Everybody's up in arms over the fact that The Undertaker omitted Rey Mysterio from his "Mount Rushmore of 'little guy wrestlers'". I would like to start by saying that I respect everything that Rey has endured and has contributed to this business. Having said that, Rey Mysterio (in my opinion, with all due respect) is NOT a wrestler. He's an acrobat. That's what he's best known for. Not for real wrestling. Especially in his younger days, Rey Mysterio was an uninhibited acrobat. Phenomenal athlete (no pun intended). He's just not a wrestler. I remember when Lou Thesz (rest him, bless him) commented about Hulk Hogan in The Unreal Story of Professional Wresting documentary, "As a showman, I give him a 9 or a 10. As a wrestler, I give him a 1 or a 0 (zero). He's not a bad guy, he's just not a wrestler." That was the most apt and shrewd description of Hulk Hogan and his ability as a wrestler. Again, with all due respect, I respect everything that Hulk has endured and has contributed to this business. He's just not a wrestler. Not that anyone cares but here's my "Mount Rushmore": 1. Bret Hart - shouldn't even be debated. The best there is, was and ever will be. In and out of the ring. His career was cut entirely too short by that bafoon Goldberg. Not just a brilliant mind as a wrestler but is known to share his knowledge and wisdom with up-and-comers imparting nuggets of wrestling gold. I could go on and on but you get the idea. 2. Kurt Angle - again, undebatable. Olympic champion, 2x national champion, technical wizard. Bret Hart's dream opponent, as written in his book Hitman (great read, by the way). 3. Chris Benoit - double murder-suicide aside (I still don't think he did it), the most rugged and intense technical wrestling machine ever. Neck and neck with Kurt. I put Kurt ahead of Benoit due to his pure wrestling pedigree and the fact that Kurt won the Olympic gold with a "broken, frickin' neck"! Indisputable and unmitigated toughness personifed. RIP Benoit 4. Owen Hart - so ahead of his time, as (in my opinion) he was the precursor of the archetypal technical wrestler of his time's next generation. Had he lived, he would've been steeped in the main event level and would never have had to be relegated to mid-card due to his not wanting to put up with the Attitude Era nonsense. Taken far too soon. RIP Owen. *Sorry, Eddie (Guerrero). However, I do acknowledge you with an honorable mention. These men are WRESTLERS. Not "superstars", not "sports entertainers". Wrestlers. Another quote I remember. Not from a respected wrestler, but a line from a very powerful movie. Proximo, when advising Maximus to "win the crowd", uttered, "I wasn't the best because I killed quickly. I was the best because the crowd loved me." That statement, in a nutshell, is the total indictment of us as fans of "sports entertainment". I'm a fan of WRESTLING. Two (or more) combatants displaying masterful storytelling through the highest form of human art and physical movement & expression. That, nowadays (most times), is what's sorely lacking in today's generation of "sports entertainment". Like it or not, you know it's true. And it doesn't help that upstart companies like AEW put on what I like to call "highspot crack" for the masses to get high off of and have no substance at times when they perform. I don't even watch AEW, as I prefer WWE (should still be WWF, don't even get me started on that). However, what I've seen while flipping through channels and coming across it at times or when perusing through social media, makes me wanna puke! AEW is Tony Khan's generic version of WCW. WCW is another clusterfuck for whom shouldn't even have existed. However, without upstarts like WCW and AEW, WWE wouldn't be who they are today. Even when their shows are not as entertaining as I would like them to be, WWE is still light years ahead of everyone else. I'm a lifelong fan, tried and true. Since 1987. And still going strong. Nuff said. The End. Period.
Kind of hard for anyone to argue since none of us actually worked with these people. As fans, our choices are purely subjective whereas your views are more objective. I am curious about Bret not making the cut, if it's just that he missed the cut wrestling wise or size wise. (Wikipedia has him at exactly 6', the same as Kurt, but don't trust the internet)
I love that he mentioned Chris without going into the tragedy. Granted Undertaker was top dog backstage for 25+ years so none of the boys are gonna give him grief for it. But still it's still refreshing to see the wrestler get respect not the person.
I think the passage of time has been a factor there. It's been 16 years now, and I've seen more people reference his work without the asterisk. It's not something I think should be forgotten, but it's getting easier to separate from his work.
@@hermonymusofsparta I don’t think so. I think even Chris himself would want others to put all the blame on him, not the business. In a 2004 interview, he went on a bit of rant about how wrestlers abuse drugs and how they could potentially kill themselves because of it with people blaming the wrestling industry for it. He says “the world doesn’t push into the depths of darkness, you do”.
To tell you the truth I didn't expect Mysterio because a great deal of his moves were impressive but unrealistic. He would attack the legs and then make some impossible moves in a real fight to end the match. Benoit, on the other hand, in a dark alley, a bar, or in a ring... I would get naked to avoid a fight in any circumstances against him. Ps: Mysterio was fantastic to watch, don't get me wrong.
Undertakers last match against AJ is beautiful. You can tell how much respect mark has for him. I was 100% not expecting #3 to appear on a list. Much respect
AJ Styles is one rare breed, to have legendary career in such a short amount of time in WWE. When Undertaker himself praises Styles it speaks volumes about Styles as a professional wrestler. Never imagined that a TNA legend will be the last person to wrestle Undertaker. Truly he will go down in history as the best Wrestler to put on the boots.
@@lysergicpillamyd483 Katie Vick! Kane but no cigar... Ahh you WWE fans 😂Taker is kiddy! Well apart from those couple of years he became a bikie, that was a bit better at least.
@@lysergicpillamyd483 seriously though, I'm talking about this nonsense: ua-cam.com/video/wTvmuaCcwvE/v-deo.html Biggest pop in WWE history only to be buried from then on. DDP was too over for Vince so he got Taker to bury him and make him look as inferior as possible.
Brock let Eddie go over. So, that says a lot about Eddie. Loved the fact that people forget he’s 5’8, but was able to work with any size. Plus, he had the whole package as a wrestler. RIP Eddie.
Mark Calaway being a UA-camr is the thing I didnt know I needed this year. Great to se you retiring and enjoying with your fanbase the stories and honest commentary you waited for so long to share. This channel will become a treasure of professional wrestling.
Great names that were picked by The Undertaker himself. AJ Styles the phemonenal one himself with his high flying offence and the honour of being Undertaker's last opponent. Chris Benoit, the 07 incident aside was one of the greatest technical wrestlers that honed his craft in the ring. Kurt Angle the intensity that he possessed was off many charts and Eddie Guerrero not only with his technical prowess, but combined with his charisma was top notch.
I had stopped watching for years. I was a huge HBK fan and just lost the interest in it. I happened to be flipping through channels and I saw the undertaker….but he didn’t look like the undertaker anymore, which was crazy to me. And it was a ladder match. Then came Jeff Hardy. Him not quitting no matter how many times taker beat him down hooked me again.
I agree with your list. I want to tell a pretty cool Eddie story. The night before Wrestlemania 19. My friends and I were at an Arcade in Seattle. We were playing games and won a bunch of tickets. We saw Eddie with his daughter and thought, we're not going to use these. So we gave them to Eddie and his daughter. He was so cool. RIP Eddie.
Oh man, that match was classic. It was like that match unlocked something for Taker, like we really got to see his style evolve in the ring when he started busting out the MMA submissions and such It was like the Wrestling Machine version of Kurt was so powerful he forced Undertaker to let loose his true ability in the ring, when against other opponents he could just rely on his size and strength to put them away.
That no way out match was an instant classic. I heard he wanted to lose the streak to Angle. I wonder if they would have had a match at mania that year if Eddie hadn’t passed away and Rey then obviously going on to main event mania and win the title.
@@decdeckers the original plan was Eddie vs HBK at Mania that year. They probably would have had Taker win the rumble and did the same match but at Mania. Rey woulda still been a mid carder like he was, they probably do him and Orton.
If you watch WWE Shows every week then you have heard when they mention him having shows the same weekend in teh same city as some of their Premium Live Events. For a long time he did not do Autograph Signings and you never saw him do Autograph Signings. He does now that he has retired.
Eddie Guerrero is a deserving mention! Coming from Taker is cementing a true legend. Eddie did deliver the color entertainment promos and the guy could freakin wrestle!
Idk how you leave off: Bret Hart. He was 6 feet tall on the dot. Owen Hart was 5’8”. Rey Mysterio, Chris Jericho, RVD, or the man of a thousand holds Dean Malenko. Those are all more worthy than AJ Styles imo BY FAR. But I had Eddie in at number 2 behind Bret, Shawn (so he was 6’1” 🤷♂️ As such I had to include Ric Flair. Also 6’1”). Bret, Shawn, and Flair are on my overall Mt. Rushmore alongside of course the GOAT, Mark Callaway aka The Undertaker, aka The American Badass! Honorable mention for 5th is without a doubt Terry Funk for my overall Mt. Rushmore. He wrestled professionally for 52 years! Reinvented himself every decade to meet the newer styles. In his 50’s, the man helped bring real hardcore wrestling to America and the west. IMO, him, Mick Foley, Sabu, and Tommy Dreamer deserve a Mt. Rushmore wrapped in barbed wire with weapons as the pupils of the eyes on a Hardcore Mount Rushmore!
he’s a Texan who worked with guys who worked with Eddie’s brothers so it’s not a shock he thought highly of Eddie…but Eddie did help the small guys get over huge in WCW and WWE which saved countless careers and inspired many others
@@tonyslicer7399 The fact Bret Hart (6’0”), Owen Hart (5’8” MAYBE 5’9”), Rey Mysterio, Rob Van Dam, and the man of 1,000 holds Dean Malenko were left off is the most shocking. Bc Michaels and Flair are both 6’1” so neither foots the bill for a 6 feet and under list. But all the other aforementioned names are far more deserving IMO than AJ. And I’d leave Benoit off the list bc murdering your family including your 7 year old son then killing yourself eliminates everything you did in your pro career. Don’t care what your pro accomplishments are. That’s a permanent deal breaker for me. Benoit is off of every list except for the stupidest and one of the most entertaining finishing moves ever 🤣 Jumping off the top turnbuckle to land a head butt to your opponents sternum hurts you far more than your opponent 😅 He does make my top 10 list of dumbest finishers ever
Eddie was the reason I got into wrestling in the first place. I happened to pick him in one of the old Smackdown games the same year he won the WWE title, and him winning the Smackdown rumble was my very first show I ever watched. Miss him to this day. Glad he was 1 on this list.
As an adult now watching Marks career from as young as I remember 95, it’s really good to see him in his retirement and living life beyond the ring. Prayers on Bro!
Would’ve loved to see that Taker/Styles match in the ring. With the effortless way AJ can fly around the ring it would’ve been one epic match. Phenom vs Phenominal One. Eddie and Chris were pure magic in the rings to me. Chris made me believe what I was watching. The fire, the intensity, how’d he let a random bit of snot of spit fly at the right time to really sell what he was doing. Eddie was so entertaining. His timing was perfect. So we’re his transitions. Again, he made you believe what you watching. Kurt was the only guy I’ve seen that matched Chris’ intensity. To think of how good he was, so quickly is mind boggling. And he did that with all those injuries. Imagine what he could’ve done healthy. I can only add honorable mentions. Mysterio, Michaels and Jericho would have to be on that list. He never worked with Taker but I was always a big fan of Ultimo Dragon. The Ice Man, Dean Malenko.
My favorite moment in all of my years watching wrestling was Wrestlemania 20. The end of the triple threat main event showing Benoit on the turnbuckle hoisting the World Championship belt. The confetti is raining down and then Benoit turns around and sees Eddie in the middle of the ring. When those 2 men hug you feel so satisfied that 2 absolute workhorses with no drama and no bs finally got to the top of the mountain.
I was there. Madison Square Garden. It was a great moment. And also, it was the return of the Deadman gimmick. I bought a huge foam board Tombstone printed with his OG look on it.
Massive respect to Mark for recognising Chris Benoits in ring ability. Chris is one of my all time favourite wrestlers and it’s nice to hear a legend of wrestling talk about Chris without getting into the tragedy of the death of his family.
Still a murderer no matter what he did before I guarantee you this was a regular guy that committed double homicide suicide you guys will be calling him a monster
@jamaljamal59 no sir, he was sick. You can ignore that if you want. But he was sick. Proof! Had he just killed himself then he'd be in the HoF, and everyone would admit he had CTE.....BUT because his wife and child were killed, ppl now wanna ignore the facts that he had CTE. fact is, CTE has been around in boxing and especially the NFL before benoits incident. Benoit happened to be the very 1st CTE incident in prowrestling history. And the most severe case combined with football and boxing. Want more recent examples? Read about Jevon Belcher and especially Phillip Adams
I always remember Eddie Guerrero til this day, man. Heart of gold, had great talent, awesome charisma, always fun to see him do his thing with wrestling and with other top talents. He’ll always be a legend that will never be forgotten in my book. Him, Kurt Angle, Rey, Undertaker, Chris, Cena, Booker, and Orton were the reasons I tuned in to Smack Down in the early 2000s and talk about the matches with friends from my childhood at church.
100% agree with the list. Especially the top pick. Eddie was just absolutely phenomenal in and out of the ring. It was immensely entertaining. From the antics to his in ring ability, his look, his gimmicks, it was priceless every time. Thanks Mark!
I’m with ya. Eddie had it all. Looking back, it’s really impressive the range he had. He could be the vicious heel or the lovable underdog baby face. His persona always felt believable and real. If I were a talent in the business today, that’s who I’d be trying to emulate.
Tajiri: Massively underrated, some of his ECW work is among the most entertaining and intense work I've seen. Rey Mysterio: Him flying through the air is the first thing I imagine 80% of people thought when they saw this title, for good reason. Benoit: My dad and I loved watching his matches no matter who he was fighting, for the reasons you mentioned. RVD: One of a kind.
Tajiri has a good case for being the best male Japanese wrestler of all time. I probably ultimately would give it to Nakamura but Tajiri is definitely in the discussion.
This was rich. I have them as my mount rushmore as well. Appreciate you mentioning Chris, I know lots of people that would leave him to dry cause of what he did. Respect Taker!
I am so happy Undertaker is now doing this. For so many years I longed to get to know him as a person(not in a creepy way) but have so much respect for how long he kept kayfabe till mostly after his retirement. He truly is one of a kind.
As soon as he said Chris Benoit I genuinely got chills. I was fairly certain i'd never hear that name leave this man's mouth due to Mark's loyalty to WWE and Vince, and their well documented decision to not mention him ever again. I am also greatly impressed that he didn't even mention the tragedy. Just spoke wrestling. Finally. If the locker room leader can behave like this, can't everyone?
This channel really is one of the best things going on UA-cam right now. I hope Mark can upload consistently because this channel is really entertaining
I was a little surprised Rey Mysterio wasn’t on the list, but again.. with only 4 spots it’s tough. I was thinking he was going to be number one but when he said Latino Heat, I was like, oh yea, I guess he WAS under 6 feet. His personality was so big , and he was so entertaining in the ring I forgot he was actually a smaller guy. Miss that guy. Great list
Eddie always knew how to work the crowd. Weather a heel or face, he always had that charm about himself. On top of being a great wrestler and memorable feuds he had. Like that 6 man tag match that you were a part of with Kurt Eddie Chris edge and rikishi
Chris Benoit, Kurt Angle, Eddie Guerrero and Chris Jericho. Not only for their ability in the ring, but Jericho and Kurt and Eddie were amazing doing promos and everything else.
@@JamesLarson47 Being specific, the criteria was actually "6'0" and under." Both Kurt Angle and Chris Jericho are exactly 6'0" so they fit. And yeah it's like the NBA, where someone like Steph Curry, who is 6'2", would be considered a "small guy" if compared to other players. WWE is predominately a big man's world.
IMAGINE being one of the people on this list! and having a legend like mark calaway THE UNDERTAKER say he is a FAN of you and your work! thats one of the biggest honors you can get in this business in my opinion!
That's really cool that you wanted to have more matches against smaller opponents because I agree that contrasts in size and stature help tell stories well.
It's hard to disagree with anyone on the list. They're all some of the greatest ever. It's hard for me to see Angle as a little guy though. The number 1 guy you have to start with when you mention little guys in wrestling is Rey Mysterio. He perfected the David vs Goliath match, and has enough oomph to his offense to look believable.
I'm sure if undertaker could pick more he would of had Rey Mysterio on there. But it's not called a top 4 for nothing. Usually it's top 5, 10, 15 etc lol
Oh man, The Undertaker has a UA-cam channel? Love seeing the content continue off of television, especially with a legend like this. I was watching you at age 7, even dressed as you for Halloween when I was 10. I'm 23 now, and you're still one of the coolest dudes in so many people's books - including mine. Would love a collab video with you and Maven by the way.
@@justinterry2926more believable than steroids. I'd say CTE and depression are 2 most believable and I agree theres no excuse for what he did. That said as a pro wrestler he was definitely a goat
You new to wrestling? Everyone gives Benoit's skills credit. He isn't celebrated loudly because he doesn't deserve to be. Regardless of what his circumstances were or weren't he's still a murderer.
Two matches I wish we got at Wrestlemania but never did was Eddie vs Undertaker, I think that could've been a very special match with Eddie trying to break the streak through cheating, and Eddie vs Shawn Michaels. Love Eddie. Chokes me up still that he isn't around.
So grateful for you to mention Chris Benoit. Irrespective of what he did in the last day of his life, his work in the ring can't be forgotten. He was one of the best wrestlers. Period.
I really appreciate Taker mentioning Benoit. Not many wrestlers feel comfortable talking about him and there’s a lot of wrestlers that had career highlight matches with Benoit who can’t bring it up now because of what happened that weekend. The things Benoit did are unforgivable and no one is ever going to fully understand why it happened. But at the same time one thing we do know is how much he loved the wrestling business and it’s nice to see that some of the people he worked with still respect his in-ring body of work. I grew up watching the Ruthless aggression era and was a fan of Benoit’s as a kid. I was too young to fully understand the situation as I saw it play out. Obviously now I understand the full extent and how much damage it did to the wrestling reputation at the time. But as just a fan of his, it’s still hard to come to terms with what happened and why it had to happen to this day sometimes.
Agreed. Taker's talking shop. As Paul Heyman once said: "Benoit as a performer; One of the best. As a human being: Horrid person for doing what he did". Taker's talking shop, so credit where credit's due I guess.
@@nicorojascastrocan someone with a mental condition really be horrid of it was out of their control? Was he of sound mind and body? I think there's alot about his condition that we truly don't know and are still learning.
You’re right no one will fully understand what happened, but the information that’s been found paints a good enough picture that people still claim as inexcusable when the man clearly wasn’t in the right state of mind where he had control over his actions. Something that happened because of years and years of head injuries because no one took them seriously until after what happened. Even though modern WWE isn’t all that great compared to back then, but at least they do everything they can to make sure there isn’t another situation similar to Benoit. Blame the era that didn’t take head injuries seriously.
Undertaker. Sir . Legend. Thank you for everything. Thank you for all the time you missed with your family and friends. Thank you for fighting through injuries and everything else that comes with being the undertaker. Thank you for traveling thousands of miles. Just thank you for giving me entertainment for basically my whole life. You sir are the undisputed GOAT
Besides WM 25 my favorite and underrated Taker match will always be Taker vs Kurt at No Way Out 2006. If you haven't watched I highly recommend and it really should have been at Mania
@@Lostandtobefound 2002 or 2003? I think they had a match in 2002 with the infamous finish where Taker taps out while Angle's shoulders are on the mat which was alright, but their best SD match was in late 2003 although it suffers from a non-finish when Lesnar interferes. Similar fate to the 2006 match with Henry attacking Taker.
My favorite Eddie Guerrero was before he joined WWE and got too physically big. Chavo Guerero, Sr. wrote in his autobiography that, while he never actually saw Eddie use steroids, he talked to him about it and told him that he was not meant to carry around that much muscle and it was affecting him physically and mentally.
It wasn't really the gear that killed Eddie. It was the hard drugs and heavy drinking. Most people would die if they took 100 percocets in a day, but he'd do that EVERY DAY and wash it down with a gallon of booze.
Sir, It is an honour and privilege to have been alive during your domination of wrestling, you have been my greatest hero and never let me down. Speaking as a born and raised Albertan I love how you recognize the talents of the late Chris Benoit, and I am so overjoyed how even in your retirement the wrestling world looks to you for the standard of excellence with little opposition. That is just a testament to your talent, impact on the sport and and the inspiration that Taker and your legacy will forever have on sports entertainment. Like most boys raised by their wrestling fan dads in the 90s, I started life as a Hulkamaniac until I heard the bell tome for the first time on Monday night raw and I I still talk with my dad about that night. Eddie was gone too soon but even then I thought that he was in the conversation for the greatest little guy performers. I look forward to more content from your channel, as I wait for that moment as Taker said it "never say never!" I wait for that oh too familiar tome one more time. #thankyouTaker
I adore eddie from the second he walked into wwe until his passing. Im so glad he made the list of another legend. So much respect for u mentioning chris. To many people cant appreciate the hard work and effort he put into his career. Yes his life had a tragic ending but it doesnt invalidate his work in ring
Damn, someone actually including benoit, respect. Honorable mentions for me Bret & Owen Heart, Rey, Jericho, Bryan Danielson. So many greats that could have been in the top 10!
@@Vereid During his second run, Shawn was a small guy for sure. About 5'10 and 190 pounds. But pre back injury he wasn't small. In his match with Austin at WM14 he's easily 6'0 225 pounds and clearly on the juice. So I think Shawn only qualifies as small the last 8 years of his career.
@@Vereid Yeah if you watch that match with Austin he's actually bigger than Austin, who was very lean at the beginning of his run. I think 1997 and prior HBK was just a shade over that small category. My cut off is about 6'0, 220 lbs. That is the standard Bret and Shawn both helped set in 1997. It was about as small as you could get while still being believable that you could still beat up the guy in the front row. You can't say the same for guys like CM Punk, Rey Mysterio or Daniel Bryan. These guys are REALLY small. We're talking 170 lbs and 2/3 are well under 6'0.
Chris Benoit still after all these years, the dude was one of the best wrestlers of all time, I'll never forget him giving Steve Austin like 15 suplexes in a row on a random Smackdown.
Chris Benoit sent a bunch of texts on Sunday, but the coroner said he died Saturday…and cops never found his phone. As well as Chris was found laying on the floor slumped against the machine…how did a dead guy get himself down? I’m not entirely convinced he did those things.
@@sancho578 that’s not why he has him on the list. I’m not condoning his actions but forgiving someone for what they did is not for them. It’s just saying that I’m finally in peace with myself on this tragedy & I’m ready to move on. Plus you can still love the wrestler & his work but hate what he did at the end of his life. Some people just want to remember his character & his work in the ring
Crazy leaving out Shawn Michaels, let alone not giving him your #1 spot? The fist HIAC match & the WM25 performance were two of the best matches I've ever seen.
His definition of "small guys" was 6 feet and under, HBK is 6'1" so he wouldn't qualify. I'm surprised Bret Hart wasn't included as he's 6', same as Kurt Angle and AJ Styles. Personally I would base it on weight not height, say 235 lbs and under. Based on that I would pick Shawn Michaels, Bret Hart, and Chris Benoit for sure. The last spot might change on any given day and could be Owen Hart, Christian, AJ Styles, Dolph Ziegler, Eddie Guerrero, or Rey Mysterio.
Thanks for putting Chris Benoit on your list. I can't come up with a top 4 of anyone or anything, but my top 10 or 20 would include someone that I think Chris liked and kind of modeled himself after and that is The Dynamite Kid. Always liked Kurt Angle. He had some of the most hilarious promos, I especially liked the one with Austin and that ridiculous tiny cowboy hat.
Mr Taker/Callaway Sir, I would just like to say thank you to you for all the joy you have brought to me with your matches and the stories you told from the 90’s onwards. Please never underestimate how the joy you brought us all has helped light some of our darkest times ❤
Kurt is a legend. I get he was a heel for most of his run, but people really haven't the slightest clue how great he is. I miss the days of him being the olympic hero rather than the "you suck" chants. Again, I get he is a heel & he is a great heel, so I get it, but he is extremely underrated & underappreciated.
@@BBBYpsiAnd? Don’t shoot the messenger. Lol. Is he on Taker’s list or no? Write to Taker then, it’s his list, not mine. What I said stands, 6’ isn’t even tall in the industry. Kurt has also lost a little height-bumped into him back in 2018 here in Pgh. The man is a legend & he made Taker’s list for a reason.
@@hawkeyestiguy everyone looses height when they get older it is just a fact of life. I myself now 63 yrs old have lost 1 1/2 inches. I know some who have lost 3-4 inches or more.
@@BBBYpsi Obviously. Kurt has lost more from injuries, which is why I mentioned it. I’m not talking about natural height loss. As I said, Kurt is on Taker’s list, so if you don’t like it, take it up with him. 🤷🏻♂️
I don't think Taker realises how much we enjoy hearing what he has to say. Love that Eddie was number 1. You're a legend mate. Thanks for taking the time to talk to us. I think most of us could listen to what you have to say for donkeys years.
Kurt Angle was a genius. To be able to transition into the business and excel like he did so quickly is unparalleled. I recall being blown away as a teenager by his in-ring work. Absolutely one of the best to ever lace em’ up and a pleasure getting to watch him.
I got to say what a pleasure it is to hear you tell stories and to see you actually getting a chance to interact with your fan base on a personal level out of character. For me my personal Mount Rushmore of " little guys" would have to be Rey Mysterio Jr, Shawn Michaels, Chris Benoit, And I would agree with you on Eddie Guerrero. That would be my My top four. But I also have a lot of honorable mentions
Shawn Michaels is 6'1" so him being considered a small guy is kind of borderline. I think Michaels is more of a guy on the lower side of middle sized guys.
A Mount Rushmore of small guys for me would have to go like this: AJ Styles. I’ve never seen someone make a bigger name and have their work know all over the world before even making it to WWE than AJ Styles and when he finally came over to the WWE, he had some of those matches that’ll make the all time lists. I’m with you on Kurt Angle as well. He wasn’t someone people expected to transition so well and become a recognized name like The Rock, Undertaker, and Stone Cold, but he did it. Bryan Danielson has to be there for me. Wrestling went under a spell to where it just wasn’t so popular anymore and it’s because a lot of those in ring barn burners were just happening less and less. You couldn’t get behind a babyface wrestler either because it got to a point to where they just wasn’t cool. Bryan changed that and sparked a resurgence for wrestling in the WWE, showing a technical prowess only seen by guys like Kurt, Eddie, Benoit, Malenko, and a few others. Lastly, I’ve gotta go with Rey Mysterio. That man was never expected to be as big as he became. He was a good hand in wcw and gave that little bit of something different people liked to see with their cruiserweights, but he still wasn’t recognized in the wag Hogan, Sting, Goldberg, DDP, and a few others were over there. Then he came to wwe and brought that something different to the big time and man did he still the shows night in and night out. He’s also the only wrestler I’ve ever seen to be able to come to the wwe and never get in a spot to where he had to turn heel because the crowd wasn’t with him.
A great list. Always great to hear a personal take. Kurt feels a bit too big to be a small man, just hitting that 6 foot mark. There's Owen Hart who fits the size better, and I would have also added Ricky Steamboat, one of the best sellers of all time. Steamboat's style was trying to bring it into realism.
It's crazy to think those four guys are considered "small guys" when you think in all of them you realize they are way bigger than the average male. But of course, we're talking about wrestling, a larger than life sport and I love it and I love your videos, man.
It could just be because I'm a big fan of his, but Rey Mysterio definitely deserves a spot. The only difficult thing is who to replace him with. Maybe on the Mount Rushmore of high flyers.
Honestly, Thankyou for Taker not mentioning what happened at the end of Benoit's life as inexcusable as it is, Chris Benoit as a wrestler is undeniably an exceptional talent and that deserves to be remembered My Mt Rushmore has to be Eddie Guerrero Rey Mysterio Jushin Liger Chris Benoit
Guerrero, Tiger Mask, Dynamite Kid, Rey Mysterio. Tiger Mask, dynamite and Rey all changed the way juniors wrestle and Eddie is the greatest in ring performer of all time. Honorable mention to AJ
Eddie Guerrero should have had, in my opinion, more World Championship runs than he did. Eddie was fun to watch whether he was running face or heel. He was that guy you loved to love and loved to hate. I'm a little surprised HBK wasn't on this list.
He was going to have a WHC title run but unfortunately, he passed away before that could happen. However, he supposedly didn’t like being world champion.
I'll go by who i liked to watch Mysterio Crash Holly Rob Van Damn The Hurricane Those were my guys growing up lol You know what shout out to Tajiri too
Can easily see why he chose these four and makes perfect sense from his experience of wrestling them. Personally, I'd go with HBK, Mysterio, Bret Hart and Dynamite Kid. Taker had classics with three out of the four. Would have loved to see him and Tommy Billington in the ring together especially considering how much he enjoyed working with Benoit who modelled himself on Dynamite. Honourable mentions to Chris Jericho, CM Punk and Bryan Danielson. Could easily pick more! Think ZSJ and Ospreay amongst others will be up there when their careers are said and done.
Mark, I really enjoyed the content. Can I recommend and idea that I think many would also love to see? Can you do a watch-along where you bring up classic matches and we get to hear your commentary on the match, what was going on in your head during the match, etc... thanks again.
Hey Mark, randy Orton said a while ago that he wants to be the next undertaker, the guy that always stayed with WWE and always delivered. I humbly think he's already a legend and I hope he gets to become a legend like the undertaker. Would love to hear what you think of that statement.
Chris Benoit, what can i say that hasn't already been said, his technical ability alone was incredible & i will always remember his time teamed up with Jericho & they'd perform both finishers on an apponent at once. Rey Mysterio, he put Mexico on the map, he brought Luchadore to the lime light & that finisher was unreal, almost no other move made me jump out my seat than a 619. Eddie Guerrero has to be on everyones list, that man had more charisma than the knights of the round table & he backed it up with an incredible ability in & outside of the ring, love everything about him, from his ring music to his 5 star frog splash & 3 amigos. Daniel Bryan (Bryan Danielson) he almost single handedly changed WWEs attitude towards smaller guys with the Yes movement & off his own back created his own legacy despite all the odds stacked against him. And finally, Chris Jericho, constantly reinventing himself, again, so much charisma, wrestling ability & is almost unmatched on the microphone, even to this day.
Become a Creature of the Night
patreon.com/SixFeetUnderwithMarkCalaway
rey mysterio
Everybody's up in arms over the fact that The Undertaker omitted Rey Mysterio from his "Mount Rushmore of 'little guy wrestlers'". I would like to start by saying that I respect everything that Rey has endured and has contributed to this business. Having said that, Rey Mysterio (in my opinion, with all due respect) is NOT a wrestler. He's an acrobat. That's what he's best known for. Not for real wrestling. Especially in his younger days, Rey Mysterio was an uninhibited acrobat. Phenomenal athlete (no pun intended). He's just not a wrestler.
I remember when Lou Thesz (rest him, bless him) commented about Hulk Hogan in The Unreal Story of Professional Wresting documentary, "As a showman, I give him a 9 or a 10. As a wrestler, I give him a 1 or a 0 (zero). He's not a bad guy, he's just not a wrestler." That was the most apt and shrewd description of Hulk Hogan and his ability as a wrestler. Again, with all due respect, I respect everything that Hulk has endured and has contributed to this business. He's just not a wrestler.
Not that anyone cares but here's my "Mount Rushmore":
1. Bret Hart - shouldn't even be debated. The best there is, was and ever will be. In and out of the ring. His career was cut entirely too short by that bafoon Goldberg. Not just a brilliant mind as a wrestler but is known to share his knowledge and wisdom with up-and-comers imparting nuggets of wrestling gold. I could go on and on but you get the idea.
2. Kurt Angle - again, undebatable. Olympic champion, 2x national champion, technical wizard. Bret Hart's dream opponent, as written in his book Hitman (great read, by the way).
3. Chris Benoit - double murder-suicide aside (I still don't think he did it), the most rugged and intense technical wrestling machine ever. Neck and neck with Kurt. I put Kurt ahead of Benoit due to his pure wrestling pedigree and the fact that Kurt won the Olympic gold with a "broken, frickin' neck"! Indisputable and unmitigated toughness personifed. RIP Benoit
4. Owen Hart - so ahead of his time, as (in my opinion) he was the precursor of the archetypal technical wrestler of his time's next generation. Had he lived, he would've been steeped in the main event level and would never have had to be relegated to mid-card due to his not wanting to put up with the Attitude Era nonsense. Taken far too soon. RIP Owen.
*Sorry, Eddie (Guerrero). However, I do acknowledge you with an honorable mention.
These men are WRESTLERS. Not "superstars", not "sports entertainers". Wrestlers.
Another quote I remember. Not from a respected wrestler, but a line from a very powerful movie. Proximo, when advising Maximus to "win the crowd", uttered, "I wasn't the best because I killed quickly. I was the best because the crowd loved me." That statement, in a nutshell, is the total indictment of us as fans of "sports entertainment". I'm a fan of WRESTLING. Two (or more) combatants displaying masterful storytelling through the highest form of human art and physical movement & expression. That, nowadays (most times), is what's sorely lacking in today's generation of "sports entertainment". Like it or not, you know it's true. And it doesn't help that upstart companies like AEW put on what I like to call "highspot crack" for the masses to get high off of and have no substance at times when they perform. I don't even watch AEW, as I prefer WWE (should still be WWF, don't even get me started on that). However, what I've seen while flipping through channels and coming across it at times or when perusing through social media, makes me wanna puke! AEW is Tony Khan's generic version of WCW.
WCW is another clusterfuck for whom shouldn't even have existed. However, without upstarts like WCW and AEW, WWE wouldn't be who they are today. Even when their shows are not as entertaining as I would like them to be, WWE is still light years ahead of everyone else. I'm a lifelong fan, tried and true. Since 1987. And still going strong. Nuff said. The End. Period.
My top 4 small guys of all time
1) chris benoit
2) billy kidmen
3) Juventud guerrera
4) Ultimo dragon
Kind of hard for anyone to argue since none of us actually worked with these people. As fans, our choices are purely subjective whereas your views are more objective. I am curious about Bret not making the cut, if it's just that he missed the cut wrestling wise or size wise. (Wikipedia has him at exactly 6', the same as Kurt, but don't trust the internet)
I totally thought HBK was going to be the top spot.
My list would be
HBK
Benoit
Angle
Jericho
The fact that Angle and Benoit are billed as 6'0 feet and jacked and yet still considered small makes me feel small too D:
Angle billed at 6’2 😂 Benoit billed at 5’10 which is quite accurate 5’8-9 real life
Angle is 5'10" but billed at 6'2"
Because wrestlers aren't as tall as they are billed
Angle was shoot 6’.
Kurt Angle was billed 5'10" in the Olympics. No way he was 6'.
I love that he mentioned Chris without going into the tragedy. Granted Undertaker was top dog backstage for 25+ years so none of the boys are gonna give him grief for it. But still it's still refreshing to see the wrestler get respect not the person.
That’s separating the art from the artist
@@PopPunkNerdWhich in this instance is wrong because his "art" is what caused the tragedy
I think the passage of time has been a factor there. It's been 16 years now, and I've seen more people reference his work without the asterisk. It's not something I think should be forgotten, but it's getting easier to separate from his work.
@@hermonymusofsparta that i can agree too
@@hermonymusofsparta I don’t think so. I think even Chris himself would want others to put all the blame on him, not the business. In a 2004 interview, he went on a bit of rant about how wrestlers abuse drugs and how they could potentially kill themselves because of it with people blaming the wrestling industry for it. He says “the world doesn’t push into the depths of darkness, you do”.
Expected Mysterio but didn’t expect Benoit. Pleasantly surprised that he was acknowledged. Before the incident he was one of my favorites.
"The incident" - the double murder. Benoit is a disgrace.
To tell you the truth I didn't expect Mysterio because a great deal of his moves were impressive but unrealistic.
He would attack the legs and then make some impossible moves in a real fight to end the match.
Benoit, on the other hand, in a dark alley, a bar, or in a ring...
I would get naked to avoid a fight in any circumstances against him.
Ps: Mysterio was fantastic to watch, don't get me wrong.
I have heard who his number 1 is yet but it has to be Rey.
There is such a thing as death of the author. His work can still be amongst your favourites.
@@gropatapouf5998Seeing Rey live is a whole different thing. I didn’t realize how good he was till I saw him in person.
Undertakers last match against AJ is beautiful. You can tell how much respect mark has for him. I was 100% not expecting #3 to appear on a list. Much respect
AJ Styles is one rare breed, to have legendary career in such a short amount of time in WWE. When Undertaker himself praises Styles it speaks volumes about Styles as a professional wrestler. Never imagined that a TNA legend will be the last person to wrestle Undertaker. Truly he will go down in history as the best Wrestler to put on the boots.
Taker finished his career with the phenomenal one and had a great match.
I just love that the Undertaker now has a UA-cam channel. This dude is unreal. Thank you sir!
@@namikstudiosWow u so cringe m8
@@namikstudiossomebody's edgy today.
@@namikstudiosThe hell are you even talking about?
@@lysergicpillamyd483 Katie Vick! Kane but no cigar... Ahh you WWE fans 😂Taker is kiddy! Well apart from those couple of years he became a bikie, that was a bit better at least.
@@lysergicpillamyd483 seriously though, I'm talking about this nonsense: ua-cam.com/video/wTvmuaCcwvE/v-deo.html Biggest pop in WWE history only to be buried from then on. DDP was too over for Vince so he got Taker to bury him and make him look as inferior as possible.
Brock let Eddie go over. So, that says a lot about Eddie. Loved the fact that people forget he’s 5’8, but was able to work with any size. Plus, he had the whole package as a wrestler. RIP Eddie.
What does it mean when people say "go over"
@@eessanasser8812Brock let Eddie beat him
Because Brock was on his way out of the WWE.
Eddie was 5"8 but yet never seemed like a small guy. He didn't look out of place against Brock.
Vickie Guerrero in a interview also said that in early 2010s. Brock gave Vickie a hug and said "I'm always gonna miss Eddie"
Mark Calaway being a UA-camr is the thing I didnt know I needed this year. Great to se you retiring and enjoying with your fanbase the stories and honest commentary you waited for so long to share. This channel will become a treasure of professional wrestling.
Great names that were picked by The Undertaker himself. AJ Styles the phemonenal one himself with his high flying offence and the honour of being Undertaker's last opponent. Chris Benoit, the 07 incident aside was one of the greatest technical wrestlers that honed his craft in the ring. Kurt Angle the intensity that he possessed was off many charts and Eddie Guerrero not only with his technical prowess, but combined with his charisma was top notch.
I loved the feud he had with Jeff Hardy! That ladder match for the title was amazing
The whole story telling was top tier. The after match was a wholesome moment. Mad times. That version of the undisputed title was my fav
But Jeff is 6'1", so just a tad too big to be on the list.
I would think Rey Mysterio was missed but who am I to argue with the Deadman!
@@dennisharry8408 I had no idea he was that tall
I had stopped watching for years. I was a huge HBK fan and just lost the interest in it. I happened to be flipping through channels and I saw the undertaker….but he didn’t look like the undertaker anymore, which was crazy to me. And it was a ladder match. Then came Jeff Hardy. Him not quitting no matter how many times taker beat him down hooked me again.
I agree with your list. I want to tell a pretty cool Eddie story. The night before Wrestlemania 19. My friends and I were at an Arcade in Seattle. We were playing games and won a bunch of tickets. We saw Eddie with his daughter and thought, we're not going to use these. So we gave them to Eddie and his daughter. He was so cool. RIP Eddie.
Which arcade?! 206 stand up
Great list. Undertaker vs Angle No Way Out 2006 was a top tier match 10/10 . I loved Eddie too 😢😢
No Way Out 2096 was 👍
Oh man, that match was classic.
It was like that match unlocked something for Taker, like we really got to see his style evolve in the ring when he started busting out the MMA submissions and such
It was like the Wrestling Machine version of Kurt was so powerful he forced Undertaker to let loose his true ability in the ring, when against other opponents he could just rely on his size and strength to put them away.
That was supposed to be the wrestlemania match that year, but Vince wanted Kurt to end the streak but Kurt said no so they had it a month before.
That no way out match was an instant classic. I heard he wanted to lose the streak to Angle. I wonder if they would have had a match at mania that year if Eddie hadn’t passed away and Rey then obviously going on to main event mania and win the title.
@@decdeckers the original plan was Eddie vs HBK at Mania that year. They probably would have had Taker win the rumble and did the same match but at Mania. Rey woulda still been a mid carder like he was, they probably do him and Orton.
Really wanna meet you one day🙏🏾
wtf lmao the real fredobang
@@giospagelmaoo crazy
U will bro. Jus Keep Droppin Heat! He Seems Like a pretty genuine guy. Just reach out, might get a reply
Fredo and taker legendary collab
If you watch WWE Shows every week then you have heard when they mention him having shows the same weekend in teh same city as some of their Premium Live Events. For a long time he did not do Autograph Signings and you never saw him do Autograph Signings. He does now that he has retired.
Man, seeing Mr. Calaway so chilled back and normal like the rest of us is surreal to me. Good on him, he's earned the rest.
Eddie Guerrero is a deserving mention! Coming from Taker is cementing a true legend. Eddie did deliver the color entertainment promos and the guy could freakin wrestle!
Idk how you leave off:
Bret Hart. He was 6 feet tall on the dot. Owen Hart was 5’8”. Rey Mysterio, Chris Jericho, RVD, or the man of a thousand holds Dean Malenko. Those are all more worthy than AJ Styles imo BY FAR.
But I had Eddie in at number 2 behind Bret, Shawn (so he was 6’1” 🤷♂️ As such I had to include Ric Flair. Also 6’1”).
Bret, Shawn, and Flair are on my overall Mt. Rushmore alongside of course the GOAT, Mark Callaway aka The Undertaker, aka The American Badass!
Honorable mention for 5th is without a doubt Terry Funk for my overall Mt. Rushmore. He wrestled professionally for 52 years! Reinvented himself every decade to meet the newer styles. In his 50’s, the man helped bring real hardcore wrestling to America and the west. IMO, him, Mick Foley, Sabu, and Tommy Dreamer deserve a Mt. Rushmore wrapped in barbed wire with weapons as the pupils of the eyes on a Hardcore Mount Rushmore!
Suprise no Michaels mention
he’s a Texan who worked with guys who worked with Eddie’s brothers so it’s not a shock he thought highly of Eddie…but Eddie did help the small guys get over huge in WCW and WWE which saved countless careers and inspired many others
@@tonyslicer7399 That’s bc he’s 6’1”
@@tonyslicer7399 The fact Bret Hart (6’0”), Owen Hart (5’8” MAYBE 5’9”), Rey Mysterio, Rob Van Dam, and the man of 1,000 holds Dean Malenko were left off is the most shocking. Bc Michaels and Flair are both 6’1” so neither foots the bill for a 6 feet and under list.
But all the other aforementioned names are far more deserving IMO than AJ.
And I’d leave Benoit off the list bc murdering your family including your 7 year old son then killing yourself eliminates everything you did in your pro career. Don’t care what your pro accomplishments are. That’s a permanent deal breaker for me. Benoit is off of every list except for the stupidest and one of the most entertaining finishing moves ever 🤣 Jumping off the top turnbuckle to land a head butt to your opponents sternum hurts you far more than your opponent 😅 He does make my top 10 list of dumbest finishers ever
Eddie was the reason I got into wrestling in the first place. I happened to pick him in one of the old Smackdown games the same year he won the WWE title, and him winning the Smackdown rumble was my very first show I ever watched.
Miss him to this day. Glad he was 1 on this list.
He really could cheat-lie-steal with the best of them!🌮
As an adult now watching Marks career from as young as I remember 95, it’s really good to see him in his retirement and living life beyond the ring. Prayers on Bro!
Would’ve loved to see that Taker/Styles match in the ring. With the effortless way AJ can fly around the ring it would’ve been one epic match. Phenom vs Phenominal One.
Eddie and Chris were pure magic in the rings to me.
Chris made me believe what I was watching. The fire, the intensity, how’d he let a random bit of snot of spit fly at the right time to really sell what he was doing.
Eddie was so entertaining. His timing was perfect. So we’re his transitions. Again, he made you believe what you watching.
Kurt was the only guy I’ve seen that matched Chris’ intensity. To think of how good he was, so quickly is mind boggling. And he did that with all those injuries. Imagine what he could’ve done healthy.
I can only add honorable mentions. Mysterio, Michaels and Jericho would have to be on that list. He never worked with Taker but I was always a big fan of Ultimo Dragon. The Ice Man, Dean Malenko.
Add one more, and there’s the top 10.
@@bMt5553Bret Hart
@@dethlady0 it appears I stand corrected, and I’m happy to be corrected on this.
My favorite moment in all of my years watching wrestling was Wrestlemania 20. The end of the triple threat main event showing Benoit on the turnbuckle hoisting the World Championship belt. The confetti is raining down and then Benoit turns around and sees Eddie in the middle of the ring. When those 2 men hug you feel so satisfied that 2 absolute workhorses with no drama and no bs finally got to the top of the mountain.
Yes man that my all time wrestling moment, even til this day watching it gives the chills
I was there for this!!!! 2004 my childhood
I was there. Madison Square Garden. It was a great moment. And also, it was the return of the Deadman gimmick. I bought a huge foam board Tombstone printed with his OG look on it.
Nevermind that the disgrace Benoit had already held the Big Gold Belt four years earlier in WCW. With hindsight we can say he did not deserve either.
Shit makes me cry everytime
Massive respect to Mark for recognising Chris Benoits in ring ability. Chris is one of my all time favourite wrestlers and it’s nice to hear a legend of wrestling talk about Chris without getting into the tragedy of the death of his family.
Still a murderer no matter what he did before I guarantee you this was a regular guy that committed double homicide suicide you guys will be calling him a monster
@jamaljamal59 please stop! We all know what happened but you can't ignore WHY it happened. Just leave it alone
@@JDilla2285 he's a murderer
@jamaljamal59 no sir, he was sick. You can ignore that if you want. But he was sick. Proof! Had he just killed himself then he'd be in the HoF, and everyone would admit he had CTE.....BUT because his wife and child were killed, ppl now wanna ignore the facts that he had CTE. fact is, CTE has been around in boxing and especially the NFL before benoits incident. Benoit happened to be the very 1st CTE incident in prowrestling history. And the most severe case combined with football and boxing. Want more recent examples? Read about Jevon Belcher and especially Phillip Adams
@@JDilla2285he’s not wrong.
Taker hasn’t forgotten the Rey botch which busted his nose lol
Yeah i heard it was busted nose, cracked orbital, and a concussion all in a single move.
I always remember Eddie Guerrero til this day, man. Heart of gold, had great talent, awesome charisma, always fun to see him do his thing with wrestling and with other top talents. He’ll always be a legend that will never be forgotten in my book.
Him, Kurt Angle, Rey, Undertaker, Chris, Cena, Booker, and Orton were the reasons I tuned in to Smack Down in the early 2000s and talk about the matches with friends from my childhood at church.
Man when you put the roster on smack down with that perspective and names. What a banger of a show
100% agree with the list. Especially the top pick. Eddie was just absolutely phenomenal in and out of the ring. It was immensely entertaining. From the antics to his in ring ability, his look, his gimmicks, it was priceless every time. Thanks Mark!
I’m with ya. Eddie had it all. Looking back, it’s really impressive the range he had. He could be the vicious heel or the lovable underdog baby face. His persona always felt believable and real. If I were a talent in the business today, that’s who I’d be trying to emulate.
Tajiri: Massively underrated, some of his ECW work is among the most entertaining and intense work I've seen.
Rey Mysterio: Him flying through the air is the first thing I imagine 80% of people thought when they saw this title, for good reason.
Benoit: My dad and I loved watching his matches no matter who he was fighting, for the reasons you mentioned.
RVD: One of a kind.
Tajiri has a good case for being the best male Japanese wrestler of all time. I probably ultimately would give it to Nakamura but Tajiri is definitely in the discussion.
@@joemckim1183 Kenta Kobashi, Misawa, Muta, Inoki, Rikidozan, Tiger Mask are all way above Nakamura and Tajiri. I do like Nak and Taj though.
RVD isn't really a small guy
He falls into Takers category, 6 foot or under. @@Querymonger
@TheTeddyGuy28 That’s a good list. Taker had some pretty good Hardcore matches with Taijiri and RVD during his Hardcore title run.
This was rich. I have them as my mount rushmore as well. Appreciate you mentioning Chris, I know lots of people that would leave him to dry cause of what he did. Respect Taker!
Excellent list by Taker. You can tell he put a lot of thought into it.
I am so happy Undertaker is now doing this. For so many years I longed to get to know him as a person(not in a creepy way) but have so much respect for how long he kept kayfabe till mostly after his retirement. He truly is one of a kind.
As soon as he said Chris Benoit I genuinely got chills. I was fairly certain i'd never hear that name leave this man's mouth due to Mark's loyalty to WWE and Vince, and their well documented decision to not mention him ever again. I am also greatly impressed that he didn't even mention the tragedy. Just spoke wrestling. Finally. If the locker room leader can behave like this, can't everyone?
Because they know it was a professional hit job
it hasn't been that way for a while now. you can watch his matches on peacock lol
Weirder that he remembers all these guys' penis sizes. Imagine Taker's orgasms though... OWWWWW MICHELLE
Fck that. Chris murdered his wife and children. Those are the facts.
😂😂😂😂
This channel really is one of the best things going on UA-cam right now. I hope Mark can upload consistently because this channel is really entertaining
Eddie was so smooth with everything he did. He made it look so effortless.
Glad to hear Chris is on this list. I agree completely. He’s definitely on my Rushmore. Chris, Eddie, Rey, Jericho.
I was a little surprised Rey Mysterio wasn’t on the list, but again.. with only 4 spots it’s tough. I was thinking he was going to be number one but when he said Latino Heat, I was like, oh yea, I guess he WAS under 6 feet. His personality was so big , and he was so entertaining in the ring I forgot he was actually a smaller guy. Miss that guy. Great list
He didn’t work work with Rey as much… I’m sure that played into it.
@@TheLobMobnot true, they were two of smackdowns main eventers late 2000s and early 2010s they faced eachother alot
Rey broke Takers orbital bone👀
@@Viikk785probably why rey missed the list lol
@TheLobMob He didn't work with Benoit alot yet Benoit is on the list.
Small guys... Jesus Christ. Said guys will no doubt love being referred to as such.
Love this channel so far. The Angle match at 06 No Way Out is a classic. Mine would be Rey, Eddie, Angle, Owen
Respect for acknowledging Chris for his ring work.
Eddie always knew how to work the crowd. Weather a heel or face, he always had that charm about himself. On top of being a great wrestler and memorable feuds he had.
Like that 6 man tag match that you were a part of with Kurt Eddie Chris edge and rikishi
Been a huge fan of yours since about 9 years old man, you're a living legend and I hope to meet you one day
Thank you very much for adding Chris Benoit and not having hesitation or fear in saying Benoit's name.
I agree they know they can't get rid of Benoit
Chris Benoit, Kurt Angle, Eddie Guerrero and Chris Jericho. Not only for their ability in the ring, but Jericho and Kurt and Eddie were amazing doing promos and everything else.
Jericho and Angle aren't under 6', which is why I'm surprised to see Angle on the list.
@@JamesLarson47i guess its like the NBA. Its still “bigs and smalls” when the smalls are like 6ft- 6’3. Compared to the 7 footers they are small
@@JamesLarson47 Being specific, the criteria was actually "6'0" and under." Both Kurt Angle and Chris Jericho are exactly 6'0" so they fit. And yeah it's like the NBA, where someone like Steph Curry, who is 6'2", would be considered a "small guy" if compared to other players. WWE is predominately a big man's world.
@@JamesLarson47 He said "six foot and under" bud
@@CreepyBlackDudeare you stupid. Kurt was 5’10 in his prime and so was jericho now they are both just over 5’9
IMAGINE being one of the people on this list! and having a legend like mark calaway THE UNDERTAKER say he is a FAN of you and your work! thats one of the biggest honors you can get in this business in my opinion!
You're not wrong!
I loved Jericho and Bret Hart. Would love to hear your thoughts on working with them or out of the ring moments!
That's really cool that you wanted to have more matches against smaller opponents because I agree that contrasts in size and stature help tell stories well.
It's hard to disagree with anyone on the list. They're all some of the greatest ever. It's hard for me to see Angle as a little guy though. The number 1 guy you have to start with when you mention little guys in wrestling is Rey Mysterio. He perfected the David vs Goliath match, and has enough oomph to his offense to look believable.
I'm sure if undertaker could pick more he would of had Rey Mysterio on there. But it's not called a top 4 for nothing. Usually it's top 5, 10, 15 etc lol
He said his criteria was 6ft and under and Kurt is 6ft so....
@@dcinsc6ft isn't really small though
I mean compared to a 6'10 guy it is.
I remember Rey Mysterio taking down Kevin Nash to win the WCW World Title. That shit was unreal! I loved it!
Oh man, The Undertaker has a UA-cam channel? Love seeing the content continue off of television, especially with a legend like this.
I was watching you at age 7, even dressed as you for Halloween when I was 10. I'm 23 now, and you're still one of the coolest dudes in so many people's books - including mine.
Would love a collab video with you and Maven by the way.
Calaway is no legend, he is a disgrace who disrespected a real legend - DDP.
I'm so glad you mentioned Benoit, the way things ended didn't change the fact that he's one of the greatest in ring wrestlers of all time.
Right. Chris was an amazing wrestler. What happened happened.
I agree, but there’s no one the blame for his legacy being forgotten except Chris himself
@@Havok999clearly wasn't forgotten if the Undertaker is talking
@@MrSilus2000 forgotten from wwe I meant
@@Havok999 more like buried by the company.
Love these interviews you do for the fans. We love hearing all the stories and memories and thank you for sharing back with us the fans!
Bout time somebody mentioned how good a wrestler Benoit was. RIP to the Benoit family. CTE is a very real thing that goes unchecked
But it's also not excuse for his actions
And also can't be proven that it caused it
Alcohol allergy is a thing, too.
@@justinterry2926more believable than steroids. I'd say CTE and depression are 2 most believable and I agree theres no excuse for what he did. That said as a pro wrestler he was definitely a goat
CTE can only be detected after dissecting the brain. Last I knew.
You new to wrestling? Everyone gives Benoit's skills credit. He isn't celebrated loudly because he doesn't deserve to be. Regardless of what his circumstances were or weren't he's still a murderer.
Two matches I wish we got at Wrestlemania but never did was Eddie vs Undertaker, I think that could've been a very special match with Eddie trying to break the streak through cheating, and Eddie vs Shawn Michaels. Love Eddie. Chokes me up still that he isn't around.
According to Bruce Prichard in a past interview, Eddie was supposed to face HBK at Mania 22 for the WHC, while Kurt Angle was going to face Taker
So grateful for you to mention Chris Benoit. Irrespective of what he did in the last day of his life, his work in the ring can't be forgotten. He was one of the best wrestlers. Period.
I really appreciate Taker mentioning Benoit. Not many wrestlers feel comfortable talking about him and there’s a lot of wrestlers that had career highlight matches with Benoit who can’t bring it up now because of what happened that weekend. The things Benoit did are unforgivable and no one is ever going to fully understand why it happened. But at the same time one thing we do know is how much he loved the wrestling business and it’s nice to see that some of the people he worked with still respect his in-ring body of work.
I grew up watching the Ruthless aggression era and was a fan of Benoit’s as a kid. I was too young to fully understand the situation as I saw it play out. Obviously now I understand the full extent and how much damage it did to the wrestling reputation at the time. But as just a fan of his, it’s still hard to come to terms with what happened and why it had to happen to this day sometimes.
Agreed. Taker's talking shop. As Paul Heyman once said: "Benoit as a performer; One of the best. As a human being: Horrid person for doing what he did". Taker's talking shop, so credit where credit's due I guess.
Gross.
What he did was inexcusable but i can still watch his matches and love it
@@nicorojascastrocan someone with a mental condition really be horrid of it was out of their control? Was he of sound mind and body? I think there's alot about his condition that we truly don't know and are still learning.
You’re right no one will fully understand what happened, but the information that’s been found paints a good enough picture that people still claim as inexcusable when the man clearly wasn’t in the right state of mind where he had control over his actions.
Something that happened because of years and years of head injuries because no one took them seriously until after what happened.
Even though modern WWE isn’t all that great compared to back then, but at least they do everything they can to make sure there isn’t another situation similar to Benoit.
Blame the era that didn’t take head injuries seriously.
Undertaker. Sir . Legend. Thank you for everything. Thank you for all the time you missed with your family and friends. Thank you for fighting through injuries and everything else that comes with being the undertaker. Thank you for traveling thousands of miles. Just thank you for giving me entertainment for basically my whole life. You sir are the undisputed GOAT
I’m shocked there was no rey. He literally embodies the little guys. One of the most influential wrestlers ever
I feel like if this list had been longer than he definitely would’ve been on. Probably number five if it was a top five.
Rey broke Taker's orbital bone
@@CosmikGamerand?
@@CosmikGamerwhat does that have to do with the list?
Rey is responsible for a lot of the trampoline garbage that Jim Cornette hates.
Never thought of most of these guys as "small guys". Really puts the size of most of the roater through the years into perspective.
Besides WM 25 my favorite and underrated Taker match will always be Taker vs Kurt at No Way Out 2006. If you haven't watched I highly recommend and it really should have been at Mania
Their two Smackdown matches from 02 and 06 were incredible also.
Helluva match
Definitely agree wish it was a wrestlemania match
@@Lostandtobefound 2002 or 2003? I think they had a match in 2002 with the infamous finish where Taker taps out while Angle's shoulders are on the mat which was alright, but their best SD match was in late 2003 although it suffers from a non-finish when Lesnar interferes. Similar fate to the 2006 match with Henry attacking Taker.
@@aaaa.7897 yes, apologies, 2003!
If we're going under 6 ft. it's gonna be AJ Styles, Rey Mysterio, Eddie Guerrero, and Daniel Bryan. Honourable mention to the true big dog Swoggle.
My favorite Eddie Guerrero was before he joined WWE and got too physically big. Chavo Guerero, Sr. wrote in his autobiography that, while he never actually saw Eddie use steroids, he talked to him about it and told him that he was not meant to carry around that much muscle and it was affecting him physically and mentally.
It wasn't really the gear that killed Eddie. It was the hard drugs and heavy drinking. Most people would die if they took 100 percocets in a day, but he'd do that EVERY DAY and wash it down with a gallon of booze.
This would probably explain why he looked disproportionately jacked up top
Eddie had the best frog splash. I've never liked the other guy who felt the need to grab his chest and flop off the guy after his frog splash...
@@lemmymororhead1733RVD's version of the Frog Splash was 100x better than Guerrero. 2nd best was D'Lo Brown.
@atifqavi2054 are you serious? Your opinion...
I detested him always falling off his opponent and grabbing his stomach...
Eddie's was crisp.
Sir,
It is an honour and privilege to have been alive during your domination of wrestling, you have been my greatest hero and never let me down. Speaking as a born and raised Albertan I love how you recognize the talents of the late Chris Benoit, and I am so overjoyed how even in your retirement the wrestling world looks to you for the standard of excellence with little opposition. That is just a testament to your talent, impact on the sport and and the inspiration that Taker and your legacy will forever have on sports entertainment. Like most boys raised by their wrestling fan dads in the 90s, I started life as a Hulkamaniac until I heard the bell tome for the first time on Monday night raw and I I still talk with my dad about that night. Eddie was gone too soon but even then I thought that he was in the conversation for the greatest little guy performers. I look forward to more content from your channel, as I wait for that moment as Taker said it "never say never!" I wait for that oh too familiar tome one more time. #thankyouTaker
Eddie's personality was so big you forget that he was a little guy. Gone too soon, what a great wrestler.
Eddie is easily top 5 of any list. I just re-watched a match between Eddie and Kurt and it was just incredible.
I adore eddie from the second he walked into wwe until his passing. Im so glad he made the list of another legend. So much respect for u mentioning chris. To many people cant appreciate the hard work and effort he put into his career. Yes his life had a tragic ending but it doesnt invalidate his work in ring
Respect that Taker mentioned Benoit
Damn, someone actually including benoit, respect.
Honorable mentions for me Bret & Owen Heart, Rey, Jericho, Bryan Danielson. So many greats that could have been in the top 10!
Bret and owen were above 6 feet weren't they?
Owen was 5'10 and Bret was 6'0.
I wouldn't consider Bret a smaller guy by any means.
Bret, Kurt and even Benoit are all around the same size, which is why I’m a little shocked Bret isn’t there.
Only a top 4 unfortunately
How did I NOT know that Taker has his own channel? Fastest I've ever subscribed.
I'm kinda shocked Taker didn't mention Shawn. But kudos for shouting out Chris and Eddie.
I was shocked also but then checked, Shawn Michaels is 6ft1, so he’s too tall for this list.
@@Vereid During his second run, Shawn was a small guy for sure. About 5'10 and 190 pounds. But pre back injury he wasn't small. In his match with Austin at WM14 he's easily 6'0 225 pounds and clearly on the juice. So I think Shawn only qualifies as small the last 8 years of his career.
@@crispycruiser4654 ah I see, that makes a lot of sense.
@@Vereid Yeah if you watch that match with Austin he's actually bigger than Austin, who was very lean at the beginning of his run. I think 1997 and prior HBK was just a shade over that small category. My cut off is about 6'0, 220 lbs. That is the standard Bret and Shawn both helped set in 1997. It was about as small as you could get while still being believable that you could still beat up the guy in the front row. You can't say the same for guys like CM Punk, Rey Mysterio or Daniel Bryan. These guys are REALLY small. We're talking 170 lbs and 2/3 are well under 6'0.
@@crispycruiser4654But Taker said 6 foot and under so Shawn still qualifies in that category
Eddie is and always be the best ever for me. Completely captured me when I was younger. Rip
Chris Benoit still after all these years, the dude was one of the best wrestlers of all time, I'll never forget him giving Steve Austin like 15 suplexes in a row on a random Smackdown.
I'm surprised Austin agreed to take them with all his neck problems.
Yeah, the wrestler was incredible, the human, not so much unfortunately
When Suplex city really started
@@AbridgimationThe man had extreme CTE. The act was horrible but that wasn’t him fam.
@@7reasons617 Yeah, it was his twin brother Charles Benoit
Billy Kidman, Rey Mystetio, Eddie Guerrero, AJ Styles
I respect the Billy Kidman shout out. He always put on great matches.
@@joshuagumpert8910 Thanks for the reply! Yes I agree, Kidman is one of my favorites all time, fun to watch 😎
Billy Kidman never fought the undertaker though, so what's the point of naming him for the 4 spots
I never seen him around him at least
God bless you for including Benoit. He did a heinous thing but his talent and intensity undeniable
@@sancho578 Get absolutely lost. We're talking about his wrestling ability.
Chris Benoit sent a bunch of texts on Sunday, but the coroner said he died Saturday…and cops never found his phone. As well as Chris was found laying on the floor slumped against the machine…how did a dead guy get himself down?
I’m not entirely convinced he did those things.
@@sancho578 that’s not why he has him on the list. I’m not condoning his actions but forgiving someone for what they did is not for them. It’s just saying that I’m finally in peace with myself on this tragedy & I’m ready to move on. Plus you can still love the wrestler & his work but hate what he did at the end of his life. Some people just want to remember his character & his work in the ring
That is the first time I heard The Undertaker mentions Chris Benoit.
Crazy leaving out Shawn Michaels, let alone not giving him your #1 spot? The fist HIAC match & the WM25 performance were two of the best matches I've ever seen.
As soon as I saw the title I just assumed Shawn was number 1, shocked 😱😱
His definition of "small guys" was 6 feet and under, HBK is 6'1" so he wouldn't qualify. I'm surprised Bret Hart wasn't included as he's 6', same as Kurt Angle and AJ Styles. Personally I would base it on weight not height, say 235 lbs and under. Based on that I would pick Shawn Michaels, Bret Hart, and Chris Benoit for sure. The last spot might change on any given day and could be Owen Hart, Christian, AJ Styles, Dolph Ziegler, Eddie Guerrero, or Rey Mysterio.
This list is 6ft and under
What a great list. I think it's really great that you mentioned Chris without going into the tragedy, just focussing on what he did for the business.
Thanks for putting Chris Benoit on your list. I can't come up with a top 4 of anyone or anything, but my top 10 or 20 would include someone that I think Chris liked and kind of modeled himself after and that is The Dynamite Kid. Always liked Kurt Angle. He had some of the most hilarious promos, I especially liked the one with Austin and that ridiculous tiny cowboy hat.
Angle and Benoit brought technical wrestling back to WWE in 2001. Two of my fav wrestlers.
Taker having a UA-cam is something I would’ve NEVER imagined lol love it
Mr Taker/Callaway Sir, I would just like to say thank you to you for all the joy you have brought to me with your matches and the stories you told from the 90’s onwards.
Please never underestimate how the joy you brought us all has helped light some of our darkest times
❤
Kurt is a legend. I get he was a heel for most of his run, but people really haven't the slightest clue how great he is. I miss the days of him being the olympic hero rather than the "you suck" chants. Again, I get he is a heel & he is a great heel, so I get it, but he is extremely underrated & underappreciated.
Except Kurt is not under 6' tall he is exactly 6' tall. Even in the Olympics he was listed at 6'
@@BBBYpsiAnd? Don’t shoot the messenger. Lol. Is he on Taker’s list or no? Write to Taker then, it’s his list, not mine. What I said stands, 6’ isn’t even tall in the industry. Kurt has also lost a little height-bumped into him back in 2018 here in Pgh. The man is a legend & he made Taker’s list for a reason.
@@hawkeyestiguy everyone looses height when they get older it is just a fact of life. I myself now 63 yrs old have lost 1 1/2 inches. I know some who have lost 3-4 inches or more.
@@BBBYpsi Obviously. Kurt has lost more from injuries, which is why I mentioned it. I’m not talking about natural height loss. As I said, Kurt is on Taker’s list, so if you don’t like it, take it up with him. 🤷🏻♂️
@@BBBYpsi All this over literally an inch… 🤣
I don't think Taker realises how much we enjoy hearing what he has to say. Love that Eddie was number 1.
You're a legend mate. Thanks for taking the time to talk to us. I think most of us could listen to what you have to say for donkeys years.
Kurt Angle was a genius. To be able to transition into the business and excel like he did so quickly is unparalleled. I recall being blown away as a teenager by his in-ring work. Absolutely one of the best to ever lace em’ up and a pleasure getting to watch him.
I got to say what a pleasure it is to hear you tell stories and to see you actually getting a chance to interact with your fan base on a personal level out of character. For me my personal Mount Rushmore of " little guys" would have to be Rey Mysterio Jr, Shawn Michaels, Chris Benoit, And I would agree with you on Eddie Guerrero. That would be my My top four. But I also have a lot of honorable mentions
Shawn Michaels is 6'1" so him being considered a small guy is kind of borderline. I think Michaels is more of a guy on the lower side of middle sized guys.
@@joemckim1183 If Shawn Michaels is 6'1" then CM Punk and John Cena are above 6'2" lol. He's 5'11" at most
Mysterio, angle, Benoit, michaels.
A Mount Rushmore of small guys for me would have to go like this: AJ Styles. I’ve never seen someone make a bigger name and have their work know all over the world before even making it to WWE than AJ Styles and when he finally came over to the WWE, he had some of those matches that’ll make the all time lists. I’m with you on Kurt Angle as well. He wasn’t someone people expected to transition so well and become a recognized name like The Rock, Undertaker, and Stone Cold, but he did it. Bryan Danielson has to be there for me. Wrestling went under a spell to where it just wasn’t so popular anymore and it’s because a lot of those in ring barn burners were just happening less and less. You couldn’t get behind a babyface wrestler either because it got to a point to where they just wasn’t cool. Bryan changed that and sparked a resurgence for wrestling in the WWE, showing a technical prowess only seen by guys like Kurt, Eddie, Benoit, Malenko, and a few others. Lastly, I’ve gotta go with Rey Mysterio. That man was never expected to be as big as he became. He was a good hand in wcw and gave that little bit of something different people liked to see with their cruiserweights, but he still wasn’t recognized in the wag Hogan, Sting, Goldberg, DDP, and a few others were over there. Then he came to wwe and brought that something different to the big time and man did he still the shows night in and night out. He’s also the only wrestler I’ve ever seen to be able to come to the wwe and never get in a spot to where he had to turn heel because the crowd wasn’t with him.
I loved this list, kurt angle and aj styles were top notch in everything.
A great list. Always great to hear a personal take. Kurt feels a bit too big to be a small man, just hitting that 6 foot mark. There's Owen Hart who fits the size better, and I would have also added Ricky Steamboat, one of the best sellers of all time. Steamboat's style was trying to bring it into realism.
It's crazy to think those four guys are considered "small guys" when you think in all of them you realize they are way bigger than the average male. But of course, we're talking about wrestling, a larger than life sport and I love it and I love your videos, man.
Mark is just bigger I guess
@@odakidakida9193 that's right, matter of perspectives
I think some he listed just because he's really tall because I agree with you.
It could just be because I'm a big fan of his, but Rey Mysterio definitely deserves a spot. The only difficult thing is who to replace him with. Maybe on the Mount Rushmore of high flyers.
No. He injured taker by accident. This is undertakers list of people he would most enjoy working with. Not just anyone.
Rey Mysterio Jr is somewhere doing the tear face meme
Love Kurt angle being called a small guy when he could literally whoop everyone’s ass in a real fight 😂
He whooped people with a broken neck
@@ethanritter9090Oh it's true, it's damn true.
Honestly, Thankyou for Taker not mentioning what happened at the end of Benoit's life as inexcusable as it is, Chris Benoit as a wrestler is undeniably an exceptional talent and that deserves to be remembered
My Mt Rushmore has to be
Eddie Guerrero
Rey Mysterio
Jushin Liger
Chris Benoit
Hbk?
Good call with Thunder Liger. ⚡️
I LOVE YOU TAKER !!!!!
4. Hornswagle 3. El Dandy 2. Spike Dudley 1. Ernest “the cat” Miller
Guerrero, Tiger Mask, Dynamite Kid, Rey Mysterio.
Tiger Mask, dynamite and Rey all changed the way juniors wrestle and Eddie is the greatest in ring performer of all time. Honorable mention to AJ
Punk back in WWE and Benoit being mentioned by Taker. What a timeline
Eddie Guerrero should have had, in my opinion, more World Championship runs than he did. Eddie was fun to watch whether he was running face or heel. He was that guy you loved to love and loved to hate.
I'm a little surprised HBK wasn't on this list.
HBK is/was 6′ 1″
@@MikesTek Thanks! I was misinformed on that. I thought I had read somewhere that HBK was something like 5'10" or thereabout.
He was going to have a WHC title run but unfortunately, he passed away before that could happen. However, he supposedly didn’t like being world champion.
I'll go by who i liked to watch
Mysterio
Crash Holly
Rob Van Damn
The Hurricane
Those were my guys growing up lol
You know what shout out to Tajiri too
Lol. Undertaker calling Angle a "small guy."
Compared to Taker, everyone is little.
Angle is a 5'9.
Can easily see why he chose these four and makes perfect sense from his experience of wrestling them. Personally, I'd go with HBK, Mysterio, Bret Hart and Dynamite Kid. Taker had classics with three out of the four. Would have loved to see him and Tommy Billington in the ring together especially considering how much he enjoyed working with Benoit who modelled himself on Dynamite.
Honourable mentions to Chris Jericho, CM Punk and Bryan Danielson. Could easily pick more! Think ZSJ and Ospreay amongst others will be up there when their careers are said and done.
HBK and Bret Hart are both over 6'0 feet I the the Dynamite Kid was taller as well
I dnt think hbk and Bret are under 6 feet tho
Shawn is listed at 6'1 and I believe Bret is 6'2
Bret wasn’t a little man at all
I feel like Shawn and Bret are legit under 6 ft. WWE billed heights are horseshit.
Shawn Michaels. Bret hart
Mark, I really enjoyed the content. Can I recommend and idea that I think many would also love to see? Can you do a watch-along where you bring up classic matches and we get to hear your commentary on the match, what was going on in your head during the match, etc... thanks again.
Hey Mark, randy Orton said a while ago that he wants to be the next undertaker, the guy that always stayed with WWE and always delivered. I humbly think he's already a legend and I hope he gets to become a legend like the undertaker. Would love to hear what you think of that statement.
I think he would be more fit as a new Kane. He’s as sadistic as Kane was in the attitude era.
@@GypsyDanger514thats not what he means, orton wants to be a guy thats only been in wwe and never,left
@@GypsyDanger514lol no where near sadistic as AE Kane
Chris Benoit, what can i say that hasn't already been said, his technical ability alone was incredible & i will always remember his time teamed up with Jericho & they'd perform both finishers on an apponent at once.
Rey Mysterio, he put Mexico on the map, he brought Luchadore to the lime light & that finisher was unreal, almost no other move made me jump out my seat than a 619.
Eddie Guerrero has to be on everyones list, that man had more charisma than the knights of the round table & he backed it up with an incredible ability in & outside of the ring, love everything about him, from his ring music to his 5 star frog splash & 3 amigos.
Daniel Bryan (Bryan Danielson) he almost single handedly changed WWEs attitude towards smaller guys with the Yes movement & off his own back created his own legacy despite all the odds stacked against him.
And finally, Chris Jericho, constantly reinventing himself, again, so much charisma, wrestling ability & is almost unmatched on the microphone, even to this day.
Looking at videos like this makes me respect wrestling more thanks for giving your input