Legendary WWE icon, The Undertaker, known for his decades of dominance and intensity in the ring, recently opened up about his views on current WWE stars and addressed criticisms surrounding his chair-swinging style during his illustrious career.
In a revealing interview on Chris Van Vliet’s Insight YouTube show, The Undertaker shared his admiration for emerging WWE heels, particularly singling out Ludwig Kaiser for his potential to become a compelling villain. Known for his smug demeanor and undeniable presence, Kaiser’s ability to evoke dislike from fans resonates deeply with The Undertaker, who praised him for embodying the essence of a top-tier heel.
“I like Kaiser. He’s going to be a great villainous heel. He’s easy to look at and dislike. It’s a quality. You look at him and go, ‘I don’t like him.’ He has that heelish smug air to him. ‘I want to punch him in the face.’ That’s the best quality you can have as a heel.”
The Undertaker’s endorsement of Kaiser’s potential as a future top heel underscores his keen eye for talent and understanding of what makes a character resonate with WWE audiences.
In the same interview, The Undertaker also had positive words for another WWE standout, GUNTHER, highlighting the former Intercontinental Champion’s abilities and recounting a personal anecdote where GUNTHER showed kindness to The Undertaker’s son, further cementing his respect for the wrestler both in and out of the ring.
Defending His Chair-Swinging Legacy
Beyond discussing current WWE talent, The Undertaker took a moment to address long-standing criticisms about his chair-swinging technique, which has been a subject of scrutiny over the years.
Reflecting on his approach to wielding chairs during matches, The Undertaker emphasized that his actions were always in the context of performing as a WWE superstar, devoid of any malicious intent or personal agendas. He passionately defended his style, pointing out that in the era he emerged from, chair shots were a standard part of wrestling matches, and his execution of them was consistent across all opponents.
“In my defense, go back and look at the whole scope of how I swing a chair. I hit everybody the same. There was no malice. There was no, like, ‘Oh, I’m going to try and hurt the greenhorn.’ If you look at all my chair shots when we could hit.”
Acknowledging the evolution of understanding around head injuries and CTE (Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy), The Undertaker expressed that if he were aware then of the current knowledge regarding head injuries, his approach might have been different.
“Knowing now what we do about head injuries. It’s a different deal. I would say, ‘Okay, make sure that you get your hands up.’”
The Undertaker’s candid remarks provide a rare glimpse into the mindset of a wrestling legend who continues to command respect and admiration from fans worldwide, both for his contributions to the sport and his ongoing dedication to ensuring its safety and evolution.
