The Undertaker Reflects On Incident That Nearly Derailed WWE Hall Of Famer’s Career
WWE Hall of Famer The Undertaker recently recounted a dramatic international incident involving former WWE star Vader during a 1997 tour of Kuwait. On his “Six Feet Under” podcast, The Undertaker, real name Mark Calaway, shared the story of how a promotional appearance on Kuwaiti television led to Vader’s brief detention in the country.
The incident occurred while The Undertaker was WWE champion and scheduled to defend his title against Vader. During an interview on a Kuwaiti morning show, the host asked the controversial question about wrestling’s authenticity, sparking an unexpected reaction from Vader.
We are in Kuwait and we are doing basically the Kuwaiti version of ‘Good Morning America’. The host asked the question. He just couldn’t help himself. He just had to ask ‘Well isn’t it fake?’
The Undertaker described his internal struggle to maintain composure while anticipating Vader’s reaction.
On the outside I look as cool as can be. But on the inside I’m like ‘Oh no, he didn’t’. Because I knew what Leon was gonna do, and he did.
Vader, whose real name was Leon White, responded by grabbing and shaking the host and asking him ‘Does that feel f***ing fake?’. This action led to the immediate termination of the interview and had serious consequences.
I never broke character but I’m thinking ‘Oh Leon please let him go, don’t hit him, oh my gosh they’re gonna behead him.’ I’m thinking all the worst things are about to happen to Vader.
The incident resulted in Vader being detained in Kuwait for several days while The Undertaker and the rest of the WWE crew returned home to the United States.
The Undertaker Explains The Hardest Part Of Being A Modern WWE Heel
The Undertaker recently offered his perspective on the challenges Gunther faces in preserving his role as a “heel” character in WWE, expressing concern that the growing admiration from WWE fans could make it difficult for Gunther to remain a true villain.
H/t to ITRwrestling.com