Hello Everybody! DONG!…..(the lights go out!)….DONG!….(an eerie mist begins to build)….DONG!….a deathly march fills the air with a purple light…lightning crackles…then the “Deadman” appears! This could only describe one event and that would be the entrance of the world famous pro wrestler The Undertaker! So as you may have guessed today’s post is a wrestling themed saber design and is for the Undertaker, who is sadly retiring from in-ring competition this weekend after ruling the World Wrestling Federation/Entertainment brand for…30 years!
The Undertaker began wrestling in 1984 as a character called “Texas Red”. In 1987 he wrestled his debut against Bruiser Brody. He lost the match but after a short three year stint to pay his dues, Undertaker then joined the big company – The World Wrestling Federation (or WWF). He first appeared as “Kane the Undertaker” but at Survivor Series (a big Pay-per-view show) he was referred to as just “The Undertaker”. He demolished one opponent with his signature move called the Tombstone Piledriver, where he grabs a person round the waist, lifts the guy upside down and drops them (safely) onto their head. A phenomenon had begun. Undertaker was a force to be reckoned with and of course I felt for his achievements he deserved a new saber…this is what I came up with…
The ‘Taker was 6ft 10in tall and around 310 pounds (billed as 7ft 1in) so was intimidating in his black and purple mortician/undertaker outfit. He was impervious to pain and basically your worst nightmare…so this saber needed to be imposing. I achieved this by making the hilt a traditional crossguard that kind of resembles his logo which I also modelled and used as an adornment. The crossguard “quillons” and emitter are edged in purple just like the Taker’s costume (which had purple boots and gauntlets).
The handgrip has beautiful angled rings of silver to give better grip and to break up the solid black colour a bit. And talking of breaking things up, the Undertaker gave a beating to anyone who crossed him and featured in some hellish matches. These matches have become legendary especially his “Casket Match”, “Boiler Room Brawl” and the “Hell In A Cell” (HIAC). Taker took part in a HIAC with fellow wrestler Mick Foley (also known as Mankind) whilst he had a fractured ankle…but it was the fact he threw Mankind off the top of the 20 foot high steel cage of the cell surrounding the ring that was amazing. Foley landed on and destroyed an announcer’s table, somehow surviving, after which he reclimbed the cell and continued fighting Undertaker on top of the demonic structure…
The battle continued and swung back and forth until Taker Chokeslammed (the opponent is grabbed by the neck, lifted up vertically and slammed flat onto their back) Foley onto the roof of the cell. Not once …but twice and an OMG moment occurred. When Taker slammed Mankind a second time, the roof of the cell gave way and Mankind fell through the roof onto the ring beneath!! Somehow both men lived to tell the tale of this match and eventually Taker reached this point having reigned over WWF/WWE for 30 years. To recognise this I added an emblem to the hilt…
The roman numerals add up to thirty, representing his three decades of destruction in pro wrestling! The lower X also acts as the activation switch! Undertaker along with his “in-ring brother” Kane formed a Tag Team named Brothers of Destruction and I designed sabers for both Taker and Kane some years ago now which you can view here: https://ftsabersite.wordpress.com/2016/11/21/phenom-lightsaber-wrestler-inspired-saber/ and here: https://ftsabersite.wordpress.com/2016/11/27/machine-lightsaber-for-kane-wwe/
But back to this design here are a few more images…
There is WAY too much information to attempt to list in this post so I encourage you to search for more info on Mark Calaway and his Undertaker persona and check out some of his memorable matches on YouTube. I want to thank Mark for the sacrifices he has made to his life and health in entertaining me over the three decades. He was the greatest “big man” wrestler I saw, who could do things smaller guys struggled to do, such as walking tight-rope along the top ring rope for his “Old School” move. He was technically brilliant and always developed new moves to keep himself relevant and exciting. But most of all, he was a fan of the fans and appreciated them. I hope he likes my new revised hilt.
So Thank You Taker! May you enjoy your new lifestyle – you have earned it. Undertaker will take his bow at the Survivor Series pay-per-view this weekend (22nd Nov) and you can watch it wherever WWE content is broadcast.
Now I have to bring this post to an end and let it “Rest In Peace” as it were. I have a new robe to try on, it arrived today and man oh man does it look good! But before I go I need to say thanks to all of you for checking this design and post out today. Your support is always appreciated and keeps me creating. Whether this is your first visit or you regularly call back thanks so much. Till next time….
“Reaper – Undertaker’s 30 Year Streak” is a For Tyeth Editions design and is Copyright of For Tyeth/FTSabersite 2020. “The Undertaker” and “Mankind” appear on World Wrestling Federation/Entertainment programming and all names, logos, images and related material are Trademark/Copyright of Titan Sports/WWE Entertainment.
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