Mark Calaway spent thirty years making us believe he was a literal zombie from Death Valley. He didn't break character. He didn't do podcasts. He didn't post pictures of his breakfast on Instagram. Because of that, people honestly have a hard time pinning down the man's actual age. When you spend three decades watching a guy get buried alive or set on fire, you start to think he’s ageless. Or at least immortal.
But the mortal reality is that Mark Calaway, the man behind the black hat, was born on March 24, 1965.
As of today, in early 2026, the wrestler The Undertaker is 60 years old.
It’s a bit of a trip to think about. He’s officially a sexagenarian. For context, when he debuted at Survivor Series in 1990, he was a massive, agile 25-year-old kid with orange hair. By the time he finally left his boots in the ring and walked away at the 2020 Survivor Series, he was 55. That’s thirty years of taking "bumps" on plywood and canvas. Most people’s knees give out just walking down a flight of stairs at 60. Calaway spent those years jumping off cages and having 500-pound men land on his chest.
The timeline of the Deadman
He’s a Houston guy. Born in 1965 to Frank and Betty Calaway, he was actually a standout basketball player before he ever laced up wrestling boots. You can still see those basketball roots in how he moved in the 90s. He’d walk the top rope like a balance beam. He’d fly over the top rope with a suicide dive that someone his size—6'10" and nearly 300 pounds—shouldn't have been able to pull off.
If you’re wondering how old is the wrestler the undertaker compared to his peers, he’s actually younger than Hulk Hogan (72) and Ric Flair (76), but he started his "main event" run so young that he feels like he’s from an even older era. He was the locker room leader for guys who are now retired or, sadly, gone.
It’s kind of wild to look at the math.
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When he faced Shawn Michaels at WrestleMania 25—widely considered the greatest match of all time—Taker was 44. Most athletes are washed by 44. He went out there and put on a clinic. But the toll was heavy. By the time he hit his early 50s, the "Deadman" started looking, well, a bit more human.
Why he actually looks younger at 60 than at 55
If you saw him at the end of his career, specifically around 2017 to 2019, he looked rough. He’d be the first to tell you that. In the "The Last Ride" documentary on WWE Network, he was incredibly vulnerable about it. He had a hip replacement. He was struggling with his weight. His face looked weathered.
But check him out now.
Since retiring, Calaway has undergone a massive lifestyle shift. He’s not training to take a 20-minute beating anymore. He’s training for "life." He’s leaner. He’s healthier. He’s doing the "1 deadman Show" tours where he talks to fans for hours, and honestly, he looks like he could still go for five minutes if he really wanted to.
He’s basically living proof that the "wrestling age" isn't the same as "biological age." He spent years in a state of perpetual inflammation. Now that he isn't hitting the floor every night, his body has actually had a chance to heal. He’s 60, but he’s moving better than he did at 52.
Comparing the ages of WWE Legends
People often group Taker in with the "Attitude Era" stars, but he was a veteran even then.
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- Stone Cold Steve Austin: Born 1964 (61 years old).
- The Rock: Born 1972 (53 years old).
- Triple H: Born 1969 (56 years old).
- Kane (Glenn Jacobs): Born 1967 (58 years old).
It’s interesting that Taker is actually younger than Stone Cold. Because the Undertaker character was so dark and "old world," we always perceived him as the elder statesman. Even in the mid-90s, he felt like he’d been around forever.
The 2026 perspective on a 60-year-old icon
We live in an era where 60 isn't the end of the road. We see it in Hollywood and we see it in sports. But in wrestling, 60 is a milestone. Many of Calaway's contemporaries didn't make it to 60. The fact that he’s here, healthy, lucid, and sharing his stories is a massive win for the industry.
There was a lot of talk about whether he’d stay retired. Wrestling is famous for the "never say never" trope. Ric Flair wrestled in his 70s. Sting just retired in 2024 at the age of 64, and he was still jumping off balconies. But Taker seems different. He’s talked about how the "limp" in his walk is permanent. He’s had his eyes checked, his hips replaced, and his various fractures mapped out.
He knows he’s 60. He’s okay with it.
He’s currently spending his time doing the Six Feet Under podcast and traveling. He’s traded the spandex for camo and dad hats. It’s a bit jarring to see the most terrifying man in TV history drinking a coffee and talking about his favorite college football team, but it’s also pretty cool.
Misconceptions about his age and health
One of the biggest rumors that used to circulate was that the Undertaker was much older than he claimed. Back in the early internet days, people thought he was in his 50s while he was still in his 30s. The makeup and the lighting helped that illusion.
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Another weird fact? He’s been "dead" in storyline more times than we can count. He was buried alive in 1996, 2003, and 2010. He was locked in a casket and set on fire at the 1998 Royal Rumble. If you count "supernatural years," the guy is probably three centuries old.
In reality, he’s just a guy from Texas who worked a very physical job for a very long time.
How to track the Deadman today
If you want to see what a 60-year-old Undertaker looks like in action—non-wrestling action, that is—you should look into his recent public appearances. He’s become a bit of a social media staple, often appearing in videos with his wife, former WWE champion Michelle McCool.
She’s actually a big reason he’s in such good shape. She’s a fitness fanatic and kept him moving when his joints wanted to quit.
If you are looking for the definitive answer to how old is the wrestler the undertaker, just remember the number 60. He’s entering a new decade. And honestly? He’s earned every gray hair in that goatee.
Actionable Insights for Fans:
- Watch the Documentary: If you haven't seen Undertaker: The Last Ride, go watch it. It’s the best look at the physical reality of an aging athlete ever produced.
- Check the Podcast: His Six Feet Under podcast is where he actually addresses his health and age issues regularly.
- Respect the Retirement: Don't hold your breath for one more match. At 60, with a prosthetic hip, the risk-to-reward ratio just isn't there anymore.
- The Legacy: Realize that his 30-year run is a statistical anomaly that will likely never be repeated in modern wrestling.
The man gave his body to the fans for three decades. Now, at 60, he gets to be Mark Calaway. That’s a pretty good deal.