WWE Hall of Famer The Undertaker believes today’s wrestlers are more athletic than ever, but he also worries that the emphasis on increasingly spectacular moves could come at the expense of storytelling and long-term health.
Speaking on Booker T’s Hall of Fame podcast, The Undertaker reflected on how much the wrestling business has evolved since the peak of his in-ring career.
“It is completely two different worlds. It’s crazy because never in a million years could I imagine how athletic these guys are today.”
The Undertaker pointed to the incredible athletic feats regularly seen in modern wrestling and joked that growing up with video games may have influenced the current generation’s approach.
“I don’t know if it was the video games they played as kids, but they’re doing video game-type stuff in the ring.”
While praising the athletic ability of today’s performers, The Undertaker expressed concern that some wrestlers may rely too heavily on high-risk maneuvers rather than focusing on the fundamentals of storytelling.
“I think it’s almost a curse sometimes because they’re so athletic and they rely so much on that aspect that they forget the most important aspect of what we do, and that is storytelling.”
The legendary performer revealed that he has raised these concerns with people within the industry and believes wrestling may eventually need to find a better balance between athleticism and narrative.
“I’ve mentioned it to different people high up, and it’s like, ‘Hey, we can’t put the toothpaste back in the tube.’ But I think at some point we’re going to have to figure out a way to get it back in there because these guys—and I’m just thinking of their health, if nothing else.”
The Undertaker emphasized how dangerous professional wrestling can be, regardless of experience level.
“I tell people this all the time, and they look at me like I’m crazy, but in any given wrestling match, at some point in that match, you’re two inches away from something really catastrophic happening.”
According to The Undertaker, the constant push to create bigger and more spectacular moments only increases those risks.
“The stuff these guys are doing to get reactions from the crowds, it just makes it exponentially more dangerous than it has to be because, after a while, people get desensitized to the crazy moves.”
He noted that fans eventually become accustomed to seeing once-unthinkable maneuvers, forcing wrestlers to continually raise the bar.
“The double backflip off the top rope onto the floor—I’ve seen it done a couple times. Now what do you have for me? So you have to continue to push the envelope. Okay, what am I going to have to do to get a reaction?”
At the same time, The Undertaker acknowledged that modern wrestling is thriving financially and that today’s performers are succeeding in their own era.
“Whereas our era—and it’s hard to argue with them because, look, business is great. It’s their era. It is what it is.”
However, he remains concerned about the long-term toll such a physically demanding style could have on wrestlers’ careers and bodies.
“But just being there through the years and knowing what it does to your body, it’s like, man, you’re not going to have careers like we had. You’re going to burn out. You’re going to get hurt.”
The comments echo concerns The Undertaker has expressed in the past regarding the importance of storytelling in professional wrestling and the need to balance athletic innovation with preserving performers’ health and longevity.
