WWE Hall of Famer The Undertaker continues to be a guiding presence in the world of professional wrestling — and he’s not holding back about what today’s talent needs most.
Speaking on the Mic Check podcast with Mr. Anderson, The Undertaker opened up about his current mentorship role in WWE and the challenges of instilling traditional storytelling values in a fast-paced, move-heavy era.
Using his legendary WrestleMania 25 match with Shawn Michaels as a prime example, The Phenom emphasized that emotional storytelling and character work are far more impactful than flashy in-ring sequences:
“That’s one of the best things about working on LFG. With these young kids, I can kind of start to get that ingrained in their heads a bit,” he said. “I am constantly saying, ‘I don’t care. I don’t want flippy dudes, what I need you to do is tell me a story.’”
While his sporadic presence on the main roster limits how much he can directly influence current WWE Superstars, The Undertaker is deeply involved with WWE LFG, the company’s new reality competition series. There, he plays a critical role as both a mentor and judge for the Performance Center’s top prospects.
“They are there every week and then I come in and say, ‘Hey, ever thought about this?’ and they are like, ‘No, I don’t want any part of that,’” Taker admitted.
Despite this, he finds the Performance Center trainees far more receptive to his wisdom — and sees them slowly embracing his teachings.
“I’m finally starting to, you know, especially with the kids down at the PC, they’re kind of going, ‘Oh, okay, now I see,’” he added.
Although The Undertaker acknowledges that wrestling will continue to evolve — especially in speed and spectacle — he insists that the core of what makes a great match will always remain the same:
“There’s elements to what we do that will never change… Feel like you’re getting your ass kicked. Feel like you’re kicking somebody’s ass. Make it organic.”
The second season of WWE LFG is currently airing and has generated major fan interest, particularly around contestants Zena Sterling and Elijah Holyfield, who recently confirmed they’re in a relationship. The winners of the series will earn an NXT contract, continuing WWE’s pipeline of homegrown talent.
Stay tuned to PWMania.com for full WWE LFG coverage and more backstage insights from The Deadman.
