When you think ofWWESuperstars, few people will go much further than thinking ofThe Undertaker.
Even in retirement,his presence still looms large over the industry.
And yes, we even asked ifhewould have made the cut onLFG.
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UNDERTAKER: Great, great question.
And I talk about this quite a bit with my kids.
I think the biggest mistakeand let me just kind of backtrack here a little bit.
Image via WWE
You have to be able todive into something inside of youand bring it out to set yourself apart.
You worked with legends and with rookies throughout your career.
How different is this generation of wrestlers from when you started?
What are the key differences, aside from athleticism?
UNDERTAKER: Yeah, I mean, theathleticism is off the charts.
Its crazy what these guys are physically able to do.
And I think thats a good thing… but sometimes, I think its a bad thing.
I always go back to video games.
The things they do now?
I couldnt even imagine doing some of that stuff back in my day.
But I think this era kind of relies too much on that athleticism.
They can pull off these big moves, but theres a law of diminishing returns.
Do you think the biggest thing they need to learn is how to master psychology over just physicality?
UNDERTAKER: Yeah, thats exactly it.
It becomes atrack meetinstead of a wrestling match.
You might get a couple of pops for athleticism, but theyhavent grasped the idea of letting things breathe.
Why should I let this moment settle in?
Why should I take a step back and let everyone absorb what just happened?
What matches would you recommend to these rookies if they wanted to learn the art of storytelling?
UNDERTAKER: Its not about theleastamount of effortits aboutnot doing things that arent necessary.
That match is the closest toperfectIve ever been.
And despite the dive where I almost killed myself, that match still holds up.
The psychology, the pacing, the storytellingits all there.
There are so many others.Eddie Guerrerowas a master.
He could work any style and tell a compelling story.
And Im glad you brought upGuntherbecausehes my guy.
He doesnt waste movement.Everything he does means something.And youre going to see that onLFG.
Thats what makes him so special.
Ill just wrap up with one last question.
UNDERTAKER: Thats interesting… No, I think so.
Ive always bet on myself.
Ive always been extremely confident in my abilities, even when people told me I wasnt very good.
IknewI would be good.
But man, the things were asking these16 rookies to do onLFGare insane.
The pressure is unreal.
When I had my first match, it was in front of20 peopleat a Knights of Columbus Hall.
Im telling you, the pressure is real.
Youfeelit from week to week, and I cant wait for people to see it.
WWE LFGpremieresSunday, February 16 at 8PM ET/PT on A&E.
