Quick Links
The Undertaker has had quite a few different looks throughout his legendary WWE career. Most fans will remember his traditional Deadman look in the 2000s, but he made a few changes at various points. One look that many fans are fascinated by was when The Undertaker started wearing a face mask over the top half of his face in the mid-1990s.
An injury caused The Undertaker to require protection of his face while competing, and he found a way to make it work. The Undertaker adding the perfect mask within his character’s wheelhouse allowed him to add a new dynamic without it feeling out of place.
The Undertaker Was Injured In A Match With Mabel
The story of The Undertaker’s mask can’t be told without looking at the push of King Mabel. Vince McMahon experimented with pushing new talents in the New Generation Era. Mabel winning the King of the Ring tournament in 1995 led to a heel push and the character change to King Mabel moving forward. Bigger programs with Diesel for the WWE Championship and The Undertaker in a personal feud showed how much WWE wanted to elevate him.
RELATED: Every Version Of The Undertaker, Ranked From Worst To Best
The Undertaker unfortunately suffered from having to work with Mabel. There were multiple injuries occurred by wrestlers working with Mabel that ultimately led to him getting released shortly after his push flopped. The Undertaker had one of the more painful injuries when experiencing a brutal orbital bone injury on a house show vs Mabel.
WWE explained that the injury came in his most recent television appearance when previously attacked by both Yokozuna and Mabel. The Undertaker missed a couple of months, but he had to wear a mask to protect his face from further damage whe he come back. The return at Survivor Series 1995 came when he eliminated all four wrestlers on a heel team led by Mabel. However, it was the unique face mask that made him stand out with a new look.
The Mask Worked For The Undertaker's Character
NBA players have used face masks to protect their face during injuries. However, it was quite shocking at the time when The Undertaker introduced his new look. WWE came up with a brilliant idea to have it styled like the classic Phantom of the Opera mask to fit his character. The grey color was perfect instead of a colorful look that would have it stand out in a way that harmed his character.
The Undertaker’s mask covered the upper half of his face to ensure that his orbital injury would not get hit in his matches. Fans reacted well to the new look since they were happy to see him back after a short absence, and it looked cool. The Undertaker made it a part of his character and identity at the time to have fans not only accept it but enjoy the change.
This chapter of The Undertaker’s career only lasted a few months before he was able to ditch the mask. WWE could have kept the look for The Undertaker if they wanted, but they felt it was better to go back to the old look. The Undertaker having the full ability to express his emotions in the storytelling aspect was more important than a cool accessory.
An Action Figure Was Even Made With The Undertaker Wearing The Mask
The most interesting thing about The Undertaker’s time wearing a mask is that it’s still beloved today. The Undertaker won over fans at the time with the new look, but it still gets some appreciation almost three decades later. Peacock and the WWE Network makes it easy to watch back matches from that time and relive The Undertaker's moments wearing a mask.
WWE even released an Undertaker action figure with the mask accessory, mirroring his look from that time. The Undertaker probably has more action figures than any other wrestler given how long he’s been around and how many different looks he had. The mask variant was a great seller since it offered a specific look that resonated with fans.
Wrestling sees unexpected things at any time. The Undertaker’s mask was one of them. A serious injury to one of WWE’s biggest stars at a time when they were struggling could have been a disaster. The Undertaker coming back earlier than expected due to the mask made that addition a success within the good news. The mask became an important part of a very specific time in The Undertaker’s legendary career, and it hasn't been forgotten.
