The Undertaker And Vince McMahon Discuss Their Bond And Loyalty
The Undertaker is one of the most legendary performers in WWE with his career spanning 30 years in the company. Through all the ups and downs of Undertaker’s career, he’s always stuck by the company because the company has always stuck by him.
In episode two of The Last Ride, fans get to see behind the scenes footage of Undertaker and his relationship with Vince McMahon.
“I can’t think of anybody more influential, other than my father, than Vince,” says Undertaker. “He’d be the first one to pat you on the back but also the first one to kick you in the ass when you needed it. I love Vince to death. I would take a bullet for him. Literally, I would. He’s my boss, my friend, he’s been like a dad, like a brother. He’s been it all to me. I’ve gone through some really harrowing personal issues in my life and kinda let them take over who I am as a person. The problems became so monumental that I didn’t care about anyone else. He was the one who basically sat me down in a chair and told me, ‘Mark, you need to quit feeling sorry for yourself.’ I’m like, there’s no other person that could say that to me where I wouldn’t have got up and knock the shit out of em. But it was Vince. So I knew it was true. And I knew where it was coming from. Tough love. That’s what I needed. Not because he was my boss, but because he was my friend and cared about me. He’s an incredible man and an important person in my life that made me a much better man.”
At one point in the documentary, McMahon is asked about how much The Undertaker means to him and the company. McMahon can’t answer the question, getting too choked up.
He does manage to say, “Undertaker is the most loyal performer I’ve ever dealt with. He is the kind of man that you would want, literally and figuratively in the foxhole with you.”
The documentary shows Undertaker meeting with McMahon in August 2017 as his contract had expired. Undertaker “retired” following WrestleMania 33 after losing to Roman Reigns.
Undertaker said about the meeting, “My contract, during this time, expires. It was August, I went up to Stamford. It was a Saturday. I don’t know who meets on Saturday other than Vince. We had a long talk about my future and he goes, ‘What do you think, you think you’re going to be ready?’ ‘If I don’t get back in the ring again, I’m good. But I’ll train. If somebody gets hurt, I’ll be ready to go.’ I was saying it out of loyalty to a friend. I might have made a comment that ‘my tank is empty.’ He made me reiterate what I said. I was taken aback because Vince is normally full throttle. ‘You can do it.’ Okay, is this a double swerve? Vince could sell ice to an eskimo. He’s that good. I didn’t know what angle he was taking. Are you challenging me? I didn’t know how to quite process right away.”
Undertaker would return at WrestleMania 34, defeating John Cena in a short match. Taker had been preparing to go longer, but it was not necessary on that night.
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