Many wrestling fans know The Undertaker as the multi-time world champion, winner of numerous WrestleMania matches, and deliverer of so many of those crucial WWE moments. But few know Mark Calaway, the man under the long brimmed hat and black trench coat.
That pulling back of the curtain is what WWE’s latest documentary series, The Last Ride, is promising the fans. Calaway doesn’t do many interviews, but this five-part docu-series will give viewers the best look at the man as he navigates through life in the twilight of his career–and the first chapter does a great job setting the foundation for what could be required viewing for wrestling fans.
The Last Ride’s first chapter is titled ‘The Greatest Fear’ and acts as a primer for The Undertaker’s career and a proper introduction to what fans will see in this series. It also shows a side of The Undertaker that fans never see, his vulnerability.
Calaway was documented between 2017 and 2020, and WrestleMania 33–Taker’s match with Roman Reigns–is the backdrop for the first episode. We get a retrospective of The Undertaker’s career starting from his debut at Survivor Series 1990, to the creation of “The Streak,” to everything in between, which serves as a great introduction to the character for those younger fans, but also shows the scope of what he’s done.
As a fan who watched The Undertaker for so much of his career, this part didn’t deliver anything new, but it was necessary to lay the groundwork for how much The Undertaker has meant to the business, how many lives he touched, and ultimately the amount of punishment he took, with interviews from scattered throughout WWE legends.
Which shouldn’t be a surprise, the interviews with Calaway are the best parts of this episode. To hear him talk about his declining ability and the way he questions his place in the company is a bit jarring, but very genuine.
Calaway doesn’t hold anything back in his interviews, either. He goes in with his thoughts on his various injuries and legacy. You hear him doubt his abilities heading into WrestleMania 31, and questions why he was in the 2017 Royal Rumble. It’s that candor and sense of self that made him such a respected and beloved person in the industry, and it’s also easy to see why with how personable and charismatic he comes off in this episode.
Michelle McCool, former WWE superstar and Calaway’s wife, is also a highlight in this first episode. Her thoughts on certain events and Calaway’s career give the episode a grounded perspective, separate from the mindset of other wrestlers. Normally, wrestlers have that mentality that you need to perform under any circumstances and to hear her concerns and anecdotes that Calaway pridefully may not have said was appreciated.
This is especially true when the documentary shifts to WrestleMania 30 when Brock Lesnar breaks “the streak,” and is where the episode really picks up.
Calaway suffers a concussion during the match and miraculously finishes, but we get a peek backstage at the scramble to get him medical attention and how that affects him moving forward. The WWE doesn’t spotlight these types of injuries to their performers, so to see it discussed so openly was refreshing and scary at the same time. Hearing McCool talk about his hospital stay gave me a bit of anxiety watching on the couch.
But that’s what The Last Ride is about, giving fans a side of The Undertaker’s story that hasn’t been told before. All the vulnerabilities, insecurities, and physical ailments discussed throughout is all building to the climax of the episode: WrestleMania 33.
So when we finally got to the Roman Reigns match, I felt–like many others backstage, as we learn–that this was it for The Undertaker. The finality of the backstage interactions and the interviews really made it feel like “The Dead Man” was riding into the sunset, and it brought back the feelings I had when I first saw Calaway put his coat and hat in the middle of the ring. The way the clips and audio were cut together, it was emotional to watch.
But we know that wouldn’t be the case since Calaway is still wrestling, which raises so many questions.
What was Calaway’s decision-making process to continue wrestling? What’s a “proper” sendoff for The Undertaker to him? These are the questions I really want answered, and I think the subsequent episodes will address them.
Those who follow wrestling news closely won’t be surprised by a lot of what’s revealed in this first episode, but the supplementary material (the backstage videos and interviews) gives new sides and perspectives that have never been seen or heard before–so there’s something for even the most die-hard wrestling fan.
The premiere episode of The Last Ride is a great start to what could become the best of WWE’s documentaries. Whether you’re a longtime admirer of The Undertaker or a fan of wrestling, this episode is required viewing. And if the next episodes are as good as this one, I’ll be along for the entire ride.
The Last Ride premieres Sunday, May 10, immediately following the Money in the Bank pay-per-view on the WWE Network.
