Kane’s Original Plans After Debut at WWE Bad Blood 1997 Finally Revealed

The Undertaker and his storyline brother, Kane, came to massive prominence as The Brother of Destruction tag team. The Deadman recently opened up about the original plans for the Kane character and praised him for persevering through earlier failed gimmicks.

During the recent edition of his podcast, Six Feet Under, The Undertaker revealed that Kane was initially introduced as a short-term character, merely an opponent for The Undertaker to defeat. However, to everyone’s surprise, Kane’s character became one of the most iconic in WWE history. Undertaker noted that WWE executives didn’t anticipate the success of Kane’s gimmick.

“Early on, they were just bringing him in for an opponent for me to beat. This was going to be a short-term deal,” revealed The Undertaker. “They had no idea they had no idea this was going to be what it turned out to be. They were bringing him in to be win for me and it turned into something just a little bit bigger.”

Before Kane, Glenn Jacobs had previously portrayed less successful characters like Fake Diesel and Isaac Yankem, both of which failed to connect with fans. Calaway praised Jacobs for not letting these setbacks deter him.

“Obviously, he comes in, in this incredible shape. Like, you know, because he had had a couple other opportunity — I don’t even know if you can call those opportunities. They kind of pigeon-holed him in some bad [gimmicks] you know fake Diesel and Isaac Yankem. I mean, that is not … that’s not doing anybody any favors.”

The Undertaker also emphasized how the fan reaction to Kane’s 1997 debut showed that WWE had something special. He has often spoken about the Kane rivalry being one of the most important of his career, while Kane, too, has acknowledged the impact of their storyline.

Moreover, The Undertaker also expressed being open to another Hall of Fame induction with Kane as The Brothers of Destruction. This unexpected turn of events transformed Kane from a short-lived gimmick into one of WWE’s most enduring characters, creating a legendary feud that would define both their careers.

What are your thoughts on The Undertaker applauding Kane for not giving up despite having failed gimmicks in WWE previously? Also, are you surprised to learn about his original plans? Sound off in the comments!