. So, given that Taker was pretty much the biggest legend he hadn't killed, Orton asked for a Wrestlemania match against Taker. Taker agreed, and Orton began to play his own style of subtle mind games in the lead up to Wrestlemania, re-finding his sadistic edge, nailing his RKO on his own girlfriend to prove to Taker that he would do anything to beat him.

The fact that this caused the fans to fully turn on him was immaterial. He would do anything to beat Taker, up to and including enlisting his dad, Bob Orton Jr. to help him. But despite Bob's help, Randy failed to defeat Taker at WM, Taker going to 13-0.

Taker took a short break after Wrestlemania, perhaps out of either respect or disgust at the ECW One Night Stand PPV that was to be held. He returned to Smackdown, only to find that Randy Orton had been drafted to Smackdown, and wanted to take Taker out for good.

But first, Taker had an annoyance to remove.

Phase 44b- Hassan.

Muhammad Hassan was not a popular figure on Smackdown, since he was angry and of Arab descent and what have you. And after he and Taker helped cost each other the #1 Contendership for the World Heavyweight Title (now on Smackdown thanks to Batista being drafted over), Taker wanted to take Hassan down a notch. Hassan then hired a bunch of masked terrorists to take Taker out.

Bad move.

Hassan was then banned from UPN, and then nearly killed at the Great American Bash at Taker, who pinned him then sent him through the stage to break his back and prove that he shouldn't have been Arab and Angry.

Phase 44c- And back to the Ortons

Orton then cost Taker the #1 Contendership once again, challenging Taker to another match at Summerslam. Taker accepted, the two taunting each other up until the show. Orton then regained his dignity by defeating Taker, putting them 1-1, thanks to Cowboy Bob's interference working this time.

The two needed a rubber match, and Orton had a great idea for No Mercy, a Casket Match. Taker responded by making it a handicap match, with both Ortons against Taker. This first Handicap Casket match did not go Taker's way, thanks to Bob Orton's chair shot at the right moment allowing the Orton boys a chance to close the casket. Then wheel it away from the ring, and then set it on fire.

Coz that worked SO well for Kane…

Phase 45- A lightning fast turn around by his standards

A little under 2 months later, Taker returned to gain his revenge on Orton for that whole attempted barbeque thing. Orton responded by using Eddie Guerrero's low rider, left near the ring in respect for the recently passed away athlete, to try and kill another dead man.

Even typing that felt icky.

Taker responded by pulling out the big gun for Armageddon, Hell In A Cell. Orton managed to win the battle of the mind games leading in, but lost the all important match, Taker nailing Tombstones on both Ortons and then pinning Randy to end their long lasting feud once and for all.

Phase 46- Back to the title hunt.

After a short break to recuperate (and maybe get some blood work done), Taker returned at the Royal Rumble to challenge Kurt Angle for the World Heavyweight Title, Kurt jumping from Raw to win the belt when Batista got injured.

The two had their match at No Way Out, in a somewhat memorable and well liked match, Taker showing that he could still go if and when he had to, and Angle being, well, Angle. Kurt tried to make Taker tap out, but eventually he had to roll Taker up to prevent himself tap out.

Mark Henry, who Kurt had defeated at the Royal Rumble, was annoyed at this respect the two men shared, and thus attacked Taker. Taker responded by challenging the big guy to a casket match at Wrestlemania.

Despite Mark Henry claiming, like they always did, that he wasn't afraid, he still went down to Taker, Taker going 14-0.

One big guy down, another stepped up.

Phase 47- Khali.

The Great Khali stepped forward and demanded a shot at Taker. Like always, Taker agreed, and the two fought at Judgment Day 06. Unlike most other times however, Khali beat Taker.

Hell, he almost embarrassed Taker with his ease of victory, not since Mankind had Taker's mind games failed so badly, had an opponent beaten him so much. Khali was clearly far, far too stupid to fall for his tricks. That, or growing up in India meant that he was not scared of spooks.

Regardless, Taker for the first time in a long time was the chaser, and he had to agree to Khali's style of match to get a rematch, a Punjabi Prison match, a hybrid Cell/Cage match. Khali kept the pressure on Taker, forming a loose alliance with ECW Champion Big Show to keep Taker off balance.

This proved useful since Khali was removed from the match at the last second as punishment from SD GM Teddy Long for attacking Taker backstage, and thus Big Show was forced to sub for him. Taker got some small amount of revenge on Show for his role, beating him in the Prison, albeit the match being non title.

The two were set to finish their feud once and for all at Summerslam in a Last Man Standing match, the match made when Khali attacked Taker yet again in the middle of a match against King Booker on Smackdown, but Khali refused, so Long managed to sneak one by him and made it for the Smackdown before Summerslam.

Phase 48- BOD Take… Ah who cares.

The Brothers Of Destruction were reunited yet again in the weeks after Summerslam, thanks to the unwilling pairing of MVP and Mr. Kennedy getting in Kane and Taker's faces respectively. Since those two were working together, despite their bitching at each other, the Brothers had to work together. But despite the help, Taker still lost a First Blood match to Kennedy at Survivor Series thanks to an MVP towel and later chair shot. Taker then beat Kennedy at Armageddon in a Last Ride match to finally prove his point.

Phase 49- The Gold!

After beating Kennedy, Taker entered the 2007 Royal Rumble. Taker then made history by drawing #30 (a number he tended to gravitate towards), and then winning from that position, something that statisticians and probability lovers rejoiced at since no-one had yet done so despite it being the ‘best' number.

Taker then announced he would fight Batista at Wrestlemania, to which Dave responded with niceties at first before he turned on Taker at No Way Out, allowing Taker to be pinned by John Cena and Shawn Michaels in the inter-promotional tag team main event of the PPV. The two men walked into Wrestlemania with respect but desire to emerge on top. But Taker was not to be denied, and left WM23 as the World Heavyweight Champion, and 15-0.

Batista's rematch at Backlash was to be a Last Man Standing match, which ended up being a bad move as the two drew when Batista speared Taker off the stage into the set, bringing it down on top of them and making sure that neither man answered the 10 count. 2 weeks later, the two men had another match for the belt to try and get a decisive winner, this one a steel cage. But that too ended in a draw, as both men, after going through a hell of a match, landed at the same time. As Taker fumed at not proving himself once and for all, Mark Henry returned and beat him up badly, almost knocking Taker out before stamping off.

Edge, fresh off of stealing the Money In The Bank title shot off an injured Mr. Kennedy, took advantage, and easily pinned Taker to win the World Title and injure Taker, Taker being carted off by Druids.

Phase 50- The Return Mark X.0

Taker returned at Unforgiven and defeated Mark Henry for his part in his leaving. He then set his sights on Batista (since Edge was away with injury), the two STILL looking to prove once and for all who the better man was, especially now that Batista was once again World Heavyweight Champion. They met at Cyber Sunday, with the fans choosing the special guest ref, their choices being Mick Foley, SD's Color Commentator JBL, or Stone Cold Steve Austin. The fans, naturally, picked Austin, who called the match fair and square, counting Taker down when Batista pinned him with a Batista Bomb.

However, this merely put them at one win each. One final, last match would be needed to finally prove who the better man was. The match was signed for Survivor Series, the World title on the line in a Hell In A Cell match. The two superstars stayed clean, wanting to prove themselves once and for all. They never got their chance however, as Edge made his return by sneaking into the Cell as a cameraman, beating up both men then putting Batista onto Taker to end the match.

Neither man was happy with this, and both wanted to get their hands on Edge. When they found out that Edge was in a romantic relationship with SD's GM Vickie Guerrero, they were furious.

When Edge cheated to win the title in a triple threat match at Armageddon their rage went nuclear. The two men went after Edge, both entering the Royal Rumble to try and earn a shot at him at Wrestlemania. Taker drew #1, and Batista #8, neither man winning the match. Taker then earned the right to fight Edge at Wrestlemania by winning an Elimination Chamber match at No Way Out, pinning Batista as a cap on their feud. Taker then rolled into Florida, and rolled out 16-0, and World Heavyweight Champion, thanks to his new Gogoplata submission.

Edge retained the title at Backlash, again using the Gogoplata. This played into Vickie's hands, as she stripped Taker of the title the following week claiming that as a choke hold, it was illegal. The two ended up being booked in a rematch at Judgment Day for the vacant belt. Taker won the match by Count Out, which Vickie then refused to accept, since ‘Titles Can't Change Hands By Count Out', meaning that the title was still vacant. A final match was signed for One Night Stand, a TLC match between the two. To increase the odds, if Taker lost, he would be banned from the WWE. And thanks to Edge's friends' copious interference, that was exactly what happened.

Today- Dead Girl Rolling.

After a short spell away from the ring, Taker was re-instated when Vickie and Edge broke up, Vickie using Taker to punish Edge. And that he did, sending Edge to hell by beating him at Summerslam in a Hell In A Cell match. But Taker has not forgotten what Vickie did to him, and is stalking her, aiming to get his revenge. What manner of revenge he wants is still unclear, but fire and/or tombstones will probably feature…

Conclusion

So what can we learn from all of this? What can we see from Taker's mind games, his persona, his ability, his power, his dark side?

Nothing.

Because that plays into his hands. That's what he wants us to focus on. Instead, we should look for the wires, try to work out how the magician does the trick, focus on Taker's wrestling ability. Because that is where the true lesson lies.

Your mind games are only as good as your ability to back them up.

And Mark has plenty of both.