The Undertaker was in the house for the Big 12 Championship on Saturday and recreated an iconic meme during the coin toss. It was the best part of a truly unexpected partnership between the conference and the WWE, and it was totally organic
AT&T Stadium played host to the title game and The Undertaker was in the house!
At 6-foot-10, 310 pounds, the 58-year-old wrestling legend towered over the Big 12 official during the coin toss prior to kickoff. His presence could be felt both in the stadium and at home.
Although it was completely unintentional, The Undertaker’s coin toss appearance recreated an iconic meme that dates back to Westlemania 36 on April 4, 2020. He and A.J. Styles went to battle during a Boneyard Match.
Styles believed The Undertaker had been buried in a grave during the match. As he smiled about the apparent victory, The Undertaker appeared behind him and created the now-famous image.
Three+ years later, at the Big 12 Championship in Arlington, The Undertaker stood behind the head referee and gave the same glare as he did toward Styles. It was a near splitting image.
Why was The Undertaker at the Big 12 Championship?!
Big 12 commissioner Brett Yormack previously served as CEO and President of Business Operations and Strategy at Roc Nation, an entertainment company founded by Jay-Z. His former role likely led to the integration of professional wrestling with college football.
He announced back on Nov. 16 that the Big 12 teamed up with the WWE for its conference championship game as part of a larger “entertainment enhancement” push. The promotion’s logo was painted on the field and the most outstanding player of the game received a custom-made WWE championship belt.
WWE is a global brand that connects with a wide array of audiences. With this partnership, we will integrate WWE and its brand power into one of the conference’s biggest moments, further strengthening the bridge between sports and entertainment throughout the Big 12.
— Brett Yormack
Even though the partnership between the Big 12 and WWE was a bit strange, it led to an incredible coin toss moment with The Undertaker. And for that, we are grateful!