If it wasn’t for the Undertaker, I would not be a wrestling fan today. The man was my first true introduction into the world of not just World Wrestling Entertainment but to the whole Pro Wrestling industry. He was a character from a bygone era that has evolved with the times and made himself relevant for every generation.

With the last part of his 5-part documentary series, he addressed that he was done with wrestling, and with the WWE confirming it with thank you posts on social media that are the final say. What has been rumored for the past 10 years has finally happened the Undertaker and Mark Calaway has finally closed the book on his wrestling career. Many fans can agree the man has defiantly earned this retirement.

Mark Calaway began his career in 1987, working as various gimmicks for World Class Championship Wrestling (WCCW) and other affiliate promotions, and he became USWA Unified World Heavyweight Champion and WCWA Texas Heavyweight Champion during this time. After signing with World Championship Wrestling (WCW) in 1989, he had a brief stint in the mid-card as “Mean Mark” Callous, before joining the World Wrestling Federation (WWF, now WWE) in 1990.

Calaway was rebranded as “The Undertaker” in the WWF and gained significant mainstream popularity as a horror-themed, macabre entity who employed scare tactics and held links to the supernatural. The longest-tenured wrestler in company history at 40 years, The Undertaker was one of the most prominent figures of the Attitude Era, a boom period in the company’s business in the latter 1990s. His character transitioned into a biker in the early 2000s, before returning to a refined version of his previous gimmick in 2004. The Undertaker is heavily associated with WWE’s flagship annual event, WrestleMania, where he became known for The Streak, a series of 21 straight victories, and he headlined the event on five occasions.

The man has done it all and at the age of 55, he has not had much else to add to his resume as a wrestler. The Undertaker has done all there is to do in the world of pro wrestling and too many people he has been the one guy they picture when someone brings up wrestling. If this is truly the end of his career there is one thing to say and that is thank you.