WWE’s inaugural Badd Blood pay-per-view in 1997 is most famously known for introducing the Hell in a Cell match between Shawn Michaels and The Undertaker. This event also marked the long-anticipated debut of Kane, a character who had been built up over several months before finally making his appearance.
In a recent discussion on “Six Feet Under,” Mark Calaway (The Undertaker) and Glenn Jacobs (Kane) revisited the night of Kane’s debut. Calaway reminisced about the special feeling he had about Badd Blood 1997 even before the event revealed.
The two, who had previously teamed up and portrayed brothers in kayfabe, revealed that their communication leading up to the debut was minimal, as they felt it wasn’t necessary.
“The cell door was our main concern,” Calaway recalled. “Kane was supposed to rip it off. The excitement was palpable when we finally faced each other in the ring.” Jacobs, who had previously played various roles in WWE, described his debut as Kane as the moment he truly felt like a “superstar.”
He remembered the crowd’s initial silence followed by a burst of noise as they recognized his character. “This was probably the first time I felt I truly belonged,” Jacobs reflected.
Jacobs attributed much of the debut’s success to Calaway’s portrayal of The Undertaker, which helped establish Kane’s presence with the audience. Despite the strong performances from everyone involved, Jacobs believes that The Undertaker’s contribution was crucial in making Kane’s debut memorable.