Interview
24th June 2002
Interview with Undertaker
by Phil Speer
CLEVELAND -- June 24, 2002 -- WWE.com caught up with Undertaker on Monday afternoon, the day after he retained the WWE Undisputed Championship by pinning Triple H at King of the Ring. "Big Evil" commented on the match, Vince Russo, Stone Cold Steve Austin and more.
WWE.com:What did you think of your match with Triple H last night?
Undertaker:I thought there were some positives and some negatives. Overall, naturally, I was very pleased with how it turned out. I think the finish of the match was off the charts, and I don't think anybody could tell which way the match was going to go. Anytime you can pull that off, it's good. I thought the match started out really hot. There was a lot of energy that you could feel in the arena when Triple H was standing in his corner and I was standing in mine. I kind of think the middle of the match maybe left a little bit to be desired. I probably could have figured out some way to put him in more jeopardy. But overall, I'm pleased with it. You can't argue with either guy's workrate in the match. It's another one of those things where I learned something else. That's always positive after as many years as I've been in the business -- that you can continue to learn and improve your product. But overall I think the night was a success.
WWE.com:How are you feeling?
Undertaker:A little sore, a little banged up today. I took a couple of squirrelly bumps last night.
WWE.com:Squirrelly bumps?
Undertaker:Meaning that they were somewhat goofy. I cracked my head a couple of times. Plus, after any match of that magnitude, my hips are usually pretty sore and tender the next day. But overall, other than being sore I'm in pretty good shape.
WWE.com:Was Triple H's elbow injury a factor during the match?
Undertaker:Yeah, it was. I think it took a little zip off of what he wanted to accomplish in the ring. That's just another testament to his professionalism and his desire to be the best out there. He realizes that people in his position and his importance to the company have to go out there and work through injuries. And for that you've got to give him all the credit in the world. He was there punch-for-punch and move-for-move. I think he's due for surgery on that right elbow on Tuesday, so hopefully he can get that arm healthy and we can finish this thing once and for all.
WWE.com:You got really high in the air when Triple H gave you the Pedigree. So are you Air Taker now?
Undertaker:Well, you know what, I have to admit, any time that I wrestle Triple H, I get a little geared up. Outside of personal differences that you see on the show, I have the utmost respect for him. And it's always a pleasure being in the ring with someone the caliber of Triple H. I don't know. I wouldn't go so far as to say Air Taker. I'm not quite Air Taker.
WWE.com:What was it like having The Rock back out there?
Undertaker:You can say what you want about Rock. Rock brings to the arena an energy and an electricity that I don't think anyone else can. He is just energy personified. It was such an adrenaline rush with the fans when he came out. It felt good getting laced by him with a couple of punches. It's been a long time. It felt better to hit on him a little bit. It's good for WWE. I think it's good for The Rock that he's back, and I'm looking forward to getting in the ring with him.
WWE.com:When did you hear about Vince Russo and what was your immediate reaction?
Undertaker:I found out sometime during the weekend. I don't know. I mean, here's another guy who walked out right before a TV show. Initially, I guess he was going to be a lead writer or something like that. I don't even know what all the background is. But we definitely don't need anything negative at this point. We need people that are going to jump on board and bust their ass to make this the best product that we can make it. We can't have people with ulterior motives or people who are more interested in what people on the Internet say than what happens within the company's confines. If he can be used in a role that's going to help us produce interesting stories, then that's fine. But anything else I don't think is needed.
WWE.com:But you can't say you're all that disappointed that sometime between Thursday and Friday his role was changed to consultant from lead writer.
Undertaker:No, I can't say that I'm disappointed at all in that.
WWE.com:What do you think the backstage environment would be like if he were here today?
Undertaker:I don't know. I think there may have been a few, but I don't think there would have been too many people that would have been overly excited about it. But that's just my take on it. Nobody has come to me and said, "I don't like the fact that he's going to be here." I haven't talked to anybody about it. It doesn't matter to me who's here and who's not here, as long as they're with the program and they're here to make this product better. I don't care if Attila the Hun shows up. If it makes our product better, then so be it. I can get by previous mistakes and previous errors in judgment from people. But they have to be focused on trying to make our product better. If they're not, I have no use for them
WWE.com:Were you surprised when you first heard the news about Russo? Or does nothing surprise you anymore?
Undertaker:I have learned that you never say never in this business, but that is a name that did catch me a little bit off guard. Just with the nature of the way he left, and the recent events with Stone Cold and all that, it did catch me a little bit off guard. But I know Vince (McMahon) wants to give us the best product that we can put on television. I know that he's looking and reaching for different solutions to some of our creative problems. But I have the utmost confidence in our creative staff, and I think in the end everything's going to work out fine.
WWE.com:Is there any "burned bridge" in this business that can't be rebuilt?
Undertaker:Actually, I don't think so. I used to think there might have been. But in this day and age... Vince (McMahon) is the consummate professional and the ultimate businessman. He has the ability to put his personal feelings on the shelf and do what's best for this company. I think because of that, he is a unique individual. Because I don't know if I would be able to overlook a lot of things that have been done to him personally, through World Wrestling Entertainment. But I guess that's why he's probably a bigger man than me. I do tend to carry a grudge.
WWE.com:What are your feelings about Stone Cold?
Undertaker:You know, I really haven't said much about that. It's a real shame that it had to come that. And not having the privilege of speaking to Steve and getting his thoughts on it, I hate to pass judgment on somebody who has meant so much to WWE. But from the outside looking in, I'm very disappointed in his decision. He let a lot of people down. You know, when you have the position of a Stone Cold Steve Austin or a Rock or an Undertaker or a Triple H, your decisions aren't based solely on your own personal interests. You have other families that you have to worry about, because you're helping to feed other people's families.
And those people that helped you get to the point that you are, it's your obligation to do the right thing for these people's families. I don't think that he was concerned about anybody other than Steve Austin. And that's a shame because it took a lot of people to create Stone Cold Steve Austin. It wasn't just him. It was the creative staff. It was all the wrestlers in the dressing room. And I think somewhere in the process he forgot that, and he put himself above everything else. It's a real shame. I've seen it happen many times since I've been here in WWE, and it doesn't get any easier to take when you see it happen. But you know, I hope only the best for Stone Cold. I hope he gets all his personal issues taken care of. And who's to say? If Steve gets his s*** together, maybe one day there will be a place here for him.
WWE.com:Do you consider him a friend?
Undertaker:Do I consider him a friend? No. We don't hang out. I don't consider him an enemy. But we don't hang out away from the arena, and this surely didn't help to further that relationship any. His wife and my wife are friendly, but that's about as far as it goes. I had a working relationship with him. We had a mutual respect, but that's kind of been squashed at this point.
WWE.com:So you don't intend to give him a call.
Undertaker:No. I have no reason to call.
WWE.com:Now that he's gone, the Triple Hs and the Undertakers are going to have to step up more than ever, wouldn't you say?
Undertaker:Yeah, but not only those types of guys. Those guys are doing everything they can do. We need the stars of the next generation to come to step up. There's never been any better opportunity than right now for the young guys to take the initiative and step forward and make names for themselves. And regardless of what all the people on the Internet say about guys like me holding guys back, that's just not the case. There's no better time for somebody to come in and try to push me off the ladder and take my quote-unquote spot. I want somebody to come up. I want somebody to push me off. There's this big misconception that I have all this juice, and I won't do this for people and I won't do that for people. That's a bunch of bulls***. I do everything in my power in the ring (and) outside the ring, to help these guys. And a lot of them are very appreciative of it and are heeding the advice of myself, Triple H (and) Kurt Angle. It's their opportunity to seize.
We're doing everything that we can do. We need some guys to step up. And some already have. It's a shame the injury that happened to Kane. And it's a shame what happened to Edge. I thought those two guys were really getting ready to take a step forward. Kane's already a huge star. But I think he's only scratched the surface of where he's going to be. And I think Edge finally turned that corner. His matches with Kurt Angle were phenomenal. And I think he was about to take that turn into superstardom, where Edge would be mentioned in the same breath as The Rock and Kurt Angle and Triple H. But sometime an injury sticks its ugly head in there. But there are guys like Rob Van Dam and Brock Lesnar. These are guys who are right there on the cusp of becoming so huge. We really need them to step forward right now and seize that brass ring.
WWE.com:On a different topic, I love your new "Red Devil" shirt. Where did the illustration on the front come from?
Undertaker:Our art department and I sat down and came up with something that we felt was a cross between an Undertaker likeness and the devil. I've been thinking about the caption "Red Devil/Big Evil" for a while, and this just seemed like the proper time to do it. We put the caricature on there, and from what I understand, it's doing real well. "Red Devil/Big Evil" is kind of where my state of mind is right now -- being as evil as possible, and kicking as much ass as possible.
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