Why The Undertaker’s Real Life Heel Turn Isn’t A Dealbreaker

The debut episode of Monday Night Raw on Netflix delivered exactly what casual wrestling fans tune in for—high-octane action, headline-worthy matches featuring rivalries with long-term storylines, appearances from WWE legends, and those heart-pounding moments only WWE knows how to pull off.

But let’s be real—what really grabbed people’s attention wasn’t the matches or the nostalgia trip; it was Hulk Hogan stepping out in front of a fired-up LA crowd, only to get booed out of the building. Now, on the surface, it looked like the crowd turned on Hogan solely because of his outspoken support for President-elect Trump. But if that were the only reason, you’d expect The Undertaker to get the same frosty reception when he showed up. Spoiler: he didn’t.

For a lot of left-leaning fans, this was a weird, uncomfortable moment. Here’s the thing—The Undertaker has always been respected as the so-called “locker room leader” and backstage moral compass. But learning about his real-life political leanings? Yeah, that’s a tough pill to swallow. Still, while it’s disheartening to find out one of your all-time favorite wrestlers supports something you despise, it’s not necessarily a deal-breaker for your fandom. Why? Because if you’re going to single out one wrestler for being pro-Trump, you can’t ignore the company-wide ties to Trump that run way deeper.

WWE and Donald Trump have a history stretching back decades, long before his run for office, and it’s likely that connection will stick around for years to come. Their relationship officially kicked off in the late ‘80s when WrestleMania IV and V were hosted at Trump Plaza in Atlantic City. Over the years, the partnership continued, culminating in Trump’s infamous “Battle of the Billionaires” match against Vince McMahon at WrestleMania 23—a moment we all remember, whether we want to or not.

In case you forgot, Trump isn’t just some old business partner of WWE; he’s part of their legacy. He was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2013, and let’s not forget Vince McMahon’s ex-wife, Linda McMahon, held two key roles in Trump’s administration—first as head of the Small Business Administration, and will now serve as Secretary of Education during Trump’s second term. The ties between WWE and Trump are baked into the company’s DNA, so if you’re going to call out The Undertaker for his political stance, you’ve got to hold the entire organization to the same standard.

Now, say what you want about The Undertaker’s political views, but outside of that, his record is relatively clean. No scandalous tapes. No leaked audio of him dropping slurs or admitting to racist behavior. He’s managed to keep his in-ring character—The Phenom—completely separate from Mark Calloway, the man behind the gimmick. And honestly? That separation is as clear as it gets. Like it or not, this is who Mark Calloway is. You can loathe the person, but The Undertaker? He’s an icon who will continue to be embraced by the WWE universe, regardless of how people feel about Calloway’s personal beliefs.

Sure, it’s messy, but that’s the reality of wrestling. WWE is a business built on larger-than-life characters, controversial partnerships, and a long history of blurring the lines between fiction and reality. And whether you love it or hate it, moments like these remind us why wrestling isn’t just entertainment—it’s a reflection of the culture it exists in.