The Undertaker Talks Moving On From “Deadman” Character

The Undertaker is trying to adjust to his post-wrestling life, but some of his fans are still unhappy that he made the decision to “break kayfabe”.

For decades it was widely assumed that Undertaker would be the only wrestler that wouldn’t succumb to the pressure to abandon his gimmick. However, as the Undertaker approached his eventual retirement, he began peeling back the curtain like everyone else.

But since he was so special, when the Undertaker did it there was much more attention given to whatever he did. Whether it was him being seen with his wife at WrestleMania 33 or his WWE Network special, or talking like an ordinary man during his Hall of Fame induction, some people simply didn’t like the idea that a wrestler called The Undertaker was acting like anything other than a larger-than-life character.

Undertaker is well aware of these criticisms and addressed some of them in an interview with Manchester Evening News.

“It’s so funny, because I was the last guy that put that kind of effort into protecting the business and protecting a character. It’s so funny the amount of hate that I’ve got, from people now, you know, they hear my normal voice, and me talk about normal things.

The hate that I get because people feel like I destroyed their childhood and I’m like “me!?, me!? I was the last one. I was the last one, I’m the guy you’re gonna take you’re heat out on?”

The Undertaker also explained his mindset behind abandoning the Deadman character with which he had been synonymous for almost his entire career.

“Once I gave the speech at Hall of Fame. That’s when we figured that we might have something as far as a show or the ability to connect with the audience a different way.

Because I had two options, if I want to stay involved in the industry, I’ve got to evolve, what does that Undertaker character bring if you don’t get into the ring? Either I completely remove myself and let the legacy of the character move on.

Or, I have 30 plus years of life experience, stories, funny stories, sad stories, insight on things that had happened to me through the years, and I wasn’t really ready to be done with the business.”

Fans in the UK will be able to see The Undertaker in July when he brings the Deadman tour overseas.