How Vince McMahon saved Paul Bearer and made the Undertaker’s return more memorable ahead of Wrestlemania XX where he faced Kane.
The Undertaker is one of the most iconic character in the WWE. It is not just the manner in which the man has carried himself but all the intricate detail that has gone in his creation and development that has made him stand out.
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His backstory with Kane and Paul Bearer is a piece of art that captured the imagination of so many when it was first aired. WWE’s most recent documentary, The Mortician: The Story of Paul Bearer, revealed that Vince McMahon desired to bring the Brothers of destruction face to face once again for a showdown at Wrestlemania.
Paul Bearer was an iconic manager in front of and behind the curtain and was a great friend and great person in my life. I hope this shows just a portion of the man he was and the role he played in helping make The Undertaker so successful. #TheMortician @WWENetwork pic.twitter.com/UdeWpixOVj
— Undertaker (@undertaker) November 8, 2020
The Undertaker, who went by his American Badass persona at the time, was reluctant to go back to his deadman gimmick. However, once he came on board, he proposed the idea of bringing Bearer back as well. Vince honored the request and contacted him 6-months prior to the event,
How Vince McMahon saved Paul Bearer and made the Undertaker’s return more memorable ahead of Wrestlemania XX
Paul Bearer had recently lost his wife and was battling depression at the time. He had put on 525 lbs and refused to answer any calls. Jim Ross then sent an email to him asking if he desired to return to the WWE. Bearer answered in the positive but said his health issues and weight gain would not allow him to do so.
Once word went back to Vince, the WWE chairman decided the most important thing to do was to address Bearer’s health concerns. He signed Bearer back and gave him a bonus that allowed him to undergo a bypass surgery.
This allowed Bearer to lose that extra weight in time for a return to the build of the feud between the Brother’s of destruction. The Undertaker, who had been buried alive by Kane at Survivor Series that year, finally got his retribution at Wrestlemania XX.
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